Understanding our real selfhood in God is essential to the maintenance of true health. When we look at ourselves spiritually, we gain the only genuine picture of ourselves as man, the perfect, spiritual idea of God. Spiritual understanding, as opposed to physical analysis, is the requirement for true health.
In physical diagnosis an examination of matter is made to determine the cause of disease so that an appropriate material treatment may be applied. Some mental factors may be involved in the medical diagnosis and treatment, but the process is based on the belief that man is material.
Spiritual understanding in Christian Science, on the other hand, begins by identifying man as wholly spiritual, the outcome of Spirit. It shows God to be infinite, the only Life. This Science explains that since God is the only cause and creator, man, His spiritual idea, reflects God perfectly. Christian Science treatment is the utilization of Mind-power, proving man to be inseparable from Spirit, eternal Life.
