and where it rested there was a bright light (lucidum).  In that bright light the hand disappeared; and the flaming object was then changed into a bird, whose colours were at first similar to those of the flaming object, and gleamed in the same manner; but these colours gradually changed, and with them the vigour of life in the bird.  It flew about, at first about my head, then forwards into a kind of narrow chamber, which appeared like a sanctuary, and as it flew onwards its life departed, and at length it became stony; it was then at first of a pearly, afterwards of a dusky colour; but although without life, it kept on flying.  While this bird was flying about my head, and still in the vigour of life, a spirit was seen rising up from below, through the region of the loins to that of the breast, and from there he wished to take that bird; but because it was so beautiful, the spirits who were about me prevented his doing so, for the eyes of all were fixed upon it.  But this spirit who had risen up from below used all his power to persuade them that the Lord was with him, and consequently that he was acting from the Lord.  Although the most of them did not believe this, they nevertheless no longer hindered him from taking the bird; but as at that moment heaven inflowed he was unable to retain it, but immediately, opening his hand, set it free.  When this had taken place, the spirits who were around me, and who had intently watched the bird and its successive changes, began talking with each other about it, and they continued talking for a considerable time.  They perceived that such a sight could not but signify something heavenly; they knew that what is flaming signifies celestial love and its affections; that a hand, to which the flaming object adhered, signifies life and its power; that changes of the colours signify the varieties of life as to wisdom and intelligence; that a bird has the same signification with this difference, however, that what is flaming signifies celestial love and the things that belong to celestial love, while a bird signifies spiritual love and the things that belong to that love; (celestial love is love to the Lord, and spiritual love is charity towards the neighbour,[note gg]); and that the changes of the colours and at the same time of the life in the bird, till it became stony, signify the successive changes of spiritual life as to intelligence.  They also knew that the spirits who ascend from below, through the region of the loins to that of the breast, are in a strong persuasion that they are in the Lord, and consequently believe that whatever they do, even though it be evil, they do of the Lord’s will.  But nevertheless this did not enable them to know who were meant by that sight.  At length they were instructed from heaven, that the inhabitants of Mars were meant; that their celestial love, in which many of them still are, was signified by the flaming object that adhered to the hand; and that the bird in the beginning, while it