Body Quote by Michel de Certeau
“Places are fragmentary and inward-turning histories, pasts that others are not allowed to read, accumulated times that can be unfolded but like stories held in reserve, remaining in an enigmatic state, symbolizations encysted in the pain or pleasure of he body. 'I feel good here': the well-being under-expressed in the language it appears in like a fleeting glimmer is a spatial practice.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Practice of Everyday Life, 1980
Our inner histories are fragmented, hidden, and expressed through bodily sensations, shaping how we experience space and well‑being.
In simple terms: Inner stories shape our sense of place.
Key Takeaway
Explore how bodily feelings reveal hidden narratives.
Themes
memory
space
embodiment
subjectivity
language
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
curious
Type
philosophical
academic
reflective
When to use this quote
- therapy
- urban design
- mindfulness practice
- creative writing
- anthropology
Key Concepts
phenomenology
psychology
cultural studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How do your bodily sensations inform your sense of place?
- In what ways can hidden histories be expressed?
A Different Perspective
Interpretation can be subjective and may overlook external factors.
![“His [the pedestrian's] elevation transfigures him into a voyeur. It puts his at a distance. It transforms the bewitching world by which one was 'possessed' into a text that lies before one's eyes. It allows one to read it, to be a solar Eye, looking down like a god. The exaltation of a scopic and…” quote by Michel de Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e6f/michel-de-certeau-15812_92_his-the-pedestrian-s-elevation-transfigu_256393.jpg)
![“When he grew old, Aristotle, who is not generally considered a tightrope dancer, liked to lose himself in the most labyrinthine and subtle of discourses […]. ‘The more solitary and isolated I become, the more I come to like stories,’ he said.” quote by Michel de Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/11a/michel-de-certeau-15812_aristotle_when-he-grew-old-aristotle-who-is-not-ge_702039.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
