5464. 1) They position themselves behind, below and above, and there introduce
their own thoughts. They turn the thoughts of other spirits and likewise of persons inwards onto themselves, their own power and their own glory, in short, to their own self. Almost all those in hell know [how to do] this.
[2] 2) Others examine various parts of the body, and also the head, and where they see black, they know that the self still rules, because the human ego is black since it belongs to the love of self. And then they investigate what element of the self is there, and when they find out, they pour in their own thoughts and lead wherever they desire.
[3] 3) Certain ones look at the forehead, and if it appears black, they then lead them; likewise if it is grayish white, like a plastered wall, since this is like outward sincerity. But where they see human flesh they draw back and do not lead to them.
[4] 4) Certain ones throw a black veil over their face and also over their chest, and by so doing magically take away thoughts about the neighbor from them, and oblige and compel them to think about themselves, and lead them in this way, but not in the way they do others who of themselves are black: the former return immediately [to thoughts about the neighbor].
[5] 5) Certain ones surround others with darkness and bring them into darkness and in this way compel them to think about themselves.
[6] 6) From the color of black, white, flesh, blue, yellow around a spirit, or rather, a person they conclude something about the person's state as regards his or her personal nature, or rather, self-love. Where there is black, there is self-love. This one will be led [by it] depending on the intensity of blackness.
[7] 7) Certain ones perceive only the thought of another, for there is a communication of thoughts, and they slip themselves into these and turn them toward self and self-love in various ways, using fantasies, magic, and the aid of many hells; and in this way they drive [them] to thinking about themselves, When a person comes near these spirits, he is in their power.
[8] 8) Sirens know how to slip themselves into various affections that are part of a person's self and in this way draw him or her along. They also know how to magically reduce the thoughts of others all the way down to what is sensual, which is of an extremely outward nature, and when these have been drawn there, they bring on various fantasies and lead them wherever they want. A person's sensory side is where self-love, that is, their personal nature, has its home. Insofar as they can be led away and so elevated from there toward what is more inward as to their thoughts, so far they can be led away from their personal nature. The sensory side of most people today is totally body-oriented and has nothing spiritual in it.
[9] 9) I have been granted to perceive when I have been possessed by my innate self and when I have not been possessed by my innate self; and when I was possessed by my innate self, I was powerless to do anything, on which account I was withdrawn from it by the Lord as much as could be done. From this is evident what the love of self and the love of the world for the sake of self are. When spirits are led by their innate self and are carried away by it, they appear to be brought down through surrounding places, which happens in accord with the changes of the state of their thinking. There were some like this from the Swedish nation whose special interest had been directing the thoughts of other spirits and in this way leading them wherever they wished. But they did not know other than one or two of these [tricks]. They were in the western region
5464.
(1) They place themselves at the back, below and above, and there they thrust in their thoughts; they turn the thoughts of another spirit, and thus of a man, to himself, to his own power, to his own praise, in a word, to the proprium. Almost all infernals know how to do this.
(2) Others gaze upon various parts of the body and upon the head and, where they see anything black, they know the proprium still rules there - for the proprium is black, because it is of the love of self - and, then, they seek to learn what of self is there, and, when they find out, they infuse their own thoughts there, and lead [their victim] whithersoever they will.
(3) Some look into the forehead; and, if it appears black, they then lead him; likewise, if it is grayish-white like a plastered wall, inasmuch as this indicates simulated external sincerity; but from him in whom they see human flesh they withdraw, and him they do not lead.
(4) Some cast a black veil over his face and also over his breast, and thus they magically take away his thoughts of the neighbor, and oblige and compel him to think of himself; and so they lead him, but not like they do others who are black of themselves: the former return immediately.
(5) Some enshroud another in darkness and convey [him] into the dark, and so compel him to think of self.
(6) From the color around a spirit or man - black, white, flesh-color, or yellow - they conclude something about the man's state as to his proprium, or self-love. Where it is black, there is self-love: such a one is led; and it is according to the intensity of the black.
(7) Some only perceive by means of the thoughts of another - for there is a general law of thoughts - and these insinuate themselves into them and turn them to [the victim's] proprium and love of self, in all ways - by phantasies, by magic; and by the aid of many of the hells; and, so, they drive him to thinking about himself; and, when it comes to that, he is in their power.
(8) Sirens know how to insinuate themselves into the various affections which are the ruling love of a man; and so they take him with them. Also, they know how to reduce the thoughts of another, magically, even to the sensual, which is the extreme external; and, when he is reduced to that, they induce various phantasies and lead him whithersoever they wish. It is the sensual of man where his self-love, or proprium, resides: so far as he can be drawn up, or elevated, out of that, as to the thoughts, towards interiors, so far he can be led away from his proprium. Man's sensual, at this day, is, with most people, wholly corporeal, and has not anything spiritual.
(9) It was granted me to perceive when I was in the proprium, and when not in the proprium. When in the proprium, I was fit for nothing; wherefore, I was led out of it by the Lord, as far as that could be done. Hence is manifest what the love of self, and the love of the world for the sake of self, is. When [any] are led in the proprium and borne away, they appear to be led down through the surrounding places; which is according to the changes of the state of the thoughts. There were some such of the Swedish nation, whose desire it had been thus to reduce the thoughts of other spirits to subjection, and so to lead them whithersoever they would; but they did not know how, save one or two of them. They were in the western quarter.
5464. 1) ponunt se a tergo infra et supra, et ibi inferunt cogitata sua, vertunt alterius spiritus ita quoque hominis cogitata ad se ipsum, ad suam potentiam, ad suam laudem, verbo ad proprium; hoc sciunt paene omnes infernales.
2) Alii inspiciunt varias partes corporis, et quoque capitis, ac ubi vident nigurm, ibi sciunt quod adhuc regnet proprium, nam proprium hominis est nigrum, quia est amoris sui, et tunc inquirunt quid sui ibi est, et cum reperiunt, infundunt ibi suas cogitationes, et ducunt quocunque volunt.
3) Quidam spectant in frontem, quae si nigra apparet, tunc ducunt illum, similiter si grisee alba, sicut incrustatorum paries, quoniam hoc est simulatum sincerum externum; at ubi vident carneum humanum, ab illo recedunt, et illum non ducunt.
4) Quidam conjiciunt velamen nigrum super faciem ejus, et quoque super pectus, et sic adimunt ei magice cogitationes de proximo, et obligant et cogunt cogitare de se, et sic ducunt, sed non ita sicut alios qui ex se nigri sunt, illi redeunt statim.
5) Quidam circumfundunt alterum caligine, et transferunt in caliginosum, et sic cogunt ut cogitet de seipso.
6) Ex colore nigro, albo, carneo, coeruleo, flavo, circum spiritum seu hominem concludunt aliqui de statu hominis quoad ejus proprium seu amorem sui. Ubi nigrum ibi amor sui, is ducetur, et quantum nigri est.
7) Quidam solum cogitationem alterius percipiunt, nam communicatio cogitationum est, et in illas se insinuant, et vertunt illas ad proprium et ad amorem sui variis modis, per phantasias, per magica, per auxilia plurium infernorum, et sic adigunt ad cogitandum de se, quo cum venit, in illorum potestate est.
8) Sirenes sciunt insinuare se in affectiones varias, quae proprii hominis sunt, et sic adducunt: etiam magice sciunt redigere cogitationes alterius usque ad sensuale quod est maxime externum, et cum illuc redactus est, inducunt varias phantasias, et ducunt quocunque volunt; sensuale hominis est ubi amor sui seu proprius ejus habitat, quantum inde versus interiora subduci sic elevari possit quoad cogitationes, tantum a proprio sui abduci potest, sensuale homiis hodie est plane corporeum apud plerosque, et non habet aliquid spirituale.
9) Datum mihi est percipere quando in proprio esse, et quando non in proprio, et cum in proprio, nihil valui, quare ab illo a Domino, quantum fieri potuit abductus sum. Inde patet quid amor sui, et amor mundi propter se. Cum ducuntur per proprium et auferuntur, apparent deduci per loca circumcirca, quod est secundum mutationes status cogitatio ne. Fuerunt tales ex Sverana gente, quibus studium fuerat ita redigere cogitationes aliorum spirituum, et sic ducere illos quocunque vellent, sed non sciverunt nisi unum aut alterum ex illis [artibus], erant illi in plaga occidentali