4270. Spirits take away delights
Communication
I was surprised when they told me that certain spirits had taken away my delights, for I had experienced joys, such as the joys of writing, but they had been taken away, and I was in an undelightful state, and it was said that there were spirits up above, in front who were taking away these joys, and yet were unaware that they were taking them away. It was said and shown that they were those who wished better for themselves than for others. They wished well only for their companions, with whom they shared the enjoyment.
Those who have this character, wherever there is some earthly enjoyment, take it away, yet they cannot take away a heavenly one. There is a kind of serene aura surrounding one who is experiencing delight, and when others come into it, then it is obscured to the one from whom it comes, and appropriated to those who are coming into it. I was then shown that for various reasons, those who harbor hatred divert the enjoyments of another by the fact that they feel enjoyment when the other is deprived of it. Those whose nature it is to want to enjoy the delight of another are not tolerated to be with man. It was demonstrated that this is the case, which surprised me. But all appropriate the enjoyment of others according to their own nature, and those who do not do so according to their own nature, but want to put on the nature of the one having the delight so as to possess it - they are cast out, for this is a disgrace. De his loquutus cum spiritibus 1749, 14 May. 1
Footnotes:
1. Astrological symbol of the sun, meaning Sunday.
4270. THAT SPIRITS TAKE AWAY DELIGHTS; COMMUNICATION.
I wondered when it was told me that spirits took away my delights. I had been in delights, as those of writing, but they were taken away, and I was left in undelight, and it was said that they were spirits above in front who had taken away those delights, and yet that they were not aware of having done it. It was said and shown that they were such as preferred themselves to others; they wished well only to their associates, with whom they would communicate their delight. Those of this character, whenever they find any natural delight seize upon it and take it away; but celestial delight is beyond their reach. There is a kind of serene aura around one [in delight], and when others come into it, it is obscured to him from whom it proceeds, and is appropriated to those that come thither. It was afterwards shown me that this arises from various causes; those who are in hatreds draw the delights of another to themselves from the pleasure they have in depriving another of what is his. Those who are by nature such that they rejoice solely in the [pilfered] delight of another, are not tolerated with man. It was shown that the case was thus, and I wondered at it. But everyone appropriates the delight of another according to his nature, and those who do not do it according to their nature, but wish to put on the nature of another who has delight that they may themselves possess it, are cast out, for this is infamous. - 1749, May 14.
4270. Quod spiritus jucunda auferant, communicatio
Miratus quod dixerint mihi, quosdam spiritus jucunda mea abstulisse, fueram enim in jucundis, ut in jucundis scribendi, sed adempta et eram in injucundo, et dictum quod spiritus essent antrorsum supra, qui auferrent jucunda haec, et usque nescirent quod auferrent, dictum et ostensum quod essent ii qui sibi melius vellent quam aliis, modo sociis bene volebant, cum quibus jucundum communicarunt; qui tales, ubicunque aliquod jucundum naturale est, auferunt, coeleste tamen non possunt; est sicut serena aura circum quendam, cum alii veniunt in eam, tunc obscuratur ei a quo, et appropriatur eis, qui illuc veniunt. Ostensum mihi deinde quod variis ex causis, qui in odiis, in se derivant jucunda alterius per id quod jucundum sentiant ex eo quod alter privetur; qui tales sunt ex natura, ut solum velint gaudere alterius jucundo, ii non tolerantur apud hominem. Ostensum quod ita se habeat, quod miratus. Sed quisque appropriet sibi jucundum alterius secundum suam naturam, qui non secundum suam naturam, sed volunt induere naturam ejus, qui habet jucundum, ut sic habeant, ii ejiciuntur, hoc enim est infame. 1749, 14 Maj.