Borrowing knowledge of reality from all sources, taking the best

Hear the words of Ernest Holmes, the philosopher and mystic who gave birth to a movement of thought and spirit, who declared: “Borrowing knowledge of reality from all sources, taking the best from every study, Science of Mind brings together the highest enlightenment of the ages.” In this saying lies the essence of a great vision—that truth is not the possession of one people, one tradition, or one discipline, but the shining inheritance of all humanity. To walk the path of wisdom is to gather from every stream, to drink from every well, to weave together the fragments of truth into a greater wholeness.

The ancients understood this unity, though they called it by different names. In Egypt, priests studied the stars; in India, sages delved into the soul; in Greece, philosophers probed reason; in China, sages harmonized with the Tao. Each carried a part of the knowledge of reality, and though separated by lands and ages, their insights reflected the same eternal light. Holmes’ vision, like theirs, was that the seeker must not confine himself to one path alone, but must humbly gather from all, discerning what is noble and true, discarding what is false, and thereby rising toward enlightenment.

History gives us many examples of this spirit of synthesis. Consider the great House of Wisdom in Baghdad, where during the Islamic Golden Age scholars translated Greek philosophy, Indian mathematics, and Persian medicine into Arabic. From these blended streams flowed algebra, astronomy, and healing knowledge that would later nourish Europe’s Renaissance. By borrowing knowledge from all sources, they preserved and expanded the wisdom of the world, showing that true progress comes not from isolation but from embracing the diversity of human thought.

Holmes’ words also remind us of the humility required for true learning. For the proud man believes his own tradition is complete, his own study sufficient, his own nation supreme. But the wise know that truth is vast, that no single study contains it all. Thus, Holmes invites us to take the best from every study—not clinging to dogma, but sifting with discernment, gathering what uplifts, enlightens, and empowers. In this way, the fragments of truth scattered across ages and cultures are united into a radiant whole.

And what is the fruit of such gathering? It is not confusion, as some fear, but harmony. Just as a symphony takes many instruments and blends them into one song, so does the seeker who gathers from philosophy, science, religion, and art weave together a greater vision of reality. Science of Mind, as Holmes conceived it, was not meant to replace other wisdom traditions, but to stand as a meeting place where reason and spirit, knowledge and intuition, East and West, could join in a higher unity.

The lesson for us, O listener, is clear: do not limit yourself to a single stream when the ocean of wisdom lies before you. Read widely, listen deeply, learn humbly. From science, take clarity; from philosophy, take reason; from religion, take reverence; from art, take imagination. Do not fear contradiction, for truth is often revealed in the tension between opposites. What matters is the spirit of discernment, the willingness to embrace what uplifts the human soul and brings us closer to enlightenment.

Thus let the words of Ernest Holmes endure: knowledge of reality is not the property of one people, but the shared treasure of all. Science of Mind is but one expression of this eternal truth—that by borrowing, blending, and uniting the wisdom of the ages, we approach the light of wholeness. Carry this teaching with you: wherever you find truth, honor it, wherever you find wisdom, preserve it, and in doing so, you will walk the path not of division, but of unity, and your life will shine with the radiance of the highest enlightenment.