Agape Spiritual Principles and Practices
Universal Principles of Truth
The following six principles are found at the heart of the great spiritual traditions of the world and form the basis of the core teachings of the Agape Movement. These principles, when embodied and integrated into our daily spiritual practice, are a pathway to self-realization, a conscious state of oneness with Spirit.
1 – God is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent and omniactive. All Existence is the manifest form and activity of Spirit. This Presence is equally present in all space, time, places and in all persons, as well as beyond time, space, and manifest creation. Ours is a holographic Universe in which every part—that which is seen and that which is unseen—is an emanation of the unmanifest Whole.
2 – God is Absolute – The same yesterday, today and forever, constant, changeless, eternal because time, space and form are variable and God is not. God is absolute because God is One. God’s nature is unchangeable.
3 – God is Good, therefore Life is Good. Absolute Goodness is the substance, the source and the supply of all existence. This aspect of the Godhead is always in integrity with itself, which means that it cannot contradict its own laws, nature, and relationship to its creation. The nature of God is life enhancing, positive, upward spiraling—good in every way.
4 – Every person is an individualized expression of the One Spirit. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God and is capable of awakening to this realization and giving expression to the qualities of unconditional love, compassion, wisdom, bliss, peace and creativity.
5 – The Divine Mind of God (Spirit / the Love Intelligence of the Universe) is the creative power of the Universe. Thought creates. Every person, as an individualized expression of the Divine, thinks and creates through the power of free choice. Through the exercise of freewill, each person is able to choose and assume responsibility for their own soul’s evolution. Through this freedom of choice all things are made new, the past is transcended and infinite possibilities are at hand.
6 – The Universe, being Infinite, is in a constant state of evolutionary expansion. We live in a non-static, ever-evolving Universe, which is the source of our individual evolutionary impulse and our capacity to expand into our fullest potential (which is infinite). Each individual’s expansion contributes to the evolutionary progress of the whole.
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
The following seven spiritual practices form the matrix of individual and collective spiritual evolution. While there are many adjunct practices that assist in the expansion of consciousness, these seven have been proven to accelerate the spiritual awakening of practitioners of the world’s wisdom traditions.
Meditation. In meditation practice the practitioner pays undistracted attention to Reality. All meditation techniques share a common purpose: to awaken awareness, another word for self-realization. Meditation stills the mind, increases the capacity to intuitively receive the guidance of Spirit, and opens the heart’s desire to serve as a beneficial presence on the planet.
1 – Affirmative Prayer. Affirmative prayer grounds the practitioner in a solid awareness of oneness with Spirit. The power of affirmative prayer sets in motion a process that allows an individual to fully realize their innate Divinity. Prayer is an intimate communion with Spirit in the language of one’s own heart.
2 – Life Visioning. The Life Visioning Process™, which was created by Dr. Beckwith, is an intuitive process for opening and sensitizing one’s consciousness to receive Spirit’s vision for one’s life; a life of wholeness, joy, prosperity creativity and generosity of heart. Visioning is applicable to all aspects of life: spiritual, professional, relational, communal and financial.
3 – Sacred Service. Being of service is meditation in action. As the realization of Oneness with all beings is awakened, an organic, natural desire arises to be of service in such a way that nothing is asked in return because serving is its own blessing. Being of service is a freewill offering to the One that is the All.
4 – Spiritual Study. At every stage of growth and development on the spiritual path, it is important to maintain a “beginner’s mind.” Remaining teachable acknowledges that spiritual truth is unlimited, so there are always opportunities to rise to a more profound level of understanding, wisdom and practice through spiritual study.
5 – Spiritual Community. Committed participation in a spiritual community accelerates our spiritual evolution. When individuals gather together to meditate and pray, their united consciousness contributes to the spiritual progress of each individual. The community also offers the opportunity to cultivate patience, humility, compassion and selflessness. When we need encouragement on the path, the community is there to hold the high watch for us.
6 – Tithing. As we mature in our understanding of the Law of Circulation, it becomes obvious that the sharing of our financial resources, our talents and skills is at the heart of tithing. And, in grateful recognition of the teachings and teachers who have been and are our spiritual benefactors, we tithe to them to support the dissemination of their teaching and mission.
