Happiness, according to Emanuel Swedenborg's writings, is a state of being that is deeply connected to our spiritual state and our relationship with the Lord. True happiness is not merely the fleeting joys or pleasures we experience in the physical world, but a profound sense of contentment, peace, and joy that comes from being united with the divine. Swedenborg explains that the more closely we are united to the Lord, the happier we become. This happiness is not always evident in the earthly world due to the limitations of our earthly state. In this world, happiness is often felt as a quiet peace of spirit, especially after struggling against our own faults and evils. However, as we progress into a spiritual state, such as after departing from this world, a happiness beyond description gradually emerges. In heavenly realms, happiness is not just about external pleasures like feasting, entertainment, or material wealth. True heavenly joy comes from being of service to others, doing good deeds out of love and wisdom, and being useful to oneself and others. It is the pleasure of doing something that is of genuine use, rooted in love and expressed through wisdom. This kind of happiness is everlasting and is deeply intertwined with love for the Lord and faith in Him. Ultimately, happiness is found in aligning our loves with what is good and true, letting go of self-love and worldly desires, and opening ourselves to the divine presence. It is a state of being where peace, intelligence, wisdom, and joy are shared among all, based on the love and faith we have accepted from the Lord. In this way, true happiness is not just a fleeting emotion but a profound and eternal state of bliss that transcends human understanding. Sources: Divine Providence 41[1] We may conclude from this that the more closely we are united to the Lord, the happier we become. This happiness is rarely evident in the world,... True Christian Religion 570[2] Then the new spirit said to himself: 'What is the meaning of this, "Ask and learn what pleasure is, and you will know what heaven and hell are and... Arcana Coelestia 3938[7] Furthermore as regards the happiness of eternal life, no one who is moved by the affection for good and truth is able when he is living in the world... Divine Providence 37[1] 4. The more closely we are united to the Lord, the happier we become. We can say much the same about levels of happiness as was said above (32 and... True Christian Religion 735[5] After this the angel called the men of the group together, and as they walked gave them the following information about heaven: 'In heaven, just as... Conjugial Love 5[3] The angel then spoke to them and said, "This state is the state in which your joys die, joys you believed to be the only heavenly joys, when in fact... New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings 238[1] People in whom love for themselves and love for the world are in control do not realize what heaven and heavenly happiness are. They cannot believe... New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings 236[1] Eternal happiness, which is also called heavenly joy, is given to people who live and walk in a love for the Lord that comes from the Lord and a... Arcana Coelestia 6392[2] To take further this matter of the happiness that exists in the works of goodness without thought of recompense, it should be recognized that very... True Christian Religion 732[1] After discussion the first group, which was from the north, said that heavenly joy and everlasting happiness are really one with life in heaven.... New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings 273[1] When our skills bring us happiness in this world, it seems as though this were being done by our own prudence; in actuality, however, divine... Arcana Coelestia 6391[2] The fact of the matter is that people who perform good deeds with no other end in view than recompense cannot possibly know that the performance of... Arcana Coelestia 8114[1] I could see that they enjoyed a state of happiness even more internal, and that they were capable of accepting a state of happiness still more... Conjugial Love 335[2] All these states of happiness have been provided from the beginning for people who are in a state of truly conjugial love, because there is an... True Christian Religion 732[5] The fifth group, which was the first group of clever people from the south, made the following statement: 'Heavenly joys and everlasting happiness... Arcana Coelestia 10724[1] Those with whom self-love and love of the world reign have no knowledge of what heaven is or of what the happiness of heaven is. It seems incredible... New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings 58[1] All the pleasure, satisfaction, and happiness we feel comes from and accords with what we love above all. We call whatever we love a pleasure because...