10/12/2026
The Colors Within Us: A Journey Through Unityโs Twelve Powers
As we settle into our new home at Unity in Greensboro, the paintings on our walls invite us to pause. Their circles, patterns, and brilliant colors offer more than something beautiful to look at. They invite us to discover something within ourselves.
Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore taught that each person possesses twelve spiritual powersโcapacities through which we can express our Divine nature. Our paintings give these gifts a visible presence, reminding us to bring them into everyday life.
Imagine walking through our space, allowing each painting to become a companion on your journey.
You begin with Faith, associated with deep blue. Like looking into a vast evening sky, you find room to breathe. Faith is your ability to believe, perceive, and trust. Perhaps you cannot see the whole path ahead, but you can take the next step.
Beside it is Strength, represented by light green. You think of a tender shoot finding its way through the soil. Strength brings endurance, stability, and perseverance. Sometimes it appears as courage; sometimes it is the quiet willingness to begin again.
Then comes Wisdom, associated with yellow. Like sunlight entering a room, wisdom helps you see more clearly. It is the capacity to discern, evaluate, and apply what you know. You pause before acting and ask, โWhat choice will serve the highest good?โ
At Love, represented by pink, your attention turns toward connection. Love draws us together and helps us recognize one anotherโs worth. You remember a welcoming smile, a patient conversation, or a kindness offered without being asked.
You continue to Power, associated with purple. Here you consider the influence of your own words and attention. Power is spiritual self-mastery: learning to direct your thoughts, feelings, and actions with intention. You ask yourself what you want your presence to contribute to the room.
Next is Imagination, represented by light blue. Like an open sky, it invites possibility. Imagination allows you to picture something that does not yet existโa new gathering, a creative solution, a more welcoming community. Before anyone moves a chair or opens a door, someone imagines what might be.
At Understanding, associated with gold, those possibilities gain depth. Understanding is the ability to comprehend and recognize spiritual truth. You listen a little longer. You look beneath a first impression. Something that once seemed confusing begins to make sense.
Then Will, represented by silver, asks you to choose. Will gives direction to what you have discovered. A hopeful idea becomes a commitment: โI will make the call. I will offer my help. I will take that next step.โ
You arrive at Order, associated with olive or deep green. Order helps us organize, adjust, and find balance. You imagine the many hands involved in preparing our space: each task finding its place, each contribution becoming part of a shared purpose.
Then Zeal, represented by orange, brings a spark of enthusiasm. Zeal is the energy that inspires us to begin and motivates us to participate. It is the eager voice saying, โI have an idea!โ and the joy of finding meaningful work to do together.
At Renunciation, also called Release or Elimination, associated with russetโa reddish brown, you pause to set something down. This power allows us to let go of what no longer serves us. Like autumn leaves falling, an old resentment or limiting habit can make room for new growth.
Finally, you stand before Life, represented by red. Life is the capacity to energize, animate, and renew. You notice your breath, the sound of conversation, and the movement of people gathering. The room is filled with opportunities to participate in life.
As you finish your walk, the paintings remain on the walls, but their invitation travels with you.
You can practice faith when the future feels uncertain. Draw on strength when a task is difficult. Bring wisdom to a decision and love to a conversation. Use power to speak thoughtfully, imagination to explore possibilities, understanding to listen deeply, and will to act. Let order guide your preparations, zeal enliven your service, and release help you make room for what comes next.
In our new home, these colors surround the places where we gather, pray, sing, learn, and serve. May they remind us, each time we pass, of the spiritual gifts we can bring to one anotherโand to the world beyond our doors.
