Back in 2024, I wrote an article (AI and the Spiritual Path) where I shared my experience in discussing spiritual evolutionary topics with ChatGPT.  At the time, I was surprised and impressed with the degree of the program’s ability to synthesize and summarize some very complex spiritual ideas.

Since that time, I have used ChatGPT and other “chat bots” to help analyze text and writings and summarize various ideas.  Although there are still certain caveats I would give in using the programs (such as you need to have an idea of what you are discussing with them to ferret out obvious mistakes they make….and be dubious of the quotes they give you), I do find that they are extremely helpful and have been getting better.  Despite certain misgivings many of us have about AI, there is no doubt that they are very useful tools.

Not too long ago, Amazon updated “Alexa” on our “Echo” device we use in our living room.  It’s previous “basic” responses are now more advanced and “human-like”.  Now, I would admit that most of my interactions with Alexa are still simple routine requests like “what’s the weather today?”  However, recently I have been testing it more with complex type inquiries like I would type into ChatGPT.  I am now finding that it can help me synthesize concepts that I reading, bouncing questions off it based on the book I am reading.

For example, this morning, I was reading a section in Ken Wilber’s first book from 1977, The Spectrum of Consciousness, and had a question. Having set the book down for a few days I was trying to remember some of the concepts covered in prior chapters.  Instead of thumbing back and trying to find material previously read and re-reading it, I decided to see if Alexa could help.  After all, the Echo device was just a few feet away.

I began by asking her to summarize the book, which she did to my satisfaction. I then pushed her to say more, which she did (although more or less giving me a rewording of her first response) and then I quizzed her on some of the terms she had used in her summary.

Satisfied that I was getting accurate, albeit simplified answers, I proceeded with other questions that came to mind.  These included a general question I had about connections to Maslow’s hierarchy and some terms that I was reading that I needed to be refreshed on their meaning.

I found the responses helpful and I then went back to reading my book. However, I did realize that this could be a useful thing to do from time to time when I stop to reflect on books I am reading.  Why not verbally use Alexa to focus my mental review?

Now, I have included my full conversation with Alexa on the Wilber book at the bottom of this article if you are interested.  However, I do want to offer a few “user’s tips” on discussing deeper topics with Alexa.

One: Be sure you have a degree of familiarity with the topic you are asking about.

I have discovered that you can get incorrect information if you’re not careful.  You need to know enough to detect BS. Also, the more complex ideas you ask about, the more the systems seem to realize you know about the topic and they appear to go “deeper”.

Two: Don’t hesitate to make them respond more fully. 

As I did, ask them for “more”.  Ask them to take the response “deeper”.  Ask follow up questions based on their response.

Three: Formulate the question as much as possible in your mind before asking verbally.

I’ve started a question and then started rewording it in a stream of consciousness style as I was saying it.  That only currently confuses most AI systems.

Four: Be sure to ask Alexa to “compare and contrast” what you are reading to some other author, book or topic. 

I have gotten some interesting food for thought doing this.

Five:  If you find you want a transcript of your discussion, it is available either on the Alexa App on a device or online on the “Alexa privacy” pages at the Amazon website after you have logged into your account.

I hope that this information is helpful to you.  I am going to keep using this tool and will share further insights later.

Feel free to drop me a comment on ways you have used Alexa’s new AI capabilities.

Mark

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Alexa Conversation Transcript

 

Q: Can you give me a quick overview of Ken Wilber’s Spectrum of Consciousness?

A: Ken Wilber’s Spectrum of Consciousness explores human awareness levels, from basic unity to advanced non-dual states. It maps consciousness evolution through pre-personal, personal, and transpersonal stages, emphasizing ego transcendence and integration of various awareness levels.

Q: Can you say more?

A: Wilber’s model outlines a journey through consciousness levels, from basic unity to advanced non-dual states. It maps development through pre-personal, personal, and transpersonal stages, emphasizing ego transcendence and integration of various awareness levels.

Q: What are the pre-personal stages?

A: Pre-personal stages in Wilber’s model focus on early consciousness stages characterized by undifferentiated awareness, sensory-physical experiences, phantasmic-emotional responses, and representative thinking These correspond to infancy and early childhood development.

Source(s): Wikipedia

Q: What are the transpersonal stages?

A: The transpersonal stages in Wilber’s model represent advanced consciousness levels beyond the personal ego. They include psychic, subtle, causal, and ultimately nondual awareness, where individuals experience unity with all existence.

Q: How does one develop non-dual consciousness?

A: Developing nondual consciousness involves transcending the ego and moving toward higher awareness levels. This process includes recognizing the illusion of separate self, integrating various consciousness levels, and experiencing increasingly profound states of unity with all existence.

Q: How does this relate to Abraham Maslow’s higher states of motivation?

A: Both Wilber and Maslow explore human development, but from different angles. Maslow’s hierarchy focuses on motivation through needs fulfillment, while Wilber’s spectrum maps consciousness evolution. Wilber sees development as waves building toward spiritual integration, similar to Maslow’s self-actualization and transcendence stages.

Source(s): Wikipedia

Q: What does the centaur represent in Wilber’s work?

A: In Wilber’s model, the centaur represents a stage where the ego is strong and healthy, but not dominant . It’s a balanced state between personal and transpersonal consciousness, where the individual has a solid sense of self while beginning to experience deeper connections to the world around them.

Source(s): Wikipedia

Q: What does Wilber mean by the fallacy of misplaced concreteness?

A: The fallacy of misplaced concreteness is when we treat abstract ideas as if they were real, physical things. It’s like confusing a map with the actual territory it represents.

Source(s): Wikipedia

Q: How does Wilber define the primary dualism versus the secondary dualism?

A: Wilber’s primary dualism is the subject-object split, creating the illusion of a separate self. Secondary dualism is life versus death, emerging once we develop a sense of self and fear its loss.

Source(s): Wikipedia

Q: How does he define tertiary dualism?

A: Tertiary dualism is the mind-body split, where we increasingly identify with our mind or ego while distancing from our physical body.

Source(s): Wikipedia

 

Ernest Holmes is the well-known spiritual teacher and founder of the New Thought philosophy, Science of Mind.  Today, his teachings continue through his books, articles, audios and the classes at many spiritual centers, especially those who are a part of Centers for Spiritual Living.

Although most of Holmes’ many books were written alone, there are a few that are co-authored with other individuals mostly with fairly well-known teachers in Science of Mind.  However, one book is different – the small volume entitled “Values – A Philosophy of Human Needs” published in 1932 by the University of Chicago which was co-authored by an individual named Milton Sills.

Who was Milton Sills?

Most of us today may not be familiar with Sills, but he does rate a Wikipedia page.  There you can read the details of his life as a stage and screen actor in the early part of the twentieth century.  He has his own “star” on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.  Although he passed in 1930, you can find him on IMDB.

Of special note from his bios online is the fact that he was also a student of philosophy and served as a professor at the University of Chicago before his rise to fame as an actor.  This fact played a role in the connection between Holmes and Sills.

According the Fenwicke Holmes’ biography of his brother, Ernest Holmes, His Life and Times, soon after establishing Science of Mind magazine, Willett L. Hardin, Ph.D., a scientist, became closely associated with Ernest” and “they decided to begin the publication of a new magazine under Dr. Hardin’s editorship, which would be called Quarterly Journal of Science, Religion and Philosophy.

Whereas Science of Mind would be the primary “publicly focused” periodical, Ernest felt that the “Journal” would allow for the sharing of more “scholarly” writings. For example, the Summer 1930 issue included a conversation discussion by “The Philosopher, The Scientist, The Psychologist, The Religionist and The Metaphysician” on the topic of “Is there a Conscious Intelligence in the Universe that responds to man?” Heady stuff indeed.

Fenwicke writes that Sills joined the staff of the Journal as an associate editor in the fall of 1930. Given that Sills’ untimely passing was in September 1930, this role was apparently short lived.  The Journal itself was published for only a short while by the Institute of Religious Science before being turned over the University of Southern California who continued it for a few years more.

Although it’s not clear from Fenwicke’s writings when Holmes and Sills met, he does describe it occurring through connections made by Ernest’s wife Hazel stating “Hazel drew her own kind of people—people from the movies, artists, musicians. … and she was part of the work of such stars as Doris Kenyon and Milton Sills and many others.”

He goes on to describe how his brother “and Milton Sills who, with his beautiful actress-wife, Doris Kenyon, had become close friends of Ernest and Hazel, held long discussions on philosophy at about this time.” He added that “in 1932, after Dr. Sills’ death, these were published in a slim volume entitled Values which has since become a collector’s item.”

In his recollections, Fenwicke felt that “These dialogues were all reminiscent of Ernest’s and my early “library discussions” in the parsonage in Venice and our later questing exchanges with Dr. Ameen Fareed on psychiatry and with Rabbi Ernest R. Trattner on the cabala and represented a type of learning that my brother practiced throughout his life.”

In the Foreword to the book Values, Holmes wrote:

“This book consists for the most part of stenographic reports of actual conversations between Milton Sills and myself. The single exception is the dialogue on immortality, which has been written by me. It however in my opinion constitutes a fair representation of Milton Sills’s belief about the continuity of the human soul. It was our intention to cover this subject in our conversations. I believe that the dialogues will answer many questions about his philosophic outlook on life.”

Holmes described Sills as being “deeply spiritual, highly intellectual and bordered on the mystical”.  He added that Sills believed in “emergent evolution” (as did Holmes) seeing it as an “ever ascending but never reaching a final goal” fostering an acceptance that eternity is not a place to attain but an “everlasting progress in which an individual never loses those elements essential to the continuation of a definitely individualized entity”.

Years ago, this small volume fell into the public domain and one can find reprints of it available for sale online.  In the recent and ongoing efforts to inventory the works of Holmes [in my role as a board member and key researcher for the Science of Mind Archives] combined with the goal of making as much of this content available online via its website, it was recently discovered that this book had not yet been posted there.  That oversight has been corrected, and the Archives is pleased to present this book for your spiritual development and enjoyment.

In these compiled transcripts, you can read the conversations between Holmes and Sills on the topics of Reality, The Creator in Creation, Values, Personality, Faith and Immortality.  Fans of Holmes who are not familiar with this book will find it to be a great treat!

You can find it available on the Science of Mind Archives website here.

 

Mark Gilbert

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To give you a “taste” of this book and their conversations, here is a brief excerpt from the chapter on “Faith”.

Mr. Sills: Has there ever been a time in your life, Ernest, when faith completely collapsed in you?

Mr. Holmes: Yes, there have been times when my faith was temporarily lost, when I could not seem to hold on but it has always returned and with greater conviction.

Mr. Sills: There have been times in my life when my faith so completely collapsed that I did not believe in anything, when a sort of universal skepticism crept over me. However, even at that time some vestige of faith must have remained or I could not have lived from moment to moment.

Mr. Holmes: Don’t you think, Milton, that all men really live by faith?

Mr. Sills: I do and I mean by that that they live by assuming certain things to be true that they cannot prove by reason or intellect.

Mr. Holmes: Don’t you think that the lives and experiences of people have proved that their faith has been justified?

Mr. Sills: Yes, I do, but not intellectually, pragmatically rather. I believe that the whole ascending edifice in which we live and move and have our being is sustained by faith and not by intellectual reasoning.

Mr. Holmes: It seems to me, Milton, that there is something in us more fundamental than the intellect. One thing is certain, that in so far as a man loses faith in life and in people he is lost, intellectually and spiritually. He becomes, temporarily at least, a hopeless sort of individual.

Mr. Sills: That is true.

Mr. Holmes: It is also true that as one regains a natural and spontaneous faith in life, he is given back to himself, he becomes happy and useful to the world.

Mr. Sills: I think such a person can be called “twice born.”

Mr. Holmes: Yes. There is such a thing as being twice born. I suppose we are all changing, being reborn into a greater experience every day.

Mr. Sills: I should like to become a little more concrete at this moment and say that most of the things that we believe, we believe on hearsay; we take them for granted. I, for example, must believe on hearsay what my mother and father told me, that they were my parents. I must believe on hearsay that my brother was born of the same parents. I have no memories of my own birth, nor of my brother’s birth. I have no knowledge of an eye-witness sort, of events connected with my birth or my brother’s birth. It is possible to question whether a world external to myself exists but interaction with that world forces me to believe that there is a world external to me. I must accept, for practical purposes, the belief that other people in general are honest, that the books I read strike a note of seriousness, that they are honest. I must believe that other people act in general and think in general, in much the same way as I do, that they eat and sleep, that they reproduce, that they work for their livelihood. I must accept in good faith, in short, a universe around me with some order and some integrity, in order merely to continue living myself. Don’t you say the same thing?

Mr. Holmes: Even the scientist finds himself confronted by laws which existed before he investigated them he, too must have faith in these laws. The philosopher must finally reach a conclusion which he accepts through faith. The practical psychologist also starts with the assumption that life already is. We must and do live by faith.

Mr. Sills: Let us take the case of the scientist, whether physicist, chemist, biologist or psychologist he believes that the evidence of his senses can be relied upon.

Mr. Holmes: In that way he has faith in himself, doesn’t he, faith in the integrity of his own being?

Mr. Sills: But what I am getting at is the faith that the experiments imply, an antecedent faith in the man’s own operations. I have faith, for example, that a yardstick always remains a yardstick and always measures the same, that is a yard, that if I measure a tree and find it to be six feet tall and then put the measuring stick against a man and find him to be six feet tall, that they are the same height, that the measuring stick does not change in its transfer from the tree to the man.

 

Everyday I have an emotional reaction to the news.  So often these days I experience a range of emotions from anger to fear to despair and the like over what is going on “out there” in the world. This week is no different.

In my best moments, I can look “through” the events I witness and see how they might be a call or a step towards our positive evolution as a collective humanity. In my worst times, my rising anger wants me to “fight back”.

I know that I am not alone in these feelings.  Everywhere I go, every deeper conversation that I have with others is laced with comments about the state of the world. Beneath the voiced words are those frequently unexpressed feelings of “I’m worried”, “I don’t know what’s going on”, “I wish I knew what to do” and the like.

Many express to me what might be seen as a “fight or flight” response… “I’m going to do everything I can do to fight these [expletives]” or “I’m going to move to another country”.

Both seem like reasonable responses from many perspectives, but there is a higher viewpoint we can take at this moment. We can use our free will within our sphere of influence to further a spiritual revolution on the planet.

What Does That Mean?

What do I mean by “free will”?  I mean that you as a spiritual being living in this human experience can choose what you think, do and say at every moment.  You are not a victim to the outer world and its events.  You have the ability (and the “response ability”) to make a higher and more loving choice.

What do I mean by “sphere of influence”?  Imagine yourself as a point of light projecting outward right where you are.  Your “light” includes your thoughts, words and actions. Your “light” shines in all directions impacting (positively or negatively) not only yourself but those who are within your reach. The reach of some may be limited while the reach of others may seem vast, but no matter the extension of “our reach” we all create a ripple in the world with every choice we make.

What do I mean by a “spiritual revolution”? Ultimately, I am referring to a shift of consciousness by a significant number of people on the planet where more of us not only see and experience our ultimate unity and oneness but also make our personal choices based on that truth.

If in this moment such a shift of consciousness sounds impossible, it’s important to remember that every “revolution” started through a small group of people.   In fact, this spiritual revolution is already in progress!

I have frequently written that there is one core belief on which humanity is divided that I believe to be the root of the majority if not all our problems.  That difference is about humanity’s sense of separation or unity.

Here is one way of stating it: are we separate human beings in competition for limited resources, power and control of the planet based on “survival of the fittest” or are we interdependent spiritual beings seeking unity through growing and evolving via a shared human experience of love and cooperation?

Are We Separate or One?

As I have written about many times, we are all on a spiritual evolutionary journey.  We were “born of Oneness” but called to experience separation via our human experiences. Our evolution moves us through opportunities to learn and grow but to ultimately “return home to our Oneness” and know it at a deeper level based on our journey.

This journey is not without challenges and struggles that present themselves to us to move through and learn from.  We often refer to these moments as “breakdowns for breakthroughs”.  We appear to be going through one of those evolutionary challenges right now.

All our human journey calls for the releasing of old ways and old beliefs that no longer serve us.  Yet, we can all attest to the fact from our personal lives that letting go of old beliefs is difficult.  Our egos cling to the “known”, even with its limitations, over letting go into the leap to the “unknown”.  There is comfort in holding onto the “devil we know” over fears of the “potential angel we don’t fully comprehend”.

Collectively, humanity is both moving through such a choice point and experiencing the fear of letting go.  Many people cling to the “known” of separation and competition.  Their attachment to that belief leads to the human experiences of violence, war, racism, political divisiveness, income inequality and the many other human decisions that cause harm to one another.

Yet, there is something in us that burns for a greater and grander world.  Many seek a world where a higher level of care and concern for each other is exhibited, where cooperation is the norm, where sharing is a given, where violence and racism is eradicated, where love is fully given and received.  We know we want a world where we treat others as we wish to be treated.  “A world that works for all.”

But it appears that we are in that breakdown period where many people (as individual aspects of that one life) cling to the old as many other people (also as individual aspects of that one life) seek to reach higher levels of our spiritual-human experience.  Our collective “break though” is pulling us forward while our collective fears fight the change.

We experience this breakdown via the increased “craziness” and “man’s inhumanity to man” that is presented to us in the news.  We can choose how to respond to all this stuff by contributing to the “breakdown” via fear, retribution and the like.  Or we can choose to move us forward towards the “break though” by working towards a spiritual revolution. What do you choose?

How Can We Be a “Spiritual Revolutionary”?

So, what can we “do” if we feel the need to support a “spiritual revolution”?

Well, a complete answer to that question is beyond the scope of a reasonable length to this article.  Books have and will be written on this topic. (In fact, it was the underlying subject of my 2012 book Be Yourself – Evolving the World Through Personal Empowerment.) Yet, I do want to conclude here with a few thoughts on that question. And, I would love to hear your ideas.

Some thoughts…..

Ensure you have personal or spiritual practices that remind you of your unity with everyone and everything. Our experience of the material world tends to reinforce the belief that we are separate individuals. Hence, we need to counteract that by ensuring we take time to experience unity via meditation and other similar practices.

Reframe your view of the world to realize that we are on a spiritual evolutionary journey back to unity and oneness.  I personally experienced a major shift in how I saw the world after realizing the process of spiritual involution and evolution.  Others have experienced the same. If this idea is new to you, seek out books or online content which discuss it. Many of my materials do such as my book Our Spiritual Evolution but seek ideas from many sources.

Open your mind and heart to the reality that as “individualized expressions of the One”, we are all at different points on our journey and therefore see things differently.  I often say that if I had experienced the life of the person with whom I disagree, I might believe as they do. Recognizing we are all on our own paths at different points opens me to compassion and understanding.

Know that when you may need to set healthy boundaries against others who seek to harm or control you, not to take it personally.  Yes, as loving and as open as you may want to always be, you will encounter others who are at a different point on their journey and who may act in harmful ways.  You need to find a way to both protect yourself in the physical world while still being loving and understanding within your thoughts.  Yes, I know, this is difficult.  Always remember that their actions are not about you personally even though it may feel that way. NOTE that this frequently does call us to push back against harmful actions in the political arena!

Seek to find what is yours to do and be in the world to further our spiritual evolution and then act in alignment with that urge.  Each of us has a calling, a purpose, an inner urge to express ourselves in some way.  Get clarity on that purpose and then express it the best you can in the world.  When you do, not only will you feel harmony with the universe (which is good!) but you most likely will feel the desire to be of service, to “give your gift to the world”.

After “doing what is yours to do”, let go of attachment to the outcome – surrender to the truth that things will work out alright.  Stop worrying, let go of the anxiety, let go of the belief that you need to change the world. In the short term, we may experience less than what we want, but in the eternity of Spirit everything is OK.

Finally, enjoy your life and see every moment as an opportunity to give and receive love. Your life is a gift, and your best experience is living it as a true treasure to be cherished. Every relationship with every other person (as their own expression of the Divine) is an opportunity for you to give your love to them and to be open to their sharing their love with you.  Love is truly a spiritual evolutionary force that pushes us along and calls us home.

So, to all you “spiritual revolutionaries”, know that   the time is now.

Love and blessings,

Mark Gilbert

 

 

Across spiritual traditions and historical periods, one insight keeps resurfacing in new language: consciousness is not a byproduct of the universe; it is the source of it. In contrast to the mainstream belief of materialistic science, this understanding points us to an alternate worldview; one where the essential nature of the universe is not physical matter but rather one where consciousness serves as the “ground of all being”.  What we experience as the material world comes from this underlying intelligent field of Consciousness.

In his recent (2024) book Consciousness Is All There Is, neuroscientist and Vedic scholar Dr. Tony Nader presents a clear and elegant model of how consciousness gives rise to experience. He explains that manifestation involves three inseparable aspects: the observer (subject), the process of observing, and the observed (object). These are not separate things but differentiated expressions of one consciousness knowing itself.

As a New Thought minister, I was intrigued by Nader’s subject matter as it resonates with a key part of New Thought teaching – that everything is “Mind” or “Consciousness”. A common misconception, when people hear those words, is to interpret them to mean that (as described in New Thought or in Nader’s book) the physical world is simply an “illusion”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As I read Nader’s book, how his explanation of creation via the Consciousness Paradigm aligns with New Thought, particularly the model taught in Science of Mind.  What follows are some thoughts on how the creative process as articulated over a century ago by New Thought philosopher Thomas Troward and later developed into a practical spiritual system by Ernest Holmes, founder of Science of Mind, relates to the Vedic ideas as outlined by Nader.

I believe this exploration to be quite fascinating and a potential source of spiritual insights for us all.

One Reality, Three Aspects

Dr. Nader’s central premise is simple and radical: Consciousness alone exists, and everything that appears arises from consciousness itself.  This belief goes back to ancient non-dual concepts originating in India.  Nader’s original study of them was based on his famous teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of “Transcendental Meditation”.

As Nader writes, “What scientists do not know is how our abstract, nonphysical consciousness and subjective conscious experiences could possibly emerge from matter, or if, indeed, they do.” Based upon the ancient Indian metaphysical principles, Nader offers in his book a detailed description of how instead consciousness gives rise to the material world.  As a shorthand, he refers to it as the Consciousness Paradigm.

In this view, the observer, the act or process of observing, and the world that appears are all movements within a single, unified field of awareness. Subject and object arise together, not as separate substances, but as roles Consciousness plays to experience itself.

Consciousness plays these three roles in all levels of existence, from the “highest” or “largest” level of “Absolute Being” down to the “lowest” or “smallest” relative level of manifest experience (atoms, molecules, etc.).  What is “created” is appropriate to that level of existence.

Essential to each of us is the role we play as a human being serving simultaneously as a “subject” (via our internal thoughts) as they move through an observing process leading to the “object” we perceive in the world.  What sounds like a sequence of steps in human perception (subject, process, object) is described in the Consciousness Paradigm as a simultaneous occurrence that brings the perceived object into being.

Now it is beyond the scope of this article to fully explain this paradigm, so if you want the details, I highly recommend Nader’s book.  What I do wish to explore is the relationship between this model and New Thought.

To begin that comparison, Holmes offers definitions that are surprisingly aligned with this triadic understanding (from his small book entitled New Thought Dictionary):

“Spirit Life essence which permeates all persons and all things. The Thing within everything which makes it what it is. God, the Living Spirit Almighty.”

“Mind Mind in a conscious state has the same meaning as Spirit. Mind as law means the subjective reaction of thought or the Law of Mind in action.”

“Mind, all-inclusive Cause, medium and effect, law, consciousness, power, action and reaction-all are included in Mind.”

Here are two key things that I want you to note from these definitions:

One: Holmes uses many terms for the “oneness” that is behind this universe.  These include God or Spirit or “The Thing Itself” or “The All” and so on.  The capital M “Mind” of “Science of Mind” in its “conscious state” is also one of those terms for this oneness. Hence everything contains “Mind” which equates to Nader’s view that Consciousness is all there is.

Two: Holmes in defining “Mind, all-inclusive” desires to point out to us that when we fully examine the “Mind” that is in everything, even though it is a “oneness” it serves three roles as “cause, medium and effect”.  Hence, in our most inclusive way of examining this “Mind” that permeates the universe, it is the consciousness that makes the choice, the power that acts on the choice and the effect that is experienced in the material universe. Therefore, Mind serves for Holmes as the same subject-process-object as Nader describes.

Let’s look at that a bit deeper.

The Observer and the Objective Mind

In New Thought terminology, Holmes and Troward called the conscious, choosing aspect of Mind the objective mind. This is the part of us that reasons, evaluates, decides, and directs attention. It is where intention is formed and meaning is assigned.

Troward described it thusly:

“The subjective mind is only able to reason deductively and not inductively, while the objective mind can do both. … As a consequence of this it follows that the subjective mind is entirely under the control of the objective mind.”
(The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science)

This closely parallels what Dr. Nader calls the subject—the observer. It is awareness localized as a point of view. Whenever we choose what we will believe, focus on, or give significance to, we are functioning as the observer within consciousness.

Holmes emphasized that this choosing function is not creative by itself, but it is essential. The objective mind selects the idea; what happens next depends on a deeper level.

NOTE: It can feel counterintuitive that New Thought’s ‘objective mind’ corresponds to the ‘subject’ in Nader’s paradigm. This reflects a difference in vocabulary rather than a contradiction. We might consider that Troward and Holmes are outlining a “metaphysical” model when describing the powers of objective mind while Nader’s use of the term “subject” relates more to psychology’s distinction between our inner “subjective” awareness and the outer “objective” world.

The Creative Process and the Subjective Mind

The most important point of connection between these systems appears in what happens after an idea is chosen.

Dr. Nader refers to the process of observing—the dynamics by which consciousness transforms intention into experience. This process is lawful, orderly, and precise. Consciousness does not randomly create; it unfolds according to its own inherent intelligence.

Holmes and Troward called this same function the subjective mind. They were careful to say that it does not reason or decide. Instead, it accepts impressions and acts upon them faithfully.

Again, from Holmes’ New Thought Dictionary:

“Subjective Mind as mechanical law Thought, falling into a subjective state, enters into a mechanical field of cause and effect.”

And Troward emphasized its creative abilities:

“Now these are facts fully established by hundreds of experiments conducted by a variety of investigators in different parts of the world, and from them we may draw two inferences of the highest importance: one, that the subjective mind is in itself absolutely impersonal, and the other that it is the builder of the body, or in other words it is the creative power in the individual.”
(The Edinburgh Lectures)

In modern language, we might say this is the level at which meaning becomes pattern, and pattern becomes form. It is not personal willpower that creates results, but alignment with this deeper creative process.

The World We Experience

In all three frameworks, the object—the world we experience—is the result, not the cause. Conditions are effects. They are expressions of how consciousness has been using itself.

This does not mean we “control” life in a simplistic way, nor does it imply blame when things are difficult. Rather, it invites a more compassionate and participatory understanding of life. Experience becomes feedback, not judgment.  Understanding the creative process of Consciousness or Mind brings a freedom from what we often experience as bondage to the ‘conditions of our life.’

Holmes gets at that point in this extended quote from his book A New Design for Living:

“Regardless of how much conditions may seem to bear down upon us, how impregnable they may appear to be, how impossible it may seem to change them, we must always keep foremost in our minds that they are only effects, results of unseen causes and the action of Law. The starting point, then, for our experience of a greater freedom, a greater good, is the emancipation of our own thought. And as we start to free our thought we realize that in such degree as we work with the laws of Spirit, they will serve us. Even bondage itself, any sort of bondage, is but a false use we make of freedom.”

“The conditions about us are real, solid, tangible facts. We do not deny their reality. We acknowledge them all for what they appear to be to us. If we did not we would be putting blinders over our eyes, denying the validity of our senses and refusing to accept the logical process of reasoning of our minds. The world is real enough. We face it, we don’t need to avoid it or kid ourselves about it. We accept it for what it is. But we don’t have to stop there. Most people do. And there they sit, with a sense of complete helplessness and of the fruitlessness of struggle. This we are not going to do any longer. We are beginning to know better. We know that there is a thought of some kind, an unseen spiritual cause, that is and must be behind every effect, every appearance, every condition, good or bad. The condition will change as the thought or cause is changed.”

Why This Matters Now

For many people today, traditional religious language no longer resonates. Yet the hunger for meaning, coherence, and belonging remains. A consciousness-based understanding of reality offers a middle way—spiritual without dogma, profound without superstition.

At the same time, for those grounded in New Thought, this broader perspective reconnects familiar principles with contemporary conversations in science, philosophy, and non-dual spirituality. It reminds us that Science of Mind is not an artifact of the past, but part of a living stream of wisdom.

The shared message is both humbling and empowering:

We are not separate from the creative intelligence of the universe—we are where it becomes aware of itself.

When we live with greater awareness of this relationship, life tends to become more intentional, more compassionate, and more meaningful.

A Living Bridge

Seen together, Dr. Tony Nader, Thomas Troward, and Ernest Holmes are not competing voices, but complementary ones. Each, in his own era and language, points to the same underlying truth:

Consciousness creates by knowing itself—and we are participants in that knowing.

That insight is not only metaphysical. It is deeply practical. It shapes how we think, how we choose, and how we meet the world each day.

I hope you found this exploration useful.

Blessings,

Mark Gilbert

One of the most exciting parts of my role as a researcher for the Science of Mind Archives, is when we discover something, be it a document or recording, whose existence was previously unknown (as far as known).  This has happened many times, usually when I am listening to a newly found recording of spiritual teacher Ernest Holmes. Here I wish to tell you about our new finding of a previously unknown audio recording of the famous philosopher Aldous Huxley along with several others made in 1954.  First, a bit of context.

Background on Research

For the past three plus years, I have been heavily involved (along with others) in the process of digitizing all the older audio recordings in the Archives holdings and bringing them out on our website if appropriate.

The usual route is for our recording guru, Park Peters, to take the old tapes (most frequently reel to reel ones) and lovingly process them into digital files.  The files are usually given a name based on some markings on the old reels.  Frequently these labels are cryptic and incomplete.

I generally take these files, listen to them and try to identify what they are.  This is how we have discovered to date over 200 audio recordings of Holmes, from radio and TV shows to audio for phonograph records to Sunday lectures and more.  Although the process of identifying the recordings can be tedious at times, when something “new” and unexpected is unearthed, it can be exhilarating.

For those of you who are interested, all recordings and writings of Holmes are listed on our active inventory spreadsheet available for all to review online HERE.  

This inventory will give you information on anything related to Ernest Holmes that we have located and if it has been posted on the website yet.  We have a smaller database on our audio recordings made by teacher Raymond Charles Barker that you can find HERE. 

Sometimes this whole process turns out something totally unexpected.  I have listened to the recordings of weddings and music and other fun things that don’t make the cut to be shared on the Archives website (at least yet!).

The “New Discovery”

Recently, when Park turned over some newly digitized recordings, he stated that one of them contained an interview with philosopher Aldous Huxley. This has to be one of the most unusual things to turn up.  At this point, how this recording made its way to our physical collection is totally unknown!

After listening to the audio and researching its background, I have been unable to find any reference to this recording online.  Therefore, I believe that this is a “new” and previously unknown Huxley audio.  [If anyone has details on its prior existence, please post a comment and let me know where it was already available!]

So, what is this recording?

It was made on January 30, 1954, by KNX Radio in Los Angeles, California.  It sounds like a studio recording rather than one made off an over the air broadcast. The format is a panel interview with Dave Showalter of the radio station serving as moderator. Showalter was their public affairs director and the recording appears to have been made for possibly a non-commercial radio broadcast as there are no commercial breaks.  Showalter mentions that this program was produced by the station’s public affairs program in the “public interest”.

There are three guests on the show: Aldous Huxley, Gustaf Stromberg and James Crenshaw.  The topic being discussed is “Psychic Phenomenon”. The program runs about 30 minutes.

Huxley is, of course, the well-known philosopher and author of many books including Brave New World, The Perennial Philosophy and The Doors of Perception.

Stromberg was an astronomer who served on the staff of the Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles for many years.  He is the author of numerous books including The Soul of the Universe and The Searchers.  Of note is the fact that Stromberg during this time was a frequent contributor to Science of Mind Magazine and his involvement may relate to how the archives ended up with this recording.

Crenshaw was a news reporter in Southern California and penned the book Telephone Between Worlds on the topic of after death communication.

An Interesting Excerpt

To whet your interest in listening to the recording, here is an excerpt with a lively discussion on the topic of “Mind”.

Strongberg: “Well, of course my interest ordinarily has been in astronomy and physics and related phenomena that is natural science, but I was interested in philosophy as a young man and in later years I have been studying different aspects of psychical research. Not making any experiments myself, but following the general investigations which are going on and I’ve come to the conclusion that in the human brain we have an organ which makes it possible for us to contact certain activities in the world’s soul. Which is an old idea introduced by Plato, perhaps not originally. And the idea is that our brain is not a machine by which we think, it’s an instrument by which we make contact with a cosmic ocean of consciousness. It’s a receiving set tuned, which can be tuned or is tuned,  to certain activities in a Universal Mind.”

Showalter: “Let me interrupt you just at this point, Dr. Stromberg, if you will, please, Mr. Huxley, how do you feel about this particular statement that Doctor Stromberg has just made here, sir?”

Huxley: Well, I’m in substantial agreement with it. I feel very strongly that mind is not completely explicable in terms of physical phenomena as the currently fashionable hypothesis supposes. I’m quite convinced, as Jung for example, if anybody chooses to read that very valuable book of Jung’s Modern Man in Search of a Soul has made so very clear that we must regard mind as something independent, as a real substantial existence. And this conception, after all, has been held by a number of very eminent modern philosophers, take William James who expresses himself in phrases very like those which Doctor Stromberg has just used, where James was convinced that the brain does not produce thought, it is the instrument of thought. It is the veil of, so to speak, through which what he calls a continuum of cosmic consciousness enters the individual life. And the French philosopher Bergson felt exactly the same thing. He regarded mind as being potentially omniscient, aware of everything everywhere and the brain being, so to speak, the reducing valve, which made this universal mind available for individuals on the surface of the planet, made it possible for us to survive as biological creatures on the planet. And this goes back, of course, to very ancient times and we have the same idea in religion. After all, what is the phrase of Saint Paul? God, in whom we live and move and have our being. This is simply another expression of this basic conception, which I personally regard as true.

Conclusion and Link to Audio

What do you think? Sound interesting?  Want to hear the audio?  Well, you can!

The Archives has turned this into a video with a slide presentation scrolling by and posted the whole thing on their YouTube channel for the world to hear!

Here’s the LINK FOR THE VIDEO containing the newly discovered audio.

While you’re there, be sure to subscribe to the Archive’s YouTube channel!

Mark Gilbert

They’re rebooting the Superman film series again, with a new release slated for summer 2025. I’ll probably go see it—I’ve enjoyed most of the previous ones.

That said, I’ve got a confession: I’ve always been more of a Spider-Man fan. As a kid, I bought all the Marvel Comics and only dabbled in a few DC titles. Superman always felt a bit too powerful, too perfect—harder to relate to.

But recently, I’ve started seeing him through a new lens—a spiritual one. And surprisingly, Superman has more in common with New Thought teachings than I ever imagined.

A Spiritual Superhero?

I recently read an article titled Is he Christ? Is he Moses? Superman’s religious and ethical undertones add to his mystique. While it leans heavily on traditional Jewish and Christian interpretations, it briefly touches on Superman’s appeal to the “religiously unaffiliated.”

I especially appreciated a quote by scholar and comic book expert A. David Lewis, who said:

“Superman gives us access to something transcendent.”

That line resonated with me—and sparked a deeper reflection. Through my spiritual lens, I see not only a material world but also realms of mind and spirit that we simultaneously inhabit. Superman’s extraordinary abilities could be viewed as symbols pointing to those higher, transcendent aspects of reality.

So, just for fun, let’s explore some spiritual and New Thought connections we might find in the Superman mythos.

Superman and Self-Mastery

One of New Thought’s core teachings is the power of thought. Most of us go through life reacting unconsciously to whatever thoughts arise. But if our thoughts—shaped by emotion—help co-create our physical reality, then our first spiritual task is to gain control over them.

This process is often described as self-mastery. We begin to notice our mental patterns, challenge them, and replace unhelpful thoughts with those aligned with truth, love, and purpose. But to do that, we need an inner compass.

Superman doesn’t just have power—he has discipline. He remains calm, centered, and governed by a deep moral code. He uses his gifts for service, not self-glorification. That aligns closely with New Thought teachings that spiritual power must be exercised ethically and lovingly.

Superman and Overcoming Past Limitations

On the path to self-mastery, we inevitably run into limiting beliefs formed in childhood or past experiences. These must be faced, released, and replaced.

So when is Superman at his weakest? When he’s near Kryptonite. What is Kryptonite if not a symbol of the painful remnants of his past? It represents the part of him tied to an identity he’s outgrown. It weakens him, much like our unhealed traumas or fears that separate us from our divine strength.

In New Thought, we recognize that these “Kryptonites” are internal. They only have power over us when we forget who we truly are.

Superman and the Human Alter Ego

New Thought reminds us that we are spiritual beings expressing through a human experience. But it’s easy to forget. The ego clings to the identity of the small self, immersed in appearances.

Superman, too, has a human alter ego: Clark Kent. Meek and mild-mannered, he represents the way we often see ourselves—limited, ordinary. But that’s not the full picture. His true self is powerful, free, and here for a purpose.

Our spiritual journey mirrors this dual identity. As we evolve, we move from identifying with our ego to awakening our divine self—our unity with Spirit.

Superman and Awakening the Christ Consciousness

New Thought teaches that our divine self, fully realized, is known as Christ Consciousness. Jesus demonstrated this state and was honored with the title the Christ. But he never claimed exclusivity—his life was an invitation to awaken the same truth within ourselves.

Superman, mythically speaking, parallels this journey. Sent from the heavens. Raised among us. Possessing great power. Here to help save the world. Beyond his surface similarities to Jesus, he represents the idealized self—our own divine nature fully realized.

Nietzsche, Aurobindo, and the Spiritual Superman

The term “superman” actually predates the comic book. Friedrich Nietzsche used it in Thus Spoke Zarathustra to describe the Übermensch: a human who transcends conventional morality to embody their highest potential. He wrote:

“Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the superman—a rope over an abyss.”

While Nietzsche’s framing was philosophical and often misunderstood, his idea can be interpreted as a call to human evolution—not just physically, but in consciousness.

Indian mystic Sri Aurobindo took this further. He taught that the Divine embedded itself in creation through involution and that we are evolving back to our divine source. Evolution, to Aurobindo, was not just biological but spiritual.

Ernest Holmes, founder of Science of Mind, echoed a similar view:

“Our concept is that we live in a spiritual universe right now. God is not evolving — nothing has happened to God; but within this Thing which does evolve, there is a continual manifestation of life and an evolution of forms, ad infinitum…”

Holmes added that the goal of this evolution is:

“…the awakening of the soul to a recognition of its unity with the Whole.”

Aurobindo, in writing about the spiritual “superman,” stated:

“The self that thou hast to become, is the self that thou art within behind the veil of mind and life and matter… It is to live in the infinite and possess the finite. It is to live in God and be one with him in his being. To become thyself is to be this in all that flows from it.”
Source: Awakin.org

Conclusion

I hope this exploration into the intersection of Superman and New Thought has been both fun and enlightening. It’s amazing how even our childhood heroes can become mirrors for our spiritual growth.

While the mythic figure of Superman can certainly serve as a symbol for our personal growth in the physical world, I believe his deeper invitation is toward our spiritual unfoldment. There is a divine impulse within us, ever calling us to our highest and greatest expression. It urges us to transcend the illusion of separation, to move beyond the confines of the ego self, and to awaken to our true nature as individualized expressions of the One. This inner call is the voice of the indwelling Presence, drawing us forward on the path of spiritual evolution—to embody our own ‘superman’ or ‘superwoman’ as we consciously realize the Christ Consciousness within.

What about you? Do you see these connections—or perhaps others I haven’t mentioned? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Mark Gilbert

 

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no expert on things like Tarot cards or using hexes, but I have read a little on the subjects—and I find them very interesting.

What I’ve come to believe is that these material-world “things” can serve as bridges—connecting the spiritual realm through our consciousness into our everyday, physical reality. Let me explain.

New Thought and other spiritual traditions teach that we are swimming in an ocean of consciousness or Mind. There is a Power and a Presence moving through us all the time, and we can tap into it consciously—either to gain spiritual wisdom or to manifest material experiences. The process of affirmative prayer to enhance our lives by tapping this power is a well known New Thought technique.

Imagine a non-material realm full of information, guidance, and inspiration that we can access to benefit our lives here on Earth. Additionally, many New Thought communities teach a meditative practice called visioning, where one asks questions of Spirit and then listens inwardly for what comes through.

I’ve taught visioning many times and led innumerable sessions. In my experience, many people initially struggle to trust the information that comes through. They often believe it’s just their ego talking. And in the beginning, that may be true—but with practice, we learn to discern the difference between the ego and our “higher mind.” And, sometimes we can get a bit of assistance in setting aside our human conditioning from some unexpected sources.

Tarot Cards?

A few years ago, I picked up a book called The Easiest Way to Learn the Tarot—Ever!! by Dusty White. Off and on, I’ve worked with the exercises the author recommends. What I appreciate about her method is that she emphasizes it’s not about memorizing what others say the cards mean. Instead, it’s about tapping into your own intuition—discovering what the cards say to you.

In other words, focusing your attention on the imagery of a particular card helps quiet the thinking, ego-driven mind. This opens a channel to information that transcends our everyday thoughts and beliefs. The cards become a bridge to wisdom beyond the material.

Now, I know some seasoned Tarot readers might argue that I’m glossing over the deep symbolic history of the cards—and they’re probably right. But what I’ve come to believe is this: whether or not you “believe in” Tarot, it’s possible to be open to the way this tool may serve as a connection to non-material wisdom—via our own intuition.

Hexes and Magick?

Normally, I don’t give much thought to magick, voodoo, hexes, or the like. But as a fan and colleague of writer Mitch Horowitz, I recently read his book Practical Magick.

In it, Mitch provides a solid overview of magick’s history as a tool for manifesting desired human experiences. (And just to clarify: “magick” with a k isn’t the same as stage magic, which is about illusions.) As someone who writes often on New Thought and the power of conscious intention, Mitch does a great job connecting the dots between our beliefs and the outcomes of magickal processes.

Horowitz writes:

“I believe that seeking communion with a deific intelligence forms a natural complement to your psyche’s latent capacities. The spiritual search, as I pursue it, welcomes enigmatic interplay of paradoxes and harmonization of seemingly discordant practices. Venturing into the realm of deity relationship might prove a pivotal chapter in your search. And if it is, finally, self that you are experiencing—well, how much greater, bolder, and efficacious might that self be?”

He asks:

“Does a bridge exist between ceremony and psyche?”

His book makes the case that these physical-world rituals and processes—what we call magick—can serve as a bridge to deeper mental and spiritual forces.

Here’s where it got really interesting for me. Right after finishing the book, I went to shelve it in my library. As I scanned the shelves, I started randomly browsing through the many volumes Mary and I have collected over the years. For some reason, a stack of old Fate magazines—purchased by Mary years ago but never read—caught my eye.

I pulled out a copy at random and took it into another room to read.

It was the October 1965 issue, and while the ads for metaphysical products were fun to browse, one article in particular drew me in. It was titled “Hex Signs—Pennsylvania’s Painted Prayers” by Henry F. Hoffbower.

The piece began by referencing “hex signs” painted on Pennsylvania Dutch barns—meant to attract protection and prosperity. But as I read further, I was surprised to find that the author took a deeply spiritual, almost mystical approach to the use of hexes. I won’t summarize the entire article here, but let me share a few of his words:

“The discipline of drawing the sign leads to the realization that the individual is at the center of his own universe, but unless he is in the right relationship to the universe or to God, his design will be unbalanced and inharmonious.”

And:

“Man cannot define God, for such a definition would reduce God to something the human mind can grasp. The finite cannot encompass the infinite…. God is thought to be or to have intelligence, to be or to have power, both in infinite measure. Hex does not limit either.”

What I hear in both Horowitz and Hoffbower is this:

Processes like magick and hexes may look like silly superstitions when viewed solely from a materialist perspective. But if we broaden our understanding, we might begin to recognize that these tools can serve a greater purpose—expanding our consciousness and helping us align with higher states of being.

In other words, what looks like “just” a ritual, a symbol, or a superstition might actually be a bridge—a way to shift our consciousness and access divine power.

So what do you think? What spiritual tools have helped you bridge the gap between the seen and unseen? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment or send me a message.

—Mark Gilbert

NOTE:  This is part of our series where we answer your New Thought and Spirituality questions. If you have a question for Mark, be sure to post a comment on this blog or send him an email at revmarkgilbert@hotmail.com

——————————–

Question:  Does every spirit/soul/divine spark start on Earth? Or is it safe to assume they can also start on other planets on different planes as well?

[Question sound familiar? See NOTE at bottom of article.]

Answer:

New Thought and the Science of Mind do not specifically address whether there is life on other worlds or in other planes of existence, but in my opinion they certainly imply it.

The involutionary process of Spirit moving into form and imbedding or involving Itself in Its creation is in no way limited to planet Earth.  The entire material universe is an expression of Spirit, the body of God.  The process of the Divine placing that divine spark within Its creation occurs in every aspect of Itself, even the far reaches of the material universe.

Identically, the evolutionary process of the relative universe of form growing and awakening to the truth of its source in Spirit is in no way limited to planet Earth. The material process of evolution leading to beings with self awareness and the ability to be co-creators with Spirit of their universe is not described as being particular to our planet.

Ernest Holmes wrote, “The fundamental premise of our whole philosophy is that we live in a self-existent universe, self-sustaining, self-energizing, self-perpetuating, self-knowing, self-acting—and that the entire manifestation of Life exists for the delight of its Creator.”

Why would our Creator limit all of this to one physical planet and one plane of existence?

Again, Holmes wrote, “‘In my Father’s house are many mansions’ refers to ascending planes of consciousness; the eternal expansion, progressive evolution; the future state as one of development; etc.”

Holmes also refers to other planes of existence in regards to why he didn’t believe we needed to reincarnate here on Earth when he wrote, “The spiral of life is upward. I do not believe in the return of the soul to another life on this plane.  Evolution carries us forward, not backward.  Eternal and progressive expansion is its law and there are no breaks in its continuity.  I can believe in planes beyond this one without number, in eternal progress.  I cannot believe that nature is limited to one sphere of action.”

In an address to one of his classes on May 17, 1957, entitled “The Unbroken Consciousness of the Presence”, Dr. Holmes made the following statement:

“Incarnation, which we sometimes call involution, evolution or experience leading to the discovery and discovery leading to emancipation, which completes the cycle, of anything that we know about evolution, from the face turned from the clod and gives rise to all experience, whether we call it sin and salvation, renunciation and emancipation, happiness and unhappiness, good and evil, God, man and the devil. It is all comprehended in the different systems of thought and in of course the story of the Prodigal Son that Jesus told which is simultaneously the story of all humanity and all evolution on this planet. We know about no other planets and their evolution, but I believe they exist.”

Like Holmes, I believe that the entire process of involution and evolution is playing out on other planets and that our individualized expressions of the One are not limited to one world or one plane.

Of course, that may raise the question of do we have definitive “proof” of life on other planets or in other planes?  The answer depends on who you ask!  I personally belief that there is enough evidence to say “yes”, we definitely know that there is life on other worlds and other dimensions. Only the hardened “skeptic” would deny that there is at least a lot of suggestive evidence that both exist. But that’s a whole other topic!

Coming back to the question at hand….I believe (and New Thought certainly suggests) that, yes, the divine spark of Spirit can be imbedded into forms and life on other planets and and other planes.

What do you all think?  Feel free to leave a comment!

Mark

 

[NOTE: I appreciate all of the questions that I get from readers and was surprised when I got this one as it was essentially the same question to which my colleague Jesse Jennings provided his answer in the “Q&A Column” in the February 2025 issues of Science of Mind magazine.  I pointed that out to the person who wrote me but I thought I would still give my take on the question here as it took me in a whole different direction from Jesse.]

 

 

 

 

Have you ever sat in on a Sunday message at a New Thought community and found the message stale and just not speaking to you?

Now, this is not a knock on my friends and fellow ministers, they usually do a great job and give an inspiring message.  It’s just hard to give a message that consistently meets the vast variety of needs of a spiritually diverse audience. The typical talk in most New Thought communities (with a few exceptions) by necessity has to speak to the majority of people, which means not necessarily everyone.  Why is this?

The answer lies in what each of us are currently seeking on our spiritual path.  Is it advice on how to use the tools of New Thought wisdom to navigate the practical material life or is it guidance on how to transcend the material as we evolve our way towards the mystical?  Most New Thought groups focus on the former in an attempt to meet their attendees “where they are” (or better said, “where they think they are”). Hence, those seeking support in self transcendence may find little that speaks to them.

Therein lays an issue that has faced spiritual and religious groups for thousands of years, most people who walk in the door seeking comfort and support are looking for ways of dealing with and finding meaning in their physical lives while the deepest teaching those traditions have to offer is about actually transcending that physical life altogether.  Most folks are not ready for that.

The juggling act that a spiritual community has to do is to present simultaneously different messages for different needs, one for the human side of their members, one for the spiritual side.  This balance needs to be created in New Thought groups with conscious intention.  Yes, speak to those suffering and give them tools to move through their earthy challenges.  Yet, also speak to those who are seeking to shift their consciousness to higher vibratory levels and to seek communion with the Divine.  Is your group doing what it can to meet the needs of all seekers?

Spiritual Beings/Material Experience

OK, let’s back up a minute and remind ourselves of some key spiritual truths.  First, we are spiritual beings having this human experience.  Inherent in that is the fact that we live in multiple planes of existence simultaneously.

Our ultimate truth comes from a “higher” spiritual plane of which for most people we may occasionally only get glimpses. This spiritual plane is of the Absolute, the realm of the timeless, where there is no form only non-dual unity and Oneness. This realm is the direction in which our spiritual evolution is headed.

However, most of our day to day focus and attention is on a human plane of time and space where everything is in relationship with one another.  Our existence here is driven by the belief in duality and all of the stories of the interactions between these separate “things”. Our stories are frequently full of drama and unmet needs that demand our attention.

Although there are infinite vibratory levels of existence and experience between the world of form and the world of Spirit, the most relevant for us in most cases is the plane of mind. This is noted by our use of consciousness and free will choice to either turn our attention and energy (and intention) “upwards” to Spirit or “downward” to the physical world.  Which realm is directing our focus?

New Thought as Translation

Most people who seek religious or spiritual support are driven by the perceived needs of the human realm.  Historically, this has been a spiritual group’s biggest “customer base”.  Most spiritual groups created content to meet this need.  For most of time in the traditional faiths of our history, this content was the “exoteric” or outer teachings given to the masses.

Philosopher Ken Wilber describes this function thusly:

“It acts as a way of creating meaning for a separate self; if offers myths and stories and tales and narratives and rituals and revivals that, taken together, help the separate self make sense of and endure the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.  This function of religion does not usually or necessarily change the level of consciousness in a person; it does not deliver radical transformation.”

Wilber refers to this function of religion as “translation”, as the spiritual message is directed towards giving the person a unique way to think and feel about this material reality. Here the spiritual path “translates” the material world in a new way for the seeker so they may better deal with the challenges they face in the material world.

For example, the “laws” of the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments and many of the morally interpretive stories of the Bible can be seen as offering the reader guidance on primarily living in the material world.  The sermons and teachings of ministers through the ages have stressed how to be and act in this physical world. Yes, the spiritual realm was referenced but the emphasis was on how to live right here, right now.

New Thought has done a lot to focus on “translating the world” for its followers.  The catch phrase most associated with the Science of Mind is “change your thinking, change your life”.  The life being changed in most folks’ imagination is that physical, material life.

Ernest Holmes’ early radio show began with a booming announcer voice proclaiming “there is a power for good in the universe and you can use it!”  And, how did we imagine we were going to use that power?  For most folks, they imagined things in the realm of form…..new cars, relationships, jobs, wealth, power and the like.

In the early 2000s, along came the cultural sensation of the movie and the book, The Secret.  It popularized New Thought ideas and that popularity was anchored in the acquiring of physical “stuff”. Create that vision board and say those affirmations and get everything (material) that your heart desires.

Now, New Thought methods for changing our thoughts to change our physical reality can and do work if applied appropriately and consistently.  The issue, in my opinion, comes from exclusively focusing on them as a tool to material manifestation when there is a deeper and more meaningful path awaiting you. Yes, for most people, we need to have certain human needs met before we can be “free” to pursue those higher spiritual ones.  But too often our teachings do not move that individual to those ultimate pursuits, instead staying comfortably in the area of manifesting more material things.

I have long noticed that there are generally speaking three groups of new seekers who come into New Thought communities.  All three groups are seeking something (material or spiritual) from life.  The first group tries out (to a limited degree) New Thought’s “change your thinking” tools to help them and decides that they are a bunch of bull and leaves.  The second group tries out the tools, finds they helped them meet their immediate need and then leaves (but at least satisfied!).  The final group tries out the New Thought tools, finds they helped them and then wants to go deeper with them.  This group wants to use the tools to find spiritual meaning, to awaken, to transform their lives.

There is a four step path for changing consciousness that is taught in many New Thought groups.  The first step is where we see things done “to me”, that we are victims of this outer world, buffeted about by forces beyond our control.  Most folks who come to New Thought struggling with the material world are at this level of consciousness. The initial goal is to move the person beyond this step.

Most of the change your thinking “translation” type teachings of New Thought are directed towards this person shifting their consciousness and taking responsibility for their part in life by seeing life as being created “by me”.  That is changing their perspective from seeing themselves as a victim to the forces of the world to their having agency and control over their lives.  Life “out there” doesn’t control me; instead I control life “out there”.  However, the focus, even at this stage is usually on life “out there”, material life.

In a sense, spirituality that focuses on translating how we look at the physical world so that we can better handle living in our “humanness” relates to growth only on the human plane, it is horizontal in direction only.  I’m not knocking it. It is good work. It is necessary. It is important to our growth. It must be done to prepare us for the vertical leap in consciousness that is calling us.

New Thought as Transformation

In the past, rarer were those people who sought religious or spiritual support driven by their needs emerging from the spiritual realm.  Recognizing that most people were neither ready for nor would understand their deepest teachings, most of these spiritual or religious groups limited access to these teachings to only the most serious students.  This content was the “esoteric” or mystical teachings given to only a few.

However in current times, there are many more people seeking out these teachings.  The rise in the numbers of people labeling themselves “spiritual but not religious” is indicative of the increase in the percentage of the population who seek to create their own relationship with a transcendent power. Hence, more and more people coming in the doors of all spiritual communities, especially in New Thought, are seeking this vertical path.

Philosopher Ken Wilber describes this function in this manner:

“[This second aspect of religion has served] the function of radical transformation and liberation.  This function of religion does not separate the self, but utterly shatters it –not consolation but devastation, not entrenchment but emptiness, not complacency but explosion, not comfort but revolution –in short, not a conventional bolstering of consciousness but a radical transmutation and transformation at the deepest seat of consciousness itself.”

Wilber refers to this function of religion as “transformation”, as the spiritual message changes from one that is about a separate “self” understanding and better relating to material reality to a new message that totally breaks down our sense of being a “separate self” navigating a “material reality”.  It shatters that ego driven view of reality.

In our role as “transformation agents”, we assist all in shifting their consciousness from seeing themselves as “self” to becoming “Self”.  We are no longer seen as individuals but rather “individualized” expressions of the One.  We may still be “in the world” but we are no longer “of the world”.

New Thought has much within its teachings that move us to the mystical side of life.  Most folks don’t see New Thought teaching’s transformational basis.  But it’s deeply there.

Why is it not recognized? I believe one major reason is that the basic “translational” material world messaging by New Thought has been so successful in the past that modern culture already simply accepts as true that thoughts have causative power.  I covered this in detail in another article entitled “Is New Thought Now Old Thought?” so I won’t retrace that ground here.  However, my point in bringing it up is that to the degree that someone has heard of New Thought and has some awareness of it, that will be connected solely to the message of “change your thinking, change your [material] life”.  That limited understanding of New Thought unfortunately relegates the philosophy as being solely about “positive thinking” and not “spiritual transformation”.

However, we can easily point to some of the “transformational” tools that New Thought teaches as a part of its tool kit.  Students are encouraged to have a routine spiritual practice as a part of their daily life.  This includes taking time for meditation, for affirmative prayer, for visioning and the like.  All of these are to grow a sense of the Divine in the person’s life, to cultivate a relationship with God or Spirit.

A key aspect of the teaching of New Thought begins with an awareness that everything is “One”.  Affirmative prayer when taught as “steps” has as the first two steps as “everything is One” and “that Oneness is in me”.  In other words, the steps of prayer are designed to cultivate a consciousness of unity with God or the Divine. I’m not saying that everyone who uses affirmative prayer has had the full experience of non-dual oneness, but the intention is certainly in that direction.

The writings of the founders of most New Thought groups are full of mystical insights that we can tap into as a part of our teaching.  New Thought’s roots are intertwined with the mystical teachings throughout the ages, from the Hermetic and Hellenic traditions and coming forward.  There are many transformative writings that can be cited, but only if we choose to do so.

I am fairly steeped in the teachings of Science of Mind founder, Ernest Holmes.  Almost all of his books have a mystical side to them if we set the intention to see it. Consider the The Holmes Papers books or his small volume entitled Your Invisible Power for examples.

For the past few years, I have served on the board of the Science of Mind Archives and taken on a role as one of their key researchers.  I have had the privilege in that role to listen to hundreds of hours of Holmes’ recordings.  His Sunday talks, his radio and TV shows, his phonograph recordings all could be seen (in the language I am using here) as “translational”.  He was primarily serving to help people navigate material life via this spiritual basis.  Yes, there was language that was deeper and more mystical in nature, but his key points were most often what you will still hear on a typical Sunday in a New Thought center today –how can you use this stuff to have a better life here and right now?

However, my research also led to the compilation of the book Ernest Holmes at Asilomar published in 2023.  One of the key insights I had in creating that book was that the messaging that Holmes gave to his followers at their summer conferences was the deep mystical truths that served as the foundation for his teaching.  He was able to go deeper into Science of Mind as a “transformational” teaching with that group of followers than at other times. My point is that if we choose to focus more on the transformational role in our New Thought teaching (and I am suggesting that we should), then there are many sources to support us.

A moment ago, I mentioned the four step path for changing consciousness that is taught in many New Thought groups.  However, I only mentioned the first two steps –we first see life as being done “to me” and then are taught to control our thoughts and actions so that we move to seeing life is being done “by me”.

If we stop there, then our work has been purely translational.  However, if we fully support students in moving to their personal experience of the last two steps, we are moving into the true transformative work that many seek.  Those further stages call us to see that life is being done or lived “through me” and ultimately “as me”.

The movement from “by me” to “through me” involves a deep spiritual surrender to the flow of life.  It is about letting go of the ego “me” that needs to control the world to a new level of awareness that I am simply in the magical flow of life and I don’t have to “control” everything.  This is a key spiritual step towards releasing attachment to form, to the individual self and to the material world.

The movement from “through me” to “as me” takes that release of the world of form to the next level and calls you to meld your consciousness into the consciousness of the universe, to see you as simply one divine life being lived as a part of the greater Divine Life.

Both of these steps are deeply transformational if learned and embodied by the student. It is this aspect of New Thought that I believe we need to ensure we are adequately supporting as we seek to meet the needs of our members who are seeking such breakthroughs.

New Thought as Translation & Transformation

So what is my intention with sharing these thoughts?  My desire is that you personally take a moment and evaluate your experience of New Thought, either as a teacher of the philosophy or one who attends a New Thought community, and ask yourself if the current teachings offered are meeting both the “translation” and “transformation” goals of students at different stages of their spiritual paths.  Are you doing both?  If so, is the mixture appropriate?

I want to stress that this is not an “either-or” type of thing but instead New Thought should be fostering both “translation” and “transformation”.  We must be teaching practical skills for navigating this wild material world we find ourselves, but we must also be encouraging and supporting each person’s spiritual evolution to the highest degree possible. We have great gifts in our teachings that can fulfill both needs and we should be consciously using them.

It’s important to remember that everyone, no matter where they are on their path, can benefit from support in the material world and be drawn at the right moment to leaps in consciousness.  The most spiritually advanced person can still get hit by the tragedies of material life and find themselves seeking worldly guidance and understanding.  Even the person who seems most attached to materiality can experience a breakthrough in awareness of Oneness.

We should also remember that “enlightenment” or “awakening” is not a place where you arrive and stay.  The true reality is that our awakening to Oneness is a continuous unfolding process.  No matter what spiritual experiences we can point to as “evidence” of our enlightenment and personal “arrival”, the process continues and continues ever up the spiral of life.  And, as mentioned, one can attain great awareness of non-dual reality but that doesn’t make them immune from the challenges of the material world.

True growth is coupled with a call to be of service to the One.  The more you become aware of the eternal Oneness of all of life, the more your heart opens to love to assist other expressions of the One to remember their truth. Our goal is not to transcend the world, but to transform our consciousness, to open our hearts to the power of love for all and to bring that heart power back to the material world.

So, again, If you are a New Thought teacher or part of a New Thought community, I would ask you to ponder if you are fostering both the tools to support successfully living in this world of form and to successfully support transcending it?  Where are there opportunities for improvement?  What am I or we going to do now?

One final note seems relevant in this moment. There seems to be at this time an overwhelming amount of worldly issues going on — from wars, to divisiveness, to a rise in a level of human “unkindness”.  It would be easy to spend all of our time and energy addressing these expressions of the material world that are popping up right now.  My advice in regards to this is to yes, address those worldly events that call to us personally.  Do so in our own way using our teachings as guideposts.  However, don’t focus so much of your time and energy on these things that you don’t have the bandwidth left in your (and our) mission towards growing and transcending this world. This is also an important part of both your teaching others and your own evolution.

I hope that you found this article thought provoking and allowed some “new thoughts” on this topic to emerge in your awareness. I would love to hear your thoughts in whatever  form you wish to share.

Love and light,

Mark

A Postscript

A quick extra note in case you are interested– I have taken a couple of the Holmes’ talks from Asilomar and created some content outlining some of the more esoteric points I felt he was making.

First, consider this 2 part article where I deconstruct what Holmes is saying in a talk from Asilomar in 1954 entitled “Discovering God”.   LINK TO PART ONE             LINK TO PART TWO

Second, here is a video from my YouTube channel where I break down some quotes from a Holmes’ talk at Asilomar in 1958 where he discusses affirmative prayer as a means of creating a new “time track”.      LINK TO VIDEO