Consciousness, much like our feelings, is based on a representation of the body and how it changes when reacting to certain stimuli. Self-image would be unthinkable without this representation.
This quote highlights the integral connection between our consciousness, bodily awareness, and self-perception. It suggests that our experience of awareness is fundamentally rooted in how our body perceives and responds to external stimuli. Our senses and internal sensations create a dynamic mental model, which forms the basis of our self-image. Without this bodily representation, the concepts of consciousness and self-awareness would lack coherence. It emphasizes the embodied nature of cognition and the importance of visceral experiences in shaping our identity and perception of the world.