Because existence is a state of consciousness, it follows that what we are aware of constitutes our sense of body, our health, and even what we believe to be "out there." It has come to be widely accepted today that thought influences bodily health. Christian Science teaches that the human body is thought manifested—a consolidation of human beliefs. Matter itself is externalized mortal thought (individual and collective), even though it appears to be independent. Just as invisible water vapor has a solidified form called ice, so ethereal mortal mind has its solidified form called matter.
This false mind, being ignorant of divine reality, pictures individuals, things, and the universe as material. Mortal mind is the cause of the delusive material beliefs included in mortality.
Christian Science interprets the scene in terms of spiritual reality: God—Spirit, Mind, Love—creates everything perfect and eternally governs concordantly. Since Spirit is infinite good, this precludes the possibility of matter and evil existing anywhere as actualities; but so long as they are believed, the effects of this belief will be experienced. Whatever is in consciousness tends to manifest itself. True consciousness, however, is divine Mind and recognizes only perfection.
