--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more I work with the body, keeping my…" description: "\"The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I appreciate and sympathize with a given disease. T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg" --- # The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a… ![“The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I appreciate and sympathize with a given disease. The body no longer appears as a sick or irrational demon, but as a process with its own inner logic and wisdom.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg) > “The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I appreciate and sympathize with a given disease. The body no longer appears as a sick or irrational demon, but as a process with its own inner logic and wisdom.” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing disease as a logical, self‑regulating process fosters empathy and better care, rather than seeing the body as a hostile enemy. **In simple terms:** Treat illness as a system with its own logic. Key Takeaway Approach health with compassion and curiosity. Themes empathy biology holistic health mind‑body connection Mood thoughtful compassionate Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - clinical practice - health education - patient counseling Key Concepts systems thinking medical humanities patient‑centered care Questions to Reflect On - How can clinicians balance scientific rigor with empathy? - What does “inner wisdom” mean for treatment plans? A Different Perspective Medical models often ignore patient experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate/) [Appreciate Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate-sympathize-2936289/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-keeping-1547888/) [Demon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demon/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Disease Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease-body-2790360/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Irrational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrational/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Sympathize Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathize-given-2936290/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“In modern life, people think that their body belongs to them and they can do anything they want to it. When they make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/in-modern-life-people-think-that-their-body-belongs-to-them-and-they/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [An ill principle in the mind is worse than the matter of a disease in the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/an-ill-principle-in-the-mind-is-worse-than-the-matter-of-a-disease-in/) [Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/) > [This is why Alzheimer's is such a terrible disease: the body of the person you love is there, but they've gone - your husband…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-parfitt/this-is-why-alzheimer-s-is-such-a-terrible-disease-the-body-of-the/) [Judy Parfitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-parfitt/) > [Disease is not of the body but of the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/disease-is-not-of-the-body-but-of-the-place/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [There was no name for the disease; his body had gone insane, forgotten the blueprint by which human beings were built. Even now the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/there-was-no-name-for-the-disease-his-body-had-gone-insane-forgotten/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [What happens in the mind of man is always reflected in the disease of his body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-dubos/what-happens-in-the-mind-of-man-is-always-reflected-in-the-disease-of/) [Rene Dubos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-dubos/) > [The disease of the heart is worse than the disease of the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-disease-of-the-heart-is-worse-than-the-disease-of-the-body/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have this highly irrational system of incentivizing innovation for clean and green technologies, where we allow the innovator to have a temporary monopoly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/we-have-this-highly-irrational-system-of-incentivizing-innovation-for/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [But jealousy... it's a strange thing. So much more powerful then I would have thought. And irrational!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-cullen/but-jealousy-it-s-a-strange-thing-so-much-more-powerful-then-i-would/) [Edward Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-cullen/) > [The advance of science spares us from irrational dread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-advance-of-science-spares-us-from-irrational-dread/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-irrational-will-have-its-say-perhaps-because-irrational-is-the/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Appreciate quotes > [All I hear is the people that appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/all-i-hear-is-the-people-that-appreciate-me/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Time is really gold,spent it wisely with the people around you.Spread love,appreciate the beauty around you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jglargosta/time-is-really-gold-spent-it-wisely-with-the-people-around-you-spread/) [Jglargosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jglargosta/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) [J. Willard Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-willard-gibbs/) > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I would like beautiful gymnastics to be recognized as the best. I want the judges to appreciate things that are not necessarily winning points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kohei-uchimura/i-would-like-beautiful-gymnastics-to-be-recognized-as-the-best-i-want/) [Kohei Uchimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kohei-uchimura/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Love is too wonderful for us but why we often times do not ever appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamad-idrus/love-is-too-wonderful-for-us-but-why-we-often-times-do-not-ever/) [Mohamad Idrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamad-idrus/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) [Browse all 3,873 Appreciate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I appreciate and sympathize with a given disease. The body no longer appears as a sick or irrational demon, but as a process with its own inner logic and wisdom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my-assumptions-in-a-temporary/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appreciate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my-assumptions-in-a-temporary/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b38/george-macdonald-295_appreciate_the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my_2728371.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The more I work with the body, keeping my assumptions in a temporary state of reservation, the more I…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The more I work with the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my-assumptions-in-a-temporary/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-more-i-work-with-the-body-keeping-my-assumptions-in-a-temporary/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```