Perfect Poise

MARGARET A. ACHESON

Christ Jesus said unto the tempestuous sea, "Peace, be still." He declared for peace, knowing that the cause of peace—God—is always present; and he rebuked the winds, and "there was a great calm." He said to his disciples, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?"

When the winds of error blow around us, suggesting to us that there are two powers, one good, the other evil, if we would but stop and ponder the example of Jesus, we too could hold to the reality of peace, and our fear and belief in evil would dissipate. Two things cannot occupy the same place at the same time; and if fear or unlovely thoughts are entertained, there can be no room for thoughts from God to enter consciousness. Wrong thoughts are displaced little by little by truthful, loving, trustful thoughts, until there is no room left for wrong thoughts or wrong action. Mary Baker Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 261), "Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts."

When we are excited, fearful, angry, or when we feel hurt, or are hasty in our words and actions in excitement or in anger, we certainly are not expressing poise. Some definitions of "poise" are, "state of being balanced; equanimity; evenness of mind or temper, composure, calmness." When an object is not poised, it topples over; so, in our thinking, when we are not thinking correctly things go wrong—they topple over, so to speak.

We all must come to the place where we remain in poise continuously; where nothing can disturb us. We are taught in Christian Science how to do this, and to have that peace which Jesus promised when he said in his comforting talk to his disciples: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

This peace can be obtained only through a sincere desire and earnest striving for it. When we are hasty in our remarks, we can at least desire and try to be less hasty the next time we are tempted; and eventually we shall not see as real those things that formerly seemed to tell us to make a quick reply. We shall see them only as suggestion, something unreal that would try to rob us of our peace, separate us from one another, and keep us from expressing good. In Science and Health (p. 470) we read, "Man is the expression of God's being." If "man is the expression of God's being," we should not express wrong speech or action.

We often excuse ourselves for undue excitement or fear by calling it a belief in nervousness, in temperament, or in being highly strung, thinking that we cannot control ourselves under some circumstances. By allowing ourselves to continue in such belief it grows more and more upon us, and robs us of our birthright; it tries to mesmerize us into suffering; it drives us away from good. We cannot afford to pity ourselves a minute because we seem to be under this bondage. Each striving to express the peace which is constantly flowing to us from God, will eventually bring us into all peace. Every endeavor in this right direction makes us stronger and gives us fresh courage to try again, until we shall find ourselves entirely free.

A Christian Scientist comes at some time to the crossroads, where he must look within himself to see how much he is expressing God. Shall he take the road along the line of least resistance, and keep as his company his unloving thoughts? Or shall he take the road which leads to perfect poise? As he travels this road he drops off excitement, hate, resentment, jealousy, and other wrong thoughts, until he comes to the place of perfection, a place wherein he not only cannot be moved, but can bless others with whom he comes in contact; for they will feel his peace and joy.

For many years the writer suffered with a distressing ailment. After innumerable self-examinations it became clear that the trouble was due to lack of poise or, to express it in other words, to allowing herself to be moved by different phases of error that manifested themselves—to a belief in so-called nervousness. As this was recognized and a sincere desire and a constant endeavor were made to express more and more peace within,—the peace that is of God,—in that proportion the trouble faded away.

When Jesus first appeared to his disciples after the resurrection, he greeted them with the words, "Peace be unto you." As this peace becomes a part of our thinking we are enabled to understand to a greater degree what Christian Science means. We begin to comprehend what Jesus meant when he said: "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." We read in II Timothy, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

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