Do we really know what Constant means?

The image of the projector below is a popular metaphor to describe the Three Principles. It is on the front cover of a book written by a well-known teacher and author of the Three Principles.

Let’s focus on one thing – Thought. Hopefully, you can see the word within the film strip between the two reels, as I cannot source a higher-quality, less pixelated image.

As this is a “Three Principles” book, I will assume that the author is using the word “Thought” to mean “The Principle of Thought.” So, the author is referring to the film strip as the Principle of Thought. This brings up a fundamental question we need to consider.

First, let’s hear from Sydney Banks. (I added the boldface to his quotes below.)

Quotes from Sydney Banks on the Principle of Thought

“Mind, Consciousness, and Thought are spiritual gifts that enable us to see creation and guide us through life. All three are universal constants that can never change and never be separated.”

The Missing Link, page 22

“The Three Principles I speak of are universal constants that can never change and are never separate entities from us. From the cradle to the grave, they totally encompass the reality we observe and experience in this lifetime.”

The Enlightened Gardener Revisited, chapter 4, page 45

“You can’t have Consciousness without Thought, or Thought without Consciousness. Thought is just as constant as Consciousness.”

In Quest of the Pearl, chapter 6, page 62.

Is the film strip really constant?

Sydney Banks clearly describes the Principle of Thought as being CONSTANT – something that never changes, he emphasizes. When I look at the image above, it brings up a question I cannot avoid.

“Is the film strip constant and unchanging?”

My answer was “No.” I couldn’t bring myself to agree that the film strip is constant. If the film strip were constant, we would watch the same film all day, every day, never seeing another film. To describe this in the context of the human experience is to have the same reality, the same feeling, the same experience, all day, every day. That isn’t a description of human beings to me. I know I go through many “films” daily, some very different from one another. There are WAY too many to count. To say that we go through countless CHANGING realities every day is a far more accurate description of the human race.

I realized the author uses the word Thought, to refer to the ever-changing nature of the film strip, which directly contradicts what Sydney Banks was saying about the Principle of Thought. Another realization is that the author makes no distinction between personal thoughts and the Principle of Thought. Personal thought, as we all know, is what changes, but the Principle of Thought never changes. The fact that there is at least one difference between “personal thought” and “the Principle of Thought” is sufficient to let us know they cannot be the same. Now, we can begin to distinguish between the two.

Does that mean the author is inadvertently pointing to the changing nature of the film strip and calling it the Principle of Thought? You’ll have to ask the author. At Three Principles Psychology, however, we are going somewhere else. A place that fully respects the Principle of Thought that never changes, exactly as Sydney Banks was teaching us, and leaves no room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding.

When I saw this, I lost all interest in the author because I realized the author was pointing to personal thoughts and not the Principle of Thought. I wanted to return to the Principle of Thought, which is constant and unchangeable, because that is what Sydney Banks was teaching us. I wanted to be a good student of Sydney Banks and get passing grades, even though I’ve never met him! I wanted to realize the Principle of Thought not as something that changes but as a constant and unchangeable principle.

A New Direction to Learn about the Three Principles

I began searching for a teacher or guide who could point to the Principles of Thought and consistently uphold them as constant and unchangeable. I was no longer interested in learning from those who didn’t. I was surprised how many people use the word “constant” to describe something that is not constant.

As I turned away from such teachers, I reallocated my time, effort, and money to those I perceived as being aligned with the Three Principles because I had the practical and helpful knowledge that the Three Principles are constant and unchanging. It turned out to be a wise decision, as it significantly accelerated my “insight curve” because I wanted to learn about the Three Principles, not the personal.

I was fortunate to discover Keith Blevens and Valda Monroe, a couple who were remarkably aligned to teaching the Three Principles, without ever losing sight of the Three Principles’ constant and unchanging nature. It was “easy” to hear these properties embedded whenever they spoke, and they consistently highlighted the Three Principles in every matter during their conversations. Incredibly, positive feelings naturally arose in us without ever trying to create them or even being told to “listen for a positive feeling.” It was a surprising and delightful occurrence, considering the rarity of inside-out positive feelings and their prescription-free nature. Having Keith and Valda as teachers with this level of consistency for all conversation matters is a very powerful experience.

Strengthening the ability to go inside or within

As I looked in the direction of the Principle of Thought being constant and unchanging, and not otherwise, I noticed the frequency of insight had increased, and the depth of the knowledge given to me was more profound than anything I’ve ever known. I realized I was getting increasingly in tune with what it means to go inside or within – it was nothing like what I had previously believed “going within” meant. It was a very different kind of insight that conveyed more about the impersonal nature of the Principles themselves and less about my personal thoughts. Yet, this kind of insight changed my relationship with my personal thoughts to a healthier one. Wow. It was the kind of insight that deeply quieted my mind, and a sense of peace was washing over me, creating a sacred space for wisdom to play a bigger part in all that I do in my daily activities.

One such insight made me realize that the insights I had before experiencing the deeper insights were “ego insights,” the kind that made our heads busier and multiply our thoughts. Unfortunately, they were shrouded in an outside-in positive feeling that had a duration shorter than that of a placebo. No wonder I called them insights! It’s incredible that I called them insights for a long time when they never were! Noticing the wildly different outcomes of these two kinds of insights was both mind-boggling and extraordinary at the same time. Indeed, I now have a sense of what I call a “Principle-Based Insight.” I guarantee you, there is no greater insight than receiving a Principle-Based Insight, that teaches you something about the Three Principles themselves.

I am lucky because what would have happened had I not realized the difference between the Principle of Thought being constant and personal thoughts that are not constant? I would have been none the wiser and likely missed out on all the profound life-changing insights about the Three Principles I was blessed to receive. The feeling of gratitude for the Three Principles was all-encompassing, and I had done nothing to create that feeling.

The Lighthouse Nature of the Principle of Thought

The purpose of a lighthouse is to serve as a navigational aid and to ensure the safety of ships at sea. Lighthouses emit powerful beams of light visible over long distances to guide marine vessels safely through dangerous waters. They mark hazardous coastlines, reefs, shoals, rocks, and safe harbor entrances. They act like traffic signs on the sea, warning mariners of danger or directing them to safe routes.

Additionally, lighthouses help ships determine their position and plot a safe course, especially at night or in poor weather conditions. During the day, their distinctive shapes, colors, and patterns (known as daymarks) help sailors identify their location visually. No matter the weather, even in the stormiest days, or gigantic waves crashing onto the shore and covering up the lighthouse, the lighthouse stands tall, impervious, and the light shines on regardless. There’s a sense of predictability, making it reliable and dependable.

One of several aspects of realizing the Principle of Thought is to “shine a light” on personal thoughts. After all, it’s the only thing the Principle of Thought can shine a light on! What does that mean? It means helping us realize that whatever we’re going through in our lives is an effect (form) of personal thought, never anything else. This keeps us “inside” because the inside (or within) is the only place where personal thoughts occur. It’s also the exact same place where mental well-being lives! It is just as well that the Principle of Thought is constant and unchanging, which means we always have the opportunity to realize that we live in a world of personal thought, no matter how difficult. Therefore, we have unlimited second chances to re-align ourselves to mental well-being, simply because of the constant nature of the Principle of Thought. It also highlights that mental well-being is never more than one thought away. Honestly, what an extraordinary and precious gift every one of us has been given.

Of course, there are trillions of things in our personal thoughts, but the insight that what we are going through is a personal thought is never more than one thought/insight away, especially as personal thought is the only thing the Principle of Thought can reveal to us. No matter how deeply entrenched we are in our personal thoughts, we are never, ever, more than one thought away from having the light shine on our mental well-being. At this point, the world we observe turns positive, and we feel calmer, quieter, with a deeper sense of contentment.

In contrast, without the “light” of the Principle of Thought, we are left in the dark, and our ability to navigate our way is severely compromised. What does that mean? It means that even though we are still navigating the world of personal thought, it appears to us as having nothing to do with personal thought. There is no “light” to make personal thought visible to us. Then, we are apt to believe what we are going through is part of the material world “out there” and, therefore, has nothing to do with us as there is no recognition of personal thought. The world “out there” is not where mental well-being lives. This is the precise step where we lose our mental well-being, and we find ourselves in a world of negativity. As Sydney Banks once said, “A step to the outside is a step in the wrong direction.“ This is one of many fundamental reasons why we are resolutely focused on the Principle of Thought, because it does so much more for us than looking at our personal thoughts can ever do for us.

In case of any potential misunderstanding regarding personal thought, I’m not talking about what our personal thoughts are about, as there are trillions of them; I’m pointing out that they’re personal thoughts. Mental well-being is not found IN a personal thought but in the same dimension where personal thoughts occur. It is that dimension where the Principle of Thought is, and therefore shines the light that will guide us.

The Big Question

We must do everything we can to maintain how we understand the Three Principles being in alignment with their constant and unchanging nature. Keith and I have had to learn to be tenacious and diligent so that our teachings of the Three Principles are rigorous, scientific, and meticulous to uphold the true nature of Mind, Thought, and Consciousness as constant and unchanging Principles. We know the difference between the Principle of Thought and personal thought. They are definitely NOT the same.

The question ultimately boils down to this:

Do you want to learn about the Three Principles while maintaining, respecting, and honoring the Principle of Thought being constant and unchanging?

If you do, the Three Principles Psychology website is the place to help you do that.