4424. About one who thought she was definitely living in the body
There was a female spirit who appeared to me in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, verging more toward sleep, and when I awoke, I then spoke with the female spirits above me, who were saying that there was a woman whom they thought likewise spoke with spirits, and I was shown by actual experience how they spoke with her, namely by a rather faint inflow, yet still perceptible to her, for I was let into that state. But they were instructed that it was a feminine spirit who was doing this, and who perhaps imagined at the time that she was definitely in the body, and allowed them to speak with her in this way and thereby to be persuaded. That woman was guarded lest anyone should do her harm, throwing herself forward in spiral trajectories, by which some kind of deception is symbolized; but whether it was deceit with the purpose of ruling, or whether on account of the pleasure she had from it, was not so clearly given me to find out.
This all shows that there are spirits with whom they could speak almost as with people on earth. For there are spirits who enter almost into the bodily nature, and those feminine spirits speak entirely as if in the life of the body, imagining themselves to be in the body. Thus do inner qualities pass over toward outer ones, these feminine spirits coming from the gang of sirens. But now, I presume, their last time is at hand; for they are advancing so toward outward qualities, and inward ones are being withdrawn.
4424. CONCERNING A CERTAIN ONE, WHO THOUGHT HERSELF TO BE LIVING ALTOGETHER IN THE BODY.
There was a certain one who appeared to me while I was in a kind of middle state between sleeping and waking, but nearer to sleeping. When I awoke I spoke with the [female] spirits who were above me, who said that they thought it to be a woman who could speak with spirits in like manner [with myself]. It was shown to me by living experience how they spoke with her, to wit, by an influx somewhat obscure, but still apperceptible to me; for I was put into that state. But they were instructed, that it was a woman spirit who did thus, and that she then perchance thought herself to be altogether in the body, and thus suffered that they should speak with her, and be thence persuaded [that she was in the body]. The woman was guarded that no one should do her harm; she threw herself forth in spiral projections, by which is signified something deceitful; but whether it was something deceitful for the end of ruling, or on account of the kind of delight that she apperceived, was not given me so well to know. Hence it may appear that there are spirits with whom other spirits can speak almost as with a man. There are also female spirits who enter almost into the corporeal nature, and these speak altogether as in the life of the body; they think themselves also to be in the body, they so transfer internal things to external, or are of the crew of the sirens. But in this case, as I conjecture, their last state is at hand, for they thus go towards exterior things and interior ones are drawn back.
4424. De quadam quae putabat se prorsus in corpore vivere
Erat quaedam quae apparuit mihi in statu medio inter somnum et vigilius, plus ad somnum, et cum vigil factus, tunc loquutus cum spiritibus qui supra me, quae dicebant quod putaverint faeminam esse, quae similiter loqueretur cum spiritibus, et ostensum mihi viva experientia, quomodo cum illa loquerentur, nempe per influxum obscuriorem, sed usque apperceptibilem ei, nam missus in eum statum, sed instructae sunt, quod esset faemina spiritus, quae ita faciebat, et quae forte tunc putabat prorsus se in corpore esse, et pateretur sic ut secum ita loquerentur, et inde persuaderentur, illa faemina custodiebatur ne aliquis ei damnum inferret, se projiciebat per helicis formas, quibus significatur quid dolosum, sed num esset dolosum propter finem, ut imperarent, vel ob jucundum tale, quod appercipiebat, non ita scire datum; inde constare potest, quod sint spiritus, cum quibus fere loqui possent sicut cum homine; sunt etiam spiritus, qui intrant fere in naturam corpoream, et illae loquuntur prorsus sicut in vita corporis, putant esse in corpore, ita interna transeunt ad externa, hae ex sirenum turba sunt; sed tunc, ut autumo, instat ultimum earum, nam pergunt versus exteriora ita, et interiora retrahuntur.