Article February 19, 1944 Issue

"In form"

[Of Special Interest to Youth]

JOHN R. RUTHERFORD

Every young person who enters athletics is interested in keeping any waste motion or physical awkwardness down to a minimum. Whether he participates in football, basketball, swimming, golf, or any other activity, there is the natural desire for freedom, speed, and control. A great athlete is always distinguished by the rhythm and ease of action which he constantly seems to have at his command. When he is in the physical and mental condition judged necessary for competition, the athlete is said to "in form."

Not all of us expect to be great athletes, or want to make athletics a lifework, but to whatever extent we participate in them we should be sure that a proper mental condition keeps us "in form." On page 199 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy says: "Muscles are not self-acting. If mind does not move them, they are motionless." Therefore, since muscles have no power in themselves, we should ask ourselves before entering an athletic event what we are conscious of. Are we letting fear suggest a tightening-up process? Are we thinking of our fellow man as a rival? Are we letting material health laws dictate to us? Or are we expressing love and gratitude in what we are doing? Are we embracing in our thoughts other contestants as ideas of Mind? Are we protecting ourselves from limited, mortal mind suggestions? In proportion to our understanding that all-inclusive, infinite Mind is unhampered by mortal mind suggestions, we are "in form."

On page 247 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy uses the word "form" in its spiritual meaning when she says, "Beauty is a thing of life, which dwells forever in the eternal Mind and reflects the charms of His goodness in expression, form, outline, and color." Hence as we see that God's ideas express themselves in perfect form and action, there can be no fear, no suggestion of wasted effort, awkwardness, or repression. We truly are "in form" when our thoughts are outside matter and are consciously reflecting the power of Truth.

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