Mind and manifestation

Seems like for a couple of weeks now, any time I've quieted my thought to pray and listen for ideas from God, this clause from the Scientific Statement of Being found in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy comes strongly: "All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation," (page 468)

Well, I do try to take these ideas seriously, especially when they keep coming over and over as this one ahs and continues to do. I figure there is something I need to learn from the word, phrase, or whatever. And, boy, has there been some neat ideas I've been gahtering from studying and pondering this one more deeply! Here's some of where this study has taken me (probably more to come).

First, of course, being a student at heart, I had to grab my dictionary and be clear on one word especially: manifestation. The following is what I found in Random House Webster's: (Merriam-Webster's online version is pretty close if you want to do your own checking.)

1) an act of manifesting
2) the state of being manifested
3) outward or perceptible indication (pretty much the aspect of the definition I'd always thought about - was mostly aware of - especially in this context)
4) a public demontration, as for political effect (fun!)

Well, have to look up "manifest" next as it is laced through the above definitions ...

1) readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident
2) to make clear to the eye or the understanding

I also checked out "indication":

1) to be a sign of; betoken
2) to point to or point out
3) to demonstrate the conditions of
4) to show or suggest the suitability or necessity of

Wow - this all really broadened my thought on what this clause could mean. I think I've always just thought, okay, all is Mind, God, and its manifestation, man and the universe, creation. Not wrong - fits with the third definition of manifestation, but I think now it is a limited way of thinking of this statement given the rest of the definitions and how they can be interwoven.

So here are some ideas I wrote down as I thought about this statement with the various definitions of manifestation:

1) All is infinite Mind and Its infinite act of making Itself readily perceived by the eye or understanding, of making Itself evident (plain or clear to the sight or understanding).

2) All is infinite Mind and Its infinte state of being readily perceived by the eye (spiritual understanding), and Its infinite sate of being evident.

3) All is infinte Mind and Its inifinite outward or perceptible sign, Its infinite outward or perceptible sign of being necessary and suitable, Its infinte perceptible showng of the suitbaility and necessity of Itself, Its infinte perceptible sign pointing to Itself, Its infinte outward act of demonstratioing the conditions of Itself (intelligence, wisdom, common sense, etc., etc., infinitely).

4) All is infinite Mind and Its public demonstration of Itself (I really like this one - pretty cool).

Isn't that what creation is? God making Himself evident, perceptible, of God expressing His Word, making Himself known. Hmmm, typing this out, I'm remembering this passage from Science and Health (303:25-28):

God, without the image and likeness of Himself, would be a nonentity, or Mind unexpressed. He would be without a witness or proof of His own nature.

Hence, His need to manifest Himself - to demonstrate Himself, His real nature, the fulness of His being. And we, as His manifestation, are that demonstration, we are the perceivable evidence of God - infinite Mind - knowing, seeing, acting, loving. We point back to Him.

Oh, wow. This is just the tip of the iceburg on this one, I think, my friend! More later on where these ideas are going and what I continue to learn about this infinite Mind and its manifestation. It's such a great journey!