The Science of Mind a teaching encompasses three things: It is a philosophy because it includes the genius of the mystics and philosophers of all ages, finding a common thread of Truth. Is love at the foundation of the philosophy? If so, it is part of the Science of Mind.

Secondly, it is a religion, not in the sense of having a dogma one must adhere to, but in the commonality of all Religions’ quest to “know God.” In the Science of Mind, one discovers God within the self. As we know ourselves, we know God. As was written on the Ancient Temple: “Know Thyself!”

And, thirdly, it is a Science in that it teaches us to use the Laws of the Universe and to prove that these Laws work.

It is called the Science of Mind because we live in a mental Universe and the only way to use these Laws is with our Mind, another word for Consciousness. There is one Mind in which we all reside, or as Emerson wrote, “One Mind common to all individual men… .”

The Science of Mind is also a way of life in that it is meant to be practiced and used. How else can we develop a philosophy, know God, and prove the Principle, if we do not practice its teaching for ourselves.

Dr. Ernest Holmes, an author, mystic, teacher and the founder of the organization Religious Science and the Science of Mind philosophy one wrote, “I would rather see a student of this Science prove its Principle than to have him repeat all the words of wisdom that have ever been uttered. It is far easier to teach the Truth than it is to practice it.”

So, what is its teaching and how it is practice? We are Spiritual Beings living in a Spiritual Universe, governed by our use of the Spiritual Law of Cause and Effect. It is a simple teaching, and should not be made more complicated by tearing at its simplicity. Instead, it should be explored, used and tested. If our life is better from our honest exploration and use of its Principle, then it is so worth the journey. At least, it has been for me.

The Science of Mind is not about being positive. Yes, of course, we remain positive amidst life’s challenges, but positivity without the substance of a deep understanding and real faith is superficial and not lasting. It would be uttering words with no real belief.

“In the Science of Mind, we do not say everything is all right when it is all wrong. We do not say peace when there is no peace, but rather we try to discover what is wrong and why we do not have peace. We do not say that people are not poor, sick, or unhappy. We ask why these things should be if the Original Cause of all things is Harmonious, Perfect, Radiant, and Happy.” Ernest Holmes

What the Science of Mind isn’t is a get-rich-quick plan. It takes faith, perseverance and instances of failure to master its teaching. The rewards for those who persevere are great and include a life of true peace which comes from within. This peace allows the one who practices Science of Mind to meet life’s challenges with a different, deeper understanding.

The great discovery of the Science of Mind teaching is that even in the seeming failures we experience, we grow deeper into the God-self. It is as if the Great Spirit which is at the Center of our being is calling us home, calling us to go deeper into Its well of Grace. It is asking us to make a complete surrender to It, to trust it, to rely on it completely.

As individuals, our ego holds on to its identification, no matter our suffering. As the Buddhist teaching reflects upon suffering as a necessity for inner wisdom, the Science of Mind says yes, but also that we will soon realize that we have learned all we can through suffering. We are to have Joy! We shall overcome suffering at some point in our evolution.

I have suffered. I have watched others suffer. I have especially now witnessed a world in suffering. I believe that we are ready to shift, to release of what doesn’t serve us, to live in the Oneness, the Unity.

There is a song by Tina McBride called “Do It Anyway.” In the song she says, “God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good and when I pray, it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should; but, I do it anyway.”

This line in the song is a perfect manifestation of the Science of Mind philosophy. Yes, God is great; It is greater than any outside condition. As Dr. Holmes wrote, “There is a Power in the Universe greater than we are and we can use it.”

Why, then, does life give us dark times filled with pain? We are praying, aren’t we? It’s because, the answer to the prayer is in the prayer. Because in Spiritual Mind Treatment, we are praying “From God Consciousness,” all prayers are answered to the degree of the belief of the one praying, to the degree that consciousness is clear and able to look away from the conditional world and enter the realm of pure unlimited potentiality. We receive exactly what we need to increase our depth of self-love. If we take the invitation in the answer of our prayer, if we stop condemning ourselves for what we consider “bad things that happen to good people,” and instead, use the experience to know and love at a deeper level, to gain wisdom, we will begin to realize that the answer was here all the time. The more we commune with Spirit through meditation, the more we train ourselves to turn away from the conditional world while praying, the greater our demonstrations will be.

The Science of Mind teaching challenges us to take 100% responsibility for our lives. We are always causing effect and when we accept our Power and practice our complete faith in the Law of the Universe, we will begin to respond differently to the relative world. We accept the Power of our Consciousness and its ability to affect change through surrendering to the Law of Mind in Action. Think of yourself as a vibration of energy magnetizing back to you a like vibration as your experience.

Ernest Holmes wrote, “One of the most difficult problems to realize is that when we are dealing with the Law of Mind, we are dealing with an absolutely impersonal thing. …The ancients taught that there is an Infinite Self-Knowing Spirit and in addition to which there is an Infinite Law which knows how to do, but doesn’t care what it does. This is the Karmic Law of Buddha, “the Law that binds the ignorant and frees the wise.”

To truly practice the Science of Mind, one must be a humble student, willing to explore, willing to keep saying yes. One must have that Eye of the Tiger, which includes a clear vision of what we want, how we want to live and being willing to walk that path no matter what appears to be in the way.

The ‘eye (s) of the tiger’ actually refers to what the tiger’s prey last sees prior to being killed. It’s a reference to impending death of the prey. When a tiger ‘goes in for the kill’, it turns it’s ears backwards, showing the spot on the back of each ear, i.e. the ‘tiger’s eyes’.

If we practice the Science of Mind with the eye of the tiger, if we use the Power of Spiritual Mind Treatment, as we pray, those prey – negative beliefs of lack and limitation – that hold us back, that separate us from recognizing our Divinity, will at last perish.  Stronger than a tiger’s claws and teeth is the Power of Love. Ernest Holmes once wrote, “Love is a Cosmic Force whose sweep is irresistible.”

The practice of the Science of Mind assists its earnest students in changing their life by changing their energy. I know because I am one of those students and one of its teachers.  

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita Andriello-Feren