The senses of Spirit abide in Love, and they demonstrate Truth and Life.This might be the first mention of Spiritual senses in the book. I'm trying to dissect the sentence for greater meaning but I may be trying to hard. Any thoughts?
There is no material truth.
Divine Science reverses the false testimony of the material senses ... Hence the enmity between Science and the senses, and the impossibility of attaining perfect understanding till the errors of sense are eliminated.
God never ordained a material law to annul the spiritual law.
Meekness and charity have divine authority.These are dealt with in Chapter 1, Prayer already but mentioned again here. Interesting.
Neither emasculation, illusion, nor insubordination exists in divine Science.And:
The Sermon on the Mount is the essence of this Science...I must admit I'm a terrible bible student and the Sermon on the Mount isn't one I know well. The link above is to wikipedia. There may be better links for CSers studying the Sermon. If you know a better site, please mention it in the comments.
Metaphysics resolves things into thoughts, and exchanges the objects of sense for the ideas of Soul.Then in the next paragraph, MBE delves into these ideas of Soul as:
perfectly real and tangible to spiritual consciousness, and they have this advantage over the objects and thoughts of material sense, -- they are good and eternal.She ends this reading with:
One only of the following statements can be true: [1] that everything is matter; [2] that everything is Mind. Which one is it?
Perfect and infinite Mind enthroned is heaven. The evil beliefs which originate in mortals arex.Of course, I edited them into how my mind understood them:
Heaven is perfect and infinite Mind enthroned. Hell is evil beliefs which originate in mortals.Mary Baker Eddy uses evil beliefs in a way here that, for 267 pages, I hadn't clearly understood. This makes me want to guard my thinking even more. I don't have any ideas of chapter nicknames. Do you have ideas or is creation clear enough?
The truth of being is perennial, and the error is unreal and obsolete.The idea of perennial in Christian Science has always intrigued me. The definitions I found suggest renewing or lasting an indefinitely long period of time.But I tend to think of the gardening idea of coming year after year with some sort of dying back then period of growth underground -- unseen to material eyes.
When this hour of development comes, even if you cling to a sense of personal joys, spiritual Love will force you to accept what best promotes your growth.The hour of development is so specific a period of time that I can almost feel Mary Baker Eddy's own journey of development. Many times what best promoted my growth was not the step I wanted to take. I doubt I'm alone in that. But most times I don't see it immediately. It isn't until long after that I see I tried to be willful when if I had just let things happen, everything would have been fine. I'm getting better a recognizing this in the moment though.
This is done through self-abnegation.Universal Love is the divine way in Christian Science.So what is this? Reading the paragraph up to that point, I could choose several things. But in as concise a way as possible, what is this?
As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible.I'm going to say that the objects of creation, in my case, aren't physical, but spiritual and that they are becoming visible -- regardless of a bump in the road like yesterday.
They [mortals] will then [1] drop the false estimate of life and happiness, of joy and sorrow, and [2] attain the bliss of loving unselfishly, [3] working patiently, [4] conquering all that is unlike God.I've added the items in brackets. Item one was what caught my attention, the false estimate of life and happiness. That is exactly why I'm upset. My false estimate is hitting the ever changing schedule. But's its a false estimate so I'm going to try to find the true value of Life instead.
The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea, -- perfect God and perfect man, -- as the basis of thought and demonstration.Its so easy to remember perfect God but perfect man? No. The world screams the opposite as truth. But Mary Baker Eddy says this is the basis of thought and demonstration. I've heard and read a lot of people say they start with Genesis when working on a challenge. Now I think they might have meant this specifically -- start with perfection. I like that MBE tells me both in thought and demonstration.
Immortal ideas, pure, perfect, and enduring, are transmitted by the divine Mind through divine Science, which corrects error with truth.I'm not sure if I'm the idea being transmitted (since I'm an idea of God) or if his messages are the ideas. I suppose it works either way.
Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good, and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already done; but distrust of one's ability to gain the goodness desired and to bring out better and higher results, often hampers the trial of one's wings and ensures failure at the outset.Discover what God has already done.
inexhaustible Loveand
incorporeal Life and LoveSo I'm still looking for Love but I started thinking about God as father:
Hence the Father Mind is not the father of matter.Father's Love is incorporeal and inexhaustible. That led me to remember how sad I've been this year, drenched in regret over past mistakes. But even then, God still loves me:
Mortals have a very imperfect sense of the spiritual man and of the infinite range of his thought.Guilty there.But then:
Through spiritual sense you can discern the heart of divinity, and thus begin to comprehend in Science the generic term man. Man is not absorbed in Deity, and man cannot lose his individuality, for he reflects eternal Life; nor is he an isolated, solitary idea, for he represents infinite Mind, the sum of all substance.So I represent the sum of all substance. That's a lot to live up to. But the reading today made me want to get there. Very inspirational for me. How about you?
Mind, not matter, is the creator. Love, the divine Principle, is the Father and Mother of the universe, including man.And then,
No form nor physical combination is adequate to represent infinite Love.In this chapter, I hope to dig deeper into divine Love.
to begin aright and to continue the strife of demonstrating the great problem of being, is doing much.I've been thinking lately about the various projects I started. Some I let go and others I fight daily to keep but I'm only fighting myself. No one is suggesting I stop or change course. That includes this blog. If anything, people are supportive and want me to continue. They gain nothing from this. And at times when I have to choose what I will get done in one day versus what I won't, this blog is one of the items I consider. Why? Because it's a lot of work. Not in the post an idea daily way but in order to change my spiritual thinking, I have to continually pay attention to where my mind strays and why. If I want to change or perfect my model, I have to pay attention to what the current model is. I won't say I begin aright but I do continue.
Sleep and apathy are phases of the dream that life, substance, and intelligence are material.It's interesting that Mary Baker Eddy would equate sleep and apathy. As though being asleep is the same as not caring. There is probably a lot of truth to that statement.
Mortal existence is a dream; mortal existence has no real entity, but saith "It is I." Spirit is the Ego which never dreams, but understands all things; Spirit the one Ego which never errs, and is ever conscious; which never believes, but knows; which is never born and never dies.This passage was already marked in the book when I got to this page. The page was also dog-eared. Ever conscious and understands all. I'll have to think more on that.
Is there any more reality in the waking dream of mortal existence than in the sleeping dream?No, I don't think so. But I think there is some freedom from materiality in dreams that is useful in a spiritual way. It almost as if shedding my waking state allows me to be brave in some areas of my spirituality. I don't know how to be more specific.
Comeliness and grace are independent of matter.I have matured and found I gravitate to people with these qualities. I would add happy (or calm or a balanced life) and the center of harmony in that person's circle of friends:
the unchanging calm and glorious freedom of spiritual harmonyThe last thing I underlined:
We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let [1] unselfishness, [2] goodness, [3] mercy, [4] justice, [5] health, [6] holiness, [7] love -- the kingdom of heaven -- reign within us...Whenever I read the above section, I stopped at grand and noble.That was for fairytales and movies and heros. But now I have a different idea about who can be grand and noble and someday I might get there. The list of attributes helps me recognize what I need to work on -- uh, most of them. But I'm working on the model in my thought continually.and standing porter at the door of thought. Reading S&H every day helps with that.
The substance of all devotion is the reflection and demonstration of divine Love, healing sickness and destroying sin.This statement has two parts: what has be to done, and what the result will be. To do: reflect and demonstrate divine Love. Will produce: healing sickness and destroying sin. I love when MBE makes it so clear and concise.
Denial of the claims of matter is a great step towards the joys of Spirit, towards human freedom and the final triumph over the body.How do people deny the claims of matter when sometimes matter is literally screaming to be heard? That's an honest question. When the claims are less than screaming or completely consuming, I can focus spiritually.
The divine method of paying sin's wages involves unwinding one's snarls, and learning from experience how to divide between sense and Soul.I added the italicizing to show the exact words that I question. This chapter is titles footsteps so I wonder if the divided focus is meant as a footstep or the end goal. I expect to not have a divide at the end of my spiritual progress (whenever that occurs). Or is the divide MBE's way of saying you will have to separate sense from Soul in order to progress past sin. Ok, you can see I'm trying to read more into this sentence than the author may have intended. Is you have general ideas or specific answers via research into her writings, feel free to add that in the comments.
Mind is perpetual motion. Its symbol is the sphere. The rotation and revolutions of the universe of Mind go on eternally.I can think of challenges I might use this idea to help me with but some ideas should stand on their own, as is. So what am I to make of this huge idea? If someone with a shaved head and a white robe said this, I would think they were still living in the '60s. That's 1960s, not 1860s. Thoughts?
It is well to wait till those whom you would benefit are ready for the blessing, for Science is working changes in personal character as well as in the material universe.There are some changes I wanted to make in my character when I started this journal at the beginning of the year. Some were superficial and trivial. Some were deeper and more meaningful but probably only to me. While the list is far from complete, a couple of changes have taken place and I'm thrilled. They weren't hard. It was a natural change.
Unimproved opportunities will rebuke us...This is one of those ideas that I think my grandfather drilled into me since I was a wee kid. I do feel unimproved opportunitiues sharply. This is usually followed by someone saying don't beat yourself up over it. I would prefer to make the right choice the first time. I must listen better.
To ascertain our progress, we must learn where our affections are placed and whom we acknowledge and obey as God.My affections are in flux. One of those personality changes I'm working on. Nice to now I've made some progress.
...the availability of good as a remedy for every woe.After a conversation with my husband about a situation, I became angry and afraid that not only was the situation not going to work out, it would have a direct and negative impact on me. Yes, I was that selfish as to think about myself. But, quickly, I did realize that this fear wasn't necessary and that I needed to look for God, good. The answer to the situation would be both a blessing and a step in the right direction.
The counter fact relative to any disease is required to cure it.Since the disease is a product of mortal mind, the counter fact must the be the individual's alone. What I mean is, while there are a collective group of diseases, the counter face to each one is specific to the individual that has the disease. Or more truthfully, doesn't have it. So when I'm working on a physical challenge, I do try to look for the counter face but sometimes so many ideas are running through my head, I think any of them could be a counter fact. I've tried several methods to find the counter fact in my thought but I could use some helpful ideas if you have them.
Evil thoughts, lusts, and malicious purposes cannot go forth, like wandering pollen, from one human mind to another, finding unsuspected lodgment, if virtue and truth build a strong defence.Confession time. There is one thought that does seem to catch in my mind like wandering pollen. I've been married now for over ten years so he and I have gone through the friend cycle where they meet, marry, then divorce. I'm mature enough to understand some unions will not be permanent; mine generally feels solid. Once I learn of close friends ending their marriage (and the beginning of the bitterness), I begin to fear that divorce is catchy, like a cold, and the proximity gives this fear strength. I worry about my own marriage and begin to analyze it for shortcomings. This I need to end. I've working on it but I haven't conquered it yet.
Every day makes its demands upon us for higher proofs rather than professions of Christian power. These proofs consist solely in the destruction of sin, sickness, and death by the power of Spirit, as Jesus destroyed them. This is an element of progress, and progress is the law of God...Since I'm reading Science and Health with the intention of a deeper reading and more direct spiritual instructions, these lines caught my attention. The last bit about an element of progress was the trigger. I want more than one element of progress. So I looked progress up in the concordance. I found two different lines. The first, found on 426:8-9, is:
When the destination is desirable, expectation speeds our progress.So another element of progress is expectation. I always forget that one (since it is almost too easy) but I've seen in proven time and again. The next one, found on 324:4-5, is:
The purification of sense and self is a proof of progress.So another element of progress is purification. This one is the obvious and tough one.
...transgression of a belief of mortal mind ... causes the belief of sickness. The remedy is Truth, not matter, -- the truth that disease is unreal.The idea of a transgression of a belief is interesting. An example would be don't do A, or B will happen. Don't eat nuts and fruits together, or you will get a stomach ache. I remember that one from childhood. The beliefs I have are like a script that has been running in my head for so long that I don't have to think about them, they just are. But I know they aren't correct. Changing a habit of thought is hard. I have to spot the thought first then replace it with a Truth. I've caught myself repeating these things to my kids. I have a few people that come into to care for the kids on occasion, they are of an older generation, and their scripts are much worse.
But if sickness and sin are illusions, the awakening from this mortal dream, or illusion, will bring us into health, holiness, and immortality. This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth which casts out error and heals the sick.I'm looking for action items for my own thought so this sentence popped out as a possibility. But I got stuck on the advanced appearing of Truth. Not sure what to make of that. Isn't Truth just always there? Is does it just seem advanced because it isn't a universally accepted idea? Or is this something like if we are always looking for it, it will be easier to see?
...but God, Truth, Life, Love, does heal the sick through the prayer of the righteous.I'm so totally glad I'm keeping this blog, writing notes in my book, and have my concordance handy. The prayer of the righteous is also mentioned on page 206 from Day 106. The prayer of the righteous is hope, faith, love and the idea for that day's reading was about loving your neighbor.
The illusion of material sense, not divine law, has bound you, entangled your free limbs, crippled your capacities, enfeebled your body, and defaced the tablet of your being.As a writer, I like the use of the tablet of your being.I'm not sure if she is quoting something or this is original wording referring to either the commandments or the table where Abraham almost sacrificed Issac.Or something else. Anyone have ideas?
Matter does not express Spirit.It is definitely a quote for the Beginning/Only Christian Science. The next bit that caught my attention was:
Spiritual rationality and free thought accompany approaching Science, and cannot be put down. They will emancipate humanity, and supplant unscientific means of so-called laws.Free thought is different from free/human will to me but how are free thought and free will different? Free thought, to me, implies changed thought -- allowing a person's thinking to mature or develop through change. Free will to me implies a human will or stubbornness to changing thought. So I could reword this to say something like
Changing thought will free humanity.The last thing I underlined was:
No power can withstand divine Love.That goes back to the Beginning/Only idea. Another way to express it would be:
No power can withstand divine Love because Love is all.I'm going to spend today working with that.
In seeking a cure for dyspepsia consult matter not at all, and eat what is set before you.
Mortal mind produces its own phenomena, and then charges them to something else, -- like a kitten glancing into the mirror at itself and thinking it sees another kitten.She also says
No more can we say in Science that muscles give strength, that nerves give pain or pleasure, or that matter governs, and then expect that the results will be harmony.So in my mind somehow that came out to be (my words below)
Mortal mind produces its own inharmony.And then the last sentence I underlined
... we shall never affirm concerning the body what we do not wish to have manifested.I saw this as the same idea just said in a different way. Well now that I write it, it seems muddled but a huge light bulb went on when I pieced it together.
When mentality gives rest to the body, the next toil will fatique you less, for you are working out the problem of being in divine metaphysics;The use of words "the problem of being" is well put. That is really what I'm working on. It would be difficult for me to sum up my spiritual status right now because it is so personal and taken a life time to get here and my here definitely not your here.
Mortal mind does the false talking, and that which affirms weariness, made that weariness.That last bit, "that which affirms weariness, made that weariness" is the point I found interesting. Substitute weariness for whatever sin or sickness you are working on, and you get the idea. An example is "that which affirms the flu, made the flu."
Whatever is governed by God is never for an instant deprived of the light and might of intelligence and Life.
We are sometimes led to believe that darkness is as real as light, but Science affirms darkness to be only a mortal sense of the absence of light, at the coming of which darkness loses the appearance of reality.
