What do you want to know about Religious Science? Revs. Joe and Toni Niemiec, New Thought ministers, are ready to answer your questions. Fill out the form below or .
Q. Does the rationalist New Thought philosophy allow for ecstatic experiences that cannot be explained by the mind?
A. I can understand where the New Thought philosophy may be seen as rational, however, like any religious movement there are people in it that have the complete range of experiences. Centers for Spiritual Living, with its teaching based on Ernest Holmes Science of Mind, is a perfect example of a teaching which honors all traditions. We are open to the people within our teaching having the opportunity to study and practice any tradition they may wish. Toni and I, have taken classes from a Catholic deacon, a Buddhist monk, had ecstatic sweat lodge experiences, did chanting with a guru, and participated in meditation retreats. It is fascinating to see the truth throughout all, while celebrating the differences of practice and focus.
Rational people may have ecstatic experiences and not have the need to rationalize them. Often an otherwise totally rational professional person may participate in an event that triggers a spiritual experience and not feel the need to explain it, but rather experiences it and accepts its reality in their life.
The Unity tradition is based on the healing experienced by its founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore and has had a national prayer service available for 100 years.
Mind, in and of itself, is an interesting word when seen from a metaphysical perspective; there being one Mind, the mind of God individualized in, as, and through each one of us. Spiritual experiences have been a part of all the New Thought teachings…often through healings. Our founder, Holmes, did on at least one occasion in a public talk speak of moving through “the veil” (as he describes it) that separates the “absolute” from the “relative.”
Holmes had also been cited as saying that in reflection he would have spent a greater amount of time writing about the Love (absolute or mystical) aspect of God. The Law (“It is done unto you as you believe”) was focused upon and taught in the early days of our movement. Today, we have a blend of both Love and Law. We realize that there is a desire from within that calls to us for expression and sets our path in motion; recognizing this, we use the Law through prayer and faith in order to manifest.
Many of our centers have ongoing prayer circles, meditation groups, and retreats. At our Spokane center, we open our Sunday mornings with a meditation offering (9:30am) a half hour before our Sunday celebration that begins at 10am. Centers for Spiritual Living has a World Ministry of Prayer which offers prayer via email or phone to anyone who requests. So…yes, we are open to and do welcome ecstatic experiences.
