"THEMECHANICSOFCHANGINGYOURREALITY"

'Letitbeonearthasitisinheaven'ismoorlikeamechanicfunctionthannot.Thismechanicalfunctionalso
existinthewords'Asabovesobelow'.
Intoday'sknowledgeweknowthisprinciplefunctionisfractalinitsnature.Fractalmeansthatnature(ntr)
manifestsintophysicalityfromoneblueprintoranotherandthatblueprint/geometricdesignisthen
repeatedintoinfinity,
Thismeansthatifwewanttoknowhowthebiggeststuffworks,yousendoutyourqueryridingthecosmic
arkcalledintent(Thepurertheark,thebetteryourmanifestation)intothecreationofallthingsanditwill
realizeforyou.Thishappensbecausealleventsandexperiencesareinexistencerightnowwithinone
universeoranothervibratingtoonefrequencyoranotherduetoitsphysicalnature.
Thisishowtousethisfunctiontocreateyourreality.

Knowthattheplanetisamagnetandyouareamagnetaswell.

Knowthatallthingsthatare.were&everwillbedwellwithinthe
realmofprobabilityandpossibility.Thisrealmiswhatwenowcall
thequantumworld.ThisisalsothedwellingplaceofAmun,theprimordial
waters.

Knowthatthisrealityisanillusionmeaningthatitsmalleableorchangeable
fromonestatetoanother.

Nowinsertyourdesirewiththepurestintentintotheasabove,sobelowconverterdevice

Keepexpectationslowinordertoletcreationmanifestyourintentwiththehighestvibrationallevel

Lastbutmostimportantisthatyoumustbereadytoactwhenyourrealitybeginstomanifestforyou.Keep
youreyesandearsopenbecauseeveryoneinyourrealityisnowworkingonyourbehalftohelpyou
manifestyourreality.Theywillcomeintheformoffriends,family,enemies,delays,disasters,gooddays
andbaddays.Allyouhavetodoisrememberthatalloftheseexperiencesorthingshappeningtoyouare
gettingyouclosertotherealitythatyouarecreating.Welcomethem,embracethemandusethemtotheir
highestpotentialtomanifestyourhighestpotential

DjehwtiKhepraAwsarEl

THE
KYBALION
ASTUDYOF

THEHERMETICPHILOSOPHYOF
ANCIENTEGYPTAND
GREECE
BY
THREEINITIATES
THELIPSOFWISDOMARECLOSED,EXCEPTTOTHE
EARSOFUNDERSTANDING

THEUNIFIEDSOCIETYOFKHEMWEST

TO

HERMESTRISMEGISTUS
otherwisesaid

DJEHWTITEHWTIZEHWTI
otherwisesaid

THOTHTHEATLANTEAN

KNOWNBYTHEANCIENT
KHEMWWRAS

DJEHWTI,
THEGREATGREAT
AND

MASTEROFMASTERS

THISLITTLEVOLUMEOFHERMETICTEACHINGS
ISREVERENTLYDEDICATED


CONTENTS
CHAPTER.PAGE.
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................4

CHAPTERI...............................................................................................................6

CHAPTERII..............................................................................................................9

CHAPTERIII...........................................................................................................14

CHAPTERIV...........................................................................................................16

CHAPTERV............................................................................................................19

CHAPTERVI...........................................................................................................22

CHAPTERVII..........................................................................................................26

CHAPTERVIII.........................................................................................................30

CHAPTERIX...........................................................................................................36

CHAPTERX............................................................................................................39

CHAPTERXI...........................................................................................................42

CHAPTERXII..........................................................................................................45

CHAPTERXIII.........................................................................................................48

CHAPTERXIV.........................................................................................................51

CHAPTERXV..........................................................................................................56

INTRODUCTION.

Wetakegreatpleasureinpresentingtotheattentionofstudentsandinvestigatorsofthe
SecretDoctrinesthislittleworkbasedupontheworldoldHermeticTeachings.Therehas
beensolittlewrittenuponthissubject,notwithstandingthecountlessreferencestothe
Teachingsinthemanyworksuponoccultism,thatthemanyearnestsearchersafterthe
ArcaneTruthswilldoubtlesswelcometheappearanceofthepresentvolume.
Thepurposeofthisworkisnottheenunciationofanyspecialphilosophyordoctrine,but
ratheristogivetothestudentsastatementoftheTruththatwillservetoreconcilethemany
bitsofoccultknowledgethattheymayhaveacquired,butwhichareapparentlyopposedto
eachotherandwhichoftenservetodiscourageanddisgustthebeginnerinthestudy.Our
intentisnottoerectanewTempleofKnowledge,butrathertoplaceinthehandsofthe
studentaMasterKeywithwhichhemayopenthemanyinnerdoorsintheTempleof
Mysterythroughthemainportalshehasalreadyentered.
Thereisnoportionoftheoccultteachingspossessedbytheworldwhichhavebeenso
closelyguardedasthefragmentsoftheHermeticTeachingswhichhavecomedowntous
overthetensofcenturieswhichhaveelapsedsincethelifetimeofitsgreatfounder,Hermes
Trismegistus,thescribeofthegods,whodweltinoldEgyptinthedayswhenthepresent
raceofmenwasinitsinfancy.ContemporarywithAbraham,and,ifthelegendsbetrue,an
instructorofthatvenerablesage,Hermeswas,andis,theGreatCentralSunofOccultism,
whoserayshaveservedtoilluminethecountlessteachingswhichhavebeenpromulgated
sincehistime.Allthefundamentalandbasicteachingsembeddedintheesotericteachings
ofeveryracemaybetracedbacktoHermes.EventhemostancientteachingsofIndia
undoubtedlyhavetheirrootsintheoriginalHermeticTeachings.
FromthelandoftheGangesmanyadvancedoccultistswanderedtothelandofEgypt,
andsatatthefeetoftheMaster.FromhimtheyobtainedtheMasterKeywhichexplained
andreconciledtheirdivergentviews,andthustheSecretDoctrinewasfirmlyestablished.
Fromotherlandsalsocamethelearnedones,allofwhomregardedHermesastheMaster
ofMasters,andhisinfluencewassogreatthatinspiteofthemanywanderingsfromthe
pathonthepartofthecenturiesofteachersinthesedifferentlands,theremaystillbefound
acertainbasicresemblanceandcorrespondencewhichunderliesthemanyandoftenquite
divergenttheoriesentertainedandtaughtbytheoccultistsofthesedifferentlandstoday.The
studentofComparativeReligionswillbeabletoperceivetheinfluenceoftheHermetic

Teachingsineveryreligionworthyofthename,nowknowntoman,whetheritbeadead
religionoroneinfullvigorinourowntimes.Thereisalwaysacertaincorrespondencein
spiteofthecontradictoryfeatures,andtheHermeticTeachingsactastheGreatReconciler.
ThelifeworkofHermesseemstohavebeeninthedirectionofplantingthegreatSeed
Truthwhichhasgrownandblossomedinsomanystrangeforms,ratherthantoestablisha
schoolofphilosophywhichwoulddominatetheworld'sthought.But,nevertheless,the
originaltruthstaughtbyhimhavebeenkeptintactintheiroriginalpuritybyafewmenin
eachage,who,refusinggreatnumbersofhalfdevelopedstudentsandfollowers,followed
theHermeticcustomandreservedtheirtruthforthefewwhowerereadytocomprehendand
masterit.Fromliptoearthetruthhasbeenhandeddownamongthefew.
TherehavealwaysbeenafewInitiatesineachgeneration,inthevariouslandsoftheearth,
whokeptalivethesacredflameoftheHermeticTeachings,andsuchhavealwaysbeen
willingtousetheirlampstorelightthelesserlampsoftheoutsideworld,whenthelightoftruth
grewdim,andcloudedbyreasonofneglect,andwhenthewicksbecamecloggedwithforeignmatter.
TherewerealwaysafewtotendfaithfullythealtaroftheTruth,uponwhichwaskeptalight
thePerpetualLampofWisdom.Thesemendevotedtheirlivestothelaboroflovewhichthe
poethassowellstatedinhislines:
0,letnottheflamedieout!Cherishedageafterageinitsdarkcaverninitsholytemples
cherished.Fedbypureministersofloveletnottheflamedieout!
Thesemenhaveneversoughtpopularapproval,nornumbersoffollowers.Theyare
indifferenttothesethings,fortheyknowhowfewthereareineachgenerationwhoareready
forthetruth,orwhowouldrecognizeitifitwerepresentedtothem.Theyreservethestrong
meatformen,whileothersfurnishthemilkforbabes.Theyreservetheirpearlsofwisdom
forthefewelect,whorecognizetheirvalueandwhowearthemintheircrowns,insteadof
castingthembeforethematerialisticvulgarswine,whowouldtrampletheminthemudand
mixthemwiththeirdisgustingmentalfood.Butstillthesemenhaveneverforgottenor
overlookedtheoriginalteachingsofHermes,regardingthepassingonofthewordsoftruth
tothosereadytoreceiveit,whichteachingisstatedinTheKybalionasfollows:Wherefall
thefootstepsoftheMaster,theearsofthosereadyforhisTeachingopenwide.Andagain:
Whentheearsofthestudentarereadytohear,thencomeththelipstofillthemwith
wisdom.Buttheircustomaryattitudehasalwaysbeenstrictlyinaccordancewiththeother
Hermeticaphorism,alsoinTheKybalion:ThelipsofWisdomareclosed,excepttotheears
ofUnderstanding.
TherearethosewhohavecriticisedthisattitudeoftheHermetists,andwhohaveclaimed
thattheydidnotmanifesttheproperspiritintheirpolicyofseclusionandreticence.Buta
moment'sglancebackoverthepagesofhistorywillshowthewisdomoftheMasters,who
knewthefollyofattemptingtoteachtotheworldthatwhichitwasneitherreadyorwillingto
receive.TheHermetistshaveneversoughttobemartyrs,andhave,instead,satsilently
asidewithapityingsmileontheirclosedlips,whiletheheathenragednoisilyaboutthemin
theircustomaryamusementofputtingtodeathandtorturethehonestbutmisguided
enthusiastswhoimaginedthattheycouldforceuponaraceofbarbariansthetruthcapable
ofbeingunderstoodonlybytheelectwhohadadvancedalongThePath.
Andthespiritofpersecutionhasnotasyetdiedoutintheland.Therearecertain
HermeticTeachings,which,ifpubliclypromulgated,wouldbringdownupontheteachersa
greatcryofscornandrevilementfromthemultitude,whowouldagainraisethecryof
Crucify!Crucify.
Inthislittleworkwehaveendeavoredtogiveyouanideaofthefundamentalteachingsof
TheKybalion,strivingtogiveyoutheworkingPrinciples,leavingyoutoapplythem

yourselves,ratherthanattemptingtoworkouttheteachingindetail.Ifyouareatrue
student,youwillbeabletoworkoutandapplythesePrinciplesifnot,thenyoumust
developyourselfintoone,forotherwisetheHermeticTeachingswillbeaswords,words,
wordstoyou.

THETHREEINITIATES.

CHAPTERI
T
HE
H
ERMETIC
P
HILOSOPHY
.
Thelipsofwisdomareclosed,excepttotheearsofUnderstanding.
TheKybalion.

FromoldEgypthavecomethefundamentalesotericandoccultteachingswhichhaveso
stronglyinfluencedthephilosophiesofallraces,nationsandpeoples,forseveralthousand
years.Egypt,thehomeofthePyramidsandtheSphinx,wasthebirthplaceoftheHidden
WisdomandMysticTeachings.FromherSecretDoctrineallnationshaveborrowed.India,
Persia,Chaldea,Medea,China,Japan,Assyria,ancientGreeceandRome,andother
ancientcountriespartookliberallyatthefeastofknowledgewhichtheHierophantsand
MastersoftheLandofIsissofreelyprovidedforthosewhocamepreparedtopartakeofthe
greatstoreofMysticandOccultLorewhichthemastermindsofthatancientlandhad
gatheredtogether.
InancientEgyptdweltthegreatAdeptsandMasterswhohaveneverbeensurpassed,
andwhoseldomhavebeenequaled,duringthecenturiesthathavetakentheirprocessional
flightsincethedaysoftheGreatHermes.InEgyptwaslocatedtheGreatLodgeofLodges
oftheMystics.AtthedoorsofherTemplesenteredtheNeophyteswhoafterward,as
Hierophants,Adepts,andMasters,traveledtothefourcornersoftheearth,carryingwith
themthepreciousknowledgewhichtheywereready,anxious,andwillingtopassonto
thosewhowerereadytoreceivethesame.AllstudentsoftheOccultrecognizethedebtthat
theyowetothesevenerableMastersofthatancientland.
ButamongthesegreatMastersofAncientEgyptthereoncedweltoneofwhomMasters
hailedasTheMasterofMasters.Thisman,ifmanindeedhewas,dweltinEgyptinthe
earliestdays.HewasknownasHermesTrismegistus.HewasthefatheroftheOccult
WisdomthefounderofAstrologythediscovererofAlchemy.Thedetailsofhislifestoryare
losttohistory,owingtothelapseoftheyears,thoughseveraloftheancientcountries
disputedwitheachotherintheirclaimstothehonorofhavingfurnishedhisbirthplaceand
thisthousandsofyearsago.ThedateofhissojourninEgypt,inthathislastincarnationon
thisplanet,isnotnowknown,butithasbeenfixedattheearlydaysoftheoldestdynasties
ofEgyptlongbeforethedaysofMoses.Thebestauthoritiesregardhimasacontemporary
ofAbraham,andsomeoftheJewishtraditionsgosofarastoclaimthatAbrahamacquireda
portionofhismysticknowledgefromHermeshimself.
Astheyearsrolledbyafterhispassingfromthisplaneoflife(traditionrecordingthathe

livedthreehundredyearsintheflesh),theEgyptiansdeifiedHermes,andmadehimoneof
theirgods,underthenameofThoth.Yearsafter,thepeopleofAncientGreecealsomade
himoneoftheirmanygodscallinghimHermes,thegodofWisdom.TheEgyptians
reveredhismemoryformanycenturiesyes,tensofcenturies.callinghimtheScribeofthe
Gods,andbestowinguponhim,distinctively,hisancienttitle,Trismegistus,whichmeans
''thethricegreatthegreatgreatthegreatestgreatetc.Inalltheancientlands,the
nameofHermesTrismegistuswasrevered,thenamebeingsynonymouswiththeFountof
Wisdom.
Eventothisday,weusethetermhermeticinthesenseofsecretsealedsothat
nothingcanescapeetc.,andthisbyreasonofthefactthatthefollowersofHermesalways
observedtheprincipleofsecrecyintheirteachings.Theydidnotbelieveincastingpearls
beforeswine,butratherheldtotheteachingmilkforbabesmeatforstrongmen,bothof
whichmaximsarefamiliartoreadersoftheChristianscriptures,butbothofwhichhadbeen
usedbytheEgyptiansforcenturiesbeforetheChristianera.
Andthispolicyofcarefuldisseminationofthetruthhasalwayscharacterizedthe
Hermetics,evenuntothepresentday.TheHermeticTeachingsaretobefoundinalllands,
amongallreligions,butneveridentifiedwithanyparticularcountry,norwithanyparticular
religioussect.Thisbecauseofthewarningoftheancientteachersagainstallowingthe
SecretDoctrinetobecomecrystallizedintoacreed.Thewisdomofthiscautionisapparent
toallstudentsofhistory.TheancientoccultismofIndiaandPersiadegenerated,andwas
largelylost,owingtothefactthattheteachersbecamepriests,andsomixedtheologywith
thephilosophy,theresultbeingthattheoccultismofIndiaandPersiahasbeengradually
lostamidstthemassofreligioussuperstition,cults,creedsandgods.Soitwaswith
AncientGreeceandRome.SoitwaswiththeHermeticTeachingsoftheGnosticsandEarly
Christians,whichwerelostatthetimeofConstantine,whoseironhandsmothered
philosophywiththeblanketoftheology,losingtotheChristianChurchthatwhichwasits
veryessenceandspirit,andcausingittogropethroughoutseveralcenturiesbeforeitfound
thewaybacktoitsancientfaith,theindicationsapparenttoallcarefulobserversinthis
TwentiethCenturybeingthattheChurchisnowstrugglingtogetbacktoitsancientmystic
teachings.
ButtherewerealwaysafewfaithfulsoulswhokeptalivetheFlame,tendingitcarefully,
andnotallowingitslighttobecomeextinguished.Andthankstothesestaunchhearts,and
fearlessminds,wehavethetruthstillwithus.Butitisnotfoundinbooks,toanygreat
extent.IthasbeenpassedalongfromMastertoStudentfromInitiatetoHierophantfromlip
toear.Whenitwaswrittendownatall,itsmeaningwasveiledintermsofalchemyand
astrology,sothatonlythosepossessingthekeycouldreaditaright.Thiswasmade
necessaryinordertoavoidthepersecutionsofthetheologiansoftheMiddleAges,who
foughttheSecretDoctrinewithfireandswordstake,gibbetandcross.Eventothisday
therewillbefoundbutfewreliablebooksontheHermeticPhilosophy,althoughthereare
countlessreferencestoitinmanybookswrittenonvariousphasesofOccultism.Andyet,
theHermeticPhilosophyistheonlyMasterKeywhichwillopenallthedoorsoftheOccult
Teachings!
Intheearlydays,therewasacompilationofcertainBasicHermeticDoctrines,passedon
fromteachertostudent,whichwasknownasTHEKYBALION,theexactsignificanceand
meaningofthetermhavingbeenlostforseveralcenturies.Thisteaching,however,isknown
tomanytowhomithasdescended,frommouthtoear,onandonthroughoutthecenturies.
Itspreceptshaveneverbeenwrittendown,orprinted,sofarasweknow.Itwasmerelya
collectionofmaxims,axioms,andprecepts,whichwerenonunderstandabletooutsiders,

butwhichwerereadilyunderstoodbystudents,aftertheaxioms,maxims,andpreceptshad
beenexplainedandexemplifiedbytheHermeticInitiatestotheirNeophytes.These
teachingsreallyconstitutedthebasicprinciplesofTheArtofHermeticAlchemy,which,
contrarytothegeneralbelief,dealtinthemasteryofMentalForces,ratherthanMaterial
ElementstheTransmutationofonekindofMentalVibrationsintoothers.insteadofthe
changingofonekindofmetalintoanother.ThelegendsofthePhilosopher'sStonewhich
wouldturnbasemetalintoGold,wasanallegoryrelatingtoHermeticPhilosophy,readily
understoodbyallstudentsoftrueHermeticism.
Inthislittlebook,ofwhichthisistheFirstLesson,weinviteourstudentstoexamineinto
theHermeticTeachings,assetforthinTHEKYBALION,andasexplainedbyourselves,
humblestudentsoftheTeachings,who,whilebearingthetitleofInitiates,arestillstudents
atthefeetofHERMES,theMaster.Wehereingiveyoumanyofthemaxims,axiomsand
preceptsofTHEKYBALION,accompaniedbyexplanationsandillustrationswhichwedeem
likelytorendertheteachingsmoreeasilycomprehendedbythemodernstudent,particularly
astheoriginaltextispurposelyveiledinobscureterms.
Theoriginalmaxims,axioms,andpreceptsofTHEKYBALIDNareprintedherein,in
quotationmarks,thepropercreditbeinggiven.Ourownworkisprintedintheregularway,in
thebodyofthework.Wetrustthatthemanystudentstowhomwenowofferthislittlework
willderiveasmuchbenefitfromthestudyofitspagesashavethemanywhohavegoneon
before,treadingthesamePathtoMasterythroughoutthecenturiesthathavepassedsince
thetimesofHERMESTRISMEGISTUStheMasterofMasterstheGreatGreat.Inthe
wordsofTHEKYBALION:

WherefallthefootstepsoftheMaster,theearsofthosereadyforhisTeachingopenwide.
TheKybalion.
Whentheearsofthestudentarereadytohear,thencomeththelipstofillthemwithWisdom.The
K
ybalion.
SothataccordingtotheTeachings,thepassageofthisbooktothosereadyforthe
instructionwillattracttheattentionofsuchasarepreparedtoreceivetheTeaching.And,
likewise,whenthepupilisreadytoreceivethetruth,thenwillthislittlebookcometohim,or
her.SuchisTheLaw.TheHermeticPrincipleofCauseandEffect,initsaspectofTheLaw
ofAttraction,willbringlipsandeartogetherpupilandbookincompany.Somoteitbe!

CHAPTERII.
T
HE
S
EVEN
H
ERMETIC
P
RINCIPLES
.
ThePrinciplesofTruthareSevenhewhoknowsthese,understandingly,possessestheMagicKeybefore
whosetouchalltheDoorsoftheTempleflyopen.
TheKybalion.

TheSevenHermeticPrinciples,uponwhichtheentireHermeticPhilosophyisbased,are
asfollows:

I.THEPRINCIPLEOFMENTALISM.

II.THEPRINCIPLEOFCORRESPONDENCE.

III.THEPRINCIPLEOFVIBRATION.

IV.THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLARITY.

V.THEPRINCIPLEOFRHYTHM.

VI.THEPRINCIPLEOFCAUSEANDEFFECT.

VII.THEPRINCIPLEOFGENDER.

TheseSevenPrincipleswillbediscussedandexplainedasweproceedwiththese
lessons.Ashortexplanationofeach,however,mayaswellbegivenatthispoint.

I.
THEPRINCIPLEOFMENTALISM.

THEALLisMINDTheUniverseisMental.
TheKybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththatAllisMind.ItexplainsthatTHEALL(whichisthe
SubstantialRealityunderlyingalltheoutwardmanifestationsandappearanceswhichwe
knowunderthetermsofTheMaterialUniversethePhenomenaofLifeMatter
Energyandinshort,allthatisapparenttoourmaterialsenses)isSPIRIT,whichinitselfis
UNKNOWABLEandUNDEFINABLE,butwhichmaybeconsideredandthoughtofasAN
UNIVERSAL,INFINITE,LIVINGMIND.Italsoexplainsthatallthephenomenalworldor
universeissimplyaMentalCreationofTHEALL,subjecttotheLawsofCreatedThings,
andthattheuniverse,asawhole,andinitspartsorunits,hasitsexistenceintheMindof
THEALL,inwhichMindweliveandmoveandhaveourbeing.ThisPrinciple,by
establishingtheMentalNatureoftheUniverse,easilyexplainsallofthevariedmentaland
psychicphenomenathatoccupysuchalargeportionofthepublicattention,andwhich,
withoutsuchexplanation,arenonunderstandableanddefyscientifictreatment.An
understandingofthisgreatHermeticPrincipleofMentalismenablestheindividualtoreadily
graspthelawsoftheMentalUniverse,andtoapplythesametohiswellbeingand
advancement.TheHermeticStudentisenabledtoapplyintelligentlythegreatMentalLaws,
insteadofusingtheminahaphazardmanner.WiththeMasterKeyinhispossession,the
studentmayunlockthemanydoorsofthementalandpsychictempleofknowledge,and
enterthesamefreelyandintelligently.ThisPrincipleexplainsthetruenatureofEnergy,
Power,andMatter,andwhyandhowallthesearesubordinatetotheMasteryofMind.
OneoftheoldHermeticMasterswrote,longagesago:Hewhograspsthetruthofthe
MentalNatureoftheUniverseiswelladvancedonThePathtoMastery.Andthesewords
areastruetodayasatthetimetheywerefirstwritten.WithoutthisMasterKey,Masteryis
impossible,andthestudentknocksinvainatthemanydoorsofTheTemple.

II.THEPRINCIPLEOFCORRESPONDENCE.

Asabove,sobelowasbelow,soabove.
TheKybalion

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththatthereisalwaysaCorrespondencebetweenthe
lawsandphenomenaofthevariousplanesofBeingandLife.TheoldHermeticaxiomranin
thesewords:Asabove,sobelowasbelow,soabove.AndthegraspingofthisPrinciple
givesonethemeansofsolvingmanyadarkparadox,andhiddensecretofNature.There
areplanesbeyondourknowing,butwhenweapplythePrincipleofCorrespondencetothem
weareabletounderstandmuchthatwouldotherwisebeunknowabletous.ThisPrincipleis
ofuniversalapplicationandmanifestation,onthevariousplanesofthematerial,mental,and
spiritualuniverseitisanUniversalLaw.TheancientHermetistsconsideredthisPrincipleas
oneofthemostimportantmentalinstrumentsbywhichmanwasabletopryasidethe
obstacleswhichhidfromviewtheUnknown.ItsuseeventoreasidetheVeilofIsistothe
extentthataglimpseofthefaceofthegoddessmightbecaught.Justasaknowledgeofthe
PrinciplesofGeometryenablesmantomeasuredistantsunsandtheirmovements,while
seatedinhisobservatory,soaknowledgeofthePrincipleofCorrespondenceenablesMan
toreasonintelligentlyfromtheKnowntotheUnknown.Studyingthemonad,heunderstands
thearchangel.

III.THEPRINCIPLEOFVIBRATION.
Nothingrestseverythingmoveseverythingvibrates.
TheKybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththateverythingisinmotioneverythingvibrates
nothingisatrestfactswhichModernScienceendorses,andwhicheachnewscientific
discoverytendstoverify.AndyetthisHermeticPrinciplewasenunciatedthousandsofyears
ago,bytheMastersofAncientEgypt.ThisPrincipleexplainsthatthedifferencesbetween
differentmanifestationsofMatter,Energy,Mind,andevenSpirit,resultlargelyfromvarying
ratesofVibration.FromTHEALL,whichisPureSpirit,downtothegrossestformofMatter,
allisinvibrationthehigherthevibration,thehigherthepositioninthescale.Thevibrationof
Spiritisatsuchaninfiniterateofintensityandrapiditythatitispracticallyatrestjustasa
rapidlymovingwheelseemstobemotionless.Andattheotherendofthescale,thereare
grossformsofmatterwhosevibrationsaresolowastoseematrest.Betweenthesepoles,
therearemillionsuponmillionsofvaryingdegreesofvibration.Fromcorpuscleandelectron,
atomandmolecule,toworldsanduniverses,everythingisinvibratorymotion.Thisisalso
trueontheplanesofenergyandforce(whicharebutvaryingdegreesofvibration)andalso
onthementalplanes(whosestatesdependuponvibrations)andevenontothespiritual
planes.AnunderstandingofthisPrinciple,withtheappropriateformulas,enablesHermetic
studentstocontroltheirownmentalvibrationsaswellasthoseofothers.TheMastersalso
applythisPrincipletotheconqueringofNaturalphenomena,invariousways.Hewho
understandsthePrincipleofVibration,hasgraspedthesceptreofpower,saysoneoftheoldwriters.

IV.THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLARITY.
EverythingisDualeverythinghaspoleseverythinghasitspairofoppositeslikeandunlikearethesame
oppositesareidenticalinnature,butdifferentindegreeextremesmeetalltruthsarebuthalftruthsall
paradoxesmaybereconciled.
TheKybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththateverythingisdualeverythinghastwopoles
everythinghasitspairofopposites,allofwhichwereoldHermeticaxioms.Itexplainsthe
oldparadoxes,thathaveperplexedsomany,whichhavebeenstatedasfollows:Thesis
andantithesisareidenticalinnature,butdifferentindegreeoppositesarethesame,
differingonlyindegreethepairsofoppositesmaybereconciledextremesmeet
everythingisandisn't,atthesametimealltruthsarebuthalftruthseverytruthishalfThefalsethere
aretwosidestoeverything,etc.,etc.,etc.Itexplainsthatineverythingthere
aretwopoles,oroppositeaspects,andthatoppositesarereallyonlythetwoextremesof
thesamething,withmanyvaryingdegreesbetweenthemToillustrate:HeatandCold,
althoughopposites,arereallythesamething,thedifferencesconsistingmerelyofdegrees
ofthesamething.Lookatyourthermometerandseeifyoucandiscoverwhereheat
terminatesandcoldbegins!Thereisnosuchthingasabsoluteheatorabsolutecold
thetwotermsheatandcoldsimplyindicatevaryingdegreesofthesamething,andthat
samethingwhichmanifestsasheatandcoldismerelyaform,variety,andrateof
Vibration.SoheatandcoldaresimplythetwopolesofthatwhichwecallHeatand
thephenomenaattendantthereuponaremanifestationsofthePrincipleofPolarity.The
sameprinciplemanifestsinthecaseofLightandDarkness,whicharethesamething,the
differenceconsistingofvaryingdegreesbetweenthetwopolesofthephenomena.Where
doesdarknessleaveoff,andlightbegin?WhatisthedifferencebetweenLargeand
Small?BetweenHardandSoft?BetweenBlackandWhite?BetweenSharpandDull?
BetweenNoiseandQuiet?BetweenHighandLow?BetweenPositiveandNegative?
ThePrincipleofPolarityexplainstheseparadoxes,andnootherPrinciplecansupersedeit.
ThesamePrincipleoperatesontheMentalPlane.Letustakearadicalandextreme
examplethatofLoveandHate,twomentalstatesapparentlytotallydifferent.Andyetthere
aredegreesofHateanddegreesofLove,andamiddlepointinwhichweusetheterms
LikeorDislike,whichshadeintoeachothersograduallythatsometimesweareatalossto

knowwhetherwelikeordislikeorneither.Andallaresimplydegreesofthesamething,
asyouwillseeifyouwillbutthinkamoment.And,morethanthis(andconsideredofmore
importancebytheHermetists),itispossibletochangethevibrationsofHatetothe
vibrationsofLove,inone'sownmind,andinthemindsofothers.Manyofyou,whoread
theselines,havehadpersonalexperiencesoftheinvoluntaryrapidtransitionfromLoveto
Hate,andthereverse,inyourowncaseandthatofothers.Andyouwillthereforerealizethe
possibilityofthisbeingaccomplishedbytheuseoftheWill,bymeansoftheHermetic
formulas.GoodandEvilarebutthepolesofthesamething,andtheHermetist
understandstheartoftransmutingEvilintoGood,bymeansofanapplicationofthe
PrincipleofPolarity.Inshort,theArtofPolarizationbecomesaphaseofMentalAlchemy
knownandpracticedbytheancientandmodernHermeticMasters.Anunderstandingofthe
PrinciplewillenableonetochangehisownPolarity,aswellasthatofothers,ifhewill
devotethetimeandstudynecessarytomastertheart

V.THEPRINCIPLEOFRHYTHM.
Everythingflows,outandineverythinghasitstidesallthingsriseandfallthependulumswingmanifestsin
everythingthemeasureoftheswingtotherightisthemeasureoftheswingtotheleftrhythmcompensates.
TheKybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththatineverythingthereismanifestedameasured
motion,toandfroaflowandinflowaswingbackwardandforwardapendulumlike
movementatidelikeebbandflowahightideandlowtidebetweenthetwopoleswhich
existinaccordancewiththePrincipleofPolaritydescribedamomentago.Thereisalways
anactionandareactionanadvanceandaretreatarisingandasinking.Thisisinthe
affairsoftheUniverse,suns,worlds,men,animals,mind,energy,andmatter.Thislawis
manifestinthecreationanddestructionofworldsintheriseandfallofnationsinthelifeof
allthingsandfinallyinthementalstatesofMan(anditiswiththislatterthattheHermetists
findtheunderstandingofthePrinciplemostimportant).TheHermetistshavegraspedthis
Principle,findingitsuniversalapplication,andhavealsodiscoveredcertainmeansto
overcomeitseffectsinthemselvesbytheuseoftheappropriateformulasandmethods.
TheyapplytheMentalLawofNeutralization.TheycannotannulthePrinciple,orcauseitto
ceaseitsoperation,buttheyhavelearnedhowtoescapeitseffectsuponthemselvestoa
certaindegreedependingupontheMasteryofthePrinciple.TheyhavelearnedhowtoUSE
it,insteadofbeingUSEDBYit.Inthisandsimilarmethods,consisttheArtoftheHermetists.
TheMasterofHermeticspolarizeshimselfatthepointatwhichhedesirestorest,andthen
neutralizestheRhythmicswingofthependulumwhichwouldtendtocarryhimtotheother
pole.AllindividualswhohaveattainedanydegreeofSelfMasterydothistoacertain
degree,moreorlessunconsciously,buttheMasterdoesthisconsciously,andbytheuseof
hisWill,andattainsadegreeofPoiseandMentalFirmnessalmostimpossibleofbeliefon
thepartofthemasseswhoareswungbackwardandforwardlikeapendulum.ThisPrinciple
andthatofPolarityhavebeencloselystudiedbytheHermetists,andthemethodsof
counteracting,neutralizing,andUSINGthemformanimportantpartoftheHermeticMental
Alchemy.

VI.THEPRINCIPLEOFCAUSEANDEFFECT.
EveryCausehasitsEffecteveryEffecthasitsCauseeverythinghappensaccordingtoLawChanceisbut
anameforLawnotrecognizedtherearemanyplanesofcausation,butnothingescapestheLaw.
The
Kybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthefactthatthereisaCauseforeveryEffectanEffectfrom
everyCause.Itexplainsthat:EverythingHappensaccordingtoLawthatnothingever
merelyhappensthatthereisnosuchthingasChancethatwhiletherearevariousplanes
ofCauseandEffect,thehigherdominatingthelowerplanes,stillnothingeverentirely
escapestheLaw.TheHermetistsunderstandtheartandmethodsofrisingabovethe
ordinaryplaneofCauseandEffect,toacertaindegree,andbymentallyrisingtoahigher
planetheybecomeCausersinsteadofEffects.Themassesofpeoplearecarriedalong,
obedienttoenvironmentthewillsanddesiresofothersstrongerthanthemselvesheredity
suggestionandotheroutwardcausesmovingthemaboutlikepawnsontheChessboardof
Life.ButtheMasters,risingtotheplaneabove,dominatetheirmoods,characters,qualities,
andpowers,aswellastheenvironmentsurroundingthem,andbecomeMoversinsteadof
pawns.TheyhelptoPLAYTHEGAMEOFLIFE,insteadofbeingplayedandmovedabout
byotherwillsandenvironment.TheyUSEthePrincipleinsteadofbeingitstools.The
MastersobeytheCausationofthehigherplanes,buttheyhelptoRULEontheirownplane.
InthisstatementthereiscondensedawealthofHermeticknowledgelethimreadwhocan.

VII.THEPRINCIPLEOFGENDER.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththatthereisGENDERmanifestedineverythingthe
MasculineandFemininePrincipleseveratwork.ThisistruenotonlyofthePhysicalPlane,
butoftheMentalandeventheSpiritualPlanes.OnthePhysicalPlane,thePrinciple
manifestsasSEX,onthehigherplanesittakeshigherforms,butthePrincipleiseverthe
same.Nocreation,physical,mentalorspiritual,ispossiblewithoutthisPrinciple.An
understandingofitslawswillthrowlightonmanyasubjectthathasperplexedthemindsof
men.ThePrincipleofGenderworkseverinthedirectionofgeneration,regeneration,and
creation.Everything,andeveryperson,containsthetwoElementsorPrinciples,orthisgreat
Principle,withinit,himorher.EveryMalethinghastheFemaleElementalsoeveryFemale
containsalsotheMalePrinciple.IfyouwouldunderstandthephilosophyofMentaland
SpiritualCreation,Generation,andRegeneration,youmustunderstandandstudythis
HermeticPrinciple.ItcontainsthesolutionofmanymysteriesofLife.Wecautionyouthat
thisPrinciplehasnoreferencetothemanybase,perniciousanddegradinglustfultheories,
teachingsandpractices,whicharetaughtunderfancifultitles,andwhichareaprostitutionof
thegreatnaturalprincipleofGender.Suchbaserevivalsoftheancientinfamousformsof
Phallicismtendtoruinmind,bodyandsoul,andtheHermeticPhilosophyhaseversounded
thewarningnoteagainstthesedegradedteachingswhichtendtowardlust,licentiousness,
andperversionofNature'sprinciples.ifyouseeksuchteachings,youmustgoelsewherefor
themHermeticismcontainsnothingforyoualongtheselines.Tothepure,allthingsare
puretothebase,allthingsarebase.

CHAPTERIII.
M
ENTAL
T
RANSMUTATION
.
Mind(aswellasmetalsandelements)maybetransmuted,fromstatetostatedegreetodegreecondition
toconditionpoletopolevibrationtovibration.TrueHermeticTransmutationisaMentalArt.
TheKybalion.

Aswehavestated,theHermetistsweretheoriginalalchemists,astrologers,and
psychologists,Hermeshavingbeenthefounderoftheseschoolsofthought.Fromastrology
basgrownmodernastronomyfromalchemyhasgrownmodernchemistryfromthemystic
psychologyhasgrownthemodernpsychologyoftheschools.Butitmustnotbesupposed
thattheancientswereignorantofthatwhichthemodernschoolssupposetobetheir
exclusiveandspecialproperty.TherecordsengravedonthestonesofAncientEgyptshow
conclusivelythattheancientshadafullcomprehensiveknowledgeofastronomy,thevery
buildingofthePyramidsshowingtheconnectionbetweentheirdesignandthestudyof
astronomicalscience.NorweretheyignorantofChemistry,forthefragmentsoftheancient
writingsshowthattheywereacquaintedwiththechemicalpropertiesofthingsinfact,the
ancienttheoriesregardingphysicsarebeingslowlyverifiedbythelatestdiscoveriesof
modernscience,notablythoserelatingtotheconstitutionofmatter.Normustitbesupposed
thattheywereignorantofthesocalledmoderndiscoveriesinpsychologyonthecontrary,
theEgyptianswereespeciallyskilledinthescienceofPsychology,particularlyinthe
branchesthatthemodernschoolsignore,butwhich,nevertheless,arebeinguncovered
underthenameofpsychicsciencewhichisperplexingthepsychologistsoftoday,and
makingthemreluctantlyadmitthattheremaybesomethinginitafterall.
Thetruthis,thatbeneaththematerialchemistry,astronomyandpsychology(thatis,the
psychologyinitsphaseofbrainaction),theancientspossessedaknowledgeof
transcendentalastronomy,calledastrologyoftranscendentalchemistry,calledalchemyof
transcendentalpsychology,calledmysticpsychology.TheypossessedtheInnerKnowledge
aswellastheOuterKnowledge,thelatteralonebeingpossessedbymodernscientists.
AmongthemanysecretbranchesofknowledgepossessedbytheHermetists,wasthat
knownasMentalTransmutation,whichformsthesubjectmatterofthislesson.
Transmutationisatermusuallyemployedtodesignatetheancientartofthe
transmutationofmetalsparticularlyofthebasemetalsintogold.ThewordTransmute
meanstochangefromonenature,form,orsubstance,intoanothertotransform

(Webster).Andaccordingly,MentalTransmutationmeanstheartofchangingand
transformingmentalstates,forms,andconditions,intoothers.SoyoumayseethatMental
TransmutationistheArtofMentalChemistry,ifyoulikethetermaformofpracticalMystic
Psychology.
Butthismeansfarmorethanappearsonthesurface.Transmutation,Alchemy,or
Chemistry,ontheMentalPlaneisimportantenoughinitseffects,tobesure,andiftheart
stoppedthereitwouldstillbeoneofthemostimportantbranchesofstudyknowntoman.
Butthisisonlythebeginning.Letusseewhy!
ThefirstoftheSevenHermeticPrinciplesisthePrincipleofMentalism,theaxiomof
whichisTHEALLisMindtheUniverseisMental,whichmeansthattheUnderlyingReality
oftheUniverseisMindandtheUniverseitselfisMentalthatis,existingintheMindofTHE
ALL.WeshallconsiderthisPrincipleinsucceedinglessons,butletusseetheeffectofthe
principleifitbeassumedtobetrue.
IftheUniversalisMentalinitsnature,thenMentalTransmutationmustbetheartof
CHANGINGTHECONDITIONSOFTHEUNIVERSE,alongthelinesofMatter,Forceand
Mind.Soyousee,therefore,thatMentalTransmutationisreallytheMagicofwhichthe
ancientwritershadsomuchtosayintheirmysticalworks,andaboutwhichtheygaveso
fewpracticalinstructions.IfAllbeMental,thentheartwhichenablesonetotransmute
mentalconditionsmustrendertheMasterthecontrollerofmaterialconditionsaswellas
thoseordinarilycalledmental.
Asamatteroffact,nonebutadvancedMentalAlchemistshavebeenabletoattainthe
degreeofpowernecessarytocontrolthegrosserphysicalconditions,suchasthecontrolof
theelementsofNaturetheproductionorcessationoftempeststheproductionand
cessationofearthquakesandothergreatphysicalphenomena.Butthatsuchmenhave
existed,anddoexisttoday,isamatterofearnestbelieftoalladvancedoccultistsofall
schools.ThattheMastersexist,andhavethesepowers,thebestteachersassuretheir
students,havinghadexperienceswhichjustifytheminsuchbeliefandstatements.These
Mastersdonotmakepublicexhibitionsoftheirpowers,butseekseclusionfromthecrowds
ofmen,inordertobetterworktheirwayalongthePathofAttainment.Wementiontheir
existence,atthispoint,merelytocallyourattentiontothefactthattheirpowerisentirely
Mental,andoperatesalongthelinesofthehigherMentalTransmutation,undertheHermetic
PrincipleofMentalism.TheUniverseisMentalTheKybalion.
ButstudentsandHermetistsoflesserdegreethanMasterstheInitiatesandTeachers
areabletofreelyworkalongtheMentalPlane,inMentalTransmutation.Infactallthatwe
callpsychicphenomenamentalinfluencementalsciencenewthoughtphenomena,
etc.,operatesalongthesamegenerallines,forthereisbutoneprincipleinvolved,nomatter
bywhatnamethephenomenabecalled.
ThestudentandpractitionerofMentalTransmutationworksamongtheMentalPlane,
transmutingmentalconditions,states,etc.,intoothers,accordingtovariousformulas,more
orlessefficacious.Thevarioustreatments,affirmations,denials,etc.,oftheschoolsof
mentalsciencearebutformulas,oftenquiteimperfectandunscientific,ofTheHermeticArt.
Themajorityofmodernpractitionersarequiteignorantcomparedtotheancientmasters,for
theylackthefundamentalknowledgeuponwhichtheworkisbased.
Notonlymaythementalstates,etc.,ofone'sselfbechangedortransmutedbyHermetic
Methodsbutalsothestatesofothersmaybe,andare,constantlytransmutedinthesame
way,usuallyunconsciously,butoftenconsciouslybysomeunderstandingthelawsand
principles,incaseswherethepeopleaffectedarenotinformedoftheprinciplesofselfprotection.
Andmorethanthis,asmanystudentsandpractitionersofmodernmental

scienceknow,everymaterialconditiondependinguponthemindsofotherpeoplemaybe
changedortransmutedinaccordancewiththeearnestdesire,will,andtreatmentsof
persondesiringchangedconditionsoflife.Thepublicaresogenerallyinformedregarding
thesethingsatpresent,thatwedonotdeemitnecessarytomentionthesameatlength,our
purposeatthispointbeingmerelytoshowtheHermeticPrincipleandArtunderlyingallof
thesevariousformsofpractice,goodandevil,fortheforcecanbeusedinopposite
directionsaccordingtotheHermeticPrinciplesofPolarity.
InthislittlebookweshallstatethebasicprinciplesofMentalTransmutation,thatallwho
readmaygrasptheUnderlyingPrinciples,andthuspossesstheMasterKeythatwillunlock
themanydoorsofthePrincipleofPolarity.
WeshallnowproceedtoaconsiderationofthefirstoftheHermeticSevenPrinciplesthe
PrincipleofMentalism,inwhichisexplainedthetruththatTHEALLisMindtheUniverseis
Mental,inthewordsofTheKybalion.Weaskthecloseattention,andcarefulstudyofthis
greatPrinciple,onthepartofourstudents,foritisreallytheBasicPrincipleofthewhole
HermeticPhilosophy,andoftheHermeticArtofMentalTransmutation.

CHAPTERIV.
T
HE
A
LL
.
Under,andbackof,theUniverseofTime,SpaceandChange,isevertobefoundTheSubstantialReality
theFundamentalTruth.
TheKybalion.

Substancemeans:thatwhichunderliesalloutwardmanifestationstheessencethe
essentialrealitythethinginitself,etc.Substantialmeans:actuallyexistingbeingthe
essentialelementbeingreal,etc.Realitymeans:thestateofbeingrealtrue,enduring
validfixedpermanentactual,etc.
Underandbehindalloutwardappearancesormanifestations,theremustalwaysbea
SubstantialReality.ThisistheLaw.ManconsideringtheUniverse,ofwhichheisaunit,
seesnothingbutchangeinmatter,forces,andmentalstates.HeseesthatnothingreallyIS,
butthateverythingisBECOMINGandCHANGING.Nothingstandsstilleverythingisbeing
born,growing,dyingtheveryinstantathingreachesitsheight,itbeginstodeclinethelaw
ofrhythmisinconstantoperationthereisnoreality,enduringquality,fixity,orsubstantiality
inanythingnothingispermanentbutChange.Heseesallthingsevolvingfromotherthings,
andresolvingintootherthingsaconstantactionandreactioninflowandoutflowbuilding
upandtearingdowncreationanddestructionbirth,growthanddeath.Nothingenduresbut
Change.Andifhebeathinkingman,herealizesthatallofthesechangingthingsmustbe
butoutwardappearancesormanifestationsofsomeUnderlyingPowersomesubstantial
Reality.
Allthinkers,inalllandsandinalltimes,haveassumedthenecessityforpostulatingthe
existenceofthisSubstantialReality.Allphilosophiesworthyofthenamehavebeenbased
uponthisthought.MenhavegiventothisSubstantialRealitymanynamessomehave
calleditbythetermofDeity(undermanytitles)othershavecalleditTheInfiniteand
EternalEnergyothershavetriedtocallitMatterbutallhaveacknowledgeditsexistence.
Itisselfevidentitneedsnoargument.
Intheselessonswehavefollowedtheexampleofsomeoftheworld'sgreatestthinkers,
bothancientandmoderntheHermeticMastersandhavecalledthisUnderlyingPowerthis
SubstantialRealitybytheHermeticnameofTHEALL,whichtermweconsiderthemost
comprehensiveofthemanytermsappliedbyMantoTHATwhichtranscendsnamesandterms.

WeacceptandteachtheviewofthegreatHermeticthinkersofalltimes,aswellasof
thoseilluminedsoulswhohavereachedhigherplanesofbeing,bothofwhomassertthatthe
innernatureofTHEALLisUNKNOWABLE.Thismustbeso,fornaughtbyTHEALLitself
cancomprehenditsownnatureandbeing.
TheHermetistsbelieveandteachthatTHEALL,initself,isandmusteverbe
UNKNOWABLE.Theyregardallthetheories,guessesandspeculationsofthetheologians
andmetaphysiciansregardingtheinnernatureofTHEALL,asbutthechildisheffortsof
mortalmindstograspthesecretoftheInfinite.Sucheffortshavealwaysfailedandwill
alwaysfail,fromtheverynatureofthetask.Onepursuingsuchinquiriestravelsaroundand
aroundinthelabyrinthofthought,untilheislosttoallsanereasoning,actionorconduct,
andisutterlyunfittedfortheworkoflife.Heislikethesquirrelwhichfranticallyrunsaround
andaroundthecirclingtreadmillwheelofhiscage,travellingeverandyetreaching
nowhereattheendaprisonerstill,andstandingjustwherehestarted.
AndstillmorepresumptuousarethosewhoattempttoascribetoTHEALLthe
personality,qualities,properties,characteristicsandattributesofthemselves,ascribingto
THEALLthehumanemotions,feelings,andcharacteristics,evendowntothepettiest
qualitiesormankind,suchasjealousy,susceptibilitytoflatteryandpraise,desirefor
offeringsandworship,andalltheothersurvivalsfromthedaysofthechildhoodoftherace.
Suchideasarenotworthyofgrownmenandwomen,andarerapidlybeingdiscarded.
(Atthispoint,itmaybeproperformetostatethatwemakeadistinctionbetween
ReligionandTheologybetweenPhilosophyandMetaphysics.Religion,tous,meansthat
intuitionalrealizationoftheexistenceofTHEALL,andone'srelationshiptoitwhile
Theologymeanstheattemptsofmentoascribepersonality,qualities,andcharacteristicsto
ittheirtheoriesregardingitsaffairs,will,desires,plans,anddesignsandtheirassumption
oftheofficeofmiddlemenbetweenTHEALLandthepeople.Philosophy,tous,means
theinquiryafterknowledgeofthingsknowableandthinkablewhileMetaphysicsmeansthe
attempttocarrytheinquiryoverandbeyondtheboundariesandintoregionsunknowable
andunthinkable,andwiththesametendencyasthatofTheology.Andconsequently,both
ReligionandPhilosophymeantousthingshavingrootsinReality,whileTheologyand
Metaphysicsseemlikebrokenreeds,rootedinthequicksandsofignorance,andaffording
naughtbutthemostinsecuresupportforthemindorsoulofMan.Wedonotinsistuponour
studentsacceptingthesedefinitionswementionthemmerelytoshowourposition.Atany
rate,youshallhearverylittleaboutTheologyandMetaphysicsintheselessons.)
ButwhiletheessentialnatureofTHEALLisUnknowable,therearecertaintruths
connectedwithitsexistencewhichthehumanmindfindsitselfcompelledtoaccept.Andin
examinationofthesereportsformapropersubjectofinquiry,particularlyastheyagreewith
thereportsoftheIlluminedonhigherplanes.Andtothisinquirywenowinviteyou.
THATwhichistheFundamentalTruththeSubstantialRealityisbeyondtruenaming,buttheWiseMen
call
itTHEALL.
TheKybalion.
InitsEssence,THEALLisUNKNOWABLE.
TheKybalion.
But,thereportofReasonmustbehospitablyreceived,andtreatedwithrespect.
TheKybalion.
Thehumanreason,whosereportswemustacceptsolongaswethinkatall,informsus
asfollowsregardingTHEALL,andthatwithoutattemptingtoremovetheveilofthe
Unknowable:
1.THEALLmustbeALLthatREALLYIS.TherecanbenothingexistingoutsideofTHE
ALL,elseTHEALLwouldnotbeTHEALL.
2.THEALLmustbeINFINITE,forisnothingelsetodefine,confine,bound,limitor

restrictTHEALLItmustbeInfiniteinTime,orETERNAL,itmusthavealwayscontinuously
existed,forthereisnothingelsetohaveevercreatedit,andsomethingcanneverevolve
fromnothing,andifithadevernotbeen,evenforamoment,itwouldnotbenow,itmust
continuouslyexistforever,forthereisnothingtodestroyit,anditcannevernotbe,even
foramoment,becausesomethingcanneverbecomenothing.ItmustbeInfiniteinSpaceit
mustbeEverywhere,forthereisnoplaceoutsideofTHEALLitcannotbeotherwisethan
continuousinSpace,withoutbreak,cessation,separation,orinterruption,forthereis
nothingtobreak,separate,orinterruptitscontinuity,andnothingwithwhichtofillinthe
gaps.ItmustbeInfiniteinPower,orAbsolute,forthereisnothingtolimit,restrict,restrain,
confine,disturborconditionititissubjecttonootherPower,forthereisnootherPower.
3.THEALLmustbeIMMUTABLE,ornotsubjecttochangeinitsrealnature,forthereis
nothingtoworkchangesuponitnothingintowhichitcouldchange,norfromwhichitcould
havechanged.Itcannotbeaddedtonorsubtractedfromincreasednordiminishednor
becomegreaterorlesserinanyrespectwhatsoever.Itmusthavealwaysbeen,andmust
alwaysremain,justwhatitisnowTHEALLtherehasneverbeen,isnotnow,andnever
willbe,anythingelseintowhichitcanchange.
THEALLbeingInfinite,Absolute,EternalandUnchangeableitmustfollowthatanything
finite,changeable,fleeting,andconditionedcannotbeTHEALL.AndasthereisNothing
outsideofTHEALL,inReality,thenanyandallsuchfinitethingsmustbeasNothingin
Reality.Nowdonotbecomebefogged,norfrightenedwearenottryingtoleadyouintothe
ChristianSciencefieldundercoverofHermeticPhilosophy.ThereisaReconciliationofthis
apparentlycontradictorystateofaffairs.Bepatient,wewillreachitintime.
WeseearoundusthatwhichiscalledMatter,whichformsthephysicalfoundationforall
forms.IsTHEALLmerelyMatter?Notatall!MattercannotmanifestLifeorMind,andasLife
andMindaremanifestedintheUniverse,THEALLcannotbeMatter,fornothingrises
higherthanitsownsourcenothingisevermanifestedinaneffectthatisnotinthecause
nothingisevolvedasaconsequentthatisnotinvolvedasanantecedent.AndthenModern
ScienceinformsusthatthereisreallynosuchthingasMatterthatwhatwecallMatteris
merelyinterruptedenergyorforce,thatis,energyorforceatalowrateofvibration.Asa
recentwriterhassaidMatterhasmeltedintoMystery.EvenMaterialSciencehas
abandonedthetheoryofMatter,andnowrestsonthebasisofEnergy.
ThenisTHEALLmereEnergyorForce?NotEnergyorForceasthematerialistsusethe
terms,fortheirenergyandforceareblind,mechanicalthings,devoidofLifeorMind.Life
andMindcanneverevolvefromblindEnergyorForce,forthereasongivenamomentago:
Nothingcanrisehigherthanitssourcenothingisevolvedunlessitisinvolvednothing
manifestsintheeffect,unlessitisinthecause.AndsoTHEALLcannotbemereEnergyor
Force,for,ifitwere,thentherewouldbenosuchthingsasLifeandMindinexistence,and
weknowbetterthanthat,forweareAliveandusingMindtoconsiderthisveryquestion,and
soarethosewhoclaimthatEnergyorForceisEverything.
WhatistherethenhigherthanMatterorEnergythatweknowtobeexistentinthe
Universe?LIFEANDMIND!LifeandMindinalltheirvaryingdegreesofunfoldment!Then,
youask,doyoumeantotellusthatTHEALLisLIFEandMIND?Yes!andNo!isour
answer.IfyoumeanLifeandMindaswepoorpettymortalsknowthem,wesayNo!THE
ALLisnotthat!ButwhatkindofLifeandMinddoyoumean?youask.
TheanswerisLIVINGMIND,asfarabovethatwhichmortalsknowbythosewords,as
LifeandMindarehigherthanmechanicalforces,ormatterINFINITELIVINGMINDas
comparedtofiniteLifeandMind.Wemeanthatwhichtheilluminedsoulsmeanwhenthey
reverentlypronouncetheword:SPIRIT!THEALLisInfiniteLivingMindtheIlluminedcallitSPIRIT!

CHAPTERV.
T
HE
M
ENTAL
U
NIVERSE
.
TheUniverseisMentalheldintheMindofTHEALL.
TheKybalion.

THEALLisSPIRIT!ButwhatisSpirit?Thisquestioncannotbeanswered,forthereason
thatitsdefinitionispracticallythatofTHEALL,whichcannotbeexplainedordefined.Spirit
issimplyanamethatmengivetothehighestconceptionofInfiniteLivingMinditmeans
theRealEssenceitmeansLivingMind,asmuchsuperiortoLifeandMindasweknow
them,asthelatteraresuperiortomechanicalEnergyandMatter.Spirittranscendsour
understanding,andweusethetermmerelythatwemaythinkorspeakofTHEALL.Forthe
purposesofthoughtandunderstanding,wearejustifiedinthinkingofSpiritasInfiniteLiving
Mind,atthesametimeacknowledgingthatwecannotfullyunderstandit.Wemusteitherdo
thisorstopthinkingofthematteratall.
LetusnowproceedtoaconsiderationofthenatureoftheUniverse,asawholeandinits
parts.WhatistheUniverse?WehaveseenthattherecanbenothingoutsideofTHEALL.
ThenistheUniverseTHEALL?No,thiscannotbe,becausetheUniverseseemstobe
madeupofMANY,andisconstantlychanging,andinotherwaysitdoesnotmeasureupto
theideasthatwearecompelledtoacceptregardingTHEALL,asstatedinourlastlesson.
TheniftheUniversebenotTHEALL,thenitmustbeNothingsuchistheinevitable
conclusionofthemindatfirstthought.Butthiswillnotsatisfythequestion,forweare
sensibleoftheexistenceoftheUniverse.TheniftheUniverseisneitherTHEALL,nor
Nothing,whatcanitbe!Letusexaminethisquestion.
IftheUniverseexistsatall,orseemstoexist,itmustproceedinsomewayfromTHE
ALLItmustbeacreationofTHEALL.Butassomethingcannevercomefromnothing,from
whatcouldTHEALLhavecreatedit?Somephilosophershaveansweredthisquestionby
sayingthatTHEALLcreatedtheUniversefromITSELFthatis,fromthebeingand
substanceofTHEALL.Butthiswillnotdo,forTHEALLcannotbesubtractedfrom,nor
divided,aswehaveseen,andthenagainifthisbeso,wouldnoteachparticleinthe
UniversebeawareofitsbeingTHEALLTHEALLcouldnotloseitsknowledgeofitself,nor
actuallyBECOMEanatom,orblindforce,orlowlylivingthing.Somemen,indeed,realizing

thatTHEALLisindeedALL,andalsorecognizingthatthey,themen,existed,havejumped
totheconclusionthattheyandTHEALLwereidentical,andtheyhavefilledtheairwith
shoutsofIAMGOD,totheamusementofthemultitudeandthesorrowofsages.The
claimofthecorpusclethat:IamMan!wouldbemodestincomparison.
But,whatindeedistheUniverse,ifitbenotTHEALL,notyetcreatedbyTHEALLhaving
separateditselfintofragments?Whatelsecanitbeofwhatelsecanitbemade?Thisisthe
greatquestion.Letusexamineitcarefully.WefindherethatthePrincipleof
Correspondence(seeLessonI.)comestoouraidhere.TheoldHermeticaxiom,Asabove
sobelow,maybepressedintoserviceatthispoint.Letusendeavortogetaglimpseofthe
workingsonhigherplanesbyexaminingthoseonourown.ThePrincipleofCorrespondence
mustapplytothisaswellastootherproblems.
Letussee!Onhisownplaneofbeing,howdoesMancreate?Well,first,hemaycreate
bymakingsomethingoutofoutsidematerials.Butthiswillnotdo,fortherearenomaterials
outsideofTHEALLwithwhichitmaycreate.Well,then,secondly,Manprocreatesor
reproduceshiskindbytheprocessofbegetting,whichisselfmultiplicationaccomplishedby
transferringaportionofhissubstancetohisoffspring.Butthiswillnotdo,becauseTHEALL
cannottransferorsubtractaportionofitself,norcanitreproduceormultiplyitselfinthefirst
placetherewouldbeatakingaway,andinthesecondcaseamultiplicationoradditionto
THEALL,boththoughtsbeinganabsurdity.IstherenothirdwayinwhichMANcreates!
Yes,thereisheCREATESMENTALLY!Andinsodoingheusesnooutsidematerials,nor
doeshereproducehimself,andyethisSpiritpervadestheMentalCreation.
FollowingthePrincipleofCorrespondence,wearejustifiedinconsideringthatTHEALL
createstheUniverseMENTALLY,inamannerakintotheprocesswherebyMancreates
MentalImages.And,hereiswherethereportofReasontalliespreciselywiththereportof
theIllumined,asshownbytheirteachingsandwritings.SucharetheteachingsoftheWise
Men.SuchwastheTeachingofHermes.
THEALLcancreateinnootherwayexceptmentally,withouteitherusingmaterial(and
thereisnonetouse),orelsereproducingitself(whichisalsoimpossible).Thereisno
escapefromthisconclusionoftheReason,which,aswehavesaid,agreeswiththehighest
teachingsoftheIllumined.Justasyou,student,maycreateaUniverseofyourowninyour
mentality,sodoesTHEALLcreateUniversesinitsownMentality.ButyourUniverseisthe
mentalcreationofaFiniteMind,whereasthatofTHEALListhecreationofanInfinite.The
twoaresimilarinkind,butinfinitelydifferentindegree.Weshallexaminemorecloselyinto
theprocessofcreationandmanifestation,asweproceed.Butthisisthepointtofixinyour
mindsatthisstage:THEUNIVERSE,ANDALLITCONTAINS,ISAMENTALCREATION
OFTHEALL.Verily,indeed,ALLISMIND!
THEALLcreatesinitsInfiniteMindcountlessUniverses,whichexistforaeonsofTimeandyet,toTHE
ALL,
thecreation,development,declineanddeathofamillionUniversesisasthetimeofthetwinklingofan
eye.
The
Kybalion.
'
TheInfiniteMindofTHEALListhewombofUniverses.
TheKybalion.
ThePrincipleofGender(seeLessonI.andotherlessonstofollow)ismanifestedonall
planesoflife,material,mentalandspiritual.But,aswehavesaidbefore,Genderdoesnot
meanSexsexismerelyamaterialmanifestationofgender.Gendermeansrelatingto
generationorcreation.Andwhereveranythingisgeneratedorcreated,onanyplane,the
PrincipleofGendermustbemanifested.AndthisistrueeveninthecreationofUniverses.
Nowdonotjumptotheconclusionthatweareteachingthatthereisamaleandfemale

God,orCreator.Thatideaismerelyadistortionoftheancientteachingsonthesubject.The
trueteachingisthatTHEALL,initself,isaboveGender,asitisaboveeveryotherLaw,
includingthoseofTimeandSpace.ItistheLaw,fromwhichtheLawsproceed,anditisnot
subjecttothem.ButwhenTHEALLmanifestsontheplaneofgenerationorcreation,thenit
actsaccordingtoLawandPrinciple,foritismovingonalowerplaneofBeing.And
consequentlyitmanifeststhePrincipleofGender,initsMasculineandFeminineaspects,on
theMentalPlane,ofcourse.
Thisideamayseemstartlingtosomeofyouwhohearitforthefirsttime,butyouhaveall
reallypassivelyaccepteditinyoureverydayconceptions.YouspeakoftheFatherhoodof
God,andtheMotherhoodofNatureofGod,theDivineFather,andNaturetheUniversal
MotherandhavethusinstinctivelyacknowledgedthePrincipleofGenderintheUniverse.Is
thisnotsol
But,theHermeticteachingdoesnotimplyarealdualityTHEALLisONEtheTwo
Aspectsaremerelyaspectsofmanifestation.TheteachingisthatTheMasculinePrinciple
manifestedbyTHEALLstands,inaway,apartfromtheactualmentalcreationofthe
Universe.ItprojectsitsWilltowardtheFemininePrinciple(whichmaybecalledNature)
whereuponthelatterbeginstheactualworkoftheevolutionoftheUniverse,fromsimple
centresofactivityontoman,andthenonandonstillhigher,allaccordingtowellestablished
andfirmlyenforcedLawsofNature.Ifyouprefertheoldfiguresofthought,you
maythinkoftheMasculinePrincipleasGOD,theFather,andoftheFemininePrincipleas
NATURE,theUniversalMother,fromwhosewomballthingshavebeenborn.Thisismore
thanamerepoeticfigureofspeechitisanideaoftheactualprocessofthecreationofthe
Universe.Butalwaysremember,thatTHEALLisbutOne,andthatinitsInfiniteMindthe
Universeisgenerated,createdandexists.
Itmayhelpyoutogettheproperidea,ifyouwillapplytheLawofCorrespondenceto
yourself,andyourownmind.YouknowthatthepartofYouwhichyoucallI,inasense,
standsapartandwitnessesthecreationofMentalImagesinyourownmind.Thepartofyour
mindinwhichthementalgenerationisaccomplishedmaybecalledtheMeindistinction
fromtheIwhichstandsapartandwitnessesandexaminesthethoughts,ideasandimages
oftheMe.Asabove,sobelow,remember,andthephenomenaofoneplanemaybe
employedtosolvetheriddlesofhigherorlowerplanes.
IsitanywonderthatYou,thechild,feelthatinstinctivereverenceforTHEALL,which
feelingwecallreligionthatrespect,andreverenceforTHEFATHERMIND?Isitany
wonderthat,whenyouconsidertheworksandwondersofNature,youareovercomewitha
mightyfeelingwhichhasitsrootsawaydowninyourinmostbeing?ItistheMOTHERMIND
thatyouarepressingcloseupto,likeababetothebreast.
DonotmakethemistakeofsupposingthatthelittleworldyouseearoundyoutheEarth,
whichisameregrainofdustintheUniverseistheUniverseitself.Therearemillionsupon
millionsofsuchworlds,andgreater.AndtherearemillionsofmillionsofsuchUniversesin
existencewithintheInfiniteMindofTHEALL.Andeveninourownlittlesolarsystemthere
areregionsandplanesoflifefarhigherthanours,andbeingscomparedtowhichweearthbound
mortalsareastheslimylifeformsthatdwellontheocean'sbedwhencomparedto
Man.TherearebeingswithpowersandattributeshigherthanManhaseverdreamedofthe
gods'possessing.Andyetthesebeingswereonceasyou,andstilllowerandyouwillbe
evenasthey,andstillhigher,intime,forsuchistheDestinyofManasreportedbythe
Illumined.
AndDeathisnotreal,evenintheRelativesenseitisbutBirthtoanewlifeandYou
shallgoon,andon,andon,tohigherandstillhigherplanesoflife,foraeonsuponaeonsof

time.TheUniverseisyourhome,andyoushallexploreitsfarthestrecessesbeforetheend
ofTime.YouaredwellingintheInfiniteMindofTHEALL,andyourpossibilitiesand
opportunitiesareinfinite,bothintimeandspace.AndattheendoftheGrandCycleof
Aeons,whenTHEALLshalldrawbackintoitselfallofitscreationsyouwillgogladly,for
youwillthenbeabletoknowtheWholeTruthofbeingAtOnewithTHEALL.Suchisthe
reportoftheIlluminedthosewhohaveadvancedwellalongThePath.
And,inthemeantime,restcalmand,sereneyouaresafeandprotectedbytheInfinite
PoweroftheFATHERMOTHERMIND.

WithintheFatherMotherMind,mortalchildrenareathome.
TheKybalion
.
ThereisnotonewhoisFatherless,norMotherlessintheUniverse
TheKybalion.

CHAPTERVI.
T
HE
D
IVINE
P
ARADOX
.
Thehalfwise,recognizingthecomparativeunrealityoftheUniverse,imaginethattheymaydefyitsLaws
sucharevainandpresumptuousfools,andtheyarebrokenagainsttherocksandtornasunderbytheelements
byreasonoftheirfolly.Thetrulywise,knowingthenatureoftheUniverse,useLawagainstlawsthehigher
againstthelowerandbytheArtofAlchemytransmutethatwhichisundesirableintothatwhichisworthy,and
thustriumph.Masteryconsistsnotinabnormaldreams,visionsandfantasticimaginingsorliving,butinusingthe
higherforcesagainstthelowerescapingthepainsofthelowerplanesbyvibratingonthehigher.Transmutation,
notpresumptuousdenial,istheweaponoftheMaster.
TheKybalion.

ThisistheParadoxoftheUniverse,resultingfromthePrincipleofPolaritywhich
manifestswhenTHEALLbeginstoCreatehearkentoitforitpointsthedifferencebetween
halfwisdomandwisdom.WhiletoTHEINFINITEALL,theUniverse,itsLaws,itsPowers,its
Life,itsPhenomena,areasthingswitnessedinthestateofMeditationorDreamyettoall
thatisFinite,theUniversemustbetreatedasReal,andlife,andaction,andthought,must
bebasedthereupon,accordingly,althoughwithaneverunderstandingoftheHigherTruth.
EachaccordingtoitsownPlaneandLaws.WereTHEALLtoimaginethattheUniverse
wereindeedReality,thenwoetotheUniverse,fortherewouldbethennoescapefromlower
tohigher,divinewardthenwouldtheUniversebecomeafixityandprogresswouldbecome
impossible.AndifMan,owingtohalfwisdom,actsandlivesandthinksoftheUniverseas
merelyadream(akintohisownfinitedreams)thenindeeddoesitsobecomeforhim,and
likeasleepwalkerhestumbleseveraroundandaroundinacircle,makingnoprogress,and
beingforcedintoanawakeningatlastbyhisfallingbruisedandbleedingovertheNatural
Lawswhichheignored.KeepyourmindeverontheStar,butletyoureyeswatchoveryour
footsteps,lestyoufallintothemirebyreasonofyourupwardgaze.RemembertheDivine
Paradox,thatwhiletheUniverseISNOT,stillITIS.RememberevertheTwoPolesofTruth
theAbsoluteandtheRelative.BewareofHalfTruths.
WhatHermetistsknowastheLawofParadoxisanaspectofthePrincipleofPolarity.
TheHermeticwritingsarefilledwithreferencestotheappearanceoftheParadoxinthe
considerationoftheproblemsofLifeandBeing.TheTeachersareconstantlywarningtheir
studentsagainsttheerrorofomittingtheothersideofanyquestion.Andtheirwarningsare

particularlydirectedtotheproblemsoftheAbsoluteandtheRelative,whichperplexall
studentsofphilosophy,andwhichcausesomanytothinkandactcontrarytowhatis
generallyknownascommonsense.Andwecautionallstudentstobesuretograspthe
DivineParadoxoftheAbsoluteandRelative,lesttheybecomeentangledinthemireofthe
HalfTruth.Withthisinviewthisparticularlessonhasbeenwritten.Readitcarefully!
Thefirstthoughtthatcomestothethinkingmanafterherealizesthetruththatthe
UniverseisaMentalCreationofTHEALL,isthattheUniverseandallthatitcontainsisa
mereillusionanunrealityagainstwhichideahisinstinctsrevolt.Butthis,likeallothergreat
truths,mustbeconsideredbothfromtheAbsoluteandtheRelativepointsofview.Fromthe
Absoluteviewpoint,ofcourse,theUniverseisinthenatureofanillusion,adream,a
phantasmagoria,ascomparedtoTHEALLinitself.Werecognizethiseveninourordinary
view,forwespeakoftheworldasafleetingshowthatcomesandgoes,isbornanddies
fortheelementofimpermanenceandchange,finitenessandunsubstantiality,musteverbe
connectedwiththeideaofacreatedUniversewhenitiscontrastedwiththeideaofTHE
ALL,nomatterwhatmaybeourbeliefsconcerningthenatureofboth.Philosopher,
metaphysician,scientistandtheologianallagreeuponthisidea,andthethoughtisfoundin
allformsofphilosophicalthoughtandreligiousconceptions,aswellasinthetheoriesofthe
respectiveschoolsofmetaphysicsandtheology.
So,theHermeticTeachingsdonotpreachtheunsubstantialityoftheUniverseinany
strongertermsthanthosemorefamiliartoyou,althoughtheirpresentationofthesubject
mayseemsomewhatmorestartling.Anythingthathasabeginningandanendingmustbe,
inasense,unrealanduntrue,andtheUniversecomesundertherule,inallschoolsof
thought.FromtheAbsolutepointofview,thereisnothingRealexceptTHEALL,nomatter
whattermswemayuseinthinkingof,ordiscussingthesubject.WhethertheUniversebe
createdofMatter,orwhetheritbeaMentalCreationintheMindofTHEALLitis
unsubstantial,nonenduring,athingoftime,spaceandchange.Wewantyoutorealizethis
factthoroughly,beforeyoupassjudgmentontheHermeticconceptionoftheMentalnature
oftheUniverse.Thinkoveranyandalloftheotherconceptions,andseewhetherthisbenot
trueofthem.
ButtheAbsolutepointofviewshowsmerelyonesideofthepicturetheothersideisthe
Relativeone.AbsoluteTruthhasbeendefinedasThingsasthemindofGodknowsthem,
whileRelativeTruthisThingsasthehighestreasonofManunderstandsthem.Andso
whiletoTHEALLtheUniversemustbeunrealandillusionary,ameredreamorresultof
meditationnevertheless,tothefinitemindsformingapartofthatUniverse,andviewingit
throughmortalfaculties,theUniverseisveryrealindeed,andmustbesoconsidered.In
recognizingtheAbsoluteview,wemustnotmakethemistakeofignoringordenyingthe
factsandphenomenaoftheUniverseastheypresentthemselvestoourmortalfacultieswe
arenotTHEALL,remember.
Totakefamiliarillustrations,weallrecognizethefactthatMatterexiststooursenses
wewillfarebadlyifwedonot.Andyet,evenourfinitemindsunderstandthescientificdictum
thatthereisnosuchthingasMatterfromascientificpointofviewthatwhichwecallMatter
isheldtobemerelyanaggregationofatoms,whichatomsthemselvesaremerelya
groupingofunitsofforce,calledelectronsorions,vibratingandinconstantcircularmotion.
Wekickastoneandwefeeltheimpactitseemstobereal,notwithstandingthatweknowit
tobemerelywhatwehavestatedabove.Butrememberthatourfoot,whichfeelstheimpact
bymeansofourbrains,islikewiseMatter,soconstitutedofelectrons,andforthatmatterso
areourbrains.And,atthebest,ifitwerenotbyreasonofourMind,wewouldnotknowthe
footorstoneatall.


Thenagain,theidealoftheartistorsculptor,whichheisendeavoringtoreproducein
stoneoroncanvas,seemsveryrealtohim.Sodothecharactersinthemindoftheauthor,
ordramatist,whichheseekstoexpresssothatothersmayrecognizethem.Andifthisbe
trueinthecaseofourfiniteminds,whatmustbethedegreeofRealityintheMentalImages
createdintheMindoftheInfinite?Oh,friends,tomortalsthisUniverseofMentalityisvery
realindeeditistheonlyonewecaneverknow,thoughwerisefromplanetoplane,higher
andhigherinit.Toknowitotherwise,byactualexperience,wemustbeTHEALLitself.Itis
truethatthehigherweriseinthescalethenearertothemindoftheFatherwereachthe
moreapparentbecomestheillusorynatureoffinitethings,butnotuntilTHEALLfinally
withdrawsusintoitselfdoesthevisionactuallyvanish.
So,weneednotdwelluponthefeatureofillusion.Ratherletus,recognizingthereal
natureoftheUniverse,seektounderstanditsmentallaws,andendeavortousethemtothe
besteffectinourupwardprogressthroughlife,aswetravelfromplanetoplaneofbeing.
TheLawsoftheUniversearenonethelessIronLawsbecauseofthementalnature.All,
exceptTHEALL,areboundbythem.WhatisINTHEINFINITEMINDOFTHEALLisREAL
inadegreesecondonlytothatRealityitselfwhichisvestedinthenatureofTHEALL
So,donotfeelinsecureorafraidweareallHELDFIRMLYINTHEINFINITEMINDOF
THEALL,andthereisnaughttohurtusorforustofear.ThereisnoPoweroutsideofTHE
ALLtoaffectus.Sowemayrestcalmandsecure.Thereisaworldofcomfortandsecurity
inthisrealizationwhenonceattained.Thencalmandpeacefuldowesleep,rockedinthe
CradleoftheDeeprestingsafelyonthebosomoftheOceanofInfiniteMind,whichisTHE
ALL.InTHEALL,indeed,doweliveandmoveandhaveourbeing.
MatterisnonethelessMattertous,whilewedwellontheplaneofMatter,althoughwe
knowittobemerelyanaggregationofelectrons,orparticlesofForce,vibratingrapidlyand
gyratingaroundeachotherintheformationsofatomstheatomsinturnvibratingand
gyrating,formingmolecules,whichlatterinturnformlargermassesofMatter.Nordoes
MatterbecomelessMatter,whenwefollowtheinquiry.stillfurther,andlearnfromthe
HermeticTeachings,thattheForceofwhichtheelectronsarebutunitsismerelya
manifestationoftheMindofTHEALL,andlikeallelseintheUniverseispurelyMentalinits
nature.WhileonthePlaneofMatter,wemustrecognizeitsphenomenawemaycontrol
Matter(asallMastersofhigherorlesserdegreedo),butwedosobyapplyingthehigher
forces.WecommitafollywhenweattempttodenytheexistenceofMatterintherelative
aspect.Wemaydenyitsmasteryoverusandrightlysobutweshouldnotattempttoignore
itinitsrelativeaspect,atleastsolongaswedwelluponitsplane.
NordotheLawsofNaturebecomelessconstantoreffective,whenweknowthem,
likewise,tobemerelymentalcreations.Theyareinfulleffectonthevariousplanes.We
overcomethelowerlaws,byapplyingstillhigheronesandinthiswayonly.
ButwecannotescapeLaworriseaboveitentirely.NothingbutTHEALLcanescape
LawandthatbecauseTHEALLisLAWitself,fromwhichallLawsemerge.Themost
advancedMastersmayacquirethepowersusuallyattributedtothegodsofmenandthere
arecountlessranksofbeing,inthegreathierarchyoflife,whosebeingandpower
transcendseventhatofthehighestMastersamongmentoadegreeunthinkablebymortals,
buteventhehighestMaster,andthehighestBeing,mustbowtotheLaw,andbeasNothing
intheeyeofTHEALL.SothatifeventhesehighestBeings,whosepowersexceedeven
thoseattributedbymentotheirgodsifeventheseareboundbyandaresubservientto
Law,thenimaginethepresumptionofmortalman,ofourraceandgrade,whenhedaresto
considertheLawsofNatureasunreal,visionaryandillusory,becausehehappenstobe

abletograspthetruththattheLawsareMentalinnature,andsimplyMentalCreationsof
THEALL.ThoseLawswhichTHEALLintendstobegoverningLawsarenottobedefiedor
arguedaway.SolongastheUniverseendures,willtheyendurefortheUniverseexistsby
virtueoftheseLawswhichformitsframeworkandwhichholdittogether.
TheHermeticPrincipleofMentalism,whileexplainingthetruenatureoftheUniverse
upontheprinciplethatallisMental,doesnotchangethescientificconceptionsofthe
Universe,Life,orEvolution.Infact,sciencemerelycorroboratestheHermeticTeachings.
ThelattermerelyteachesthatthenatureoftheUniverseisMental,whilemodernscience
hastaughtthatitisMaterialor(oflate)thatitisEnergyatthelastanalysis.TheHermetic
TeachingshavenofaulttofindwithHerbertSpencersbasicprinciplewhichpostulatesthe
existenceofanInfiniteandEternalEnergy,fromwhichallthingsproceed.Infact,the
HermeticsrecognizeinSpencersphilosophythehighestoutsidestatementoftheworkings
oftheNaturalLawsthathaveeverbeenpromulgated,andtheybelieveSpencertohave
beenareincarnationofanancientphilosopherwhodweltinancientEgyptthousandsof
yearsago,andwholaterincarnatedasHeraclitus,theGrecianphilosopherwholivedB.C.
500.AndtheyregardhisstatementoftheInfiniteandEternalEnergyasdirectlyintheline
oftheHermeticTeachings,alwayswiththeadditionoftheirowndoctrinethathisEnergyis
theEnergyoftheMindofTHEALL.WiththeMasterKeyoftheHermeticPhilosophy,the
studentofSpencerwillbeabletounlockmanydoorsoftheinnerphilosophicalconceptions
ofthegreatEnglishphilosopher,whoseworkshowstheresultsofthepreparationofhis
previousincarnations.HisteachingsregardingEvolutionandRhythmareinalmostperfect
agreementwiththeHermeticTeachingsregardingthePrincipleofRhythm.
So,thestudentofHermeticsneednotlayasideanyofhischerishedscientificviews
regardingtheUniverse.AllheisaskedtodoistograsptheunderlyingprincipleofTHEALL
isMindtheUniverseisMentalheldintheMindofTHEALL.Hewillfindthattheothersix
oftheSevenPrincipleswillfitintohisscientificknowledge,andwillservetobringout
obscurepointsandtothrowlightindarkcorners.Thisisnottobewonderedat,whenwe
realizetheinfluenceoftheHermeticthoughtontheearlyphilosophersofGreece,upon
whosefoundationsofthoughtthetheoriesofmodernsciencelargelyrest.Theacceptanceof
theFirstHermeticPrinciple(Mentalism)istheonlygreatpointofdifferencebetweenModern
ScienceandHermeticstudents,andScienceisgraduallymovingtowardtheHermetic
positioninitsgropinginthedarkforawayoutoftheLabyrinthintowhichithaswanderedin
itssearchforReality.
Thepurposeofthislessonistoimpressuponthemindsofourstudentsthefactthat,to
allintentsandpurposes,theUniverseanditslaws,anditsphenomena,arejustasREAL,so
farasManisconcerned,astheywouldbeunderthehypothesesofMaterialismor
Energism.UnderanyhypothesistheUniverseinitsouteraspectischanging,everflowing,
andtransitoryandthereforedevoidofsubstantialityandreality.But(notetheotherpoleof
thetruth)underanyofthesamehypotheses,wearecompelledtoACTANDLIVEasifthe
fleetingthingswererealandsubstantial.Withthisdifference,always,betweenthevarious
hypothesesthatundertheoldviewsMentalPowerwasignoredasaNaturalForce,while
underMentalismitbecomestheGreatestNaturalForce.Andthisonedifference
revolutionizesLife,tothosewhounderstandthePrincipleanditsresultinglawsandpractice.
So,finally,studentsall,grasptheadvantageofMentalism,andlearntoknow,useand
applythelawsresultingtherefrom.Butdonotyieldtothetemptationwhich,asTheKybalion
states,overcomesthehalfwiseandwhichcausesthemtobehypnotizedbytheapparent
unrealityofthings,theconsequencebeingthattheywanderaboutlikedreampeople
dwellinginaworldofdreams,ignoringthepracticalworkandlifeofman,theendbeingthat

theyarebrokenagainsttherocksandtornasunderbytheelements,byreasonoftheir
folly.Ratherfollowtheexampleofthewise,whichthesameauthoritystates,useLaw
againstLawsthehigheragainstthelowerandbytheArtofAlchemytransmutethatwhich
isundesirableintothatwhichisworthy,andthustriumph.Followingtheauthority,letus
avoidthehalfwisdom(whichisfolly)whichignoresthetruththat:Masteryconsistsnotin
abnormaldreams,visions,andfantasticimaginingsorliving,butinusingthehigherforces
againstthelowerescapingthepainsofthelowerplanesbyvibratingonthehigher.
Rememberalways,student,thatTransmutation,notpresumptuousdenial,istheweaponof
theMaster.TheabovequotationsarefromTheKybalion,andareworthyofbeing
committedtomemorybythestudent
Wedonotliveinaworldofdreams,butinanUniversewhich,whilerelative,isrealsofar
asourlivesandactionsareconcerned.OurbusinessintheUniverseisnottodenyits
existence,buttoLIVE,usingtheLawstorisefromlowertohigherlivingon,doingthebest
thatwecanunderthecircumstancesarisingeachday,andliving,sofarasispossible,to
ourhighestideasandideals.ThetrueMeaningofLifeisnotknowntomenonthisplaneif,
indeed,toanybutthehighestauthorities,andourownintuitions,teachusthatwewillmake
nomistakeinlivinguptothebestthatisinus,sofarasispossible,andrealizingthe
Universaltendencyinthesamedirectioninspiteofapparentevidencestothecontrary.We
areallonThePathandtheroadleadsupwardever,withfrequentrestingplaces.
ReadtheMessageofTheKybalionandfollowtheexampleofthewiseavoidingthe
mistakeofthehalfwisewhoperishbyreasonoftheirfolly.

CHAPTERVII.
T
HE
A
LL
I
N
A
LL
.
WhileAllisinTHEALL,itisequallytruethatTHEALLisinAll.Tohimwhotrulyunderstandsthistruthhath
comegreatknowledge.
TheKybalion.

HowoftenhavethemajorityofpeopleheardrepeatedthestatementthattheirDeity
(calledbymanynames)wasAllinAll,andhowlittlehavetheysuspectedtheinneroccult
truthconcealedbythesecarelesslyutteredwords?Thecommonlyusedexpressionisa
survivaloftheancientHermeticMaximquotedabove.AstheKybalionsays:Tohimwho
trulyunderstandsthistruth,hathcomegreatknowledge.And,thisbeingso,letusseekthis
truth,theunderstandingofwhichmeanssomuch.InthisstatementoftruththisHermetic
Maximisconcealedoneofthegreatestphilosophical,scientificandreligioustruths.
WehavegivenyoutheHermeticTeachingregardingtheMentalNatureoftheUniverse
thetruththattheUniverseisMentalheldintheMindofTHEALL.AstheKybalionsays,in
thepassagequotedabove:AllisinTHEALL.Butnotealsothecorelatedstatement,that:
ItisequallytruethatTHEALLisinALL.Thisapparentlycontradictorystatementis
reconcilableundertheLawofParadox.Itis,moreover,anexactHermeticstatementofthe
relationsexistingbetweenTHEALLanditsMentalUniverse.WehaveseenhowAllisin
THEALLnowletusexaminetheotheraspectofthesubject.
TheHermeticTeachingsaretotheeffectthatTHEALLisImminentin(remainingwithin
inherentabidingwithin)itsUniverse,andineverypart,particle,unit,orcombination,within
theUniverse.ThisstatementisusuallyillustratedbytheTeachersbyareferencetothe
PrincipleofCorrespondence.TheTeacherinstructsthestudenttoformamentalImageof
something,aperson,anidea,somethinghavingamentalform,thefavoriteexamplebeing
thatoftheauthorordramatistforminganideaofhischaractersorapainterorsculptor
forminganimageofanidealthathewishestoexpressbyhisart.Ineachcase,thestudent
willfindthatwhiletheimagehasitsexistence,andbeing,solelywithinhisownmind,yethe,
thestudent,author,dramatist,painter,orsculptor,is,inasense,immanentinremaining
withinorabidingwithin,thementalimagealso.Inotherwords,theentirevirtue,life,spirit,of
realityinthementalimageisderivedfromtheimmanentmindofthethinker.Considerthis
foramoment,untiltheideaisgrasped.
Totakeamodernexample,letussaythatOthello,Iago,Hamlet,Lear,RichardIII,existed
merelyinthemindofShakespeare,atthetimeoftheirconceptionorcreation.Andyet,

Shakespearealsoexistedwithineachofthesecharacters,givingthemtheirvitality,spirit,
andaction.WhoseisthespiritofthecharactersthatweknowasMicawber,OliverTwist
UriahHeepisitDickens,orhaveeachofthesecharactersapersonalspirit,independentof
theircreator?HavetheVenusofMedici,theSistineMadonna,theAppolloBelvidere,spirits
andrealityoftheirown,ordotheyrepresentthespiritualandmentalpoweroftheircreators?
TheLawofParadoxexplainsthatbothpropositionsaretrue,viewedfromtheproper
viewpoints.MicawberisbothMicawber,andyetDickens.And,again,whileMicawbermay
besaidtobeDickens,yetDickensisnotidenticalwithMicawber.Man,likeMicawber,may
exclaim:TheSpiritofmyCreatorisinherentwithinmeandyetIamnotHE!Howdifferent
thisfromtheshockinghalftruthsovociferouslyannouncedbycertainofthehalfwise,who
filltheairwiththeirraucouscriesof:IAmGod!ImaginepoorMicawber,orthesneaky
UriahHeep,crying:IAmDickensorsomeofthelowlyclodsinoneofShakespeare's
plays,grandiloquentlyannouncingthat:IAmShakespeare!THEALLisintheearthworm,
andyettheearthwormisfarfrombeingTHEALL.Andstillthewonderremains,thatthough
theearthwormexistsmerelyasalowlything,createdandhavingitsbeingsolelywithinthe
MindofTHEALLyetTHEALLisimmanentintheearthworm,andintheparticlesthatgoto
makeuptheearthworm.CantherebeanygreatermysterythanthisofAllinTHEALLand
THEALLinAll?
Thestudentwill,ofcourse,realizethattheillustrationsgivenabovearenecessarily
imperfectandinadequate,fortheyrepresentthecreationofmentalimagesinfiniteminds,
whiletheUniverseisacreationofInfiniteMindandthedifferencebetweenthetwopoles
separatesthem.AndyetitismerelyamatterofdegreethesamePrincipleisinoperationthe
PrincipleofCorrespondencemanifestsineachAsabove,soBelowasBelow,so
above.
And,inthedegreethatManrealizestheexistenceoftheIndwellingSpiritimmanent
withinhisbeing,sowillheriseinthespiritualscaleoflife.Thisiswhatspiritualdevelopment
meanstherecognition,realization,andmanifestationoftheSpiritwithinus.Tryto
rememberthislastdefinitionthatofspiritualdevelopment.ItcontainstheTruthofTrue
Religion.
TherearemanyplanesofBeingmanysubplanesofLifemanydegreesofexistencein
theUniverse.Andalldependupontheadvancementofbeingsinthescale,ofwhichscale
thelowestpointisthegrossestmatter,thehighestbeingseparatedonlybythethinnest
divisionfromtheSPIRITofTHEALL.And,upwardandonwardalongthisScaleofLife,
everythingismoving.AllareonthePath,whoseendisTHEALL.AllprogressisaReturning
Home.AllisUpwardandOnward,inspiteofallseeminglycontradictoryappearances.Such
istheMessageoftheIllumined.
TheHermeticTeachingsconcerningtheprocessoftheMentalCreationoftheUniverse,
arethatatthebeginningoftheCreativeCycle,THEALL,initsaspectofBeing,projectsits
WilltowarditsaspectofBecoming,andtheprocessofcreationbegins.Itistaughtthatthe
processconsistsoftheloweringofVibrationuntilaverylowdegreeofvibratoryenergyis
reached,atwhichpointthegrossestpossibleformofMatterismanifested.Thisprocessis
calledthestageofInvolution,inwhichTHEALLbecomesinvolved,orwrappedup,inits
creation.ThisprocessisbelievedbytheHermetiststohaveaCorrespondencetothemental
processofanartist,writer,orinventor,whobecomessowrappedupinhismentalcreation
astoalmostforgethisownexistenceandwho,forthetimebeing,almostlivesinhis
creation.Ifinsteadofwrappedweusethewordrapt,perhapswewillgiveabetteridea
ofwhatismeant.
ThisInvoluntarystageofCreationissometimescalledtheOutpouringoftheDivine

Energy,justastheEvolutionarystateiscalledtheIndrawing.Theextremepoleofthe
CreativeprocessisconsideredtobethefurthestremovedfromTHEALL,whilethe
beginningoftheEvolutionarystageisregardedasthebeginningofthereturnswingofthe
pendulumofRhythmacominghomeideabeingheldinalloftheHermeticTeachings.
TheTeachingsarethatduringtheOutpouring,thevibrationsbecomelowerandlower
untilfinallytheurgeceases,andthereturnswingbegins.Butthereisthisdifference,that
whileintheOutpouringthecreativeforcesmanifestcompactlyandasawhole,yetfromthe
beginningoftheEvolutionaryorIndrawingstage,thereismanifestedtheLawof
Individualizationthatis,thetendencytoseparateintoUnitsofForce,sothatfinallythat
whichleftTHEALLasunindividualizedenergyreturnstoitssourceascountlesshighly
developedUnitsofLife,havingrisenhigherandhigherinthescalebymeansofPhysical,
MentalandSpiritualEvolution.
TheancientHermetistsusethewordMeditation,indescribingtheprocessofthemental
creationoftheUniverseintheMindofTHEALL,thewordContemplationalsobeing
frequentlyemployed.ButtheideaintendedseemstobethatoftheemploymentoftheDivine
Attention.AttentionisawordderivedfromtheLatinroot,meaningtoreachouttostretch
out,andsotheactofAttentionisreallyamentalreachingoutextensionofmentalenergy,
sothattheunderlyingideaisreadilyunderstoodwhenweexamineintotherealmeaningof

Attention.
TheHermeticTeachingsregardingtheprocessofEvolutionarethat,THEALL,having
meditateduponthebeginningoftheCreationhavingthusestablishedthematerial
foundationsoftheUniversehavingthoughtitintoexistencethengraduallyawakensor
rousesfromitsMeditationandinsodoingstartsintomanifestationtheprocessofEvolution,
onthematerial,mentalandspiritualplanes,successivelyandinorder.Thustheupward
movementbeginsandallbeginstomoveSpiritward.MatterbecomeslessgrosstheUnits
springintobeingthecombinationsbegintoformLifeappearsandmanifestsinhigherand
higherformsandMindbecomesmoreandmoreinevidencethevibrationsconstantly
becominghigher.Inshort,theentireprocessofEvolution,inallofitsphases,begins,and
proceedsaccordingtotheestablishedLawsoftheIndrawingprocess.Allofthisoccupies
onsupononsofMan'stime,eachoncontainingcountlessmillionsofyears,butyetthe
Illuminedinformusthattheentirecreation,includingInvolutionandEvolution,ofan
Universe,isbutasthetwinkleoftheeyetoTHEALL.Attheendofcountlesscyclesof
onsoftime,THEALLwithdrawsitsAttentionitsContemplationandMeditationofthe
Universe,fortheGreatWorkisfinishedandAlliswithdrawnintoTHEALLfromwhichit
emerged.ButMysteryofMysteriestheSpiritofeachsoulisnotannihilated,butisinfinitely
expandedtheCreatedandtheCreatoraremerged.SuchisthereportoftheIllumined!
Theaboveillustrationofthemeditation,andsubsequentawakeningfrommeditation,
ofTHEALL,isofcoursebutanattemptoftheTeacherstodescribetheInfiniteprocessbya
finiteexample.And,yet:AsBelow,soAbove.Thedifferenceismerelyindegree.Andjust
asTHEALLarousesitselffromthemeditationupontheUniverse,sodoesMan(intime)
ceasefrommanifestingupontheMaterialPlane,andwithdrawshimselfmoreandmoreinto
theIndwellingSpirit,whichisindeedTheDivineEgo.
Thereisonemorematterofwhichwedesiretospeakinthislesson,andthatcomesvery
neartoaninvasionoftheMetaphysicalfieldofspeculation,althoughourpurposeismerely
toshowthefutilityofsuchspeculation.Wealludetothequestionwhichinevitablycomesto
themindofallthinkerswhohaveventuredtoseektheTruth.Thequestionis:WHYdoes
THEALLcreateUniverses?Thequestionmaybeaskedindifferentforms,buttheaboveis

thegistoftheinquiry.
Menhavestrivenhardtoanswerthisquestion,butstillthereisnoanswerworthyofthe
name.SomehaveimaginedthatTHEALLhadsomethingtogainbyit,butthisisabsurd,for
whatcouldTHEALLgainthatitdidnotalreadypossess?Othershavesoughttheanswerin
theideathatTHEALLwishedsomethingtoloveandothersthatitcreatedforpleasure,or
amusementorbecauseitwaslonelyortomanifestitspowerallpuerileexplanationsand
ideas,belongingtothechildishperiodofthought.
OthershavesoughttoexplainthemysterybyassumingthatTHEALLfounditself
compelledtocreate,byreasonofitsowninternalnatureitscreativeinstinct.Thisidea
isinadvanceoftheothers,butitsweakpointliesintheideaofTHEALLbeingcompelled
byanything,internalorexternal.Ifits''internalnature,or''creativeinstinct,compelleditto
doanything,thentheinternalnatureorcreativeinstinctwouldbetheAbsolute,insteadof
THEALL,andsoaccordinglythatpartofthepropositionfalls.And,yet,THEALLdoes
createandmanifest,andseemstofindsomekindofsatisfactioninsodoing.Anditis
difficulttoescapetheconclusionthatinsomeinfinitedegreeitmusthavewhatwould
correspondtoaninnernature,orcreativeinstinctinman,withcorrespondinglyinfinite
DesireandWill.ItcouldnotactunlessitWilledtoActanditwouldnotWilltoAct,unlessit
DesiredtoActanditwouldnotDesiretoActunlessitobtainedsomeSatisfactionthereby.
AndallofthesethingswouldbelongtoanInnerNature,andmightbepostulatedas
existingaccordingtotheLawofCorrespondence.But,still,weprefertothinkofTHEALLas
actingentirelyFREEfromanyinfluence,internalaswellasexternal.Thatistheproblem
whichliesattherootofdifficultyandthedifficultythatliesattherootoftheproblem.
Strictlyspeaking,therecannotbesaidtobeanyReasonwhatsoeverforTHEALLto
act,forareasonimpliesacause.andTHEALLisaboveCauseandEffect,exceptwhen
itWillstobecomeaCause,atwhichtimethePrincipleissetintomotion.So,yousee,the
matterisUnthinkable,justasTHEALLisUnknowable.JustaswesayTHEALLmerely
ISsowearecompelledtosaythatTHEALLACTSBECAUSEITACTS.Atthelast,THE
ALLisAllReasoninItselfAllLawinItselfAllActioninItselfanditmaybesaid,truthfully,
thatTHEALLisItsOwnReasonitsownLawitsownActorstillfurther,thatTHEALLIts
ReasonItsActitsLawareONE,allbeingnamesforthesamething.Intheopinionof
thosewhoaregivingyouthesepresentlessons,theanswerislockedupinINNERSELFof
THEALL,alongwithitsSecretofBeing.TheLawofCorrespondence,inouropinion,
reachesonlytothataspectofTHEALL,whichmaybespokenofasTheAspectof
BECOMING.BackofthatAspectisTheAspectofBEING,inwhichallLawsarelostin
LAWallPrinciplesmergeintoPRINCIPLEandTHEALLPRINCIPLEandBEINGare
IDENTICAL,ONEANDTHESAME.Therefore,Metaphysicalspeculationonthispointis
futile.Wegointothematterhere,merelytoshowthatwerecognizethequestion,andalso
theabsurdityoftheordinaryanswersofmetaphysicsandtheology.
Inconclusion,itmaybeofinteresttoourstudentstolearnthatwhilesomeoftheancient,
andmodern,HermeticTeachershaveratherinclinedinthedirectionofapplyingthePrinciple
ofCorrespondencetothequestion,withtheresultoftheInnerNatureconclusion,stillthe
legendshaveitthatHERMES,theGreat,whenaskedthisquestionbyhisadvanced
students,answeredthembyPRESSINGHISLIPSTIGHTLYTOGETHERandsayingnota
word,indicatingthatthereWASNOANSWER.But,then,hemayhaveintendedtoapplythe
axiomofhisphilosophy,that:ThelipsofWisdomareclosed,excepttotheearsof
Understanding,believingthatevenhisadvancedstudentsdidnotpossessthe
UnderstandingwhichentitledthemtotheTeaching.Atanyrate,ifHermespossessedthe
Secret,hefailedtoimpartit,andsofarastheworldisconcernedTHELIPSOFHERMES

ARECLOSEDregardingit.AndwheretheGreatHermeshesitatedtospeak,whatmortal
maydaretoteach?
But,remember,thatwhateverbetheanswertothisproblem,ifindeedtherebean
answerthetruthremainsthat:WhileAllisinTHEALL,itisequallytruethatTHEALLisin
All.TheTeachingonthispointisemphatic.And,wemayaddtheconcludingwordsofthe
quotation:Tohimwhotrulyunderstandsthistruth,hathcomegreatknowledge.

CHAPTERVIII.
T
HE
P
LANES
O
F
C
ORRESPONDENCE
.
Asabove,sobelowasbelow,soabove
TheKybalion
.

ThegreatSecondHermeticPrincipleembodiesthetruththatthereisaharmony,
agreement,andcorrespondencebetweentheseveralplanesofManifestation,Lifeand
Being.ThistruthisatruthbecauseallthatisincludedintheUniverseemanatesfromthe
samesource,andthesamelaws,principles,andcharacteristicsapplytoeachunit,or
combinationofunitsofactivity,aseachmanifestsitsownphenomenauponitsownplane.
Forthepurposeofconvenienceofthoughtandstudy,theHermeticPhilosophyconsiders
thattheUniversemaybedividedintothreegreatclassesofphenomena,knownasthe
ThreeGreatPlanes,namely:
I.TheGreatPhysicalPlane.
II.TheGreatMentalPlane.
III.TheGreatSpiritualPlane.
Thesedivisionsaremoreorlessartificialandarbitrary,forthetruthisthatallofthethree
divisionsarebutascendingdegreesofthegreatscaleofLife,thelowestpointofwhichis
undifferentiatedMatter,andthehighestpointthatofSpirit.And,moreover,thedifferent
Planesshadeintoeachother,sothatnohardandfastdivisionmaybemadebetweenthe
higherphenomenaofthePhysicalandtheloweroftheMentalorbetweenthehigherofthe
MentalandthelowerofthePhysical.
Inshort,theThreeGreatPlanesmayberegardedasthreegreatgroupsofdegreesof
LifeManifestation.Whilethepurposesofthislittlebookdonotallowustoenterintoan
extendeddiscussionof,orexplanationof,thesubjectofthesedifferentplanes,stillwethink
itwelltogiveageneraldescriptionofthesameatthispoint.
Atthebeginningwemayaswellconsiderthequestionsooftenaskedbytheneophyte,
whodesirestobeinformedregardingthemeaningofthewordPlane,whichtermhasbeen
veryfreelyused,andverypoorlyexplained,inmanyrecentworksuponthesubjectof
occultism,Thequestionisgenerallyaboutasfellows:IsaPlaneaplacehavingdimensions,
orisitmerelyaconditionorstate?Weanswer:No,notaplace,norordinarydimensionof
spaceandyetmorethanastateorcondition.itmaybeconsideredasastateorcondition,
andyetthestateorconditionisadegreeofdimension,inascalesubjecttomeasurement.

Somewhatparadoxical,isitnot?Butletusexaminethematter.Adimension,youknow,is
ameasureinastraightline,relatingtomeasure,etc.Theordinarydimensionsofspace
arelength,breadth,andheight,orperhapslength,breadth,height,thicknessor
circumference.Butthereisanotherdimensionofcreatedthings,ormeasureinastraight
line,knowntooccultists,andtoscientistsaswell,althoughthelatterhavenotasyetapplied
thetermdimensiontoitandthisnewdimension,which,bytheway,isthemuch
speculatedaboutFourthDimension,isthestandardusedindeterminingthedegreesor
planes.
ThisFourthDimensionmaybecalledtheDimensionofVibration.Itisafactwellknown
tomodernscience,aswellastotheHermetistswhohaveembodiedthetruthintheirThird
HermeticPrinciple,thateverythingisinmotioneverythingvibratesnothingisatrest.
Fromthehighestmanifestation,tothelowest,everythingandallthingsVibrate.Notonlydo
theyvibrateatdifferentratesofmotion,butasindifferentdirectionsandinadifferent
manner.Thedegreesoftherateofvibrationsconstitutethedegreesofmeasurementon
theScaleofVibrationsinotherwordsthedegreesoftheFourthDimension.Andthese
degreesformwhatoccultistscallPlanes.Thehigherthedegreeofrateofvibration,the
highertheplane,andthehigherthemanifestationofLifeoccupyingthatplane.Sothatwhile
aplaneisnotaplace,noryetastateorcondition,yetitpossessesqualitiescommonto
both.WeshallhavemoretosayregardingthesubjectofthescaleofVibrationsinournext
lessons,inwhichweshallconsidertheHermeticPrincipleofVibration.
Youwillkindlyremember,however,thattheThreeGreatPlanesarenotactualdivisions
ofthephenomenaoftheUniverse,butmerelyarbitrarytermsusedbytheHermetistsin
ordertoaidinthethoughtandstudyofthevariousdegreesandformsofuniversalactivity
andlife.Theatomofmatter,theunitofforce,themindofman,andthebeingofthearchangel
areallbutdegreesinonescale,andallfundamentallythesame,thedifference
betweensolelyamatterofdegree,andrateofvibrationallarecreationsofTHEALL,and
havetheirexistencesolelywithintheInfiniteMindofTHEALL.
TheHermetistssubdivideeachoftheThreeGreatPlanesintoSevenMinorPlanes,and
eachoftheselatterarealsosubdividedintosevensubplanes,alldivisionsbeingmoreor
lessarbitrary,shadingintoeachother,andadoptedmerelyforconvenienceofscientific
studyandthought.
TheGreatPhysicalPlane,anditsSevenMinorPlanes,isthatdivisionofthephenomena
oftheUniversewhichincludesallthatrelatestophysics,ormaterialthings,forces,and
manifestations.ItincludesallformsofthatwhichwecallMatter,andallformsofthatwhich
wecallEnergyorForce.ButyoumustrememberthattheHermeticPhilosophydoesnot
recognizeMatterasathinginitself,orashavingaseparateexistenceevenintheMindof
THEALL.TheTeachingsarethatMatterisbutaformofEnergythatis,Energyatalowrate
ofvibrationsofacertainkind.AndaccordinglytheHermetistsclassifyMatterunderthehead
ofEnergy,andgivetoitthreeoftheSevenMinorPlanesoftheGreatPhysicalPlane.
TheseSevenMinorPhysicalPlanesareasfollows:
I.ThePlaneofMatter(A).
II.ThePlaneofMatter(B).
III.ThePlaneofMatter(C).
IV.ThePlaneofEtherealSubstance.
V.ThePlaneofEnergy(A).
VI.ThePlaneofEnergy(B).
VII.ThePlaneofEnergy(C).
ThePlaneofMatter(A)comprisestheformsofMatterinitsformofsolids,liquids,and

gases,asgenerallyrecognizedbythetextbooksonphysics.ThePlaneofMatter(B)
comprisescertainhigherandmoresubtleformsofMatteroftheexistenceofwhichmodern
scienceisbutnowrecognizing,thephenomenaofRadiantMatter,initsphasesofradium,
etc.,belongingtothelowersubdivisionofthisMinorPlane.ThePlaneofMatter(C)
comprisesformsofthemostsubtleandtenuousMatter,theexistenceofwhichisnot
suspectedbyordinaryscientists.ThePlaneofEtherealSubstancecomprisesthatwhich
sciencespeaksofasTheEther,asubstanceofextremetenuityandelasticity,pervading
allUniversalSpace,andactingasamediumforthetransmissionofwavesofenergy,such
aslight,heat,electricity,etc.ThisEtherealSubstanceformsaconnectinglinkbetween
Matter(socalled)andEnergy,andpartakesofthenatureofeach.TheHermeticTeachings,
however,instructthatthisplanehassevensubdivisions(ashavealloftheMinorPlanes),
andthatinfacttherearesevenethers,insteadofbutone.
NextabovethePlaneofEtherealSubstancecomesthePlaneofEnergy(A),which
comprisestheordinaryformsofEnergyknowntoscience,itssevensubplanesbeing,
respectively,HeatLightMagnetismElectricity,andAttraction(includingGravitation,
Cohesion,ChemicalAffinity,etc.)andseveralotherformsofenergyindicatedbyscientific
experimentsbutnotasyetnamedorclassified.ThePlaneofEnergy(B)comprisesseven
subplanesofhigherformsofenergynotasyetdiscoveredbyscience,butwhichhavebeen
calledNature'sFinerForcesandwhicharecalledintooperationinmanifestationsof
certainformsofmentalphenomena,andbywhichsuchphenomenabecomespossible.The
PlaneofEnergy(C)comprisessevensubplanesofenergysohighlyorganizedthatitbears
manyofthecharacteristicsoflife,butwhichisnotrecognizedbythemindsofmenonthe
ordinaryplaneofdevelopment,beingavailablefortheuseonbeingsoftheSpiritualPlane
alonesuchenergyisunthinkabletoordinaryman,andmaybeconsideredalmostasthe
divinepower.Thebeingsemployingthesameareasgodscomparedeventothehighest
humantypesknowntous.
TheGreatMentalPlanecomprisesthoseformsoflivingthingsknowntousinordinary
life,aswellascertainotherformsnotsowellknownexcepttotheoccultist.The
classificationoftheSevenMinorMentalPlanesismoreorlesssatisfactoryandarbitrary
(unlessaccompaniedbyelaborateexplanationswhichareforeigntothepurposeofthis
particularwork),butwemayaswellmentionthem.Theyareasfollows:
I.ThePlaneofMineralMind.
II.ThePlaneofElementalMind(A).
III.ThePlaneofPlantMind.
IV.ThePlaneofElementalMind(B)
V.ThePlaneofAnimalMind.
VI.ThePlaneofElementalMind(C).
VII.ThePlaneofHumanMind.
ThePlaneofMineralMindcomprisesthestatesorconditionsoftheunitsorentities,or
groupsandcombinationsofthesame,whichanimatetheformsknowntousasminerals,
chemicals,etc.Theseentitiesmustnotbeconfoundedwiththemolecules,atomsand
corpusclesthemselves,thelatterbeingmerelythematerialbodiesorformsoftheseentities,
justasaman'sbodyisbuthismaterialformandnothimself.Theseentitiesmaybecalled
soulsinonesense,andarelivingbeingsofalowdegreeofdevelopment,life,andmind
justalittlemorethantheunitsoflivingenergywhichcomprisethehighersubdivisionsof
thehighestPhysicalPlane.Theaverageminddoesnotgenerallyattributethepossessionof
mind,soul,orlife,totheMineralkingdom,butalloccultistsrecognizetheexistenceofthe
same,andmodernscienceisrapidlymovingforwardtothepointofviewoftheHermetic,in

thisrespect.Themolecules,atomsandcorpuscleshavetheirlovesandhateslikesand
dislikesattractionsandrepulsionsaffinitiesandnonaffinities,etc.,andsomeofthe
moredaringofmodernscientificmindshaveexpressedtheopinionthatthedesireandwill,
emotionsandfeelings,oftheatomsdifferonlyindegreefromthoseofmen.Wehaveno
timeorspacetoarguethismatterhere.Alloccultistsknowittobeafact,andothersare
referredtosomeofthemorerecentscientificworksforoutsidecorroboration.Therearethe
usualsevensubdivisionstothisplane.
ThePlaneofElementalMind(A)comprisesthestateorcondition,anddegreeofmental
andvitaldevelopmentofaclassofentitiesunknowntotheaverageman,butrecognizedto
occultists.Theyareinvisibletotheordinarysensesofman,but,nevertheless,existandplay
theirpartoftheDramaoftheUniverse.Theirdegreeofintelligenceisbetweenthatofthe
mineralandchemicalentitiesontheonehand,andoftheentitiesoftheplantkingdomon
theother.Therearesevensubdivisionstothisplane,also.
ThePlaneofPlantMind,initssevensubdivisions,comprisesthestatesorconditionsof
theentitiescomprisingthekingdomsofthePlantWorld,thevitalandmentalphenomenaof
whichisfairlywellunderstoodbytheaverageintelligentperson,manynewandinteresting
scientificworksregardingMindandLifeinPlantshavingbeenpublishedduringthelast
TheKybalionPage33
decade.Plantshavelife,mindandsouls,aswellashavetheanimals,man,andsuperman.
ThePlaneofElementalMind(B),initssevensubdivisions,comprisesthestatesand
conditionsofahigherformofelementalorunseenentities,playingtheirpartinthegeneral
workoftheUniverse,themindandlifeofwhichformapartofthescalebetweenthePlane
ofPlantMindandthePlaneofAnimalMind,theentitiespartakingofthenatureofboth.
ThePlaneofAnimalMind,initssevensubdivisions,comprisesthestatesandconditions
oftheentities,beings,orsouls,animatingtheanimalformsoflife,familiartousall.Itisnot
necessarytogointodetailsregardingthiskingdomorplaneoflife,fortheanimalworldisas
familiartousasisourown.
ThePlaneofElementalMind(C),initssevensubdivisions,comprisesthoseentitiesor
beings,invisibleasareallsuchelementalforms,whichpartakeofthenatureofbothanimal
andhumanlifeinadegreeandincertaincombinations.Thehighestformsaresemihuman
inintelligence.
ThePlaneofHumanMind,initssevensubdivisions,comprisesthosemanifestationsof
lifeandmentalitywhicharecommontoMan,inhisvariousgrades,degrees,anddivision.In
thisconnection,wewishtopointoutthefactthattheaveragemanoftodayoccupiesbutthe
fourthsubdivisionofthePlaneofHumanMind,andonlythemostintelligenthavecrossed
thebordersoftheFifthSubDivision.Ithastakentheracemillionsofyearstoreachthis
stage,anditwilltakemanymoreyearsfortheracetomoveontothesixthandseventhsubdivisions,
andbeyond.But,remember,thattherehavebeenracesbeforeuswhichhave
passedthroughthesedegrees,andthenontohigherplanes.Ourownraceisthefifth(with
stragglersfromthefourth)whichhassetfootuponThePath.And,thenthereareafew
advancedsoulsofourownracewhohaveoutstrippedthemasses,andwhohavepassedon
tothesixthandseventhsubdivision,andsomefewbeingstillfurtheron.Themanofthe
SixthSubDivisionwillbeTheSuperManheoftheSeventhwillbeTheOverMan.
InourconsiderationoftheSevenMinorMentalPlanes,wehavemerelyreferredtothe
ThreeElementaryPlanesinageneralway.Wedonotwishtogointothissubjectindetailin
thiswork,foritdoesnotbelongtothispartofthegeneralphilosophyandteachings.Butwe
maysaythismuch,inordertogiveyoualittleclearerideaoftherelationsoftheseplanesto
themorefamiliaronestheElementaryPlanesbearthesamerelationtothePlanesof

Mineral,Plant,AnimalandHumanMentalityandLife,thattheblackkeysonthepianodoto
thewhitekeys.Thewhitekeysaresufficienttoproducemusic,buttherearecertainscales,
melodies,andharmonies,inwhichtheblackkeysplaytheirpart,andinwhichtheirpresence
isnecessary.Theyarealsonecessaryasconnectinglinksofsoulconditionentitystates,
etc.,betweentheseveralotherplanes,certainformsofdevelopmentbeingattainedtherein
thislastfactgivingtothereaderwhocanreadbetweenthelinesanewlightuponthe
processesofEvolution,andanewkeytothesecretdooroftheleapsoflifebetween
kingdomandkingdom.ThegreatkingdomsofElementalsarefullyrecognizedbyall
occultists,andtheesotericwritingsarefullofmentionofthem.ThereadersofBulwer's
Zanoni''andsimilartaleswillrecognizetheentitiesinhabitingtheseplanesoflife.
PassingonfromtheGreatMentalPlanetotheGreatSpiritualPlane,whatshallwesay?
HowcanweexplainthesehigherstatesofBeing,LifeandMind,tomindsasyetunableto
graspandunderstandthehighersubdivisionsofthePlaneofHumanMind?Thetaskis
impossible.Wecanspeakonlyinthemostgeneralterms.HowmayLightbedescribedtoa
manbornblindhowsugar,toamanwhohasnevertastedanythingsweethowharmony,to
oneborndeaf?
AllthatwecansayisthattheSevenMinorPlanesoftheGreatSpiritualPlane(each
MinorPlanehavingitssevensubdivisions)compriseBeingspossessingLife,Mindand
FormasfarabovethatofManoftodayasthelatterisabovetheearthworm,mineralor
evencertainformsofEnergyorMatter.TheLifeoftheseBeingssofartranscendsours,that
TheKybalionPage34
wecannoteventhinkofthedetailsofthesametheirMindssofartranscendours,thatto
themwescarcelyseemtothink,andourmentalprocessesseemalmostakintomaterial
processestheMatterofwhichtheirformsarecomposedisofthehighestPlanesofMatter,
nay,someareevensaidtobeclothedinPureEnergy.WhatmaybesaidofsuchBeings?
OntheSevenMinorPlanesoftheGreatSpiritualPlaneexistBeingsofwhomwemay
speakasAngelsArchangelsDemiGods.OnthelowerMinorPlanesdwellthosegreat
soulswhomwecallMastersandAdepts.AbovethemcometheGreatHierarchiesofthe
AngelicHosts,unthinkabletomanandabovethosecomethosewhomaywithout
irreverencebecalled'TheGods,sohighinthescaleofBeingarethey,theirbeing,
intelligenceandpowerbeingakintothoseattributedbytheracesofmentotheir
conceptionsofDeity.TheseBeingsarebeyondeventhehighestflightsofthehuman
imagination,thewordDivinebeingtheonlyoneapplicabletothem.ManyoftheseBeings,
aswellastheAngelicHost,takethegreatestinterestintheaffairsoftheUniverseandplay
animportantpartinitsaffairs.TheseUnseenDivinitiesandAngelicHelpersextendtheir
influencefreelyandpowerfully,intheprocessofEvolution,andCosmicProgress.Their
occasionalinterventionandassistanceinhumanaffairshaveledtothemanylegends,
beliefs,religionsandtraditionsoftherace,pastandpresent.Theyhavesuperimposedtheir
knowledgeandpowerupontheworld,againandagain,allundertheLawofTHEALL,of
course.
But,yet,eventhehighestoftheseadvancedBeingsexistmerelyascreationsof,andin,
theMindofTHEALL,andaresubjecttotheCosmicProcessesandUniversalLaws.They
arestillMortal.Wemaycallthemgodsifwelike,butstilltheyarebuttheElderBrethrenof
theRace,theadvancedsoulswhohaveoutstrippedtheirbrethren,andwhohaveforegone
theecstacyofAbsorptionbyTHEALL,inordertohelptheraceonitsupwardjourneyalong
ThePath.But,theybelongtotheUniverse,andaresubjecttoitsconditionstheyare
mortalandtheirplaneisbelowthatofAbsoluteSpirit.
OnlythemostadvancedHermetistsareabletograsptheInnerTeachingsregardingthe

stateofexistence,andthepowersmanifestedontheSpiritualPlanes.Thephenomenaisso
muchhigherthanthatoftheMentalPlanesthataconfusionofideaswouldsurelyresultfrom
anattempttodescribethesame.Onlythosewhosemindshavebeencarefullytrainedalong
thelinesoftheHermeticPhilosophyforyearsyes,thosewhohavebroughtwiththemfrom
otherincarnationstheknowledgeacquiredpreviouslycancomprehendjustwhatismeant
bytheTeachingregardingtheseSpiritualPlanes.AndmuchoftheseinnerTeachingsisheld
bytheHermetistsasbeingtoosacred,importantandevendangerousforgeneralpublic
dissemination.Theintelligentstudentmayrecognizewhatwemeanbythiswhenwestate
thatthemeaningofSpiritasusedbytheHermetistsisakintoLivingPowerAnimated
ForceInnerEssenceEssenceofLife,etc.,whichmeaningmustnotbeconfoundedwith
thatusuallyandcommonlyemployedinconnectionwiththeterm,i.e.,religious
ecclesiasticalspirituelleetherealholy,etc.,etc.TooccultiststhewordSpiritisusedin
thesenseofTheAnimatingPrinciple,carryingwithittheideaofPower,LivingEnergy,
MysticForce,etc.AndoccultistsknowthatthatwhichisknowntothemasSpiritualPower
maybeemployedforevilaswellasgoodends(inaccordancewiththePrincipleofPolarity),
afactwhichhasbeenrecognizedbythemajorityofreligionsintheirconceptionsofSatan,
Beelzebub,theDevil,Lucifer,FallenAngels,etc.Andsotheknowledgeregardingthese
PlaneshasbeenkeptintheHolyofHoliesinallEsotericFraternitiesandOccultOrders,in
theSecretChamberoftheTemple.Butthismaybesaidhere,thatthosewhohaveattained
highspiritualpowersandhavemisusedthem,haveaterriblefateinstoreforthem,andthe
swingofthependulumofRhythmwillinevitablyswingthembacktothefurthestextremeof
Materialexistence,fromwhichpointtheymustretracetheirstepsSpiritward,alongthe
wearyroundsofThePath,butalwayswiththeaddedtortureofhavingalwayswiththema
lingeringmemoryoftheheightsfromwhichtheyfellowingtotheirevilactions.Thelegends
oftheFallenAngelshaveabasisinactualfacts,asalladvancedoccultistsknow.The
strivingforselfishpowerontheSpiritualPlanesinevitablyresultsintheselfishsoullosingits
spiritualbalanceandfallingbackasfarasithadpreviouslyrisen.Buttoevensuchasoul,
theopportunityofareturnisgivenandsuchsoulsmakethereturnjourney,payingthe
terriblepenaltyaccordingtotheinvariableLaw.
InconclusionwewouldagainremindyouthataccordingtothePrincipleof
Correspondence,whichembodiesthetruth:AsAbovesoBelowasBelow,soAbove,allof
theSevenHermeticPrinciplesareinfulloperationonallofthemanyplanes,Physical,
MentalandSpiritual.ThePrincipleofMentalSubstanceofcourseappliestoalltheplanes,
forallareheldintheMindofTHEALL.ThePrincipleofCorrespondencemanifestsinall,for
thereisacorrespondence,harmonyandagreementbetweentheseveralplanes.The
PrincipleofVibrationmanifestsonallplanes,infacttheverydifferencesthatgotomakethe
planesarisefromVibration,aswehaveexplained.ThePrincipleofPolaritymanifestson
eachplane,theextremesofthePolesbeingapparentlyoppositeandcontradictory.The
PrincipleofRhythmmanifestsoneachPlane,themovementofthephenomenahavingits
ebbandflow,riseandflow,incomingandoutgoing.ThePrincipleofCauseandEffect
manifestsoneachPlane,everyEffecthavingitsCauseandeveryCausehavingitseffect.
ThePrincipleofGendermanifestsoneachPlane,theCreativeEnergybeingalways
manifest,andoperatingalongthelinesofitsMasculineandFeminineAspects.
AsAbovesoBelowasBelow,soAbove.ThiscenturiesoldHermeticaxiomembodies
oneofthegreatPrinciplesofUniversalPhenomena.Asweproceedwithourconsideration
oftheremainingPrinciples,wewillseeevenmoreclearlythetruthoftheuniversalnatureof
thisgreatPrincipleofCorrespondence.

CHAPTERIX
V
IBRATION
.
Nothingrestseverythingmoveseverythingvibrates.
TheKybalion.

ThegreatThirdHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofVibrationembodiesthetruththat
MotionismanifestineverythingintheUniversethatnothingisatrestthateverything
moves,vibrates,andcircles.ThisHermeticPrinciplewasrecognizedbysomeoftheearly
Greekphilosopherswhoembodieditintheirsystems.But,then,forcenturiesitwaslost
sightofbythethinkersoutsideoftheHermeticranks.ButintheNineteenthCenturyphysical
sciencerediscoveredthetruthandtheTwentiethCenturyscientificdiscoverieshaveadded
additionalproofofthecorrectnessandtruthofthiscenturiesoldHermeticdoctrine.
TheHermeticTeachingsarethatnotonlyiseverythinginconstantmovementand
vibration,butthatthedifferencesbetweenthevariousmanifestationsoftheuniversal
poweraredueentirelytothevaryingrateandmodeofvibrations.Notonlythis,butthateven
THEALL,initself,manifestsaconstantvibrationofsuchaninfinitedegreeofintensityand
rapidmotionthatitmaybepracticallyconsideredasatrest,theteachersdirectingthe
attentionofthestudentstothefactthatevenonthephysicalplanearapidlymovingobject
(suchasarevolvingwheel)seemstobeatrest.TheTeachingsaretotheeffectthatSpiritis
atoneendofthePoleofVibration,theotherPolebeingcertainextremelygrossformsof
Matter.Betweenthesetwopolesaremillionsuponmillionsofdifferentratesandmodesof
vibration.
ModernSciencehasproventhatallthatwecallMatterandEnergyarebutmodesof
vibratorymotion,andsomeofthemoreadvancedscientistsarerapidlymovingtowardthe
positionsoftheoccultistswhoholdthatthephenomenaofMindarelikewisemodesof
vibrationormotion.Letusseewhatsciencehastosayregardingthequestionofvibrations
inmatterandenergy.
Inthefirstplace,scienceteachesthatallmattermanifests,insomedegree,thevibrations
arisingfromtemperatureorheat.Beanobjectcoldorhotbothbeingbutdegreesofthe
samethingsitmanifestscertainheatvibrations,andinthatsenseisinmotionandvibration.
ThenallparticlesofMatterareincircularmovement,fromcorpuscletosuns.Theplanets
revolvearoundsuns,andmanyofthemturnontheiraxes.Thesunsmovearoundgreater
centralpoints,andthesearebelievedtomovearoundstillgreater,andsoon,adinfinitum.

ThemoleculesofwhichtheparticularkindsofMatterarecomposedareinastateof
constantvibrationandmovementaroundeachotherandagainsteachother.Themolecules
arecomposedofAtoms,which,likewise,areinastateofconstantmovementandvibration.
TheatomsarecomposedofCorpuscles,sometimescalledelectrons,ions,etc.,which
alsoareinastateofrapidmotion,revolvingaroundeachother,andwhichmanifestavery
rapidstateandmodeofvibration.And,soweseethatallformsofMattermanifestVibration,
inaccordancewiththeHermeticPrincipleofVibration.
AndsoitiswiththevariousformsofEnergy.ScienceteachesthatLight,Heat,
MagnetismandElectricityarebutformsofvibratorymotionconnectedinsomewaywith,
andprobablyemanatingfromtheEther.Sciencedoesnotasyetattempttoexplainthe
natureofthephenomenaknownasCohesion,whichistheprincipleofMolecularAttraction
norChemicalAffinity,whichistheprincipleofAtomicAttractionnorGravitation(thegreatest
mysteryofthethree),whichistheprincipleofattractionbywhicheveryparticleormassof
Matterisboundtoeveryotherparticleormass.ThesethreeformsofEnergyarenotasyet
understoodbyscience,yetthewritersinclinetotheopinionthatthesetooaremanifestations
ofsomeformofvibratoryenergy,afactwhichtheHermetistshaveheldandtaughtforages
past.
TheUniversalEther,whichispostulatedbysciencewithoutitsnaturebeingunderstood
clearly,isheldbytheHermetiststobebutahighermanifestationofthatwhichis
erroneouslycalledmatterthatistosay,Matteratahigherdegreeofvibrationandiscalled
bythemTheEtherealSubstance.TheHermetiststeachthatthisEtherealSubstanceisof
extremetenuityandelasticity,andpervadesuniversalspace,servingasamediumof
transmissionofwavesofvibratoryenergy,suchasheat,light,electricity,magnetism,etc.
TheTeachingsarethatTheEtherealSubstanceisaconnectinglinkbetweentheformsof
vibratoryenergyknownasMatterontheonehand,andEnergyorForceontheother
andalsothatitmanifestsadegreeofvibration,inrateandmode,entirelyitsown.
Scientistshaveofferedtheillustrationofarapidlymovingwheel,top,orcylinder,toshow
theeffectsofincreasingratesofvibration.Theillustrationsupposesawheel,top,or
revolvingcylinder,runningatalowrateofspeedwewillcallthisrevolvingthingtheobject
infollowingouttheillustration.Letussupposetheobjectmovingslowly.Itmaybeseen
readily,butnosoundofitsmovementreachestheear.Thespeedisgraduallyincreased.In
afewmomentsitsmovementbecomessorapidthatadeepgrowlorlownotemaybeheard.
Thenastherateisincreasedthenoterisesoneinthemusicalscale.Then,themotionbeing
stillfurtherincreased,thenexthighestnoteisdistinguished.Then,oneafteranother,allthe
notesofthemusicalscaleappear,risinghigherandhigherasthemotionisincreased.
Finallywhenthemotionshavereachedacertainratethefinalnoteperceptibletohuman
earsisreachedandtheshrill,piercingshriekdiesaway,andsilencefollows.Nosoundis
heardfromtherevolvingobject,therateofmotionbeingsohighthatthehumanearcannot
registerthevibrations.ThencomestheperceptionofrisingdegreesofHeat.Thenafterquite
atimetheeyecatchesaglimpseoftheobjectbecomingadulldarkreddishcolor.Asthe
rateincreases,theredbecomesbrighter.Thenasthespeedisincreased,theredmeltsinto
anorange.Thentheorangemeltsintoayellow.Thenfollow,successively,theshadesof
green,blue,indigo,andfinallyviolet,astherateofspeedincreases.Thenthevioletshades
away,andallcolordisappears,thehumaneyenotbeingabletoregisterthem.Butthereare
invisibleraysemanatingfromtherevolvingobject,theraysthatareusedinphotographing,
andothersubtleraysoflight.ThenbegintomanifestthepeculiarraysknownastheX
Rays,etc.,astheconstitutionoftheobjectchanges.ElectricityandMagnetismareemitted
whentheappropriaterateofvibrationisattained.

Whentheobjectreachesacertainrateofvibrationitsmoleculesdisintegrate,andresolve
themselvesintotheoriginalelementsoratoms.Thentheatoms,followingthePrincipleof
Vibration,areseparatedintothecountlesscorpusclesofwhichtheyarecomposed.And
finally,eventhecorpusclesdisappearandtheobjectmaybesaidtobecomposedofThe
EtherealSubstance.Sciencedoesnotdaretofollowtheillustrationfurther,butthe
Hermetiststeachthatifthevibrationsbecontinuallyincreasedtheobjectwouldmountup
thesuccessivestatesofmanifestationandwouldinturnmanifestthevariousmentalstages,
andthenonSpiritward,untilitwouldfinallyreenterTHEALL,whichisAbsoluteSpirit.The
object,however,wouldhaveceasedtobeanobjectlongbeforethestageofEthereal
Substancewasreached,butotherwisetheillustrationiscorrectinasmuchasitshowsthe
effectofconstantlyincreasedratesandmodesofvibration.Itmustberemembered,inthe
aboveillustration,thatatthestagesatwhichtheobjectthrowsoffvibrationsoflight,heat,
etc.,itisnotactuallyresolvedintothoseformsofenergy(whicharemuchhigherinthe
scale),butsimplythatitreachesadegreeofvibrationinwhichthoseformsofenergyare
liberated,inadegree,fromtheconfininginfluencesofitsmolecules,atomsandcorpuscles,
asthecasemaybe.Theseformsofenergy,althoughmuchhigherinthescalethanmatter,
areimprisonedandconfinedinthematerialcombinations,byreasonoftheenergies
manifestingthrough,andusingmaterialforms,butthusbecomingentangledandconfinedin
theircreationsofmaterialforms,which,toanextent,istrueofallcreations,thecreating
forcebecominginvolvedinitscreation.
TheKybalionPage38
ButtheHermeticTeachingsgomuchfurtherthandothoseofmodernscience.They
teachthatallmanifestationofthought,emotion,reason,willordesire,oranymentalstateor
condition,areaccompaniedbyvibrations,aportionofwhicharethrownoffandwhichtendto
affectthemindsofotherpersonsbyinduction.Thisistheprinciplewhichproducesthe
phenomenaoftelepathymentalinfluence,andotherformsoftheactionandpowerofmind
overmind,withwhichthegeneralpublicisrapidlybecomingacquainted,owingtothewide
disseminationofoccultknowledgebythevariousschools,cultsandteachersalongthese
linesatthistime.
Everythought,emotionormentalstatehasitscorrespondingrateandmodeofvibration.
Andbyaneffortofthewilloftheperson,orofotherpersons,thesementalstatesmaybe
reproduced,justasamusicaltonemaybereproducedbycausinganinstrumenttovibrateat
acertainratejustascolormaybereproducedinthesameway.Byaknowledgeofthe
PrincipleofVibration,asappliedtoMentalPhenomena,onemaypolarizehismindatany
degreehewishes,thusgainingaperfectcontroloverhismentalstates,moods,etc.Inthe
samewayhemayaffectthemindsofothers,producingthedesiredmentalstatesinthem.In
short,bemaybeabletoproduceontheMentalPlanethatwhichscienceproducesonthe
PhysicalPlanenamely,VibrationsatWill.Thispowerofcoursemaybeacquiredonlyby
theproperinstruction,exercises,practice,etc.,thesciencebeingthatofMental
Transmutation,oneofthebranchesoftheHermeticArt.
AlittlereflectiononwhatwehavesaidwillshowthestudentthatthePrincipleofVibration
underliesthewonderfulphenomenaofthepowermanifestedbytheMastersandAdepts,
whoareabletoapparentlysetasidetheLawsofNature,butwho,inreality,aresimplyusing
onelawagainstanotheroneprincipleagainstothersandwhoaccomplishtheirresultsby
changingthevibrationsofmaterialobjects,orformsofenergy,andthusperformwhatare
commonlycalledmiracles.
AsoneoftheoldHermeticwritershastrulysaid:HewhounderstandsthePrincipleof
Vibration,hasgraspedthesceptreofPower.

CHAPTERX.
P
OLARITY
.
EverythingisdualeverythinghaspoleseverythinghasItspairofoppositeslikeandunlikearethesame
oppositesareidenticalinnature,butdifferentindegreeextremesmeetalltruthsarebuthalftruthsall
paradoxesmaybereconciled.
TheKybalion.

ThegreatFourthHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofPolarityembodiesthetruththatall
manifestedthingshavetwosidestwoaspectstwopolesapairofopposites,with
manifolddegreesbetweenthetwoextremes.Theoldparadoxes,whichhaveeverperplexed
themindofmen,areexplainedbyanunderstandingofthisPrinciple.Manhasalways
recognizedsomethingakintothisPrinciple,andhasendeavoredtoexpressitbysuch
sayings,maximsandaphorismsasthefollowing:Everythingisandisn't,atthesametime
alltruthsarebuthalftruthseverytruthishalffalse''therearetwosidestoeverything
thereisareversesidetoeveryshield,etc.,etc.
TheHermeticTeachingsaretotheeffectthatthedifferencebetweenthingsseemingly
diametricallyopposedtoeachotherismerelyamatterofdegree.Itteachesthatthepairsof
oppositesmaybereconciled,andthatthesisandantithesisareidenticalinnature,but
differentindegreeandthattheuniversalreconciliationofoppositesiseffectedbya
recognitionofthisPrincipleofPolarity.TheteachersclaimthatillustrationsofthisPrinciple
maybehadoneveryhand,andfromanexaminationintotherealnatureofanything.They
beginbyshowingthatSpiritandMatterarebutthetwopolesofthesamething,the
intermediateplanesbeingmerelydegreesofvibration.TheyshowthatTHEALLandThe
Manyarethesame,thedifferencebeingmerelyamatterofdegreeofMentalManifestation.
ThustheLAWandLawsarethetwooppositepolesofonething.Likewise,PRINCIPLEand
Principles.InfiniteMindandfiniteminds.
ThenpassingontothePhysicalPlane,theyillustratethePrinciplebyshowingthatHeat
andColdareidenticalinnature,thedifferencesbeingmerelyamatterofdegrees.The
thermometershowsmanydegreesoftemperature,thelowestpolebeingcalledcold,and
thehighestheat.Betweenthesetwopolesaremanydegreesofheatorcold,callthem

eitherandyouareequallycorrect.Thehigheroftwodegreesisalwayswarmer,whilethe
lowerisalwayscolder.Thereisnoabsolutestandardallisamatterofdegree.Thereisno
placeonthethermometerwhereheatceasesandcoldbegins.Itisallamatterofhigheror
lowervibrations.Theverytermshighandlow,whichwearecompelledtouse,arebut
polesofthesamethingthetermsarerelative.SowithEastandWesttravelaroundthe
worldinaneastwarddirection,andyoureachapointwhichiscalledwestatyourstarting
point,andyoureturnfromthatwestwardpoint.TravelfarenoughNorth,andyouwillfind
yourselftravelingSouth,orviceversa.
LightandDarknessarepolesofthesamething,withmanydegreesbetweenthem.The
musicalscaleisthesamestartingwithCyoumoveupwarduntilyoureachanotherC,
andsoon,thedifferencesbetweenthetwoendsoftheboardbeingthesame,withmany
degreesbetweenthetwoextremes.Thescaleofcoloristhesamehigherandlower
vibrationsbeingtheonlydifferencebetweenhighvioletandlowred.LargeandSmallare
relative.SoareNoiseandQuietHardandSoftfollowtherule.LikewiseSharpandDull.
PositiveandNegativearetwopolesofthesamething,withcountlessdegreesbetween
them.
GoodandBadarenotabsolutewecalloneendofthescaleGoodandtheotherBad,or
oneendGoodandtheotherEvil,accordingtotheuseoftheterms.Athingislessgood
thanthethinghigherinthescalebutthatlessgoodthing,inturn,ismoregoodthanthe
thingnextbelowitandsoon,themoreorlessbeingregulatedbythepositiononthe
scale.
AndsoitisontheMentalPlane.LoveandHatearegenerallyregardedasbeingthings
diametricallyopposedtoeachotherentirelydifferentunreconcilable.Butweapplythe
PrincipleofPolaritywefindthatthereisnosuchthingasAbsoluteLoveorAbsoluteHate,
asdistinguishedfromeachother.Thetwoaremerelytermsappliedtothetwopolesofthe
samething.Beginningatanypointofthescalewefindmorelove,orlesshate,aswe
ascendthescaleandmorehateorlessloveaswedescendthisbeingtruenomatter
fromwhatpoint,highorlow,wemaystart.TherearedegreesofLoveandHate,andthereis
amiddlepointwhereLikeandDislikebecomesofaintthatitisdifficulttodistinguish
betweenthem.CourageandFearcomeunderthesamerule.ThePairsofOppositesexist
everywhere.Whereyoufindonethingyoufinditsoppositethetwopoles.
AnditisthisfactthatenablestheHermetisttotransmuteonementalstateintoanother,
alongthelinesofPolarization.Thingsbelongingtodifferentclassescannotbetransmuted
intoeachother,butthingsofthesameclassmaybechanged,thatis,mayhavetheir
polaritychanged.ThusLoveneverbecomesEastorWest,orRedorVioletbutitmayand
oftendoesturnintoHateandlikewiseHatemaybetransformedintoLove,bychangingits
polarity.CouragemaybetransmutedintoFear,andthereverse.Hardthingsmaybe
renderedSoft.DullthingsbecomeSharp.HotthingsbecomeCold.Andsoon,the
transmutationalwaysbeingbetweenthingsofthesamekindofdifferentdegrees.Takethe
caseofaFearfulman.ByraisinghismentalvibrationsalongthelineofFearCourage,he
canbefilledwiththehighestdegreeofCourageandFearlessness.And,likewise,the
SlothfulmanmaychangehimselfintoanActive,Energeticindividual,simplybypolarizing
alongthelinesofthedesiredquality
ThestudentwhoisfamiliarwiththeprocessesbywhichthevariousschoolsofMental
Science,etc.,producechangesinthementalstatesofthosefollowingtheirteachings,may
notreadilyunderstandtheprincipleunderlyingmanyofthesechanges.When,however,the
PrincipleofPolarityisoncegrasped,anditisseenthatthementalchangesareoccasioned
byachangeofpolarityaslidingalongthesamescalethematterismorereadily

understood.Thechangeisnotinthenatureofatransmutationofonethingintoanother
thingentirelydifferentbutismerelyachangeofdegreeinthesamethings,avastly
importantdifference.Forinstance,borrowingananalogyfromthePhysicalPlane,itis
impossibletochangeHeatintoSharpness,Loudness,Highness,etc.,butHeatmayreadily
betransmutedintoCold,simplybyloweringthevibrations.InthesamewayHateandLove
aremutuallytransmutablesoareFearandCourage.ButFearcannotbetransformedinto
Love,norcanCouragebetransmutedintoHate.Thementalstatesbelongtoinnumerable
classes,eachclassofwhichhasitsoppositepoles,alongwhichtransmutationispossible.
Thestudentwillreadilyrecognizethatinthementalstates,aswellasinthephenomena
ofthePhysicalPlane,thetwopolesmaybeclassifiedasPositiveandNegative,
respectively.ThusLoveisPositivetoHateCouragetoFearActivitytoNonActivity,etc.,
etc.AnditwillalsobenoticedthateventothoseunfamiliarwiththePrincipleofVibration,
thePositivepoleseemstobeofahigherdegreethantheNegative,andreadilydominatesit.
ThetendencyofNatureisinthedirectionofthedominantactivityofthePositivepole.
Inadditiontothechangingofthepolesofone'sownmentalstatesbytheoperationofthe
artofPolarization,thephenomenaofMentalInfluence,initsmanifoldphases,showsusthat
theprinciplemaybeextendedsoastoembracethephenomenaoftheinfluenceofone
mindoverthatofanother,ofwhichsomuchhasbeenwrittenandtaughtoflateyears.When
itisunderstoodthatMentalInductionispossible,thatisthatmentalstatesmaybeproduced
byinductionfromothers,thenwecanreadilyseehowacertainrateofvibration,or
polarizationofacertainmentalstate,maybecommunicatedtoanotherperson,andhis
polarityinthatclassofmentalstatesthuschanged.Itisalongthisprinciplethattheresultsof
manyofthementaltreatmentsareobtained.Forinstance,apersonisblue,melancholy
andfulloffear.Amentalscientistbringinghisownminduptothedesiredvibrationbyhis
trainedwill,andthusobtainingthedesiredpolarizationinhisowncase,thenproducesa
similarmentalstateintheotherbyinduction,theresultbeingthatthevibrationsareraised
andthepersonpolarizestowardthePositiveendofthescaleinsteadtowardtheNegative,
andhisFearandothernegativeemotionsaretransmutedtoCourageandsimilarpositive
mentalstates.Alittlestudywillshowyouthatthesementalchangesarenearlyallalongthe
lineofPolarization,thechangebeingoneofdegreeratherthanofkind.
AknowledgeoftheexistenceofthisgreatHermeticPrinciplewillenablethestudentto
betterunderstandhisownmentalstates,andthoseofotherpeople.Hewillseethatthese
statesareallmattersofdegree,andseeingthus,hewillbeabletoraiseorlowerthe
vibrationatwilltochangehismentalpoles,andthusbeMasterofhismentalstates,instead
ofbeingtheirservantandslave.Andbyhisknowledgehewillbeabletoaidhisfellows
intelligently,andbytheappropriatemethodschangethepolaritywhenthesameisdesirable.
WeadviseallstudentstofamiliarizethemselveswiththisPrincipleofPolarity,foracorrect
understandingofthesamewillthrowlightonmanydifficultsubjects.

CHAPTERXI.
RHYTHM.
Everythingflowsoutandineverythinghasitstidesallthingsriseandfallthependulumswingmanifestsin
everythingthemeasureoftheswingtotheright,isthemeasureoftheswingtotheleftrhythmcompensates.
TheKybalion.

ThegreatFifthHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofRhythmembodiesthetruththatin
everythingthereismanifestedameasuredmotionatoandfrommovementaflowand
inflowaswingforwardandbackwardapendulumlikemovementatidelikeebbandflowa
hightideandalowtidebetweenthetwopolesmanifestonthephysical,mentalorspiritual
planes.ThePrincipleofRhythmiscloselyconnectedwiththePrincipleofPolaritydescribed
intheprecedingchapter.Rhythmmanifestsbetweenthetwopolesestablishedbythe
PrincipleofPolarity.Thisdoesnotmean,however,thatthependulumofRhythmswingsto
theextremepoles,forthisrarelyhappensinfact,itisdifficulttoestablishtheextremepolar
oppositesinthemajorityofcases.Buttheswingisevertowardfirstonepoleandthenthe
other.
Thereisalwaysanactionandreactionanadvanceandaretreatarisingandasinking
manifestedinalloftheairsandphenomenaoftheUniverse.Suns,worlds,men,animals,
plants,minerals,forces,energy,mindandmatter,yes,evenSpirit,manifeststhisPrinciple.
ThePrinciplemanifestsinthecreationanddestructionofworldsintheriseandfallof
nationsinthelifehistoryofallthingsandfinallyinthementalstatesofMan.
BeginningwiththemanifestationsofSpiritofTHEALLitwillbenoticedthatthereisever
theOutpouringandtheIndrawingtheOutbreathingandInbreathingofBrahm,asthe
Brahmanswordit.Universesarecreatedreachtheirextremelowpointofmaterialityand
thenbegintheirupwardswing.Sunsspringintobeing,andthentheirheightofpowerbeing
reached,theprocessofretrogressionbegins,andafteronstheybecomedeadmassesof
matter,awaitinganotherimpulsewhichstartsagaintheirinnerenergiesintoactivityanda
newsolarlifecycleisbegun.Andthusitiswithalltheworldstheyareborn,growanddie
onlytobereborn.Andthusitiswithallthethingsofshapeandformtheyswingfromaction
toreactionfrombirthtodeathfromactivitytoinactivityandthenbackagain.Thusitiswith
alllivingthingstheyareborn,grow,anddieandthenarereborn.Soitiswithallgreat
movements,philosophies,creeds,fashions,governments,nations,andallelsebirth,
growth,maturity,decadence,deathandthennewbirth.Theswingofthependulumiseverin

evidence.
Nightfollowsdayanddaynight.ThependulumswingsfromSummertoWinter,andthen
backagain.Thecorpuscles,atoms,molecules,andallmassesofmatter,swingaroundthe
circleoftheirnature.Thereisnosuchthingasabsoluterest,orcessationfrommovement,
andallmovementpartakesofRhythm.Theprincipleisofuniversalapplication.Itmaybe
appliedtoanyquestion,orphenomenaofanyofthemanyplanesoflife.Itmaybeappliedto
allphasesofhumanactivity.ThereisalwaystheRhythmicswingfromonepoletotheother.
TheUniversalPendulumiseverinmotion.TheTidesofLifeflowinandout,accordingto
Law.
ThePrincipleofRhythmiswellunderstoodbymodernscience,andisconsidereda
universallawasappliedtomaterialthings.ButtheHermetistscarrytheprinciplemuch
further,andknowthatitsmanifestationsandinfluenceextendtothementalactivitiesofMan,
andthatitaccountsforthebewilderingsuccessionofmoods,feelingsandotherannoying
andperplexingchangesthatwenoticeinourselves.ButtheHermetistsbystudyingthe
operationsofthisPrinciplehavelearnedtoescapesomeofitsactivitiesbyTransmutation.
TheHermeticMasterslongsincediscoveredthatwhilethePrincipleofRhythmwas
invariable,andeverinevidenceinmentalphenomena,stillthereweretwoplanesofits
manifestationsofarasmentalphenomenaareconcerned.Theydiscoveredthattherewere
twogeneralplanesofConsciousness,theLowerandtheHigher,theunderstandingofwhich
factenabledthemtorisetothehigherplaneandthusescapetheswingoftheRhythmic
pendulumwhichmanifestedonthelowerplane.Inotherwords,theswingofthependulum
occurredontheUnconsciousPlane,andtheConsciousnesswasnotaffected.Thistheycall
theLawofNeutralization.ItsoperationsconsistintheraisingoftheEgoabovethevibrations
oftheUnconsciousPlaneofmentalactivity,sothatthenegativeswingofthependulumis
notmanifestedinconsciousness,andthereforetheyarenotaffected.Itisakintorising
aboveathingandlettingitpassbeneathyou.TheHermeticMaster,oradvancedstudent,
polarizeshimselfatthedesiredpole,andbyaprocessakintorefusingtoparticipateinthe
backwardswing,or,ifyouprefer,adenialofitsinfluenceoverhim,hestandsfirminhis
polarizedposition,andallowsthementalpendulumtoswingbackalongtheunconscious
plane.Allindividualswhohaveattainedanydegreeofselfmastery,accomplishthis,moreor
lessunknowingly,andbyrefusingtoallowtheirmoodsandnegativementalstatestoaffect
them,theyapplytheLawofNeutralization.TheMaster,however,carriesthistoamuch
higherdegreeofproficiency,andbytheuseofhisWillheattainsadegreeofPoiseand
MentalFirmnessalmostimpossibleofbeliefonthepartofthosewhoallowthemselvestobe
swungbackwardandforwardbythementalpendulumofmoodsandfeelings.
Theimportanceofthiswillbeappreciatedbyanythinkingpersonwhorealizeswhat
creaturesofmoods,feelingsandemotionthemajorityofpeopleare,andhowlittlemastery
ofthemselvestheymanifest.Ifyouwillstopandconsideramoment,youwillrealizehow
muchtheseswingsofRhythmhaveaffectedyouinyourlifehowaperiodofEnthusiasm
hasbeeninvariablyfollowedbyanoppositefeelingandmoodofDepression.Likewise,your
moodsandperiodsofCouragehavebeensucceededbyequalmoodsofFear.Andsoithas
everbeenwiththemajorityofpersonstidesoffeelinghaveeverrisenandfallenwiththem,
buttheyhaveneversuspectedthecauseorreasonofthementalphenomena.An
understandingoftheworkingsofthisPrinciplewillgiveonethekeytotheMasteryofthese
rhythmicswingsoffeeling,andwillenablehimtoknowhimselfbetterandtoavoidbeing
carriedawaybytheseinflowsandoutflows.TheWillissuperiortotheconscious
manifestationofthisPrinciple,althoughthePrincipleitselfcanneverbedestroyed.Wemay
escapeitseffects,butthePrincipleoperates,nevertheless.Thependulumeverswings,

althoughwemayescapebeingcarriedalongwithit.
ThereareotherfeaturesoftheoperationofthisPrincipleofRhythmofwhichwewishto
speakatthispoint.TherecomesintoitsoperationsthatwhichisknownastheLawof
Compensation.OneofthedefinitionsormeaningsofthewordCompensateis,to
counterbalance,whichisthesenseinwhichtheHermetistsusetheterm.ItisthisLawof
CompensationtowhichtheKybalionreferswhenitsays:Themeasureoftheswingtothe
rightisthemeasureoftheswingtotheleftrhythmcompensates.
TheLawofCompensationisthattheswinginonedirectiondeterminestheswinginthe
oppositedirection,ortotheoppositepoletheonebalances,orcounterbalances,theother.
OnthePhysicalPlaneweseemanyexamplesofthisLaw.Thependulumoftheclock
swingsacertaindistancetotheright,andthenanequaldistancetotheleft.Theseasons
balanceeachotherinthesameway.ThetidesfollowthesameLaw.AndthesameLawis
manifestedinallthephenomenaofRhythm.Thependulum,withashortswinginone
direction,hasbutashortswingintheotherwhilethelongswingtotherightinvariably
meansthelongswingtotheleft.Anobjecthurledupwardtoacertainheighthasanequal
distancetotraverseonitsreturn.Theforcewithwhichaprojectileissentupwardamileis
reproducedwhentheprojectilereturnstotheearthonitsreturnjourney.ThisLawis
constantonthePhysicalPlane,asreferencetothestandardauthoritieswillshowyou.
ButtheHermetistscarryitstillfurther.Theyteachthataman'smentalstatesaresubject
tothesameLaw.Themanwhoenjoyskeenly,issubjecttokeensufferingwhilehewho
TheKybalionPage44
feelsbutlittlepainiscapableoffeelingbutlittlejoy.Thepigsuffersbutlittlementally,and
enjoysbutlittleheiscompensated.Andontheotherhand,thereareotheranimalswho
enjoykeenly,butwhosenervousorganismandtemperamentcausethemtosufferexquisite
degreesofpain.AndsoitiswithMan.Therearetemperamentswhichpermitofbutlow
degreesofenjoyment,andequallylowdegreesofsufferingwhilethereareotherswhich
permitthemostintenseenjoyment,butalsothemostintensesuffering.Theruleisthatthe
capacityforpainandpleasure,ineachindividual,arebalanced.TheLawofCompensation
isinfulloperationhere.
ButtheHermetistsgostillfurtherinthismatter.Theyteachthatbeforeoneisableto
enjoyacertaindegreeofpleasure,hemusthaveswungasfar,proportionately,towardthe
otherpoleoffeeling.Theyhold,however,thattheNegativeisprecedenttothePositivein
thismatter,thatistosaythatinexperiencingacertaindegreeofpleasureitdoesnotfollow
thathewillhavetopayupforitwithacorrespondingdegreeofpainonthecontrary,the
pleasureistheRhythmicswing,accordingtotheLawofCompensation,foradegreeofpain
previouslyexperiencedeitherinthepresentlife,orinapreviousincarnation.Thisthrowsa
newlightontheProblemofPain.
TheHermetistsregardthechainoflivesascontinuous,andasformingapartofonelife
oftheindividual,sothatinconsequencetherhythmicswingisunderstoodinthisway,while
itwouldbewithoutmeaningunlessthetruthofreincarnationisadmitted.
ButtheHermetistsclaimthattheMasteroradvancedstudentisable,toagreatdegree,
toescapetheswingtowardPain,bytheprocessofNeutralizationbeforementioned.By
risingontothehigherplaneoftheEgo,muchoftheexperiencethatcomestothosedwelling
onthelowerplaneisavoidedandescaped.
TheLawofCompensationplaysanimportantpartinthelivesofmenandwomen.Itwill
henoticedthatonegenerallypaysthepriceofanythinghepossessesorlacks.Ifhehas
onething,helacksanotherthebalanceisstruck.Noonecankeephispennyandhavethe
bitofcakeatthesametime.Everythinghasitspleasantandunpleasantsides.Thethings

thatonegainsarealwayspaidforbythethingsthatoneloses.Therichpossessmuchthat
thepoorlack,whilethepooroftenpossessthingsthatarebeyondthereachoftherich.The
millionairemayhavetheinclinationtowardfeasting,andthewealthwherewithtosecureall
thedaintiesandluxuriesofthetable,whilehelackstheappetitetoenjoythesamehe
enviestheappetiteanddigestionofthelaborer,wholacksthewealthandinclinationsofthe
millionaire,andwhogetsmorepleasurefromhisplainfoodthanthemillionairecouldobtain
evenifhisappetitewerenotjaded,norhisdigestionruined,forthewants,habitsand
inclinationsdiffer.Andsoitisthroughlife.TheLawofCompensationiseverinoperation,
strivingtobalanceandcounterbalance,andalwayssucceedingintime,eventhough
severallivesmayberequiredforthereturnswingofthePendulumofRhythm.

CHAPTERXII.
CAUSATION.
EveryCausehasitsEffecteveryEffecthasitscauseeverythinghappensaccordingtoLawChanceisbut
anameforLawnotrecognizedtherearemanyplanesofcausation,butnothingescapestheLaw.
The
Kybalion.

ThegreatSixthHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofCauseandEffectembodiesthetruth
thatLawpervadestheUniversethatnothinghappensbyChancethatChanceismerelya
termindicatingcauseexistingbutnotrecognizedorperceivedthatphenomenais
continuous,withoutbreakorexception.
ThePrincipleofCauseandEffectunderliesallscientificthought,ancientandmodern,
andwasenunciatedbytheHermeticTeachersintheearliestdays.Whilemanyandvaried
disputesbetweenthemanyschoolsofthoughthavesincearisen,thesedisputeshavebeen
principallyuponthedetailsoftheoperationsofthePrinciple,andstillmoreoftenuponthe
meaningofcertainwords.TheunderlyingPrincipleofCauseandEffecthasbeenaccepted
ascorrectbypracticallyallthethinkersoftheworldworthyofthename.Tothinkotherwise
wouldbetotakethephenomenaoftheuniversefromthedomainofLawandOrder,andto
relegateittothecontroloftheimaginarysomethingwhichmenhavecalledChance.
Alittleconsiderationwillshowanyonethatthereisinrealitynosuchthingaspure
Chance.Websterdefinestheword'Chanceasfollows:Asupposedagentormodeof
activityotherthanaforce,laworpurposetheoperationoractivityofsuchagentthe
supposedeffectofsuchanagentahappeningfortuitycasualty,etc.Butalittle
considerationwillshowyouthattherecanbenosuchagentasChance,inthesenseof
somethingoutsideofLawsomethingoutsideofCauseandEffect.Howcouldtherebea
somethingactinginthephenomenaluniverse,independentofthelaws,order,andcontinuity
ofthelatter?Suchasomethingwouldbeentirelyindependentoftheorderlytrendofthe
universe,andthereforesuperiortoit.WecanimaginenothingoutsideofTHEALLbeing
outsideoftheLaw,andthatonlybecauseTHEALListheLAWinitself.Thereisnoroomin
theuniverseforasomethingoutsideofandindependentofLaw.Theexistenceofsucha
SomethingwouldrenderallNaturalLawsineffective,andwouldplungetheuniverseinto
chaoticdisorderandlawlessness.
AcarefulexaminationwillshowthatwhatwecallChanceismerelyanexpression
relatingtoobscurecausescausesthatwecannotperceivecausesthatwecannot

understand.ThewordChanceisderivedfromawordmeaningtofall(asthefallingof
dice),theideabeingthatthefallofthedice(andmanyotherhappenings)aremerelya
happeningunrelatedtoanycause.Andthisisthesenseinwhichthetermisgenerally
employed.Butwhenthematteriscloselyexamined,itisseenthatthereisnochance
whatsoeveraboutthefallofthedice.Eachtimeadiefalls,anddisplaysacertainnumber,it
obeysalawasinfallibleasthatwhichgovernstherevolutionoftheplanetsaroundthesun.
Backofthefallofthediearecauses,orchainsofcauses,runningbackfurtherthanthe
mindcanfollow.Thepositionofthedieintheboxtheamountofmuscularenergyexpended
inthethrowtheconditionofthetable,etc.,etc.,allarecauses,theeffectofwhichmaybe
seen.Butbackoftheseseencausestherearechainsofunseenprecedingcauses,allof
whichhadabearinguponthenumberofthediewhichfelluppermost.
Ifadiebecastagreatnumberoftimes,itwillbefoundthatthenumbersshownwillbe
aboutequal,thatis,therewillbeanequalnumberofonespot,twospot,etc.,coming
uppermost.Tossapennyintheair,anditmaycomedowneitherheadsortailsbutmake
asufficientnumberoftosses,andtheheadsandtailswillaboutevenup.Thisisthe
operationofthelawofaverage.Butboththeaverageandthesingletosscomeunderthe
LawofCauseandEffect,andifwewereabletoexamineintotheprecedingcauses,itwould
TheKybalionPage46
beclearlyseenthatitwassimplyimpossibleforthedietofallotherthanitdid,underthe
samecircumstancesandatthesametime.Giventhesamecauses,thesameresultswill
follow.Thereisalwaysacauseandabecausetoeveryevent.Nothingeverhappens
withoutacause,orratherachainofcauses.
SomeconfusionhasariseninthemindsofpersonsconsideringthisPrinciple,fromthe
factthattheywereunabletoexplainhowonethingcouldcauseanotherthingthatis,bethe
creatorofthesecondthing.Asamatteroffact,nothingevercausesorcreatesanother
thing.CauseandEffectdealsmerelywithevents.Aneventisthatwhichcomes,arrives
orhappens,asaresultorconsequentofsomeprecedingevent.Noeventcreatesanother
event,butismerelyaprecedinglinkinthegreatorderlychainofeventsflowingfromthe
creativeenergyofTHEALL.Thereisacontinuitybetweenalleventsprecedent,consequent
andsubsequent.Thereisarelationexistingbetweeneverythingthathasgonebefore,and
everythingthatfollows.Astoneisdislodgedfromamountainsideandcrashesthrougha
roofofacottageinthevalleybelow.Atfirstsightweregardthisasachanceeffect,butwhen
weexaminethematterwefindagreatchainofcausesbehindit.Inthefirstplacetherewas
therainwhichsoftenedtheearthsupportingthestoneandwhichallowedittofallthenback
ofthatwastheinfluenceofthesun,otherrains,etc.,whichgraduallydisintegratedthepiece
ofrockfromalargerpiecethentherewerethecauseswhichledtotheformationofthe
mountain,anditsupheavalbyconvulsionsofnature,andsoonadinfinitum.Thenwemight
followupthecausesbehindtherain,etc.Thenwemightconsidertheexistenceoftheroof.
Inshort,wewouldsoonfindourselvesinvolvedinameshofcauseandeffect,fromwhich
wewouldsoonstrivetoextricateourselves.
Justasamanhastwoparents,andfourgrandparents,andeightgreatgrandparents,and
sixteengreatgreatgrandparents,andsoonuntilwhen,say,fortygenerationsarecalculated
thenumbersofancestorsrunintomanymillionssoitiswiththenumberofcausesbehind
eventhemosttriflingeventorphenomena,suchasthepassageofatinyspeckofsoot
beforeyoureye.Itisnotaneasymattertotracethebitofsootbacktotheearlyperiodofthe
world'shistorywhenitformedapartofamassivetreetrunk,whichwasafterwardconverted
intocoal,andsoon,untilasthespeckofsootitnowpassesbeforeyourvisiononitswayto
otheradventures.Andamightychainofevents,causesandeffects,broughtittoitspresent

condition,andthelatterisbutoneofthechainofeventswhichwillgotoproduceother
eventshundredsofyearsfromnow.Oneoftheseriesofeventsarisingfromthetinybitof
sootwasthewritingoftheselines,whichcausedthetypesettertoperformcertainworkthe
proofreadertodolikewiseandwhichwillarousecertainthoughtsinyourmind,andthatof
others,whichinturnwillaffectothers,andsoon,andon,andon,beyondtheabilityofman
tothinkfurtherandallfromthepassageofatinybitofsoot,allofwhichshowstherelativity
andassociationofthings,andthefurtherfactthatthereisnogreatthereisnosmallinthe
mindthatcausethall.
Stoptothinkamoment.Ifacertainmanhadnotmetacertainmaid,awaybackinthe
dimperiodoftheStoneAgeyouwhoarenowreadingtheselineswouldnotnowbehere.
Andif,perhaps,thesamecouplehadfailedtomeet,wewhonowwritetheselineswouldnot
nowbehere.Andtheveryactofwriting,onourpart,andtheactofreading,onyours,will
affectnotonlytherespectivelivesofyourselfandourselves,butwillalsohaveadirect,or
indirect,affectuponmanyotherpeoplenowlivingandwhowillliveintheagestocome.
Everythoughtwethink,everyactweperform,hasitsdirectandindirectresultswhichfitinto
thegreatchainofCauseandEffect.
WedonotwishtoenterintoaconsiderationofFreeWill,orDeterminism,inthiswork,for
variousreasons.Amongthemanyreasons,istheprincipalonethatneithersideofthe
controversyisentirelyrightinfact,bothsidesarepartiallyright,accordingtotheHermetic
Teachings.ThePrincipleofPolarityshowsthatbotharebutHalfTruthstheopposingpoles
ofTruth.TheTeachingsarethatamanmaybebothFreeandyetboundbyNecessity,
TheKybalionPage47
dependinguponthemeaningoftheterms,andtheheightofTruthfromwhichthematteris
examined.Theancientwritersexpressthematterthus:Thefurtherthecreationisfromthe
Centre,themoreitisboundthenearertheCentreitreaches,thenearerFreeisit.
Themajorityofpeoplearemoreorlesstheslavesofheredity,environment,etc.,and
manifestverylittleFreedom.Theyareswayedbytheopinions,customsandthoughtsofthe
outsideworld,andalsobytheiremotions,feelings,moods,etc.TheymanifestnoMastery,
worthyofthename.Theyindignantlyrepudiatethisassertion,saying,Why,Icertainlyam
freetoactanddoasIpleaseIdojustwhatIwanttodo,buttheyfailtoexplainwhence
arisethewanttoandasIplease.Whatmakesthemwanttodoonethinginpreference
toanotherwhatmakesthempleasetodothis,andnotdothat?Istherenobecauseto
theirpleasingandwanting?TheMastercanchangethesepleasesandwantsinto
othersattheoppositeendofthementalpole.HeisabletoWilltowill,insteadoftowill
becausesomefeeling,mood,emotion,orenvironmentalsuggestionarousesatendencyor
desirewithinhimsotodo.
Themajorityofpeoplearecarriedalonglikethefallingstone,obedienttoenvironment,
outsideinfluencesandinternalmoods,desires,etc.,nottospeakofthedesiresandwillsof
othersstrongerthanthemselves,heredity,environment,andsuggestion,carryingthem
alongwithoutresistenceontheirpart,ortheexerciseoftheWill.Movedlikethepawnson
thecheckerboardoflife,theyplaytheirpartsandarelaidasideafterthegameisover.But
theMasters,knowingtherulesofthegame,riseabovetheplaneofmateriallife,andplacing
themselvesintouchwiththehigherpowersoftheirnature,dominatetheirownmoods,
characters,qualities,andpolarity,aswellastheenvironmentsurroundingthemandthus
becomeMoversinthegame,insteadofPawnsCausesinsteadofEffects.TheMastersdo
notescapetheCausationofthehigherplanes,butfallinwiththehigherlaws,andthus
mastercircumstancesonthelowerplane.TheythusformaconsciouspartoftheLaw,
insteadofbeingmereblindinstruments.WhiletheyServeontheHigherPlanes,theyRule

ontheMaterialPlane.
But,onhigherandonlower,theLawisalwaysinoperation.Thereisnosuchthingsas
Chance.TheblindgoddesshasbeenabolishedbyReason.Weareabletoseenow,with
eyesmadeclearbyknowledge,thateverythingisgovernedbyUniversalLawthatthe
infinitenumberoflawsarebutmanifestationsoftheOneGreatLawtheLAWwhichisTHE
ALL.ItistrueindeedthatnotasparrowdropsunnoticedbytheMindofTHEALLthateven
thehairsonourheadarenumberedasthescriptureshavesaid.Thereisnothingoutsideof
Lawnothingthathappenscontrarytoit.Andyet,donotmakethemistakeofsupposingthat
Manisbutablindautomatonfarfromthat.TheHermeticTeachingsarethatManmayuse
Lawtoovercomelaws,andthatthehigherwillalwaysprevailagainstthelower,untilatlast
hehasreachedthestageinwhichheseeksrefugeintheLAWitself,andlaughsthe
phenomenallawstoscorn.Areyouabletograsptheinnermeaningofthis?

CHAPTERXIII.
GENDER.
GenderisineverythingeverythinghasitsMasculineandFemininePrinciplesGendermanifestson
planes.
TheKybalion.

ThegreatSeventhHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofGenderembodiesthetruththat
thereisGendermanifestedineverythingthattheMasculineandFeminineprinciplesare
everpresentandactiveinallphasesofphenomena,oneachandeveryplaneoflife.Atthis
pointwethinkitwelltocallyourattentiontothefactthatGender,initsHermeticsense,and
Sexintheordinarilyaccepteduseoftheterm,arenotthesame.
ThewordGenderisderivedfromtheLatinrootmeaningtobegettoprocreateto
generatetocreatetoproduce.
Amomentsconsiderationwillshowyouthatthewordhasamuchbroaderandmore
generalmeaningthanthetermSex,thelatterreferringtothephysicaldistinctionsbetween
maleandfemalelivingthings.SexismerelyamanifestationofGenderonacertainplaneof
theGreatPhysicalPlanetheplaneoforganiclife.Wewishtoimpressthisdistinctionupon
yourminds,forthereasonthatcertainwriters,whohaveacquiredasmatteringofthe
HermeticPhilosophy,havesoughttoidentifythisSeventhHermeticPrinciplewithwildand
fanciful,andoftenreprehensible,theoriesandteachingsregardingSex.
TheofficeofGenderissolelythatofcreating,producing,generating,etc.,andits
manifestationsarevisibleoneveryplaneofphenomena.Itissomewhatdifficulttoproduce
proofsofthisalongscientificlines,forthereasonthatsciencehasnotasyetrecognizedthis
Principleasofuniversalapplication.Butstillsomeproofsareforthcomingfromscientific
sources.Inthefirstplace,wefindadistinctmanifestationofthePrincipleofGenderamong
thecorpuscles,ions,orelectrons,whichconstitutethebasisofMatterassciencenowknows
thelatter,andwhichbyformingcertaincombinationsformtheAtom,whichuntillatelywas
regardedasfinalandindivisible.
Thelatestwordofscienceisthattheatomiscomposedofamultitudeofcorpuscles,
electrons,orions(thevariousnamesbeingappliedbydifferentauthorities)revolvingaround
eachotherandvibratingatahighdegreeandintensity.Buttheaccompanyingstatementis
madethattheformationoftheatomisreallyduetotheclusteringofnegativecorpuscles
aroundapositiveonethepositivecorpusclesseemingtoexertacertaininfluenceuponthe
negativecorpuscles,causingthelattertoassumecertaincombinationsandthuscreateor

generateanatom.ThisisinlinewiththemostancientHermeticTeachings,whichhave
alwaysidentifiedtheMasculineprincipleofGenderwiththePositive,andtheFemininewith
theNegativePolesofElectricity(socalled).
Nowawordatthispointregardingthisidentification.Thepublicmindhasformedan
entirelyerroneousimpressionregardingthequalitiesofthesocalled'Negativepoleof
electrifiedormagnetizedMatter.ThetermsPositiveandNegativeareverywronglyapplied
tothisphenomenonbyscience.ThewordPositivemeanssomethingrealandstrong,as
comparedwithaNegativeunrealityorweakness.Nothingisfurtherfromtherealfactsof
electricalphenomena.ThesocalledNegativepoleofthebatteryisreallythepoleinandby
whichthegenerationorproductionofnewformsandenergiesismanifested.Thereis
nothingnegativeaboutit.ThebestscientificauthoritiesnowusethewordCathodein
placeofNegative,thewordCathodecomingfromtheGreekrootmeaningdescentthe
pathofgeneration,etc.FromtheCathodepoleemergetheswarmofelectronsor
corpusclesfromthesamepoleemergethosewonderfulrayswhichhaverevolutionized
scientificconceptionsduringthepastdecade.TheCathodepoleistheMotherofallofthe
strangephenomenawhichhaverendereduselesstheoldtextbooks,andwhichhave
causedmanylongacceptedtheoriestoberelegatedtothescrappileofscientific
speculation.TheCathode,orNegativePole,istheMotherPrincipleofElectrical
Phenomena,andofthefinestformsofmatterasyetknowntoscience.Soyouseeweare
justifiedinrefusingtousethetermNegativeinourconsiderationofthesubject,andin
insistinguponsubstitutingthewordFemininefortheoldterm.Thefactsofthecasebear
usoutinthis,withouttakingtheHermeticTeachingsintoconsideration.Andsoweshalluse
thewordFeminineintheplaceofNegativeinspeakingofthatpoleofactivity.
ThelatestscientificteachingsarethatthecreativecorpusclesorelectronsareFeminine
(sciencesaystheyarecomposedofnegativeelectricitywesaytheyarecomposedof
Feminineenergy).
AFemininecorpusclebecomesdetachedfrom,orratherleaves,aMasculinecorpuscle,
andstartsonanewcareer.ItactivelyseeksaunionwithaMasculinecorpuscle,being
urgedtheretobythenaturalimpulsetocreatenewformsofMatterorEnergy.Onewriter
goessofarastousethetermitatonceseeks,ofitsownvolition,aunion,etc.This
detachmentandunitingformthebasisofthegreaterpartoftheactivitiesofthechemical
world.WhentheFemininecorpuscleuniteswithaMasculinecorpuscle,acertainprocessis
begun.TheFeminineparticlesvibraterapidlyundertheinfluenceoftheMasculineenergy,
andcirclerapidlyaroundthelatter.Theresultisthebirthofanewatom.Thisnewatomis
reallycomposedofaunionoftheMasculineandFeminineelectrons,orcorpuscles,but
whentheunionisformedtheatomisaseparatething,havingcertainproperties,butno
longermanifestingthepropertyoffreeelectricity.Theprocessofdetachmentorseparation
oftheFeminineelectronsiscalledionization.Theseelectrons,orcorpuscles,arethemost
activeworkersinNature'sfield.Arisingfromtheirunions,orcombinations,manifestthe
variedphenomenaoflight,heat,electricity,magnetism,attraction,repulsion,chemical
affinityandthereverse,andsimilarphenomena.Andallthisarisesfromtheoperationofthe
PrincipleofGenderontheplaneofEnergy.
ThepartoftheMasculineprincipleseemstobethatofdirectingacertaininherentenergy
towardtheFeminineprinciple,andthusstartingintoactivitythecreativeprocesses.Butthe
Feminineprincipleistheonealwaysdoingtheactivecreativeworkandthisissoonall
planes.Andyet,eachprincipleisincapableofoperativeenergywithouttheassistanceofthe
other.Insomeoftheformsoflife,thetwoprinciplesarecombinedinoneorganism.Forthat
matter,everythingintheorganicworldmanifestsbothgendersthereisalwaysthe

MasculinepresentintheFeminineform,andtheFeminineform.TheHermeticTeachings
includemuchregardingtheoperationofthetwoprinciplesofGenderintheproductionand
manifestationofvariousformsofenergy,etc.,butwedonotdeemitexpedienttogointo
detailregardingthesameatthispoint,becauseweareunabletobackupthesamewith
scientificproof,forthereasonthatsciencehasnotasyetprogressedthusfar.Butthe
examplewehavegivenyouofthephenomenaoftheelectronsorcorpuscleswillshowyou
thatscienceisontherightpath,andwillalsogiveyouageneralideaoftheunderlying
principles.
Someleadingscientificinvestigatorshaveannouncedtheirbeliefthatintheformationof
crystalstherewastobefoundsomethingthatcorrespondedtosexactivity,whichis
anotherstrawshowingthedirectionthescientificwindsareblowing.Andeachyearwillbring
otherfactstocorroboratethecorrectnessoftheHermeticPrincipleofGender.Itwillbe
foundthatGenderisinconstantoperationandmanifestationinthefieldofinorganicmatter,
andinthefieldofEnergyorForce.ElectricityisnowgenerallyregardedastheSomething
intowhichallotherformsofenergyseemtomeltordissolve.TheElectricalTheoryofthe
Universeisthelatestscientificdoctrine,andisgrowingrapidlyinpopularityandgeneral
acceptance.Anditthusfollowsthatifweareabletodiscoverinthephenomenaof
electricityevenattheveryrootandsourceofitsmanifestationsaclearandunmistakable
evidenceofthepresenceofGenderanditsactivities,wearejustifiedinaskingyouto
TheKybalionPage50
believethatscienceatlasthasofferedproofsoftheexistenceinalluniversalphenomenaof
thatgreatHermeticPrinciplethePrincipleofGender.
Itisnotnecessarytotakeupyourtimewiththewellknownphenomenaoftheattraction
andrepulsionoftheatomschemicalaffinitythelovesandhatesoftheatomicparticles
theattractionorcohesionbetweenthemoleculesofmatter.Thesefactsaretoowellknown
toneedextendedcommentfromus.But,haveyoueverconsideredthatallofthesethings
aremanifestationsoftheGenderPrinciple?
Canyounotseethatthephenomenaisonallfourswiththatofthecorpusclesor
electrons?Andmorethanthis,canyounotseethereasonablenessoftheHermetic
TeachingswhichassertthattheveryLawofGravitationthatstrangeattractionbyreasonof
whichallparticlesandbodiesofmatterintheuniversetendtowardeachotherisbut
anothermanifestationofthePrincipleofGender,whichoperatesinthedirectionofattracting
theMasculinetotheFeminineenergies,andviceversa?Wecannotofferyouscientificproof
ofthisatthistimebutexaminethephenomenainthelightoftheHermeticTeachingsonthe
subject,andseeifyouhavenotabetterworkinghypothesisthananyofferedbyphysical
science.Submitallphysicalphenomenatothetest,andyouwilldiscernthePrincipleof
Gendereverinevidence.
LetusnowpassontoaconsiderationoftheoperationofthePrincipleontheMental
Plane.Manyinterestingfeaturesarethereawaitingexamination.

CHAPTERXIV.
MENTALGENDER.

Studentsofpsychologywhohavefollowedthemoderntrendofthoughtalongthelinesof
mentalphenomenaarestruckbythepersistenceofthedualmindideawhichhas
manifesteditselfsostronglyduringthepasttenorfifteenyears,andwhichhasgivenriseto
anumberofplausibletheoriesregardingthenatureandconstitutionofthesetwominds.
ThelateThomsonJ.Hudsonattainedgreatpopularityin1893byadvancinghiswellknown
theoryoftheobjectiveandsubjectivemindswhichheheldexistedineveryindividual.
Otherwritershaveattractedalmostequalattentionbythetheoriesregardingtheconscious
andsubconsciousmindsthevoluntaryandinvoluntarymindstheactiveandpassive
minds,etc.,etc.Thetheoriesofthevariouswritersdifferfromeachother,butthereremains
theunderlyingprincipleofthedualityofmind.
ThestudentoftheHermeticPhilosophyistemptedtosmilewhenhereadsandhearsof
thesemanynewtheoriesregardingthedualityofmind,eachschooladheringtenaciously
toitsownpettheories,andeachclaimingtohavediscoveredthetruth.Thestudentturns
backthepagesofocculthistory,andawaybackinthedimbeginningsofoccultteachingshe
findsreferencestotheancientHermeticdoctrineofthePrincipleofGenderontheMental
PlanethemanifestationofMentalGender.Andexaminingfurtherhefindsthattheancient
philosophytookcognizanceofthephenomenonofthedualmind,andaccountedforitby
thetheoryofMentalGender.ThisideaofMentalGendermaybeexplainedinafewwordsto
studentswhoarefamiliarwiththemoderntheoriesjustalludedto.TheMasculinePrinciple
ofMindcorrespondstothesocalledObjectiveMindConsciousMindVoluntaryMind
ActiveMind,etc.AndtheFemininePrincipleofMindcorrespondstothesocalledSubjective
MindSubconsciousMindInvoluntaryMindPassiveMind,etc.OfcoursetheHermetic
Teachingsdonotagreewiththemanymoderntheoriesregardingthenatureofthetwo
phasesofmind,nordoesitadmitmanyofthefactsclaimedforthetworespectiveaspects
someofthesaidtheoriesandclaimsbeingveryfarfetchedandincapableofstandingthe
testofexperimentanddemonstration.Wepointtothephasesofagreementmerelyforthe
purposeofhelpingthestudenttoassimilatehispreviouslyacquiredknowledgewiththe
teachingsoftheHermeticPhilosophy.StudentsofHudsonwillnoticethestatementatthe
beginningofhissecondchapterofTheLawofPsychicPhenomena,that:Themystic

jargonoftheHermeticphilosophersdisclosesthesamegeneralideai.e.,thedualityof
mind.IfDr.Hudsonhadtakenthetimeandtroubletodecipheralittleofthemysticjargonof
tileHermeticPhilosophy,hemighthavereceivedmuchlightuponthesubjectofthedual
mindbutthen,perhaps,hismostinterestingworkmightnothavebeenwritten.Letusnow
considertheHermeticTeachingsregardingMentalGender.
TheHermeticTeachersimparttheirinstructionregardingthissubjectbybiddingtheir
studentsexaminethereportoftheirconsciousnessregardingtheirSelf.Thestudentsare
biddentoturntheirattentioninwardupontheSelfdwellingwithineach.Eachstudentisled
toseethathisconsciousnessgiveshimfirstareportoftheexistenceofhisSelfthereportis
IAm.Thisatfirstseemstobethefinalwordsfromtheconsciousness,butalittlefurther
examinationdisclosesthefactthatthisIAmmaybeseparatedorsplitintotwodistinct
parts,oraspects,whichwhileworkinginunisonandinconjunction,yet,nevertheless,may
beseparatedinconsciousness.
WhileatfirstthereseemstobeonlyanIexisting,amorecarefulandcloserexamination
revealsthefactthatthereexistsanIandaMe.Thesementaltwinsdifferintheir
characteristicsandnature,andanexaminationoftheirnatureandthephenomenaarising
fromthesamewillthrowmuchlightuponmanyoftheproblemsofmentalinfluence.
LetusbeginwithaconsiderationoftheMe,whichisusuallymistakenfortheIbythe
TheKybalionPage52
student,untilhepressestheinquiryalittlefurtherbackintotherecessesofconsciousness.
AmanthinksofhisSelf(initsaspectofMe)asbeingcomposedofcertainfeelings,tastes,
likes,dislikes,habits,peculiarties,characteristics,etc.,allofwhichgotomakeuphis
personality,ortheSelfknowntohimselfandothers.Heknowsthattheseemotionsand
feelingschangearebornanddieawayaresubjecttothePrincipleofRhythm,andthe
PrincipleofPolarity,whichtakehimfromoneextremeoffeelingtoanother.Healsothinksof
theMeasbeingcertainknowledgegatheredtogetherinhismind,andthusformingapart
ofhimself.ThisistheMeofaman.
Butwehaveproceededtoohastily.TheMeofmanymenmaybesaidtoconsistlargely
oftheirconsciousnessofthebodyandtheirphysicalappetites,etc.Theirconsciousness
beinglargelyboundupwiththeirbodilynature,theypracticallylivethere.Somemeneven
gosofarastoregardtheirpersonalapparelasapartoftheirMe,andactuallyseemto
consideritapartofthemselves.Awriterhashumorouslysaidthatmenconsistofthree
partssoul,bodyandclothes.Theseclothesconsciouspeoplewouldlosetheirpersonality
ifdivestedoftheirclothingbysavagesupontheoccasionofashipwreck.Butevenmany
whoarenotsocloselyboundupwiththeideaofpersonalraimentstickcloselytothe
consciousnessoftheirbodiesbeingtheirMe.TheycannotconceiveofaSelfindependent
ofthebody.Theirmindseemstothemtobepracticallyasomethingbelongingtotheir
bodywhichinmanycasesitisindeed.
ButasmanrisesinthescaleofconsciousnessheisabletodisentanglehisMefromhis
ideaofbody,andisabletothinkofhisbodyasbelongingtothementalpartofhim.But
eventhenheisveryapttoidentifytheMeentirelywiththementalstates,feelings,etc.,
whichhefeelstoexistwithinhim.Heisveryapttoconsidertheseinternalstatesasidentical
withhimself,insteadoftheirbeingsimplythingsproducedbysomepartofhismentality,
andexistingwithinhimofhim,andinhim,butstillnothimself.Heseesthathemay
changetheseinternalstatesoffeelingsbyaneffortofwill,andthathemayproducea
feelingorstateofanexactlyoppositenature,inthesameway,andyetthesameMe
exists.Andsoafterawhileheisabletosetasidethesevariousmentalstates,emotions,
feelings,habits,qualities,characteristics,andotherpersonalmentalbelongingsheisable

tosetthemasideinthenotmecollectionofcuriositiesandencumbrances,aswellas
valuablepossessions.Thisrequiresmuchmentalconcentrationandpowerofmental
analysisonthepartofthestudent.Butstillthetaskispossiblefortheadvancedstudent,and
eventhosenotsofaradvancedareabletosee,intheimagination,howtheprocessmaybe
performed.
Afterthislayingasideprocesshasbeenperformed,thestudentwillfindhimselfin
consciouspossessionofaSelfwhichmaybeconsideredinitsIandMedualaspects.
TheMewillbefelttobeaSomethingmentalinwhichthoughts,ideas,emotions,feelings,
andothermentalstatesmaybeproduced.Itmaybeconsideredasthementalwomb,as
theancientsstyleditcapableofgeneratingmentaloffspring.Itreportstotheconsciousness
asaMewithlatentpowersofcreationandgenerationofmentalprogenyofallsortsand
kinds.Itspowersofcreativeenergyarefelttobeenormous.Butstillitseemstobe
consciousthatitmustreceivesomeformofenergyfromeitheritsIcompanion,orelse
fromsomeotherI,ereitisabletobringintobeingitsmentalcreations.Thisconsciousness
bringswithitarealizationofanenormouscapacityformentalworkandcreativeability.
Butthestudentsoonfindsthatthisisnotallthathefindswithinhisinnerconsciousness.
HefindsthatthereexistsamentalSomethingwhichisabletoWillthattheMeactalong
certaincreativelines,andwhichisalsoabletostandasideandwitnessthementalcreation.
ThispartofhimselfheistaughttocallhisI.Heisabletorestinitsconsciousnessatwill.
Hefindstherenotaconsciousnessofanabilitytogenerateandactivelycreate,inthesense
ofthegradualprocessattendantuponmentaloperations,butratherasenseand
consciousnessofanabilitytoprojectanenergyfromtheItotheMeaprocessofwilling
TheKybalionPage53
thatthementalcreationbeginandproceed.HealsofindsthattheIisabletostandaside
andwitnesstheoperationsoftheMe'smentalcreationandgeneration.Thereisthisdual
aspectinthemindofeveryperson.TheIrepresentstheMasculinePrincipleofMental
GendertheMerepresentstheFemalePrinciple.TheIrepresentstheAspectofBeing
theMetheAspectofBecoming.YouwillnoticethatthePrincipleofCorrespondence
operatesonthisplanejustasitdoesuponthegreatplaneuponwhichthecreationof
Universesisperformed.Thetwoaresimilarinkind,althoughvastlydifferentindegree.As
above,sobelowasbelow,soabove.
TheseaspectsofmindtheMasculineandFemininePrinciplestheIandtheMe
consideredinconnectionwiththewellknownmentalandpsychicphenomena,givethe
masterkeytothesedimlyknownregionsofmentaloperationandmanifestation.The
principleofMentalGendergivesthetruthunderlyingthewholefieldofthephenomenaof
mentalinfluence,etc.
ThetendencyoftheFemininePrincipleisalwaysinthedirectionofreceiving
impressions,whilethetendencyoftheMasculinePrincipleisalwaysin.thedirectionof
givingout,orexpressing.TheFemininePrinciplehasamuchmorevariedfieldofoperation
thanhastheMasculinePrinciple.TheFemininePrincipleconductstheworkofgenerating
newthoughts,concepts,ideas,includingtheworkoftheimagination.TheMasculine
PrinciplecontentsitselfwiththeworkoftheWill,initsvariedphases.Andyetwithoutthe
activeaidoftheWilloftheMasculinePrinciple,theFemininePrincipleisapttorestcontent
withgeneratingmentalimageswhicharetheresultofimpressionsreceivedfromoutside,
insteadofproducingoriginalmentalcreations.
Personswhocangivecontinuedattentionandthoughttoasubjectactivelyemployboth
oftheMentalPrinciplestheFeminineintheworkofactivementalgeneration,andthe
MasculineWillinstimulatingandenergizingthecreativeportionofthemind.Themajorityof

personsreallyemploytheMasculinePrinciplebutlittleandarecontenttoliveaccordingto
thethoughtsandideasinstilledintotheMefromtheIofotherminds.Butitisnotour
purposetodwelluponthisphaseofthesubject,whichmaybestudiedfromanygoodtextbook
uponpsychology,withthekeythatwehavegivenyouregardingMentalGender.
ThestudentofPsychicPhenomenaisawareofthewonderfulphenomenaclassified
undertheheadofTelepathyThoughtTransferenceMentalInfluenceSuggestion
Hypnotism,etc.Manyhavesoughtforanexplanationofthesevariedphasesofphenomena
underthetheoriesofthevariousdualmindteachers.Andinameasuretheyareright,for
thereisclearlyamanifestationoftwodistinctphasesofmentalactivity.Butifsuchstudents
willconsiderthesedualmindsinthelightoftheHermeticTeachingsregardingVibrations
andMentalGender,theywillseethatthelongsoughtforkeyisathand.
InthephenomenaofTelepathyitisseenhowtheVibratoryEnergyoftheMasculine
PrincipleisprojectedtowardtheFemininePrincipleofanotherperson,andthelattertakes
theseedthoughtandallowsittodevelopintomaturity.InthesamewaySuggestionand
Hypnotismoperates.TheMasculinePrincipleofthepersongivingthesuggestionsdirectsa
streamofVibratoryEnergyorWillPowertowardtheFemininePrincipleoftheotherperson,
andthelatteracceptingitmakesititsownandactsandthinksaccordingly.Anideathus
lodgedinthemindofanotherpersongrowsanddevelops,andintimeisregardedasthe
rightfulmentaloffspringoftheindividual,whereasitisinrealitylikethecuckooeggplacedin
thesparrow'snest,whereitdestroystherightfuloffspringandmakesitselfathome.The
normalmethodisfortheMasculineandFemininePrinciplesinaperson'smindtocoordinate
andactharmoniouslyinconjunctionwitheachother.But,unfortunately,the
MasculinePrincipleintheaveragepersonistoolazytoactthedisplayofWillPoweristoo
slightandtheconsequenceisthatsuchpersonsareruledalmostentirelybythemindsand
willsofotherpersons,whomtheyallowtodotheirthinkingandwillingforthem.Howfew
originalthoughtsororiginalactionsareperformedbytheaverageperson?Arenotthe
TheKybalionPage54
majorityofpersonsmereshadowsandechoesofothershavingstrongerwillsormindsthan
themselves?ThetroubleisthattheaveragepersondwellsalmostaltogetherinhisMe
consciousness,anddoesnotrealizethathehassuchathingasanI.Heispolarizedinhis
FemininePrincipleofMind,andtheMasculinePrinciple,inwhichislodgedtheWill,is
allowedtoremaininactiveandnotemployed.
ThestrongmenandwomenoftheworldinvariablymanifesttheMasculinePrincipleof
Will,andtheirstrengthdependsmateriallyuponthisfact.Insteadoflivinguponthe
impressionsmadeupontheirmindsbyothers,theydominatetheirownmindsbytheirWill,
obtainingthekindofmentalimagesdesired,andmoreoverdominatethemindsofothers
likewise,inthesamemanner.Lookatthestrongpeople,howtheymanagetoimplanttheir
seedthoughtsinthemindsofthemassesofthepeople,thuscausingthelattertothink
thoughtsinaccordancewiththedesiresandwillsofthestrongindividuals.Thisiswhythe
massesofpeoplearesuchsheeplikecreatures,neveroriginatinganideaoftheirown,nor
usingtheirownpowersofmentalactivity.
ThemanifestationofMentalGendermaybenoticedallaroundusineverydaylife.The
magneticpersonsarethosewhoareabletousetheMasculinePrincipleinthewayof
impressingtheirideasuponothers.Theactorwhomakespeopleweeporcryashewills,is
employingthisprinciple.Andsoisthesuccessfulorator,statesman,preacher,writerorother
peoplewhoarebeforethepublicattention.Thepeculiarinfluenceexertedbysomepeople
overothersisduetothemanifestationofMentalGenderalongtheVibratoriallinesabove
indicated.Inthisprincipleliesthesecretofpersonalmagnetism,personalinfluence,

fascination,etc.,aswellasthephenomenagenerallygroupedunderthenameof
Hypnotism.
Thestudentwhohasfamiliarizedhimselfwiththephenomenagenerallyspokenofas
psychicwillhavediscoveredtheimportantpartplayedinthesaidphenomenabythatforce
whichsciencehasstyledSuggestion,bywhichtermismeanttheprocessormethod
wherebyanideaistransferredto,orimpresseduponthemindofanother,causingthe
secondmindtoactinaccordancetherewith.AcorrectunderstandingofSuggestionis
necessaryinordertointelligentlycomprehendthevariedpsychicalphenomenawhich
Suggestionunderlies.But,stillmoreisaknowledgeofVibrationandMentalGender
necessaryforthestudentofSuggestion.ForthewholeprincipleofSuggestiondepends
upontheprincipleofMentalGenderandVibration.
ItiscustomaryforthewritersandteachersofSuggestiontoexplainthatitisthe
objectiveorvoluntarymindwhichmakethementalimpression,orsuggestion,uponthe
subjectiveorinvoluntarymind.Buttheydonotdescribetheprocessorgiveusanyanalogy
innaturewherebywemaymorereadilycomprehendtheideaButifyouwillthinkofthe
matterinthelightoftheHermeticTeachings,youwillbeabletoseethattheenergizingof
theFemininePrinciplebytheVibratoryEnergyoftheMasculinePrincipleisinaccordanceto
theuniversallawsofnature,andthatthenaturalworldaffordscountlessanalogieswhereby
theprinciplemaybeunderstood.Infact,theHermeticTeachingsshowthattheverycreation
oftheUniversefollowsthesamelaw,andthatinallcreativemanifestations,upontheplanes
ofthespiritual,themental,andthephysical,thereisalwaysinoperationthisprincipleof
GenderthismanifestationoftheMasculineandtheFemininePrinciples.Asabove,so
belowasbelow,soabove.Andmorethanthis,whentheprincipleofMentalGenderis
oncegraspedandunderstood,thevariedphenomenaofpsychologyatoncebecomes
capableofintelligentclassificationandstudy,insteadofbeingverymuchinthedark.The
principleworksoutinpractice,becauseitisbasedupontheimmutableuniversallawsof
life.
Weshallnotenterintoanextendeddiscussionof,ordescriptionof,thevaried
phenomenaofmentalinfluenceorpsychicactivity.Therearemanybooks,manyofthem
quitegood,whichhavebeenwrittenandpublishedonthissubjectoflateyears.Themain
factsstatedinthesevariousbooksarecorrect,althoughtheseveralwritershaveattempted
toexplainthephenomenabyvariouspettheoriesoftheirown.Thestudentmayacquaint
himselfwiththesematters,andbyusingthetheoryofMentalGenderhewillbeabletobring
orderoutofthechaosofconflictingtheoryandteachings,andmay,moreover,readilymake
himselfamasterofthesubjectifhebesoinclined.Thepurposeofthisworkisnottogivean
extendedaccountofpsychicphenomena,butrathertogivetothestudentamasterkey
wherebyhemayunlockthemanydoorsleadingintothepartsoftheTempleofKnowledge
whichhemaywishtoexplore.WefeelthatinthisconsiderationoftheteachingsofThe
Kybalion,onemayfindanexplanationwhichwillservetoclearawaymanyperplexing
difficultiesakeythatwillunlockmanydoors.Whatistheuseofgoingintodetailregarding
allofthemanyfeaturesofpsychicphenomenaandmentalscience,providedweplaceinthe
handsofthestudentthemeanswherebyhemayacquainthimselffullyregardinganyphase
ofthesubjectwhichmayinteresthim.WiththeaidofTheKybaliononemaygothroughany
occultlibraryanew,theoldLightfromEgyptilluminatingmanydarkpages,andobscure
subjects.Thatisthepurposeofthisbook.Wedonotcomeexpoundinganewphilosophy,
butratherfurnishingtheoutlinesofagreatworldoldteachingwhichwillmakeclearthe
teachingsofotherswhichwillserveasaGreatReconcilerofdifferingtheories,and
opposingdoctrines.

CHAPTERXV.
HERMETICAXIOMS.

ThepossessionofKnowledge,unlessaccompaniedbyamanifestationandexpression
inAction,islikethehoardingofpreciousmetalsavainandfoolishthing.Knowledge,like
Wealth,isintendedforUse.TheLawofUseisUniversal,andhewhoviolatesitsuffersby
reasonofhisconflictwithnaturalforces.
TheKybalion
.
TheHermeticTeachings,whilealwayshavingbeenkeptsecurelylockedupintheminds
ofthefortunatepossessorsthereof,forreasonswhichwehavealreadystated,werenever
intendedtobemerelystoredawayandsecreted.TheLawofUseisdweltuponinthe
Teachings,asyoumayseebyreferencetotheabovequotationfromTheKybalion,which
statesitforcibly.KnowledgewithoutUseandExpressionisavainthing,bringingnogoodto
itspossessor,ortotherace.BewareofMentalMiserliness,andexpressintoActionthat
whichyouhavelearned.StudytheAxiomsandAphorisms,butpracticethemalso.
WegivebelowsomeofthemoreimportantHermeticAxioms,fromTheKybalion,witha
fewcommentsaddedtoeach.Maketheseyourown,andpracticeandusethem,forthey
arenotreallyyourownuntilyouhaveUsedthem.
Tochangeyourmoodormentalstatechangeyourvibration.
TheKybalion
.
OnemaychangehismentalvibrationsbyaneffortofWill,inthedirectionofdeliberately
fixingtheAttentionuponamoredesirablestate.WilldirectstheAttention,andAttention
changestheVibration.CultivatetheArtofAttention,bymeansoftheWill,andyouhave
solvedthesecretoftheMasteryofMoodsandMentalStates.
Todestroyanundesirablerateofmentalvibration,putintooperationthePrincipleof
Polarityandconcentrateupontileoppositepoletothatwhichyoudesiretosuppress.Killout
theundesirablebychangingitspolarity.
TheKybalion
.
ThisisoneofthemostimportantoftheHermeticFormulas.Itisbasedupontrue
scientificprinciples.Wehaveshownyouthatamentalstateanditsoppositeweremerely
thetwopolesofonething,andthatbyMentalTransmutationthepolaritymightbereversed.
Thisprincipleisknowntomodernpsychologists,whoapplyittothebreakingupof
undesirablehabitsbybiddingtheirstudentsconcentrateupontheoppositequality.Ifyouare
possessedofFear,donotwastetimetryingtokilloutFear,butinsteadcultivatethequality
ofCourage,andtheFearwilldisappear.Somewritershaveexpressedthisideamost
forciblybyusingtheillustrationofthedarkroom.Youdonothavetoshoveloutorsweepout

theDarkness,butbymerelyopeningtheshuttersandlettingintheLighttheDarknesshas
disappeared.TokilloutaNegativequality,concentrateuponthePositivePoleofthatsame
quality,andthevibrationswillgraduallychangefromNegativetoPositive,untilfinallyyou
willbecomepolarizedonthePositivepoleinsteadoftheNegative.Thereverseisalsotrue,
asmanyhavefoundouttotheirsorrow,whentheyhaveallowedthemselvestovibratetoo
constantlyontheNegativepoleofthings.Bychangingyourpolarityyoumaymasteryour
moods,changeyourmentalstates,remakeyourdisposition,andbuildupcharacter.Muchof
theMentalMasteryoftheadvancedHermeticsisduetothisapplicationofPolarity,whichis
oneoftheimportantaspectsofMentalTransmutation.RemembertheHermeticAxiom
(quotedpreviously),whichsays:
Mind(aswellasmetalsandelements)maybetransmutedfromstatetostatedegreeto
degreeconditiontoconditionpoletopolevibrationtovibration.
TheKybalion
.
ThemasteryofPolarizationisthemasteryofthefundamentalprinciplesofMental
TransmutationorMentalAlchemy,forunlessoneacquirestheartofchanginghisown
polarity,hewillbeunabletoaffecthisenvironment.Anunderstandingofthisprinciplewill
enableonetochangehisownPolarity,aswellasthatofothers,ifhewillbutdevotethe
time,care,studyandpracticenecessarytomastertheart.Theprincipleistrue,butthe
TheKybalionPage57
resultsobtaineddependuponthepersistentpatienceandpracticeofthestudent.
RhythmmaybeneutralizedbyanapplicationoftheArtofPolarization.
TheKybalion.
Aswehaveexplainedinpreviouschapters,theHermetistsholdthatthePrincipleof
RhythmmanifestsontheMentalPlaneaswellasonthePhysicalPlane,andthatthe
bewilderingsuccessionofmoods,feelings,emotions,andothermentalstates,areduetothe
backwardandforwardswingofthementalpendulum,whichcarriesusfromoneextremeof
feelingtotheother.
TheHermetistsalsoteachthattheLawofNeutralizationenablesone,toagreatextent,
toovercometheoperationofRhythminconsciousness.Aswehaveexplained,thereisa
HigherPlaneofConsciousness,aswellastheordinaryLowerPlane,andtheMasterby
risingmentallytotheHigherPlanecausestheswingofthementalpendulumtomanifeston
theLowerPlane,andhe,dwellingonhisHigherPlane,escapestheconsciousnessofthe
swingbackward.ThisiseffectedbypolarizingontheHigherSelf,andthusraisingthe
mentalvibrationsoftheEgoabovethoseoftheordinaryplaneofconsciousness.Itisakinto
risingaboveathing,andallowingittopassbeneathyou.TheadvancedHermetistpolarizes
himselfatthePositivePoleofhisBeingtheIAmpoleratherthanthepoleofpersonality,
andbyrefusinganddenyingtheoperationofRhythm,raiseshimselfaboveitsplaneof
consciousness,andstandingfirminhisStatementofBeingheallowsthependulumtoswing
backontheLowerPlanewithoutchanginghisPolarity.Thisisaccomplishedbyall
individualswhohaveattainedanydegreeofselfmastery,whethertheyunderstandthelaw
ornot.Suchpersonssimplyrefusetoallowthemselvestobeswungbackbythependulum
ofmoodandemotion,andbysteadfastlyaffirmingthesuperiority,theyremainpolarizedon
thePositivepole.TheMaster,ofcourse,attainsafargreaterdegreeofproficiency,because
heunderstandsthelawwhichheisovercomingbyahigherlaw,andbytheuseofhisWill
heattainsadegreeofPoiseandMentalSteadfastnessalmostimpossibleofbeliefonthe
partofthosewhoallowthemselvestobeswungbackwardandforwardbythemental
pendulumofmoodsandfeelings.
Remember,always,however,thatyoudonotreallydestroythePrincipleofRhythm,for
thatisindestructible.Yousimplyovercomeonelawbycounterbalancingitwithanother,and
thusmaintainanequilibrium.Thelawsofbalanceandcounterbalanceareinoperationon

thementalaswellasonthephysicalplanes,andanunderstandingoftheselawsenables
onetoseemtooverthrowlaws,whereasheismerelyexertingacounterbalance.
NothingescapesthePrincipleofCauseandEffect,buttherearemanyPlanesof
Causation,andonemayusethelawsofthehighertoovercomethelawsofthelower.
The
Kybalion
.
ByanunderstandingofthepracticeofPolarization,theHermetistsrisetoahigherplane
ofCausationandthuscounterbalancethelawsofthelowerplanesofCausation.Byrising
abovetheplaneofordinaryCausestheybecomethemselves,inadegree,Causesinstead
ofbeingmerelyCaused.Bybeingabletomastertheirownmoodsandfeelings,andby
beingabletoneutralizeRhythm,aswehavealreadyexplained,theyareabletoescapea
greatpartoftheoperationsofCauseandEffectontheordinaryplane.Themassesof
peoplearecarriedalong,obedienttotheirenvironmentthewillsanddesiresofothers
strongerthanthemselvestheeffectofinheritedtendenciesthesuggestionsofthoseabout
themandotheroutwardcauseswhichtendtomovethemaboutonthechessboardoflife
likemerepawns.Byrisingabovetheseinfluencingcauses,theadvancedHermetistsseeka
higherplaneofmentalaction,andbydominatingtheirmoods,emotions,impulsesand
feelings,theycreateforthemselvesnewcharacters,qualitiesandpowers,bywhichthey
overcometheirordinaryenvironment,andthusbecomepracticallyplayersinsteadofmere
Pawns.Suchpeoplehelptoplaythegameoflifeunderstandingly,insteadofbeingmoved
aboutthiswayandthatwaybystrongerinfluencesandpowersandwills.Theyusethe
PrincipleofCauseandEffect,insteadofbeingusedbyit.Ofcourse,eventhehighestare
TheKybalionPage58
subjecttothePrincipleasitmanifestsonthehigherplanes,butonthelowerplanesof
activity,theyareMastersinsteadofSlaves.AsTheKybalionsays:
Thewiseonesserveonthehigher,butruleonthelower.Theyobeythelawscoming
fromabovethem,butentheirownplane,andthosebelowthem,theyruleandgiveorders.
And,yet,insodoing,theyformapartofthePrinciple,insteadofopposingit.Thewiseman
fallsinwiththeLaw,andbyunderstandingitsmovementsheoperatesitinsteadofbeingits
blindslave.Justasdoestheskilledswimmerturnthiswayandthatway,goingandcoming
ashewill,insteadofbeingasthelogwhichiscarriedhereandtheresoisthewisemanas
comparedtotheordinarymanandyetbothswimmerandlogwisemanandfool,are
subjecttoLaw.HewhounderstandsthisiswellontheroadtoMastery.
TheKybalion
.
InconclusionletusagaincallyourattentiontotheHermeticAxiom:
TrueHermeticTransmutationisaMentalArt.
TheKybalion
.
Intheaboveaxiom,theHermetiststeachthatthegreatworkofinfluencingone's
environmentisaccomplishedbyMentalPower.TheUniversebeingwhollymental,itfollows
thatitmayberuledonlybyMentality.Andinthistruthistobefoundanexplanationofallthe
phenomenaandmanifestationsofthevariousmentalpowerswhichareattractingsomuch
attentionandstudyintheseearlieryearsoftheTwentiethCentury.Backofandunderthe
teachingsofthevariouscultsandschools,remainseverconstanttheprincipleoftheMental
SubstanceoftheUniverse.IftheUniversebeMentalinitssubstantialnature,thenitfollows
thatMentalTransmutationmustchangetheconditionsandphenomenaoftheUniverse.If
theUniverseisMental,thenMindmustbethehighestpoweraffectingitsphenomena.Ifthis
beunderstoodthenallthesocalledmiraclesandwonderworkingsareseenplainlyfor
whattheyare.

THEALLisMINDTheUniverseisMental.
TheKybalion