3637. One can see from oneself individually what the world of spirits is like
If we reflect only on the most general characteristics of our own thinking, and have not developed our mental world so much from bodily things, we would be able to understand what the world of spirits is like. We would understand that there is a speech of words to which one speaking or listening does not pay attention, but to the sense of the words. In this realm is our inner person, the realm of the sense of the words, which we know consists purely of mental imagery. For one speaking does not attend to the words, but only to the sense of the words, the words then flowing spontaneously. This sense of the words consists of mental imagery, without which no sense is possible. This is the speaking engaged in by lower spirits among themselves, in the exercise of which they do not know otherwise but that they are speaking by words, when in fact they are speaking by mental imagery.
Such therefore does a person become as a spirit, and such does his or her speech become. When thinking they themselves do not know but that they are doing so by the use of words of language, where yet they do so by means of mental imagery, as anyone may know upon reflection. That imagery flows then of its own accord into any language whatever that one may cultivate. So that thought consists of images which come down into the language of words pertaining to whatever person the spirits are with or with whom they are speaking.
3637. THAT A MAN CAN PERCEIVE FROM HIMSELF THE [NATURE AND] QUALITY OF SPIRITS.
A man who reflects upon the common [or general] things of his thought, and who had not previously formed to himself ideas from corporeal things, may understand of what quality the world of spirits is; namely, [if he considers] that a speech of words is given, to which a man in speaking or hearing does not attend, but [only] to the sense of the words. His interior man is in this sphere; it is a sense of words, which obviously consists of ideas only, for in speaking he attends not at all to the words, but only to the sense of the words, which flow, as it were, spontaneously. This sense of words consists of ideas; without ideas no sense can be given. In this speech are the lower spirits among themselves, and then they know no otherwise than that they speak by words, when yet it is by ideas. Such man also becomes when he becomes a spirit, and such is then his speech. When man thinks, he himself knows not but that it is by words of speech, when yet it is by ideas, as everyone may be sensible if he reflects. Ideas afterwards flow of their own accord into whatever speech he is skilled in. That thought therefore is from ideas, which fall into the vocal speech of the man with whom they [spirits?] are, or with whom they speak. Wherefore the speech of spirits is universal, as is that of the thought of man unattended by vocal utterance.
3637. Quod homo percipere possit ex semet, qualis mundus spirituum
Si homo reflectit solum in communia suae cogitationis, nec ita ideas ex corporeis sibi formaverat, intelligere posset, qualis mundus spirituum; quod nempe loquela vocum detur, ad quam homo loquens et audiens non attendit, sed ad sensum vocum; in hac sphaera est homo ejus interior, est sensus vocum, qui quod constet ex solis ideis, scire potest, nam loquens nihil attendit ad voces, sed solum ad sensum vocum, voces sic fluunt spontanee, hic sensus vocum constat ex ideis, absque ideis nullus dabilis est sensus, in hac loquela sunt spiritus inferiores inter semet, et tunc non sciunt aliter quam quod per voces loquantur, cum tamen per ideas, talis itaque fit homo cum spiritus, et talis tunc ejus loquela: cum homo cogitat, nescit ipse num per voces loquelae, cum tamen per ideas, sicut quisque, si reflectit scire potest; ideae fluunt postea sponte in quamcunque loquelam, quam callet; quare cogitatio ista est ex ideis, quae in loquelam vocum istius hominis, apud quem sunt, aut cum quo loquuntur, cadunt, quare