chemicalization

English

Etymology

chemical +‎ -ization. The spiritual sense was used by Mary Baker Eddy (then known as Mary Baker Glover) as early as 1875, in the first edition of Science and Health: “This chemicalization, or change, often follows our explanations of science, the effect of which is that the patient recovers; disease comes to the surface during the chemicalization, like a fermenting fluid, and throws itself off, sometimes in violent perspiration, eruptions, increased secretions, and discharges." p.176. More recent use, with definition: 1906 (current) edition of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: "By chemicalization I mean the process which mortal mind and body undergo in the change of belief from a material to a spiritual basis." p 168.

In the spirituality sense, recently further popularised by Catherine Ponder.

Noun

chemicalization (uncountable)

1. The process of making something chemical, or adapting it to use chemical methods.

   the chemicalization of agriculture

   • 1985, R. D. Laing, Wisdom, Madness and Folly, page 22:

     She would almost certainly have to be on more than one drug and almost certainly the dosages of all of them would have to be high […] So her system has to pay the price of having to adapt to such a degree of chemicalization.

2. (spirituality) Inner conflict caused by one's initial resistance to spiritual awakening.