5862. The spirits present with a person do not know that they are present with him. Only an angel from the Lord knows that he is present, for angels are linked to a person's soul or spirit, but not to his body. When thoughts are realized in the body as speech, and wishes as actions, general influx serves as the orderly means by which they are channeled into speech or action; and this influx is governed by correspondences with the Grand Man. The spirits present with a person therefore have no part in any of this; so they do not use the person's tongue to speak, for that would amount to possession. Nor do they use his eyes to see things in the world, or his ears to hear things there. With me it is different, for the Lord has opened my interiors to enable me to see things in the next life. From this spirits have known that I was a person still in his body, and they have been given the ability to use my eyes to see things in the world and [my ears] to hear those talking to me in whose company I was present.