Sydney Bank's Contribution to Spiritual Teaching

People often ask if the 3 Principles are the same as or different from current and popular spiritual teachings, or Buddhism, or any of the world religions. In this blog I will attempt to answer this important question. 

The 3 Principles refer to the essence of spiritual truth. This truth lies at the core of all of life or we would not refer to it as truth. It has revealed itself to people throughout history.

This truth is not the sole province of any person, or spiritual understanding, or religion. Principles in this context do not refer to any concept or idea, but refer to that which is most fundamental to life. That which is most fundamental is the energy of all of life, whether in form or formless. 

Another way of saying this is that out of pure, formless energy everything in all the universes arises and takes form. Since any and all form is composed of that same energy, there is an inherent unity or oneness in life. Everything is the same energy, whether in form or formless. This truth has always been true, even long before humans came along.

Syd Banks was fortunate enough to have had a realization of this truth in its starkest simplicity. What revealed themselves to Syd in 1973 were the 3 Principles in their formless essence. It was clear to him that they lie before the forms that they have taken in different religions and cultures. Therefore, Syd asserted that the 3 Principles are found at the formless, spiritual core of Buddhism and at the core of every religion. He also pointed out that often the essence of truth gets more and more covered over by concepts, ideas, beliefs, insights, values, doctrines, advice, practices and techniques as time goes by. 

Syd was concerned with the way in which the simplicity of truth can be diluted by human beings as they mix the principles with personal concepts and practices. He knew that this was a danger within the community of people calling themselves 3 Principle practitioners.

Syd was doing his best to invite all of humanity to look toward the essence of every spiritual teaching and religion. He honored and had great respect for all religions. He encouraged religious people to stay with their religion. He invited people to strip away the complexity and return to simplicity. He knew that every single human being has the ability to realize truth. He knew that if people gained a deeper realization of the essence of their religion that it would enhance their understanding of that religion and would help raise the level of understanding in the world.

So the real question may not be how the 3 Principles are different than other spiritual teachings, but can we recognize the 3 Principles at the core of all spiritual teachings and learn to separate them out from all that is a conceptual elaboration?  

Syd believed that he did not create or discover these Principles. They are eternal Principles that revealed themselves to him. The formless nature of spirit and our intimate connection to that world is what Syd shares in common with other spiritual teachers and teachings. But every spiritual realizer brings their own emphasis, interpretation, and explanation to their teaching. 

Syd Banks’ teaching of the 3 Principles is in my opinion an enormous contribution to the world. I would like to identify what I see as his important contributions:

1)    Sydney’s spiritual awakening happened through spontaneous insights. Because of this Syd never recommended, or felt the necessity of, spiritual practices, disciplines, or techniques. This in my opinion truly sets Syd apart from the vast majority of spiritual teaching. The very first point Syd makes in his book The Missing Link is: “One of the greatest misconceptions ever is the belief that ‘It takes years to find wisdom’….The achievement of mental stability and peace of mind is one thought away from everyone on earth…” The accessibility of this has given hope to countless thousands of people.

2)    Syd articulated the 3 fundamental life forces that he called Principles that are the universal common denominators of all human psychological experience. The identification of these 3 universal Principles brings a clarity and simplicity that immediately cuts through differences of race, culture, status, and age. He always pointed people toward simplicity rather than complexity.

3)    He defined the essence of the Principle of Thought as formless and included Thought in his trinity along with Mind and Consciousness. He often called Thought the “missing link” for humanity, because a lot of spiritual teaching focuses on the Principles of Mind and Consciousness and they don’t highlight Thought as an equal Principle. Thought is the link that connects the spiritual with the psychological worlds.

4)    Syd insisted that 100% of all feeling and experience was created from the Principles, and that we are all lived by the same principles, no exceptions.

5)    He was emphatic that no person is wiser or more spiritual in their essential nature than anyone else. Therefore he felt that everyone already has everything they are looking for. His notion of innate health completely undermines the long-standing trend toward self-improvement or self-development.

6)    Syd’s certainty that if you touch the inner space prior to our conceptual mind, the state of no thought, that it must manifest as a positive feeling and/or a higher order of thinking.

7)    He consistently pointed out the danger of being a follower of a teacher, rather than trusting your own wisdom and following your own common sense.

I hope this is helpful in clarifying the contribution Sydney Banks made in his teaching.  I have attempted to show what it shares in common with other spiritual teachings, and just as importantly, how it is stands out from other s