Mary Baker Eddy says in her classic book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (page 262), “We cannot fathom the nature and quality of God’s creation by diving into the shallows of mortal belief. We must reverse our feeble flutterings …and rise above the testimony of the material senses, above the mortal to the immortal idea of God. These clearer, higher views inspire the Godlike man to reach the absolute centre and circumference of his being.”

But how do we reverse our feeble flutterings?

Sometimes the answer comes, turn, turn, turn– look away from mortal experience, and look instead toward the imperishable things of God.  I have said that too, but we’re here in this human experience, and we shouldn’t ignore the human condition, even though it is often problematic. We need to elevate it and make spiritual solutions more practical.

Another thing I’ve heard said in spiritual circles is, “Don’t believe the beliefs.”  That’s quite profound. We should lean instead on the actuality of truth. Beliefs are based on subjective experience, and are neither universal, nor reliable. And beliefs are our “feeble flutterings,” which we must “reverse” in order to thrive. So how do we do that?

I suggest making a huge list of big and small beliefs, and then systematically question each one. Is it actually, absolutely true? How do you react and feel when you believe that thought? How would you be different if you changed that thought? We can question huge and tiny belief. We all have zillions of them. I’d start with questioning the ones that either make you feel bad, or those where you’d like yourself better if you didn’t believe that.

Or you can start to question obvious beliefs that you phrase with words like “always,” ‘never,” “typically,” or “every.” Those statements cue a belief that you’ve long accepted and repeat as fact. Examine these strong judgements you have held. They are just stories you tell again and again. Now challenge that story. Can you come up with three examples where it doesn’t hold true? Are there other possibilities that are not included in your belief?

Something surprising begins to happen. Upon examination, we see that our belief isn’t actually a fact.  It doesn’t objectively hold water all of the time. This is where we modify or reverse it. Replace it with a more accurate, more enlightened understanding, which is closer to truth.

For a tiny example, I may think something needs to happen before something else can. The minute I actually examine that belief, ten other possibilities occur to me. I am suddenly freed from that obstructing restriction, and can now move forward without waiting.

Our lives are sculpted by the by the stories we tell. When we rewrite the story, we change as the story does. Keep doing this and we’ll arrive at the “clearer, higher views” mentioned, which is a wonderful place to be.

When you do a major overhaul by reversing limiting beliefs, you’ll thrive more, and find better health and inner peace.  Filled with joy, you’ll be in consonance with the “absolute center and circumference of your being,” aligned directly with God.