Spiritual discovery
The conceptions of mortal, erring thought must give
way to the ideal of all that is perfect and eternal. Through
260:9 many generations human beliefs will be attain-
ing diviner conceptions, and the immortal and
perfect model of God's creation will finally be seen as
260:12 the only true conception of being.
Science reveals the possibility of achieving all good,
and sets mortals at work to discover what God has already
260:15 done; but distrust of one's ability to gain the goodness
desired and to bring out better and higher results, often
hampers the trial of one's wings and ensures failure at the
260:18 outset.
Requisite change of our ideals
Mortals must change their ideals in order to improve
their models. A sick body is evolved from
260:21 sick thoughts. Sickness, disease, and death
proceed from fear. Sensualism evolves bad
physical and moral conditions.
260:24 Selfishness and sensualism are educated in mortal
mind by the thoughts ever recurring to one's self, by
conversation about the body, and by the expectation of
260:27 perpetual pleasure or pain from it; and this education
is at the expense of spiritual growth. If we array
thought in mortal vestures, it must lose its immortal
260:30 nature.
Thoughts are things
If we look to the body for pleasure, we find pain; for
Life, we find death; for Truth, we find error; for Spirit,
261:1 we find its opposite, matter. Now reverse this action.
Look away from the body into Truth and Love,
261:3 the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and
immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the endur-
ing, the good, and the true, and you will bring these
261:6 into your experience proportionably to their occupancy
of your thoughts.
Unreality of pain
The effect of mortal mind on health and happiness is
261:9 seen in this: If one turns away from the body with such
absorbed interest as to forget it, the body
experiences no pain. Under the strong im-
261:12 pulse of a desire to perform his part, a noted actor was
accustomed night after night to go upon the stage and
sustain his appointed task, walking about as actively
261:15 as the youngest member of the company. This old man
was so lame that he hobbled every day to the theatre, and
sat aching in his chair till his cue was spoken, - a signal
261:18 which made him as oblivious of physical infirmity as if
he had inhaled chloroform, though he was in the full pos-
session of his so-called senses.