345. (5) The lowest spiritual plane separated from its higher one occasions this. In Part Three we showed the following: That a spiritual component flows down from its sun through three degrees even to the lowest elements of nature, and that these degrees are called celestial, spiritual and natural. That these three degrees exist in people from creation and so from birth, and are opened in accordance with a person's life. That if the celestial degree is opened, which is the highest or inmost, the person becomes celestial; that if the spiritual degree is opened, which is intermediate, the person becomes spiritual; and that if the natural degree only is opened, which is the lowest or outmost, the person becomes natural. That if a person becomes merely natural, he loves only things connected with his person and the world; and that to the extent he loves these, to the same extent he is averse to celestial and spiritual things, and does not look to God, and to that extent becomes evil. From the foregoing it is apparent that the lowest spiritual plane, which we call spiritually natural, can be separated from its higher ones, and that it is separated in people of whom hell consists. The lowest spiritual plane by itself cannot be separated from its higher ones and look in the direction of hell. Nor can it be separated and look in the direction of hell in animals or substances of the earth. It can be so separated only in people. [2] It follows from this that it is the lowest spiritual plane separated from its higher one, as it is in people who are in hell, which occasions on the earth those evil forms of use discussed above. That noxious phenomena on the earth take their origin from mankind and so from hell may be concluded from the state of the land of Canaan as described in the Word. When the children of Israel lived in accordance with the commandments, the land yielded its produce, and so did their flocks and herds. But when they lived contrary to the commandments, the land was barren and, as the Word says, cursed. Instead of a harvest it produced thorns and brambles, their flocks and herds miscarried, and wild animals invaded. The same conclusion may be drawn from the locusts, frogs and lice in Egypt.* * Exodus 10:3-19; 8:1-14, 16-18.