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The Essential Ernest Holmes
Here, in one volume, is a selection of the core and essential writings by internationally renowned scholar, mystic, and author Ernest Holmes, providing readers with a library of the most important ideas in the religious psychology that Holmes defined.
The Essential Ernest Holmes comprises selections from classic works such as This Thing Called You, The Science of Mind textbook, and Creative Mind and Success-but also included are brilliant passages from some of Holmes's lesser-known works, such as The Voice Celestial, as well as a generous sampling from articles and lectures.
The book features remembrances of the beloved sage and teacher from the works of his contemporaries; a chronology of Holmes's life and work; and an accessible introduction by editor Jesse Jennings that frames Holmes's body of ideas for all readers.
The Essential Ernest Holmes comprises selections from classic works such as This Thing Called You, The Science of Mind textbook, and Creative Mind and Success-but also included are brilliant passages from some of Holmes's lesser-known works, such as The Voice Celestial, as well as a generous sampling from articles and lectures.
The book features remembrances of the beloved sage and teacher from the works of his contemporaries; a chronology of Holmes's life and work; and an accessible introduction by editor Jesse Jennings that frames Holmes's body of ideas for all readers.
- GenresSpiritualityNonfiction
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 13, 2012
A compilation runs the risk of merely manifesting what the editor's opinion is rather than the writer, but in this case there is no doubt of there being a breadth of material brought up to give a fairly well rounded synopsis of Holmes's ideology. There will, as Holmes attests to, be many similarities between what he says and what other spiritual teachers have noted for he is not here to create something new so much as to illumine from a particular perspective old wisdom in a new time. And truly, the way in which Holmes weaves in various aspects of Eastern philosophy, Christianity and Western philosophy does indeed bring out ways of thinking about such older thought which are life-giving and soul-lifting.
While particular opinions espoused are clearly indicative of the time in which he lived (thoughts on consciousness and personality are clearly 30 years behind scholarship) and others, the immortality of a soul being one, which pander merely to what even Holmes notes is a feeling of desire to have it be true rather than any exposition of reason, Holmes nor the movement of which he created, look to him as an infallible agent and in that is found the true gift of spiritual teaching here. There is no dogma, there are no creeds, there is simply the thoughts of a man dedicated to viewing the world in as true and life-giving a fashion as possible and then spreading the wisdom he found to all those who would listen.
While particular opinions espoused are clearly indicative of the time in which he lived (thoughts on consciousness and personality are clearly 30 years behind scholarship) and others, the immortality of a soul being one, which pander merely to what even Holmes notes is a feeling of desire to have it be true rather than any exposition of reason, Holmes nor the movement of which he created, look to him as an infallible agent and in that is found the true gift of spiritual teaching here. There is no dogma, there are no creeds, there is simply the thoughts of a man dedicated to viewing the world in as true and life-giving a fashion as possible and then spreading the wisdom he found to all those who would listen.
June 3, 2022
“To learn how to think is to learn how to live, for our thoughts go into a medium that is Infinite in Its ability to do and to be. Man, by thinking, can bring into his experience whatsoever he desires— if he thinks correctly, and becomes a living embodiment of his thoughts. This is not done by holding thoughts, but by knowing the Truth.” (p. 22)
“When we learn to trust the Universe, we shall be happy, prosperous and well. We must learn to come under that Divine Government, and accept the fact that natures table is ever filled. Never was there a Cosmic famine. “The finite alone has wrought and suffered, the Infinite lies stretched in smiling repose” [Emerson] God is always God. No matter what our emotional storm, or what our objective situation, may be, there is always something hidden in the inner being that has never been violated. We may stumble, but always there is that Eternal Voice, forever whispering within our ear, that thing which causes the eternal quest, that thing which forever sings and sings. This is The Thing Itself. Briefly, let us recapitulate. There is that within every individual which partakes of the nature of the Universal Wholeness and— in so far as it operates— is God. That is the meaning of the word Emmanuel, the meaning of the word Christ. There is that within us which partakes of the nature of the Divine Being, and since it partakes of the nature of the Divine Being, we are divine. It reacts to us according to our belief in It; and it is an immutable Law, subject to the use of the least among us; no respecter of persons.” (p. 25)
“We must learn to live by inspiration. That means that we should let the spiritual depths of our being flow through our conversation and into our acts. Living by inspiration does not mean living chaotically. Our whole purpose is to make the intellect an instrument for the Spirit. This is exactly what an artist does. We must all become artists in living. To live by inspiration means to sense the divine touch in everything; to enter into the spirit of things; to enter into the joy of living. In our ignorance we try to find our center outside the self. This can never be. The ancients said that God's center is everywhere and His circumference nowhere. We are like the upward thrust of a wave. We look about seeing other waves, apparently dissociated from us, but underneath is the One Ocean pushing all waves upward. There is One Mover in every movement, one undulating passion for self-expression.” (p. 26)
“Everyone automatically attracts to himself just what he is, and we may set it down that wherever we are, however intolerable the situation may be, we are just where we belong. There is no power in the universe but ourselves that can free us . . . Man must bring himself to the place in mind where there is no misfortune, no calamity, no accident, no trouble, no confusion; where there is nothing but plenty, peace, power, Life and Truth. He should definitely, daily (using his own name) declare the Truth about himself, realizing that he is reflecting his statements into Consciousness and that they will be operated upon by It. This is called, in mysticism, High Invocation; invoking the Divine Mind, implanting within It, seeds of thought relative to oneself.” (p. 27)
“There is one ultimate Thinker, yet this Thinker thinks through all of us. That is why our thought is creative. That is why we think at all. The universal Mind is incarnated in everyone. Every man has access to It; every man uses It, either in ignorance or in conscious knowledge. In other words, the mind of each one of us is the Mind of God functioning at the level of perception of life. Consciously using It, we bring into our experience today something we did not appear to have yesterday— a better environment, a happier circumstance, more friendships, more joy. These manifestations are of the nature of Reality.” (p. 27)
“I believe in a direct communication between the Spirit and the individual— the Universal Spirit personifying Itself through each and all; this is a beautiful, a logical and an unavoidable conclusion. This makes of the human a Divine being, a personification of the Spirit; but if we are Divine Beings why is it that we are so limited and forlorn, so poor, miserable and unhappy? The answer is that we are ignorant of our own nature, and ignorance of the Law excuses no one from its effects. I believe that all things are governed by immutable and exact laws. These laws cannot be changed or violated; our ignorance of them will offer no excuse for their infringement and we are made to suffer, not because God wills it, but because we are ignorant of the truth of our being. We are individuals and have free will and self-choice. We shall learn by experience, things mental and physical. There is no other way to learn, and God Himself could not provide any other way without contradicting His own nature. The Spirit is subject to the law of Its own nature, and so are we . . .” (p. 29)
“The Law of Good is continuously operative in my life. I am always equal to any task set before me. I am confident of my ability to meet every situation. I can solve every problem, overcome every difficulty. Realizing that Spirit knows no obstruction, I have implicit confidence in Its ability to operate through me always, and under every situation.” (p. 31)
“All prayers will be answered when we pray aright.” (p. 33)
— Ernest Holmes, The Essential Ernest Holmes
“When we learn to trust the Universe, we shall be happy, prosperous and well. We must learn to come under that Divine Government, and accept the fact that natures table is ever filled. Never was there a Cosmic famine. “The finite alone has wrought and suffered, the Infinite lies stretched in smiling repose” [Emerson] God is always God. No matter what our emotional storm, or what our objective situation, may be, there is always something hidden in the inner being that has never been violated. We may stumble, but always there is that Eternal Voice, forever whispering within our ear, that thing which causes the eternal quest, that thing which forever sings and sings. This is The Thing Itself. Briefly, let us recapitulate. There is that within every individual which partakes of the nature of the Universal Wholeness and— in so far as it operates— is God. That is the meaning of the word Emmanuel, the meaning of the word Christ. There is that within us which partakes of the nature of the Divine Being, and since it partakes of the nature of the Divine Being, we are divine. It reacts to us according to our belief in It; and it is an immutable Law, subject to the use of the least among us; no respecter of persons.” (p. 25)
“We must learn to live by inspiration. That means that we should let the spiritual depths of our being flow through our conversation and into our acts. Living by inspiration does not mean living chaotically. Our whole purpose is to make the intellect an instrument for the Spirit. This is exactly what an artist does. We must all become artists in living. To live by inspiration means to sense the divine touch in everything; to enter into the spirit of things; to enter into the joy of living. In our ignorance we try to find our center outside the self. This can never be. The ancients said that God's center is everywhere and His circumference nowhere. We are like the upward thrust of a wave. We look about seeing other waves, apparently dissociated from us, but underneath is the One Ocean pushing all waves upward. There is One Mover in every movement, one undulating passion for self-expression.” (p. 26)
“Everyone automatically attracts to himself just what he is, and we may set it down that wherever we are, however intolerable the situation may be, we are just where we belong. There is no power in the universe but ourselves that can free us . . . Man must bring himself to the place in mind where there is no misfortune, no calamity, no accident, no trouble, no confusion; where there is nothing but plenty, peace, power, Life and Truth. He should definitely, daily (using his own name) declare the Truth about himself, realizing that he is reflecting his statements into Consciousness and that they will be operated upon by It. This is called, in mysticism, High Invocation; invoking the Divine Mind, implanting within It, seeds of thought relative to oneself.” (p. 27)
“There is one ultimate Thinker, yet this Thinker thinks through all of us. That is why our thought is creative. That is why we think at all. The universal Mind is incarnated in everyone. Every man has access to It; every man uses It, either in ignorance or in conscious knowledge. In other words, the mind of each one of us is the Mind of God functioning at the level of perception of life. Consciously using It, we bring into our experience today something we did not appear to have yesterday— a better environment, a happier circumstance, more friendships, more joy. These manifestations are of the nature of Reality.” (p. 27)
“I believe in a direct communication between the Spirit and the individual— the Universal Spirit personifying Itself through each and all; this is a beautiful, a logical and an unavoidable conclusion. This makes of the human a Divine being, a personification of the Spirit; but if we are Divine Beings why is it that we are so limited and forlorn, so poor, miserable and unhappy? The answer is that we are ignorant of our own nature, and ignorance of the Law excuses no one from its effects. I believe that all things are governed by immutable and exact laws. These laws cannot be changed or violated; our ignorance of them will offer no excuse for their infringement and we are made to suffer, not because God wills it, but because we are ignorant of the truth of our being. We are individuals and have free will and self-choice. We shall learn by experience, things mental and physical. There is no other way to learn, and God Himself could not provide any other way without contradicting His own nature. The Spirit is subject to the law of Its own nature, and so are we . . .” (p. 29)
“The Law of Good is continuously operative in my life. I am always equal to any task set before me. I am confident of my ability to meet every situation. I can solve every problem, overcome every difficulty. Realizing that Spirit knows no obstruction, I have implicit confidence in Its ability to operate through me always, and under every situation.” (p. 31)
“All prayers will be answered when we pray aright.” (p. 33)
— Ernest Holmes, The Essential Ernest Holmes
August 17, 2010
Done! Last class tonight!
July 21, 2020
If you are looking for a book that summarizes the best metaphysics has to offer this is the one. It combines excerpts from books, talks and articles prepared by Ernest Holmes over the course of his life. A true gem of a book. Well worth the read.
April 18, 2024
Ernest Holmes made Clear and compelling
Jesse Jennings, using largely Holmes' own words, gives us information on what Holmes taught on a variety of topics. Easy read, helpful content.
Jesse Jennings, using largely Holmes' own words, gives us information on what Holmes taught on a variety of topics. Easy read, helpful content.
November 13, 2021
I honestly didn’t like this book. It’s a summary of Ernest Holmes teachings.
Mostly about philosophy, knowledge and courage.
Not one of favorite topics but it’s a book that I can re read again.
Mostly about philosophy, knowledge and courage.
Not one of favorite topics but it’s a book that I can re read again.
June 15, 2009
I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in spirituality related to all faiths. It is not a quick read, for Holmes's writing style can be confusing, but a careful read of this work will illuminate and clarify Holmes's perspective on the religious/spirtual life. I found much of it applicable to my own life and my Christian perspective.
June 30, 2016
To learn more about science of the mind and the writings of it's founder, read this.
Truly an easier to understand anthology of the writings and speeches of Ernest Holmes, a true mystic, who taught oneness and love.
Truly an easier to understand anthology of the writings and speeches of Ernest Holmes, a true mystic, who taught oneness and love.
May 21, 2009
This man had insight, long before it was main stream!
Read
August 24, 2009Excellent read and great resource
July 26, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It is a clear, concise summary of Ernest Holmes' teachings. Probably the best of all the books I've read for my pre-practitioner training classes.
July 30, 2012
What a great book - what a great philosophy. Can't say enough about the depth of knowledge and courage of the soul of Ernest Holmes.
August 20, 2012
MY ALL TIME GO TO BOOK, EVEN MORE SO THAN THE SCIENCE OF MIND TEXTBOOK.
December 22, 2025
Excellent book -- good compliation of Holmes' work -- easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews