“On the other hand if these thoughts didn’t appear in their minds these people would not be symptomatic. Or, if the thoughts appeared and were seen as just thoughts, not as realities, the clients would not be categorized as having various mental illnesses. If they took these thoughts in stride rather than reacting to them so strongly we wouldn’t say they were mentally ill. There need only be one generic mental illness: an inability to see the role of Thought.”
Janet was excited by her new-found, deeper understanding. “I think I know now, Eric, how we and the other members of our staff are bringing our clients a better understanding of their own role in creating the reality they live in. Wow! Now I know why I came back to England.”
The gardener, who had been the picture of serenity, broke into a pleased smile as he congratulated both of us for having such wisdom.
I thought to myself, “What has happened in my life that changed my way of looking at reality? Sometimes in the past couple of years I would shake my head in disbelief at the results that we were getting at the clinic.”
I shared the thought with Janet and Andy, then remarked, “But others in the field can’t seem to believe our successes either. I often wonder if the field as a whole will ever look at the Three Principles.” Andy smiled at my words. “You have no idea the joy it brings me to see both of you so happy and hearing the wonderful results you are getting with your work.
“I feel sure you know by now that I am not belittling anyone’s teachings when I’m talking about the principles and the need to forget delving into the past. As a matter of fact, I am not talking about anybody in particular, nor am I talking about any group. I am talking in the impersonal and with all my heart and soul I admire people such as you two and your entire profession, who put your own mental well-being in jeopardy each and every day talking to people who are lost in a maze of mental instability”
Our conversation paused, then resumed with Janet thanking Andy for his kind words. Then she said, “You know Andy, one of the questions we get asked most often is why you limit the principles to only three. Why couldn’t there be more?”
Andy answered, “Because, Luv, the Three Principles are the trinity of all psychological experience and with these Three Principles we weave our entire experience here on earth.”
“But why can’t there be more than three principles?” Janet repeated.
“I just told you. They are the principles that create all human experience here on earth.”
Andy waited for Janet to say something more, but she made no response. He then asked us to try to figure out anything that could possibly be conceived in this reality without using the Three Principles just mentioned; or indeed, to think of anything else that could be considered a principle.
“What about our emotions,” I asked “or our feelings or our insecurities?”
Andy studied us as he rubbed his chin for a moment, then asked us to reconsider that question. “How could you have an emotion without knowing about it? How could you be aware of this conversation without using your mind, your consciousness and your thoughts? Your emotions, your feelings and your insecurities are all products of the Three Principles, therefore they cannot be considered as principles themselves.”
Then, with a patient smile, he said, “I’ll tell you again. The principles allow us to experience life in totality. The very moment you try to think of another principle, that is my checkmate.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked, still struggling to figure out his meaning.
“Eric, the simple fact that you are able to ask such a question proves you are using the Three Principles to ask the question. Think about it for a minute and you will see that you have to have the power of Mind and you have to be Conscious and you have to have Thought to relate to life.
“Anything else is a product of their usage. Therefore, it is virtually impossible to think of any mental activity that isn’t a product of the principles.”
I was getting ready to challenge him on that statement when I hesitated for a moment. Then it became clear to me that Andy was correct; we do have to have a mind, we do have to be conscious and we do have to think in order to be aware of our lives, our realities. I asked him if he would be kind enough to explain what he was trying to tell me in another way.
“Eric, if you want my advice I would say this: Look carefully Investigate how you, as a free-thinking agent, use the three universal gifts of Mind, Consciousness and Thought to perceive the reality you live in every second of every day Here is the formula that will give you a solid foundation on which to build your search and assist you to find many of the answers you seek:
“Mind + Consciousness + Thought = Reality
“These Three Principles lead to the secret of all psychological functioning.”
Listening to the gardener talk was fascinating, and I felt I was grasping the Three Principles, but somehow I still failed to understand the magnitude of the importance he was placing on them. “Andy, I just don’t see how a psychological science can be created out of just three principles!”
Andy laughed and said, “There’s really only One.” Then he just smiled benevolently at me, awaiting my reaction.
As his eyes met mine, it suddenly came to me. I related, “When I was in school one of my professors once explained to the class that there are four principles in arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Then he went on to explain to us, that in arithmetic we consider the principles as separate entities. Yet if you look very closely you will see that there is only one principle—addition— used in different ways.”
Janet immediately threw up her arms, exclaiming, “Hold it, Eric! What in heaven’s name do you mean, all four of the principles in arithmetic are just one?”
“The way it was told to me was that it is easier for most people to think of the processes as being totally different than to think of them as addition turned around.”
“Talk about being turned around. That’s where this talk has me. Eric, all the time I’ve known you, I never thought you knew so many little facts. I’m truly impressed.”
Andy said, “I find the statement that arithmetic has only one principle fascinating, and really that is what I’m saying about Mind, Consciousness and Thought. They are the trinity of all human experience, they are one principle in three forms. But the fact remains that the principles of mathematics wouldn’t exist at all if it weren’t for the Three Principles of Mind, Consciousness and Thought.”
“Whew,” Janet breathed.
Andy just smiled knowingly, and once again I felt like I’d just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. “Andy, am I hearing you correctly? Are you saying that there is really only one principle and the other two are just there to explain its workings?” I asked.
“Exactly,” Andy replied.
“Then in you estimation, which one is most important?”
“If all three are the same, then all three must be equally important.”
Janet, who had been sitting quietly, looking from me to Andy and back to me again during the last conversation, spoke up. “Your answer was totally heavy, Andy. It’s going to require a good bit of time and a good bit of thinking to even begin to absorb what you’re saying.”