FAQ

Some FAQ’s about Science of Mind-edited March 2014*

 

Q) Is this philosophy ‘New Age’? 

 

A) Science of Mind or Religious Science is a New Thought philosophy and honors all paths that lead to God and a better understanding of the way the Universe works. Many people with ‘New Age’ leanings are attracted to the Science of Mind Teaching; and some of its practices such as “visioning” and meditation are also practiced by those who consider themselves ‘New Age’.

 

Q) Is this Related to Scientology? 

A) No. It is not related to Scientology in any way. In fact, the two teachings are very different.
Religious Science (Science of Mind) was founded in 1927 by Dr Ernest Holmes. Scientology was founded in 1960 by L Ron Hubbard.
 

Q) Is this a Cult? 

A) No. Science of Mind teaches that each individual has the power over and the responsibility for his or her own life. We highly discourage dependence upon any one person; we challenge people to think for themselves and develop their own intuition and spiritual path/practice.

 

Q) Are these Teachings unique to Science of Mind? 

A) No. These Teachings draw from the wisdom from the ages and just like humankind and everything within the Universe, this philosophy evolves. We believe that we are on the threshold of an era of a new understanding of who we are as human beings. Science is confirming what the mystics have been saying throughout the centuries; self-development teachers and writers, countless psychologists, spiritual cinema directors and producers are also using a philosophy encompassing these same principles. Science of Mind is a system in which the universal principles are correlated and explained in a way that is easily understood and applicable to enhance one’s own experience of everyday life.

 

Q) Are Religious Science and Science of Mind the Same? 
A) Yes

 

Q) Why is this called Religious Science? 

A) Ernest Holmes (1887-1960) used the terms ‘Science of Mind’, which he called the book (first published 1926) that describes his synthesis of the truths running through all of the religions of the world, and ‘Religious Science’ interchangeably. He believed that religion and science were truly complementary, and named his organization the Church of Religious Science (established in 1953) to show that. The Organization evolved into the United Church of Religious Science (UCRS) in 1967, now called the United Centers for Spiritual Living (UCSL). Holmes believed that, eventually, science would prove what the mystics have been saying for thousands of years about the nature of God, human beings, and the Universe. His beliefs have been borne out by many modern scientists, who have found that the Universe is truly made up of energy. Religious Science, along with all of the mystics of the ages, know that energy is God.

 

Q) So, What is Religious Science? 

A) Religious Science is a spiritual philosophy for the modern person. It is based on the Truth which arises in every culture in the form of science, philosophy, and religion. Religious Science views religion as a source of wisdom for revealing the Truth about the seemingly unknown forces that shape our Universe. This enables us to participate in our own life as a co-creator with the Divine. Religious Science was founded by Dr. Ernest Holmes, a self-taught philosopher who rigorously studied all of the world's Spiritual paths for most of his life. The Science of Mind text was revised in 1938 to create an edition that has since been reprinted at least 36 times in at least 64 languages. Spiritual Centers continue to be founded each year and exist in at least 20 other nations. Dr. Ernest Holmes never intended to begin a new faith, but was persuaded to allow a church to be created to assure that the principles he synthesized would outlive him. Holmes always taught to “stay open at the top”.

 

Q) How does Science of Mind help people to improve their life? 

A) Science of Mind teaches how to live in accordance with spiritual principles for greater peace, harmony, happiness and joy. These principles or metaphysical laws are as reliable as the laws of physical science. The consistent application of this teaching in your life will result in good health and fitness, fulfilling relationships, enhanced creativity, abundance, prosperity, more peace and joy! Yes, it is spiritual and also immensely practical.

 

Q) Can anyone have anything they want? 

A) Yes & no. It works according to each individual’s beliefs. What the mind can conceive the mind can achieve. We create our own personal experience according to what we really believe is true and possible. There is a principal in the teaching of “mental equivalents” that is essential to the manifestation of living the life you desire, exactly and accordingly to your beliefs. Each person is the creator of their life with their own thoughts and feelings. As you enter the Sanctuary of our Spiritual Treatment Center in Redlands, California, the words on the wall atop of the entry doors state “Change your thinking, Change your Life”.

 

Q) What About Meditation? 

A) Meditation is the time honored technique for taming, training and transforming the mind. We encourage all forms of meditation, from creative visualization to the more traditional mind stilling techniques. It is through meditation that we most easily come to a state of spiritual communion and thereby experience a greater sense of the unity of all life.

 

Q) What About Prayer? 

A) Science of Mind encourages all forms of sincere prayer. It teaches a unique and scientific form of prayer called Spiritual Mind Treatment. This is a powerful, affirmative method of prayer that was developed by Dr. Ernest Holmes, the founder of Science of Mind and the Religious Science Organization. It involves a five step process that embodies all of the elements of the creative process of Life itself. The 5 steps: Recognition-(God/Spirit is all there is), Unification (I am one with this power/presence), Realization-(all the good in the Universe is mine now/proclamation), Thanksgiving (grateful heart), and Release (to the Law of Life-knowing it is done right here and right now). Often times in our Centers, you will hear the phrase: “And, so it is” at the end of a prayer.

 

Q) What is an Affirmation? 

A) The term affirmation is normally associated with a verbal statement that is made about some goal that we are trying to achieve, or some experience we desire to have. The act of affirmation is really much more than that. It is an act of faith. It is the ability to put aside your doubt and fear in order to act as if your desired goal were already a reality now. In this sense, an affirmation can be any statement, act, or symbolic gesture that affirms the reality of your intentions. Through the process of affirmation we "act as if" our highest aspirations were already a reality. Affirmations are immediate declarations based always in the present tense.

 

Q) Does Science of Mind believe in God? 

A) We believe in the concept of God; this is fundamental to our philosophy, although the name and gender is not important. God is Spirit, first Cause, the Creator of all that exists, the Presence and Principle that fills the whole of the Universe, the Substance of all forms, Life itself. God is infinite, eternal, and changeless. God is Love and also perfect Law. Since God is infinite it impossible to fully explain what God is. No matter what your belief is-you are welcome in our Spiritual Center.

 

Q) Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? 

A) We believe that heaven and hell are states of mind. 
We experience heaven when we are in harmony with the Life that surrounds us. Hell is a state of mind that we experience when we don't understand why something unpleasant is happening to us. We can choose to create our own heaven or hell on Earth, and take our beliefs with us when we go through the transition the world calls death to the next plane of existence.

 

Q) What about Death? 

A) Science of Mind teaches the eternality of life. It accepts that our physical bodies operate within a natural cycle of birth and death. However, even though we may have a body, we are not just our body. What we really are is the Life that animates our body, and that Life is infinite and immortal. As we become increasing identified with our divine and eternal nature, our underlying fear of death begins to dissolve and our experience of life become more joyous.

 

Q) Do You Believe in Reincarnation? 

A) Science of Mind neither endorses nor rejects any particular theory or concept of reincarnation. Since life is eternal, there are an unlimited number of possibilities for its evolvement after the experience of physical death. We accept the on-going-ness of life and we deal with what is before us in the present moment.

 

Center for Spiritual Living

2404 N. Golden Ave. San Bernardino, California 92404

Phone: (909) 883-7171

 

*Much of this handout was original created by the Center for Spiritual Living, Bournemouth, A Science of Mind Community in the UK. Permission to utilize as a basis for this FAQ has been granted. The changes and additions to the text were edited by Mark B. Chitjian, Practitioner in the CSLIE community. Edited 4-5-14.