Unity Vancouver Island, following the example of Unity Worldwide, has no dogma. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the founders of Unity, were reluctant even to issue a statement of beliefs; they wanted to remain in constant exploration.  Throughout the years, they pulled together teachings of Truth that flow through all the world’s great religions. Later, leaders of Unity boiled them down to five basic principles.

In the Unity movement, and at Unity Vancouver Island,  we all have the freedom, and are encouraged, to think for ourselves, to find a Truth that we know, deep in our hearts, to be true.  However, Unity offers these basic principles as a framework within which to think.  True to form, various Unity centres have developed variations on the wordings of the 5 Basic Principles.  We have included several; please use the version that rings true for you.

PRINCIPLE #1

There is One Presence and One Power active in the Universe and in my life:  God, the good, omnipotence
God is All there is and is present everywhere.  This is the force of love and wisdom that underlies all existence
There is only one ultimate power in the universe

We are free from fear of a God that punishes, free from the fear that there is an evil force which can overpower us. We are free of the belief that any person has authority over our spirit. We trust in a benevolent, loving Universe having only good for us.   We trust.

PRINCIPLE #2

Human beings are divine at their core and therefore, inherently good.
Humankind was created from absolute good and our inherent nature is also good. We call our inherent goodness the Christ
Our essence is of God; therefore we are inherently good.   This God-essence was fully expressed in Jesus, the Christ

This principle releases us from the erroneous beliefs that we are inherently sinful.  It fosters our self-esteem and self-confidence.  It frees us to express the unique and Truth of who we authentically - goodness and love. We trust ourselves.  We love ourselves and each other.

PRINCIPLE #3

Thoughts have creative power to determine events and attract experiences
Our thoughts and feelings combined have great creative power
We are co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind

Whatever we consistently focus our thoughts and feelings upon, manifests in our lives.  We are not victims.  We are the creators of our own experience and we accept responsibility (not blame).  When we accept responsibility for the creation of our own experiences, we are empowered to create consciously, that which we truly desire.   We are empowered.

PRINCIPLE #4

Prayer and meditation keep us aligned with the one great power in the Universe
Prayer and meditation are essential elements of the spiritual life because they keep us awake and aware of our Oneness with God and all creation
Through prayer and meditation, we align our heart-mind with God.  Denials and affirmations are tools we use.

We are reminded of our eternal connection with the Divine; we are never separate.  Prayer and meditation free us from the mental, emotional and physical cravings and addictions that restrict our freedom. We tame our unruly minds and open them to inner wisdom available in the silence.  We are divinely guided.

BASIC PRINCIPLE #5

It is not enough to understand spiritual teachings; we must live the Truth we know.
It is not enough to know the Truth; we must put that Truth into action in our lives
Through thoughts, words and actions, we live the Truth we know.

The Truth unused is only theory and has no power to change our lives or better our world. We must put this Truth into action and live the rich, fulfilled life of joy, inclusion and service that God intends for us.  We are kind, compassionate, loving and bold.