Our spiritual community is founded upon the Seven Principles of Spiritualism originally proclaimed, in part, by Emma Hardinge Britten in 1871.
1. The Fatherhood of God
2. The Brotherhood of Man
3. The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels
4. The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul
5. Personal Responsibility
6. Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for all the Good and Evil Deeds done on Earth
7. Eternal Progress Open to every Human Soul.
A modern version approved by the Spiritualist Church of Canada (2010) is below:
1. Infinite Spirit, Divine Creator of All That Is
2. Unity and Equality of All
3. Communication, Guidance, and Healing from Spirit and Angels
4. Continuous Existence of the Soul and its Personality
5. Personal Responsibility for the Creation of our Reality through Thought, Word, and Deed
6. Actions create results according to Natural Law
7. Eternal Progress open to Every Soul
We believe that Spirit in its many forms is primary, and it is from Spirit that all material forms are manifested. Taken collectively, this Spirit is known as the Divine Source. Since we all come from one source, we are all relatives, connected in this realm of existence. What is more, we are also connected to all those who came before us. This is because we have never not existed as Spirit, we never left heaven, and we will never cease to exist as spiritual beings. It is because of this reality of our existence that we are able to communicate with those who have passed on to the spirit world and other spirit beings. Spirit communication in its various forms not only provides proof of our continual existence, but reveals our true nature as Spirit beings.
We are all on a journey of spiritual unfoldment and learning. We are each responsible for our thoughts, words, and actions since they each serve to create the worlds in which we exist. Thus, the worlds we create will ultimately affect all. We believe that no one is beyond help and we respect the unique paths that each spiritual being follows in their eternal journey.
There are some important implications of the Seven Principles for our spiritual community, the Eternity Connection, these implications have been articulated in the form of a community covenant with outlines ethical behavior for all community members generally as well as those entrusted to provide services to our community members.
General Commitments
1. Reverence for Spirit
We realize that all the gifts and abilities we possess come from the Divine Source. Whether it be our ability to communicate with spirit, heal, or counsel, all of these abilities originate from the spirit world. As we unfold, we continue to discover our true nature as spiritual beings.
2. Celebrating Our Respective Journeys of Spiritual Unfoldment
Each person will unfold in a unique fashion. The pace and nature of unfoldment will depend upon each person’s relationship with the Spirit world and where they devote their time and efforts in the physical world. Our community is a place to celebrate and diversity of each member’s spiritual unfoldment. This commitment asks that each community member respect the unique beliefs and abilities of all other community members. Our community is a place that is accepting of all regardless of age, abilities, ethnic background, gender, language, marital status, national ancestry, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
3. Collective Responsibility
Our community is continuously being re-created. The growth and development of this community depends solely on the ability of our members to identify with their true selves as spiritual beings. Each member is responsible for the community that we create together and for where they focus their awareness. Each member is asked to remember that through attunement with the spirit world, only positive thoughts, words, and actions can arise. Whereas, identification with the ego may bring negative thoughts, words, and actions. This community is intentionally incorporated as a non-profit organization, its existence is for the benefit of its members and the world(s). For this reason, each community member is asked to continuously assess how their intentions are aligned with Spirit and the needs of others.
4. Eternal Progression
This community is founded upon an ethic of service to humanity through attunement to spirit. We believe that as community members unfold, they will move into different roles in this community. Our community of practitioners will continue to arise from our membership. Those who complete an introductory course may one day find themselves serving as instructors in our community. Indeed, we are all teachers and students in this community. Our community is thus open to all who wish to serve spirit and humanity.
Specific Commitments-Service Providers
Those who provide services to this community have special responsibilities which arise from their role in our community.
1. Respect for the Inherent Dignity & Worth of Those We Serve
Arising from our reverence for spirit is respect for the inherent dignity and worth of those we serve. Of utmost importance is the awareness that people who come to our community may be particularly vulnerable. Those who request services may be grieving the loss of a loved one, experiencing physical pain, or emotional distress. For this reason, all service providers must accord those they serve with respect and care. As noted, Spirit will never judge or condemn anyone. Attunement with spirit empowers service providers to accord each person we serve with unconditional respect and positive regard.
2. Uphold each person’s right to self-determination
Related to the ethic of celebrating the spiritual journey of each person is upholding each person’s right to make their own choices so long as that choice will not harm themselves or others. Just as Spirit will only offer encouragement and support on our journeys, never judging or tell us what we should or should not do in this world, service providers should not tell those who join our community what to do or instill fear in any way. However, each service provider is required to immediately report to their supervisor any situation where they have reason to believe that a community member (including all those who use our services) may harm themselves or others.
3. Informed Consent
Directly related to the ethic of self-determination is the ethic of informed consent. Each service provider is ethically obligated before the provision of any service to:
a. Clearly outline the nature and purpose of the service that is being offered;
b. Briefly describe how they will provide the service;
c. Invite the service user to ask questions concerning about the service; and,
d. Invite the service user to clearly state their consent to proceed with the service.
4. Service to the community and both worlds
Service providers hold privileged and influential roles in our community. For this reason, they must always model a higher standard of spirit infused awareness and practice in our community. Service providers are expected to place the needs of others above their own self-interest when acting in a professional capacity. Service providers are expected to strive to use the power and authority vested in them in responsible ways that serve the needs of the community, service users and the spirit world. All service providers are tasked with promoting the spiritual unfoldment of all community members (including service users and service providers) and the creation of a community and a world that is in aligned with the aspirations of the spirit world; a world which offers kindness, support, and compassion to all beings so that they can unfold their true nature.
5. Integrity of Professional Practice
Each service provider will demonstrate and promote the qualities of honesty, reliability, impartiality, and diligence in their professional practice. Where a service provider is a member of a professional association, they will adhere to the values and ethical principles of their profession and those incorporated into this covenant. Service providers will establish appropriate boundaries in relationships with service users and ensure that the relationship serves the needs of service users. Service providers will value openness and transparency in professional practice and avoid relationships where their integrity or impartiality may be compromised, ensuring that should a conflict of interest be unavoidable, the nature of the conflict is fully disclosed. A service provider who has a concern with regard to another service provider’s ethics, practice, opinions, or behaviour, will make reasonable efforts to address the concern with that colleague. However, if there is a risk of harm to another community member or the concern continues, the service provider will consult with their supervisor.
Service providers may not use this community to promote their own businesses or independent professional practice. Subject to principle #6 Competence, service providers are required to provide services to all service users that are referred to them by this community. All service users referred to service providers must be served through this community. Service providers may not provide services or levy additional fees beyond those prescribed by this community to service users who have been referred to them by this community.
6. Confidentiality in Professional Practice
Service providers will respect the importance of the trust and confidence placed in the professional relationship by service users and members of the public. They will respect the service user’s right to confidentiality of information shared during the provision of professional services. Service providers will only disclose confidential information with the informed consent of the service user. Service providers may break confidentiality and communicate service user information without permission when required to do so by law, court order, or where there is imminent risk that the service user may harm themselves or others. Service providers will demonstrate transparency with respect to limits to confidentiality that apply to their professional practice by clearly communicating these limitations to service users early in their relationship. Service providers are expected to immediately consult with their supervisor where circumstances indicate that a breach of confidentiality is required to prevent harm from coming to the client or others.
7. Competence in Professional Practice
Service users have the right to receive services that support their spiritual unfoldment and personal well-being. However, there may be some circumstances where it becomes clear that the service provider may not be able to provide the service that is requested by a service user. These circumstances may include:
a. the service provider is unable to provide the requested service (e.g., due to illness or other impairment);
b. the needs of the service user require services that are beyond the capability of the service provider or scope of the agreed service (e.g., medical diagnosis, predicting the future); or
c. where the service user has requested a service that may result in harm to the service user or others.
Where a service provider is unable to provide service, they will immediately suspend the service and report the situation to their immediate supervisor. The service user may be referred to an available resource that may better meet their needs. Supervisors should ensure that service providers have available a list of potential resources for referral purposes.
All service providers must clearly understand and work within the scope and purposes of the services that they are contracted to provide to service users. Where a service provider is unsure about the scope of service, they are asked to consult with their supervisor.
All service providers must commit to the continual unfoldment of their professional knowledge and skills. Each and every service provided in this community will be evaluated to promote ongoing unfoldment and to identify areas for additional growth and development. These evaluations will be periodically reviewed by the service provider and their supervisor. In consultation with their supervisor, each service provider is required to complete a semi-annual professional development plan. A service provider may be suspended from service where he or she:
a. is unable or unwilling to commit to ongoing development;
b. has received consistently poor evaluations from service users; or
c. is unable or unwilling to follow direction from their supervisor or the provisions of their current professional development plan.
Where the service provider has been suspended from providing service, the suspension shall continue until:
a. the supervisor and service provider have met to review the evaluations provided by service users;
b. the areas in need of additional growth have been identified;
c. the service provider has created or updated their professional development plan to respond to the areas identified as in need of additional growth;
d. the supervisor has approved the plan; and
e. the areas for growth have been identified in the professional development plan have been addressed to such an extent that the supervisor and service provider mutually agree that service provider can provide competent service to the community.