I drifted off easily and dreamed that I was walking down a forest path when suddenly I twisted my ankle! The pain was so vivid that it startled me back awake.
But it didn't end there. My dream-self's ankle that was twisted and painful was for a few moments co-existing with my waking-self's ankle right there on the bed! I was conscious of my mind trying to automatically superimpose the painful ankle onto the untwisted ankle. And for a few moments it did 'take on' the pain as if it had happened to my waking self!
As I quickly started to realize what was going on-- that i was in fact on the bed trying to have a nap and that the experience of hurting my ankle was a dream--the pain almost instantly dissipated and vanished.
This reminded me of Moses' experience as told in Genesis in the Bible. It's written God told him to place his hand in his tunic and remove it. He did and his hand was suddenly infected with a terrible skin disease. Then God told him to put his hand back in and pull it out again. This time his skin was back to normal. In her book "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy wrote of this text:
"It was scientifically demonstrated that leprosy was a creation of mortal mind and not a condition of matter, healed when Moses first put his hand into his bosom and drew it forth white as snow with the dread disease, and presently restored his hand to its natural condition by the same simple process. God had lessened Moses' fear by this proof in divine Science..."
A couple of weeks ago I was outside jogging after work when one of my feet landed half on the sidewalk and half onto a lower part of someone's lawn, causing me to twist my ankle and almost fall. The pain was vivid.
Also I realized that I'd been feeling a little proud of myself about my new jogging routines- a bit of pride had crept into my thought.
Of course too, I recalled the twisted ankle dream. The pain was basically the same variety that I was experiencing here on the sidewalk in my 'awake' body.
That was my first step toward experiencing a healing, a lessening of my fear. I already knew that matter is not everything it's cracked up to be. I've had many spiritual healings already in my life through practicing the teachings of Christian Science which have proven reliable from flu to plantar warts. I've seen how God is Spirit and how I'm his reflection and likeness as it says in Genesis chapter one.
The next morning i was in the couch with my leg resting. I had emailed a Christian Science practitioner for prayerful help. I was thinking maybe I should stay home from work and was ready to call in sick. Then I got a reply from the practitioner that we should strive for an immediate healing. I loved that idea, responded to it by immediately getting up for work.
Work began well, but a few hours into my shift as a Christian Science nurse the ankle started hurting again. I thought I'd better get busier in guarding and disciplining my thinking. I didn't want to rely merely on the inspiration of my practitioner and needed to do more of my own mental work or praying.
So I did more 'leaning' on God, and not feeling so personally burdened or responsible about things on my job or in feelings about my personal life, but to adjust my thinking more to be in line with the idea that I was reflecting God and not carrying on all by myself according to my own efforts etc.
The pain receded noticeably and within the hour I caught my self mid-stride realizing that I was leaning on God, and that the healing was complete.
After my shift I did a four kilometer jog and have done so almost every day since without any restrictions in how I jog or walk.
photo credit: keven ryder, flikr, public domain
Terrific! The proof of the pudding is in the eating? Wonderful lesson to see how the nightmare of pain leaves when we awaken to our "awake" self, God's image. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Dean! Thanks for sharing.
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