Article September 7, 1974 Issue

Clearing Away Mental Clutter

MARY H. REED

When one begins a Christian Science treatment for himself or his family, he might ask, "Is my consciousness like a stage where the same old worn and broken props and faded backdrops are on hand play after play? Before I can get to work spiritually to heal some specific discordant situation, do I have to clear my mentality of the same old clutter of false material beliefs and wants?"

To start praying with one's mentality clear of undesirable old beliefs may necessitate defending one's spiritual advancement, making the most of every demonstration of healing in Christian Science by willingly and thoroughly learning the lessons it brings. One can be completely, not just partly, healed of an obsessive fear of germs, for example, or of a conviction that bossing or destructively criticizing others is part of one's true makeup. It isn't enough merely to shove old illusions of discordant life in matter back in consciousness and leave the effort of completely disposing of them for a later time.

Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy says: "Alas for those who break faith with divine Science and fail to strangle the serpent of sin as well as of sickness! They are dwellers still in the deep darkness of belief."^{Science and Health, p. 569;} When one is metaphysically healed of something, along with rejoicing he does well persistently to exclude the erroneous thought or feeling that was eliminated when the healing came—seeing it, of course, as nothingness, actually powerless to return.