DLW 199, 200 - Degrees and Perfections

DLW 199

[There are] degrees are of two kinds,
degrees of breadth and degrees of height;
and that degrees of breadth are like those
in the progression of light to dark
or of wisdom to ignorance,
while degrees of height are like end, cause and effect,
or like prior, subsequent and last elements.
We say of these latter degrees t
hat they ascend or descend,
because they are degrees of height.
Of the former, however,
we say that they increase or decrease,
because they are degrees of breadth.

These two kinds of degrees are so different in character
that they have nothing in common.
Consequently they must be distinctly perceived
and not in the least way be confused.

DLW 200

Perfection of life
is a perfection of love and wisdom.
And because the will and intellect
are the recipient vessels of these,
perfection of life is also a perfection of the will and intellect,
and so a perfection of affections and thoughts.
Moreover, because spiritual warmth is the conveyer of love,
and spiritual light the conveyer of wisdom,
the perfection of these
may be included under perfection of life as well.

Perfection of forces
is a perfection of all those agencies
which are activated and set in motion by life,
but which in themselves are devoid of life.
Such forces include
the atmospheres in the influences they exert.
Such forces include as well
the inner and outer organic substances in a person,
and also in animals of every kind.
Such forces include in addition
all those phenomena in the natural world
which are apportioned activities
directly and indirectly by the sun there.

Perfection of forms
and the perfection of forces go hand in hand,
for the character of the forces determines
the character of the forms,
the only difference being
that forms are substances,
while forces are their activities.
Consequently the two exhibit
the same degrees of perfection.
Forms which are not at the same time forces
are also perfected in accordance with degrees.