Article October 5, 1987 Issue

Deeper spiritual roots support healing

Growth isn't always apparent on the surface. Strengthening our spiritual roots is the vital preliminary to more visible progress.

Deborah Smith MacGregor

I Sat by my window, staring out at our hundred-year-old maple trees and thinking about the incredible root structure that must support those massive trees. The root growth of a tree is at least equivalent to the growth above ground. This triggered a spiritual awakening in my thinking. I had been discouraged with my healing efforts. I just didn't seem to be making headway with many of the problems I had been working on. I wondered why first healings in Christian Science are often so dramatic and quick, while later healings sometimes seem to be so much more difficult.

Then I looked at a tiny seedling growing beside the huge maples. It had one small root, but that was sufficient to support and care for all its needs. Just like a new student of Christian Science! I saw that roots could be symbols of spiritual growth. One truth, practiced, is enough at first to bring healing.

As we grow in our spiritual understanding, more and more "roots" are strengthening and supporting us, and we are able to take on further challenges. But we can't call only on yesterday's roots—yesterday's understanding of truth—to meet the challenge presenting itself today. That would be like a tree trying to grow more branches without adding more roots.

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