"Christian Science explains all cause and effect as mental, not physical," states Mrs. Eddy in Science and Health (p. 114). I feel deep gratitude for this startling truth.

One morning I woke with a headache (something unusual for me) and immediately began to pray to God. This situation, I saw, demanded that I better understand my spiritual identity; that I acknowledge myself as healthy, innocent, and free from any discomfort, existing entirely in God's, Mind's, All-presence. At the same time I refuted the belief that man could be confined in matter. The rest of the day I went about my activities but many times had to stop because of pain. Each time I insisted on the fact that, as the reflection of divine Love, the only thing I could feel was love. By evening I'd realized more fully that a headache is a false belief, and that I could denounce pain as a false "talker."

The next day, however, I didn't feel much better, so I called a Christian Science practitioner for support through prayer. This was given along with a request that I consider the true meaning of "peace." Initially I was a little baffled by this instruction because I felt quite peaceful, happy, and undisturbed. But in seeking further spiritual guidance, I recalled this verse from the Bible (Job 22:21): "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee." From this I was moved to study references to the word "Spirit" (a synonym for God) in the Bible and in Mrs. Eddy's writings, and thereby "acquaint" myself with Him.

For the next three days, through this study and with the help of the practitioner, my understanding of God deepened. I was especially impressed with this passage in Science and Health (p. 319): "Throughout the infinite cycles of eternal existence, Spirit and matter neither concur in man nor in the universe." I saw that God, Spirit, is One, and that this One is All. Because of this, man's being is purely spiritual, not a mixture of Spirit and matter, harmony and discord.

During these days, even though the condition appeared to worsen, I felt much joy and hope. Still, I had difficulty hearing in one ear, and my balance was affected. On the fourth day I decided to carry on the work myself. I held to the knowledge that Truth is supreme each moment of one's life and that healing is inevitable.

The breakthrough came on the fifth day. A bit weary, I sat in a chair and resolved not to move until I had gained a clear direction in my prayer. Then the word "concussion" came to mind. But this didn't seem to make sense—I considered concussion to be a type of injury, and I had not been injured. When this word came to mind again, I reached for a dictionary. This part of the definition of "concussion" stood out to me: "a violent shaking; agitation."

Now I really saw what was going on. The whole world seemed to be agitated, stirred up: a crisis here, a war there, and everywhere fear of a nuclear disaster. But it was world belief that was in a state of concussion, not me. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 264): "Spirit and its formations are the only realities of being. Matter disappears under the microscope of Spirit." With that, what I'd learned in my study of "Spirit," along with my love for mankind, just flowed out. I reached for that day's edition of The Christian Science Monitor; after reading each news story, I prayed to recognize the singular, universal control of Spirit.

Hours later I realized I was completely healed. My hearing had returned, my balance was normal, and the headache was gone. I felt entirely well.

The Monitor has played a distinct healing role in my life on several other occasions. Once, when I was constantly fatigued and tended to sleep an excessive amount, I felt directed to read a copy of the Monitor. The front page that day was full of news concerning the energy crisis. This alerted me to consider the concept of energy in a more spiritually scientific light. I saw that God, Life, is the abundant source of all energy, and that as infinite Spirit, He is the cause of my being. I was healed.

At one point I found myself limping. Around that time I was very fearful of nuclear war. In one particular news story that week, the word "destruction" arrested my attention. But it was the definition of "Church" in the Glossary of Science and Health (p. 583) that led me to healing. It reads, in part: "Church. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle."

Pondering this brought the realization that Church is the only structure there is. And because Church is spiritual it can never be de-structured. Man, as God's expression, includes Church; therefore he is never subject to destruction. The healing of the leg was immediate and complete, and with this inspiration my fear of nuclear destruction dissolved as well.

I feel unspeakable thanks to God for His Love, and for the constant blessings that have come into my life through the study of Christian Science.

KERSTIN GEIER Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada