Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim (circa 1493-1541), who adopted the title Paracelsus, is regarded as a physician, philosopher, and prolific religious writer, and is one of the soon-to-be-praised, sometimes vehemently contested founding figures on the threshold of the modern era. "Experientia," or personal experience, was valued by this self-assured and contentious man more highly than the teachings of others and mere book knowledge. Following a portrayal of his tumultuous, prematurely ended life and an overview of his extensive writings, a selection from his complete works is presented. His writings depict Paracelsus as a spiritually oriented individual whose holistic perspective, encompassing the entire cosmos, is still taken seriously today, or perhaps even more so now.