2845. Souls after death and spirits see all a person is thinking, what one has thought, and one's intentions, and yet they do not know they are not people on earth
Souls and spirits are in such a state that they are able to discern and see the inward thoughts of a person on earth and many things at the same time that are within the thoughts and mental imagery. They come into this ability as soon as, having divested the body, they arrive in the other life. Their state is even such that if they had had this mental ability even for a short time while living in the body, they would have been driven insane.
Spirits do not know they are in this state, but suppose their state of thinking to be no different than it was when they were in the body. Therefore I was prompted to tell one spirit who had been a judge in his lifetime, that if people on earth had been able to know thoughts in the way he knows mine, together with everything that is linked to them, they would have had no need for any investigation, trial, or litigations [to determine] whether the case is thus or not, for they see many more things than a person on earth. When he reflected on this, he was able to realize he was in a more perfect state than when he was on earth. For everyone is unaware of the state in which they are and which they are used to, hardly giving it a thought. So it is with spirits, so it is with people on earth. 1748, 17 Aug.
2845. THAT SOULS AFTER DEATH, AND SPIRITS SEE ALL THE THOUGHTS OF MAN, AND HIS INTENTIONS [IN] WHATSOEVER HE HAS THOUGHT, AND YET DO NOT KNOW OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE MEN.
Souls and spirits are in such a state that they can perceive, and see the interior thoughts of man, and many things which are at the same time in the thoughts and ideas; they come into that faculty, as soon as being divested of the body they come into the other life; yea, such is their state, that if they had been for a little time in such idea, while they were in the body, they would be reduced to insanities. Spirits are ignorant of their being in such a state; they suppose that they are in no different state from what is theirs, when they think in the body. Wherefore it was granted, to tell a certain spirit who had been a judge in time of his life [that] had men been thus able to know the thoughts, as he [does] mine, with everything which is thereto adjoined, they would have had no need of any investigation, inquisitory process, and controversies whether [a matter] is so, or is not [so]; for they can see more things than man - when he reflected thereupon, than he could know that he was in a more perfect state then when he was a man. For everyone is ignorant of his state in which he is, and which is familiar to him; he scarcely reflects thereupon. It [is] so [with] spirits. It [is] so [with] men. - 1748, August 17.
2845. Quod animae post mortem et spiritus videant omnes cogitationes hominis, et quid cogitavit, ejus intentiones, et non sciant usque aliter ac sint homines
Animae et spiritus in eo statu sunt, ut cogitationes interiores hominis, et plura simul quae in cogitatis et ideis sint, possint percipere et videre, in eam facultatem veniunt, ut primum corpore exuti in alteram vitam veniunt, imo talis est status eorum, ut si in tali idea, dum erant in corpore, fuissent pauco tempore, in insanias redigerentur, hoc nesciunt spiritus quod in tali statu sint, putant se non aliter esse ac in suomet statu cum cogitant in corpore; quare dicere dabatur cuidam spiritui, qui judex tempore vitae suae fuerat, si homines ita potuissent scire cogitata, ac is mea, cum omnibus quae adjuncta sunt, non opus habuissent ulla inquisitione, processu inquisitorio, et contentionibus, num ita sit vel non sit, nam plura videre possunt, quam homo; cum reflectebat super hoc, tunc scire potuit, quod in statu perfectiori esset quam cum esset homo; nam quisque statum suum in quo est, et qui familiaris ei, ignorat, vix reflectit super eum, ita spiritus, ita homines. 1748, 17 Aug.