Swedenborg Arcana Caelestia Vol. V (1750)

...concerning the conjunction of the natural mind with the celestial-spiritual mind, which is the subject of this chapter; for this reason, "to dream" here signifies what is "provided" by Divine Providence.

5196. And behold, he was standing by the river original Latin: Et ecce stans juxta fluvium. This signifies a perspective "from boundary to boundary." This is evident from the significance of "the river"—in this case, the river of Egypt, or the Nile—as a boundary. Rivers act as boundaries because the great rivers, namely the Euphrates, the Jordan, and the Nile, along with the sea, were the final boundaries of the land of Canaan. Because the land of Canaan itself represented the Lord's Kingdom, every location within it represented various aspects of that Kingdom. Consequently, the rivers represented the "ultimates" term: ultima—the most external or final components of a spiritual structure or the boundaries there (see sections 1866, 4116, 4240). The Nile, or the river of Egypt, represented the sensory things term: sensualia—information gathered through the physical senses that are subject to the intellectual part of the mind; thus, it represents the "scientifics" term: scientifica—factual knowledge and data derived from them, for these are the lowest or ultimate parts of the spiritual things in the Lord's Kingdom. The phrase "from boundary to boundary" is signified because it is said of Pharaoh that he was "standing by the river." Pharaoh represents the Natural term: Naturale—the external part of the human mind and soul in general (see 5160). In the spiritual world, looking at something from an inner perspective all the way to its furthest limit is represented by standing next to that limit; therefore, that is what is signified by these words in the internal sense.

5197. And behold, out of the river original Latin: Et ecce e fluvio. This signifies that which is "in the boundary." This is clear from the significance of the "river" as a boundary, as mentioned just above (section 5196). "Out of the river" means being in the boundary because that is where they appeared.

5198. Seven cows ascending original Latin: Ascendentes septem vaccæ. This signifies the truths of the natural mind. This is evident from the significance of "cows," which are natural truths (as explained below). There were "seven" because the number seven signifies what is holy (see 395, 433, 716), and therefore that number adds a sense of sanctity to the subject at hand (see 881). The subject here is indeed holy, as it concerns the further rebirth term: renascentia—the process of spiritual regeneration of the natural mind through its conjunction with the celestial-spiritual.

The fact that cows (or heifers) signify natural truths can be seen because oxen and young bulls signify natural goods term: bona—the motivations of love and kindness (see 2180, 2566, 2781, 2830). In the Word term: the Word—the Bible, wherever a male signifies "good," the female signifies "truth"; conversely, where the male signifies "truth," the female signifies "good." This is why a cow signifies the truth of the natural mind, while an ox signifies its good. All animals mentioned in the Word signify "affections" term: affectiones—the underlying desires or emotions of the heart: harmful and useless animals signify evil affections, while gentle and useful animals signify good affections (see 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519).

The reason they signify these things is due to "representations" in the world of spirits. When there is conversation in heaven regarding affections, animals that correspond to those specific types of affections are represented in the world of spirits. I have been granted the opportunity to see this quite often. At times I wondered where this came from, but I perceived that the lives of animals are nothing other than affections; they follow their affection by instinct without the use of reason, and thus each is carried toward its specific use. Since these affections exist without reason, no other bodily forms suit them except for those in which they appear on earth. Therefore, when the conversation is solely about affections, their final or "ultimate" forms appear similar to the bodies of such animals, for those affections cannot be clothed in any forms other than those to which they correspond. I have also seen strange animals that do not exist anywhere in the physical world...

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