3529. Although spirits see and take in nothing through the senses of a person on earth, yet they know what the person is thinking and sense what things he or she desires
By experience it has been granted me to learn that spirits, even if they see or hear nothing through the eye or ear of a person on earth, nevertheless know whatever the person is thinking and sense whatever he or she desires. For I have spoken with spirits through whom now and then my thinking and my desire were being ruled, and they said they were not seeing, for example, when I was busy with the fire, and yet they knew and wanted to control what I was doing. Those farther off do not see or hear much, yet they exercise control. In fact, the spirits know the tastes of things I eat and drink, even though they have not the sense of taste. Moreover, now and then they did not see unless they were granted reflection, but still took control of my thoughts and desires. For they are so to speak the person's own thoughts, and desires, and whatever enters by way of the senses passes at once into the thought and the desires - and so to them. So there is no need for them to see and hear in another way with me, since they have this ability. 1748, 10 Oct.
3529. THAT SPIRITS, ALTHOUGH THEY NEITHER SEE NOR PERCEIVE ANYTHING THROUGH THE SENSES OF MAN, YET KNOW WHAT HE THINKS, AND PERCEIVE WHAT HE COVETS.
It was given me to know by experience that spirits, although they neither see nor hear anything through the eye or ear of man, yet they know his thoughts and perceive his desires; for I have spoken with spirits by whom my thoughts and desires were controlled, [who said] that they did not see when I was by the fire [for instance], and yet they knew and wished to dispose my actions. Those that are more remote do not thus see and hear, yet still they dispose; yea, spirits know the taste of the things that I eat and drink, although they have not taste. Even this they would not have been aware of, unless reflection had been given them, and yet they disposed my thoughts and desires, for they are in fact the thoughts, as it were, of the man himself, and his cupidities. Whatever enters through the senses he draws it up into his thoughts and into his concupiscences, and thus into the [attendant] spirits; wherefore, since this is the case, there is no need of their seeing or hearing otherwise with me. - 1748, October 10.
3529. Quod spiritus tametsi nihil videant et percipiant per sensus hominis, usque sciant quod cogitat, et percipiant quae cupit
Per experientiam nosse mihi datum, quod spiritus tametsi nihil videant aut audiant per oculum aut aurem hominis, usque sciant quicquid cogitet, et percipiant quicquid cupit, loquutus enim sum cum spiritibus, per quos passim cogitatio mea, et desiderium meum regebatur, quod non viderent, ut cum apud ignem, et usque sciebant et volebant disponere quid facerem, qui magis remotiores sunt, ii non ita vident et audiunt, usque disponunt; imo spiritus sciunt quinam gustus eorum quae edo et bibo, tametsi non gustum habent: praeterea passim non viderant, nisi data iis reflexione, et usque disponebant cogitata et desideria, sunt enim quasi cogitationes hominis, et ejus cupiditates, et quicquid per sensus intrat, in cogitationem illico transit, et in cupiditates, sic ad eos, quare nec opus est ut videant et audiant, cum tales sunt, aliter apud me. 1748, 10 Oct.