Christian Scientists are enjoined to cultivate total awareness of spiritual verities in their demonstration of health, harmony, and well-being. Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health, "Become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual,—neither in nor of matter,—and the body will then utter no complaints," Science and Health, p. 14; and again, "One moment of divine consciousness, or the spiritual understanding of Life and Love, is a foretaste of eternity." p. 598;
What a simple requirement for such wonderful promises! But lest we be deceived by the seeming simplicity, let us ask ourselves if thought has yielded up materiality in the acknowledgment of the presence of spiritual reality; if thought has disposed of all darkness in the acceptance of spiritual light; if thought has welcomed the gentle Christ. Reflecting the Mind that is God as the source of his natural and indeed his only legitimate activity, the individual discerns the Christ, Truth, and responds to the spiritual facts of being, which it brings to light. Paul said of this spiritual activity: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." I Cor. 2:9, 10;
A "moment of divine consciousness" can hardly be an instant of time sandwiched quickly between moments of negative, materialistic thought. That moment which combines inspiration and revelation results from prayerful communion with God, earnest seeking for the illumination of Spirit. It occurs most naturally in a faith-lighted journey Spiritward, and it could hardly be followed by anything but an advanced state of thought, where the view would always be more glorious because it would be more Christlike.
The moment of spiritualized consciousness is not the climax of a human mental process but of a receptivity and response to the infinite glory of the Mind that is God, which man as the image and likeness of God eternally reflects and expresses. We do not arrive at a "moment of divine consciousness" solely through human reasoning and logic, helpful though they may be in preparing the way for greater receptivity. Neither is it the result of concentration in the sense of shutting out distractions through an effort of human will. Instead it is achieved through a spiritually generated interest which leaves no room for interruptions from the carnal, or mortal, mind, an absorption in the things of God where matter does not intrude because it has no claims in the realm of Spirit. Recognition of the allness of God leaves no contrary factor to be considered, no power to be battled, no threat to be feared.
Study and deep consideration of the spiritual truths set forth in the Bible and in Science and Health spiritualize consciousness. Prerequisite also for clear reflection are right desire, humility, willingness, and obedience. When the earth turns on its axis toward the sun, our day is filled with the sun's brightness. Likewise, the thought that has turned to God is filled with spiritual illumination.
Christian Science teaches that man, as the perfect reflection of Mind, expresses the light and brightness, the power, activity, and wisdom of that one, supreme, and only Mind that is also Love and Principle, cause and preserver. As we obediently claim our inseparable relationship to Mind, the moments of divine consciousness, of total awareness of the presence and allness of God, become more frequent.
Total awareness of God as Mind and Truth brings His creation to light.
Let us consider an example of the effectiveness of becoming conscious of the spiritual facts of being. A very painful condition of the neck and shoulders had practically immobilized a student of Christian Science. For days through consecrated prayer and study a very sincere effort had been made to see that such distress, such pain and restriction of activity, were scientifically inadmissible in the perfection of God's creation. The work was reassuring and strengthening; but by the end of the week she was a little bored with the seeming futility of her work, and there was an uninspiring sameness in her reading and study.
Then in the early morning hours as she turned in the Christian Science Quarterly to the Lesson-Sermon for the new week, she suddenly felt an eagerness to find what the message was that had been prepared for all students of Christian Science. She opened her Bible and Science and Health and for the first time in days did not think of what she was reading as a possible help in solving the problem. In her interest in the message she turned away from self and the physical distress.
The past efforts for healing and the hopes for release dropped away. She was not asking what this study might do for her, but was interested in the message solely for its own sake. She became aware of what she read with new perception and comprehension. The subject was "God," and from the Golden Text to the last citation in Science and Health, the teaching of the allness and oneness of God came to her receptive thought so totally that she must have entertained that "moment of divine consciousness," for there was healing, healing so complete that when she finished reading she went about performing her normal household tasks vigorously for an hour before she even remembered that before that she had been in pain and restricted in her activity.
Total awareness of spiritual good therefore means release from that which is not good in human experience. This is confirmed in Mrs. Eddy's statement following her admonition to "become conscious for a single moment that Life and intelligence are purely spiritual." It reads, "If suffering from a belief in sickness, you will find yourself suddenly well." Science and Health, p. 14.
