The Daily Prayer 04.29.2015

“Let Us Not Fool Ourselves”

Ernest Holmes, Our Fonder

But we should not fool ourselves about any demonstration. We know there is a state of consciousness which can heal instantly, but if we do not arrive at this in a moment, we should never admit defeat. Let us not despise our sums in addition because we cannot at the outset extract the cube root.

The kind of demonstration we believe in is the kind that can be checked by a physician, if one so desires. If we are treating for the removal of a cancer, we have not made a demonstration until the cancer is gone and the wholeness of the body is evident to anyone. This is not a process of saying “Peace” when there is no peace.

A practitioner working for one whose blood pressure is high might say, “Go every week or so and have your blood pressure tested.” If one’s blood pressure is high, a demonstration will not have been made until it is reduced to normal. To claim that he is perfectly normal, while the blood pressure remains high, would be to affront the intelligence of any sane individual.

Holmes, Ernest (1998-08-24). The Science of Mind: The Definitive Edition (p. 175). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.

While it is possible that we might have to work on a case for some time, there should be some sign of improvement from the first treatment. If the practitioner admits to himself that it is going to take a long time, he is losing sight of the fact that he is dealing with the instantaneous now and the ever-present here.

Our theory rests entirely upon the supposition that it is impossible to have a true subjective concept, without there being a positive, absolute and equal objective fact. The two will exactly balance. For every action there is always an opposite and equal reaction. If this is true and the equal and opposite reaction is automatic—like a reflection which nothing can stop—then the practitioner does not try to create the reflection; he tries to embody the image. There cannot be an embodiment of the image without the appreciation of what the image means. A man who is always distraught cannot give a good treatment for peace. So there must not only be the image in the man’s mind who is giving the treatment, but there must be an appreciation of what the image means, before the image can reflect itself; otherwise, it is a word and not an embodiment. There is a great difference between the two. The word which carries power is the one which has conviction back of it. Let us not blithely repeat words, and say the treatment has gone forth and the healing work accomplished, unless we have the evidence that our word has accomplished “that, whereunto it was sent.” Let us not deceive ourselves about our treatments.

This matter of self-deception about the truth of a demonstration is the most prolific field for delusion in our system of thought. There is nothing in all our teaching which calls for lying to ourselves or others. The more natural we can be, the more spontaneous we can be, and the more we can discharge the obligation of giving the treatment without taking on the responsibility of healing the condition—of putting the power into the treatment—the more power we shall have.

There is nothing in the world more specific than a scientific treatment, but there is nothing that should be so released from outline as a scientific treatment. However, there is no secret in this business of demonstrating. The only secret is the persistent ability to use the Law, and the determination to continue to use It until we prove It.

Holmes, Ernest (1998-08-24). The Science of Mind: The Definitive Edition (p. 176). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition.

Ernest Holmes, Founder of Religious Science and author of many books, including “The Science of Mind“.

Rio Grande Center for Spiritual Living, Albuquerque, NM 87107