The Insight

01A welcome, and what this is not0:00

I’d like to thank you all this morning. I’ve been asked if I would talk about how this experience happened, so I’ll do that, because those people from England and people from New Zealand came all that way, and I think they should know.

And there’s something else I would like to explain to you: Under no way, shape, or form am I talking religion. And if you are a religious person, let me tell you what it is — if you hear what I’m saying, you’ll understand your own religion more than you’ve ever heard in your life.

02An ordinary welder, and a mother-in-law0:54

So, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to talk about politics. I just want to talk about truth. Thirty-four years ago, I was a welder, grade-9 education, just an ordinary everyday human being. I was having a little bit of trouble in my marriage. It wasn’t because Barb and I didn’t love each other; it was something really, really bad, called “a mother-in-law”!

And I kept blaming my mother-in-law for all our problems because she stayed with us. During that time, if you remember, in the early ’70s, it was a kind of hippie time. A lot of people were going to these awareness groups.

And people — my friends — would say, why don’t you go to one of those groups and get some help? Well, we were really scared of that because everybody we knew that went to those awareness groups were getting a divorce. And we figured, well, that’s not much help. That’s the last thing we want, a divorce, so it scared us.

Anyway, through time, people kept egging us on. And I heard that this number-one psychologist from New York was going to place called Cold Mountain for a long weekend. And it wasn’t too, too far from where we lived. So, we thought, well, if we’re gonna go, we’re gonna go to the best. So we took what money we had, and we registered. A week later, we chickened out. We phoned up and said we’ve changed our mind, we don’t want to come. We’re too scared.

03Cold Mountain2:52

So, two weeks later, we decided to go again, so we phoned up and re-registered. A week later, we phoned up and said we’ve changed our mind. The third time we phoned up and re-registered again, and the woman says, “Is this Syd Banks?” And I felt so ashamed, I could never back out again.

So off we went to this awareness group thing for the weekend. A beautiful situation. It was beautiful, incredible trees, and mountains; it was on the ocean, really, really beautiful. Nice accommodations. And we thought, boy, this is what we need — get a rest at the same time.

So, the first day there, we just got introduced, told all the rules and regulations, etc. And we went for supper that night, and sitting with us at the supper were this young couple. So, we introduced ourselves to them. The young man was a psychologist, with his girlfriend. So, we started to talk, just general talk, and I was a nervous wreck. Because this leader of the event, who had come from New York, was so well known that therapists from all over Canada and all over the United States came — and here I am, a ninth-grade educated welder. I was petrified.

So, anyway, I’m talking to this young man, and after the supper the four of us walked down the beach. And, naturally, because he was a psychologist, I wanted to get all of this out. I wanted to really prove it was my mother-in-law. So, I started to tell him how nervous I was, and how insecure I was all my life; and I told him all the reasons of my past, my childhood, why I was in this state.

And he turned around to me, and he said, “You know, Syd, I’m the same as you. I’m a nervous wreck.” And I thought, well, this is impossible. He’s had all this education. He’s a psychologist. And he’s telling me he’s a nervous wreck? I found it hard to believe. Anyway, that’s the way it was.

04The help group5:26

The following morning, we went to this so-called “help group.” And it started. And in those days, they used to tell you, “Be upfront.” That meant, whatever you thought your wife was, or your husband was, you could get it out, and cuss and swear at them . . . and it was pandemonium. It was like being in a zoo, in a monkey cage. It was terrible. As a matter of fact, it was so bad, one of the trainers slapped this other woman over the face and told her she was an egotistical ass because she’d had a nose job!

And when it was finished, I looked at Barb, and she’s shaking her head, and she says, “Why did we ever come here? This is the most horrible situation I’ve ever put myself into in my entire life. I want to go home.” And I agreed, there was no help there. It was pathetic. So, I said, “OK, tomorrow, we’ll go home.” But we had to wait till 2:00 in the afternoon before the ferry came to take us back. So that evening, we went to supper again. We’re sitting beside this same young man from the previous evening, and after it was finished, we stood up, walked outside, and here’s where the mystery starts . . .

05A few words on the beach7:04

This young man said the most unusual thing to me. He said, “You know, Syd, Moses went up the mountain to talk to God. And God said to Moses, ‘Go down and tell those people anything you want, and they’ll believe you.’ And you told me last night you were an insecure person, and I’ve never heard such nonsense in all my life.”

Now, that was his words. You know how the great mystics talk about hearing beyond the words? I heard beyond the words. And what I really heard him say was: There’s no such thing as insecurity; it is only created from thought.

06Instant freedom7:50

Immediately I heard that, I had no insecurity. My life changed. My past didn’t mean a tinker’s toot. I was free. I was so happy, it was unbelievable. And I was so full of joy. I couldn’t believe it — it was instant! And I turned around to this man, and I said, “Have you any idea what you just said?” And he said, “Of course, I do. I don’t just make idle chatter.” But he didn’t. Because if he had, he wouldn’t be there. It was all intellectual.

That night, we went back to the bedroom, and we’re standing in this room, and I’m saying to Barb, “Isn’t that amazing? We don’t have any problems. It’s all thought!” And she started going, “Maybe your problems aren’t real, but mine is!” And I’m saying, “No, they’re not. They’re just thought.” But she couldn’t hear me.

So, the following morning, we went into another session with these people, and it was totally bizarre to me. But the greatest thing of all was, all the therapists that were there were doing the very best they could. They were talking in this world where they’d been taught — they wanted to help everybody, and they were doing the best they could. That’s what I saw. But Barb didn’t see that. She just thought it was a bunch of idiots just creating trouble. And I’m saying, “No, pet, they’re doing their best. This is a world of thought.”

But she couldn’t see that. And all the way back, she said, “Never have I ever wasted money so much in all my life. Money that we could ill afford. It was just a waste of time.”

07Salt Spring Island, and the white light10:08

So, we got home, and the following day, we decided to take “Grandma” — who by this time looked a lot better to me — we took her over to Salt Spring Island, to a little family cottage. And we’re in the cottage, got it all set up, and the two ladies were making supper. And I was sitting reading The Vancouver Sun newspaper, and the ladies were in the kitchen, and I could hear them talk.

And that same kind of hearing came over me again, I heard beyond what they were saying, and I knew that they didn’t know what they were saying. So, I burst out laughing. My mother-in-law, she comes rushing into the living room, quite cocky, “May I ask, what’s so funny?” Well, you didn’t laugh at Grandma, that’s a no-no. So, I didn’t say anything, I’m just sitting there. So, the two ladies sat down in the living room, and if looks could kill, I was a dead man. And I thought to myself, boy, I’m in trouble with two women here. I’ve gotta try and get myself out of this.

So, I stood up to explain to them why I was laughing. Instead, I looked out the picture window at the ocean, and all of a sudden it was like I was losing control of myself and was being sucked down this tunnel. Right there and then, I realized the true nature of what you call God. That moment, I realized the true nature of what you call Divine Mind. And I was shrouded in white light — buzzing, buzzing white light — just like I was in the middle of it.

And I turned around to Barb, and I started crying, and I said, “I’m home. I’m free. And I’ve made it. I’ve conquered this world. This means to say that you and I will be travelling all over the world. And I’m going to change psychology and psychiatry forever. Way beyond what anybody ever even dreamt of.”

Now, you can imagine, these two women just stood there, dumbfounded because they thought I had flipped, definitely lost my marbles. But what I realized when I had that insight . . . in the middle of it, I realized . . . and this is very important . . . that life is a divine dream, suspended within the boundaries of time, space, and matter.

08Ignore my words. Listen for a feeling.13:18

Now, I’m beginning as I talk, to talk in a mystical manner. It sounds mystical, but it’s so logical, so simple, that’s what’s making it mystical. And I’m sure that most of you will never get it. You’ll never understand what I’m saying. But if you get a nice feeling, you’re getting it! If the intellect comes in and says, “Oh, I know what you’re talking about,” and you get angry, and you get a little put off at me, you’re not getting it.

I remember, once, I was talking to about 200 people, and this lady got up halfway through it, and she says, “Syd, may I say something.” And I said, “Yes, what is it?” And she says, “I don’t know one damn word you’re talking about.” And I said, “That’s good.” She says, “What do you mean good? I came here to hear you, and I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re saying that’s good?” I said, “Yes, it’s good.” And she says, “I don’t get this.” And I looked at the audience, and I said, “Will everybody in here please raise your hand if you know what I’m talking about? One hand went up. One hand said he knew what I was talking about. And that one hand argued with me all night.

Because I’m not talking to your intellect. I’m not interested in what your problems are. I’m talking to our divine wisdom. Now, sometimes I’ll say divine wisdom, divine this or divine that, but speaking like a psychologist sometimes I’ll say universal, and some people might say, “Uh, I don’t like that universal thing. Why don’t you say divine. So, I’ll switch, and then somebody’ll say, “I don’t like that divine. I like universal.”

So, you can’t please everybody. And this is why I’m telling you, ignore my words. Please ignore my words! Listen for a feeling. Because I am not talking to your intellect, I’m not interested in who you are, what you are, what you have done, what you will do . . . I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in what’s inside you. And what lies inside you is a divine wisdom. And divine wisdom is an intelligence, a divine intelligence before the contamination of human thought. That’s why your intellect as a human, is human thought. I’m interested in inside — there’s an innate health in everybody, and if you can touch that innate health, that’s where the miracle happens. Well, supposedly a miracle.

09Naming the Three Principles16:40

I didn’t tell you the whole story, believe me. Because after this experience, the following day, those two women wouldn’t even talk to me. They were scared. And I didn’t blame them one single bit. And finally, my mother-in-law says to me, “How dare you! How dare you say that you’re gonna change psychology and psychiatry of the world. You don’t even know what psychology and psychiatry are.” And she was right. I didn’t. I couldn’t even spell the words. But I did know that I’d found the secret of the mind.

And I knew, if any therapist in the world could hear even the slightest bit of what I was saying, they would heal people. I know that! There is no doubt, I knew that.

The following day, my mother-in-law challenged me again — very, definitely challenged. “How are you going to change psychology and psychiatry of the world? What do you know?” And I said, “Well, I’ll tell you, mom, one of the greatest secrets in this world is that there are three principles: the principles of Divine Mind, Divine Consciousness, and Divine Thought. These three principles let us see creation and guide us through this life. And I doubt very much if many therapists know that.

Then she challenged me again and said, “Well, what are those three principles?”

And I never knew this before in my life; you must understand. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever spoken about it, and without thought, I said, “Divine Mind is a universal intelligence of all things, whether in form or formless. Divine Consciousness is a gift that allows us to see creation and all it entails. Divine Thought is a gift that allows us to go through this world as thinking creatures.”

10Everything changed19:26

Well, it was pretty bad, the results of saying that. Three days later, I went back to my work, where I had worked for 12 years. Everybody knew me . . . but now they didn’t. Very few even recognized me. I went to go in my locker, and somebody grabbed my wrist and said, “Why are you going in Scotty’s locker?” My face had changed. My voice had totally changed. My attitude had changed. The way I behaved to people changed.

(“Scotty” was an affectionate nickname for Sydney Banks, who hailed from Scotland.)

Literally, everything changed, and I saw everybody in this work — 200–300 people — all coming from those three principles. The ones that were angry were using them to become angry. The ones that were happy used them to be happy. The ones that were insecure were using them to be insecure. And it was thought — the thought was a secret key that’s creating the reality.

11Thought creates the world20:31

Thought creates this entire world. Without these three principles there would not be a world. You create this world that you live in through thought. This is the greatest secret on earth. Now, later on, I started to realize this is not just for psychology and psychiatry, this is for the world. Because this is human behavior. It’s the secret to life. Because, you see, what I realized that day was that God was the energy of all things, whether in form or formless. So, before creation there’s a formless energy. And from this formless divine energy all life is created. And here lies the answer.

Now you might say, well, what’s this got to do with me? I’m a psychologist, I’m a psychiatrist, I’m a social worker, I’ve got a problem with my marriage — this is the answer! Because it wakes up your wisdom.

Now, I know ordinary people with no training whatsoever — zero — who were mixed-up lost people, lost souls. And they’d come and listen to me, and I’d say to them, “I’ll tell you what . . .” — and a lot of them were unemployed, some of them were even hippies, and I’d say, “If you hear this much , just this much of what I’m saying, you will be travelling all over the world; you can talk to the high echelon of the greatest companies in the world; you can talk to psychiatrists, psychologists; you can teach anybody in the world. And they’d say, “That’s impossible. Syd, you’ve gone too far.”

But it’s not, because today that’s exactly what these people are doing. But when they go into your company that’s in real big trouble, or they go into jails where there are people in trouble, they don’t try and tell you how to run your company. Or if they go into your university, they’re not trying to tell you how to be a psychologist or psychiatrist. That’s none of their business. They don’t know anything about it.

You might think, if that’s so, how can they help them? You know how they do it? They talk to the wisdom that’s inside you. And they bring your wisdom alive. And when it comes alive, then you become wise. You become a wise doctor, a wise businessman, a wise policeman, a wise anything because it’s your wisdom, and that wisdom that’s inside is a thousand times more powerful than the intellect. Because you are connected.

12Go find yourself23:49

See, when you’re born, you come in from really nothing. You come into a world of form. And that world of form, as soon as you come in, you start using the three principles. And with these three principles, you see this divine illusion. And this divine illusion to you is real. And you walk through this divine illusion, and the name of the game is “go find yourself.”

Now, the eastern philosophies, they’ll say the idea “go find yourself.” Now people go all over the world looking for themselves. But they’ll never find it because that’s not what they’re talking about — that’s a metaphor. What they’re saying is, find the true truth that’s inside yourself. And yourself is — there’s lots of names that could be put on it — it could be called God, it could be called anything. There’s many, many names you could put on it. I don’t even want to put a name on it. But no matter what name you put on the truth, it is not the truth, it’s a metaphor.

If I say to you, “I saw this beautiful tree,” I’m not telling you what a tree is, I’m just telling you a word that describes something that’s alive. And that’s the same with truth that’s inside you. And this is where the secret is if somebody’s mentally ill, or mentally unhealthy . . . it’s their own thoughts that’s creating it. If you’re mentally sick because of your thoughts, and you change your thoughts to positive, you become a healthy human being.

And people say, “Well, it’s not that simple because, you see, this fellow had a real bad past, and bad experiences. That’s in the illusion! The past is no longer real. The past is an illusion in time. And it’s carted through time, in your head, as if it’s still alive. And it still controls you.

Once you see that the past is just an illusion, it’s finished, it’s history, then that frees you from all the problems. The problem is created from thought. Thought is the magical principle. If you’re a therapist, you don’t have to worry about consciousness because you’re already conscious. You don’t have to worry about mind because you’ve already got a mind. All you have to work with is thought.

Whatever you think, will be. Whatever you think the world is, that’s what it is. And this is where the great mystics of the world talked about everybody living in separate realities. All you people here today, there’s not one of you living in the same reality. Because you’ve got the freedom of thought. That’s what you call your free will. We all think differently, but we all use the same principles. But if you can find out the essence of these principles, then this is where you’ll find your health. This is where you’ll find the problem to your marriage. This where you’ll find the problem when you work. What you do for a living — it doesn’t matter.

13One thought from enlightenment27:57

We want you to become wiser because you lift the consciousness. When you lift the consciousness of human beings, they become consciously aware.

Now, I’ve had people say to me, “Syd, this is nothing new. You go down to the library, you go into a bookstore, and you’ll find a hundred books all written about consciousness.” I’ve never seen one. You go to the library, you go to the bookstore, and you get those books right enough; and they might be two inches thick by this big , but what they’re doing is they’re talking about what you do with your consciousness, what you do with your thoughts — it’s not the essence of consciousness.

Finding out what you do with it is of no value. You’ve got to find what consciousness is, what thought is. What is this principle that’s so important? What is this divine principle? Now, if you get a book, and it’s mystical, maybe you’ll find it in there, where some mystic is talking about the world being an illusion.

I’m sure most of you have read a book talking about great awakening — when somebody has a “great awakening” — well, that’s what I’m talking about. They awaken from this divine dream to realize they’re the dreamer.

Everybody’s only one thought away from realizing what you call enlightenment.” And you know what the ironic thing is? That one thought is the state of no thought. No thought from the personal mind. The personal mind goes to sleep for that split second. And when the personal mind goes to sleep, what’s left is Divine Thought. Purity of thought. Which gives you the answer you’re looking for.

But in the meantime, if you just get a little tiny bit of it, a glimmer of it, it will change your mind. It’ll change your life.

14The ladder and the wall30:26

How can I explain it? OK, just imagine that for all of us, and all of life, there’s a three-foot-thick wall, and it’s maybe ten feet high. And you’re at the bottom, and you’re looking at this wall. And all you can see is a dark wall. That’s the people that are really, really suffering. That’s the people that you doctors are trying to help. They’re down at the bottom looking at this wall.

Somebody comes along with a ladder, puts it against the wall and says, “I want you to climb up this ladder,” and fear stops them. Fear always stops you from going from one level to another — always! And it’s when you conquer that fear that you go through it.

They get up on the first rung. Now they’re already away from the wall a little bit, so it’s a little bit better. They go up higher, higher, then all of a sudden . . . very, very little . . . they see beyond the wall there’s a little bush, and it’s green, and there’s sky. And they say, “Wow, I didn’t know life was like this!” And the mystic will say, “Well, I told you it was there.”

“Well, why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I’ve been telling you for years, but you weren’t listening.”

All those wise people from the beginning of time have always said this.

So, anyway, through time, you start going up the ladder, and each rung of the ladder is a level of consciousness. You go up the ladder another rung, and you see beyond the bush, and there’s lawn, green lawn. And there’s trees. You keep going up, then there’s beautiful skies and lakes. And all of a sudden you get to the top of the ladder, and everything looks beautiful. You’re seeing the world as is. And you’re standing on top of this wall, and you’re saying to people . . .

“Why don’t you come up here? The sun’s shining.”

“What sun?”

“And there’s lakes.”

“What lakes?”

They don’t see it — it’s not until they start walking up. Then, when you get to the top, you realize . . . there is no wall. It was all an illusion. You’re at the top of the ladder all the time.

And that’s how it works.