316. Once a soul severs his connection in this way he is then welcomed by good spirits, and while he is in their company they too render him every kindly service. But if in the world his life has been such that he could not abide the company of good persons, he is eager to get away from them as well. This goes on repeatedly until he enters into association with the kind of people who match completely the life he led in the world. With them he so to speak discovers his own life. At that point, astonishingly, he leads a life among them similar to what he had done in the body. But once souls have resumed that life, they then start a new phase of life. Some after a longer, others after a briefer, length of time are conducted from there to hell. But people who have dwelt in faith in the Lord, after the new phase has started, are gradually led towards heaven.