xi:1-xii:27
Mary Baker Eddy says that physical healings are a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself. I never thought of it that way before.
2010
Showing posts with label Preface. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preface. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Day 2: Unbiased Christian Thought
ix:1-x:32
There are several points in this reading that are intriguing. The first is that Mary Baker Eddy, even she, says she is still waiting on the Mind of Christ. Patience and expectation in spiritual development definitely walk hand in hand.
The second point she makes seems to be a continuation of yesterday’s instruction regarding obedience to divine Principle. Today’s thought is that
2010
There are several points in this reading that are intriguing. The first is that Mary Baker Eddy, even she, says she is still waiting on the Mind of Christ. Patience and expectation in spiritual development definitely walk hand in hand.
The second point she makes seems to be a continuation of yesterday’s instruction regarding obedience to divine Principle. Today’s thought is that
The divine Principle of healing is proved in the personal experience of any sincere seeker of Truth.And the last thought is about unbiased Christian thought
The unbiased Christian thought is soonest touched by Truth, and convinced of it.What is that unbiased Christian thought?
2010
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Day 1: Two Instructions to Begin
vii:1-viii:32
This is the second year I’m going to read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy according to the journal.
When I started the journal last year, I didn’t know what I wanted to accomplish other than greater spirituality through Christian Science. The temptation came to me to not continue another year however the question was more subtly should I continue studying Christian Science. Since my answer was yes and this journal is helping me be consistent in my prayer and practice -- I’m going to continue. To say I have more to understand and learn is an understatement.
The two things that have been on my mind lately are personal sense as discussed in the Trial and the testimonies in Fruitage. So that’s my mindset going into this new year.
In this reading, I found two instructions from Mary Baker Eddy. The first is that man must live in obedience to divine Principle. The second instruction is that the discords of corporeal [personal] sense must yield to the harmony of spiritual sense.
2010
This is the second year I’m going to read Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy according to the journal.
When I started the journal last year, I didn’t know what I wanted to accomplish other than greater spirituality through Christian Science. The temptation came to me to not continue another year however the question was more subtly should I continue studying Christian Science. Since my answer was yes and this journal is helping me be consistent in my prayer and practice -- I’m going to continue. To say I have more to understand and learn is an understatement.
The two things that have been on my mind lately are personal sense as discussed in the Trial and the testimonies in Fruitage. So that’s my mindset going into this new year.
In this reading, I found two instructions from Mary Baker Eddy. The first is that man must live in obedience to divine Principle. The second instruction is that the discords of corporeal [personal] sense must yield to the harmony of spiritual sense.
2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Day 3
xi:1-xii:27
A Confession
I have a small confession to make. I didn't receive my copy of the Journal until yesterday night. I had one a while back but gave it away. When I opened the book last night, I looked at it from front to back. It has lots of goodies I didn't remember. The first is a place to write down my expectations before I started reading the book. The most interesting one is the last page which is a letter from Mary Baker Eddy to a student named Gale. She tells her student to "read slowly and pause as you read to apply certain portions of which meet your present need - to thought that will carry them out in action. The book is complete in itself; it is teacher and healer." The letter feels like it was written to me.
Expectations
I've been thinking about why I want to do this. There are far too many reasons to do this and the only reason I can think of against it is time. Time is a dear commodity in my life right now, especially time to myself. But I've hit a plateau in my spiritual development and I don't want to settle for status quo.
I'm a terrible listener. While I do pause for the still small voice, I don't often hear it. So the big picture for me is to be a better listener of the Divine. The thought came to me in Church today (it is Sunday), to listen and learn.
The Passages
The top two paragraphs on page xi begin Mary Baker Eddy's instruction in theology. She lays it out in clear words. There is so much to S&H that sometimes its easy to get lost in the details. This book is about spiritual healing. The rest of the Preface reads like a resume of sorts. She was a busy woman.
What Caught My Eye
The one phrase that grabbed me was the first line of the quote starting on line 19 of page xi: "To Preach deliverance to the captives [of sense]." Mary Baker Eddy added the words in brackets. The idea of being captive by my senses is not new. I equate this with the idea of the snake in the Garden of Eden. The story contained in Genesis 2 is about the senses. What was there. Who was there. How Eve was created. What the snake said. What Eve did with the ominous apple. Adam and Eve in many ways seemed free but the story itself is about being a captive of the senses.
A Confession
I have a small confession to make. I didn't receive my copy of the Journal until yesterday night. I had one a while back but gave it away. When I opened the book last night, I looked at it from front to back. It has lots of goodies I didn't remember. The first is a place to write down my expectations before I started reading the book. The most interesting one is the last page which is a letter from Mary Baker Eddy to a student named Gale. She tells her student to "read slowly and pause as you read to apply certain portions of which meet your present need - to thought that will carry them out in action. The book is complete in itself; it is teacher and healer." The letter feels like it was written to me.
Expectations
I've been thinking about why I want to do this. There are far too many reasons to do this and the only reason I can think of against it is time. Time is a dear commodity in my life right now, especially time to myself. But I've hit a plateau in my spiritual development and I don't want to settle for status quo.
I'm a terrible listener. While I do pause for the still small voice, I don't often hear it. So the big picture for me is to be a better listener of the Divine. The thought came to me in Church today (it is Sunday), to listen and learn.
The Passages
The top two paragraphs on page xi begin Mary Baker Eddy's instruction in theology. She lays it out in clear words. There is so much to S&H that sometimes its easy to get lost in the details. This book is about spiritual healing. The rest of the Preface reads like a resume of sorts. She was a busy woman.
What Caught My Eye
The one phrase that grabbed me was the first line of the quote starting on line 19 of page xi: "To Preach deliverance to the captives [of sense]." Mary Baker Eddy added the words in brackets. The idea of being captive by my senses is not new. I equate this with the idea of the snake in the Garden of Eden. The story contained in Genesis 2 is about the senses. What was there. Who was there. How Eve was created. What the snake said. What Eve did with the ominous apple. Adam and Eve in many ways seemed free but the story itself is about being a captive of the senses.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Day 2
ix:1-x:32
Today I read two more pages of the short Preface.
Mary Baker Eddy's humility grabbed me. She thought about her ideas on Christian healing for years. She wanted the example of healings to precede the publications. At the bottom of page ix, she mentions "copious notes of Scriptural exposition, which have never been published." I wonder if those are at her library now. I've never been there.
In the middle of page x, at line 7, she states that the human mind is not the healing agent. I could write about this one line forever, but right now - it's too soon.
The last paragraph of page x is her most encouraging for me. She says any sincere seeker of Truth can experience healing. Then she goes on to say "no intellectual proficiency is required." That's always been such a welcoming thought: anyone who wants to learn, regardless of education or station in life.
Tomorrow: finishing the Preface with page xi - page xii.
Today I read two more pages of the short Preface.
Mary Baker Eddy's humility grabbed me. She thought about her ideas on Christian healing for years. She wanted the example of healings to precede the publications. At the bottom of page ix, she mentions "copious notes of Scriptural exposition, which have never been published." I wonder if those are at her library now. I've never been there.
In the middle of page x, at line 7, she states that the human mind is not the healing agent. I could write about this one line forever, but right now - it's too soon.
The last paragraph of page x is her most encouraging for me. She says any sincere seeker of Truth can experience healing. Then she goes on to say "no intellectual proficiency is required." That's always been such a welcoming thought: anyone who wants to learn, regardless of education or station in life.
Tomorrow: finishing the Preface with page xi - page xii.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Day 1
vii:1-viii:32
Happy New Year and thank you for joining me while I read S&H this year.
The first two pages of the Preface cover a lot of ground. I don't think as a new Christian Scientist or a youth, I would see that.
The selection begins with the biblical Christmas which is nice since I still have my tree up the living room.
She discusses the needed for thinkers. I've always thought of Christian Science as a thinker's religion. Blind belief is pointless and the opposite of Christian Science. "A new book introduces new thoughts, but it cannot make them speedily understood." We, each of us, has to think through our own spiritual journey.
The two key phrases that stick out to me are: "Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away." and "Theology and physics teach that both Spirit and matter are real and good, whereas the fact is that Spirit is good and real, and matter is Spirit's opposite." Materialism, matter on one hand. God (Spirit with a capital S) on the other hand. It's that simple. We always want to say its more complicated than that when we are in the crises of some moment. But going back to that simplicity is the key.
I did have to use the dictionary to look up "Antediluvians". I never remember that word; no one uses it anymore. It means the people before the great flood. The flood Noah built the ark for.
The last paragraph on page viii discusses another book of Mary Baker Eddy's: Restrospection and Introspection, which she wrote as her biography. She also mentioned earlier drafts of S&H as crude compositions. It's hard for me to grasp how much she wrote both in producing S&H, revising over and over again, and in general with her other books, newspaper, magazines, letters to friends and associates. She did it without a computer and she did it well.
Tomorrow: Preface page ix - page x
Happy New Year and thank you for joining me while I read S&H this year.
The first two pages of the Preface cover a lot of ground. I don't think as a new Christian Scientist or a youth, I would see that.
The selection begins with the biblical Christmas which is nice since I still have my tree up the living room.
She discusses the needed for thinkers. I've always thought of Christian Science as a thinker's religion. Blind belief is pointless and the opposite of Christian Science. "A new book introduces new thoughts, but it cannot make them speedily understood." We, each of us, has to think through our own spiritual journey.
The two key phrases that stick out to me are: "Contentment with the past and the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling away." and "Theology and physics teach that both Spirit and matter are real and good, whereas the fact is that Spirit is good and real, and matter is Spirit's opposite." Materialism, matter on one hand. God (Spirit with a capital S) on the other hand. It's that simple. We always want to say its more complicated than that when we are in the crises of some moment. But going back to that simplicity is the key.
I did have to use the dictionary to look up "Antediluvians". I never remember that word; no one uses it anymore. It means the people before the great flood. The flood Noah built the ark for.
The last paragraph on page viii discusses another book of Mary Baker Eddy's: Restrospection and Introspection, which she wrote as her biography. She also mentioned earlier drafts of S&H as crude compositions. It's hard for me to grasp how much she wrote both in producing S&H, revising over and over again, and in general with her other books, newspaper, magazines, letters to friends and associates. She did it without a computer and she did it well.
Tomorrow: Preface page ix - page x
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