1243. CONCERNING THE STATE OF SOULS, THAT THEY SUPPOSE THAT THEY ARE IN THE BODY As frequently said above, souls suppose no otherwise than that they are in the body, which they call being men; in this way they think that they are men and they cannot acknowledge that they are spirits, unless reflection is given. I have now spoken about this with two spirits who supposed that they were living in the world, for they retain whatever they had in the body, that is, they have with them all their cupidities which constitute their corporeal life, as well as their appetites - as the appetite of eating when they see the food which they had desired in the life of the body - as one of them now affirmed when he saw what I was eating. And I told them that they retained their other senses, as sight, hearing, smell and touch, as sensibly as in the body, and as if they were corporeal. I told them further that nonetheless they are spirits, as they can know from reflection, and that they now have no need to take care of their body as in the world. Food, clothing and habitation are the cares of men in the world only; and at this day for the sake of this food, clothing and habitation men desire to possess the universe, when they could be content with very few things. But now, in their life as spirits, they need have no care for these things, and therefore can now apply themselves to heavenly things. 1748, Mar. 8.