Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love.
Showing posts with label Animal Magnetism Unmasked. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Animal Magnetism Unmasked. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Day 57: Self-government
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Day 55: Despotic Control
Indolence, apathy, and despotic control. Wow. No one wants to be on the wrong end of that. The consistent care to look through these to God is needed. Standing porter when the enemy is attacking is much easier than when you invite him in.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Day 54:
What if Mesmer got it all wrong from the beginning? What if the mutual power he saw was actual us reflecting God’s love but he didn’t know or understand it so he took it in a different direction.
What if these other theories (outside C.S.) are people who where on the cusp of something spiritual (truly God inspired), but they just couldn’t figure it out?
What if that happens everyday?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Day 57
105:22-106:29
Today is the last day of this chapter. The last two pages end on a bang. Mary Baker Eddy has gone from hypnotism at the beginning of the chapter to people using their mental powers to an evil end. I'm sure there's a general word for this but it escapes me right now. I see the anti-hero trying to persuade the person to climb on the train tracks while the train is about to run them over. What is the name of that bad guy? I don't mean the CS term but the average word you would use to describe this person. Drives me nuts when I can't remember a word.
Back to the point.
So the last two pages, Mary Baker Eddy says:
I don't think anyone reading this book would try to achieve mental powers with the intent of harm. I'm a glass half-full type, meaning I'm optimistic people just want to be good. That said, there is a reason MBE came up with a Rule for Motives and Acts stated in the Church Manual. It is a slippery slope and once you get on it, it can go downhill quickly.
Meaning...
We all just want what's best and we, each of us individually, think we know what that is. And we guide people to that point, thinking we are doing the right thing. The 'we' I refer to isn't listening to the still small voice in this example or angel thoughts, or reflecting God. But that's hard to see or hear when our own self-will gets in the way. At least, that's the way it is for me.
MBE ends the chapter with two lists, one as the works of the flesh and one as the fruits of the Spirit. These are dramatic, big, in-your-face lists so it is easy to say I want to good list, obviously. But it if the subtler forms of the works of the flesh list which is the tricky part. Wrath and strife are the two that have shades of grey I need to keep an eye out for.
How about you? Anything on the works of the flesh list that has some grey for you?
I want to give this chapter a nickname but Mental Malpractice seems too CS-ish. Any ideas?
Today is the last day of this chapter. The last two pages end on a bang. Mary Baker Eddy has gone from hypnotism at the beginning of the chapter to people using their mental powers to an evil end. I'm sure there's a general word for this but it escapes me right now. I see the anti-hero trying to persuade the person to climb on the train tracks while the train is about to run them over. What is the name of that bad guy? I don't mean the CS term but the average word you would use to describe this person. Drives me nuts when I can't remember a word.
Back to the point.
So the last two pages, Mary Baker Eddy says:
to go from the use of inanimate drugs to the criminal misuse of human willpower, is [1] to drop from the platform of common manhood into the very mire of iniquity, [2] to work against the free course of honesty and justice, and [3] to push vainly against the current running heavenward
I don't think anyone reading this book would try to achieve mental powers with the intent of harm. I'm a glass half-full type, meaning I'm optimistic people just want to be good. That said, there is a reason MBE came up with a Rule for Motives and Acts stated in the Church Manual. It is a slippery slope and once you get on it, it can go downhill quickly.
Meaning...
We all just want what's best and we, each of us individually, think we know what that is. And we guide people to that point, thinking we are doing the right thing. The 'we' I refer to isn't listening to the still small voice in this example or angel thoughts, or reflecting God. But that's hard to see or hear when our own self-will gets in the way. At least, that's the way it is for me.
MBE ends the chapter with two lists, one as the works of the flesh and one as the fruits of the Spirit. These are dramatic, big, in-your-face lists so it is easy to say I want to good list, obviously. But it if the subtler forms of the works of the flesh list which is the tricky part. Wrath and strife are the two that have shades of grey I need to keep an eye out for.
How about you? Anything on the works of the flesh list that has some grey for you?
I want to give this chapter a nickname but Mental Malpractice seems too CS-ish. Any ideas?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Day 56
104:3-105:21
These two pages covers two different topics, one leading to the other. The first topic is animal magnetism as belief. The second topic is something along the lines of to think a crime is the same as to do the crime -- mental crime.
I'm still brewing about these two pages. Here is what I underlined:
These two pages covers two different topics, one leading to the other. The first topic is animal magnetism as belief. The second topic is something along the lines of to think a crime is the same as to do the crime -- mental crime.
I'm still brewing about these two pages. Here is what I underlined:
The medicine of Science is divine Mind; and [1] dishonesty, [2] sensuality, [3] falsehood, [4] revenge, [5] malice, are animal propensities and by no means the mental qualities which heal the sick.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Day 55
102:1-104:2
Today's two pages covers a lot of ground. I had to read it twice and I might have another go at it. Here are some words that I don't automatically think of as meaning the same thing but clearly Mary Baker Eddy means they are, or at least very related:
The first sentence I underlined is:
Attraction is an idea so widely used in popular culture. When I think about it, it means starting new friendships or relationships to me -- what keeps people together. So to put it in the above context, I think back to the chapter on Marriage, and how I need to make sure that those relationships are superseded by God and not the other way around. I know MBE is taking a stronger, harsher view of animal magnetism than that -- after the last chapter on One God, I get that -- just putting it in perspective for myself.
The next sentence I stayed with was:
I mentally changed the word planets to flowers because my body wants to believe in allergies. Allergies seem like the ultimate hypnotic dream to me. The boogy man in the closet I can't see.
The next one:
The whole human family is something I need to focus on. Not me, or we, but all. This was a nice way for MBE to say it.
She defines animal magnetism or hypnotism:
Sometimes, I wish the Glossary or the Index did a better job of tracking definitions like this. But I just make notes on the back pages of what is defined where. Much easier with tags in an online blog. Yeah!
The last one:
Goal for today: realize and understand true thoughts from God -- God's dominion, not flowers dominion.
Today's two pages covers a lot of ground. I had to read it twice and I might have another go at it. Here are some words that I don't automatically think of as meaning the same thing but clearly Mary Baker Eddy means they are, or at least very related:
magnetism
hypnotism
mutual influence
attraction
mesmerism
The first sentence I underlined is:
There is but one real attraction, that of Spirit.
Attraction is an idea so widely used in popular culture. When I think about it, it means starting new friendships or relationships to me -- what keeps people together. So to put it in the above context, I think back to the chapter on Marriage, and how I need to make sure that those relationships are superseded by God and not the other way around. I know MBE is taking a stronger, harsher view of animal magnetism than that -- after the last chapter on One God, I get that -- just putting it in perspective for myself.
The next sentence I stayed with was:
The planets have no more power over man than over his Maker, since God governs the universe; but man, reflecting God's power, has dominion over all the earth and its hosts.
I mentally changed the word planets to flowers because my body wants to believe in allergies. Allergies seem like the ultimate hypnotic dream to me. The boogy man in the closet I can't see.
The next one:
The destruction of the claims of mortal mind through Science, by which man can escape from sin and mortality, blesses the whole human family.
The whole human family is something I need to focus on. Not me, or we, but all. This was a nice way for MBE to say it.
She defines animal magnetism or hypnotism:
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.
Sometimes, I wish the Glossary or the Index did a better job of tracking definitions like this. But I just make notes on the back pages of what is defined where. Much easier with tags in an online blog. Yeah!
The last one:
In Christian Science, man can do no harm, for scientific thoughts are true thoughts, passing from God to man.
Goal for today: realize and understand true thoughts from God -- God's dominion, not flowers dominion.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Day 54
100:1-101:32
These two pages introduce the concept of hypnotism as proposed by Mesmer and explain the French government's investigation of the claim of hypnotism's ability to heal or work on the body. Since I've read some of Mary Baker Eddy's biographies, I know she tried hypnotism herself, to find healing. At first, she thought it healed but then the healing didn't last so she moved on in her search before discovering Christian Science. I underlined randomly, now that I look at the page:
The term "mutual influence" is interesting because that's not how most people would think of hypnotism. I hope MBE explains this in the chapter.
These two pages introduce the concept of hypnotism as proposed by Mesmer and explain the French government's investigation of the claim of hypnotism's ability to heal or work on the body. Since I've read some of Mary Baker Eddy's biographies, I know she tried hypnotism herself, to find healing. At first, she thought it healed but then the healing didn't last so she moved on in her search before discovering Christian Science. I underlined randomly, now that I look at the page:
mutual influence
impressions made upon the senses
the power of the imaginationThe only full sentence I underlined is:
In no instance is the effect of animal magnetism, recently called hypnotism, other than the effect of illusion.Hypnotism seems to be one of the those rigid beliefs in people. They either do believe in it or they don't.
The term "mutual influence" is interesting because that's not how most people would think of hypnotism. I hope MBE explains this in the chapter.
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