5930. How spirits are examined by turning around
When a particular spirit comes into a good society, his character, what he is like, is explored in various ways, including by a turning around, so that what his nature appears to be from the front may be seen, that is to say, what his nature appears to be from the face, and what from the back of the head. If he seems decent from the back of the head too, then he is accepted. The reason is that the face can pretend, but not the back of the head, for love's affections flow into the back of the head. For this reason a spirit's nature as to his love is apparent in the back of the head.
[2] But there are spirits who know how to deceive others by turning the back of the head to a good society and obtaining communication with it for themselves, for which reason [a spirit who does this] then appears decent from the back of the head too. But if the same spirit is turned also to the other side so that he is then unable to turn the back of his head to the society, what his nature is like then appears.
5930. HOW SPIRITS ARE EXPLORED BY BEING TURNED ROUND.
When any spirit comes into a good society, investigation is then made, in various ways, as to what he is; and also by turning him round, so that it is seen what he looks like in front, or as to the face, and what he looks like as to the back part of the head; and if he looks as it were becoming as to the back part of the head, he is then received. The reason is, because the face may deceive, but not the back of the head; for it is into the back of the head that the affections which are of the love inflow. Wherefore a spirit is manifested as to his love, in the back of the head.
But there are spirits who know how to deceive others, by the artifice of turning the back of the head to a good society with which they have procured to themselves communication. Wherefore such a one then appears as it were becoming, even as regards the back of the head; but, if the same spirit be turned round to the other side of them, so as not to be able to turn the back of the head at the time to that society, he then appears such as he is.
5930. Quomodo explorantur spiritus per conversionem
Quando spiritus quidam in societatem bonam venit, tunc exploratur variis modis, qualis est, et quoque per conversionem, ut videatur qualis apparet antrorsum seu quoad faciem, et qualis apparet quoad occipitium, si etiam appareat sicut decet quoad occipitium, tunc recipitur, causa est quia facies mentiri potest, non autem occipitium, occipitium enim est, in quod influunt affectiones quae amoris, quare patet spiritus quoad amorem in occipitio.
[2] Sed sunt spiritus qui sciunt fallere alios per id, quod vertant occipitia ad societatem bonam, cum qua communicationem ipsi sibi compararunt, quare tunc apparet sicut decet etiam quoad occipitium, at si idem spiritus ab altera parte etiam circumvertatur, ut tunc non vertere possit occipitium ad illam societatem, tunc apparet qualis est.