St. Gregory notes that in his time the question
whether the soul or the body was created first was a subject of
"bewilderment in the churches." In response to this, he negates the
very wording of the question. Neither the body without the soul, nor the soul
without the body can exist: they are simultaneous in origin. The other two
opinions are fables as much as the teaching about the transition of the soul.
All three forces act in human nature, as mentioned
before: the growing, the feeling, and the reasoning one. "But they are not
three souls. The true and perfect soul is in essence one, intelligent and
immaterial, united through the senses with the material essence."
"Inasmuch as perfection of the soul consists of the mind’s power and the
gift of word, then everything which is not so (in nature) can only be something
similar to the soul, but is not a true soul, but only some living activity,
comparable to the soul."
"Where could one suppose the ruling part of
the soul to abide? Some say that the ruling center of the soul (the mind – Edit.)
is in the heart. Others claim that the mind dwells in the brain." The
former argue that the heart is in the center of the entire body, owing to which
the voluntary movement is easily spread throughout the body. The latter see the
temple of reasoning in the brain, saying that the head is constructed by nature
as a certain stronghold of the entire body, with the mind residing in it as a
king, surrounded by the senses’ areas on the brain’s outer layer, like its
heralds and protectors.
"I also accept that the feelings are based in
the brain’s outer shell, lying over the brain within the head, according to the
scientists. For this reason the thinking power of the soul often becomes
confused; I will not deny such assertions after listening to those who have
done anatomical research…We also do not minimize the meaning of the heart…But
let the empty babble of those be stopped who think to confine thinking activity
within any part of the body as in a box… The soul and mind belong to the entire
body, to all its members; the two rule over the latter as well… But inasmuch as
the body is constructed like a musical instrument, then, as often happens in
music, that professionals cannot show their ability due to the worthlessness of
the instrument, — thus the mind, acting either on the entire instrument — the
body, or on individual members, achieves results only when the members are
found in their proper natural state; but if the members of the body themselves
are not in their natural state, there the mind remains unsuccessful and
inactive."
The body and the soul, according to a higher law
laid down by God’s command, possess a mutual "starting point,"
"so that a person may be neither older nor younger than himself"…
As we say that a wheat seed or any other seed
potentially contains within itself everything relating to its future ripeness:
green leafs, the stem, the branches, and seeds, so we may as well assume that
both elements of an organism, the body and the soul, are already present when
everything is being sifted out for the beginning of a person’s life, with all
their characteristics. An individual’s unique appearance is founded in his
initial qualities. "We assume that what the living (organism) procures
from within itself to serve for the beginning of its life is not something dead
and inanimate. The state of death results from the loss of the soul."
"As the body grows from its very smallest to
its full height, so the spiritual activity develops and is revealed in a
person, in accordance with the development of the body. In the initial
development of the body, there is only a growing power in the soul itself, like
some root hidden in the ground … Later, when this plant comes to light and
shows its seedling to the sun, the gift of sense blossoms. When it ripens and
achieves the proper height, then it begins to show reasoning powers, like some
fruit, not everything at once, but quickly growing along with the growth of its
physical shell, bearing its fruit according to the person’s individual
powers."
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