4198. Those who want to obsess man
There are spirits who in the life of their body had loved the world so much that they preferred it to all things, and at the same time were bent on ruling over others, placing in this the delight of their life, retaining this propensity to their dying hour. These in the other life desire to obsess mankind, or to use man as a means to return into the world, preferring dead and filthy worldly things to spiritual and heavenly ones, which in countless measure surpass worldly ones in perfection.
Therefore, because there are very many such today, they have a new hell, to the left at some distance deep down, that was opened up and viewed by such people, and it was said to be more atrocious than other hells. Some flew out from thence, and it was seen that there was thick darkness, and there were dragons, and snakes.
[2] They are recognized by the fact that when they drift to that place, the point of a spear is brandished toward their left eye, as if it were about to strike it, but it is removed. So the point of the spear is shaken in front of the eye causing terror that it may strike it, then the spear winds around them at the loins, and straightway they are recognized. Moreover, before they arrive there, they appear to be wound around the spear lengthwise. These are the ones who want to return into the world by means of someone on earth, and when they are enabled to some extent to do this, they try to obsess the person, causing the person to undergo dreadful fantasies, and in some cases to induce a violent death upon themselves. 1749, 3 April. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4198. WHO THEY ARE THAT WOULD FAIN OBSESS MEN.
There are spirits who in the life of the body so loved the world as to make it paramount to everything else, and at the same time were bent upon ruling over others, placing in this the delight of their life, and retaining it to their dying day. These spirits in the other life are inclined to obsess man, or to return through man into the world, preferring the dead and defiled things of the world to the spiritual and celestial things which so vastly surpass them. Wherefore, as there are at this day great numbers of such, a deep new hell is prepared for them at some distance to the left which is open and is seen by such, and it was said that it was more atrocious than the other hells. Some of the inmates soared upwards from it, and it was perceived to be a dark and dreary region, and the abode of dragons and serpents. They are known by the circumstance that when they flock thither the point of a spear is vibrated before their left eye, as if it was about to strike it, but it is removed: thus the spear's point is vibrated before the eye, causing a dread of its striking, and then the spear becomes an axis thrust through the loins, about which they are made to revolve, and thus are discerned. Indeed, previous to their coming in crowds to that hell, they appear to be circumrotated lengthwise about a spear [as a central axis]. These are they who would fain return again into the world, and when the leave, such as it is, is granted to this effect, they are prompted to obsess men: from which circumstance arises their direful phantasies, so that in some cases they are induced to lay violent hands upon themselves. - 1749, April 3.
4198. Qui obsidere volunt hominem
Sunt spiritus, qui in vita eorum corporis ita amaverint mundum, ut eum praetulerint omnibus, et simul imperare voluerint aliis, in eo jucunditatem vitae posuerunt, et qui retinuerunt id ad ultimam mortis horam; ii in altera vita obsidere volunt hominem, seu per hominem redire in mundum, praeferentes mundana mortua et spurca, spiritualibus et coelestibus, quae indefinite superant perfectione mundana; quare quia hodie plures tales sunt, novum infernum iis est ad sinistrum ad aliquam distantiam profunde, quod apertum, et a talibus visum, et dictum quod atrocius sit infernis aliis, evolarunt inde aliqui, et perceptum quod ibi tenebrosum, et dracones, et serpentes; dignoscuntur per id cum ibi alluunt, quod cuspis hastae ad oculum eorum sinistrum vibretur, tanquam perstringeret sed removetur, ita vibratur hastae cuspis ante oculum cum terrore quod perstringat, dein hasta circumvolvit eos quoad lumbos, et sic dignoscuntur, praeterea etiam antequam eo alluunt, circumvolvi apparent circum hastam in longum: ii sunt qui per hominem redire volunt in mundum, et cum datur copia quaedam, ut possint, volunt obsidere hominem, inde dirae hominis phantasiae, unde quibusdam, ut sibi violentam mortem inferant. 1749, 3 April.