put back again by
turns. They are such as have dealt wickedly with the neighbor under
civil pretences. But all these are few in comparison with those that
are retained in the world of spirits, and are there prepared in
accordance with Divine order for heaven or for hell.

492. In regard to the first state, which is the state of the
exteriors, it is that which man comes into immediately after death.
Every man, as regards his spirit, has exteriors and interiors. The
exteriors of the spirit are the means by which it adapts the man's
body in the world, especially the face, speech, and movements, to
fellowship with others; while the interiors of the spirit are what
belong to its own will and consequent thought; and these are rarely
manifested in face, speech, and movement. For man is accustomed from
childhood to maintain a semblance of friendship, benevolence, and
sincerity, and to conceal the thoughts of his own will, thereby
living from habit a moral and civil life in externals, whatever he
may be internally. As a result of this habit man scarcely knows what
his interiors are, and gives little thought to them.

493. The first state of man after death resembles his state in the
world, for he is then likewise in externals, having a like face, like
speech, and a like disposition, thus a like moral and civil life; and
in consequence he is made aware that he is not still in the world
only by giving attention to what he encounters, and from his having
been told by the angels when he was resuscitated that he had become a
spirit(n. 450). Thus is one life continued into the other, and death
is merely transition.

494. The state of man's spirit that immediately follows his life in
the world being such, he is then recognized by his friends and by
those he had known in the world; for this is something that spirits
perceive not only from one's face and speech but also from the sphere
of his life when they draw near. Whenever any one in the other life
thinks about another he brings his face before him in thought, and at
the same time many things of his life; and when he does this the
other becomes present, as if he had been sent for or called. This is
so in the spiritual world because thoughts there are shared, and
there is no such space there as in the natural world (see above,
n. 191-199). So all, as soon as they enter the other life, are
recognized by their friends, their relatives, and those in any way
known to them; and