Mortal mind is a term used in Christian Science to sum up all that would oppose God.
For success in spiritual healing, it’s important to understand that mortal mind possesses no power, influence or sway. It might look like it has power, at times, to the ignorant material senses, but it never does. Divine Mind is the only power.
When a patient expressed worry to me “that mortal mind was holding her down from making progress,” I replied, “Mortal mind can’t hold you down any more than a feather landing on your cap could weigh you down from walking across a room.”
She told me later that she got a hearty laugh out of picturing a feather on her cap trying to weigh her down and prevent her from moving ahead. The mesmerism broke.
God is the only power. There is no other. Understanding this truth enables us to love God more and fear mortal mind less, to the point of never fearing it!
“As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind. It is the false belief that mind is in matter, and is both evil and good; that evil is as real as good and more powerful. This belief has not one quality of Truth” Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health, p. 103.
Wonderful (and amusing!) image of a feather weighing someone down! Impossible! Thanks so much for these daily inspirations Evan 🙂
Thanks again, Evan – this is very helpful to me this morning.
Wonderful, Evan! Love the hat!
For many of us, this is the fundamental question: “If God is all, then who ordered THIS?”
We need a fall guy, it would seem. In my journey, I’ve come to accept that we can’t account for error without feeding into it. Treat error as a reality, and we’ll be fighting it forever. Light as a feather or stiff as a board is a choice!
Thank you, Jay – your response to Evan’s timely message made such sense – very helpful – stated in pragmatic, easily understood language – “stiff as a board” – that’s been my approach as of late – got to change – your comment made me laugh which felt so good – it helped me see the absurdity of some of my behavior,
Thank you, Evan. The thought of a feather not able to hold us from our path is simple, yet powerful image, toward spiritual healing.
Evan, I want one of those hats. Smiley face !
What? The Boogey-man under the bed isn’t…real?
Not really there? Whew!!
SO good! Jay, I really enjoyed what you said. You can’t account for error without feeding into it. 🙂
really like your comments.
Thanks, Grace! And vice-versa!
Evan, much gratitude & to all—-thank U.
How eagerly I look forward to completing my morning Mind-set with Spiritview and its marvelous community. I feel enveloped in love & suppported by a whole universe on Love. I’d say that this is confirmation of LOVE reflecting ✨
Thank you Evan, how wonderful to think about fearing mortal mind less and less until we are completely free from it, wow! There was one word right in the beginning that really jumped out at me, the word “oppose.” “Mortal mind is a term used in Christian Science to sum up all that would oppose God.” In my study, prayers and practice I often try to work with ideas about mortal mind being a false mind/sense and understanding that it has no power. But in that sentence that says “mortal mind is a term used in Christian Science to sum up all that would oppose God.” It drove home how important it is to strive to understand deeply that mortal mind is a lie, a liar, we cannot give it any time, space or existence in our thought! It made me feel VERY offended that something would try to “oppose” God, whom I love and cherish with my whole heart! That’s Insanity, ridiculousness, asinine! Really too absurd to give any reality to!
Secondly, I really appreciated the reference to humor and waking us up from any senseless mesmerism.
Last year, I was struggling with a challenge, but things were going along well, I was making great progress and increasing in my spiritual conviction and trust in God, but one day I felt so attacked buy a sense of power from mortal mind that I just could not shake myself from the mesmerism even though I knew that’s what it was. I called a practitioner and nothing she was saying was getting through to me and she knew it. Finally she said something that sounded ridiculous. We both paused, and started laughing hysterically! That that was it, it totally broke the mortal mind mesmerism that was seeming to trap me and I was able to accept the ideas that she gave to me and to start working for myself again. Soon after the whole issue was resolved perfectly of course. I will never forget it and think about it often.
More recently, I listened to a wonderful CS podcast on the very subject. I will attempt to attach the link, but I’m not sure if it will work because I subscribe to jsh online and maybe it won’t work for non-subscribers. https://sentinel.christianscience.com/sentinel-audio/sentinel-radio-edition/2010/humor-and-healing-program-1026
Try this for a shared link
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/mpeprxbrhe?s=e
Thank you Paul! Out of curiosity, how is the link you shared different from mine and made accessible for non-subscribers? In the future, I’d like to share links correctly for all. 🙂
At the top of the article you want to share you will find a sh are link. That opens up to click on email. The email link is copy and pasted just as you did with the other link. I hope this helps.
That helps greatly, thank you!
Loved it! And with such a great visual. How uplifting and freeing it is to laugh at mortal mind. Thank you Evan for your daily inspirations. I often will share your blogs with others to include non-CSers.
It is worth remembering that there are not two worlds, two powers, that there is only one. thank you for the reminder.
That’s good Nadine! There are NOT two worlds, two powers! And we are not a mortal mind house of cards
That can come tumbling down at any moment either.
We are spiritual man right now, and cant allow ourselves to be hypnotized by a feather!
My last Sunday School teacher said that sometimes we need to laugh at error to break the mesmerism. When my first baby was a little over a year old he became ill and was listless, lying in his crib. I had been working to see his real self, the pure, innocent, healthy child of God when I went to him, and said, “Why you’re not my Tommy! Where is he?” He looked at me, smiled, and gave a little laugh. It broke the mesmerism and he was himself in no time—that sweet, happy baby boy! Thank you, Father=Mother God! Mortal mind has no power.
Thank you I loved this.
Thanks so much to all who have commented. I was inspired by the “Humor and Healing” talk on the link from Trista. One of the short statements a practitioner made to Keith when he called for help really hit home: “Have you every been to Moscow?” He hadn’t so she said that he couldn’t return to a place he’d never been. Neither can we ever return to a place or condition where we’ve never been – no relapse ever! The original was unreal – nothing but false belief – so in reality it never happened. Thanks Trista for your sharing.
Thank you Daphne for your so lovely testimony with your son.
Thank you Trista and Paul for the link to the Sentinel Radio talk ,,humor and healing program” It is very inspiring with very good testimonies.
Thank you Evan for your so inspiring SpiritView today. Yes mortal mind does not weigh anything in God’s realm, in the realm of divine Mind, where nothing exists and has power but our all good God. Thanks again dear Evan, for the so comforting, helpful and joyful thoughts you give us all so lovingly and understandable!
Thank you Evan for your wonderful inspiring Spiritview.
It was very helpful when I was struggling with a dilemma. The solution presented itself without any human effort. It’s great to know that there’s a spiritual solution to any seeming human problem