Ongoing spiritual education is provided through our Spiritual Enrichment Courses suitable for those students who love learning and yet do not currently include in their plans becoming a Licensed Prayer Practitioner. Our Spiritual Enrichment Courses are designed to be short (three to five weeks long) and practical. There are no prerequisites.

Consult the Class Schedule to see what courses are currently being offered. Pre-registration is required.

Being Before Doing:  A Spiritual Approach To Getting Things Done

How can we bring more joy into even the most mundane of daily tasks? Is there a way to experience more peace when carrying out stress-inducing activities? These are exactly the kinds of situations where the spiritual practice of “seva” — self-less  service — can assist. Often associated with giving service to others, an attitude of seva can uplift you anywhere, anytime, alone or with others. Come be with us, so we can do this together. 

Blindspots

Have you ever wondered why you do the “funky” things you do, despite having an active spiritual life? Did you know that your experience of Spirit and reality is directly related to how you view the world? And that your worldview can evolve to allow you more freedom and a deeper experience of the Divine?

Philosopher and consciousness pioneer Ken Wilber says, “The understanding of ‘evolutionary consciousness’ is perhaps the most important thing lacking in spiritual practices today. Evolution means growth and development. This means that there are aspects of reality that have not yet arisen in our consciousness. But they will arise if we grow.”

In Rev. Russ Legear’s five-week introductory class, “Blindspots,” we will explore:

• The predominant worldviews of humanity, and how they impact our experience of Spirit
• The blindspots each of us has at each stage of our evolutionary path, and how we can heal them
• How “addictions” and “allergies” that negatively affect our lives develop in our consciousness, and how we can heal them through conscious “shadow work”
• How to better experience and express wholeness in our day to day lives

Each of us is on an evolutionary path, and that path only stops when we allow it to. The joy of evolution is that at each new stage we get to experience an expanded sense of freedom and wholeness–and the best part is that as conscious beings, our power of choice allows us to accelerate and supercharge our evolution. 

Join Rev. Russ in “Blindspots” to find out how!

Buddhism: The Awakened Mind

What does it mean to be awake? How does one wake up? What is there to wake up from? Turning to thoughts from Buddhism the students in this four-week class explore what awakening means and how the teaching from the Center offers specific consciousness-raising methods that anyone can practice.

Textbook: Zen Mind, Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

Circulation: Joining the Dance

The spiritual practice of circulation requires you to balance the outward movement of giving with the inward movement of receiving, the outer activity of asking with the inner activity of forgiving, all held in the grateful attitude of giving thanks. It is important to understand, examine, and develop all of these areas, in order to create balance among them. For example, to some people giving is as natural as breathing. They may have difficulties with receiving or asking for what they want, but they have no problem with giving. Other people find it quite easy to receive but difficult to give. A truly well-balanced relationship to the world around you requires that all of the spokes in the wheel – giving, receiving, asking, forgiving, and gratitude – share the responsibility for carrying the vehicle. Just reading these words may already give you a hint about an area where you need to put your attention in order to create more balance.

Textbook: The Prosperous Life Journal, Second Edition by Chris Michaels and Edward Viljoen

Consciousness:  Key to Personal Spiritual Growth

A Deeper Dive Into Affirmative Prayer

Dr. Edward will unpack each of the five steps of spiritual mind treatment in this five-week class on Science of Mind’s approach to affirmative prayer.  This class is suitable for students who already have some knowledge of spiritual mind treatment and want to take their practice deeper.  Dr. Edward will go beyond the basics of spiritual mind treatment into each step’s purpose and function, unlocking the heart’s connection to the mind’s treatment and bringing new life to our prayer practice. 

Embracing Change

People wish to be settled, wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “but only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.” Is there a spiritual response to the world of continual change that we live in that will allow us to embrace change without fear, without being unsettled? This class explores our world of continual change from a Science of Mind perspective. “We should never be afraid of change, never fearful of what will come. Instead, we should bring to bear on each new event the influence of the creative nature of our thought—an influence that is founded on an inward calm, a sense of certainty and peace, which will reflect in the changing scene of our everyday lives.

Enneagram: Map to Wholeness

A Fresh Look At Affirmations

“Words are vibrations of thought. Thoughts are vibrations of power and energy. Strong words or commands, such as “Wake up,” uttered feebly without the background of latent vigorous force, are meaningless. Hence, when you mechanically affirm, “I am prosperous,” but in the background of your mind, you think, “I am always poor, and I am going to remain so. What is the use of prosperity affirmations anyway?” then, of course, no results will be forthcoming.”              Yogananda 

In this class, Dr. Edward will explore:

• What an affirmation is and what it is not.
• What you say to yourself, and if your inner dialogue working for or against you.
• What affirmations do to your deeper mind.
• How to say what you mean and mean what you say in affirmations.
• Three powerful ways to make affirmations work.
• How to convert your affirmations to action.

Giving Voice to Our Souls

This five-week book study is an opportunity to experience the gift of seeing ourselves and others more clearly. This circle is not about fixing, saving, advising, or setting each other straight. We will learn to speak our own truth; listen receptively to the truth of others; ask honest, open questions of each other; and offer the healing and empowering gifts of silence and laughter. Based on Parker J Palmer’s book, A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life.

History of Science of Mind

This class is a response to requests that we learn about our history as a teaching starting with Ernest Holmes, not diving way back. We will use the book One Simple Idea to look at Ernest’s life, teachings, friends and also look at the teachers from his era that influenced him greatly. Ernest was at the center of a lively group of metaphysical seekers and learned to take from their teachings and incorporate them into his own spiritual practice. We will look at them all with an eye to doing the same thing as Ernest did: deepen, expand and embody his teaching of Science of Mind.

Textbook: One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life
by Mitch Horowitz

In the Footsteps of St. Francis: Living on the Earth

Saint Francis may be the most recognized of the Catholic saints. Most of us know the lovely prayer of St. Francis which begins “Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.” Some of us have statues of St. Francis in our gardens. He lived for only forty-four years, dedicated to living in the example of Jesus. Though we are unlikely to walk barefoot in humble surrender to the Divine as Francis did, there is much to be gleaned from his life and words. In this four-week class, we’ll breathe into the images in the Canticle of the Creatures and we’ll explore Care for Creation, the Franciscan approach to healing our earth. We’ll also share our thoughts on how such a man might inspire us as we walk the earth, most likely in shoes.

Jesus: Divine Ideal, Divine Sacrifice

Rev. Tara Steele invites us into contemplation of what, if anything, Jesus represents in our life. What does Thomas Troward mean by pointing to Jesus as the Divine Ideal? What is the meaning of the death of Jesus? There will be readings from Troward, Ernest Holmes, and possibly others as well as much lively discussion.

Ladder of Consciousness: Building Your Relationship with the Divine

You can have direct, immediate intuitive knowledge of the Divine through your own personal experience.  In this class, Rev. Siota Belle uses sacred spiritual exercises, mystical writings of Ernest Holmes and others, meditation, and both large and small group discussions to enrich and empower your conscious connection with Spirit.

Life Goes On: The Wisdom of Howard Thurman

Born just before the turn of the 20th century, Howard Thurman was a philosopher, a minister, an academic leader, an activist, a richly human mystic. Our conversation begins with Dr. Thurman’s early life and unfolding ministry, followed by his bringing Gandhi’s philosophy from India to civil rights leaders. Later Thurman co-founded The Church of All Peoples, this country’s first interracial, interfaith church, which continues to this day. Join Rev Tara and Lawrence Edwards as they celebrate the life and teachings of this remarkable man.

Textbook: For the Inward Journey by Howard Thurman

Lifting Each Other Up: Spiritual Community as Spiritual Practice

How important is the spiritual community to living a spiritual life? In Buddhism, spiritual community (“Sangha”) is co-equal and synonymous with Buddha (Awakened Mind)  and Dharma (Buddhist teaching and practice). 

In the language of Science of Mind, this roughly means Spirit, spiritual practice and living, and the spiritual community are the same thing. On the one hand, this makes sense according to our philosophy which considers Spirit to be in, through, and as everything and everyone. On the other hand, many of us Science of Mind types are individualistic, perhaps even sometimes viewing other people as a distraction to the spiritual life. 

So how can we make sense of the idea of “being community” as a spiritual practice which is an essential ingredient for the path of spiritual living? How does interrelating with people of a similar spiritual focus enhance and uplift each of us? This class considers these and other questions concerning our spiritual interdependence,      

Living the Serenity Prayer

The twenty-five words of the Serenity Prayer have transformed countless lives. In this class, we will unpack each line over four weeks to get to a deep and personal relationship with the ideas in the prayer.  The Serenity Prayer can lead us to gentle acceptance, not only of what cannot be changed in life, but also of the creative power that dwells within us that leads to loving kindness, connection, and compassion.

Open At The Top…

Ernest Holmes never stopped learning. He said his spiritual practice was always “ ‘open at the top ‘ for new insights, and for fresh and invigorating ways to present spiritual information.”  Some of his students reported that he also said, “if in 50 years you’re teaching only the same things I taught, then you’re not teaching Science of Mind.” This is a  course that looks at several new and radically different ways of seeing self, others, and the world that have come from religion, philosophy, and science and that can add to a deeper understanding and practice of Science of Mind.  We’ll look at Buddhism, the philosophy of pragmatism, new scientific world views, and begin it all with reading passages from This Thing Called You* anew.

Textbook:  This Thing Called You, by Ernest Holmes

The Power of Meditation

Many of us have learned to meditate, but have you realized the power of daily meditation practice? Meditation can be an effective experience to uncover your inner wisdom and gain more emotional control of everyday life and its challenges. Each week we will experience meditation together with time to share with other spiritual seekers.  This class provides a safe refuge for self-care in this busy world.

Textbook: The Power of Meditation by Edward Viljoen

Radical Self Love

Self Love is our natural state. It is where we began at birth. Self love is maybe the most important or certainly the first and biggest ingredient in a recipe for a world that works for everyone. Radical self love means becoming a safe place for ALL of me, a soft place to land, to love without walls of protection, to know and love myself so well that I can let “you” see me without fear of shame or judgement. SELF love because I want to be the most complete embodiment of love that I can; that every cell within me is free to radiate Love. In this class you will develop and begin your own personal Radical Self Love Practice.

“Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world; but to change ourselves.” – Mahatma Gandhi

The Science and Spirit of Ecology

Emerson wrote: There is no place where you end and God begins, and no place God ends and you begin. Ecology is the science and philosophy of the truth that all things physical, mental, and spiritual are connected, and in truth never separated. The spiritual and practical applications of this intertwining are endless. There is a growing need to acknowledge and act on the truth that all being is part of one being. This class will look at some of the scientific, philosophical and spiritual practices that follow from this realization that we are all one.

Textbook:  The Ecology Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by DK

Spiritual Mind Treatment: A Way to Pray

Centers for Spiritual Living are part of the contemporary metaphysical movement and of all the practices that we share in common with other faith traditions (service, meditation, study, devotion, etc.) Spiritual Mind Treatment may be the cornerstone of our unique approach to Divinity. In this course, students will look at the logic behind the steps of Spiritual Mind Treatment, compare them to the practice of our founder, Ernest Holmes, and explore how language can either solidify a sense of separation from God or lead us deeper into the awareness of our unity with All That Is.

Ten Effortless Spiritual Practices

An old Native American story concerns a person who wants to become a shaman, a healer, for the tribe. They would approach an experienced shaman and ask to be trained. The shaman would not say yes or no but first gave the applicant a test: “Show me ten beautiful and amazing things first and then I will train you in healing.” If the applicant made the effort to take one step away to look for these ten amazing things, they would immediately fail the test. This course is about finding the miraculous and mystical right where you are, effortlessly. We will study the many effortless practices given by spiritual traditions to make us aware of where we are always, in the presence of Spirit.

This Thing Called You

“You, like all others, are seeking the joy of living. You wish to be needed, to be loved, to be included in the great drama of life.” So begins Ernest Holmes’ short, easy-to-read book, This Thing Called You. Let’s explore who we really are using this book as a guide. We’ll look at our core beliefs, intuitive living, and explore who we really are: divine beings capable of co-creating with the Infinite to live more freely and more fearlessly.

The Undiscovered Country: Revealing Our Eternal Self

How can we reveal our immortal life while understanding the certainty of human death? Insights from the Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Sufi masters, and the great mystical saints illuminate this journey of the human soul. In this three-week class we will explore an eight-step plan to realize our immortality here and now.

What’s Your Story

As glimpses into our lives, stories highlight people and events, the themes, the villains, and heroes.  They may become vehicles of hope and healing as we shift our perspective and open to the richness and vitality of our lives. Sometimes we forget to update the stories. As we notice the ways we have changed and grown, we rewrite our life stories, perhaps adding color, joy, wonder, or gratitude. The power of the Divine living in, through, and as ourselves shines forth. Join Rev. Tara Steele to explore the twists and turns, the infinite imaginings and possibilities, the power of story, from stormy first draft to the present and forward. We’ll explore stories in different ways, writing them, telling them, playing with them, and more.

William James and the Stream of Consciousness

William James is possibly America’s most important thinker of the nineteenth century. He is known as the father of psychology in the United States, one of the founders of the pragmatic school of philosophy, and the thinker who initiated the academic study of religious experience. In addition, he was an influential supporter of New Thought teachings who stopped the New York state legislature from banning the public teaching of our movement. This course focuses on James’ classic essay, “The Stream of Consciousness” and his book “The Varieties of Religious Experience”. It also explores subsequent developments that have emerged in the wake of James’ pioneering work – including applications in social activism, hypnosis, psychotherapy, psychic healing, and consciousness research.

This is a shorter and less intense version of a required class that all ministerial students take at Holmes Institute, School of Consciousness Studies.

Textbook: The Varietes of Religious Experience, by William James

Your Authentic and Innate Goodness

There is a light in the soul, Meister Eckhart wrote – a light that is uncreated and that cannot be created. I call that light “ordinary goodness” and I believe that the ultimate goal of life, if there is such a thing, is to express that goodness by letting it come alive in us. However, goodness, like love, makes us exposed and vulnerable. Yet we can no more withdraw from our natural-born goodness than we can withdraw from our inclination to love – not if we expect to live a life of meaning and worth.

In this three-week class, you will explore what it means to live a life guided and inspired by your authentic and innate sense of goodness by

• Creating a personal pledge of spiritual allegiance
• Creating your own “I believe” statement
• Creating a list of personal values

The class is based on exercises from the book Ordinary Goodness: The Surprisingly Effortless Path to Creating a Life of Meaning and Beauty, by Edward Viljoen. Although the book is not required to take the course, it is strongly recommended that students read the entire book for the background and context of the lessons.

Recommended Reading: Ordinary Goodness by Edward Viljoen