A Vision of Heaven

I know I've seen these topics started before...but allow me to specify that I'm not asking the same exact thing that we've all seen in the past.

Describe how you recall heaven.

I've heard descriptions, mostly just of how things worked or about other angels. But I'm really interested in doing a painting that heaven will be in, and I'd like to at least incorporate some popularily agreed-upon ideas as to how it VISUALLY appeared. Not just this 'silver city' but what it was set in. I may also do some things that are not described...after all, it is art, not nessisarily meant to be a literal illustration...but anyway. Thanks for your help! I'd love to hear what you remember!

This message says nothing.

You forgot the sea.

This message says nothing.

Heaven . . . oh, where to begin . . .

I'll do this tomorrow, when I'm not so tired and will make more sense. There's just so much to talk about, and I can't do it tonight.

~ Ashaiel

Okay, here goes . . .

The Silver City, along with Eden, was the center of Heaven; beyond these, there were all sorts of forests and mountains and deserts and oceans -- not least of which was the ocean Leviathan was fond of swimming in. I saw her at least once . . . and goodness, was she gorgeous, but that's for another topic.

Eden, the original, was where Father tended to reside, in a grove somewhere in the center of it. Otherwise, it was a pretty dark and dense forest, which started at a great arch at the end of the spiral of the Silver City. I've heard it said that only a few very high-up angels knew the way to Father's grove; anyone else would get lost for a long while if they tried to find the way by themselves -- until, of course, they finally found it "by chance". The original was called First Eden after Second Eden was built on earth.

The City itself wasn't a horizontally-spread one, like other cities; instead, it was built on an upward spiral, and from the bottom looking up you would think it went on into infinity. But it didn't; instead, it stopped at what a lot of us call the Aerie, where buildings were like spires or perhaps very Grecian-looking. I recall a bridge between the two highest towers; that is the bridge angels crossed to get to the Portal from which they would Fall, and also where Michael and Samael had their great and final battle during the War. The Aerie was also where angels would go to watch sunrises and sunsets, for only there could they be seen, besides Eden. Israfel and I used to go up there to watch them all the time . . .

There were little pockets around the City which held all sorts of wonderful things -- like gardens. There was one garden I recall comprised of stars, and another of rose-looking flowers -- my favorite kind -- and still another where a moon was always beaming down upon the little blue flowers; and, of course, many more besides, most of which I probably never found but was always looking for.

I recall, also, that the City held many temples dedicated to Father, most of which we built ourselves out of devotion to Him. I had a dream once in which I was in one of them . . . there were stone columns on each side of the walkway, and light radiated from the ceiling and every wall; so it was impossible to tell where the room ended. At the end of this walkway were steps to a throne, and it was here where I met an "avatar" of Father whenever I needed a face to look at.

For now, that's all I have . . . more to come, I'm sure.

~ Ashaiel

Ashaiel, can I ask you a few more questions? Would you say that the silver city went past the clouds (are there clouds?)? When you say a spiral...do you mean that there really arent floors (like first, second etc), and to walk from bottom to top you'd have to walk the entire spiral? How wide did it seem to be at the bottom? Actually, I would love to hear your description of leviathan, or whatever it is you'd have to say about it.

Thank you for your help <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->

I wouldn't say there were clouds around the Silver City; but in other areas, there probably were. I didn't go outside the City much, as far as I can recall.

No floors, really; and to walk the whole spiral would probably take eternity, which is why we used wings or portals to get around.

At the bottom, I would say it was about as wide as a small town; but I'm not certain.

Leviathan . . . golden and shimmering, she was. If you can imagine a sequined dragon -- at least, imagine her scales like sequined fabric when the lights hit it, only far more spectacular and even blinding sometimes -- that's the kind of effect she had in the light. I seem to remember a serpentine body, but I'm not sure; so someone else would have to say more on her.

~ Ashaiel

If it's the right place, I only went to the city. Or, rather, the backstreets. Things weren't shining silver, they were good, solid, white stone- a little dusty, but strong.

My vision of my own heaven is all i have left. nothing else.