4225. About those who are eager to possess man
For several days, 2 or 3, I had been with those who desire to possess man, who are the kind that think about nothing else than returning into the world. Their thoughts are worldly and bodily, and they do not know at all what spiritual life is. Their aura is constantly adulterous. They are located high overhead at the back, and they are not only outward spirits, but also inward ones, those who are such being of great number. Their aura is turned as it were into an intestinal aura, and their mental imagery is portrayed to them by intestines, which they dragged along - at which they lamented. Some of them seemed to be like spirits flying hither and thither, desiring with all their might to possess me, but I was preserved by the Lord.
[2] These are the kind who in their life had loved worldly and bodily things, and had feared death, because of the life in the world and in the body, which they had held most dear - the greater part of those of this character having been full grown or elderly persons. Boys or girls who have died are not of this character, because not yet allured by the love of self and of the world, and when they come into the other life, they seem to themselves just to continue their life, so they are not assailed by that love. Such spirits as these [latter] are kept away from people on earth, and are not ever permitted to come to them. 1749, 16 April.
4225. CONCERNING THOSE WHO WISH TO POSSESS MAN.
For some two or three days I have been among those who desire to possess men, and who are of such a quality that they think of nothing else than of returning into the world, inasmuch as their thoughts are [dominantly] worldly and corporeal. They are absolutely ignorant of what spiritual life is, and their sphere is a sphere of continual adulteries. Their position is high above at the back; there are among them not only exterior, but interior spirits, and that too quite numerous, who are of this quality. Their sphere is turned into a kind of intestinal sphere; their ideas were represented to them by long-drawn intestines, at the sight of which they sadly lamented. Some of them, who seemed to be like spirits flying hither and thither, were desirous of possessing me as it were by main force, but I was preserved by the Lord. They are such as in the life of the body loved worldly and corporeal things, and feared death out of regard to their life in the world and in the body, which they held most dear; the greater part of those of this character having been middle aged or aged persons; those who died in boyhood or girlhood are not of such a quality, because not yet ensnared by the love of self and of the world. These when they come into the other life seem to themselves merely to hold on in their begun existence, and are therefore unassailed by such a love. The above mentioned class of spirits are withheld from man, nor is it permitted them even to approach him. - 1749, April 16.
4225. De iis qui possidere cupiunt hominem
Fui apud eos, qui possidere cupiunt homines per aliquot dies, 2 vel 3, qui tales sunt, ut nihil aliud cogitent, quam redire in mundum, cogitationes eorum sunt mundanae et corporeae, nesciunt prorsus quid vita spiritualis, sphaera eorum est continue adulterina; sunt alte supra ad tergum, sunt non solum spiritus exteriores sed etiam interiores, qui tales, multo numero; sphaera eorum vertitur quasi in intestinalem, ideae eorum repraesentatae sunt iis per intestina, quae traherent; de quo lamentati: sunt quidam eorum sicut qui huc illuc volant; me cupiverunt omni vi possidere, sed conservatus sum, a Domino: sunt tales qui in vita corporis mundana et corporea amarunt, et mortem timuerunt, propter vitam in mundo et corpore, quam charissimam habuerunt, plerique qui tales fuerunt in aetate virili et senili; qui pueri seu quae puellae mortui sunt, ii non tales sunt, quia nondum inescati amore sui et mundi, cum in alteram vitam veniunt, videntur sibi continuare vitam, quare non tali amore perciti sunt: tales detinentur ab homine, nec usquam [iis] ad hominem venire permittitur. 1749, 16 April.