Ernest Holmes wrote the Declaration of Principles, also known as “What We Believe,” for the first issue of Science of Mind magazine that was published in 1927. “What We Believe” has been included in every issue of the magazine since then!
WE BELIEVE in God, the Living Spirit Almighty; one, indestructible, absolute and self-existent Cause. This One manifests Itself in and through all creation, but is not absorbed by Its creation. The manifest universe is the body of God; it is the logical and necessary outcome of the infinite self-knowingness of God.
WE BELIEVE in the individualization of the Spirit in us, and that all people are individualizations of the One Spirit.
WE BELIEVE in the eternality, the immortality and the continuity of the individual soul, forever and ever expanding.
WE BELIEVE that heaven is within us, and that we experience it to the degree that we become conscious of it.
WE BELIEVE the ultimate goal of life to be a complete freedom from all discord of every nature, and that this goal is sure to be attained by all.
WE BELIEVE in the unity of all life, and that the highest God and the innermost God is one God. We believe that God is personal to all who feel this indwelling presence.
WE BELIEVE in the direct revelation of truth through our intuitive and spiritual nature, and that anyone may become a revealer of truth who lives in close contact with the indwelling God.
WE BELIEVE that the Universal Spirit, which is God, operates through a Universal Mind, which is the Law of God; and that we are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thought and acts upon it.
WE BELIEVE in the healing of the sick and control of conditions through the power of this Mind.
WE BELIEVE in the eternal Goodness, the eternal Loving-kindness and the eternal Givingness of Life to All.
WE BELIEVE in our own soul, our own spirit and our own destiny; for we understand that the life of all is God.
Science of Mind: Guide for Spiritual Living magazine is
published by Centers for Spiritual Living.
SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES – CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING
1. Oneness
There is One Infinite Reality. We call it many names, including but not limited to God, Life, Universal Spirit, Infinite Intelligence, First Cause, or The Thing Itself. The One Infinite Reality is undivided, complete, and whole within Itself. This Oneness creates everything out of itself, and therefore includes both the absolute and relative, tangible and intangible, physical and metaphysical aspects of reality.
2. Love
Love is the self-givingness of Universal Spirit through its desire to express itself in terms of creation. Love is the impulse and Law is the way of creation.
3. Creation
The physical universe is the manifest body of The One Infinite Reality, and the One Infinite Reality is more than the physical universe. Creation is an expression of the One Infinite Reality. It is inherently Good and is ever-evolving toward greater expression of Good.
4. Threefold Nature
The One Infinite Reality expresses Itself in three aspects: Spirit, Law, and Body. Each individual is made in the image and likeness of the One Infinite Reality and has these same three aspects.
5. Creative Process
The One Infinite Reality operates through the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. This Universal Law is impersonal, automatic, and intelligent. The Universal Law receives the direct impress of Spirit’s impulse and acts upon it, bringing it into form. Individuals, having the same threefold nature, use the Creative Process to shape our human experience in alignment with the whole, perfect, and complete Reality.
6. Spiritual Laws
Universal Spirit maintains harmony, equilibrium, and balance through Spiritual Law. There are various expressions and uses of Spiritual Law, for example, the law of correspondence, the law of attraction, the law of giving and receiving. Spiritual laws are impersonal, consistent, and intelligent, and are always operating. Consciously, individuals can learn to use these laws to create or change conditions.
7. Spiritual Beings
The One Infinite Reality is both transcendent and immanent. Individual human beings are spiritual beings living in a spiritual universe having a human experience. This is our True Nature.
8. Freedom
Freedom is the birthright of every individual. We are free to choose and create our experience of life.
9. Heaven
Heaven is the state of awareness of our True Nature. We experience our True Nature to the degree we become conscious of it. We actively seek to know the True Nature of every individual and celebrate each individual’s unique expression of it. This experience of our True Nature is sure to be attained by all.
10. Eternal Life
The One Infinite Reality is eternal. We believe in the eternality, the immortality, and the continuity of the individual, forever and ever expanding.