2330. A conversation with spirits about heaven
Those coming for the first time into the other life think for sure that they are still in the body, and they are quite surprised when told that they are not in or clothed with a body, but are spirits and are in the other life. When they reflect on all this, also [hearing it] from others, then they know that they are spirits. And when they wonder how they can be living after their death, they are told that it is not the body that lives, but the spirit in the body, and that the body exists only to be serviceable to the spirit, as everyone is able to know who pays attention. But those who live only for the body think that everything exists for the sake of the body. Therefore, they live the life of brute animals, which do not think beyond it.
This was the kind of conversation I had today with a spirit who did not know he was in the other life, nor that there was another life.
2330. CONCERNING A DISCOURSE WITH SPIRITS ABOUT HEAVEN.
Those who come into the other life at first suppose that they are surely still in the body, and wonder much when they are told that they are not in the body, nor clothed with a body, but that they are spirits, and in the other life, whereupon when they reflect, they [then] know, as also from other things, that they are spirits and they wonder in what manner they can live after death. They are then told that it is not the body which lives, but the spirit in the body, and that the body is only to serve the spirit, as may be known to anyone if he will attend; but they who live only for the body suppose all things are for the sake of the body therefore they live the life of brute animals, whose thoughts extend no farther. Such was my speech with a spirit today, who was ignorant that he was in the other life, and that there was another life.
2330. De sermone cum spiritibus de coelo
Qui primum in alteram vitam veniunt, putant prorsus quod adhuc in corpore sunt, et mirantur satis, dum iis dicitur, quod non in corpore, seu nullo corpore induti, sed quod spiritus sint, et in altera vita, super quae cum reflectunt, tunc sciunt, et ex aliis, quod spiritus sint; miranturque quomodo vivere possint post mortem, quibus tunc dictum, quod non corpus est quod vivit, sed spiritus in corpore, et quod corpus sit modo, ut inserviat spiritui, quod cuivis notum esse possit, si velit attendere, ii vero qui soli corpori vivunt, putant omnia esse corporis causa, ideo vivunt vitam brutorum animalium, quae nec amplius cogitant; talis loquela erat cum spiritu hodie, qui nesciebat quod in altera vita esset, et quod esset altera vita.