November 2 ~ The Science of Mind in a Year

Summary of Part Three: 
The Practice of Spiritual Mind Healing
Ernest Holmes

"In the preceding eighteen chapters of this book, the one object in mind has been to uncover man's spiritual nature and his relationship to God and the Universe.  Therefore, instead of the usual recapitulation of the six chapters just concluded, we propose to make this an informal discussion of the general theme of "How to Give a Mental Treatment."

"Spirituality is natural goodness.  God is not a person; God is a Presence personified in us.  Spirituality is not a thing; It is the atmosphere of God's Presence, goodness, truth and beauty.  Religion is a life, a living.  If we could forget that philosophy is profound, that religion is spiritual and life serious - all of which may be true - but if we could forget all these things, and approach Reality as normally as we go about our daily affairs, we would be better off.

If there is one thing we should learn it is that spiritual treatment must not be confused with mental concentration.  A treatment is an active thing, if we are going to treat by a technique, by a method of procedure, if we are going to treat by a mental process.  If we are going to reduce spiritual treatment to a mental science, then there is a method, a technique and a procedure in mental treatment.  There is a certain mental attention we should have in giving a treatment, but this is different from the popular idea of mental concentration, as though we must hold the mind to one thought for a certain period of time.

Start with this simple proposition:  The nature of God, of man and of being is perfect, harmonious, whole - Perfect God, Perfect Man, and Perfect Being - and in treatment conform your thought to this idea.  Then let the treatment be a moving thing, a series of thoughts or statements followed by realization.

Gradually a conviction dawns that God is all there is, and as this conviction grows the work is done more easily, and with a greater degree of acceptance...a growing spiritual atmosphere comes into it.  When this truth takes hold of our consciousness, and we contact what appears to be imperfect man, imperfect God, and imperfect being, we shall better know that the manifestation of imperfection has no right to exist.  In actual practice, this becomes a series of statements - arguments perhaps - but a series of statements which finally culminate in the mental evidence being in favor of Perfect God, Perfect Man, and Perfect Being.

The way to learn how to treat, is to treat.  At first one has the feeling in treating of wondering if anything is really happening, until he finally realizes that this apparent nothingness with which he deals is the only ultimate something out of which tangible things could be made."

September 22 ~ The Science of Mind in a Year

WHAT the MYSTICS TAUGHT
Ernest Holmes

What is a Mystic? (continued)

"Man has compelled nature to do his bidding.  He has harnessed electricity, caught the wind, trapped steam, and made them do his will.  He has invented machines to do the work of thousands.  He has belted the globe with his traffic and built up a wonderful civilization; but in a few cases has he conquered his own soul.  The mystic has revealed things that do not pass as ships in the night.  He has revealed Eternal Verities and has plainly taught us that there is a Living Presence indwelling ALL.  This constitutes the greatest intellectual and spiritual heritage of the ages.  The balance of our knowledge of God must come as a direct impartation from Him.  We must learn it for ourselves.

The mystic does not read human thought, but rather he senses the atmosphere of God.  The mystics of every age have seen, sensed and taught THE SAME TRUTH!  Psychic experiences, on the other hand, bear the exact opposite testimony, as they more or less contradict each other, for each psychic sees a different kind of mental picture.  But the mystic experiences of the ages have revealed ONE AND THE SAME TRUTH!

A psychic sees largely through his own, or another's subjective mentality.  Consequently, his impressions are more or less colored by the vibration of his own or another's thought.  He is subject to hallucinations and false impressions of every description.  That is why, generally speaking, no two psychics see the same thing.  Mystics have all sensed one identical Reality, and their testimony is in no way confusing, because the Spirit within them has borne witness to the same Truth.

The mystics have been perfectly normal people.  They did not think of themselves as mystics, that was their language.  It was natural to them - perfectly normal.  They have been people like Jacob Boehme, a cobbler, pegging away at his shoes, who, looking up, saw in the geranium plant the reflection of the Cosmos - the very soul of God; like Jesus looking into the heart of nature; like Moses reading God's Law from a burning bush."

June 21 ~ The Science of Mind in a Year

MEDITATIONS for Self-Help

by Ernest Holmes

The Radiation of Life

The life of God within me radiates and shines forth from me in a constant stream of Light to all.

The One Life flowing through me is Life to all who come near.

The One Power operating through me is flowing into everything that I contact.

Life radiates from me.

Unity

Today I realize that I am One with the All Good; my God and I are One.

I cannot be hid from His face.

I behold Thee, O Most High, enthroned in my temple of flesh.

Thy secret place is within me.  I feel Thy presence,

I hear Thy voice, I rejoice in Thy Light.

Today my body responds to the Divine Behest:  "Be perfect."

I know of my perfection and wholeness; I am complete and perfect now.

Let every thought of disease flee from me, and let Thy Light shine.

O Light Eternal, O Light of my Life, I come into Thy presence with joy and thanksgiving.

So be it.

May 17 ~ The Science of Mind in a Year

MEDITATIONS for Self-Help

Ernest Holmes

I Behold in Thee His Image

I behold in thee His Image.

In thee, my friend, I see God, and through you I feel His presence.

I see in the hand that gives, His Hand;

And in the voice that speaks of Love, I hear Him speak.

For His lines have gone out into all places,

And from the highest to the lowest, all, all partake of his nature.

"For He is all in all, over all and through all."

I perceive that God is in all people.

I See No Evil

I see no evil; I behold only the good.

I have seen the drunkard lying in the gutter, and the saint kneeling in ecstasy before the high altar of his faith; but I have found no difference.

I have perceived that each, in his own tongue, is seeking to express the One Life.

I will not separate and divide; I cannot condemn nor censure, for I know that there is but One in All.

I know that all came from the One, and all will return to the One.

I know that all are now in the One, and that each is seeking to express the One.

I know and love all.

March 19 ~ The Science of Mind in a Year

MEDITATIONS

Ernest Holmes

A Song of Hope

My Life is in Thee, O Inner Presence.

I look upon Thee and hope springs forth into realization.

O Hope within me, undying evidence of Good.

Thou dost completely hold me in Thy loving embrace,

And from this fond caress assurance shall be born, and confidence and love.

My hope is in Thee.

Be Still and Know

"Be still and know that I am God."

I am still in Thy Presence.

I am quiet and peaceful, for I put my trust in Thee.

A great stillness steals over me and a great calm quiets my whole being, as I realize Thy Presence.

The heart know of Thee, O Most High within.

It is still in Thy Presence, and it puts its whole confidence in Thee alone.

In Thy Presence I am still.