AC 3573 - Facial Expressions

 AC 3573 [3, 4]

. . . the rational mind, that is,
the inward areas of will and understanding with a person
ought to present themselves in his natural mind.
Just as the natural mind presents itself
in the face and facial expressions,
so much so that the face
is the outward expression of the natural mind,
so ought the natural mind
to be the outward expression of the rational mind.
When rational and natural are joined together,
as they are with those who are regenerate,
whatever a person wills
and thinks inwardly within his rational
makes itself evident in his natural;
and this in turn makes itself evident in the face.
This is what the face is to angels
and what it was to the most ancient people
who were celestial.
Indeed they were never afraid
that others might know their ends and intentions,
for they willed nothing but good.
For anyone who allows himself to be led by the Lord
never intends or thinks anything else.
Where a state such as this exists
the rational as regards good
joins itself to the good of the natural directly,
and through the good of the natural
to the truths of the natural.
It also joins itself indirectly through the truth there
in the rational to the truth in the natural,
and through this to the good there.
All this effects an indissoluble joining together.

But how far mankind is removed at the present day
from this state, and so from the heavenly state,
may be seen from the belief
that practical wisdom requires one, in the world,
to use words, also to perform acts,
as well as to adopt facial expressions
which are other than what one in fact thinks and intends.
Indeed it is believed
that one should so control the natural mind itself
that in unison with its face
it acts in quite an opposite way
from inward thoughts and desires
that flow from an evil end in view.
To the most ancient people this was utterly abominable,
and people who behaved in that way
were expelled as devils from their community.
From these considerations,
as from effects and the signs of those effects,
one may see what the joining together
of the rational or internal man
as regards good and truth
with his natural or external man implies.
One may thus also see
what one who is an angel is like
and what one who is a devil is like.