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What happened to Mary Baker Eddy in 1866 that changed the direction of her life?

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The Mother Church at the Christian Science Center in Boston stands beside a large reflecting pool, with its domed roof and ornate facade visible under a partly cloudy sky. — Christian Science The Mother Church and reflecting pool, Christian Science Center, Boston.

In 1866, Mary Baker Eddy experienced a pivotal event that transformed her life and led to the founding of Christian Science. Following a severe fall, she turned to a New Testament account of one of Jesus’ healings and experienced a moment of spiritual illumination.12

This incident resulted in her sudden recovery from the effects of her injury and provided her with a profound realization: that "Life in and of Spirit" is the sole reality of existence. She concluded that what is perceived as matter is merely a subjective state evolved by mortal thought, which obscures the true sense of Spirit.2

This "discovery" served as the catalyst for the rest of her life’s work, prompting years of intense scriptural study, healing practice, and writing. It ultimately culminated in the publication of her seminal work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and the establishment of the Church of Christ, Scientist, which sought to reinstate the primitive healing elements of Christianity.12