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“In every systematic inquiry (methodos) where there are first principles, or causes, or elements, knowledge and science result from acquiring knowledge of these… It is clear, then, that in the science of nature as elsewhere, we should try first to determine questions about the first principles.”
– Aristotle
The word ‘principle,’ as I use it in my work, refers to the basic or essential quality or element of something that determines its intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior. In the field of chemistry, 117 distinct elements have been discovered that in various compounds form the substance of every ‘thing’ on the planet. In art, the three primary colors make up every other color in the spectrum.
When it comes to the human experience, we can understand the foundational elements in the form of three universal principles: Mind, Consciousness and Thought. While those words mean different things to different people, the principles they point to have been observed and studied in science, philosophy, and religion throughout the ages. I’ve come to think of them as the basic facts of life – formless, foundational elements which can be observed only through their effects:
The Principle of Mind:
There is an energy and intelligence behind life. This is ever present but is not ‘in control’ – it has no inherent morality or apparent point of view. It simply ensures that but for the interference of external circumstance, acorns become oak trees, cuts heal, and life begets life.
The Principle of Consciousness:
The capacity to be aware and experience life is innate in human beings. It is a universal phenomenon. Our level of awareness in any given moment determines the quality of our experience.
The Principle of Thought:
We create our individual experience of reality via the vehicle of thought. Thought is the missing link between the formless world of pure potentiality and the created world of form.
These principles were first articulated by a Scottish welder named Syd Banks who had an enlightenment experience and glimpsed a deeper truth about how life works. Here’s how he introduced them in his book The Missing Link:
“The Universal Mind, or the impersonal mind, is constant and unchangeable. The personal mind is in a perpetual state of change. All humans have the inner ability to synchronize their personal mind with their impersonal mind to bring harmony into their lives.”
“Consciousness is the gift of awareness. Consciousness allows the recognition of form, form being the expression of Thought… Mental health lies within the consciousness of all human beings, but it is shrouded and held prisoner by our own erroneous thoughts. This is why we must look past our contaminated thoughts to find the purity and wisdom that lies inside our own consciousness.”
“Thought is the creative agent we use to direct us through life. Thought is the master key that opens the world of reality to all living creatures. Thought is not reality; yet it is through Thought that our realities are created.”
So what does this all mean? It means that there is an extraordinary creative potential that lies largely dormant inside human beings that can become a factor in every area of our lives…