Spirit · Spiritual laws

The universal spiritual laws

This section offers 34 short reference pages on the universal spiritual laws, one for each principle, from karma and grace to gratitude, reflection, balance and faith. “Universal spiritual laws” is a modern framework popular in New Age and self-help writing. Its teachers describe these principles as governing spiritual life, but there is no single author or agreed list, and the lists differ from teacher to teacher. Some of the laws echo much older teachings, such as karma in Indian religions, while others, such as attraction, come from modern writing about mindset. The New Age movement took shape around 1970 and drew on Western esotericism and on Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism.

Each page explains what the principle claims, where similar ideas appear in religious and philosophical traditions, and how people practice it day to day. It ends with a short grounded view. We present the laws fairly, as beliefs, and point out where everyday psychology says something similar. Many of them touch the rest of the site, since ideas about gratitude, reflection and balance connect naturally to caring for your body, mind and soul. To choose a starting point, use the numbered table below, which gives a one-line summary of each law.

Start here

Universal spiritual laws: an introduction to the 12 laws and more

What the universal spiritual laws are, where the idea comes from in New Thought and Hermetic writings, how to read this series of laws, and a grounded view.

The 34 laws

No.	Law
01	Karma What karma means in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, how the modern 'law of karma' differs, how people practice it day to day, and a grounded view.
02	Grace What the spiritual law of grace says, how grace is understood in Christianity and Judaism, how people open to it in daily life, and an honest view of the idea.
03	Miracles What the spiritual law of miracles says, how religions and philosophers define a miracle, how people practice openness to wonder, and a grounded view.
04	Projection What the spiritual law of projection says, its roots in Freud's and Jung's psychology, how people use it to understand reactions to others, and a grounded view.
05	Decree What the spiritual law of decree says, its roots in the I AM movement's spoken decrees and New Thought affirmation, how people use it, and a grounded view.
06	Frequency and vibration What the law of vibration says, its source in The Kybalion and New Thought, how people try to raise their frequency, and why the physics talk is metaphor.
07	Purification What the spiritual law of purification says, how ritual purification works across religions, how people practice clearing, and a grounded view.
08	Prosperity What the spiritual law of prosperity says, its roots in New Thought and the prosperity gospel, how people practice it with balance, and an honest view.
09	Discrimination The spiritual law of discrimination means discernment, not prejudice: its roots in Vedanta and Christian discernment, how to practice it, and a grounded view.
10	Attention What the spiritual law of attention says, how meditation and psychology describe attention, simple practices for directing focus, and a grounded view.
11	Flow What the spiritual law of flow says, its roots in the Daoist idea of wu wei and the psychology of flow states, how people practice it, and a grounded view.
12	Manifestation What the spiritual law of manifestation says, its roots in New Thought and the law of attraction, how people work with it, and what the evidence shows.
13	Request What the spiritual law of request says, its roots in petitionary prayer across religions, how people ask for help in daily life, and a grounded view.
14	Affirmation What the spiritual law of affirmation says, its roots in Coué and New Thought, what research on self-affirmation found, how to practice it, and a grounded view.
15	Clarity What the spiritual law of clarity says, why clear intentions matter in spiritual teaching and goal research, how to practice clarity, and a grounded view.
16	Blessings What the spiritual law of blessings says, how blessing works in Judaism and Christianity, how people bless others and their lives, and a grounded view.
17	Challenge What the spiritual law of challenge says, its echoes in Stoic philosophy and research on post-traumatic growth, how people practice it, and a grounded view.
18	Meditation What the spiritual law of meditation says, how meditation is practiced across traditions, what research shows about it, how to begin, and a grounded view.
19	Prayer What the spiritual law of prayer says, the main forms of prayer across religions, how people pray in daily life, and a grounded view of prayer's place.
20	Abundance What the spiritual law of abundance says, its New Thought roots, what psychology says about scarcity, how people practice it, and a grounded view.
21	Success What the spiritual law of success says, its roots in New Thought success writing from Mulford to Napoleon Hill, how people practice it, and a grounded view.
22	Intention What the spiritual law of intention says, Buddhist teaching on intention and karma, research on if-then plans, how to practice it, and a grounded view.
23	Resistance What the law of resistance says, its echoes in research on thought suppression and acceptance therapy, how people practice it, and a grounded view.
24	Responsibility What the law of responsibility says, its links to karma and the psychology of locus of control, how to practice it without self-blame, and a grounded view.
25	Healing What the spiritual law of healing says, how religions see healing, what expectation research shows, and why spiritual practice never replaces medical care.
26	Oneness What the spiritual law of oneness says, its roots in Advaita Vedanta and the Buddhist idea of interbeing, how people practice connection, and a grounded view.
27	Perspective What the law of perspective says, its roots in Stoic philosophy and the psychology of reframing, how people practice a wider view, and a grounded view.
28	Reincarnation What the law of reincarnation says, its roots in Indian religions, Greek thought and Kabbalah, how people use the idea day to day, and a grounded view.
29	Attachment What the law of attachment says, Buddhist teaching on clinging, the Bhagavad Gita's selfless action, how people practice non-attachment, and a grounded view.
30	Gratitude What the spiritual law of gratitude says, its place in world religions, what research on gratitude has found, simple practices, and a grounded view.
31	Reflection What the law of reflection says, its roots in the Hermetic 'as above, so below' and the psychology of projection, how people use it, and a grounded view.
32	Balance and polarity What the law of balance and polarity says, its roots in yin and yang and The Kybalion, how people practice balance day to day, and a grounded view.
33	Faith What the spiritual law of faith says, how philosophers and religions understand faith as trust, how people practice faith in daily life, and a grounded view.
34	Reflection in daily life: life as a mirror How to use the idea that life mirrors us: relationships, strong reactions, repeating patterns and a simple mirror journal, with a grounded view.