Imagine you’re watching a movie. The lights dim, and you’re completely absorbed in the film, heart racing during the action scenes, eyes tearing up during emotional moments. You feel like you’re living inside the movie itself. But then, something unexpected happens—the projector skips, the screen flickers, and suddenly, you remember: this isn’t real. You’re sitting in a theater, watching images projected on a screen. The intense feelings you were having a moment ago were all because you were immersed in the story.
This experience is a perfect way to understand the Three Principles: Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. These principles reveal how we create our reality from the inside out, just like how the movie on the screen isn’t real but feels real when we’re immersed in it.
Developed by Sydney Banks and popularized by Michael Neill, the Three Principles offer a profound yet simple truth: the way we experience life is created from within, through our thoughts and consciousness. When we see this for ourselves, it changes everything—bringing more clarity, peace, and ease into our lives.
Let’s dive into the Three Principles and see how they can transform your understanding of yourself and your experience of life.
1. The Principle of Mind: The Universal Energy Behind Everything
In the cinema of life, Mind is the projector — the energy that makes everything possible. It’s the universal intelligence that flows through all of us, giving life to our thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Mind isn’t something you control; it’s something you’re a part of, like the electricity that powers the projector.
Think of Mind as the quiet, ever-present energy that supports everything in life. It’s the reason why we can have fresh ideas, insights, and moments of wisdom that seem to come out of nowhere. It’s the intelligence that heals your body when you cut yourself or guides you when you suddenly know what to say in a difficult conversation.
For those of us who crave meaning and depth, understanding that there’s a deeper intelligence at work in our life can feel like a relief. We don’t have to figure everything out or carry the weight of the world alone —Mind is always there, providing new insights and guiding us forward.
2. The Principle of Consciousness: The Awareness of Your Experience
Consciousness is like the screen the movie plays on. It’s the awareness that allows us to experience life, the canvas on which all our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions are projected. Without consciousness, we wouldn’t be able to experience anything at all—it’s what brings our thoughts to life and makes them feel real.
Here’s the magic of consciousness: it can change. Just like in a movie, the same scene can look completely different depending on your perspective or mood. For example, if you watch a movie when you’re relaxed and happy, you might enjoy it. But if you watch the same movie when you’re stressed or distracted, you might find it irritating or boring.
In the same way, our consciousness shifts throughout the day. Sometimes we’re deeply aware and present, and other times we’re caught up in our thoughts, barely noticing what’s happening around us. The beauty of consciousness is that it’s flexible — it allows us to see things differently when we have new insights or when we pause to reflect.
If you are person, who is often juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, this principle might be a game-changer, like it has been for me. It reminds us that our experience isn’t fixed. We have the power to shift our perspective, to see situations with fresh eyes, and to feel more grounded and at peace by simply being aware of how our consciousness brings our experience of reality alive.
3. The Principle of Thought: The Creative Power of Your Reality
Thought is the film that’s projected onto the screen. It’s the raw material that creates your experience of life. Just as the images in a movie aren’t real but feel real when you’re watching them, your thoughts aren’t reality — they’re your mind’s interpretation of reality. But when you’re caught up in them, they feel absolutely true.
Michael Neill taught me this analogy to show how we can get caught up in our thoughts, just like how we get caught up in a movie. But when we step back and see that our thoughts are just thoughts, not facts, we gain freedom. We realize that we don’t have to believe everything we think, and that our feelings are the result of our thinking in the moment, not the world around us.
For me, this was so empowering. I’ve spent years overthinking, second-guessing, and trying to control my external world to feel secure. But when I understood that my feelings are created by my thoughts, I was able to let go of trying to control everything outside of her. Instead, I can focus on creating more empowering, compassionate thoughts that align with the life I truly yearn for.
The Cinema of Life: Seeing Through the Illusion
Just like how you’re not actually inside the movie you’re watching, you’re not trapped inside your thoughts and emotions. You’re the one watching the thoughts — the observer, not the actor. When you realize this, it’s like stepping out of the movie for a moment and remembering that you have the power to change the channel or walk out of the theater altogether.
This is the heart of the Three Principles. They remind you that your experience is being created in real-time by your thoughts, and that you always have the potential for new thinking, new insights, and a fresh perspective.
How This Transforms Your Life
When I started to see how these principles work in my life, everything shifted :
- Less Stress: I stopped trying to control everything because I realizes that my peace comes from within, not from managing the outside world.
- More Clarity: I stopped overthinking every tiny bit because I realized that clarity comes when our mind is quiet, not when I try to force it.
- Deeper Peace: Yes, I feel more at ease because I trust the natural flow of life and the intelligence of Mind to guide me.
The Subconscious Mind and “No”
Here’s where this gets even more interesting (thanks to Marisa Peer). The subconscious mind doesn’t understand negation. So when you say, “I don’t want to feel stressed,” your subconscious only hears “stressed.” It’s like watching a movie and focusing on the scenes you don’t like—your brain can’t help but keep replaying them.
Instead, frame your thoughts in the positive: “I choose to feel calm,” “I am at peace.” This simple shift can change how you experience your reality, aligning your thoughts with the life you want to create.
A New Way of Thinking and Living
The Three Principles offer a new way of understanding life. It’s not about fixing, striving, or pushing harder—it’s about seeing the truth of how life works from the inside out. For me, this understanding is the key to living with more ease, clarity, and peace. By embracing the flow of life, trusting in the deeper intelligence of Mind, and recognizing the power of our thoughts, we can create a life that feels more aligned with who we truly are.
with love,
Other Articles You Might Love:
- “What We Are Really Afraid Of ”
- “Mastering Mindfulness: 3 Simple Practices for Busy, Deep-Thinking Women”
- “From Scattered to Whole: A Soulful Journey for the deep thinking Woman Over 40”
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