Article September 5, 1977 Issue

Unblemished Beauty

Margaret B. Heffernan

After several years of trying to handle a poor complexion by cutting out certain foods, I suddenly saw one day that there was a direct relationship between thought and the body. In my own case, a connection between losing my temper and the appearance of a new blemish. "Aha," I thought, "if I can just stop losing my temper...." That was the beginning of my healing, and it went a lot deeper than my skin.

I needed to see myself in a whole new light. This spiritual insight brought a newness to my life. Mrs. Eddy, who discovered Christ Jesus' method of spiritual healing and named it Christian Science, explains, "The body is governed by mind; and mortal mind must be improved, before the body is renewed and harmonious,—since the physique is simply thought made manifest."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 34;}

But it wasn't human will that erased the ugly traits of character. It was the Christ—"the divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error,"^{Science and Health, p. 583;} to use Mrs. Eddy's words.