Kybalion: A Study Of The Hermetic Philosophy Of Ancient Egypt And Greece

by Three Initiates

stated in The Kybalion as follows: "Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those ready for his Teaching open wide." And again: "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom." But their customary attitude has always been strictly in accordance with the other Hermetic aphorism, also in The Kybalion: "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding."

"The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding."-The Kybalion.

"Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those ready for his Teaching open wide."-The Kybalion. "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with Wisdom."-The Kybalion.

I. THE PRINCIPLE OF MENTALISM. "THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the truth that "All is Mind." It explains that THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know under the terms of "The Material Universe"; the "Phenomena of Life"; "Matter"; "Energy"; and in short, all that is apparent to our material senses) is SPIRIT, which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND.

This Principle explains the true nature of "Energy," "Power," and "Matter," and why and how all these are subordinate to the Mastery of Mind. One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: "He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on The Path to Mastery."

II. THE PRINCIPLE OF CORRESPONDENCE. "As above, so below; as below, so above."-The Kybalion This Principle embodies the truth that there is always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of Being and Life. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: "As above, so below; as below, so above." And the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of Correspondence to them we are able to understand much that would otherwise be unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation, on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe-it is an Universal Law.

III. THE PRINCIPLE OF VIBRATION. "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is in motion"; "everything vibrates"; "nothing is at rest"; facts which Modern Science endorses, and which each new scientific discovery tends to verify. And yet this Hermetic Principle was enunciated thousands of years ago, by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This Principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, result largely from varying rates of Vibration. From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of Matter, all is in vibration-the higher the vibration, the higher the position in the scale. The vibration of Spirit is at such an infinite rate of intensity and rapidity that it is practically at rest-just as a rapidly moving wheel seems to be motionless. And at the other end of the scale, there are gross forms of matter whose vibrations are so low as to seem at rest. Between these poles, there are millions upon millions of varying degrees of vibration. From corpuscle and electron, atom and molecule, to worlds and universes, everything is in vibratory motion. This is also true on the planes of energy and force (which are but varying degrees of vibration); and also on the mental planes (whose states depend upon vibrations); and even on to the spiritual planes.

"He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the sceptre of power,"

IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF POLARITY. "Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is dual"; "everything has two poles"; "everything has its pair of opposites," all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: "Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; "opposites are the same, differing only in degree"; "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled"; "extremes meet"; "everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything," etc.,

it is possible to change the vibrations of Hate to the vibrations of Love, in one's own mind, and in the minds of others.

V. THE PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM. "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, to and fro; a flow and inflow; a swing backward and forward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and low-tide; between the two poles which exist in accordance with the Principle of Polarity described a moment ago. There is always an action and a reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. This is in the affairs of the Universe, suns, worlds, men, animals, mind, energy, and matter.

VI. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT. "Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the fact that there is a Cause for every Effect; an Effect from every Cause. It explains that: "Everything Happens according to Law"; that nothing ever "merely happens"; that there is no such thing as Chance; that while there are various planes of Cause and Effect, the higher dominating the lower planes, still nothing ever entirely escapes the Law.

VII. THE PRINCIPLE OF GENDER. "Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes."-The Kybalion. This Principle embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything-the Masculine and Feminine Principles ever at work. This is true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX, on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on many a subject that has perplexed the minds of men. The Principle of Gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration, and creation. Everything, and every person, contains the two Elements or Principles, or this great Principle, within it, him or her.

III.MENTAL TRANSMUTATION "Mind (as well as metals and elements) may be transmuted, from state to state; degree to degree; condition to condition; pole to pole; vibration to vibration. True Hermetic Transmutation is a Mental Art."-The Kybalion.

The word "Transmute" means "to change from one nature, form, or substance, into another; to transform"

"Mental Transmutation" means the art of changing and transforming mental states, forms, and conditions, into others.

Mental Transmutation is the "Art of Mental Chemistry," if you like the term-a form of pr...

If the Universal is Mental in its nature, then Mental Transmutation must be the art of CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNIVERSE, along the lines of Matter, Force and Mind.

Mental Transmutation is really the "Magic"

IV.THE ALL "Under, and back of, the Universe of Time, Space and Change, is ever to be found The Substantial Reality-the Fundamental Truth."-The Kybalion.

"Substance" means: "that which underlies all outward manifestations; the essence; the essential reality; the thing in itself," etc. "Substantial" means: "actually existing; being the essential element; being real," etc. "Reality" means: "the state of being real; true, enduring; valid; fixed; permanent; actual," etc. Under and behind all outward appearances or manifestations, there must always be a Substantial Reality. This is the Law.

the law of rhythm is in constant operation-there is no reality, enduring quality, fixity, or substantiality in anything-nothing is permanent but Change.

Nothing endures but Change.

"THAT which is the Fundamental Truth-the Substantial Reality-is beyond true naming, but the Wise Men call it THE ALL. "-The Kybalion. "In its Essence, THE ALL is UNKNOWABLE."-The Kybalion. "But, the report of Reason must be hospitably received, and treated with respect."-The Kybalion.

1. THE ALL must be ALL that REALLY IS. There can be nothing existing outside of THE ALL, else THE ALL would not be THE ALL.

2. THE ALL must be INFINITE, for is nothing else to define, confine, bound, limit or restrict THE ALL It must be Infinite in Time, or ETERNAL-it must have always continuously existed, for there is nothing else to have ever created it, and something can never evolve from nothing, and if it had ever "not been," even for a moment, it would not "be" now,-it must continuously exist forever, for there is nothing to destroy it, and it can never "not-be," even for a moment, because something can never become nothing. It must be Infinite in Space-it must be Everywhere, for there is no place outside of THE ALL-it cannot be otherwise than continuous in Space, without break, cessation, separation, or interruption, for there is nothing to break, separate, or interrupt its continuity, and nothing with which to "fill in the gaps." It must be Infinite in Power, or Absolute, for there is nothing to limit, restrict, restrain, confine, disturb or condition it-it is subject to no other Power, for there is no other Power.

3. THE ALL must be IMMUTABLE, or not subject to change in its real nature, for there is nothing to work changes upon it; nothing into which it could change, nor from which it could have changed. It cannot be added to nor subtracted from; increased nor diminished; nor become greater or lesser in any respect whatsoever. It must have always been, and must always remain, just what it is now-THE ALL-there has never been, is not now, and never will be, anything else into which it can change.

THE ALL being Infinite, Absolute, Eternal and Unchangeable it must follow that anything finite, changeable, fleeting, and conditioned cannot be THE ALL. And as there is Nothing outside of THE ALL, in Reality, then any and all such finite things must be as Nothing in Reality.

Modern Science informs us that there is really no such thing as Matter-that what we call Matter is merely "interrupted energy or force," that is, energy or force at a low rate of vibration. As a recent writer has said "Matter has melted into Mystery." Even Material Science has abandoned the theory of Matter, and now rests on the basis of "Energy."

"But what kind of Life and Mind do you mean?" you ask. The answer is "LIVING MIND, as far above that which mortals know by those words, as Life and Mind are higher than mechanical forces, or matter-IN FINITE LIVING MIND as compared to finite Life and Mind." We mean that which the illumined souls mean when they reverently pronounce the word: "SPIRIT!" "THE ALL" is Infinite Living Mind-the Illumined call it SPIRIT!

V.THE MENTAL UNIVERSE "The Universe is Mental-held in the Mind of THE ALL."-The Kybalion.

But what is Spirit? This question cannot be answered, for the reason that its definition is practically that of THE ALL, which cannot be explained or defined. Spirit is simply a name that men give to the highest conception of Infinite Living Mind-it means "the Real Essence"-it means Living Mind, as much superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior to mechanical Energy and Matter. Spirit transcends our understanding, and we use the term merely that we may think or speak of THE ALL.

What is the Universe?

THE ALL create Universes in its own Mentality.

THE ALL is the creation of an Infinite.

THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL IT CONTAINS, IS A MENTAL CREATION OF THE ALL. Verily, indeed, ALL IS MIND!

"THE ALL creates in its Infinite Mind countless Universes, which exist for aeons of Time-and yet, to THE ALL, the creation, development, decline and death of a million Universes is as the time of the twinkling of an eye."- The Kybalion.'

"The Infinite Mind -of THE ALL is the womb of Universes."-The Kybalion.

"Gender" does not mean "Sex"-sex is merely a material manifestation of gender. "Gender" means "relating to generation or creation." And wherever anything is generated or created, on any plane, the Principle of Gender must be manifested. And this is true even in the creation of Universes.

the Illumined.

What/who is the illumined?

the Illumined-those who have advanced well along The Path.

"Within the Father-Mother Mind, mortal children are at home."-The Kybalion.

"There is not one who is Fatherless, nor Motherless in the Universe"-The Kybalion.

VI.THE DIVINE PARADOX "The half-wise, recognizing the comparative unreality of the Universe, imagine that they may defy its Laws-such are vain and presumptuous fools, and they are broken against the rocks and torn asunder by the elements by reason of their folly. The truly wise, knowing the nature of the Universe, use Law against laws; the higher against the lower; and by the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into that which is worthy, and thus triumph. Mastery consists not in abnormal dreams, visions and fantastic imaginings or living, but in using the higher forces against the lower-escaping the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher. Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the Master."-The Kybalion.

the Paradox of the Universe, resulting from the Principle of Polarity which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create-hearken to it for it points the difference between half-wisdom and wisdom. While to THE INFINITE ALL, the Universe, its Laws, its Powers, its Life, its Phenomena, are as things witnessed in the state of Meditation or Dream; yet to all that is Finite, the Universe must be treated as Real, and life, and action, and thought, must be based thereupon, accordingly, although with an ever understanding of the Higher Truth. Each according to its own Plane and Laws.

Keep your mind ever on the Star, but let your eyes watch over your footsteps, lest you fall into the mire by reason of your upward gaze. Remember the Divine Paradox, that while the Universe IS NOT, still IT IS. Remember ever the Two Poles of Truth-the Absolute and the Relative. Beware of Half-Truths.

From the Absolute viewpoint, of course, the Universe is in the nature of an illusion, a dream, a phantasmagoria, as compared to THE ALL in itself.

From the Absolute point of view, there is nothing Real except THE ALL, no matter what terms we may use in thinking of, or discussing the subject. Whether the Universe be created of Matter, or whether it be a Mental Creation in the Mind of THE ALL-it is unsubstantial, non-enduring, a thing of time, space and change.

The Laws of the Universe are none the less "Iron Laws" because of the mental nature. All, except THE ALL, are bound by them.

"THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental-held in the Mind of THE ALL."