Spiritual Experiences (Odhner) n. 1796

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

1796. How earthly elements belonging to angels are portrayed before spirits

Those who are angels do not think so much about being dressed in clothes as do recently arrived souls who in the life of the body had taken much pleasure in elegant dress. In the other life, when they reflect, these in their imagination think they are wearing the same clothes they had worn in bodily life, and were fond of. Such images are so real to them that when I told them they do not put on clothes in the other life, the women recently arrived were surprised, and only with difficulty could they be withdrawn from that fantasy. In fact, the fantasy of some was so strong that they thought they could feel by touch that they were dressed in clothes. But that fantasy is erased in time, and then a different mental image comes in its place, which is almost none of clothes, hardly any of bodies, as they call it.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church