Science of Mind: My Own Path to Spiritual Expansion

A few months ago, Jorge and I started seriously looking around for churches or spiritual centers we could attend on a regular basis so that we could bond spiritually and expand our own spiritual awareness. We have both always been spiritual people and have sought out, and experienced, that spirituality in different ways over the course of our lives. However, until now, we had not found a place where we could go that felt right for the both of us. We wanted a church that fit our values and that was open-minded enough to accommodate for a wide range of belief systems and a wide range of people. At the East Bay Church of Religious Science, we found just that.

Having never been one to attend church services while growing up (apart from the occasional Christmas Eve service), I have always been skeptical of churches. I always entered them feeling a sense of defensiveness, distrust, and, sometimes, even anger. What I realized over the past few years though, is that my idea of what a "church" was had been greatly influenced by all of the negativity that surrounds religion, and none of the positive stuff. When I entered churches, I thought of sexism, racism, patriarchy, hypocrisy, and close-mindedness. Surely, all of those things are still very present in some churches and among some believers and, unfortunately, give a bad name to religion as a whole. But I also believe that these negative things come about through the human tainting of religion, misreadings and misinterpretations of religious texts, and even a true lack of religiosity among even the strongest of "believers". You can't claim to be a true Christian and still be racist or believe that we shouldn't help the poor! When I started to comprehend religion in this light, I began to shed some of my initial misgivings and started on a quest to find a religious/spiritual community that was right for me.

I entered the East Bay Church of Religious Science with an open mind and, luckily for me, was greeted with just that. Religious Science (or Science of Mind) is a New Age spiritual philosophy that is "a correlation of the laws of science, opinions of philosophy, and revelations of religion applied to human needs and the aspirations of man" (as explained by Earnest Holmes, its founder). It is a non-denominational, progressive, and open-minded spiritual community that encourages living in the present, adapting your beliefs to fit your experiences, and that unconditional love is the first step in spiritual transformation.

"We believe that love is the answer to all human discord and that peace begins in our own hearts, our own homes and in our own communities. When we love and accept ourselves and every person as a Divine Being, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation, there is no room for conflict." - Rev. Dr. Elouise D. Oliver (East Bay Church of Religious Science)

The building it is housed in looks nothing like a church and, in fact, the ministers and practitioners there refer to it as a "spiritual development center" not a church. The first half hour of every service is devoted to meditation, which is truly a wonderful way to begin any exploration of spirituality. The attendees are a diverse group: young, old, hipsters, hippies, business men and women, and people of every race/ethnicity. It is a genuine reflection of the diverse community where we live. The services are not preachy and encourage you to apply the philosophy to your own life in a way that works for you. Here, "God" is an open-ended concept that can be defined however you want. I tend to define "God" as the Universal Spirit or Presence that is most profoundly felt when you are in nature, but this is a fluid definition that is always open to revision and expansion.

I have finally found a spiritual center that is exactly what I want. We look forward to attending the Sunday services every week, and I love the peace, happiness, and calmness of mind I gain from being a part of such a welcoming, diverse, and inspiring community of people. Did I mention that it's also only a 20 minute walk from our house? We get to work exercise into the outing, which is a lovely way to start off our Sunday mornings. :)

For more information on the Science of Mind philosophy, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Science. Or, delve even deeper, and read Ernest Holme's The Science of Mind. We just ordered it from Amazon and I can't wait to read it!


"Continuous spiritual expansion is my highest good, and I am fearless in my pursuit of love and wisdom. My greatest path lies within me. I willingly and quietly follow wherever it leads me." 
- Science of Mind Magazine, March 4, 2012