The Kybalion
An exploration of Hermetic wisdom and universal principles.
Summary of 7 Key Points
Key Points
- The Principle of Mentalism
- The Principle of Correspondence
- The Principle of Vibration
- The Principle of Polarity
- The Principle of Rhythm
- The Principle of Cause and Effect
- The Principle of Gender
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The Principle of Mentalism
The Principle of Mentalism, a key concept in Hermetic philosophy, states that the universe is mental in nature, and the mind is the fundamental reality. This principle posits that the All (which is the substantial reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances known as the material universe) is spirit, which in itself is unknowable and undefinable, but which may be considered and thought of as a universal, infinite, living mind. This implies that all phenomena of life, matter, and energy of the material universe are thoughts of the divine mind, thus the universe itself is a mental creation of the All…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Correspondence
The Principle of Correspondence is one of the seven Hermetic principles that are detailed in ‘The Kybalion.’ This principle is encapsulated in the aphorism ‘As above, so below; as below, so above.’ This expression is meant to illustrate that there is a harmony, agreement, and correspondence between the different planes of Manifestation, Life, and Being. This idea suggests that there is a material world as well as a spiritual world and that the happenings in one plane reflect the events in another. It is through understanding this principle that one can seek to discover the hidden mysteries of Nature and reality…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Vibration
The Principle of Vibration is one of the seven Hermetic principles as discussed in ‘The Kybalion’. This principle embodies the truth that everything is in constant motion, vibrating at a particular frequency. Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates. This concept stretches from the tiniest particle to the largest star, from the material to the immaterial…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Polarity
The Principle of Polarity is a significant concept presented in the teachings of ‘The Kybalion’. It posits that everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites. This principle suggests that opposites are essentially the same, differing only in degree. It is the extremes of a scale that define the spectrum of existence for any concept, emotion, or physical phenomenon. For instance, heat and cold are not distinct entities but are different degrees on the temperature scale. The same applies to light and darkness, which are varying degrees of the same thing, with darkness merely being the absence of light…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Rhythm
The Principle of Rhythm is one of the seven Hermetic Principles as delineated in ‘The Kybalion’. This principle posits that there is a measurable flow or swing in everything in the universe, which manifests as a pendulum-like movement between two poles or extremes. This rhythm is present in the ebb and flow of nature, the rise and fall of societies, and the cycles found in economies and personal states of consciousness. It is a universal law that applies to all levels of existence, indicating that every action will initiate an equal and opposite reaction…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Cause and Effect
The Principle of Cause and Effect, as discussed in the text, articulates that nothing happens by chance or outside the Universal Laws. Every effect has a specific cause, and every cause brings about a specific effect. This principle holds that there is a reason for every event or occurrence, and that there is a chain of causation which can be followed to determine why something has happened. This chain of causation operates on all planes of existence – the physical, the mental, and the spiritual…Read&Listen More
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The Principle of Gender
The Principle of Gender is one of the seven Hermetic principles as outlined in the teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, which form the foundation for the philosophy explained in the text. This principle posits that gender exists in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; Gender manifests on all planes of existence. The idea is that gender is not solely about the sexual differences found in organic life but rather about the duality that permeates the entirety of the cosmos. This duality is seen as complementary rather than oppositional, working together to create and manifest all that is observed and experienced…Read&Listen More