Swedenborg tells (in Married Love #183) of a spiritual experience of a beautiful garden named “Adramandoni,” which means “the Delight of Married Love.” Many couples, both married and unmarried, had gathered around a fountain in the midst of the garden, where two angels were talking about married love, its origin and delights. Since the conversation was about married love there was eager attention and complete reception, which put an excitement like the fire of love in the angels’ speech. They said that married love comes from the Lord’s Divine Love, Divine Wisdom, and Divine desire to be of Use. The angels then said, “Let's have fellowship in our talk, through questions and answers, because something learned only from hearing may sink in, but it doesn't remain unless the listener thinks about it on their own, too, and asks questions." Then some from that Marriage Conference (Conjugiali illo Caetu) asked to learn more about about Divine Usefulness.
This coming Saturday we will have a Marriage Conference patterned after that one that Swedenborg attended in the spiritual world. We expect that our presenters will show some of that excitement from the fire of love, and the listeners, with eager attention and complete reception, will have lots of questions and comments in the many workshops.
An important part of the Marriage Conference is having fun, enjoyment and celebration. The garden in Swedenborg’s experience was named “the Delight of Married Love.” Notice the first word in the title of the book: “Delights of Wisdom concerning Married Love….” The Marriage Conference will involve not only some soul-searching work and healing of difficult relationships, but also lots of celebration, music, art, friendly conversation, games, and more, because genuine usefulness always leads to genuine happiness and delight. As the angels said at the Marriage Conference in heaven, “Love by means of wisdom [brings about use, and then love and wisdom] take pleasure in each other and as it were play like children; and as they grow up, they become linked in cheerfulness.”
The deadline for registration for meals and childcare has passed, but the plenary session and many workshops have plenty of room for walk-ins. If you come to the Marriage Conference on Saturday, February 8, at 8:30 am, you may find it will be a delightful, memorable, spiritual experience.
Read more about the Marriage Conference at www.brynathynchurch.org/marriage.