Unity is the principle that helps separate elements feel like they belong together. Colors, shapes, and images may be different, but they can work in harmony to create a single experience. Without unity, however, a design will feel scattered or confusing.

On a larger scale, unity points to Oneness. This concept can be difficult to grasp because we live in a world of duality. We need duality to understand life, just like we need both light and shadow to see depth. Our minds make sense of the world by noticing what is different.

However, unity is not the same as uniformity. Nature doesn’t work that way—it loves diversity. We tend to prefer it as well. In art, too much sameness feels flat and lifeless. Books are great examples of this too. Each page contains different words and ideas. Chapters typically explore different themes; characters speak with different voices. Yet every part contributes to a single story. If every page said the same thing, the book would be extremely boring.

People are much the same. Each of us offers unique gifts, experiences, and perspectives, yet we are connected in ways we often overlook. Like a well-designed page, life is not asking us all to be the same but instead is inviting us to discover how we belong together. &

—LAURA CARL, ART DIRECTOR, SPIRITUALITY & HEALTH: A UNITY PUBLICATION