A metaphysician learns in spiritual healing that mind governs the body, not vice versa.
So, as I mentioned to a friend recently, “Don’t bother examining the body to see how healthy you are, because you’ve already determined what you’re going to find before you look.”
“The ordinary practitioner, examining bodily symptoms, telling the patient that he is sick, and treating the case according to his physical diagnosis, would naturally induce the very disease he is trying to cure, even if it were not already determined by mortal mind. Such unconscious mistakes would not occur, if this old class of philanthropists looked as deeply for cause and effect into mind as into matter.” Mary Baker Eddy
I’ve been noticing how authoritative Mrs. Eddy’s statements are in her textbook, Science and Health. After proving over and over the science of metaphysical healing, it’s no wonder she can be so definitive, as Jesus was in his utterances.
That illustration you use — of the red pencil — makes me think that we can check off symptoms of health, not disease. These spiritual symptoms would include joy, grace, patience, generosity, gentleness, peace, purity. No chance for a bad diagnosis to squeeze in to that holy, healthy body of thought.
Though I love Christian Science, I have grave doubts about its ability to heal. I’ve seen too many church members pass on prematurely relying on prayer only. I too have suffered for too many years for pain relief and found that simple over-the-counter medications alleviate the problem quickly. I feel like i suffered for nothing for so many years, countless dollars spent on practitioner bills that did not help. Also, there are practitioners that charge astronomical prices ($100 per hour) and pressure for payment and insurance does not cover it. I can’t imagine God wants me to suffer. If medical relief is unacceptable to Christian Science, I will have to find something else.
To above,
It’s nice to hear from you. Your comment “If medical relief is unacceptable to Christian Science…,” is not anything you picked up from the teachings of CS. CS teaches one how to turn to God and find healing through prayer, through the healing power of divine Mind. “Science and Health,” states clearly that if a student doesn’t find the relief they need, and believe other temporary means may help them, they are free to pursue those means. The book also points out that temporary means are exactly that, temporary. And this often proves to be the case with medicine, that a patient may gain relief from pain, as you mention, but they often find later that the pain recurs, and they seek out more medicine. It seems to be a never ending cycle. Whereas in CS, one seeks permanent relief, cure of whatever causes the pain in the first place, which is usually some latent, underlying fear that needs to be addressed.
So, certainly you are free to pursue all the medical options you would like and still study CS. But it is helpful to understand, that permanent, real, long term relief, is going to come only when thought is improved, when it goes up and higher and closer to God. That’s the ultimate healing!
CS does heal. That’s beyond doubt. I’ve lived it for over 50 years, and never visited a drugstore once for a medicine, nor ever had to visit a doctor. CS is so effective. It is a real joy to be able to live your life free of medical dependence, and also to keep your body free and unpolluted by all the chemicals of medicines, that also often lead to serious bad side effects later on.
I agree, there is much to learn about how to demonstrate CS effectively, but the work is worth the reward.
I’ve never heard of such high practitioner charges as you mention. That must be a very isolated example.
CS treatment is a real bargain compared to the astronimcal costs of visiting an emergency room or doctor.
Hope that helps.
Lots of love.
Thank you for your reply. Can you tell me where to find the citation you referred to where it is okay to get temporary relief through medicine?
As for the practitioner expense, her rationale was to quote from MBE thatt treatment should be in line with what doctors charge. The bill has been like a noose around my neck and the subsequent conversations over it has been depressing. We wonder how we can ever get through life with costs like this in our old age. Only the rich can afford this help without insurance covering it? It makes me wish I was rich enough that I can devote my life to help people without requiring payment so people don’t have to feel so helpless. Your blog has helped a lot. I guess we just have God to rely on.
To above,
p. 444:7, Science and Health.
Also, FYI, it is okay to ask a practitioner how much they charge before requesting treatment. I’m sure you’ll find one who will work with you within your budget.
Yes, you do have what you need coming from God. Christ is always with you. And don’t underestimate the healing effect of reading Science and Health. It contains the best medicine of all.
Much love,
Thank you for this reference: “God will still guide them into the right use of temporary and eternal means.”
So God does know about medicine, temporary means? I remember reading somewhere that you can’t mix medical and prayer because they are opposite to each other.
If God knows that man gets relief from temporary means, I wish they could be worked together. Perhaps it is like the tares and the wheat. We use them both, but ultimately it’s the wheat that we want and need.
There seems to be more and more Christians Scientists that rely on medicine (on the side) but have to keep it hidden, shamefully. At our church, you can’t serve in a committee or read or anything if you use medicine.
As for the practitioner fees, my experience with this practitioner has really soured me. There are practitioners out there who think it’s a means to a fast and easy buck. It has kept me up at night and makes me leery of introducing Christian Science to anyone in fear that they will be taken in. My fee was more than my month’s salary, and she even said that it would be right to forego camp experience (C.S.) for my children to pay her debt.
To above,
To clear up a couple of points…God only knows the eternal and spiritual. Something temporary is not in God’s Mind. It’s in the human mind. Material medicine is temporary. It’s effect is always temporary. It’s mortal mind made. God’s medicine is Truth–the medicine Jesus employed. So, when one uses material medicine, that is a temporary assistance, if that at all, that eventually will have to be replaced with eternal ways and means which come directly from Spirit.
A patient consciously looking to material medicine and Spirit at the same time for relief is in a very compromised position. It’s a divided house, mentally. A patient who is relying upon material medicine, but does not want to, and is actively praying for healing from Spirit, is in a better position. He or she will willing let go of the material in order to receive the benefits of the spiritual. It may be a gradual process, to the human sense of things, but nonetheless, there will be progress if the intent and desire of the patient for spiritual healing is genuine and sincere.
An honest person has nothing to hide.
Hope that helps!
Lots of love
I think simple childlike faith in God is basic. When our cat was bitten through two joints in his leg, and in serious distress, I called a practitioner, and after several treatments had little help, I said, enough already with treatments, I know what heals. Kitty and I sat in the rocking chair and I lifted my thought to God, and sang all of Mrs Eddy’s hymns. I started to stop singing after the third one but Kitty put his paw up on my shoulder in a way that said “don’t stop”. So I continued. When I put him down on the floor he was much better. The next morning he came and stood crosswise in front of me, and I surmised that meant pick me up. So I told him I’d sit in the rocker and sing two more hymns, but not all seven. When I held him he put his paw up on my shoulder again, so we sang two more hymns, and I prayed a bit. Kitty was well, and had perfect use of his legs from then on.Divine Love heals.
I read once long ago that it is a good idea to ask God which practitioner to call.