3019. Certain spirits greatly desire to be people on earth

All spirits in general when they are with a person do not know but that they are people on earth. But there are others who want to be the person and entirely occupy his or her body, and then regard the person they are with as having no body.

Such ones have often been with me and attempted much, some less, who were nevertheless touched with shame, for they imagine they see their faces in the mirror [2106, 2205], among other things. In this way spirits are moved away from that desire. 1748, 1 Sept.

2205. By a more lucid experiment with myself while looking at myself in the mirror, and at the same time speaking with spirits, I have observed several times that I took on the face of those who were in my company, the face of one after the other, yet retaining my own face. But the changes were due to the likeness of themselves, whom they recognized, even to the point of annoyance. This happened in almost a like sequence as in the case of spirits and angels. Those who recognized themselves told me so. Yet they were not of the same affection as I. One who has faith in the Lord is not subject to just one affection, knowing that it belongs to the spirits and angels who flow in. So faces belonging to others [than that group] also flowed in.

This experiment was made several times, sometimes to the spirits' indignation, sometimes to their enjoyment, and they recognized themselves perfectly. 1748, 5 June.