Mind's Healing Power

Our understanding of divine Mind, our progressive acceptance of it as our Mind (along with the richer spiritual living that accompanies such acceptance) enable us to heal disease. Disease is essentially a belief—a nonauthoritative claim, a misconception of being arising from a supposititious consciousness termed, in Christian Science, mortal mind.

Mind, God, is eternal consciousness, the source of all knowing. There is only one God and one Mind. Mind is omnipotent because God is. Because divine Mind is God, Mind is good, and only good. Its goodness is irresistible, for it is the only power. Resistance would imply opposition. But in the infinitude of Mind there is no place or opportunity for such opposition to erupt or be active.

Christian Science practice shows that these statements are not philosophical abstractions but demonstrable facts. Divine Mind's omnipotence can be demonstrated in adjusting and annihilating all human woes. This large claim may not have been fully substantiated, but it has been shown to be true to such an extent over many decades as not to be fairly refuted.

Mary Baker Eddy, who revealed and proved the power of Mind in healing, writes: "Mind is not confined to limits; and nothing but our own false admissions prevent us from demonstrating this great fact. Christian Science, recognizing the capabilities of Mind to act of itself, and independent of matter, enables one to heal cases without even having seen the individual,—or simply after having been made acquainted with the mental condition of the patient." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 42—43 ;} While Christian Science practitioners often feel it desirable to visit those they are helping, the healing omnipotence of Mind, they know, operates effectively even when healer and patient are separated by great distances.

In Science, no consciousness that seems to entertain beliefs of disease is ultimately real. Only divine consciousness is totally real because divine consciousness is inseparable from Mind. Any kind of activity that is not purely the expression of divine Mind can't really be called consciousness or knowing.

To limited and limiting human sense, though, there does seem to be a consciousness that can entertain beliefs of sickness in manifold forms. While this supposed consciousness—material consciousness—still has reality to us, we can help it grow out of itself, and fully give place to the divine Mind, by flooding it with the truths of being. "The way to extract error from mortal mind," Mrs. Eddy tells us helpfully in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "is to pour in truth through flood-tides of Love." ^{Science and Health, p. 201 ;}

This is done with increasing effectiveness as we understand both the power of Mind and its eternal presence. In absolute terms, nothing is present anywhere or at any time but divine Mind and its expression of infinite consciousness. The deep realization of this works wonders. Christ Jesus' realization of the resistless power of God was the foundation of his works. And these works, he indicated, could even be exceeded: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." ^{John 14: 12 ;} Christ Jesus' healings proved beyond debate the power of Mind, the only Ego. It is our understanding of this power that equips us to heal, too.

Because of the tenacity of the belief that consciousness is material and personal our admission of the divine Mind and its healing power may seem demanding and challenging. Nevertheless, it is essential. Mrs. Eddy writes as the sixth tenet of Christian Science, "And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure." ^{Science and Health, p. 497 .}

The power of Mind never varies or fluctuates, but our acceptance of it may appear to. It may seem easier for us to bring about healings at some times than at others. It may seem that some conditions are more readily healed than others. What can we do to improve our healing effectiveness? We can cultivate to a further degree our comprehension and conviction of the divine energies of Mind. We can acknowledge that our realization of the divine Mind as ours and its demonstration in healing cannot be held apart as two separate events.

In scientific treatment it may help, too, to see that human experience is subjective. The recognition that what we judge to be external human experiences and objects are actually events and concepts in human thought helps us close the gap between what we accept as true and its confirmation in the healing of sickness.

The healing power of Mind is available to everyone, for each of us, in our real identity, is the idea of ever-present Mind. Mind's power is as present as Mind itself. And in scientific truth, there is nowhere that divine Mind, immortal Love, is not. Be assured of this, and you will more and more prove it.