The Earth
THE SPIRITUAL EARTH
- Chapter 57 -
Carnal and sensual pleasures
You know that certain human beings, male and female, are much afflicted with carnal desires, while there are others whose sensuous carnal nature is almost totally impassive. Such human beings do not react even if they are exposed to the most delightful flesh, whereas others would again enter into a frenzy at the sight of feminine charms. Yes, there are fools who, at the sight of a female, fall in love to such a degree that they completely lose their senses if they cannot have such a woman as their wife or, at least, for occasional sensuous pleasures.
The reason for such carnal inclination, especially if it expresses itself severely, frequently lies in being possessed with one or even several lecherous carnal devils.
How do these devils enter the flesh of such a person? Human beings themselves prepare opportunities without number or measure. Such carnal devils live especially in all "heating" (that is, alcoholic) beverages, in wine, in beer, and particularly in all distilled spirits. When people drink such alcoholic beverages and become severely inebriated, they have with certainty accommodated at least one or more carnal devils in their bodies. Once these carnal devils are in the flesh, they itch and torment the genitals in such a severe manner that human beings cannot but satisfy this enticement in sensuous pleasures.
These carnal devils are nothing but impure souls of departed human beings who were very much addicted either to drinking or to carnal sensuousness. The reason for entering the flesh of a living human being is for the improvement of the-carnal devil, because the flesh was their element. They carry on in their new abode in a considerably worse manner than they did when they were in their own flesh.
When these corrupt souls carry on too unrestrainedly and begin to ignite their impure desires more and more, they often cause many dangerous diseases. The guardian angel-spirits allow this, so that the soul of ailing human beings may not totally perish in a furious rage of the flesh.
Such so-called hot beverages are the first means through which these carnal devils enter a person's flesh.
The second path is just as dangerous as the first, and it is attending a dance! You may safely assume that, at any such dances, there are at all times at least ten times as many invisible, flesh-addicted impure souls present as there are guests. Under certain circumstances it is easy for them to enter the flesh, which here is severely stirred up and exceptionally susceptible to that type of filthy soul riff-raff. This is also why people who have attended such a ball feel an actual aversion to anything higher or sublime. This may easily be observed, especially in cities. And as far as students are concerned, it often happens that those who were once diligent students do not think about books or learning after such a dance, but do think continuously about the white neck, bosom, arm, and so on of a female, and have the eyes of the object of their affection constantly on their minds. Their senses are occupied with nothing but the object at the dance, which gave them such great pleasure.
This is why so many students give up their studies. Many, instead of studying the sciences, study only for their daily bread in order to become, as soon as possible, married with their lovely dance partners, such as they may be. And if such a couple actually marries, they are as incompatible as man and wife as the day is with the night.
The initial time such a married couple spends together is spent strictly in sensuous pleasures. Therefore, in a very short time all the specifica are completely used up, which specifica should have been dedicated to the formation of power for procreation; and this is usually followed by fatigue of the flesh. In such cases, the carnal devils that inhabit such a human being seek a way out by suggesting, as would a family doctor, that such a soul look for other flesh.
Thus the wife soon becomes disgusting to her husband, and vice versa. She gradually begins to look for young paramours; the husband, however, will usually go out at night to get Afresh air." And such a relation continues until such a married couple become weary of each other; soon they divorce, or merely go their separate ways. Such occurrences - which are presently the order of the day - are the fruits of the ball or dances and such like, and the consequences of possession of the above-mentioned evil patrons of the flesh.
At first, this state of possession does not express itself with the same severity in everyone as it does in some, such as those who, through alcoholic drinks, have accommodated such unclean spirits within themselves. The spirits which come out of these hot drinks may be easily removed by means of a strong prayer for the soul by her spirit, whereupon a normal condition of the flesh is restored. The alien spirits which were attracted through the pleasures of dancing are not, however, so easily removed. It requires a considerable amount of fasting, prayer, and self-denial, through which the soul unites more and more with her spirit. The spirit then reaches through the soul and throws the evil riff-raff out of the house of the soul.
What would such a couple generally do while at a dance? Besides dancing, they would usually eat and drink throughout the dance, and afterwards they may eat even more than normal, because they want to "replenish their energy," which is the same as a guarantee to the carnal devils of a lifelong pension and lodging in their souls and blood. The physical body of many male and female dancers, when they have accommodated too many such guests, will in a very short time cease to exist, because these malicious carnal imps, who are no longer able to find any more room in the kidneys and parts of the genitals, prepare their dwellings also in the spleen, liver, and lungs. Wherever such an emigrant from Hell makes his home, he kills the flesh wherein he dwells. The consequences of this are hardening of the spleen and liver, consumption of the lungs, and emaciation. When two or more enter the lungs, they then cause galloping consumption.
The Lord says: "I tell you that you may be assured that most human ailments originate from their hellish inhabitants, for which they themselves have paved the way into their own flesh; many already begin the school of Hell in their youth, and these are the true children of the world. These human beings do not sense that they are accommodating foreign guests of the dirtiest kind. These spirits not only seek to place the mood and flesh of the landlord in a sensuous mode, but also work in this manner upon the soul to the extent that she begins to find pleasure in all kinds of worldly things."
These worldly things, especially for females, are "fashion"! The charming flesh must be covered in accordance with the prevailing fashion, the hair must be curled, and the skin must be embrocated with well-scented potions. For men, there must be the ever-present hellish tobacco, and many young dandies, if they have a little money, will frequently smoke as much in one day as ten poor people spend to buy enough bread to feed themselves.
You should also know what the spiritual significance of this fashionable smoking is. These evil inhabitants make every effort to familiarize the soul, while living a physical life, with the hellish vapors and stink of tobacco. Therefore, after the soul leaves the body, she does not become aware of her stinking company immediately, nor does she sense early enough that this fine company, completely unnoticed, is leading her into the third Hell.
It has already been said that each soul, after the death of the physical body, comes first into the company of angels, whereat their evil company must yield in the twinkling of an eye. It happens in this instance as well. But such a soul does not remain permanently in the company of the angels, but instead is placed in a position whereby she may restore herself completely. In other words, she is brought to a place where, through free activity, she may regain the necessary specifica for her restoration that she squandered on this world.
Here the aforementioned evil carnal company can approach such a soul unnoticed, although these hellish beings stink pestilential to a soul that is pure to a certain degree, and such a soul easily notices their presence. But a soul whose sense of smell has been so dulled no longer notices the approach of evil company. And we certainly cannot mention the sense of sight, since the soul does not have sufficient light yet, as the viewing of the soul comes only from the inside. Therefore she can only see that which is within her, but not that which is outside of her.
Such spirits are outside of such a soul, and that is why she does not notice them. However, through the sense of smell she can perceive their presence and determine exactly where they are. Once she has accomplished this she can withdraw into her spirit, and soon she will be able to see where her enemies are located and what their intentions are. Once these hellish spirits notice that they have been detected, they flee immediately. A hellish spirit can endure everything, but not the brilliant eye of a pure soul, and much less that of an angel. And in order to protect themselves from My eyes, they erect mountains as cover.
You may easily conclude from this why I often rallied against this highly detestable smoking of tobacco. You have likewise been given to understand how the excessive carnal desire in a human being comes into existence, whither that leads, and how human beings can protect themselves.