t
is, to understand one thing and to will another; but everyone must
understand what he wills, and will what he understands. Therefore in
heaven he who wills good understands truth, while in hell he who
wills evil understands falsity. So in the intermediate state the
falsities that the good have are put away, and truths that agree and
harmonize with their good are given them; while the truths that the
evil have are put away, and falsities that agree and harmonize with
their evil are given them. This shows what the world of spirits is.

426. In the world of spirits there are vast numbers, because the
first meeting of all is there, and all are there explored and
prepared. The time of their stay in that world is not fixed; some
merely enter it, and are soon either taken into heaven or are cast
down into hell; some remain only a few weeks, some several years, but
not more than thirty. These differences in the time they remain
depend on the correspondence or lack of correspondence of man's
interiors with his exteriors. How man is led in that world from one
state into another and prepared shall now be told.

427. As soon as men after death enter the world of spirits the Lord
clearly discriminates between them; and the evil are at once attached
to the infernal society in which they were, as to their ruling love
while in the world; and the good are at once attached to the heavenly
society in which they were as to their love, charity and faith while
in the world. But although they are thus divided, all that have been
friends and acquaintances in the life of the body, especially wives
and husbands, and also brothers and sisters, meet and converse
together whenever they so desire. I have seen a father talking with
six sons, whom he recognized, and have seen many others with their
relatives and friends; but having from their life in the world
diverse dispositions, after a short time they separate. But those who
have passed from the world of spirits into heaven or into hell,
unless they have a like disposition from a like love, no longer see
or know each other. The reason that they see each other in the world
of spirits, but not in heaven or in hell, is that those who are in
the world of spirits are brought into one state after another, like
those they experienced in the life of the body; but afterwards all
are brought into a permanent state in accord with their ruling love,
and in that state one recognizes another only by sim