After the readings, most of which were brought in by our chairperson, discussion went immediately to the possible inappropriateness of designating a problem a relapse; it seemed to add a layer of difficulty, giving the situation more history than warranted and perhaps a tint of discouragement working against healing. It was pointed out, however, that if beliefs of history and discouragement were clouding thought, they'd have to be cleared anyway, so "relapse" might be viewed as one of those human concepts that are sometimes helpful, sometimes not, but always unreal.

Discussion then moved on to a more general consideration of our topic, with examples drawn from experience. Here's a summary:

• The words "lapse", "relapse" and "collapse" come from a root word meaning to slide. The Bible uses backsliding but not relapse.
• A relapse into a problem or condition previously healed would seem to indicate that something remains to be handled or seen; or alternately, that the healing was a faith healing, subject to reversal as with all beliefs.
• A true Christian Science healing will not reverse but sometimes there is an aspect of it that needs clarification. One member recounted his healing of a tumor based on assiduous Christian Science treatment ultimately leading to his realization that his homosexual love was a manifestation of God's love in his life. The tumor disappeared overnight but began to reappear some months later. He was able to reconfirm the main points of his earlier treatment and sweep the field clear. Apparently he had allowed human conjecture to cloud things briefly and this later work solidified the healing.
• Another member recounted his healing of a prostate infection instantaneously in a doctor's office based on Christian Science reasoning. While discomfort recurred the problem did not revert to its previous intensity.
• We talked a bit about the thought in Alcoholics Anonymous that if you're arguing with yourself whether to drink or not, you've pretty well lost the battle; one shouldn't let himself get to that point, in view of the many helps available to avoid such a dire choice. We extrapolated from this discussion the term "relapse thinking" which various members felt arises from or embodies attitudes virtually assuring a relapse. These are some of the warning signals:
  • A treatment is concluded without protecting it; i.e., knowing it is literally God's knowing about the situation.
  • Belief that the problem ever had any real existence.
  • Much bluster about "my" work or how fabulous "my practitioner" was on the case.
  • One gives a treatment and scrapes through the situation but maintains intact all the old hatreds and judgments about those involved.
  • One rejoices in a material benefit achieved rather than the spiritual Principle revealed. If one can see that there is no such thing as a material benefit but that the so called people, places and things are in reality divine ideas this will protect the work.
  • Letting the healing drift down to the level of good genes, good people, good luck, and so forth — in other words, anything or anyone which can also become "bad", will invite relapse.
• We discussed the possibility of embracing a relapse for its potential in spiritual growth. Here are some strategies for flipping a lapse or relapse into the divine idea it masks:
  • Such lapse or relapse indicates a material belief. Since this is the counterfeit of the spiritual fact, let God show us the reality just at hand, and live it, (see Science and Health, p. 293: 24-31, and Miscellaneous Writings, by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 60: 28-3).
  • Or to put it another way, since mortal mind sees through a glass darkly it interprets the ever-present Kingdom of Heaven as a fluctuating nightmare of good alternating with evil. We can feel out into the heart of Divinity for the reality and surrender to its control of all.
• The so called "repetition compulsion", discovered by Freud, describes the tendency of children and adults to live out traumatic motifs established in early childhood in ever changing venues. Healings in belief based on psychotherapy or just "good luck", (as shown by better functioning in relationships or at work), can be put on a firmer basis by realizing the Science of such healings.

Some healings not directly related to the topic were reported:

• A member, having just moved to the city, approached his local post office to secure a box for his business mail. The employees stirred and advised that the person handling such matters was out on vacation — come back in six weeks. Our member resisted a lot of bitter thinking and instead took it to the top. First, he realized that right where the post office was, there was God in all His perfection and power. He was then moved to write a letter to the Postmaster of New York. He had his new post office box in three days.
• Another member was dragging along in the heat one day and noticed how he was absorbing all the cross looks on faces, all the seeming decrepitude of people on canes and so forth. Also the terrible stories coming over the airwaves on his Walkman were leaving him even more dispirited. He decided to give treatments to all the problems. For instance, an old, decrepit person was language for the eternal perfection of Being, the only I or Us. The same treatment was effective for clearing the belief in a young, bouncy person. The story about someone dying was a mythological representation for the fact that Life is eternal as each and every one of us now. Pretty soon he was full of energy and hardly noticed the heat.

We'll look at Appetite next week. Food? Yes. Sex? Yes. Wherever our voracious hunger leads us.