Bit of medieval class on the body from Paracelsus anyone? Here’s one of the oldest somatic references I’ve come across!
“The internal character of a man is often expressed in his exterior appearance, even in the manner of his walking and in the sound of his voice. Likewise the hidden character of things is to a certain extent expressed in their outward form. He ought to look with his own eyes into the book of Nature and become able to understand it. The knowledge of nature as it is -not as we imagine it to be – constitutes true philosophy. But he who is not true to himself will not see the truth as it is taught by nature, and it is far easier to study a number of books and to learn by heart a number of scientific theories than to ennoble one’s own character to such an extent as to enter into perfect harmony with nature and to be able to see the truth. Wisdom in man is nobody’s servant and has not lost its freedom, and through wisdom man attains power over the stars. He must realize the presence of the highest in his own heart before he can know it with his intellect. The spiritual temple is locked with many keys, and those who are vain enough to believe that they can invade it by their own power, and without being shown the way by the light of wisdom, will storm against it in vain. Wisdom is not created by man; it must come to him, and cannot be purchased for money nor coaxed with promises, but it comes to those whose minds are pure and whose hearts are open to receive it. The highest a man can feel and think is his highest ideal, and the higher we rise in the scale of existence and the more our knowledge expands, the higher will be our ideal. As long as we cling to our highest ideal we will be happy in spite of the sufferings and vicissitudes of life. The highest ideal confers the highest and most enduring happiness… The highest power of the intellect, if not illuminated by love, is only a high grade of animal intellect, and will perish in time; but the intellect animated by the love of the Supreme is the intellect of the angels, and will live in eternity. All things are vehicles of virtues, everything in nature is a house wherein dwell certain powers and virtues such as God has in fused throughout Nature and which inhabit all things in the same sense as the soul is in man. True faith is spiritual consciousness, but a belief based on mere opinions and creeds is the product of ignorance, and is superstition. This physical body, which is believed to be of so little importance by those who love to dream about the mysteries of the spirit, is the most secret and valuable thing. It is the true “stone which the builders rejected, but which must become the corner-stone of the temple. It is the “stone” which is considered worthless by those who seek God above the clouds and reject Him when He enters their house. This physical body is not merely an instrument for divine power, but it is also the soil from which that which is immortal in man receives its strength.”
Paracelsus on the body, Courtesy of the mysterious Santiago.