Living Swedenborg Entered into the State of Death
Swedenborg, an 18th century scholar, elite bureaucrat, and psychic who saw and entered into the afterlife or the spirit world while living in this world, mastered the way to make his soul enter into the spirit world by making himself put into the state of death.His way to put himself into the state of death is akin to the conditions of those who had near-death experiences. It tells that when a man is dying, his soul can access to the spirit world. And, as Swedenborg could freely realize the state of death, he could experience a kind of near-death experiences of those who were dying.
It is not clear how specifically Swedenborg put himself in the state of death where his body was almost dead, but his soul could return to his body from the spirit world after hours of an experience in the spirit world. He used this method for decades until his death in 1772. But, if anybody can master Swedenborg's way, he can see and have access to the afterlife or the spirit world. It would be revolutionary for the mankind.
It may be similar to the way for spirit mediums to evoke spirits of dead men into their bodies. But Swedenborg could enter into the spirit world and directly communicate with other spirits while keeping the consciousness and identity of his own spirt (to which his soul turned). Indeed, he wrote that he had been allowed by Christ Jesus to enter into the spirt world and see the real state of the afterlife. So, his way to achieve the sate of death while living might be extremely unique and divine so that none can imitate it.
Indeed, since Swedenborg's experiences, none has been able to perform successfully his method for the past 250 years except some people who happened to have particular near-death experiences.
In this context, the cases of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (1926 - 2004) and Raymond Moody (1944 -) are interesting. Kubler-Ross could see and talk with spirts coming in front of her through a certain spirit medium or making her own efforts. Moody succeeded in evoking spirits in a special room uniquely set up with a mirror to evoke them. However, they ways to evoke and communicate with spirits have not widely accepted and scientifically proved effective.
In this context, Christ Jesus must have been able to enter into the spirit world and communicate with spirits there. Specifically, when he experienced punishment on the cross, he must have near-death experiences. After near-death experiences, some people obtained some supernatural ability. So, it is no wonder that Christ Jesus after the resurrection acted as if He were a spirt but sometimes as a physical man.
Anyway, there must be a way for a man to have access to the spirit world unlike ordinary spirt mediums. But, a man who has found it would probably make it secret from others. On the other hand. Swedenborg wrote that it is sometimes dangerous for a living man to communicate with spirts because there are many evil spirts in the spirit world and that if an ordinary man sees the afterlife, he would go mad. So, it might be safe to keep it as his own secret.
However, Swedenborg was permitted by Christ Jesus or the God to see and communicate with spirits. He was protected by good spirits or angels in the spirit world. Therefore, it is not recommended for ordinary men to try to take access to the spirit world without permission of the God.
(Nonetheless, when men are performing meditation like in Zen Buddhism or as followers of Ignatius of Loyola, their souls might get close to the spirit word. But, in these cases, they follow strict instructions and rules of the relevant religions, so that they should be protected from evil spirits.)
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Acts 11, King James Version
11 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,
3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.