1900. About the fields of spirits
About fields, I believe I have spoken earlier [167, 210, 973, 1839], but this concerned their extension and active energy. Regarding their nature and how they work, very much remains to be told. At this point, only this will be said, that they work in an amazing way, and can be compared to other fields which either agree or disagree, or either coalesce, so to speak, or collide with one another. Those with clashing fields are able to sense in an instant whatever is opposed to them and, as if by their own field, turn it into what is agreeable to them - even very minute elements in another's field.
Such fields also appear in people on earth, having a somewhat denser quality. The fields of wicked spirits so unnoticeably distort good thoughts into evil ones, using all the surrounding material that is in the person's thought, that the person or spirit cannot at all tell that this is going on. And if I had not been enabled to reflect on the matter, and in fact, view it quite clearly, and know who he was and where he was, I would never have been able to learn that things like these were happening. If the person just knows what is true and good, and what is opposite to these, they turn it all around to suit their character, so that whatever is in the person's memory they bend in this manner. 1748, 29 April.
1900. CONCERNING THE SPHERES OF SPIRITS.
I have formerly spoken, if I mistake not; of spheres, but only of their extension and power of action; much remains to be said of their nature and quality, but at present I remark simply that they possess very wonderful properties, and may be compared to other spheres [or atmospheres] which either agree or disagree, and, as it were, coalesce or clash with each other. Those spirits which are at variance with each other perceive in an instant what is opposed to them, and by their sphere, as it were, convert it into such things as agree; nay, this holds even in regard to the minuter things which enter into the composition of the spheres of others. Spheres of this kind appear in men, but of a somewhat gross quality. The spheres of malignant spirits pervert so insensibly good thoughts into evil ones, according to every variety of circumstance which is present to man's idea, that neither man nor spirit can by any means know that such is the fact; and unless it had been given to reflect upon the subject, and to array it distinctly before the mind, and to know who the spirit was and where he was, I could never have known that facts of this nature existed. Provided a man knows what is good and true, and what is appropriate to these principles, and they will turn all that according to their genius, so that whatever is in the memory of a man they will bend it [to suit their purposes]. - 1748, April 29.
1900. De sphaeris spirituum
Prius dictum est, ut reor, de sphaeris [210, 973, 1839], sed de earum extensione et vi agendi; quod ad earum qualitatem, quomodo se habent, permulta sunt dicenda, id solum hac vice, quod se habeant mirabiliter, et comparari possunt sphaeris aliis, quae vel conveniunt, vel non conveniunt, et inter se quasi coeunt, vel dissident, quae dissident, tales sunt ut in instanti percipiant, quid sibi adversatur, et quasi a sphaera sua, vertant in talia, quae sibi conveniunt, imo quae minutiora sunt in sphaera 1
alius, tales sphaerae etiam apparent in hominibus, sed admodum crassius: sphaerae spirituum malignorum ita insensibiliter pervertunt cogitata bona in mala, secundum omnem circumstantiam, quae est in hominis cogitatione, ut nequaquam scire homo seu spiritus possit, quod tale sit, et nisi datum esset reflectere super ea, et quidem satis manifeste, et scire quinam esset, et ubinam esset, nequaquam scire potuissem, quod similia existerent; modo homo novit quid verum et bonum, et quid eis oppositum, omne id vertunt ad indolem eorum; sic ut quicquid in memoria hominis, ita flectunt. 1748, 29 April.
Footnotes:
1. In the Manuscript sphaeris in sphaera emendatum