Are we, perhaps without realizing it, just going along with the thoughts of the people around us—rather like floating on the tide without looking to see where it's taking us?

In an article called "Contagion," Mrs. Eddy points to a need for alertness about the tendency to accept unquestioningly contagious disease. The article can also be applied to the many ways we allow others' thoughts to influence us. She writes: "Whatever man sees, feels, or in any way takes cognizance of, must be caught through mind; inasmuch as perception, sensation, and consciousness belong to mind and not to matter. Floating with the popular current of mortal thought without questioning the reliability of its conclusions, we do what others do, believe what others believe, and say what others say." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 228.}

But how are we to know what other people are thinking? And if "everybody is doing it," doesn't that make "it" all right? Why should we suppose that we know better than others do? Isn't it a good thing for us all to agree as often as we can, unless of course we're all being misled together? Christian Science answers these questions by giving us a new and higher concept of man and his thoughts. It shows that man isn't uncertain or passive, prone to listlessness and inertia. Understanding this makes us unwilling to accept the concerted human opinions offered us.

In reality our being is spiritual, and the thoughts we need are spiritual too. They don't come from a brain but from the one divine Mind, God. And the thoughts that this Mind is constantly expressing in His likeness, man, are always sound and constructive. So there's a reliable, divine standard that we can turn to, which will not only give us the momentum to swim mentally instead of aimlessly floating, or sometimes sinking, but will also show us the right direction to go and help us to get there.

Anyone can learn to adhere to this divine standard of thinking and living, and follow it with certain results. Realizing this and praying to align our thought more closely and consistently with divine Mind bring to human thought readily and convincingly whatever prompting may be needed in any situation. As we understand and put into practice the truths of man's God-given health and happiness and strength and security, we begin to feel the buoyancy of divine power supporting us, as well as the wisdom and discrimination that come from allowing divine judgment to guide us.

Christ Jesus showed clearly the effect of close dependence on God. He exposed and corrected human misconceptions and the physical difficulties often associated with them. But he sometimes found it wise to separate himself and his patient from the thoughts around them. Mark records that when Jesus was healing a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, "he took him aside from the multitude." ^{Mark 7:33.} And before he healed the daughter of Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, he put out of the room the bystanders who were already mourning her death. ^{See Mark 5:38-40 .}

This may be seen less as a rejection of the people themselves, and more as a detachment of thought from negative influences. Sometimes, however, such negative influences would appear to hold sway without people present to propound them. Conditions would seem to act for these influences. Atmosphere is an example of this—not just temperature and humidity associated with the place where we happen to be, but the climate of thought—the feelings of warmth or frigidity, exhilaration or depression, that people tend to entertain.

I once experienced the need to deal with the supposed influence of climate over health when I went to live at a rather high altitude. One morning I woke up feeling very unwell. I made the mistake of thinking primarily in terms of symptoms. In my prayer I asserted divine Mind's control over matter in all its forms, but with no immediate result. Later in the morning a neighbor called and, on hearing of my difficulty, commented: "Oh, that's nothing to worry about. It's just the altitude. Everybody gets it from time to time, but it soon goes away."

This was something I hadn't been aware of, and I then insisted prayerfully that I didn't have to go along with it. I hadn't, after all, moved out of reach of Mind's infinite influence and control just by moving up a few thousand feet. The physical difficulty was quickly overcome, and I never had it again. This showed me clearly that symptoms of themselves aren't the central point. There's always thought behind them that needs to be corrected.

There are many illustrations of this. Perhaps, for example, we are acquiescing in an automatic routine, or in repetitive or imitative thinking that tempts us to forget the infinite spontaneity of divine Mind and keeps us from taking advantage of the fresh thoughts continually offered us. Or habitual attitudes of our family or national background would color our thought without a word being spoken. Shared experiences would envelop us and overshadow the distinctness of true individuality. Chance or random happenings may appear to challenge the divine order. But we need accept no mind or power apart from God.

Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy explains how to do this, even if circumstances are unpromising. It states: "When the condition is present which you say induces disease, whether it be air, exercise, heredity, contagion, or accident, then perform your office as porter and shut out these unhealthy thoughts and fears. Exclude from mortal mind the offending errors; then the body cannot suffer from them. The issues of pain or pleasure must come through mind, and like a watchman forsaking his post, we admit the intruding belief, forgetting that through divine help we can forbid this entrance." ^{Science and Health, pp. 392-393.}

Of course this isn't meant to be a complete list of possibilities. And there isn't a formula for healing. Each particular case calls for individual attention. But the pivotal point is always the same—stopping to think as divine Mind directs, and then acting this out as required. Challenging the human thinking attached to material conditions, and replacing it with spiritual truths of the man and universe of God's creating, give new impetus to our thinking and experience, and we find ourselves "swimming" purposefully instead of idly floating.

Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.... Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:2, 21