3566. Speaking with spirits, I said that it is for this reason also that when one is engaged in conversation at the table, one eats longer and eats more, and the salivary ducts open up, causing the foods to serve better for nutrition. Because of this correspondence of spiritual food, those at table receive the food according to each one's genius and character, as in the world of spirits where the food is instruction through conversation.
So with those who are spiritual, then while eating their minds are delighted and thus nourished by spiritual things, and those who are earthly by earthly ones, for of such things their mental life consists.
Furthermore also, because there are spirits with every person who do not know they are spirits separate from the person, they also together with the spirit of the person enjoy their own food while the body of the person enjoys its own. Therefore, because angels are present, it is preferable if while eating people are taking delight in spiritual and heavenly things.
3566. Speaking with spirits [it was remarked] that when a man is sitting in conversation at the table, he ought to eat slowly and long, that the salivary ducts may be opened, and that his food may serve better for the purpose of nutrition; because such is the correspondence of spiritual food, which is thus according to the genius and nature of everyone, as in the world of spirits, which food is that of instruction, by means of discourse. Thus also those who are spiritual, whose minds are at the same time delighted, and they are spiritually nourished; and those who are natural, naturally; for in such things consists the life of minds. Moreover, because there are spirits with every man, and they know not that spirits are ever separated from man, they enjoy their food with the spirit of man, when the body of man [enjoys] his. Wherefore because angels are present, it is preferable that they should delight in those things, which are spiritual and celestial.
3566. Loquutus cum spiritibus, quod ideo quoque, dum homo in colloquiis sit super mensa, quod diutius et plus edat, et aperiantur ductus salivales, ut ei inserviant melius cibi ad nutritionem; quia talis est correspondentia cibi spiritualis, qui ibi est [cibum recipit] secundum cujusvis genium et naturam, ut in mundo spirituum, qui cibus est instructiones per colloquia; ita qui spirituales sunt, tunc simul mentes eorum delectantur et sic nutriuntur spiritualibus: qui naturales naturalibus, nam in talibus consistit vita mentium. Porro etiam quia spiritus apud unumquemvis hominem sunt, et nesciunt quod spiritus separati ab homine sunt, ii tunc cum spiritu hominis fruuntur suo cibo, cum corpus hominis suo: quare quia angeli adsunt, praestantius est, ut delectentur tunc iis quae spiritualia et coelestia sunt.