same garment, however, also served the man for an article of clothing.  He was seen to take it from the woman and throw it over his own back, and loosening the lower part, which thus flowed down to his feet like a robe, he walked about clad in this manner.  What I saw on that earth was not seen with the eyes of my body, but with the eyes of my spirit, and a spirit can see the objects that are on an earth, when it is permitted by the Lord.

135.  As I know that many will doubt the possibility of a man’s being able, with the eyes of his spirit, to see anything on an earth so distant, I may state how the matter is.  Distances in the other life are not as distances on the Earth.  In the other life distances are altogether according to the states of the interiors of each one.  They who are in a similar state are together in one society and in one place.  All presence there results from likeness of state, and all distance results from unlikeness of state.  Hence it was that I was near to that earth when I was brought by the Lord into a state similar to that of its spirits and inhabitants, and that being then present I conversed with them.  Hence it is evident that earths in the spiritual world are not distant as in the natural world, but only apparently so according to the states of life of their inhabitants and spirits.  The state of life is the state of the affections as to love and faith.  In regard to a spirit, or, what is the same, a man as to his spirit, being able to see the things that are on an earth, I may also explain how the case therein is.  Neither spirits nor angels are able, by their own sight, to see anything that is in the world; for to them the light of the world, that is, solar light, is as thick darkness:  just as man by his bodily sight cannot see anything that is in the other life; for to him the light of heaven is as thick darkness.  But nevertheless spirits and angels, when it pleases the Lord, can see the things in the natural world through the eyes of a man; but this is not granted by the Lord with any except those whom He permits to speak with spirits and angels, and to be together with them.  It has been permitted them to see through my eyes the things in this world, and as plainly as I myself did; and even to hear men speaking with me.  It has sometimes happened that through me some have seen their friends, with whom they had been intimate in the life of the body, altogether present as before, and they have been amazed thereat.  Wives also have seen in this manner their husbands and children, and have wanted me to tell them that they were present and saw them, and to inform them of their state in the other life.  But it was forbidden me to say and reveal to them that they had been seen in this way, for the further reason that they would have called me insane, or have thought my information ravings of the mind (animus), for I was well aware that, although they affirmed with their mouth, they yet did not at heart believe in the existence