THE 5 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES OF UNITY

Affirmative Prayer

At Unity, Prayer is a way of life, a way to move through life with peace in our hearts. Prayer is a tool, which we use to build our awareness of God within and to bring ourselves closer to God. And it is this awareness of God’s presence that keeps us poised and centered in times of challenge.

For over 100 years, Unity has been serving people of all faiths from all parts of the world through prayer. What began as a small group of praying friends has grown into a worldwide prayer ministry with devoted staff prayerfully responding to thousands of requests that pour in each day.

Unity’s approach to prayer is affirmative, based on positive prayers and affirmations that have universal appeal. An affirmation is a simple statement of spiritual truth that calls forth a conscious recognition of our oneness with God. Focusing on these spiritual truths reinforces our awareness of God and all that God is.

Experience the power of prayer. True prayer goes beyond words. True prayer is an attitude of heart and mind, of receptivity and thanksgiving. Let go of any concern as you spend time in quiet prayer reading or listening to this month's guided meditation. You may even experience other inspiring audio-visual meditations that will help you center yourself in the presence of God.

"We can be certain that there is an Intelligence in the Universe to which we may come, that will guide and inspire us, a love which overshadows. God is real to the one who believes in the Supreme Spirit, real to the Soul that senses the Unity of the Whole." Ernest Holmes

The Practice of Spiritual Study

The Spiritual Practice of Study is a never ending journey into the Truth of Self. Where have we come from? Where are we going? Why are we here? Life itself affords us the opportunity to play in the infinite lab of all possibilities. In study we explore these questions and expand our conscious understanding of what Life is and how we choose to live it.

At Unity North we pride ourselves on being a place where education is a priority. Everyone is encouraged to take the answers about life and explore it for ourselves. It is for each of us to consciously choose what we believe. We invite you to investigate your beliefs, your ideas about "the way it is" by taking classes, reading books and dialoging with others. We offer many classes for discovering what we hold to be true within ourselves, and as a global community. We invite you to look through the classes and retreats which are available through Unity North. Also visit our bookstore to roam through the wisdom of thought provided by all the books, tapes and music found there.

"...The Universal Mind contains all knowledge, It is the potential ultimate of all things. To It, all things are possible. To us, as much is possible as we can conceive, according to Law. Should all wisdom of the universe be poured over us, we should receive only that which we are ready to understand. " -Ernest Holmes

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."
Proverbs

The Practice of Meditation

How to Meditate
All prayer and meditation begin with stillness and serenity. Go to a quiet place. Begin by relaxing your body and your mind. Take a few deep breaths, and each time you exhale feel your body relax into a peaceful state. Let go of your worries and cares. Feel only the presence of God within you. Enjoy this feeling as you progress through the meditation. If you find yourself becoming anxious or thinking of other things, bring your thoughts back to God. Let the words of the meditation inspire you as you say them either silently or aloud.

The meditations provided here are intended to be read aloud or silently. If you would like to experience an audio-guided meditation, please choose from our selection of CD and cassettes in our bookstore.

God’s love is a powerful influence, a gentle presence within that encourages us and fills our hearts with hope. Enter a sacred space of peace and oneness with God; open your mind and heart to fully experience God’s love. We invite you to take a moment out of your busy day, find a quiet place, and pray now.

Read this month's Meditation.

The Spiritual Practice of Service

Sometimes we get caught up in the busy "doingness" of life. We then can forget that who we are is our gift to ourselves and others.

Intentional acts of service bring a richness to one's self and to those with whom we serve.

Unity North is an inclusive spiritual community of diverse people, where all can be in service in caring supportive ways.

In service we assist each other in deepening our sense of community and interdependence. Service opportunities allow us to co-create.

Service Opportunities at Unity North

Volunteering Opportunities
The spiritual practice of service has many beautiful faces in our church community. From the "high visibility" of ushers and greeters or members of the choir to the "behind the scenes" people who count the offering or handle building logistics, all are necessary for the smooth operation of our church home. For more information contact Volunteer Coordinator, Kathleen Ryan or phone her at 678-819-9100.

Living in Abundance and Prosperity

The Spiritual Practice of giving is an important key to Life. For in giving we open ourselves to receive a greater good, to reveal within the Infinite Abundance that is God. It is only as we allow the Divine current to flow through us on and out, that we really express life. By practicing the Law of Circulation we grow into alignment with our true nature and our thoughts of survival are replaced by thoughts of well-beingness. We can then live lives that express the Prosperity inherent within each of us.

At Unity North, we offer many ways for each of us to explore this thing called "Prosperity", which is truly moving forward in Joy! There are wonderful challenging classes that support your discovering what is True for you and how to consciously choose to experience a Greater Good in Life.

We challenge each other to grow through giving financially. This is one of the greatest stretches many of us make to expand our ability to accept more Good. By exploring the truth about money and what it stands for in our lives we have the opportunity to gain freedom from it having power over us. Instead we may expand our understanding of Prosperity to take us beyond money alone and truly reflect the Abundant nature of Life itself, and our right to live Abundant Lives.

We encourage you to practice the art of giving by pledging or tithing to where you are Spiritually fed. If that happens to be Unity North, then we invite you to give through our online Donations page, by mail or the next time you come to church. Two of the many classes that explore the Law of Circulation are The Four T's and our Prosperity Class. Each takes a deep look at what are we giving and what are we receiving from Life.