from the Life of Paracelsus - Dr. Franz Hartmann

"The Soul-essence of Man is formed by the ethereal or astral influences coming form the souls of the world and of the planets and stars, especially from the soul (or astral body) of the planet whereon he lives. As the soul of each man and of each animal has its peculiar qualities that distinguish it from others, like the 'soul' of each planet, each sun, each world has it peculiar characteristics, and sends out its beneficial or its destructive influences, pervading cosmic space, acting upon the Microcosm of man, and producing finally visible results. These astral elements are the organizers of the soul of man. They are the builders of the temple in which the spirit resides..."

On the connection to all of humanity to the universe, interconnection

"Man is therefore the quintessence of all the elements, and a son of the universe or a copy in miniature of its Soul, and everything that exists or takes place in the universe exists or may take place in the constitution of man. The congeries of forces and essences making up the constitution of what we call man, is the same as the congeries of forces and powers that on an infinitely larger scale is called the Universe and everything in the Universe reflects itself in man, and may come to his consciousness and this circumstance enables a man who knows himself, to know the Universe."

On knowing the self, we can know the Universe.

"Such things are possible, and the greatest mysteries may be laid open to the perception of the spirit; and if we earnestly desire gifts, and pray with an unrelenting faith to the power of the Supreme, that rests in ourselves, to grant them to us, we may be enabled to see the Mysteria Dei, and to understand them as all as Moses, Jesaiah, and John."

"All knowledge comes from the stars (the Universal Mind). Men do not invent or produce ideas; the ideas exist, and men may be able to grasp them... The inner consciousness will awaken to an understanding of the invludences of the stars, and the mysteries of Nature will be revealed to his spiritual perception."