Do you sometimes feel trapped by intrusive or habitual thoughts, emotions, images? If you’ve tried changing your mind from the inside, try this practice of exercising authority over it from the outside.
Like a sculptor.
Picture in your mind how sculptors work– they move and chisel outside and above the marble, wood, etc.,– in a position of authority. They wouldn’t be able to shape it effectively if they were inside it.
This perspective may be helpful in reshaping your thoughts and feelings. In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures Mary Baker Eddy describes the basis of this practice. She says that…
We are all sculptors, working at various forms, moulding and chiseling thought. (p. 248:13– click here to read this in context)
One way to get outside and above the human mind– in a position of greater authority over it– is to practice the feeling of being the creation of Spirit, with full access to Her successful, healthy qualities of intelligence, order, spontaniety, happiness, confidence, love, etc,. Spiritual qualities and feelings such as these are shaping tools like the sculptor’s chisel…the more we practice them in our thinking, responding, relating and living, the more they re-form the structure, reactions and habits of the human mind.
So to carry the sculptor metaphor a bit further, another part of this practice is to make Spirit and Her qualities your artistic model. Like the artist, then, you will mentally look at, embrace and express this model’s qualities to improve your sculpture– to make the human mind healthier, more robust, kind, joyful…spiritually confident and self-reliant.
Eddy continues her explanation of this metaphor and its practice…
What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it?
…we must first turn our gaze in the right direction, and then walk that way. We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives. Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear. (p. 248:15-18,25– click here to read in context)
If you’d like help in getting more authority over your mind and body, give me a call…
Miles
(561) 626-9043
CLICK to email me
Thanks Miles! That is one of my favorite Mary Baker Eddy passages – so thank you for taking it even deeper 😉
Travis
I like the sculptor analogy, working from the inside out. Thanks Miles. This is very practical. I will forward the blog to a few friends too.
I struggle with getting wrapped up in my own head … feelings of sadness, futility, etc. This idea, you propose, of getting out of your own head and projecting healthful thoughts about yourself is a good approach. It's worked for me before. The metaphor of sculptor is good! Thanks.
Thanks for this article. Also appreciated that you cite "Spirit and Her qualities your artistic model" I always felt that the women in my life (and the feminine in me) were more receptive to divine direction.