Kybalion: A Study Of The Hermetic Philosophy Of Ancient Egypt … A Study Of... · 2020-03-20 ·...

KYBALION: A

STUDY OF THE

HERMETIC

PHILOSOPHY OF

ANCIENT EGYPT

AND GREECEBY

THREE INITIATES

"THELIPSOFWISDOMARE

CLOSED,EXCEPTTOTHEEARSOFUNDERSTANDING"

TOHERMESTRISMEGISTUSKNOWNBYTHEANCIENTEGYPTIANSAS"THEGREATGREAT"AND"MASTEROF

MASTERS"THISLITTLEVOLUMEOFHERMETICTEACHINGSISREVERENTLYDEDICATED

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTERI.THEHERMETICPHILOSOPHY

CHAPTERII.THESEVENHERMETICPRINCIPLES

CHAPTERIII.MENTALTRANSMUTATION

CHAPTERIV.THEALL

CHAPTERV.THEMENTALUNIVERSE

CHAPTERVI.THEDIVINEPARADOX

CHAPTERVII."THEALL"INALL

CHAPTERVIII.THEPLANESOFCORRESPONDENCE

CHAPTERIX.VIBRATION

CHAPTERX.POLARITY

CHAPTERXI.RHYTHM

CHAPTERXII.CAUSATION

CHAPTERXIII.GENDER

CHAPTERXIV.MENTALGENDER

CHAPTERXV.HERMETICAXIOMS

Kybalion:AStudyOfTheHermeticPhilosophyOfAncientEgyptAndGreeceByThreeInitiates

INTRODUCTION

We take great pleasure in presenting tothe attention of students andinvestigatorsoftheSecretDoctrinesthislittle work based upon the world-oldHermetic Teachings. There has been solittle written upon this subject,notwithstandingthecountlessreferencestotheTeachingsinthemanyworksuponoccultism, that the many earnestsearchers after the Arcane Truths willdoubtlesswelcometheappearanceofthepresentvolume.

The purpose of this work is not theenunciationofanyspecialphilosophyordoctrine, but rather is to give to thestudents a statement of the Truth thatwill serve to reconcile the many bits ofoccult knowledge that they may haveacquired, but which are apparentlyopposed to each other and which oftenserve to discourage and disgust thebeginnerinthestudy.Ourintentisnottoerect a new Temple of Knowledge, butrathertoplaceinthehandsofthestudenta Master-Key with which he may openthe many inner doors in the Temple ofMysterythroughthemainportalshehasalreadyentered.

There is no portion of the occult

teachingspossessedby theworldwhichhave been so closely guarded as thefragments of the Hermetic Teachingswhich have come down to us over thetens of centuries which have elapsedsince the lifetime of its great founder,Hermes Trismegistus, the "scribe of thegods,"whodweltinoldEgyptinthedayswhenthepresentraceofmenwas in itsinfancy. Contemporary with Abraham,and, if the legendsbe true,an instructorof thatvenerablesage,Hermeswas,andis, the Great Central Sun of Occultism,whose rays have served to illumine thecountless teachings which have beenpromulgated since his time. All thefundamental and basic teachingsembedded in the esoteric teachings of

everyracemaybetracedbacktoHermes.EventhemostancientteachingsofIndiaundoubtedly have their roots in theoriginalHermeticTeachings.

From the land of the Ganges manyadvancedoccultistswanderedtothelandofEgypt,andsatatthefeetoftheMaster.Fromhimtheyobtained theMaster-Keywhich explained and reconciled theirdivergent views, and thus the SecretDoctrinewasfirmlyestablished.

Fromother lands also came the learnedones,allofwhomregardedHermesastheMasterofMasters,andhisinfluencewasso great that in spite of the manywanderingsfromthepathonthepartof

the centuries of teachers in thesedifferentlands,theremaystillbefoundacertain basic resemblance andcorrespondence which underlies themanyandoftenquitedivergent theoriesentertained and taught by the occultistsof these different lands today. ThestudentofComparativeReligionswillbeable to perceive the influence of theHermetic Teachings in every religionworthyofthename,nowknowntoman,whetheritbeadeadreligionoroneinfullvigorinourowntimes.Thereisalwaysacertain correspondence in spite of thecontradictoryfeatures,andtheHermeticTeachingsactastheGreatReconciler.

The lifework of Hermes seems to have

beeninthedirectionofplantingthegreatSeed- Truth which has grown andblossomed in so many strange forms,rather than to establish a school ofphilosophy which would dominate theworld's thought. But, nevertheless, theoriginal truths taught by himhave beenkept intact in their original purity by afewmenineachage,who,refusinggreatnumbersof half-developed students andfollowers, followedtheHermeticcustomandreservedtheirtruthforthefewwhowerereadytocomprehendandmasterit.Fromliptoearthetruthhasbeenhandeddownamongthefew.TherehavealwaysbeenafewInitiatesineachgeneration,inthevarious landsof theearth,whokeptalive the sacred flame of the Hermetic

Teachings, and such have always beenwilling touse their lamps to re-light thelesser lamps of the outsideworld,whenthe lightof truthgrewdim, and cloudedbyreasonofneglect,andwhenthewicksbecamecloggedwithforeignmatter.

Therewerealwaysafewtotendfaithfullythe altar of the Truth, upon which waskept alight the Perpetual Lamp ofWisdom. Thesemen devoted their livestothelaboroflovewhichthepoethassowellstatedinhislines:

"0, let not the flame die out! Cherishedageafterageinitsdarkcavern–initsholytemplescherished.Fedbypureministersoflove–letnottheflamedieout!"

These men have never sought popularapproval,nornumbersoffollowers.Theyare indifferent to these things, for theyknow how few there are in eachgenerationwhoarereadyforthetruth,orwho would recognize it if it werepresented to them. They reserve the"strong meat for men," while othersfurnishthe"milkforbabes."Theyreservetheirpearlsofwisdom for the fewelect,whorecognizetheirvalueandwhowearthem in their crowns, instead of castingthem before the materialistic vulgarswine, who would trample them in themudandmixthemwiththeirdisgustingmental food. But still these men havenever forgotten or overlooked the

original teachings of Hermes, regardingthe passing on of the words of truth tothosereadytoreceiveit,whichteachingis stated in The Kybalion as follows:"Where fall the footsteps of the Master,theearsof those ready forhisTeachingopenwide."Andagain:"Whentheearsofthe student are ready to hear, thencomeththelipstofillthemwithwisdom."But their customary attitudehas alwaysbeenstrictlyinaccordancewiththeotherHermeticaphorism,alsoinTheKybalion:"ThelipsofWisdomareclosed,excepttotheearsofUnderstanding."

TherearethosewhohavecriticisedthisattitudeoftheHermetists,andwhohaveclaimed that they did not manifest the

proper spirit in their policy of seclusionand reticence. But a moment's glancebackoverthepagesofhistorywillshowthewisdomoftheMasters,whoknewthefollyofattempting to teach to theworldthatwhichitwasneitherreadyorwillingto receive. The Hermetists have neversought tobemartyrs, andhave, instead,satsilentlyasidewithapityingsmileontheir closed lips, while the "heathenraged noisily about them" in theircustomary amusement of putting todeath and torture the honest butmisguided enthusiasts who imaginedthat they could force upon a race ofbarbarians the truth capable of beingunderstood only by the elect who hadadvancedalongThePath.

And the spirit of persecution has not asyetdiedoutintheland.TherearecertainHermetic Teachings, which, if publiclypromulgated,wouldbringdownupontheteachers a great cry of scorn andrevilement from the multitude, whowould again raise the cry of "Crucify!Crucify."

Inthislittleworkwehaveendeavoredtogive you an idea of the fundamentalteachings of The Kybalion, striving togive you theworking Principles, leavingyoutoapplythemyourselves,ratherthanattempting to work out the teaching indetail. Ifyouarea truestudent,youwillbe able to work out and apply these

Principles—ifnot,thenyoumustdevelopyourself into one, for otherwise theHermetic Teachings will be as "words,words,words"toyou.

THETHREEINITIATES.


CHAPTER I. THEHERMETIC PHILOSOPHY

"The lips of wisdom are closed, except totheearsofUnderstanding."-TheKybalion.

From old Egypt have come thefundamental esoteric and occultteachings which have so stronglyinfluenced the philosophies of all races,nationsandpeoples,forseveralthousandyears. Egypt, the home of the PyramidsandtheSphinx,wasthebirthplaceoftheHidden Wisdom and Mystic Teachings.FromherSecretDoctrineallnationshave

borrowed. India, Persia, Chaldea,Medea,China,Japan,Assyria,ancientGreeceandRome, and other ancient countriespartook liberally at the feast ofknowledge which the Hierophants andMasters of the Land of Isis so freelyprovidedforthosewhocamepreparedtopartake of the great store ofMystic andOccult Lore which the master-minds ofthatancientlandhadgatheredtogether.

In ancient Egypt dwelt the great Adeptsand Masters who have never beensurpassed, and who seldom have beenequaled, during the centuries that havetaken their processional flight since thedays of the Great Hermes. In EgyptwaslocatedtheGreatLodgeofLodgesofthe

Mystics. At the doors of her TemplesenteredtheNeophyteswhoafterward,asHierophants, Adepts, and Masters,traveledtothefourcornersoftheearth,carrying with them the preciousknowledge which they were ready,anxious, andwilling to pass on to thosewhowere ready to receive thesame.AllstudentsoftheOccultrecognizethedebtthattheyowetothesevenerableMastersofthatancientland.

ButamongthesegreatMastersofAncientEgypt there once dwelt one of whomMasters hailed as "The Master ofMasters." This man, if "man" indeed hewas, dwelt in Egypt in the earliest days.Hewas known asHermesTrismegistus.

HewasthefatheroftheOccultWisdom;the founder of Astrology; the discovererof Alchemy. The details of his life storyare lost tohistory,owing to the lapseofthe years, though several of the ancientcountries disputed with each other intheir claims to the honor of havingfurnished his birthplace-and thisthousands of years ago. The date of hissojourn in Egypt, in that his lastincarnation on this planet, is not nowknown,but ithasbeenfixedattheearlydaysoftheoldestdynastiesofEgypt-longbefore the days of Moses. The bestauthorities regard him as acontemporary of Abraham, and some oftheJewishtraditionsgosofarastoclaimthat Abraham acquired a portion of his

mysticknowledgefromHermeshimself.

As the years rolled by after his passingfrom this plane of life (traditionrecording that he lived three hundredyears inthe flesh), theEgyptiansdeifiedHermes,andmadehimoneoftheirgods,underthenameofThoth.Yearsafter,thepeopleofAncientGreecealsomadehimone of their many gods-calling him"Hermes, the god of Wisdom." TheEgyptiansreveredhismemory formanycenturies-yes, tens of centuries-.callinghim "the Scribe of the Gods," andbestowing upon him, distinctively, hisancient title, "Trismegistus," whichmeans ''the thrice-great"; "the great-great";"thegreatest-great";etc.Inallthe

ancient lands, the name of HermesTrismegistus was revered, the namebeing synonymous with the "Fount ofWisdom."

Even to this day, we use the term"hermetic" in the sense of "secret";"sealedsothatnothingcanescape";etc.,and this by reason of the fact that thefollowersofHermesalwaysobservedtheprinciple of secrecy in their teachings.They did not believe in "casting pearlsbefore swine," but rather held to theteaching"milkforbabes;meatforstrongmen,"bothofwhichmaximsarefamiliartoreadersoftheChristianscriptures,butboth of which had been used by theEgyptians for centuries before the

Christianera.

And this policy of careful disseminationofthetruthhasalwayscharacterizedtheHermetics, even unto the present day.TheHermeticTeachingsaretobe foundinalllands,amongallreligions,butneveridentified with any particular country,nor with any particular religious sect.This because of the warning of theancient teachers against allowing theSecret Doctrine to become crystallizedintoacreed.Thewisdomofthiscautionisapparenttoallstudentsofhistory.Theancient occultism of India and Persiadegenerated,andwas largely lost,owingto the fact that the teachers becamepriests, and somixed theologywith the

philosophy, the result being that theoccultism of India and Persia has beengradually lost amidst the mass ofreligious superstition, cults, creeds and"gods."SoitwaswithAncientGreeceandRome. So it was with the HermeticTeachings of the Gnostics and EarlyChristians,whichwerelostatthetimeofConstantine,whoseironhandsmotheredphilosophywith theblanketof theology,losingtotheChristianChurchthatwhichwas its very essence and spirit, andcausing it to grope throughout severalcenturiesbeforeitfoundthewaybacktoitsancientfaith,theindicationsapparenttoallcarefulobserversinthisTwentiethCentury being that the Church is nowstruggling to get back to its ancient

mysticteachings.

Buttherewerealwaysafewfaithfulsoulswho kept alive the Flame, tending itcarefully, and not allowing its light tobecome extinguished. And thanks tothesestaunchhearts,andfearlessminds,we have the truth stillwith us. But it isnotfoundinbooks,toanygreatextent.Ithas been passed along from Master toStudent; from Initiate to Hierophant;fromliptoear.Whenitwaswrittendownatall, itsmeaningwasveiledintermsofalchemyandastrology,sothatonlythosepossessing the key could read it aright.This was made necessary in order toavoidthepersecutionsofthetheologiansoftheMiddleAges,whofoughttheSecret

Doctrine with fire and sword; stake,gibbet and cross. Even to this day therewill be found but few reliable books ontheHermeticPhilosophy,althoughthereare countless references to it in manybooks written on various phases ofOccultism. And yet, the HermeticPhilosophyistheonlyMasterKeywhichwill open all the doors of the OccultTeachings!

Intheearlydays,therewasacompilationof certain Basic Hermetic Doctrines,passedonfromteachertostudent,whichwas known as "THE KYBALION," theexact significance and meaning of theterm having been lost for severalcenturies. This teaching, however, is

known to many to whom it hasdescended,frommouthtoear,onandonthroughout the centuries. Its preceptshave never been written down, orprinted,sofarasweknow.Itwasmerelya collection of maxims, axioms, andprecepts, which were non-understandable to outsiders, but whichwere readily understood by students,after the axioms, maxims, and preceptshad been explained and exemplified bythe Hermetic Initiates to theirNeophytes. These teachings reallyconstituted the basic principles of "TheArt of Hermetic Alchemy," which,contrarytothegeneralbelief,dealtinthemastery of Mental Forces, rather thanMaterial Elements-the Transmutation of

onekindofMentalVibrationsintoothers.instead of the changing of one kind ofmetal into another. The legends of the"Philosopher's Stone" which would turnbase metal into Gold, was an allegoryrelating to Hermetic Philosophy, readilyunderstood by all students of trueHermeticism.

In this little book, of which this is theFirst Lesson, we invite our students toexamineintotheHermeticTeachings,asset forth in THE KYBALION, and asexplainedbyourselves,humblestudentsoftheTeachings,who,whilebearingthetitle of Initiates, are still students at thefeet of HERMES, the Master. We hereingiveyoumanyofthemaxims,axiomsand

preceptsofTHEKYBALION,accompaniedby explanations and illustrations whichwe deem likely to render the teachingsmore easily comprehended by themodern student, particularly as theoriginal text is purposely veiled inobscureterms.

The original maxims, axioms, andpreceptsof"THEKYBALIDN"areprintedherein, in quotation marks, the propercredit being given. Our own work isprintedintheregularway,inthebodyofthe work. We trust that the manystudentstowhomwenowofferthislittleworkwillderiveasmuchbenefitfromthestudyofitspagesashavethemanywhohave gone on before, treading the same

PathtoMasterythroughoutthecenturiesthat have passed since the times ofHERMES TRISMEGISTUS-the Master ofMasters-theGreat-Great. In thewordsof"THEKYBALION":

"WherefallthefootstepsoftheMaster,theearsof those ready forhisTeachingopenwide."-TheKybalion.

"Whentheearsofthestudentarereadytohear,thencomeththelipstofillthemwithWisdom."-TheKybalion.

So that according to the Teachings, thepassage of this book to those ready forthe instructionwill attract the attentionof such as are prepared to receive the

Teaching.And,likewise,whenthepupilisready to receive the truth, thenwill thislittle book come to him, or her. Such isTheLaw.TheHermeticPrincipleofCauseand Effect, in its aspect of The Law ofAttraction, will bring lips and eartogether-pupil and book in company. Somoteitbe!


CHAPTER II.THE SEVENHERMETIC PRINCIPLES

"ThePrinciplesofTruthareSeven;hewhoknows these, understandingly, possessestheMagicKeybeforewhose touchall theDoors of the Temple fly open."-TheKybalion.

The Seven Hermetic Principles, uponwhich theentireHermeticPhilosophy isbased,areasfollows:

I.THEPRINCIPLEOFMENTALISM.II. THE PRINCIPLE OF

CORRESPONDENCE.III.THEPRINCIPLEOFVIBRATION.IV.THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLARITY.V.THEPRINCIPLEOFRHYTHM.VI. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE ANDEFFECT.VII.THEPRINCIPLEOFGENDER.

TheseSevenPrincipleswillbediscussedandexplainedasweproceedwith theselessons. A short explanation of each,however, may as well be given at thispoint.

I.THEPRINCIPLEOFMENTALISM.

"THE ALL is MIND; The Universe isMental."-TheKybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that"All is Mind." It explains that THE ALL(which is the Substantial Realityunderlying all the outwardmanifestations and appearances whichwe know under the terms of "TheMaterial Universe"; the "Phenomena ofLife";"Matter";"Energy";andinshort,allthat is apparent to ourmaterial senses)is SPIRIT, which in itself isUNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, butwhichmaybeconsideredandthoughtofas AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVINGMIND. It also explains that all thephenomenalworldoruniverse is simplyaMentalCreationofTHEALL,subjecttotheLawsofCreatedThings,andthatthe

universe, as awhole, and in its parts orunits, has its existence in the Mind ofTHE ALL, in which Mind we "live andmoveandhaveourbeing."ThisPrinciple,byestablishing theMentalNatureof theUniverse,easilyexplainsallofthevariedmental and psychic phenomena thatoccupysuchalargeportionofthepublicattention, and which, without suchexplanation,arenon-understandableanddefy scientific treatment. Anunderstanding of this great HermeticPrinciple of Mentalism enables theindividualtoreadilygraspthelawsoftheMentalUniverse,andtoapplythesametohis well-being and advancement. TheHermetic Student is enabled to applyintelligently the great Mental Laws,

instead of using them in a haphazardmanner. With the Master-Key in hispossession, the student may unlock themany doors of the mental and psychictempleofknowledge,andenterthesamefreely and intelligently. This Principleexplains the true nature of "Energy,""Power,"and"Matter,"andwhyandhowall theseare subordinate to theMasteryofMind.OneoftheoldHermeticMasterswrote,longagesago:"Hewhograspsthetruth of the Mental Nature of theUniverseiswelladvancedonThePathtoMastery."Andthesewordsareastrueto-dayasatthetimetheywerefirstwritten.Without this Master-Key, Mastery isimpossible, and the student knocks invainatthemanydoorsofTheTemple.

II. THE PRINCIPLE OFCORRESPONDENCE.

"Asabove, sobelow;asbelow, soabove."-TheKybalion

This Principle embodies the truth thatthere is always a CorrespondencebetweenthelawsandphenomenaofthevariousplanesofBeingandLife.TheoldHermetic axiomran in thesewords: "Asabove,sobelow;asbelow,soabove."Andthe grasping of this Principle gives onethe means of solving many a darkparadox, and hidden secret of Nature.There are planes beyond our knowing,but when we apply the Principle of

Correspondence to themwe are able tounderstand much that would otherwisebeunknowabletous.ThisPrincipleisofuniversal application andmanifestation,on the various planes of the material,mental, and spiritual universe-it is anUniversal Law. The ancient Hermetistsconsidered this Principle as one of themost important mental instruments bywhich man was able to pry aside theobstacles which hid from view theUnknown.ItsuseeventoreasidetheVeilofIsistotheextentthataglimpseofthefaceofthegoddessmightbecaught.Justas a knowledge of the Principles ofGeometry enables man to measuredistantsunsandtheirmovements,whileseatedinhisobservatory,soaknowledge

of the Principle of CorrespondenceenablesMantoreason intelligently fromtheKnowntotheUnknown.Studyingthemonad,heunderstandsthearchangel.

III.THEPRINCIPLEOFVIBRATION.

"Nothing rests; everything moves;everythingvibrates."-TheKybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that"everything is in motion"; "everythingvibrates";"nothingisatrest";factswhichModern Science endorses, and whicheach new scientific discovery tends toverify. And yet this Hermetic Principlewas enunciated thousands of years ago,by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This

Principle explains that the differencesbetween different manifestations ofMatter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit,result largely from varying rates ofVibration.FromTHEALL,which isPureSpirit, down to the grossest form ofMatter, all is in vibration-the higher thevibration, the higher the position in thescale.ThevibrationofSpiritisatsuchaninfiniterateofintensityandrapiditythatit is practically at rest-just as a rapidlymoving wheel seems to be motionless.And at the other end of the scale, thereare gross forms of matter whosevibrationsareso lowastoseematrest.Between these poles, there are millionsupon millions of varying degrees ofvibration. From corpuscle and electron,

atom and molecule, to worlds anduniverses, everything is in vibratorymotion.Thisisalsotrueontheplanesofenergyand force (whicharebutvaryingdegrees of vibration); and also on themental planes (whose states dependupon vibrations); and even on to thespiritualplanes.AnunderstandingofthisPrinciple,withtheappropriateformulas,enables Hermetic students to controltheir own mental vibrations as well asthose of others. The Masters also applythis Principle to the conquering ofNaturalphenomena,invariousways."Hewho understands the Principle ofVibration, has grasped the sceptre ofpower,"saysoneoftheoldwriters.

IV.THEPRINCIPLEOFPOLARITY.

"Everything isDual; everythinghas poles;everything has its pair of opposites; likeand unlike are the same; opposites areidenticalinnature,butdifferentindegree;extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths;all paradoxesmaybe reconciled."-TheKybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that"everythingisdual";"everythinghastwopoles"; "everything has its pair ofopposites," all of which were oldHermetic axioms. It explains the oldparadoxes,thathaveperplexedsomany,which have been stated as follows:"Thesis and antithesis are identical in

nature, but different in degree";"oppositesarethesame,differingonlyindegree"; "the pairs of oppositesmay bereconciled"; "extremes meet";"everything is and isn't, at the sametime"; "all truths are but half-truths";"everytruthishalf-false";"therearetwosides to everything," etc., etc., etc. Itexplainsthatineverythingtherearetwopoles, or opposite aspects, and that"opposites" are really only the twoextremes of the same thing, with manyvarying degrees between them Toillustrate: Heat and Cold, although"opposites,"arereallythesamething,thedifferences consistingmerelyofdegreesof the same thing. Look at yourthermometerandseeifyoucandiscover

where "heat" terminates and "cold"begins! There is no such thing as"absolute heat" or "absolute cold"-thetwo terms "heat" and "cold" simplyindicate varying degrees of the samething, and that "same thing" whichmanifestsas"heat"and"cold"ismerelyaform, variety, and rate of Vibration. So"heat" and "cold" are simply the "twopoles" of that which we call "Heat"-andthephenomenaattendantthereuponaremanifestations of the Principle ofPolarity.Thesameprinciplemanifestsinthe case of "Light and Darkness,"whichare the same thing, the differenceconsisting of varying degrees betweenthe twopoles of thephenomena.Wheredoes "darkness" leave off, and "light"

begin? What is the difference between"Large and Small"? Between "Hard andSoft"? Between "Black and White"?Between "Sharp and Dull"? Between"Noise and Quiet"? Between "High andLow"?Between"PositiveandNegative"?The Principle of Polarity explains theseparadoxes, and no other Principle cansupersede it. The same PrincipleoperatesontheMentalPlane.Letustakea radical and extreme example that of"Love and Hate," two mental statesapparentlytotallydifferent.AndyettherearedegreesofHateanddegreesofLove,and amiddle point inwhichweuse theterms"LikeorDislike,"whichshadeintoeach other so gradually that sometimeswe are at a loss to know whether we

"like"or"dislike"or"neither."Andallaresimplydegreesofthesamething,asyouwill see if youwill but think amoment.And, more than this (and considered ofmoreimportancebytheHermetists),itispossibletochangethevibrationsofHateto the vibrations of Love, in one's ownmind,andinthemindsofothers.Manyofyou, who read these lines, have hadpersonal experiences of the involuntaryrapid transition from Love to Hate, andthereverse,inyourowncaseandthatofothers.Andyouwillthereforerealizethepossibilityofthisbeingaccomplishedbythe use of the Will, by means of theHermetic formulas. "Good and Evil" arebut thepolesof the same thing, and theHermetist understands the art of

transmutingEvil intoGood,bymeansofanapplicationofthePrincipleofPolarity.In short, the "Art of Polarization"becomes a phase of "Mental Alchemy"knownandpracticedby theancient andmodern Hermetic Masters. AnunderstandingofthePrinciplewillenableonetochangehisownPolarity,aswellasthatofothers, ifhewilldevote the timeandstudynecessarytomastertheart.

V.THEPRINCIPLEOFRHYTHM.

"Everything flows, out and in; everythinghas its tides; all things rise and fall; thependulum-swing manifests in everything;themeasureoftheswingtotherightisthemeasure of the swing to the left; rhythm

compensates."-TheKybalion.

ThisPrincipleembodiesthetruththatineverything there is manifested ameasuredmotion, toand fro;a flowandinflow;aswingbackwardandforward;apendulum-likemovement;atide-likeebband flow; a high-tide and low-tide;between the two poles which exist inaccordancewiththePrincipleofPolaritydescribedamomentago.Thereisalwaysanactionandareaction;anadvanceandaretreat;arisingandasinking.Thisisintheaffairsof theUniverse, suns,worlds,men, animals,mind, energy, andmatter.This law ismanifest in the creation anddestructionofworlds;intheriseandfallof nations; in the life of all things; and

finallyinthementalstatesofMan(anditiswiththislatterthattheHermetistsfindthe understanding of the Principlemostimportant).TheHermetistshavegraspedthis Principle, finding its universalapplication, and have also discoveredcertainmeans toovercome itseffects inthemselvesbytheuseoftheappropriateformulas and methods. They apply theMental Law of Neutralization. TheycannotannulthePrinciple,orcauseittoceaseitsoperation,buttheyhavelearnedhow to escape its effects uponthemselvestoacertaindegreedependingupon theMastery of the Principle. Theyhave learned how to USE it, instead ofbeing USED BY it. In this and similarmethods, consist the Art of the

Hermetists. The Master of Hermeticspolarizeshimselfatthepointatwhichhedesires to rest, and thenneutralizes theRhythmic swing of the pendulumwhichwouldtendtocarryhimtotheotherpole.All individuals who have attained anydegreeofSelf-Masterydothistoacertaindegree, more or less unconsciously, buttheMasterdoesthisconsciously,andbytheuseofhisWill,andattainsadegreeofPoise and Mental Firmness almostimpossible of belief on the part of themasses who are swung backward andforward like a pendulum. This Principleand that of Polarity have been closelystudied by the Hermetists, and themethods of counteracting, neutralizing,andUSINGthemforman importantpart

oftheHermeticMentalAlchemy.

VI. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE ANDEFFECT.

"EveryCausehasitsEffect;everyEffecthasitsCause;everythinghappensaccordingtoLaw; Chance is but a name for Law notrecognized; there are many planes ofcausation,butnothingescapestheLaw."-TheKybalion.

This Principle embodies the fact thatthereisaCauseforeveryEffect;anEffectfrom every Cause. It explains that:"EverythingHappensaccording toLaw";thatnothingever"merelyhappens";thatthere is no such thing as Chance; that

while there are various planes of Causeand Effect, the higher dominating thelower planes, still nothing ever entirelyescapes the Law. The Hermetistsunderstandtheartandmethodsofrisingabove the ordinary plane of Cause andEffect, to a certain degree, and bymentally rising to a higher plane theybecome Causers instead of Effects. Themasses of people are carried along,obedient to environment; the wills anddesires of others stronger thanthemselves; heredity; suggestion; andother outward causes moving themabout like pawns on the Chessboard ofLife.But theMasters, rising to theplaneabove,dominatetheirmoods,characters,qualities, and powers, as well as the

environment surrounding them, andbecome Movers instead of pawns. TheyhelptoPLAYTHEGAMEOFLIFE,insteadof being played and moved about byother wills and environment. They USEthe Principle instead of being its tools.The Masters obey the Causation of thehigherplanes, but theyhelp toRULEontheirownplane.Inthisstatementthereiscondensed a wealth of Hermeticknowledge-lethimreadwhocan.

VII.THEPRINCIPLEOFGENDER.

"Genderisineverything;everythinghasitsMasculineandFemininePrinciples;Gendermanifestsonallplanes."-TheKybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth thatthere is GENDER manifested ineverything-the Masculine and FemininePrinciples ever atwork. This is true notonly of the Physical Plane, but of theMentalandeventheSpiritualPlanes.Onthe Physical Plane, the PrinciplemanifestsasSEX,onthehigherplanesittakes higher forms, but the Principle isever the same. No creation, physical,mental or spiritual, is possible withoutthis Principle. An understanding of itslawswill throw light onmany a subjectthathasperplexedthemindsofmen.ThePrinciple of Gender works ever in thedirection of generation, regeneration,and creation. Everything, and everyperson, contains the two Elements or

Principles,or thisgreatPrinciple,withinit, him or her. EveryMale thing has theFemale Element also; every Femalecontains also the Male Principle. If youwould understand the philosophy ofMental and Spiritual Creation,Generation,andRe-generation,youmustunderstand and study this HermeticPrinciple.Itcontainsthesolutionofmanymysteries of Life. We caution you thatthis Principle has no reference to themany base, pernicious and degradinglustful theories, teachings and practices,whicharetaughtunderfancifultitles,andwhich are a prostitution of the greatnatural principle of Gender. Such baserevivalsoftheancientinfamousformsofPhallicism tend to ruin mind, body and

soul, and the Hermetic Philosophy hasever sounded the warning note againstthese degraded teachings which tendtoward lust, licentiousness, andperversion of Nature's principles. if youseek such teachings, you must goelsewhere for them-Hermeticismcontains nothing for you along theselines.To thepure,all thingsarepure; tothebase,allthingsarebase.


CHAPTER III.MENTALTRANSMUTATION

"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. TrueHermeticTransmutationisaMentalArt."-TheKybalion.

Aswe have stated, theHermetistswerethe original alchemists, astrologers, andpsychologists, Hermes having been thefounderoftheseschoolsofthought.Fromastrologybasgrownmodernastronomy;

from alchemy has grown modernchemistry; from the mystic psychologyhasgrownthemodernpsychologyoftheschools.Butitmustnotbesupposedthattheancientswereignorantofthatwhichthemodern schools suppose to be theirexclusive and special property. Therecords engraved on the stones ofAncientEgyptshowconclusivelythattheancients had a full comprehensiveknowledge of astronomy, the verybuilding of the Pyramids showing theconnectionbetweentheirdesignandthestudyof astronomical science.Norwerethey ignorant of Chemistry, for thefragments of the ancient writings showthat they were acquainted with thechemicalpropertiesofthings;infact,the

ancient theories regarding physics arebeing slowly verified by the latestdiscoveries of modern science, notablythose relating to the constitution ofmatter. Nor must it be supposed thatthey were ignorant of the so-calledmoderndiscoveriesinpsychology-onthecontrary, the Egyptians were especiallyskilled in the science of Psychology,particularly in the branches that themodern schools ignore, but which,nevertheless,arebeinguncoveredunderthe name of "psychic science" which isperplexing the psychologists of today,andmaking them reluctantly admit that"theremaybesomethinginitafterall."

The truth is, that beneath the material

chemistry, astronomy and psychology(that is, the psychology in its phase of"brain-action"),theancientspossessedaknowledgeof transcendentalastronomy,called astrology; of transcendentalchemistry, called alchemy; oftranscendentalpsychology,calledmysticpsychology. They possessed the InnerKnowledge as well as the OuterKnowledge, the latter alone beingpossessed bymodern scientists. Amongthemany secret branches of knowledgepossessed by the Hermetists, was thatknown as Mental Transmutation, whichformsthesubjectmatterofthislesson.

"Transmutation" is a term usuallyemployedtodesignatetheancientartof

the transmutation ofmetals-particularlyof the base metals into gold. The word"Transmute"means"tochangefromonenature, form,orsubstance, intoanother;to transform" (Webster). Andaccordingly, "Mental Transmutation"means the art of changing andtransforming mental states, forms, andconditions, into others. So youmay seethatMentalTransmutation is the"ArtofMentalChemistry,"ifyouliketheterm-aformofpracticalMysticPsychology.

Butthismeansfarmorethanappearsonthe surface. Transmutation, Alchemy, orChemistry, on the Mental Plane isimportant enough in its effects, to besure,andiftheartstoppedthereitwould

still be one of the most importantbranchesofstudyknowntoman.Butthisisonlythebeginning.Letusseewhy!

ThefirstoftheSevenHermeticPrinciplesis the Principle ofMentalism, the axiomof which is "THE ALL is Mind; theUniverse is Mental," which means thattheUnderlyingRealityoftheUniverseisMind; and the Universe itself is Mental-thatis,"existingintheMindofTHEALL."We shall consider this Principle insucceeding lessons, but let us see theeffectoftheprincipleifitbeassumedtobetrue.

If the Universal is Mental in its nature,thenMental Transmutationmust be the

art of CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OFTHEUNIVERSE,alongthelinesofMatter,Force and Mind. So you see, therefore,that Mental Transmutation is really the"Magic"ofwhichtheancientwritershadsomuch to say in theirmysticalworks,and about which they gave so fewpractical instructions. If All be Mental,then the art which enables one totransmute mental conditions mustrender the Master the controller ofmaterial conditions as well as thoseordinarilycalled"mental."

As a matter of fact, none but advancedMental Alchemists have been able toattain the degree of power necessary tocontrol the grosser physical conditions,

such as the control of the elements ofNature; the production or cessation oftempests; the production and cessationof earthquakes and other great physicalphenomena. But that such men haveexisted,anddoexistto-day,isamatterofearnestbelieftoalladvancedoccultistsofall schools. That the Masters exist, andhave these powers, the best teachersassure their students, having hadexperiences which justify them in suchbeliefandstatements.TheseMastersdonot make public exhibitions of theirpowers, but seek seclusion from thecrowds of men, in order to better worktheir way along the Path of Attainment.Wementiontheirexistence,atthispoint,merely to call your attention to the fact

that their power is entirely Mental, andoperates along the lines of the higherMental Transmutation, under theHermetic Principle of Mentalism. "TheUniverseisMental"-TheKybalion.

But students and Hermetists of lesserdegree than Masters-the Initiates andTeachers-are able to freely work alongthe Mental Plane, in MentalTransmutation. In fact all that we call"psychic phenomena"; "mentalinfluence"; "mental science"; "new-thoughtphenomena,"etc.,operatesalongthe same general lines, for there is butoneprincipleinvolved,nomatterbywhatnamethephenomenabecalled.

The student and practitioner of MentalTransmutationworks among theMentalPlane, transmuting mental conditions,states, etc., into others, according tovarious formulas, more or lessefficacious. The various "treatments,""affirmations," "denials," etc., of theschools of mental science are butformulas, often quite imperfect andunscientific, of The Hermetic Art. Themajority of modern practitioners arequite ignorant compared to the ancientmasters, for they lack the fundamentalknowledgeuponwhichtheworkisbased.

Not only may the mental states, etc., ofone's self be changed or transmuted byHermeticMethods;butalsothestatesof

others may be, and are, constantlytransmuted in the same way, usuallyunconsciously, but often consciously bysome understanding the laws andprinciples, in cases where the peopleaffected are not informed of theprinciples of selfprotection. And morethan this, as many students andpractitioners of modern mental scienceknow, every material conditiondepending upon the minds of otherpeoplemaybechangedortransmutedinaccordancewith theearnestdesire,will,and "treatments" of person desiringchangedconditionsoflife.Thepublicareso generally informed regarding thesethingsatpresent,thatwedonotdeemitnecessarytomentionthesameatlength,

ourpurposeatthispointbeingmerelytoshow the Hermetic Principle and Artunderlying all of these various forms ofpractice,goodandevil, for the forcecanbeusedinoppositedirectionsaccordingtotheHermeticPrinciplesofPolarity.

InthislittlebookweshallstatethebasicprinciplesofMentalTransmutation, thatall who read may grasp the UnderlyingPrinciples, and thuspossess theMaster-Key that will unlock the many doors ofthePrincipleofPolarity.

Weshallnowproceedtoaconsiderationof the first of the Hermetic SevenPrinciples-the Principle ofMentalism, inwhich is explained the truth that "THE

ALL isMind; theUniverse isMental," inthe words of The Kybalion. We ask thecloseattention,andcareful studyof thisgreat Principle, on the part of ourstudents, for it is really the BasicPrinciple of the whole HermeticPhilosophy, and of the Hermetic Art ofMentalTransmutation.


CHAPTER IV.THE ALL

"Under,andbackof,theUniverseofTime,SpaceandChange,isevertobefoundTheSubstantial Reality-the FundamentalTruth."-TheKybalion.

"Substance" means: "that whichunderliesalloutwardmanifestations;theessence;theessentialreality;thethinginitself,"etc."Substantial"means:"actuallyexisting; being the essential element;being real," etc. "Reality" means: "thestateofbeing real; true, enduring; valid;fixed;permanent;actual,"etc.

Under and behind all outwardappearances or manifestations, theremustalwaysbeaSubstantialReality.ThisistheLaw.ManconsideringtheUniverse,of which he is a unit, sees nothing butchange in matter, forces, and mentalstates.HeseesthatnothingreallyIS,butthat everything is BECOMING andCHANGING. Nothing stands still-everythingisbeingborn,growing,dying-the very instant a thing reaches itsheight, it begins to decline-the law ofrhythm is inconstantoperation-there isno reality, enduring quality, fixity, orsubstantiality in anything-nothing ispermanentbutChange.Heseesallthingsevolvingfromotherthings,andresolving

into other things-a constant action andreaction;inflowandoutflow;buildingupand tearing down; creation anddestruction; birth, growth and death.NothingenduresbutChange.Andifhebea thinking man, he realizes that all ofthese changing things must be butoutward appearances or manifestationsof some Underlying Power-somesubstantialReality.

All thinkers, inall landsand inall times,have assumed the necessity forpostulating the existence of thisSubstantial Reality. All philosophiesworthy of the name have been baseduponthisthought.MenhavegiventothisSubstantial Reality many names-some

havecalleditbythetermofDeity(undermany titles); others have called it "TheInfiniteandEternalEnergy";othershavetried to call it "Matter"-but all haveacknowledged its existence. It is self-evident-itneedsnoargument.

In these lessons we have followed theexampleof someof theworld'sgreatestthinkers, both ancient and modern-theHermetic Masters-and have called thisUnderlying Power-this SubstantialReality by the Hermetic name of "THEALL,"which termwe consider themostcomprehensive of the many termsapplied by Man to THAT whichtranscendsnamesandterms.

WeacceptandteachtheviewofthegreatHermeticthinkersofalltimes,aswellasof those illumined souls who havereached higher planes of being, both ofwhomassertthattheinnernatureofTHEALL is UNKNOWABLE. Thismust be so,for naught by THE ALL itself cancomprehenditsownnatureandbeing.

The Hermetists believe and teach thatTHEALL,"in itself," isandmusteverbeUNKNOWABLE. They regard all thetheories,guessesandspeculationsofthetheologians and metaphysiciansregardingtheinnernatureofTHEALL,asbutthechildisheffortsofmortalmindstograsp the secret of the Infinite. Sucheffortshavealwaysfailedandwillalways

fail,fromtheverynatureofthetask.Onepursuing such inquiries travels aroundand around in the labyrinth of thought,until he is lost to all sane reasoning,actionorconduct,andisutterlyunfittedfortheworkoflife.Heislikethesquirrelwhichfranticallyrunsaroundandaroundthe circling treadmill wheel of his cage,travellingeverandyetreachingnowhere-at the end a prisoner still, and standingjustwherehestarted.

And still more presumptuous are thosewho attempt to ascribe to THEALL thepersonality, qualities, properties,characteristics and attributes ofthemselves, ascribing to THE ALL thehuman emotions, feelings, and

characteristics,evendowntothepettiestqualities or mankind, such as jealousy,susceptibility to flattery and praise,desire for offerings andworship, and alltheother survivals from thedaysof thechildhoodoftherace.Suchideasarenotworthy of grown men and women, andarerapidlybeingdiscarded.

(Atthispoint,itmaybeproperformetostatethatwemakeadistinctionbetweenReligion and Theology-betweenPhilosophyandMetaphysics.Religion,tous, means that intuitional realization ofthe existence of THE ALL, and one'srelationshipto it;whileTheologymeansthe attempts of men to ascribepersonality,qualities,andcharacteristics

to it; their theories regarding its affairs,will,desires,plans,anddesigns;andtheirassumptionoftheofficeof"middle-men"between THE ALL and the people.Philosophy,tous,meanstheinquiryafterknowledge of things knowable andthinkable; whileMetaphysicsmeans theattempt to carry the inquiry over andbeyond theboundaries and into regionsunknowable and unthinkable, and withthe same tendency as that of Theology.And consequently, both Religion andPhilosophy mean to us things havingroots in Reality, while Theology andMetaphysics seem like broken reeds,rooted in the quicksands of ignorance,and affording naught but the mostinsecuresupport for themindorsoulof

Man.Wedonotinsistuponourstudentsaccepting these definitions-we mentionthemmerelytoshowourposition.Atanyrate, you shall hear very little aboutTheology and Metaphysics in theselessons.)

ButwhiletheessentialnatureofTHEALLis Unknowable, there are certain truthsconnected with its existence which thehuman mind finds itself compelled toaccept. And in examination of thesereportsformapropersubjectofinquiry,particularly as they agree with thereportsoftheIlluminedonhigherplanes.Andtothisinquirywenowinviteyou.

"THAT which is the Fundamental Truth-

the Substantial Reality-is beyond truenaming,buttheWiseMencallitTHEALL."-TheKybalion.

"In its Essence, THE ALL isUNKNOWABLE."-TheKybalion.

"But, the report of Reason must behospitably received, and treated withrespect."-TheKybalion.

The human reason, whose reports wemust accept so long as we think at all,informsusasfollowsregardingTHEALL,and that without attempting to removetheveiloftheUnknowable:

1.THEALLmustbeALLthatREALLYIS.

TherecanbenothingexistingoutsideofTHEALL,elseTHEALLwouldnotbeTHEALL.

2. THE ALL must be INFINITE, for isnothing else to define, confine, bound,limit or restrict THE ALL It must beInfinite in Time, or ETERNAL-it musthave always continuously existed, forthereisnothingelsetohaveevercreatedit,andsomethingcanneverevolve fromnothing, 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 itcan never "not-be," even for a moment,because something can never becomenothing. It must be Infinite in Space-it

mustbeEverywhere,forthereisnoplaceoutside of THE ALL-it cannot beotherwise than continuous in Space,without break, cessation, separation, orinterruption, for there is nothing tobreak, separate, or interrupt itscontinuity,andnothingwithwhichto"fillinthegaps."ItmustbeInfiniteinPower,orAbsolute,forthereisnothingtolimit,restrict, restrain, confine, disturb orcondition it-it is subject to no otherPower,forthereisnootherPower.

3.THEALLmustbeIMMUTABLE,ornotsubject to change in its real nature, forthereisnothingtoworkchangesuponit;nothing into which it could change, norfrom which it could have changed. It

cannotbeaddedtonorsubtractedfrom;increased nor diminished; nor becomegreater or lesser in any respectwhatsoever. It must have always been,andmust always remain, justwhat it isnow-THE ALL-there has never been, isnotnow,andneverwillbe,anythingelseintowhichitcanchange.

THEALLbeingInfinite,Absolute,Eternaland Unchangeable it must follow thatanything finite, changeable, fleeting, andconditioned cannot be THEALL. And asthere isNothing outside of THEALL, inReality,thenanyandallsuchfinitethingsmust be as Nothing in Reality. Now donotbecomebefogged,norfrightened-weare not trying to lead you into the

Christian Science field under cover ofHermetic Philosophy. There is aReconciliation of this apparentlycontradictorystateofaffairs.Bepatient,wewillreachitintime.

We see around us that which is called"Matter," which forms the physicalfoundation for all forms. Is THE ALLmerelyMatter?Notatall!Mattercannotmanifest Life or Mind, and as Life andMindaremanifestedintheUniverse,THEALL cannot beMatter, for nothing riseshigher than its own source-nothing isevermanifestedinaneffectthatisnotinthe cause-nothing is evolved as aconsequent that is not involved as anantecedent. And then Modern Science

informs us that there is really no suchthingasMatter-thatwhatwecallMatteris merely "interrupted energy or force,"that is, energy or force at a low rate ofvibration. As a recent writer has said"Matter has melted into Mystery." EvenMaterial Science has abandoned thetheory of Matter, and now rests on thebasisof"Energy."

ThenisTHEALLmereEnergyorForce?Not Energy or Force as thematerialistsusetheterms,fortheirenergyandforceare blind, mechanical things, devoid ofLife or Mind. Life and Mind can neverevolvefromblindEnergyorForce,forthereasongivenamomentago:"Nothingcanrise higher than its source-nothing is

evolved unless it is involved-nothingmanifestsintheeffect,unlessitisinthecause."AndsoTHEALLcannotbemereEnergyorForce,for,ifitwere,thentherewouldbenosuchthingsasLifeandMindin existence, and we know better thanthat, forwe areAlive andusingMind toconsider this very question, and so arethosewhoclaimthatEnergyorForce isEverything.

WhatistherethenhigherthanMatterorEnergythatweknowtobeexistentintheUniverse?LIFEANDMIND!LifeandMindin all their varying degrees ofunfoldment! "Then," you ask, "do youmeantotellusthatTHEALLisLIFEandMIND?"Yes!andNo!isouranswer.Ifyou

mean Life and Mind as we poor pettymortalsknowthem,wesayNo!THEALLis not that! "But what kind of Life andMinddoyoumean?"youask.

Theansweris"LIVINGMIND,asfarabovethatwhichmortalsknowbythosewords,as Life and Mind are higher thanmechanical forces, or matter-IN FINITELIVINGMIND as compared to finite Lifeand Mind." We mean that which theillumined souls mean when theyreverentlypronouncetheword:"SPIRIT!"

"THE ALL" is Infinite Living Mind-theIlluminedcallitSPIRIT!


CHAPTER V.THEMENTAL UNIVERSE

"TheUniverseisMental-heldintheMindofTHEALL."-TheKybalion.

THE ALL is SPIRIT! But what is Spirit?This question cannot be answered, forthe reason that its definition ispracticallythatofTHEALL,whichcannotbeexplainedordefined.Spiritissimplyaname that men give to the highestconception of Infinite Living Mind-itmeans "the Real Essence"-it meansLivingMind,asmuchsuperiortoLifeand

Mindasweknowthem,as the latteraresuperior to mechanical Energy andMatter. Spirit transcends ourunderstanding, and we use the termmerely that we may think or speak ofTHE ALL. For the purposes of thoughtand understanding, we are justified inthinkingofSpiritasInfiniteLivingMind,atthesametimeacknowledgingthatwecannot fully understand it. We musteither do this or stop thinking of thematteratall.

LetusnowproceedtoaconsiderationofthenatureoftheUniverse,asawholeandin its parts. What is the Universe? Wehave seen that there can be nothingoutsideofTHEALL.ThenistheUniverse

THEALL?No,thiscannotbe,becausetheUniverseseemstobemadeupofMANY,and is constantly changing, and in otherwaysitdoesnotmeasureuptotheideasthat we are compelled to acceptregardingTHEALL,asstated inour lastlesson.Then if theUniversebenotTHEALL,thenitmustbeNothing-suchistheinevitableconclusionofthemindatfirstthought. But this will not satisfy thequestion, for we are sensible of theexistence of the Universe. Then if theUniverse is neither THE ALL, norNothing,what can itbe!Letus examinethisquestion.

If theUniverse exists at all, or seems toexist, itmustproceedinsomewayfrom

THE ALL-It must be a creation of THEALL. But as something can never comefromnothing, fromwhatcouldTHEALLhavecreatedit?Somephilosophershaveanswered this question by saying thatTHE ALL created the Universe fromITSELF-that is, from the being andsubstance of THE ALL. But this will notdo, for THE ALL cannot be subtractedfrom, nor divided, aswe have seen, andthen again if this be so,would not eachparticle in the Universe be aware of itsbeingTHEALL -THEALLcouldnot loseits knowledge of itself, nor actuallyBECOMEanatom,orblindforce,orlowlylivingthing.Somemen, indeed,realizingthat THE ALL is indeed ALL, and alsorecognizing that they, the men, existed,

have jumpedto theconclusion that theyand THE ALL were identical, and theyhave filled the air with shouts of "I AMGOD,"totheamusementofthemultitudeandthesorrowofsages.Theclaimofthecorpuscle that: "I am Man!" would bemodestincomparison.

But,what indeed is theUniverse, if itbenotTHEALL,notyetcreatedbyTHEALLhaving separated itself into fragments?Whatelsecanitbe-ofwhatelsecanitbemade?This is thegreatquestion.Letusexamineitcarefully.Wefindherethatthe"Principle of Correspondence" (seeLessonI.)comestoouraidhere.TheoldHermetic axiom, "As above so below,"maybepressedintoserviceatthispoint.

Let us endeavor to get a glimpse of theworkingsonhigherplanesbyexaminingthose on our own. The Principle ofCorrespondence must apply to this aswellastootherproblems.

Let us see! On his own plane of being,howdoesMancreate?Well,first,hemaycreate by making something out ofoutsidematerials.Butthiswillnotdo,forthere are no materials outside of THEALLwithwhichitmaycreate.Well,then,secondly,Manpro-createsorreproduceshis kind by the process of begetting,whichisself-multiplicationaccomplishedbytransferringaportionofhissubstanceto his offspring. But this will not do,because THE ALL cannot transfer or

subtract a portion of itself, nor can itreproduce or multiply itself-in the firstplace therewouldbea takingaway,andin the second case a multiplication oradditiontoTHEALL,boththoughtsbeingan absurdity. Is there no third way inwhich MAN creates! Yes, there is-heCREATESMENTALLY!Andinsodoingheuses no outside materials, nor does hereproduce himself, and yet his SpiritpervadestheMentalCreation.

Following the Principle ofCorrespondence, we are justified inconsidering that THE ALL creates theUniverseMENTALLY,inamannerakintotheprocesswherebyMancreatesMentalImages.And,here iswherethereportof

Reasontalliespreciselywiththereportofthe Illumined, as shown by theirteachings and writings. Such are theteachingsoftheWiseMen.SuchwastheTeachingofHermes.

THE ALL can create in no other wayexcept mentally, without either usingmaterial (and there is none to use), orelse reproducing itself (which is alsoimpossible).Thereisnoescapefromthisconclusion of the Reason, which, as wehave said, agrees with the highestteachings of the Illumined. Just as you,student, may create a Universe of yourowninyourmentality,sodoesTHEALLcreateUniversesinitsownMentality.ButyourUniverseisthementalcreationofa

FiniteMind,whereas thatofTHEALL isthe creation of an Infinite. The two aresimilar inkind,but infinitelydifferent indegree. We shall examine more closelyinto the process of creation andmanifestation,asweproceed.Butthisisthe point to fix in your minds at thisstage: THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL ITCONTAINS, IS A MENTAL CREATION OFTHEALL.Verily,indeed,ALLISMIND!

"THE ALL creates in its Infinite MindcountlessUniverses,whichexist foraeonsofTime-andyet, toTHEALL,thecreation,development,declineanddeathofamillionUniversesisasthetimeofthetwinklingofaneye."-TheKybalion.'

"TheInfiniteMind-ofTHEALListhewombofUniverses."-TheKybalion.

ThePrincipleofGender(seeLessonI.andotherlessonstofollow)ismanifestedonall planes of life, material, mental andspiritual. But, as we have said before,"Gender" does not mean "Sex"-sex ismerely a material manifestation ofgender. "Gender" means "relating togeneration or creation." And whereveranything isgeneratedorcreated,onanyplane, the Principle of Gender must bemanifested. And this is true even in thecreationofUniverses.

Nowdonot jump to the conclusion thatweareteachingthatthereisamaleand

female God, or Creator. That idea ismerely a distortion of the ancientteachings on the subject. The trueteaching is that THE ALL, in itself, isaboveGender,as it isaboveeveryotherLaw,includingthoseofTimeandSpace.ItistheLaw,fromwhichtheLawsproceed,and it is not subject to them. But whenTHE ALL manifests on the plane ofgeneration or creation, then it actsaccording to Law and Principle, for it ismoving on a lower plane of Being. AndconsequentlyitmanifeststhePrincipleofGender, in its Masculine and Feminineaspects,ontheMentalPlane,ofcourse.

This ideamayseemstartlingtosomeofyouwhohearitforthefirsttime,butyou

have all really passively accepted it inyoureverydayconceptions.Youspeakofthe Fatherhood of God, and theMotherhoodofNature-ofGod,theDivineFather,andNaturetheUniversalMother-andhavethusinstinctivelyacknowledgedthePrincipleofGenderintheUniverse.Isthisnotsol.

But, the Hermetic teaching does notimplyarealduality-THEALLisONE-theTwo Aspects are merely aspects ofmanifestation. The teaching is that TheMasculine Principle manifested by THEALL stands, in a way, apart from theactualmentalcreationoftheUniverse.Itprojects its Will toward the FemininePrinciple(whichmaybecalled"Nature")

whereupon the latter begins the actualwork of the evolution of the Universe,from simple "centres of activity" on toman, and thenon andon still higher, allaccording towell-established and firmlyenforcedLawsofNature.Ifyouprefertheold figures of thought, youmay think ofthe Masculine Principle as GOD, theFather, andof theFemininePrinciple asNATURE, the Universal Mother, fromwhosewomb all things have been born.Thisismorethanamerepoeticfigureofspeech-itisanideaoftheactualprocessof the creation of the Universe. Butalways remember, that THE ALL is butOne, and that in its Infinite Mind theUniverseisgenerated,createdandexists.

Itmayhelpyoutogettheproperidea,ifyouwillapplytheLawofCorrespondenceto yourself, and your own mind. YouknowthatthepartofYouwhichyoucall"I,"inasense,standsapartandwitnessesthe creation of Mental Images in yourown mind. The part of your mind inwhich the mental generation isaccomplishedmay be called the "Me" indistinction from the "I" which standsapart and witnesses and examines thethoughts, ideas and images of the "Me.""Asabove,sobelow,"remember,andthephenomena of one plane may beemployedtosolvetheriddlesofhigherorlowerplanes.

Is it anywonder thatYou, the child, feel

that instinctive reverence for THE ALL,which feeling we call "religion"-thatrespect, and reverence forTHEFATHERMIND? Is it any wonder that, when youconsider the works and wonders ofNature,youareovercomewithamightyfeelingwhichhasitsrootsawaydowninyour inmost being? It is the MOTHERMIND that you are pressing close up to,likeababetothebreast.

Do not make the mistake of supposingthatthelittleworldyouseearoundyou-theEarth,whichisameregrainofdustintheUniverse-istheUniverseitself.Therearemillionsuponmillionsofsuchworlds,and greater. And there are millions ofmillions of such Universes in existence

withintheInfiniteMindofTHEALL.Andeveninourownlittlesolarsystemthereare regions and planes of life far higherthanours,andbeingscomparedtowhichweearth-boundmortalsareastheslimylife-forms that dwell on the ocean's bedwhencomparedtoMan.Therearebeingswith powers and attributes higher thanMan has ever dreamed of the gods'possessing. And yet these beings wereonceasyou,andstill lower-andyouwillbeevenasthey,andstillhigher, intime,forsuchistheDestinyofManasreportedbytheIllumined.

AndDeathisnotreal,evenintheRelativesense-itisbutBirthtoanewlife-andYoushallgoon,andon,andon,tohigherand

stillhigherplanesof life, foraeonsuponaeons of time. The Universe is yourhome, and you shall explore its farthestrecessesbeforetheendofTime.YouaredwellingintheInfiniteMindofTHEALL,andyourpossibilities andopportunitiesare infinite,both in timeandspace.Andat the end of the Grand Cycle of Aeons,whenTHEALLshalldrawbackintoitselfallof itscreations-youwillgogladly, foryouwill thenbeabletoknowtheWholeTruthofbeingAtOnewithTHEALL.Suchis the reportof the Illumined-thosewhohaveadvancedwellalongThePath.

And, in the meantime, rest calm and,serene-youaresafeandprotectedbytheInfinite Power of the FATHER-MOTHER

MIND.

"Within the Father-Mother Mind, mortalchildrenareathome."-TheKybalion.

"There is not one who is Fatherless, norMotherlessintheUniverse"-TheKybalion.


CHAPTER VI.THEDIVINE PARADOX

"The half-wise, recognizing thecomparative unreality of the Universe,imagine that theymaydefy itsLaws-sucharevainandpresumptuousfools,andtheyare broken against the rocks and tornasunderbytheelementsbyreasonoftheirfolly.Thetrulywise,knowingthenatureofthe Universe, use Law against laws; thehigheragainstthelower;andbytheArtofAlchemy transmute that which isundesirableintothatwhichisworthy,andthus triumph. Mastery consists not in

abnormal dreams, visions and fantasticimaginingsorliving,butinusingthehigherforces against the lower-escaping thepains of the lower planes by vibrating onthe higher. Transmutation, notpresumptuousdenial,istheweaponoftheMaster."-TheKybalion.

This is the Paradox of the Universe,resulting from the Principle of PolaritywhichmanifestswhenTHEALLbeginstoCreate-hearken to it for it points thedifference between half-wisdom andwisdom.WhiletoTHEINFINITEALL,theUniverse,itsLaws,itsPowers,itsLife,itsPhenomena, are as things witnessed inthestateofMeditationorDream;yet toall that is Finite, the Universe must be

treated asReal, and life, and action, andthought, must be based thereupon,accordingly, although with an everunderstandingof theHigherTruth.Eachaccording to its own Plane and Laws.Were THE ALL to imagine that theUniverse were indeed Reality, thenwoeto theUniverse, for therewouldbe thenno escape from lower to higher,divineward-then would the Universebecome a fixity and progress wouldbecomeimpossible.AndifMan,owingtohalf-wisdom,actsandlivesandthinksoftheUniverseasmerelyadream(akintohisownfinitedreams)thenindeeddoesit so become for him, and like a sleep-walker he stumbles ever around andaround in a circle, making no progress,

and being forced into an awakening atlast by his falling bruised and bleedingovertheNaturalLawswhichheignored.KeepyourmindeverontheStar,but letyoureyeswatchoveryourfootsteps,lestyou fall into themire by reason of yourupward gaze. Remember the DivineParadox,thatwhiletheUniverseISNOT,stillITIS.RememberevertheTwoPolesof Truth-the Absolute and the Relative.BewareofHalf-Truths.

What Hermetists know as "the Law ofParadox" isanaspectof thePrincipleofPolarity.TheHermeticwritingsarefilledwithreferencestotheappearanceoftheParadox in the consideration of theproblemsofLifeandBeing.TheTeachers

are constantly warning their studentsagainst the error of omitting the "otherside"ofanyquestion.Andtheirwarningsareparticularlydirectedtotheproblemsof the Absolute and the Relative, whichperplex all students of philosophy, andwhich cause so many to think and actcontrary to what is generally known as"common sense." And we caution allstudents to be sure to grasp the DivineParadoxoftheAbsoluteandRelative,lesttheybecomeentangledinthemireoftheHalf-Truth. With this in view thisparticular lessonhasbeenwritten.Readitcarefully!

The first thought that comes to thethinkingman after he realizes the truth

thattheUniverseisaMentalCreationofTHEALL,isthattheUniverseandallthatit contains is a mere illusion; anunreality;againstwhichideahisinstinctsrevolt.Butthis,likeallothergreattruths,must be considered both from theAbsoluteandtheRelativepointsofview.From theAbsolute viewpoint, of course,the Universe is in the nature of anillusion, a dream, a phantasmagoria, ascompared to THE ALL in itself. Werecognizethiseveninourordinaryview,forwe speak of theworld as "a fleetingshow" that comesandgoes, isbornanddies-for the element of impermanenceand change, finiteness andunsubstantiality,musteverbeconnectedwiththeideaofacreatedUniversewhen

itiscontrastedwiththeideaofTHEALL,no matter what may be our beliefsconcerning the nature of both.Philosopher,metaphysician,scientistandtheologian all agree upon this idea, andthe thought is found in all forms ofphilosophical thought and religiousconceptions,aswellasinthetheoriesofthe respective schools of metaphysicsandtheology.

So,theHermeticTeachingsdonotpreachthe unsubstantiality of the Universe inany stronger terms than those morefamiliar to you, although theirpresentation of the subject may seemsomewhatmore startling. Anything thathasabeginningandanendingmustbe,in

a sense, unreal and untrue, and theUniverse comes under the rule, in allschools of thought. From the Absolutepoint of view, there is nothing Realexcept THE ALL, no matter what termswemayuse in thinkingof,ordiscussingthe subject. Whether the Universe becreated of Matter, or whether it be aMentalCreationintheMindofTHEALL-itisunsubstantial,non-enduring,athingof time, spaceandchange.Wewantyoutorealizethisfactthoroughly,beforeyoupass judgment on the Hermeticconception of the Mental nature of theUniverse. Think over any and all of theother conceptions, and seewhether thisbenottrueofthem.

But the Absolute point of view showsmerelyonesideof thepicture-theotherside is the Relative one. Absolute Truthhasbeendefinedas"ThingsasthemindofGodknowsthem,"whileRelativeTruthis "Things as the highest reason ofManunderstandsthem."AndsowhiletoTHEALL the Universe must be unreal andillusionary, a mere dream or result ofmeditation-nevertheless, to the finiteminds forming a part of that Universe,and viewing it throughmortal faculties,the Universe is very real indeed, andmustbesoconsidered.InrecognizingtheAbsolute view, we must not make themistakeof ignoringordenying the factsand phenomena of theUniverse as theypresent themselves to our mortal

faculties-wearenotTHEALL,remember.

To take familiar illustrations, we allrecognizethefactthatMatter"exists"tooursenses-wewillfarebadlyifwedonot.And yet, even our finite mindsunderstand the scientific dictum thatthere is no such thing asMatter from ascientificpointofview-thatwhichwecallMatter is held to be merely anaggregation of atoms, which atomsthemselves are merely a grouping ofunits of force, called electronsor "ions,"vibratingandinconstantcircularmotion.Wekickastoneandwefeeltheimpact-itseems to be real, notwithstanding thatwe know it to be merely what we havestated above. But remember that our

foot,whichfeelstheimpactbymeansofour brains, is likewise Matter, soconstituted of electrons, and for thatmattersoareourbrains.And,atthebest,if itwerenotbyreasonofourMind,wewouldnotknowthefootorstoneatall.

Then again, the ideal of the artist orsculptor, which he is endeavoring toreproduce in stone or on canvas, seemsveryreal tohim.Sodothecharacters inthe mind of the author, or dramatist,whichheseekstoexpresssothatothersmayrecognizethem.Andifthisbetrueinthecaseofourfiniteminds,whatmustbethe degree of Reality in the MentalImages created in the Mind of theInfinite? Oh, friends, to mortals this

UniverseofMentalityisveryrealindeed-it is the only one we can ever know,though we rise from plane to plane,higher and higher in it. To know itotherwise,byactualexperience,wemustbe THE ALL itself. It is true that thehigherwerise in thescale-thenearer to"the mind of the Father" we reach-themore apparent becomes the illusorynatureoffinitethings,butnotuntilTHEALL finallywithdrawsus into itselfdoesthevisionactuallyvanish.

So,weneednotdwelluponthefeatureofillusion. Rather let us, recognizing thereal nature of the Universe, seek tounderstanditsmentallaws,andendeavorto use them to the best effect in our

upward progress through life, as wetravel fromplane to plane of being. TheLaws of the Universe are none the less"IronLaws"becauseofthementalnature.All,exceptTHEALL,areboundbythem.What is INTHE INFINITEMINDOFTHEALL is REAL in a degree second only tothatReality itselfwhich is vested in thenatureofTHEALL.

So,donot feel insecureorafraid-weareallHELDFIRMLYINTHEINFINITEMINDOFTHEALL,andthereisnaughttohurtus or for us to fear. There is no Poweroutside of THE ALL to affect us. So wemay rest calm and secure. There is aworld of comfort and security in thisrealization when once attained. Then

"calmandpeacefuldowesleep,rockedintheCradleoftheDeep"-restingsafelyonthebosomoftheOceanof InfiniteMind,whichisTHEALL.InTHEALL,indeed,do"weliveandmoveandhaveourbeing."

MatterisnonethelessMattertous,whilewedwellontheplaneofMatter,althoughweknowittobemerelyanaggregationof"electrons," or particles of Force,vibrating rapidly and gyrating aroundeach other in the formations of atoms;theatomsinturnvibratingandgyrating,forming molecules, which latter in turnform largermasses of Matter. Nor doesMatter become less Matter, when wefollowtheinquiry.stillfurther,andlearnfrom the Hermetic Teachings, that the

"Force" of which the electrons are butunits is merely a manifestation of theMindofTHEALL,and likeallelse in theUniverse is purely Mental in its nature.While on the Plane of Matter, we mustrecognizeitsphenomena-wemaycontrolMatter(asallMastersofhigherorlesserdegreedo),butwedosobyapplyingthehigherforces.Wecommitafollywhenweattempt to deny the existence ofMatterin the relative aspect. We may deny itsmastery over us-and rightly so-but weshould not attempt to ignore it in itsrelative aspect, at least so long as wedwelluponitsplane.

Nor do the Laws ofNature become lessconstant or effective, when we know

them, likewise, to be merely mentalcreations. They are in full effect on thevarious planes. We overcome the lowerlaws,byapplyingstillhigherones-andinthiswayonly.

ButwecannotescapeLaworriseaboveit entirely. Nothing but THE ALL canescapeLaw-andthatbecauseTHEALLisLAW itself, fromwhichall Lawsemerge.ThemostadvancedMastersmayacquirethepowersusuallyattributedtothegodsofmen;andtherearecountlessranksofbeing,inthegreathierarchyoflife,whosebeingandpowertranscendseventhatofthe highest Masters among men to adegreeunthinkablebymortals,buteventhehighestMaster,andthehighestBeing,

mustbowtotheLaw,andbeasNothingin the eye of THE ALL. So that if eventhese highest Beings, whose powersexceed even those attributed bymen totheirgods-ifeventheseareboundbyandaresubservienttoLaw,thenimaginethepresumption ofmortalman, of our raceandgrade,whenhedarestoconsidertheLawsofNatureas"unreal,"visionaryandillusory,becausehehappenstobeabletograspthetruththattheLawsareMentalinnature,andsimplyMentalCreationsofTHE ALL. Those Laws which THE ALLintends tobegoverningLawsarenot tobedefiedorarguedaway.SolongastheUniverse endures, will they endure-forthe Universe exists by virtue of theseLaws which form its framework and

whichholdittogether.

The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism,while explaining the true nature of theUniverse upon the principle that all isMental, does not change the scientificconceptions of the Universe, Life, orEvolution. In fact, science merelycorroborates the Hermetic Teachings.ThelattermerelyteachesthatthenatureoftheUniverseis"Mental,"whilemodernsciencehastaughtthatitis"Material";or(of late) that it is "Energy" at the lastanalysis. The Hermetic Teachings haveno fault to find with Herbert Spencer'sbasic principle which postulates theexistence of an "Infinite and EternalEnergy,fromwhichallthingsproceed."In

fact, the Hermetics recognize inSpencer'sphilosophythehighestoutsidestatementoftheworkingsoftheNaturalLaws that have ever been promulgated,andtheybelieveSpencer tohavebeenareincarnation of an ancient philosopherwhodweltinancientEgyptthousandsofyears ago, and who later incarnated asHeraclitus, the Grecian philosopherwholived B.C. 500. And they regard hisstatement of the "Infinite and EternalEnergy" as directly in the line of theHermetic Teachings, always with theaddition of their own doctrine that his"Energy"istheEnergyoftheMindofTHEALL. With the Master-Key of theHermetic Philosophy, the student ofSpencer will be able to unlock many

doors of the inner philosophicalconceptions of the great Englishphilosopher, whose work shows theresultsofthepreparationofhispreviousincarnations. His teachings regardingEvolution and Rhythm are in almostperfect agreement with the HermeticTeachings regarding the Principle ofRhythm.

So,thestudentofHermeticsneednotlayaside any of his cherished scientificviews regarding the Universe. All he isasked to do is to grasp the underlyingprinciple of "THE ALL is Mind; theUniverse is Mental-held in the Mind ofTHEALL."Hewill findthattheothersixof theSevenPrincipleswill "fit into"his

scientific knowledge, and will serve tobring out obscure points and to throwlight in dark corners. This is not to bewondered at, when we realize theinfluenceoftheHermeticthoughtontheearlyphilosophersofGreece,uponwhosefoundations of thought the theories ofmodern science largely rest. Theacceptance of the First HermeticPrinciple (Mentalism) is the only greatpoint of difference between ModernScience and Hermetic students, andScience is gradually moving toward theHermetic position in its groping in thedark forawayoutof theLabyrinth intowhich it has wandered in its search forReality.

Thepurposeof this lesson is to impressupon themindsof our students the factthat, to all intents and purposes, theUniverse and its laws, and itsphenomena, are just as REAL, so far asManisconcerned,astheywouldbeunderthe hypotheses of Materialism orEnergism. Under any hypothesis theUniverse in itsouteraspect is changing,ever-flowing, and transitory-andtherefore devoid of substantiality andreality. But (note the other pole of thetruth)underanyofthesamehypotheses,wearecompelledtoACTANDLIVEas ifthe fleeting things were real andsubstantial.With this difference, always,between the various hypotheses-thatunder the old views Mental Power was

ignored as a Natural Force,while underMentalism it becomes the GreatestNatural Force. And this one differencerevolutionizes Life, to those whounderstandthePrincipleanditsresultinglawsandpractice.

So, finally, students all, grasp theadvantage of Mentalism, and learn toknow, use and apply the laws resultingtherefrom. But do not yield to thetemptation which, as The Kybalionstates, overcomes the half-wise andwhich causes them to be hypnotized bythe apparent unreality of things, theconsequence being that they wanderabout like dream-people dwelling in aworld of dreams, ignoring the practical

workand lifeofman, theendbeing that"they are broken against the rocks andtornasunderbytheelements,byreasonoftheirfolly."Ratherfollowtheexampleof the wise, which the same authoritystates,"useLawagainstLaws;thehigheragainst the lower; and by the Art ofAlchemy transmute that which isundesirable into that which is worthy,and thus triumph." Following theauthority, let us avoid the half-wisdom(which is folly) which ignores the truththat: "Mastery consists not in abnormaldreams,visions,andfantasticimaginingsor living, but in using the higher forcesagainst the lower-escaping the pains ofthe lower planes by vibrating on thehigher."Rememberalways,student, that

"Transmutation, not presumptuousdenial,istheweaponoftheMaster."TheabovequotationsarefromTheKybalion,and are worthy of being committed tomemorybythestudent.

Wedonotliveinaworldofdreams,butin an Universe which, while relative, isreal so far as our lives and actions areconcerned.Ourbusiness in theUniverseisnot todeny itsexistence,but toLIVE,using the Laws to rise from lower tohigher-living on, doing the best that wecanunderthecircumstancesarisingeachday,andliving,sofarasispossible,toourhighest ideas and ideals. The trueMeaningofLife isnotknowntomenonthis plane-if, indeed, to any-but the

highest authorities, and our ownintuitions,teachusthatwewillmakenomistakeinlivinguptothebestthatisinus,sofarasispossible,andrealizingtheUniversaltendencyinthesamedirectionin spite of apparent evidences to thecontrary.WeareallonThePath-andtheroad leads upward ever, with frequentrestingplaces.

Read the Message of The Kybalion-andfollowtheexampleof"thewise"-avoidingthemistakeof"thehalf-wise"whoperishbyreasonoftheirfolly.


CHAPTER VII."THE ALL"IN ALL

"WhileAll is inTHEALL, it isequally truethat THE ALL is in All. To him who trulyunderstands this truth hath come greatknowledge."-TheKybalion.

How often have the majority of peopleheard repeated the statement that theirDeity(calledbymanynames)was"AllinAll," and how little have they suspectedtheinnerocculttruthconcealedbythesecarelesslyutteredwords?Thecommonlyused expression is a survival of the

ancient Hermetic Maxim quoted above.AstheKybalionsays:"Tohimwhotrulyunderstands this truth, hath come greatknowledge."And,thisbeingso,letusseekthis truth, the understanding of whichmeans so much. In this statement oftruth-this Hermetic Maxim-is concealedone of the greatest philosophical,scientificandreligioustruths.

We have given you the HermeticTeachingregardingtheMentalNatureoftheUniverse-thetruththat"theUniverseisMental-held in theMindofTHEALL."As the Kybalion says, in the passagequotedabove:"AllisinTHEALL.Butnotealsotheco-relatedstatement, that:"It isequallytruethatTHEALLisinALL."This

apparently contradictory statement isreconcilableundertheLawofParadox.Itis, moreover, an exact Hermeticstatement of the relations existingbetween THE ALL and its MentalUniverse. We have seen how "All is inTHEALL"-now let us examine theotheraspectofthesubject.

TheHermeticTeachingsaretotheeffectthatTHEALLisImminentin("remainingwithin; inherent; abiding within") itsUniverse,andineverypart,particle,unit,orcombination,withintheUniverse.Thisstatement is usually illustrated by theTeachersby a reference to thePrincipleof Correspondence. The Teacherinstructs the student to form a mental

Image of something, a person, an idea,something having a mental form, thefavoriteexamplebeingthatoftheauthoror dramatist forming an idea of hischaracters; or a painter or sculptorforming an image of an ideal that hewishestoexpressbyhisart.Ineachcase,thestudentwillfindthatwhiletheimagehasitsexistence,andbeing,solelywithinhisownmind,yethe,thestudent,author,dramatist, painter, or sculptor, is, in asense,immanentin;remainingwithin;orabidingwithin,thementalimagealso.Inotherwords,theentirevirtue,life,spirit,ofreality in themental image isderivedfromthe"immanentmind"ofthethinker.Considerthisforamoment,untiltheideaisgrasped.

Totakeamodernexample,letussaythatOthello, lago, Hamlet, Lear, Richard III,existed merely in the mind ofShakespeare, at the time of theirconception or creation. And yet,Shakespeare also existedwithin each ofthese characters, giving them theirvitality, spirit, and action. Whose is the"spirit"ofthecharactersthatweknowasMicawber, Oliver Twist Uriah Heep-is itDickens, or have each of -thesecharactersapersonalspirit,independentof their creator? Have the Venus ofMedici,theSistineMadonna,theAppolloBelvidere,spiritsandrealityoftheirown,or do they represent the spiritual andmentalpoweroftheircreators?TheLaw

of Paradox explains that bothpropositions are true, viewed from theproper viewpoints. Micawber is bothMicawber, and yet Dickens. And, again,while Micawber may be said to beDickens,yetDickensisnotidenticalwithMicawber. Man, like Micawber, mayexclaim: "The Spirit of my Creator isinherentwithinme-andyetIamnotHE!"How different this from the shockinghalf-truth so vociferously announced bycertain of the half-wise, who fill the airwith their raucous cries of: "I AmGod!"Imagine poor Micawber, or the sneakyUriah Heep, crying: "I Am Dickens"; orsome of the lowly clods in one ofShakespeare's plays, grandiloquentlyannouncing that: "I Am Shakespeare!"

THE ALL is in the earth-worm, and yetthe earth-worm is far from being THEALL. And still the wonder remains, thatthoughtheearth-wormexistsmerelyasalowlything,createdandhavingitsbeingsolely within the Mind of THE ALL-yetTHEALLisimmanentintheearth-worm,and in the particles that go tomake uptheearthworm.Cantherebeanygreatermysterythanthisof"AllinTHEALL;andTHEALLinAll?"

The student will, of course, realize thatthe illustrations given above arenecessarilyimperfectandinadequate,forthey represent the creation of mentalimages in finite minds, while theUniverse is a creation of Infinite Mind-

andthedifferencebetweenthetwopolesseparates them. And yet it is merely amatterofdegree-thesamePrincipleisinoperation-the Principle ofCorrespondence manifests in each-"Asabove,soBelow;asBelow,soabove."

And, in thedegree thatMan realizes theexistence of the Indwelling Spiritimmanentwithinhisbeing,sowillherisein thespiritualscaleof life.This iswhatspiritual development means-therecognition, realization, andmanifestationoftheSpiritwithinus.Tryto remember this last definition-that ofspiritual development. It contains theTruthofTrueReligion.

There are many planes of Being-manysub-planes of Life-many degrees ofexistenceintheUniverse.Andalldependupon the advancement of beings in thescale, ofwhich scale the lowest point isthe grossest matter, the highest beingseparated only by the thinnest divisionfromtheSPIRITofTHEALL.And,upwardand onward along this Scale of Life,everythingismoving.AllareonthePath,whoseend isTHEALL.All progress is aReturning Home. All is Upward andOnward, in spite of all seeminglycontradictory appearances. Such is theMessageoftheIllumined.

The Hermetic Teachings concerning theprocess of the Mental Creation of the

Universe,arethatatthebeginningoftheCreativeCycle,THEALL, in its aspectof"Being," projects its Will toward itsaspectof"Becoming,"andtheprocessofcreation begins. It is taught that theprocess consists of the lowering ofVibration until a very low degree ofvibratory energy is reached, at whichpoint the grossest possible form ofMatter is manifested. This process iscalled the stage of Involution, in whichTHE ALL becomes "involved," or"wrapped up," in its creation. Thisprocess isbelievedbytheHermetists tohave a Correspondence to the mentalprocess of an artist, writer, or inventor,who becomes so wrapped up in hismental creation as to almost forget his

own existence and who, for the timebeing, almost "lives in his creation". Ifinstead of "wrapped" we use the word"rapt,"perhapswewillgiveabetterideaofwhatismeant.

This Involuntary stage of Creation issometimescalledthe"Outpouring"oftheDivine Energy, just as the Evolutionarystate is called the "Indrawing." Theextreme pole of the Creative process isconsidered to be the furthest removedfromTHEALL,whilethebeginningoftheEvolutionary stage is regarded as thebeginning of the return swing of thependulum of Rhythm-a "coming home"idea being held in all of the HermeticTeachings.

TheTeachings are that during the "Out-pouring," the vibrations become lowerand lower until finally the urge ceases,andthereturnswingbegins.Butthereisthis difference, that while in the"Outpouring" the creative forcesmanifest compactly and as a whole, yetfromthebeginningoftheEvolutionaryor"Indrawing" stage, there is manifestedthe Law of Individualization-that is, thetendencytoseparateintoUnitsofForce,sothatfinallythatwhichleftTHEALLasunindividualized energy returns to itssource as countless highly developedUnits of Life, having risen higher andhigherinthescalebymeansofPhysical,MentalandSpiritualEvolution.

The ancient Hermetists use the word"Meditation,"indescribingtheprocessofthementalcreationoftheUniverseintheMind of THE ALL, the word"Contemplation" also being frequentlyemployed. But the idea intended seemsto be that of the employment of theDivine Attention. "Attention" is a wordderivedfromtheLatinroot,meaning"toreachout;tostretchout,"andsotheactofAttention is really amental "reachingout;extension"ofmentalenergy,sothattheunderlyingideaisreadilyunderstoodwhenweexamine into the realmeaningof"Attention."

The Hermetic Teachings regarding the

process of Evolution are that, THE ALL,havingmeditatedupon thebeginningoftheCreation-havingthusestablishedthematerial foundations of the Universe-having thought it into existence-thengradually awakens or rouses from itsMeditation and in so doing starts intomanifestation the process of Evolution,on the material, mental and spiritualplanes, successively and in order. Thusthe upward movement begins-and allbegins to move Spiritward. Matterbecomeslessgross;theUnitsspringintobeing; the combinations begin to form;Lifeappearsandmanifestsinhigherandhigher forms; and Mind becomes moreand more in evidence-the vibrationsconstantlybecominghigher.Inshort,the

entire process of Evolution, in all of itsphases, begins, and proceeds accordingto the established Laws of the"Indrawing"process.All of thisoccupiesônsuponônsofMan's time,each«oncontaining countless millions of years,but yet the Illumined informus that theentire creation, including Involution andEvolution, of anUniverse, is but "as thetwinkleoftheeye"toTHEALL.Attheendof countless cyclesofônsof time,THEALL withdraws its Attention-itsContemplation and Meditation-of theUniverse, fortheGreatWorkisfinished-andAll iswithdrawnintoTHEALL fromwhich it emerged. But Mystery ofMysteries-the Spirit of each soul is notannihilated, but is infinitely expanded-

theCreatedandtheCreatoraremerged.SuchisthereportoftheIllumined!

The above illustration of the"meditation," and subsequent"awakening from meditation," of THEALL, is of course but an attempt of theTeacherstodescribetheInfiniteprocessbya finiteexample.And,yet: "AsBelow,so Above." The difference is merely indegree. And just as THE ALL arousesitself from the meditation upon theUniverse, so does Man (in time) ceasefrom manifesting upon the MaterialPlane, and withdraws himself more andmore into the IndwellingSpirit,which isindeed"TheDivineEgo."

There is one more matter of which wedesire to speak in this lesson, and thatcomes very near to an invasion of theMetaphysical field of speculation,althoughourpurpose ismerely to showthefutilityofsuchspeculation.Wealludeto the question which inevitably comesto the mind of all thinkers who haveventuredtoseektheTruth.Thequestionis: "WHY does THE ALL createUniverses?" The questionmay be askedin different forms, but the above is thegistoftheinquiry.

Men have striven hard to answer thisquestion, but still there is no answerworthyofthename.SomehaveimaginedthatTHEALLhadsomethingtogainbyit,

but this is absurd, for what could THEALLgainthatitdidnotalreadypossess?Others have sought the answer in theideathatTHEALL"wishedsomethingtolove;" and others that it created forpleasure, or amusement; or because it"waslonely";ortomanifestitspower;-allpuerileexplanationsandideas,belongingtothechildishperiodofthought.

Others have sought to explain themysterybyassumingthatTHEALLfounditself"compelled"tocreate,byreasonofits own "internal nature"-its "creativeinstinct." This idea is in advance of theothers,butitsweakpointliesintheideaof THE ALL being "compelled" byanything, internal or external. If its

''internal nature," or ''creative instinct,"compelled it to do anything, then the"internal nature" or "creative instinct"would be the Absolute, instead of THEALL, and so accordingly that part of thepropositionfalls.And,yet,THEALLdoescreate and manifest, and seems to findsomekindofsatisfactioninsodoing.Anditisdifficulttoescapetheconclusionthatinsomeinfinitedegreeitmusthavewhatwouldcorrespondtoan"innernature,"or"creative instinct" in man, withcorrespondingly infiniteDesireandWill.ItcouldnotactunlessitWilledtoAct;anditwouldnotWilltoAct,unlessitDesiredto Act; and it would not Desire to Actunless it obtained some Satisfactionthereby. And all of these things would

belongtoan"InnerNature,"andmightbepostulated as existing according to theLaw of Correspondence. But, still, weprefer to think of THE ALL as actingentirely FREE from any influence,internal as well as external. That is theproblem which lies at the root ofdifficulty-andthedifficultythatliesattherootoftheproblem.

Strictlyspeaking,therecannotbesaidtobeany"Reason"whatsoeverforTHEALLto act, for a "reason" implies a "cause."andTHEALL is aboveCause andEffect,exceptwhen itWills tobecomeaCause,at which time the Principle is set intomotion. So, you see, the matter isUnthinkable, just as THE ALL is

Unknowable. Just as we say THE ALLmerely "IS"-so we are compelled to saythat "THEALLACTSBECAUSE ITACTS."Atthelast,THEALLisAllReasoninItself;AllLawinItself;AllActioninItself-anditmay be said, truthfully, that THEALL isItsOwnReason;itsownLaw;itsownAct-orstillfurther,thatTHEALL;ItsReason;ItsAct;itsLaw;areONE,allbeingnamesforthesamething.Intheopinionofthosewhoaregivingyouthesepresentlessons,theanswerislockedupinINNERSELFofTHEALL, alongwith its Secret ofBeing.The Law of Correspondence, in ouropinion, reaches only to that aspect ofTHEALL,whichmaybespokenofas"TheAspect of BECOMING." Back of thatAspectis"TheAspectofBEING,"inwhich

all Laws are lost in LAW; all Principlesmerge into PRINCIPLE-and THE ALL;PRINCIPLE; and BEING; are IDENTICAL,ONE AND THE SAME. Therefore,Metaphysicalspeculationonthispointisfutile.Wegointothematterhere,merelyto show thatwe recognize thequestion,and also the absurdity of the ordinaryanswersofmetaphysicsandtheology.

Inconclusion,itmaybeofinteresttoourstudents to learn thatwhilesomeof theancient,andmodern,HermeticTeachershave rather inclined in the direction ofapplyingthePrincipleofCorrespondenceto the question, with the result of the"Inner Nature" conclusion-still thelegends have it thatHERMES, theGreat,

when asked this question by hisadvanced students, answered them byPRESSINGHISLIPSTIGHTLYTOGETHERand saying not a word, indicating thatthere WAS NO ANSWER. But, then, hemayhaveintendedtoapplytheaxiomofhisphilosophy,that:"ThelipsofWisdomare closed, except to the ears ofUnderstanding," believing that even hisadvanced students did not possess theUnderstanding which entitled them tothe Teaching. At any rate, if HermespossessedtheSecret,hefailedtoimpartit, and so far as the world is concernedTHE LIPS OF HERMES ARE CLOSEDregardingit.AndwheretheGreatHermeshesitatedtospeak,whatmortalmaydaretoteach?

But, remember, that whatever be theanswertothisproblem,ifindeedtherebeananswer-thetruthremainsthat:"WhileAll is in THEALL, it is equally true thatTHEALL is inAll."TheTeachingon thispoint is emphatic. And,wemay add theconcluding words of the quotation: "Tohim who truly understands this truth,hathcomegreatknowledge."


CHAPTER VIII.THEPLANES OF

CORRESPONDENCE

"As above, so below; as below, so above"-TheKybalion.

The great Second Hermetic Principleembodies the truth that there is aharmony, agreement, andcorrespondence between the severalplanes of Manifestation, Life and Being.This truth is a truth because all that isincluded in theUniverse emanates fromthe same source, and the same laws,

principles, and characteristics apply toeach unit, or combination of units ofactivity, as each manifests its ownphenomenauponitsownplane.

For the purpose of convenience ofthought and study, the HermeticPhilosophy considers that the Universemaybedividedintothreegreatclassesofphenomena, known as the Three GreatPlanes,namely:

I.TheGreatPhysicalPlane.II.TheGreatMentalPlane.III.TheGreatSpiritualPlane.

Thesedivisionsaremoreorlessartificialand arbitrary, for the truth is that all of

the three divisions are but ascendingdegrees of the great scale of Life, thelowestpointofwhichisundifferentiatedMatter, and the highest point that ofSpirit. And, moreover, the differentPlanesshade intoeachother, so thatnohard and fast division may be madebetween the higher phenomena of thePhysical and the lowerof theMental; orbetweenthehigheroftheMentalandthelowerofthePhysical.

In short, theThreeGreat Planesmay beregardedasthreegreatgroupsofdegreesofLifeManifestation.Whilethepurposesofthislittlebookdonotallowustoenterinto an extended discussion of, orexplanation of, the subject of these

different planes, still we think it well togiveageneraldescriptionofthesameatthispoint.

Atthebeginningwemayaswellconsiderthe question so often asked by theneophyte, who desires to be informedregarding the meaning of the word"Plane,"whichtermhasbeenveryfreelyused,andverypoorlyexplained,inmanyrecent works upon the subject ofoccultism, The question is generallyabout as fellows: "Is a Plane a placehaving dimensions, or is it merely aconditionorstate?"Weanswer:"No,notaplace,norordinarydimensionofspace;andyetmorethanastateorcondition.itmay be considered as a state or

condition,andyetthestateorconditionis a degree of dimension, in a scalesubject to measurement." Somewhatparadoxical,isitnot?Butletusexaminethematter. A "dimension," you know, is"ameasure in a straight line, relating tomeasure," etc. The ordinary dimensionsof space are length, breadth, andheight,or perhaps length, breadth, height,thickness or circumference. But there isanotherdimensionof"createdthings,"or"measure in a straight line," known tooccultists, and to scientists as well,although the latter have not as yetapplied the term "dimension" to it-andthisnewdimension,which,bytheway,isthe much speculated about "FourthDimension," is the standard used in

determiningthedegreesor"planes."

This Fourth Dimension may be called"theDimensionofVibration." It isa factwellknowntomodernscience,aswellasto the Hermetists who have embodiedthe truth in their "Third HermeticPrinciple," that"everything is inmotion;everything vibrates; nothing is at rest."From the highest manifestation, to thelowest,everythingandallthingsVibrate.Notonlydotheyvibrateatdifferentratesofmotion, but as in different directionsandinadifferentmanner.Thedegreesofthe "rate" of vibrations constitute thedegreesofmeasurementon theScaleofVibrations-inotherwordsthedegreesoftheFourthDimension.Andthesedegrees

form what occultists call "Planes." Thehigherthedegreeofrateofvibration,thehigher the plane, and the higher themanifestation of Life occupying thatplane. So that while a plane is not "aplace,"noryet"astateorcondition,"yetit possesses qualities common to both.Weshallhavemoretosayregardingthesubject of the scale of Vibrations in ournext lessons, inwhichwe shall considertheHermeticPrincipleofVibration.

Youwillkindlyremember,however,thatthe Three Great Planes are not actualdivisions of the phenomena of theUniverse, but merely arbitrary termsusedbytheHermetistsinordertoaidinthe thought and study of the various

degrees and forms of universal activityand life. The atomofmatter, theunit offorce, themindofman,andthebeingofthe archangel are all but degrees in onescale,andallfundamentallythesame,thedifference between solely a matter ofdegree, and rate of vibration-all arecreations of THE ALL, and have theirexistence solelywithin the InfiniteMindofTHEALL.

The Hermetists sub-divide each of theThree Great Planes into Seven MinorPlanes, and each of these latter are alsosub-divided into seven sub-planes, alldivisions being more or less arbitrary,shading into each other, and adoptedmerelyforconvenienceofscientificstudy

andthought.

The Great Physical Plane, and its SevenMinor Planes, is that division of thephenomena of the Universe whichincludes all that relates to physics, ormaterial things, forces, andmanifestations. It includes all forms ofthatwhichwecallMatter,andallformsofthatwhichwe call Energy or Force. Butyou must remember that the HermeticPhilosophydoesnotrecognizeMatterasa"thinginitself,"orashavingaseparateexistence even in theMind of THEALL.The Teachings are that Matter is but aform of Energy-that is, Energy at a lowrate of vibrations of a certain kind. Andaccordingly the Hermetists classify

MatterundertheheadofEnergy,andgiveto it three of the SevenMinor Planes oftheGreatPhysicalPlane.

TheseSevenMinorPhysicalPlanesareasfollows:

I.ThePlaneofMatter(A).II.ThePlaneofMatter(B).III.ThePlaneofMatter(C).IV.ThePlaneofEtherealSubstance.V.ThePlaneofEnergy(A).VI.ThePlaneofEnergy(B).VII.ThePlaneofEnergy(C).

The Plane of Matter (A) comprises theforms of Matter in its form of solids,liquids, and gases, as generally

recognizedbythetext-booksonphysics.The Plane of Matter (B) comprisescertainhigherandmore subtle formsofMatteroftheexistenceofwhichmodernscience is but now recognizing, thephenomena of Radiant Matter, in itsphases of radium, etc., belonging to thelower sub-division of this Minor Plane.ThePlaneofMatter(C)comprisesformsof the most subtle and tenuous Matter,the existence of which is not suspectedby ordinary scientists. The Plane ofEtherealSubstancecomprisesthatwhichscience speaks of as "The Ether," asubstance of extreme tenuity andelasticity, pervading all Universal Space,and acting as a medium for thetransmissionofwavesofenergy,suchas

light, heat, electricity, etc. This EtherealSubstance forms a connecting linkbetween Matter (so-called) and Energy,and partakes of the nature of each. TheHermetic Teachings, however, instructthat this plane has seven sub-divisions(ashavealloftheMinorPlanes),andthatinfacttherearesevenethers, insteadofbutone.

Next above the Plane of EtherealSubstancecomesthePlaneofEnergy(A),which comprises the ordinary forms ofEnergyknown to science, its seven sub-planes being, respectively, Heat; Light;Magnetism; Electricity, and Attraction(including Gravitation, Cohesion,ChemicalAffinity,etc.)andseveralother

forms of energy indicated by scientificexperiments but not as yet named orclassified. The Plane of Energy (B)comprises seven sub-planes of higherformsofenergynotasyetdiscoveredbyscience, but which have been called"Nature's Finer Forces" and which arecalledintooperationinmanifestationsofcertainformsofmentalphenomena,andby which such phenomena becomespossible. The Plane of Energy (C)comprisessevensub-planesofenergysohighlyorganizedthatitbearsmanyofthecharacteristicsof "life,"butwhich isnotrecognized by theminds ofmen on theordinary plane of development, beingavailable for the use on beings of theSpiritual Plane alone-such energy is

unthinkabletoordinaryman,andmaybeconsideredalmostas"thedivinepower."The beings employing the same are as"gods" compared even to the highesthumantypesknowntous.

TheGreatMentalPlanecomprises thoseforms of "living things" known to us inordinary life, as well as certain otherforms not so well known except to theoccultist. The classification of the SevenMinor Mental Planes is more or lesssatisfactory and arbitrary (unlessaccompanied by elaborate explanationswhichare foreign to thepurposeof thisparticular work), but we may as wellmentionthem.Theyareasfollows:

I.ThePlaneofMineralMind.II.ThePlaneofElementalMind(A).III.ThePlaneofPlantMind.IV.ThePlaneofElementalMind(B)V.ThePlaneofAnimalMind.VI.ThePlaneofElementalMind(C).VII.ThePlaneofHumanMind.

ThePlaneofMineralMindcomprisesthe"states or conditions" of the units orentities, or groups and combinations ofthe same, which animate the formsknowntousas"minerals,chemicals,etc."These entities must not be confoundedwiththemolecules,atomsandcorpusclesthemselves, the latter being merely thematerial bodies or forms of theseentities, just as aman's body is but his

material form and not "himself." Theseentities may be called "souls "in onesense, and are living beings of a lowdegree of development, life, and mind-justalittlemorethantheunitsof"livingenergy"which comprise thehigher sub-divisions of the highest Physical Plane.The average mind does not generallyattributethepossessionofmind,soul,orlife, to the Mineral kingdom, but alloccultists recognize the existenceof thesame, and modern science is rapidlymoving forward to the point-of-view ofthe Hermetic, in this respect. Themolecules, atoms and corpuscles havetheir"lovesandhates";likesanddislikes;"attractions and repulsions"; "affinitiesandnon-affinities,"etc.,andsomeof the

more daring ofmodern scientificmindshave expressed the opinion that thedesireandwill,emotionsandfeelings,ofthe atoms differ only in degree fromthoseofmen.Wehavenotimeorspaceto argue this matter here. All occultistsknow it to be a fact, and others arereferred to some of the more recentscientific works for outsidecorroboration.Therearetheusualsevensub-divisionstothisplane.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (A)comprises the state or condition, anddegree ofmental and vital developmentof a class of entities unknown to theaverage man, but recognized tooccultists. They are invisible to the

ordinary senses of man, but,nevertheless,existandplaytheirpartoftheDramaof theUniverse.Theirdegreeof intelligence is between that of themineralandchemicalentitiesontheonehand, and of the entities of the plantkingdom on the other. There are sevensub-divisionstothisplane,also.

ThePlaneofPlantMind,initssevensub-divisions, comprises the states orconditionsoftheentitiescomprisingthekingdomsofthePlantWorld,thevitalandmentalphenomenaofwhichisfairlywellunderstood by the average intelligentperson, many new and interestingscientificworksregarding"MindandLifein Plants" having been published during

thelastdecade.Plantshavelife,mindand"souls,"aswellashavetheanimals,man,andsuperman.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (B), in itssevensub-divisions,comprisesthestatesand conditions of a higher form of"elemental" or unseen entities, playingtheir part in the general work of theUniverse,themindandlifeofwhichformapart of the scale between thePlane ofPlantMindandthePlaneofAnimalMind,the entities partaking of the nature ofboth.

The Plane of Animal Mind, in its sevensub-divisions, comprises the states andconditions of the entities, beings, or

souls,animatingtheanimalformsoflife,familiartousall.Itisnotnecessarytogointo details regarding this kingdom orplane of life, for the animal world is asfamiliartousasisourown.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (C), in itsseven sub-divisions, comprises thoseentitiesorbeings,invisibleasareallsuchelemental forms, which partake of thenatureofbothanimalandhumanlifeinadegreeand incertaincombinations.Thehighest forms are semi-human inintelligence.

The Plane of Human Mind, in its sevensub-divisions, comprises thosemanifestations of life and mentality

whicharecommontoMan,inhisvariousgrades, degrees, and division. In thisconnection,wewishtopointoutthefactthat the averageman of today occupiesbutthefourthsub-divisionofthePlaneofHuman Mind, and only the mostintelligent have crossed the borders ofthe Fifth Sub-Division. It has taken theracemillionsofyearstoreachthisstage,anditwill takemanymoreyearsfortheracetomoveontothesixthandseventhsubdivisions, and beyond. But,remember, that there have been racesbefore us which have passed throughthese degrees, and then on to higherplanes. Our own race is the fifth (withstragglersfromthefourth)whichhassetfootuponThePath.And,thentherearea

fewadvancedsoulsofourownracewhohave outstripped the masses, and whohavepassedonto thesixthandseventhsub-division, and some few being stillfurther on. The man of the Sixth Sub-Division will be "The Super-Man"; he oftheSeventhwillbe"TheOver-Man."

Inour considerationof the SevenMinorMental Planes, we have merely referredto the Three Elementary Planes in ageneralway.We do notwish to go intothis subject in detail in thiswork, for itdoesnotbelongtothispartofthegeneralphilosophy and teachings. But we maysaythismuch,inordertogiveyoualittleclearer idea of the relations of theseplanes to the more familiar ones-the

ElementaryPlanesbearthesamerelationto the Planes of Mineral, Plant, Animaland HumanMentality and Life, that theblack keys on the pianodo to thewhitekeys. The white keys are sufficient toproduce music, but there are certainscales,melodies,andharmonies,inwhichthe black keys play their part, and inwhich their presence is necessary. Theyare also necessary as "connecting links"of soul-condition; entity states, etc.,betweentheseveralotherplanes,certainforms of development being attainedtherein-thislastfactgivingtothereaderwhocan"readbetween the lines"anewlight upon the processes of Evolution,and a newkey to the secret door of the"leaps of life" between kingdom and

kingdom. The great kingdoms ofElementals are fully recognized by alloccultists, and the esoteric writings arefull of mention of them. The readers ofBulwer's "Zanoni'' and similar tales willrecognize the entities inhabiting theseplanesoflife.

PassingonfromtheGreatMentalPlanetothe Great Spiritual Plane, what shall wesay? How can we explain these higherstates of Being, Life andMind, tomindsasyetunabletograspandunderstandthehigher sub-divisions of the Plane ofHumanMind?Thetaskisimpossible.Wecanspeakonlyinthemostgeneralterms.How may Light be described to a manbornblind-howsugar,toamanwhohas

never tasted anything sweet-howharmony,tooneborndeaf?

All that we can say is that the SevenMinorPlanesoftheGreatSpiritualPlane(eachMinorPlanehaving its seven sub-divisions) comprise Beings possessingLife,MindandFormasfarabovethatofMan of to-day as the latter is above theearthworm, mineral or even certainforms of Energy or Matter. The Life oftheseBeingssofartranscendsours,thatwecannoteventhinkofthedetailsofthesame;theirMindsso fartranscendours,thattothemwescarcelyseemto"think,"and our mental processes seem almostakintomaterialprocesses;theMatterofwhichtheirformsarecomposedisofthe

highest Planes of Matter, nay, some areevensaidtobe"clothedinPureEnergy."WhatmaybesaidofsuchBeings?

On the SevenMinor Planes of the GreatSpiritualPlaneexistBeingsofwhomwemay speak asAngels; Archangels;Demi-Gods. On the lower Minor Planes dwellthose great soulswhomwe callMastersandAdepts.Above themcome theGreatHierarchies of the Angelic Hosts,unthinkable to man; and above thosecomethosewhomaywithoutirreverencebecalled"'TheGods,"sohighinthescaleofBeingarethey,theirbeing,intelligenceandpowerbeingakintothoseattributedbytheracesofmentotheirconceptionsof Deity. These Beings are beyond even

the highest flights of the humanimagination,theword"Divine"beingtheonly one applicable to them. Many oftheseBeings,aswellastheAngelicHost,takethegreatestinterestintheaffairsoftheUniverseandplayan importantpartinitsaffairs.TheseUnseenDivinitiesandAngelic Helpers extend their influencefreely and powerfully, in the process ofEvolution, and Cosmic Progress. Theiroccasionalinterventionandassistanceinhuman affairs have led to the manylegends, beliefs, religions and traditionsof the race,past andpresent.Theyhavesuper-imposed their knowledge andpower upon theworld, again and again,allundertheLawofTHEALL,ofcourse.

But, yet, even the highest of theseadvanced Beings exist merely ascreationsof,andin,theMindofTHEALL,andaresubject to theCosmicProcessesandUniversalLaws.TheyarestillMortal.Wemay call them "gods" ifwe like, butstilltheyarebuttheElderBrethrenoftheRace,-the advanced souls who haveoutstrippedtheirbrethren,andwhohaveforegone the ecstacy of Absorption byTHEALL,inordertohelptheraceonitsupwardjourneyalongThePath.But,theybelongtotheUniverse,andaresubjecttoits conditions-they aremortal-and theirplaneisbelowthatofAbsoluteSpirit.

Only themost advanced Hermetists areable to grasp the Inner Teachings

regarding thestateofexistence,andthepowers manifested on the SpiritualPlanes. The phenomena is so muchhigherthanthatoftheMentalPlanesthata confusion of ideaswould surely resultfrom an attempt to describe the same.Only those whose minds have beencarefully trained along the lines of theHermeticPhilosophyforyears-yes,thosewhohavebroughtwiththemfromotherincarnations the knowledge acquiredpreviously-cancomprehendjustwhatismeant by the Teaching regarding theseSpiritualPlanes.AndmuchoftheseinnerTeachings is held by the Hermetists asbeing too sacred, important and evendangerous for general publicdissemination. The intelligent student

may recognize what we mean by thiswhen we state that the meaning of"Spirit"asusedbytheHermetistsisakinto "Living Power"; "Animated Force";"Inner Essence"; "Essence of Life," etc.,whichmeaningmustnotbe confoundedwith that usually and commonlyemployed in connection with the term,i.e., "religious; ecclesiastical; spirituelle;ethereal;holy,"etc.,etc.Tooccultiststheword"Spirit"isusedinthesenseof"TheAnimatingPrinciple,"carryingwithittheidea of Power, Living Energy, MysticForce,etc.Andoccultistsknowthat thatwhich is known to them as "SpiritualPower"maybeemployedforevilaswellas good ends (in accordance with thePrinciple of Polarity), a fact which has

been recognized by the majority ofreligions in their conceptions of Satan,Beelzebub, the Devil, Lucifer, FallenAngels, etc. And so the knowledgeregarding these Planes has been kept inthe Holy of Holies in all EsotericFraternities and Occult Orders,-in theSecret Chamber of the Temple. But thismay be said here, that those who haveattained high spiritual powers and havemisused them, have a terrible fate instore for them, and the swing of thependulum of Rhythm will inevitablyswingthembacktothefurthestextremeof Material existence, from which pointtheymustretracetheirstepsSpiritward,along thewearyroundsofThePath,butalwayswith theadded tortureofhaving

alwayswiththemalingeringmemoryoftheheightsfromwhichtheyfellowingtotheir evil actions. The legends of theFallenAngelshaveabasisinactualfacts,as all advanced occultists know. ThestrivingforselfishpowerontheSpiritualPlanes inevitably results in the selfishsoul losing its spiritual balance andfalling back as far as it had previouslyrisen. But to even such a soul, theopportunityofareturnisgiven-andsuchsoulsmakethereturnjourney,payingtheterrible penalty according to theinvariableLaw.

Inconclusionwewouldagainremindyouthat according to the Principle ofCorrespondence, which embodies the

truth: "AsAbove so Below; as Below, soAbove," all of the Seven HermeticPrinciples are in full operation on all ofthe many planes, Physical, Mental andSpiritual. The Principle of MentalSubstance of course applies to all theplanes,forallareheldintheMindofTHEALL. The Principle of Correspondencemanifests in all, for there is acorrespondence, harmony andagreement between the several planes.The Principle of Vibration manifests onallplanes,infacttheverydifferencesthatgo to make the "planes" arise fromVibration, as we have explained. ThePrinciple of Polarity manifests on eachplane, the extremes of the Poles beingapparently opposite and contradictory.

The Principle of Rhythm manifests oneach Plane, the movement of thephenomenahavingitsebbandflow,riseand flow, incoming and outgoing. ThePrinciple of Cause and Effect manifestson each Plane, every Effect having itsCause and every Cause having its effect.The Principle of Gender manifests oneach Plane, the Creative Energy beingalwaysmanifest,andoperatingalongthelines of its Masculine and FeminineAspects.

"AsAbovesoBelow;asBelow,soAbove."This centuries old Hermetic axiomembodies one of the great Principles ofUniversal Phenomena. As we proceedwithour considerationof the remaining

Principles,wewillseeevenmoreclearlythe truth of the universal nature of thisgreatPrincipleofCorrespondence.


CHAPTER IX.VIBRATION

"Nothing rests; everything moves;everythingvibrates."-TheKybalion.

The great Third Hermetic Principle-thePrincipleofVibration-embodiesthetruththatMotion ismanifest in everything intheUniverse-thatnothing is at rest-thateverything moves, vibrates, and circles.This Hermetic Principle was recognizedbysomeof theearlyGreekphilosopherswho embodied it in their systems. But,then,forcenturiesitwaslostsightofbythe thinkers outside of the Hermetic

ranks. But in the Nineteenth Centuryphysical science re-discovered the truthand the Twentieth Century scientificdiscoveries have added additional proofof the correctness and truth of thiscenturies-oldHermeticdoctrine.

TheHermeticTeachingsarethatnotonlyiseverything inconstantmovementandvibration, but that the "differences"between the various manifestations ofthe universal power are due entirely tothevaryingrateandmodeofvibrations.Notonly this,but thatevenTHEALL, initself, manifests a constant vibration ofsuch an infinite degree of intensity andrapid motion that it may be practicallyconsidered as at rest, the teachers

directingtheattentionofthestudentstothefactthatevenonthephysicalplanearapidly moving object (such as arevolvingwheel)seemstobeatrest.TheTeachingsaretotheeffectthatSpiritisatoneendofthePoleofVibration,theotherPolebeingcertainextremelygrossformsof Matter. Between these two poles aremillions uponmillions of different ratesandmodesofvibration.

Modern Science has proven that all thatwecallMatterandEnergyarebut"modesof vibratory motion," and some of themore advanced scientists are rapidlymoving toward the positions of theoccultistswhohold that thephenomenaofMind are likewisemodesof vibration

ormotion.Letusseewhatsciencehastosay regarding thequestionof vibrationsinmatterandenergy.

Inthefirstplace,scienceteachesthatallmatter manifests, in some degree, thevibrations arising from temperature orheat.Beanobjectcoldorhot-bothbeingbut degrees of the same things-itmanifestscertainheatvibrations,andinthat sense is in motion and vibration.ThenallparticlesofMatterareincircularmovement, from corpuscle to suns. Theplanetsrevolvearoundsuns,andmanyofthemturnon theiraxes.Thesunsmovearoundgreater centralpoints, and thesearebelievedtomovearoundstillgreater,andsoon,adinfinitum.Themoleculesof

which theparticular kindsofMatter arecomposed are in a state of constantvibration and movement around eachother and against each other. ThemoleculesarecomposedofAtoms,which,likewise, are in a state of constantmovementandvibration.Theatomsarecomposed of Corpuscles, sometimescalled"electrons,""ions,"etc.,whichalsoare in a stateof rapidmotion, revolvingaroundeachother,andwhichmanifestavery rapid state andmode of vibration.And, so we see that all forms of Mattermanifest Vibration, in accordance withtheHermeticPrincipleofVibration.

And so it is with the various forms ofEnergy.ScienceteachesthatLight,Heat,

MagnetismandElectricityarebut formsof vibratory motion connected in somewaywith, and probably emanating fromthe Ether. Science does not as yetattempt to explain the nature of thephenomenaknownasCohesion,whichistheprincipleofMolecularAttraction;norChemical Affinity, which is the principleofAtomicAttraction;norGravitation(thegreatestmystery of the three),which istheprincipleofattractionbywhicheveryparticle or mass of Matter is bound toeveryotherparticleormass.Thesethreeforms of Energy are not as yetunderstood by science, yet the writersincline to theopinion that these tooaremanifestationsofsomeformofvibratoryenergy,afactwhichtheHermetistshave

heldandtaughtforagespast.

TheUniversalEther,whichispostulatedby science without its nature beingunderstood clearly, is held by theHermetists to be but a highermanifestation of that which iserroneously calledmatter-that is to say,Matter at a higher degree of vibration-and is called by them "The EtherealSubstance." The Hermetists teach thatthis Ethereal Substance is of extremetenuity and elasticity, and pervadesuniversal space, serving as amediumoftransmission of waves of vibratoryenergy, such as heat, light, electricity,magnetism, etc. The Teachings are thatThe Ethereal Substance is a connecting

link between the forms of vibratoryenergy known as "Matter" on the onehand,and"EnergyorForce"ontheother;and also that it manifests a degree ofvibration, in rate andmode, entirely itsown.

Scientistshaveofferedtheillustrationofa rapidlymovingwheel, top,or cylinder,toshowtheeffectsofincreasingratesofvibration. The illustration supposes awheel,top,orrevolvingcylinder,runningat a low rate of speed-we will call thisrevolving thing "the object" in followingout the illustration. Let us suppose theobject moving slowly. It may be seenreadily, but no sound of its movementreaches the ear. The speed is gradually

increased. In a few moments itsmovementbecomessorapidthatadeepgrowlorlownotemaybeheard.Thenastherateisincreasedthenoterisesoneinthemusicalscale.Then,themotionbeingstill further increased, the next highestnote is distinguished. Then, one afteranother,allthenotesofthemusicalscaleappear, rising higher and higher as themotion is increased. Finally when themotionshave reacheda certain rate thefinal note perceptible to human ears isreached and the shrill, piercing shriekdiesaway,andsilencefollows.Nosoundis heard from the revolving object, therate of motion being so high that thehumanearcannotregisterthevibrations.Then comes the perception of rising

degreesofHeat.Thenafterquitea timethe eye catches a glimpse of the objectbecomingadulldarkreddishcolor.Astherateincreases,theredbecomesbrighter.Then as the speed is increased, the redmelts into an orange. Then the orangemelts into a yellow. Then follow,successively, the shades of green, blue,indigo, and finally violet, as the rate ofspeed increases. Then the violet shadesaway,andallcolordisappears,thehumaneyenot being able to register them.Butthere are invisible rays emanating fromthe revolving object, the rays that areused inphotographing, andother subtleraysof light.Thenbegin tomanifest thepeculiarraysknownasthe"XRays,"etc.,astheconstitutionoftheobjectchanges.

Electricity and Magnetism are emittedwhentheappropriaterateofvibrationisattained.

Whentheobjectreachesacertainrateofvibration itsmoleculesdisintegrate, andresolve themselves into the originalelements or atoms. Then the atoms,following the Principle of Vibration, areseparated into the countless corpusclesofwhichtheyarecomposed.Andfinally,even the corpuscles disappear and theobjectmaybesaidtobecomposedofTheEthereal Substance. Science does notdaretofollowtheillustrationfurther,butthe Hermetists teach that if thevibrations be continually increased theobject would mount up the successive

statesofmanifestationandwouldinturnmanifest the variousmental stages, andthenonSpiritward,until itwould finallyre-enter THE ALL, which is AbsoluteSpirit.The"object,"however,wouldhaveceased tobean "object" longbefore thestageofEtherealSubstancewasreached,but otherwise the illustration is correctinasmuch as it shows the effect ofconstantly increasedratesandmodesofvibration.Itmustberemembered,intheabove illustration, that at the stages atwhich the "object" throwsoff vibrationsof light, heat, etc., it is not actually"resolved" into those forms of energy(whicharemuchhigherinthescale),butsimply that it reaches a degree ofvibrationinwhichthoseformsofenergy

are liberated, in a degree, from theconfining influences of its molecules,atomsandcorpuscles,asthecasemaybe.These forms of energy, although muchhigher in the scale than matter, areimprisonedandconfined in thematerialcombinations, by reasonof the energiesmanifesting through, and usingmaterialforms,but thusbecomingentangledandconfined in their creations of materialforms,which, to an extent, is true of allcreations, the creating force becominginvolvedinitscreation.

But the Hermetic Teachings go muchfurtherthandothoseofmodernscience.They teach that all manifestation ofthought, emotion, reason,will or desire,

or any mental state or condition, areaccompanied by vibrations, a portion ofwhich are thrownoff andwhich tend toaffect the minds of other persons by"induction." This is the principle whichproduces thephenomenaof "telepathy";mental influence,andother formsof theaction and power of mind over mind,withwhich the general public is rapidlybecomingacquainted,owingtothewidedisseminationofoccultknowledgebythevariousschools,cultsandteachersalongtheselinesatthistime.

Every thought, emotion or mental statehas its corresponding rate andmode ofvibration.Andby an effort of thewill ofthe person, or of other persons, these

mentalstatesmaybereproduced,justasa musical tone may be reproduced bycausing an instrument to vibrate at acertain rate-just as color may bereproduced in the same way. By aknowledge of the Principle of Vibration,as applied to Mental Phenomena, onemay polarize hismind at any degree hewishes, thus gaining a perfect controloverhismentalstates,moods,etc.Inthesame way he may affect the minds ofothers, producing the desired mentalstatesinthem.Inshort,bemaybeabletoproduce on theMental Plane thatwhichscience produces on the Physical Plane-namely, "Vibrations atWill." Thispowerof course may be acquired only by theproper instruction, exercises, practice,

etc., the science being that of MentalTransmutation, one of the branches oftheHermeticArt.

A little reflection on what we have saidwillshowthestudentthatthePrincipleofVibration underlies the wonderfulphenomena of the powermanifested bytheMastersandAdepts,whoareable toapparentlysetasidetheLawsofNature,butwho, inreality,aresimplyusingonelaw against another; one principleagainstothers;andwhoaccomplishtheirresults by changing the vibrations ofmaterialobjects,orformsofenergy,andthus performwhat are commonly called"miracles."

As one of the old Hermetic writers hastruly said: "He who understands thePrinciple of Vibration, has grasped thesceptreofPower."


CHAPTER X.POLARITY

"Everything is dual; everything has poles;everything has Its pair of opposites; likeand unlike are the same; opposites areidenticalinnature,butdifferentindegree;extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths;all paradoxesmaybe reconciled."-TheKybalion.

ThegreatFourthHermeticPrinciple-thePrinciple of Polarity-embodies the truththat all manifested things have "twosides";"twoaspects";"twopoles";a"pairof opposites," with manifold degrees

between the two extremes. The oldparadoxes, which have ever perplexedthe mind of men, are explained by anunderstandingof thisPrinciple.ManhasalwaysrecognizedsomethingakintothisPrinciple,andhasendeavoredtoexpressit by such sayings, maxims andaphorisms as the following: "Everythingisandisn't,atthesametime";"alltruthsarebuthalf-truths"; "every truth ishalf-false"; ''there are two sides toeverything"; "there is a reverse side toeveryshield,"etc.,etc.

TheHermeticTeachingsaretotheeffectthat the difference between thingsseeminglydiametricallyopposedtoeachother is merely a matter of degree. It

teachesthat"thepairsofoppositesmaybereconciled,"andthat"thesisandanti-thesis are identical in nature, butdifferent in degree"; and that the"universalreconciliationofopposites"iseffectedbyarecognitionofthisPrincipleof Polarity. The teachers claim thatillustrationsofthisPrinciplemaybehadoneveryhand,andfromanexaminationinto the real nature of anything. Theybeginby showing that Spirit andMatterarebut the twopolesof thesame thing,the intermediate planes being merelydegreesofvibration.TheyshowthatTHEALL and The Many are the same, thedifference being merely a matter ofdegreeofMentalManifestation.ThustheLAWandLawsarethetwooppositepoles

of one thing. Likewise, PRINCIPLE andPrinciples.InfiniteMindandfiniteminds.

Then passing on to the Physical Plane,they illustrate the Principle by showingthatHeatandColdareidenticalinnature,thedifferencesbeingmerelyamatterofdegrees. The thermometer shows manydegrees of temperature, the lowest polebeing called "cold," and the highest"heat." Between these two poles aremany degrees of "heat" or "cold," callthemeitherandyouareequallycorrect.The higher of two degrees is always"warmer," while the lower is always"colder." There is no absolute standard-allisamatterofdegree.Thereisnoplaceon the thermometer where heat ceases

andcoldbegins.Itisallamatterofhigheror lower vibrations. The very terms"high"and"low,"whichwearecompelledto use, are but poles of the same thing-thetermsarerelative.Sowith"EastandWest"-travel around the world in aneastwarddirection,andyoureachapointwhich is called west at your startingpoint,andyoureturnfromthatwestwardpoint. Travel far enoughNorth, and youwill findyourselftravelingSouth,orviceversa.

LightandDarknessarepolesofthesamething,withmanydegreesbetweenthem.The musical scale is the same-startingwith "C" you move upward until youreach another "C," and so on, the

differencesbetween the twoendsof theboardbeingthesame,withmanydegreesbetween the two extremes. The scale ofcolor is the same-higher and lowervibrations being the only differencebetween high violet and low red. LargeandSmall are relative. So areNoise andQuiet; Hard and Soft follow the rule.Likewise Sharp and Dull. Positive andNegativearetwopolesofthesamething,withcountlessdegreesbetweenthem.

Good and Bad are not absolute-we calloneendof thescaleGoodand theotherBad,oroneendGoodandtheotherEvil,accordingtotheuseoftheterms.Athingis"lessgood"thanthethinghigherinthescale;but that "lessgood" thing, in turn,

is"moregood"thanthethingnextbelowit-and so on, the "more or less" beingregulatedbythepositiononthescale.

And so it is on the Mental Plane. "LoveandHate"aregenerallyregardedasbeingthings diametrically opposed to eachother; entirely different; unreconcilable.ButweapplythePrincipleofPolarity;wefind that there is no such thing asAbsolute Love or Absolute Hate, asdistinguished from each other. The twoaremerelytermsappliedtothetwopolesofthesamething.Beginningatanypointofthescalewefind"morelove,"or"lesshate,"asweascendthescale;and"morehate" or "less love" as we descend-thisbeing true no matter from what point,

high or low, we may start. There aredegreesofLoveandHate,andthereisamiddle point where "Like and Dislike"become so faint that it is difficult todistinguish between them. Courage andFearcomeunderthesamerule.ThePairsof Opposites exist everywhere. Whereyoufindonethingyoufinditsopposite-thetwopoles.

And it is this fact that enables theHermetisttotransmuteonementalstateinto another, along the lines ofPolarization. Things belonging todifferent classes cannot be transmutedinto each other, but things of the sameclassmaybe changed, that is,mayhavetheir polarity changed. Thus Love never

becomesEastorWest,orRedorViolet-butitmayandoftendoesturnintoHate-and likewise Hate may be transformedinto Love, by changing its polarity.Courage may be transmuted into Fear,and the reverse. Hard things may berenderedSoft.DullthingsbecomeSharp.Hot things become Cold. And so on, thetransmutation always being betweenthings of the same kind of differentdegrees.Take thecaseofaFearfulman.ByraisinghismentalvibrationsalongthelineofFear-Courage,hecanbefilledwiththe highest degree of Courage andFearlessness. And, likewise, the Slothfulmanmay change himself into anActive,Energeticindividual,simplybypolarizingalongthelinesofthedesiredquality.

The student who is familiar with theprocesses by which the various schoolsofMental Science, etc., produce changesin the mental states of those followingtheir teachings, may not readilyunderstand the principle underlyingmany of these changes.When, however,thePrincipleofPolarity isoncegrasped,anditisseenthatthementalchangesareoccasioned by a change of polarity-aslidingalongthesamescale-thematterismore readily understood. The change isnot in the nature of a transmutation ofone thing into another thing entirelydifferent-butismerelyachangeofdegreein the same things, a vastly importantdifference. For instance, borrowing an

analogy from the Physical Plane, it isimpossible to change Heat intoSharpness, Loudness, Highness, etc., butHeat may readily be transmuted intoCold, simply by lowering the vibrations.In the same way Hate and Love aremutually transmutable; so are Fear andCourage.ButFearcannotbetransformedinto Love, nor can Courage betransmutedintoHate.Thementalstatesbelongtoinnumerableclasses,eachclassof which has its opposite poles, alongwhichtransmutationispossible.

Thestudentwillreadilyrecognizethatinthe mental states, as well as in thephenomenaofthePhysicalPlane,thetwopoles may be classified as Positive and

Negative, respectively. Thus Love isPositive to Hate; Courage to Fear;Activity to Non-Activity, etc., etc. And itwill also be noticed that even to thoseunfamiliarwiththePrincipleofVibration,thePositivepoleseemstobeofahigherdegree than the Negative, and readilydominates it. The tendency ofNature isin thedirectionof thedominantactivityofthePositivepole.

Inadditiontothechangingofthepolesofone'sownmentalstatesbytheoperationoftheartofPolarization,thephenomenaof Mental Influence, in its manifoldphases, showsus that theprinciplemaybe extended so as to embrace thephenomenaoftheinfluenceofonemind

over that of another, of which so muchhasbeenwrittenandtaughtoflateyears.When it is understood that MentalInduction ispossible, that is thatmentalstates may be produced by "induction"fromothers,thenwecanreadilyseehowacertainrateofvibration,orpolarizationof a certain mental state, may becommunicatedtoanotherperson,andhispolarityinthatclassofmentalstatesthuschanged.Itisalongthisprinciplethattheresults of many of the "mentaltreatments"areobtained.Forinstance,aperson is "blue," melancholy and full offear.Amentalscientistbringinghisownmind up to the desired vibration by histrained will, and thus obtaining thedesiredpolarizationinhisowncase,then

produces a similar mental state in theotherby induction, the resultbeing thatthevibrationsareraisedandthepersonpolarizes toward thePositiveendof thescale instead toward the Negative, andhisFearandothernegativeemotionsaretransmuted to Courage and similarpositivemental states.A little studywillshowyouthat thesementalchangesarenearly all along the line of Polarization,the change being one of degree ratherthanofkind.

AknowledgeoftheexistenceofthisgreatHermetic Principle will enable thestudent to better understand his ownmentalstates,andthoseofotherpeople.He will see that these states are all

matters of degree, and seeing thus, hewillbeabletoraiseorlowerthevibrationat will-to change his mental poles, andthus be Master of his mental states,insteadofbeing their servantand slave.Andbyhis knowledgehewill be able toaid his fellows intelligently, and by theappropriatemethodschangethepolaritywhenthesameisdesirable.Weadviseallstudents to familiarize themselves withthis Principle of Polarity, for a correctunderstanding of the same will throwlightonmanydifficultsubjects.


CHAPTER XI.RHYTHM

"Everything flows out and in; everythinghas its tides; all things rise and fall; thependulum-swing manifests in everything;themeasureoftheswingtotheright,isthemeasure of the swing to the left; rhythmcompensates."-TheKybalion.

The great Fifth Hermetic Principle-thePrinciple of Rhythm-embodies the truththat in everything there ismanifested ameasured motion; a to-and-frommovement; a flow and inflow; a swingforward and backward; a pendulum-like

movement a tide-like ebb and flow; ahigh-tide and a low-tide; between thetwo-poles manifest on the physical,mental or spiritual planes.ThePrincipleofRhythm is closely connectedwith thePrinciple of Polarity described in thepreceding chapter. Rhythm manifestsbetweenthetwopolesestablishedbythePrincipleofPolarity.Thisdoesnotmean,however, that the pendulum of Rhythmswings to the extreme poles, for thisrarely happens; in fact, it is difficult toestablishtheextremepolaropposites inthe majority of cases. But the swing isever"toward"firstonepoleandthentheother.

There is always an action and reaction;

an advance and a retreat; a rising and asinking;manifested inallof theairsandphenomenaoftheUniverse.Suns,worlds,men, animals, plants, minerals, forces,energy,mindandmatter,yes,evenSpirit,manifests this Principle. The Principlemanifestsinthecreationanddestructionofworlds;intheriseandfallofnations;inthelifehistoryofallthings;andfinallyinthementalstatesofMan.

Beginning with the manifestations ofSpirit-ofTHEALL-itwill benoticed thatthere is ever the Outpouring and theIndrawing; the "Outbreathing andInbreathingofBrahm,"as theBrahmansword it. Universes are created; reachtheir extreme low point of materiality;

andthenbegintheirupwardswing.Sunsspringintobeing,andthentheirheightofpower being reached, the process ofretrogressionbegins,andafter^onstheybecomedeadmassesofmatter,awaitinganotherimpulsewhichstartsagaintheirinner energies into activity and a newsolar life cycle is begun. And thus it iswith all theworlds; they are born, growanddie;onlytobereborn.Andthusitiswith all the things of shape and form;theyswingfromactiontoreaction;frombirthtodeath;fromactivitytoinactivity-and then back again. Thus it is with allliving things; they are born, grow, anddie-and thenarereborn.So it iswithallgreat movements, philosophies, creeds,fashions, governments, nations, and all

else-birth, growth, maturity, decadence,death-and then newbirth. The swing ofthependulumiseverinevidence.

Night follows day; and day night. Thependulum swings from Summer toWinter, and then back again. Thecorpuscles, atoms, molecules, and allmassesofmatter,swingaroundthecircleoftheirnature.Thereisnosuchthingasabsolute rest, or cessation frommovement,andallmovementpartakesofRhythm. The principle is of universalapplication. It may be applied to anyquestion, or phenomena of any of themanyplanesof life. Itmaybeapplied toall phases of human activity. There isalwaystheRhythmicswingfromonepole

to the other. TheUniversal Pendulum isever inmotion.TheTidesofLife flowinandout,accordingtoLaw.

The Principle of Rhythm is wellunderstood by modern science, and isconsideredauniversal lawasapplied tomaterialthings.ButtheHermetistscarrytheprinciplemuchfurther,andknowthatits manifestations and influence extendtothementalactivitiesofMan,andthatitaccounts for the bewildering successionof moods, feelings and other annoyingandperplexingchangesthatwenoticeinourselves. But the Hermetists bystudying theoperationsof thisPrinciplehave learned to escape some of itsactivitiesbyTransmutation.

The Hermetic Masters long sincediscovered that while the Principle ofRhythm was invariable, and ever inevidence in mental phenomena, stillthere were two planes of itsmanifestation so far as mentalphenomena are concerned. Theydiscovered that there were two generalplanes of Consciousness, the Lower andthe Higher, the understanding of whichfact enabled them to rise to the higherplane and thus escape the swing of theRhythmicpendulumwhichmanifestedonthelowerplane.Inotherwords,theswingof the pendulum occurred on theUnconscious Plane, and theConsciousness was not affected. This

they call the Law of Neutralization. Itsoperations consist in the raising of theEgo above the vibrations of theUnconsciousPlaneofmental activity, sothatthenegative-swingofthependulumis notmanifested in consciousness, andthereforetheyarenotaffected.It isakintorisingaboveathingandlettingitpassbeneath you. The Hermetic Master, oradvanced student, polarizes himself atthedesiredpole,andbyaprocessakinto"refusing"toparticipateinthebackwardswing, or, if you prefer, a "denial" of itsinfluenceoverhim,hestandsfirminhispolarizedposition,andallowsthementalpendulum to swing back along theunconscious plane. All individuals whohaveattainedanydegreeofself-mastery,

accomplish this, more or lessunknowingly, and by refusing to allowtheirmoods and negativemental statesto affect them, they apply the Law ofNeutralization. The Master, however,carries this to a much higher degree ofproficiency,andbytheuseofhisWillheattains a degree of Poise and MentalFirmness almost impossible of belief onthepartofthosewhoallowthemselvestobe swung backward and forward by thementalpendulumofmoodsandfeelings.

The importance of this will beappreciatedbyany thinkingpersonwhorealizes what creatures of moods,feelings and emotion the majority ofpeople are, and how little mastery of

themselvestheymanifest.Ifyouwillstopand consider amoment, youwill realizehowmuchtheseswingsofRhythmhaveaffectedyouinyour life-howaperiodofEnthusiasmhasbeeninvariablyfollowedby an opposite feeling and mood ofDepression. Likewise, your moods andperiodsofCouragehavebeensucceededby equal moods of Fear. And so it hasever beenwith themajority of persons-tidesoffeelinghaveeverrisenandfallenwiththem,buttheyhaveneversuspectedthe cause or reason of the mentalphenomena. An understanding of theworkings of this Principle will give onethekeytotheMasteryoftheserhythmicswingsof feeling,andwillenablehimtoknow himself better and to avoid being

carried away by these inflows andoutflows. The Will is superior to theconsciousmanifestationofthisPrinciple,althoughthePrincipleitselfcanneverbedestroyed.Wemayescapeitseffects,butthePrincipleoperates,nevertheless.Thependulumeverswings,althoughwemayescapebeingcarriedalongwithit.

Thereareotherfeaturesoftheoperationof this Principle of Rhythmofwhichwewishtospeakatthispoint.Therecomesinto its operations that which is knownas theLawofCompensation.Oneof thedefinitions or meanings of the word"Compensate" is, "to counterbalance,"which is the sense in which theHermetistsusetheterm.ItisthisLawof

Compensation to which the Kybalionreferswhenitsays:"Themeasureoftheswing to the right is themeasureof theswingtotheleft;rhythmcompensates."

The Law of Compensation is that theswing in one direction determines theswingintheoppositedirection,ortotheopposite pole-the one balances, orcounterbalances, the other. On thePhysicalPlaneweseemanyexamplesofthis Law. The pendulum of the clockswingsacertaindistancetotheright,andthen an equal distance to the left. Theseasons balance each other in the sameway.ThetidesfollowthesameLaw.Andthe same Law is manifested in all thephenomena of Rhythm. The pendulum,

with a short swing in onedirection, hasbutashortswingintheother;whilethelongswingtotherightinvariablymeansthe long swing to the left. An objecthurledupwardtoacertainheighthasanequal distance to traverse on its return.The forcewithwhichaprojectile issentupward a mile is reproduced when theprojectile returns to the earth on itsreturn journey. This Law is constant onthe Physical Plane, as reference to thestandardauthoritieswillshowyou.

But the Hermetists carry it still further.Theyteachthataman'smentalstatesaresubject to the same Law. Themanwhoenjoys keenly, is subject to keensuffering; while he who feels but little

pain is capable of feeling but little joy.The pig suffers but little mentally, andenjoysbut little-he is compensated.Andon the other hand, there are otheranimals who enjoy keenly, but whosenervous organism and temperamentcausethemtosufferexquisitedegreesofpain. And so it is with Man. There aretemperaments which permit of but lowdegrees of enjoyment, and equally lowdegrees of suffering; while there areothers which permit the most intenseenjoyment, but also the most intensesuffering.Theruleisthatthecapacityforpainandpleasure,ineachindividual,arebalanced.TheLawofCompensationisinfulloperationhere.

ButtheHermetistsgostillfurtherinthismatter.Theyteachthatbeforeoneisabletoenjoyacertaindegreeofpleasure,hemusthaveswungasfar,proportionately,toward the other pole of feeling. Theyhold, however, that the Negative isprecedent to thePositive in thismatter,that is to say that in experiencing acertain degree of pleasure it does notfollowthathewillhaveto"payupforit"witha correspondingdegreeofpain;onthe contrary, the pleasure is theRhythmicswing,accordingtotheLawofCompensation, for a degree of painpreviously experienced either in thepresentlife,orinapreviousincarnation.ThisthrowsanewlightontheProblemofPain.

TheHermetistsregardthechainof livesas continuous, and as forming a part ofone life of the individual, so that inconsequence the rhythmic swing isunderstoodinthisway,whileitwouldbewithout meaning unless the truth ofreincarnationisadmitted.

ButtheHermetistsclaimthattheMasteror advanced student is able, to a greatdegree,toescapetheswingtowardPain,by the process of Neutralization beforementioned. By rising on to the higherplaneoftheEgo,muchoftheexperiencethatcomestothosedwellingonthelowerplaneisavoidedandescaped.

The Law of Compensation plays animportant part in the lives of men andwomen. It will he noticed that onegenerally"paystheprice"ofanythinghepossessesorlacks.Ifhehasonething,helacks another-the balance is struck. Noonecan"keephispennyandhavethebitofcake"atthesametime.Everythinghasits pleasant and unpleasant sides. Thethingsthatonegainsarealwayspaidforby the things that one loses. The richpossess much that the poor lack, whilethe poor often possess things that arebeyond the reach of the rich. Themillionaire may have the inclinationtoward feasting, and the wealthwherewith tosecureall thedaintiesandluxuries of the table, while he lacks the

appetitetoenjoythesame;heenviestheappetite and digestion of the laborer,who lacks thewealthand inclinationsofthe millionaire, and who gets morepleasure from his plain food than themillionaire could obtain even if hisappetitewerenotjaded,norhisdigestionruined, for the wants, habits andinclinations differ. And so it is throughlife.TheLawofCompensation isever inoperation, striving to balance andcounter-balance, and always succeedingintime,eventhoughseverallivesmayberequired for the return swing of thePendulumofRhythm.


CHAPTERXII.CAUSATION

"EveryCausehasitsEffect;everyEffecthasitscause;everythinghappensaccordingtoLaw; Chance is but a name for Law notrecognized; there are many planes ofcausation,butnothingescapestheLaw."-TheKybalion.

The great Sixth Hermetic Principle-thePrinciple of Cause and Effect-embodiesthetruththatLawpervadestheUniverse;that nothing happens by Chance; thatChanceismerelyatermindicatingcause

existingbutnotrecognizedorperceived;that phenomena is continuous, withoutbreakorexception.

The Principle of Cause and Effectunderlies all scientific thought, ancientandmodern, andwas enunciatedby theHermetic Teachers in the earliest days.Whilemanyandvarieddisputesbetweenthemany schools of thought have sincearisen, these disputes have beenprincipally upon the details of theoperationsofthePrinciple,andstillmoreoftenuponthemeaningofcertainwords.The underlying Principle of Cause andEffect has been accepted as correct bypractically all the thinkers of the worldworthy of the name. To think otherwise

would be to take the phenomena of theuniverse from the domain of Law andOrder,andtorelegateittothecontrolofthe imaginary something which menhavecalled"Chance."

A little consideration will show anyonethat there is in reality no such thing aspure Chance. Webster defines the word'Chance"asfollows:"Asupposedagentormodeofactivityotherthanaforce,laworpurpose;theoperationoractivityofsuchagent; the supposed effect of such anagent; a happening; fortuity; casualty,etc."But a little considerationwill showyou that there can be no such agent as"Chance," in the sense of somethingoutside of Law-something outside of

Cause and Effect. How could there be asomething acting in the phenomenaluniverse,independentofthelaws,order,and continuity of the latter? Such asomething would be entirelyindependent of the orderly trend of theuniverse,andthereforesuperiortoit.WecanimaginenothingoutsideofTHEALLbeing outside of the Law, and that onlybecause THE ALL is the LAW in itself.There is no room in the universe for asomethingoutsideofandindependentofLaw.The existenceof such a SomethingwouldrenderallNaturalLawsineffective,and would plunge the universe intochaoticdisorderandlawlessness.

A careful examination will show that

what we call "Chance" is merely anexpression relating to obscure causes;causes that we cannot perceive; causesthat we cannot understand. The wordChance is derived fromawordmeaning"to fall" (as the falling of dice), the ideabeingthat the fallof thedice(andmanyother happenings) are merely a"happening"unrelatedtoanycause.Andthis is the sense in which the term isgenerallyemployed.Butwhenthematteriscloselyexamined, it isseenthat thereisnochancewhatsoeveraboutthefallofthe dice. Each time a die falls, anddisplaysacertainnumber,itobeysalawas infallible as that which governs therevolutionoftheplanetsaroundthesun.Back of the fall of the die are causes, or

chains of causes, running back furtherthanthemindcanfollow.Thepositionofthe die in the box; the amount ofmuscularenergyexpended inthethrow;theconditionofthetable,etc.,etc.,allarecauses, theeffectofwhichmaybe seen.But back of these seen causes there arechainsofunseenprecedingcauses,allofwhichhadabearinguponthenumberofthediewhichfelluppermost.

Ifadiebecastagreatnumberoftimes,itwill be found that the numbers shownwillbeaboutequal, that is, therewillbean equal number of one-spot, two-spot,etc., cominguppermost.Tossapenny inthe air, and it may come down either"heads" or "tails"; butmake a sufficient

numberoftosses,andtheheadsandtailswillaboutevenup.Thisistheoperationof the law of average. But both theaverage and the single toss come underthe Law of Cause and Effect, and if wewereabletoexamineintotheprecedingcauses, it would be clearly seen that itwassimply impossible for thedie to fallother than it did, under the samecircumstances and at the same time.Giventhesamecauses, thesameresultswillfollow.Thereisalwaysa"cause"anda"because"toeveryevent.Nothingever"happens" without a cause, or rather achainofcauses.

Someconfusionhasarisen in themindsof persons considering this Principle,

from the fact that they were unable toexplain how one thing could causeanotherthing-that is,bethe"creator"ofthe second thing.Asamatterof fact,no"thing"ever causesor "creates"another"thing." Cause and Effect deals merelywith events." An "event" is "that whichcomes,arrivesorhappens,asaresultorconsequentofsomeprecedingevent."Noevent "creates" another event, but ismerely a preceding link in the greatorderlychainofevents flowing fromthecreative energy of THE ALL. There is acontinuitybetweenalleventsprecedent,consequent and subsequent. There is arelationexistingbetweeneverythingthathas gone before, and everything thatfollows. A stone is dislodged from a

mountainsideandcrashesthrougharoofof a cottage in the valley below. At firstsight we regard this as a chance effect,butwhenweexaminethematterwefinda great chain of causes behind it. In thefirst place there was the rain whichsoftened the earth supporting the stoneandwhichallowedittofall;thenbackofthat was the influence of the sun, otherrains, etc.,whichgraduallydisintegratedthepieceofrockfromalargerpiece;thenthere were the causes which led to theformation of the mountain, and itsupheavalbyconvulsionsofnature,andsoonadinfinitum.Thenwemightfollowupthecausesbehindtherain,etc.Thenwemightconsidertheexistenceoftheroof.In short, we would soon find ourselves

involved in a mesh of cause and effect,from which we would soon strive toextricateourselves.

Just as amanhas twoparents, and fourgrandparents, and eight great-grandparents, and sixteen great-great-grandparents,andsoonuntilwhen,say,forty generations are calculated thenumbers of ancestors run into manymillions-so it is with the number ofcauses behind even the most triflingeventorphenomena,suchasthepassageofatinyspeckofsootbeforeyoureye.Itis not an easymatter to trace thebit ofsoot back to the early period of theworld'shistorywhenitformedapartofamassivetree-trunk,whichwasafterward

converted into coal, and so on, until asthe speck of soot it now passes beforeyour vision on its way to otheradventures.Andamightychainofevents,causes and effects, brought it to itspresent condition, and the latter is butoneofthechainofeventswhichwillgotoproduce other events hundreds of yearsfrom now. One of the series of eventsarising fromthe tinybitofsootwas thewriting of these lines,which caused thetypesetter to perform certain work; theproofreader to do likewise; and whichwill arouse certain thoughts in yourmind, and that of others, which in turnwillaffectothers,andsoon,andon,andon, beyond the ability of man to thinkfurther-andallfromthepassageofatiny

bit of soot, all of which shows therelativity and association of things, andthe further fact that "-there is no great;there is no small; in the mind thatcausethall."

Stoptothinkamoment.Ifacertainmanhadnotmetacertainmaid,awaybackinthedimperiodoftheStoneAge-youwhoare now reading these lines would notnow be here. And if, perhaps, the samecouple had failed tomeet, we who nowwritetheselineswouldnotnowbehere.And theveryactofwriting, onourpart,and the act of reading, on yours, willaffect not only the respective lives ofyourselfandourselves,butwillalsohavea direct, or indirect, affect upon many

otherpeoplenowlivingandwhowilllivein the ages to come. Every thought wethink,everyactweperform,hasitsdirectand indirect results which fit into thegreatchainofCauseandEffect.

We do not wish to enter into aconsideration of Free-Will, orDeterminism, in this work, for variousreasons.Amongthemanyreasons,istheprincipal one that neither side of thecontroversyisentirelyright-infact,bothsidesarepartiallyright,accordingtotheHermetic Teachings. The Principle ofPolarity shows that both are but Half-Truths-theopposingpoles ofTruth.TheTeachings are that a man may be bothFree and yet bound by Necessity,

depending upon the meaning of theterms, and the height of Truth fromwhich the matter is examined. Theancientwritersexpress thematter thus:"The further the creation is from theCentre, themore it is bound; thenearertheCentre it reaches, thenearerFree isit."

Themajority of people aremoreor lesstheslavesofheredity,environment,etc.,and manifest very little Freedom. Theyareswayedbytheopinions,customsandthoughtsoftheoutsideworld,andalsobytheiremotions,feelings,moods,etc.TheymanifestnoMastery,worthyofthename.They indignantly repudiate thisassertion, saying, "Why, I certainly am

free to act and do as I please-I do justwhatIwanttodo,"buttheyfailtoexplainwhence arise the "want to" and "as Iplease."Whatmakes them "want to" doonethinginpreferencetoanother;whatmakes them"please" todo this, andnotdo that? Is there no "because" to their"pleasing"and"wanting"?TheMastercanchange these "pleases"and "wants" intoothersattheoppositeendofthementalpole.Heisableto"Willtowill,"insteadofto will because some feeling, mood,emotion, or environmental suggestionarousesatendencyordesirewithinhimsotodo.

Themajorityofpeoplearecarriedalonglike the falling stone, obedient to

environment, outside influences andinternalmoods,desires,etc.,nottospeakofthedesiresandwillsofothersstrongerthan themselves, heredity, environment,and suggestion, carrying them alongwithout resistence on their part, or theexerciseoftheWill.Movedlikethepawnson the checkerboard of life, they playtheir parts and are laid aside after thegame is over. But theMasters, knowingthe rules of the game, rise above theplane of material life, and placingthemselves in touch with the higherpowers of their nature, dominate theirown moods, characters, qualities, andpolarity, as well as the environmentsurrounding them and thus becomeMovers in the game, instead of Pawns-

CausesinsteadofEffects.TheMastersdonot escape the Causation of the higherplanes, but fall in with the higher laws,and thus master circumstances on thelowerplane.Theythus formaconsciouspart of the Law, instead of being mereblind instruments. While they Serve onthe Higher Planes, they Rule on theMaterialPlane.

But, on higher and on lower, the Law isalways in operation. There is no suchthingsasChance.TheblindgoddesshasbeenabolishedbyReason.Weareabletosee now, with eyes made clear byknowledge, that everything is governedby Universal Law-that the infinitenumberoflawsarebutmanifestationsof

theOneGreatLaw-theLAWwhichisTHEALL.It istrueindeedthatnotasparrowdropsunnoticedbytheMindofTHEALL-that even the hairs on our head arenumbered-as the scriptures have said.ThereisnothingoutsideofLaw;nothingthat happens contrary to it. And yet, donotmake themistake of supposing thatMan is but a blind automaton-far fromthat. The Hermetic Teachings are thatManmayuseLawtoovercomelaws,andthatthehigherwillalwaysprevailagainstthelower,untilatlasthehasreachedthestageinwhichheseeksrefugeintheLAWitself,andlaughsthephenomenallawstoscorn. Are you able to grasp the innermeaningofthis?


CHAPTER XIII.GENDER

"Genderisineverything;everythinghasitsMasculineandFemininePrinciples;Gendermanifestsonplanes."-TheKybalion.

ThegreatSeventhHermeticPrinciple-thePrinciple of Gender-embodies the truththat there is Gender manifested ineverything-that the Masculine andFeminineprinciplesareeverpresentandactive in all phases of phenomena, oneachandeveryplaneoflife.Atthispointwe think itwell to call yourattention tothe fact that Gender, in its Hermetic

sense,andSexintheordinarilyaccepteduseoftheterm,arenotthesame.

The word "Gender" is derived from theLatin root meaning "to beget; toprocreate; to generate; to create; toproduce."

Amoment'sconsiderationwillshowyouthat the word has a much broader andmore general meaning than the term"Sex," the latterreferringtothephysicaldistinctions between male and femaleliving things. Sex is merely amanifestation of Gender on a certainplane of the Great Physical Plane-theplaneoforganiclife.Wewishtoimpressthisdistinctionuponyourminds,forthe

reason that certain writers, who haveacquired a smattering of the HermeticPhilosophy, have sought to identify thisSeventhHermeticPrinciplewithwildandfanciful,andoftenreprehensible,theoriesandteachingsregardingSex.

The office of Gender is solely that ofcreating,producing, generating, etc., andits manifestations are visible on everyplane of phenomena. It is somewhatdifficult to produce proofs of this alongscientific lines, for the reason thatscience has not as yet recognized thisPrincipleasofuniversalapplication.Butstill some proofs are forthcoming fromscientific sources. In the first place, wefind a distinct manifestation of the

Principle of Gender among thecorpuscles, ions, or electrons, whichconstitutethebasisofMatterassciencenow knows the latter, and which byforming certain combinations form theAtom,whichuntillatelywasregardedasfinalandindivisible.

The latest word of science is that theatom is composed of a multitude ofcorpuscles,electrons,orions(thevariousnames being applied by differentauthorities)revolvingaroundeachotherand vibrating at a high degree andintensity. But the accompanyingstatement ismadethat the formationoftheatomisreallyduetotheclusteringofnegative corpuscles around a positive

one-the positive corpuscles seeming toexert a certain influence upon thenegativecorpuscles,causingthelattertoassume certain combinations and thus"create"or''generate"anatom.Thisisinline with the most ancient HermeticTeachings,which have always identifiedthe Masculine principle of Gender withthe"Positive,"andtheFemininewiththe"Negative" Poles of Electricity (so-called).

Nowaword at this point regarding thisidentification. The public mind hasformedanentirelyerroneousimpressionregarding the qualities of the so-called'Negative" pole of electrified ormagnetized Matter. The terms Positive

andNegativeareverywronglyappliedtothis phenomenon by science. The wordPositive means something real andstrong, as compared with a Negativeunrealityorweakness.Nothingisfurtherfrom the real facts of electricalphenomena.Theso-calledNegativepoleofthebatteryisreallythepoleinandbywhich the generation or production ofnew forms and energies is manifested.Thereisnothing"negative"aboutit.Thebest scientific authorities now use theword "Cathode" in place of "Negative,"thewordCathodecomingfromtheGreekroot meaning "descent; the path ofgeneration, etc." From the Cathode poleemerge the swarm of electrons orcorpuscles; from the same pole emerge

those wonderful "rays" which haverevolutionized scientific conceptionsduringthepastdecade.TheCathodepoleis the Mother of all of the strangephenomenawhichhaverendereduselessthe old text-books, and which havecausedmanylongacceptedtheoriestoberelegated to the scrap-pile of scientificspeculation. The Cathode, or NegativePole,istheMotherPrincipleofElectricalPhenomena, and of the finest forms ofmatter as yet known to science. So youseewearejustifiedinrefusingtousetheterm "Negative" in our consideration ofthe subject, and in insisting uponsubstitutingtheword"Feminine"fortheoldterm.Thefactsofthecasebearusoutin this, without taking the Hermetic

Teachingsintoconsideration.Andsoweshall use the word "Feminine" in theplace of "Negative" in speaking of thatpoleofactivity.

The latest scientific teachings are thatthe creative corpuscles or electrons areFeminine (science says "they arecomposed of negative electricity-we saytheyarecomposedofFeminineenergy).

AFemininecorpusclebecomesdetachedfrom, or rather leaves, a Masculinecorpuscle, and startsonanewcareer. Itactively seeks a unionwith aMasculinecorpuscle, being urged thereto by thenatural impulse to create new forms ofMatterorEnergy.Onewritergoessofar

astousetheterm"itatonceseeks,ofitsown volition, a union," etc. Thisdetachmentandunitingformthebasisofthe greater part of the activities of thechemical world. When the Femininecorpuscle unites with a Masculinecorpuscle,acertainprocessisbegun.TheFeminineparticlesvibraterapidlyunderthe influence of the Masculine energy,and circle rapidly around the latter. Theresult is the birth of a new atom. Thisnewatom is really composedofaunionoftheMasculineandFeminineelectrons,or corpuscles, but when the union isformed the atom is a separate thing,having certain properties, but no longermanifesting the property of freeelectricity.Theprocessofdetachmentor

separation of the Feminine electrons iscalled "ionization." These electrons, orcorpuscles, are themost activeworkersin Nature's field. Arising from theirunions, or combinations, manifest thevaried phenomena of light, heat,electricity, magnetism, attraction,repulsion, chemical affinity and thereverse, and similarphenomena.And allthis arises from the operation of thePrinciple of Gender on the plane ofEnergy.

ThepartoftheMasculineprincipleseemstobethatofdirectingacertaininherentenergy toward the Feminine principle,and thus starting into activity thecreative processes. But the Feminine

principle is the one always doing theactivecreativework-andthisissoonallplanes. And yet, each principle isincapable of operative energy withouttheassistanceoftheother.Insomeoftheforms of life, the two principles arecombined in one organism. For thatmatter, everything in the organic worldmanifests both genders-there is alwaysthe Masculine present in the Feminineform, and the Feminine form. TheHermetic Teachings include muchregarding the operation of the twoprinciples of Gender in the productionand manifestation of various forms ofenergy, etc., but we do not deem itexpedienttogointodetailregardingthesameatthispoint,becauseweareunable

tobackupthesamewithscientificproof,forthereasonthatsciencehasnotasyetprogressedthusfar.Buttheexamplewehavegivenyouof thephenomenaof theelectrons or corpuscles will show youthatscienceisontherightpath,andwillalso give you a general idea of theunderlyingprinciples.

Some leading scientific investigatorshave announced their belief that in theformation of crystals there was to befound something that corresponded to"sex-activity," which is another strawshowing the direction the scientificwinds are blowing. And each year willbring other facts to corroborate thecorrectness of theHermetic Principle of

Gender.ItwillbefoundthatGenderisinconstantoperationandmanifestation inthe field of inorganicmatter, and in thefieldofEnergyorForce.Electricityisnowgenerally regarded as the "Something"intowhichallotherformsofenergyseemto melt or dissolve. The "ElectricalTheory of the Universe" is the latestscientificdoctrine,andisgrowingrapidlyinpopularityandgeneralacceptance.Andit thus follows that if we are able todiscoverinthephenomenaofelectricity-even at the very root and source of itsmanifestations-aclearandunmistakableevidence of the presence of Gender andits activities, we are justified in askingyou to believe that science at last hasoffered proofs of the existence in all

universal phenomena of that greatHermetic Principle-the Principle ofGender.

It is not necessary to take up your timewith the well known phenomena of the"attraction and repulsion" of the atoms;chemicalaffinity;the"lovesandhates"ofthe atomic particles; the attraction orcohesion between the molecules ofmatter.Thesefactsaretoowellknowntoneed extended comment from us. But,haveyoueverconsideredthatallofthesethings aremanifestations of the GenderPrinciple?

Can you not see that the phenomena is"onall fours"withthatofthecorpuscles

orelectrons?Andmorethanthis,canyounot see the reasonableness of theHermeticTeachingswhichassertthatthevery Law of Gravitation-that strangeattractionbyreasonofwhichallparticlesandbodiesofmatterintheuniversetendtoward each other-is but anothermanifestationofthePrincipleofGender,which operates in the direction ofattractingtheMasculinetotheFeminineenergies,andviceversa?Wecannotofferyou scientific proof of this at this time-butexamine thephenomena in the lightoftheHermeticTeachingsonthesubject,andseeifyouhavenotabetterworkinghypothesis than any offered by physicalscience. Submit all physical phenomenato the test, and you will discern the

PrincipleofGendereverinevidence.

Letusnowpassontoaconsiderationofthe operation of the Principle on theMental Plane. Many interesting featuresarethereawaitingexamination.


CHAPTER XIV.MENTALGENDER

Students of psychology who havefollowed the modern trend of thoughtalongthelinesofmentalphenomenaarestruck by the persistence of the dual-mindideawhichhasmanifesteditselfsostrongly during the past ten or fifteenyears, and which has given rise to anumber of plausible theories regardingthenatureandconstitutionofthese"twominds." The late Thomson J. Hudsonattained great popularity in 1893 byadvancing his well-known theory of the

"objective and subjective minds" whichheheldexistedineveryindividual.Otherwriters have attracted almost equalattention by the theories regarding the"conscious and sub-conscious minds";the "voluntary and involuntary minds";"the active andpassiveminds," etc., etc.Thetheoriesofthevariouswritersdifferfrom each other, but there remains theunderlying principle of "the duality ofmind."

The student of theHermetic Philosophyis tempted to smile when he reads andhears of these many "new theories"regarding the duality of mind, eachschool adhering tenaciously to its ownpet theories, and each claiming to have

"discoveredthetruth."Thestudentturnsback the pages of occult history, andawaybackinthedimbeginningsofoccultteachings he finds references to theancient Hermetic doctrine of thePrincipleofGenderontheMentalPlane-themanifestationofMentalGender.Andexamining further he finds that theancient philosophy took cognizance ofthephenomenonofthe"dualmind,"andaccounted for it by the theoryofMentalGender.This ideaofMentalGendermaybeexplained ina fewwords to studentswho are familiar with the moderntheories just alluded to. The MasculinePrincipleofMindcorrespondstotheso-called Objective Mind; Conscious Mind;VoluntaryMind;ActiveMind,etc.Andthe

Feminine Principle ofMind correspondsto the so-called Subjective Mind;Subconscious Mind; Involuntary Mind;PassiveMind,etc.OfcoursetheHermeticTeachings do not agree with the manymoderntheoriesregardingthenatureofthetwophasesofmind,nordoesitadmitmany of the facts claimed for the tworespective aspects-some of the saidtheories and claims being very far-fetchedandincapableofstandingthetestof experiment and demonstration. Wepointtothephasesofagreementmerelyforthepurposeofhelpingthestudenttoassimilate his previously acquiredknowledge with the teachings of theHermeticPhilosophy.StudentsofHudsonwillnoticethestatementatthebeginning

of his second chapter of "The Law ofPsychic Phenomena," that: "The mysticjargon of the Hermetic philosophersdisclosesthesamegeneralidea"-i.e.,thedualityofmind. IfDr.Hudsonhad takenthetimeandtroubletodecipheralittleof"the mystic jargon of tile HermeticPhilosophy," he might have receivedmuch lightupon thesubjectof "thedualmind"-but then, perhaps, his mostinteresting work might not have beenwritten. Let us now consider theHermetic Teachings regarding MentalGender.

The Hermetic Teachers impart theirinstruction regarding this subject bybidding their students examine the

report of their consciousness regardingtheirSelf.Thestudentsarebiddentoturntheir attention inward upon the Selfdwellingwithineach.Eachstudentisledto see that his consciousness gives himfirstareportoftheexistenceofhisSelf-thereportis"IAm."Thisatfirstseemstobe the final words from theconsciousness, but a little furtherexaminationdisclosesthefactthatthis"IAm"may be separated or split into twodistinct parts, or aspects, which whileworkinginunisonandinconjunction,yet,nevertheless, may be separated inconsciousness.

While at first there seems tobeonly an"I" existing, a more careful and closer

examination reveals the fact that thereexists an "I" and a "Me." These mentaltwins differ in their characteristics andnature, and an examination of theirnature and the phenomena arising fromthe same will throw much light uponmany of the problems of mentalinfluence.

Letusbeginwitha considerationof the"Me,"whichisusuallymistakenforthe"I"by the student, until he presses theinquiry a little further back into therecessesofconsciousness.Aman thinksofhisSelf(initsaspectof"Me")asbeingcomposed of certain feelings, tastes,likes, dislikes, habits, peculiar ties,characteristics, etc., all of which go to

make up his personality, or the "Self"known to himself and others. He knowsthattheseemotionsandfeelingschange;arebornanddieaway;aresubjecttothePrincipleofRhythm,andthePrincipleofPolarity, which take him from oneextreme of feeling to another. He alsothinks of the "Me" as being certainknowledgegatheredtogetherinhismind,andthusformingapartofhimself.Thisisthe"Me"ofaman.

Butwe have proceeded too hastily. The"Me"ofmanymenmaybesaidtoconsistlargelyoftheirconsciousnessofthebodyand their physical appetites, etc. Theirconsciousness being largely bound upwith theirbodilynature, theypractically

"livethere."Somemenevengosofarastoregardtheirpersonalapparelasapartof their "Me," and actually seem toconsideritapartofthemselves.Awriterhashumorouslysaidthat"menconsistofthree parts-soul, body and clothes."These "clothes conscious" peoplewouldlosetheirpersonalityifdivestedoftheirclothingbysavagesupontheoccasionofaship-wreck.Butevenmanywhoarenotso closely bound up with the idea ofpersonal raiment stick closely to theconsciousnessoftheirbodiesbeingtheir"Me." They cannot conceive of a Selfindependent of the body. Their mindseems to them to be practically "asomething belonging to" their body-whichinmanycasesitisindeed.

But as man rises in the scale ofconsciousness he is able to disentanglehis"Me"fromhisideaofbody,andisabletothinkofhisbodyas"belongingto"themental part of him. But even then he isveryapttoidentifythe"Me"entirelywiththementalstates,feelings,etc.,whichhefeelstoexistwithinhim.Heisveryapttoconsidertheseinternalstatesasidenticalwith himself, instead of their beingsimply"things"producedbysomepartofhismentality,andexistingwithinhim-ofhim,andinhim,butstillnot"himself."Hesees that he may change these internalstatesoffeelingsbyaneffortofwill,andthathemayproduceafeelingorstateofan exactly opposite nature, in the same

way,andyetthesame"Me"exists.Andsoafterawhileheisabletosetasidethesevariousmentalstates,emotions,feelings,habits, qualities, characteristics, andother personal mental belongings-he isable to set them aside in the "not-me"collection of curiosities andencumbrances, as well as valuablepossessions. This requiresmuchmentalconcentration and power of mentalanalysis on the part of the student. Butstillthetaskispossiblefortheadvancedstudent, and even those not so faradvanced are able to see, in theimagination, how the process may beperformed.

After this laying-aside process has been

performed, the studentwill find himselfinconsciouspossessionofa"Self"whichmay be considered in its "I" and "Me"dualaspects.The"Me"willbefelttobeaSomething mental in which thoughts,ideas, emotions, feelings, and othermentalstatesmaybeproduced.Itmaybeconsideredasthe"mentalwomb,"astheancients styled it-capable of generatingmental offspring. It reports to theconsciousness as a "Me" with latentpowers of creation and generation ofmentalprogenyofallsortsandkinds.Itspowers of creative energy are felt to beenormous. But still it seems to beconsciousthatitmustreceivesomeformof energy fromeither its "I" companion,orelsefromsomeother"I,"ereitisable

to bring into being itsmental creations.This consciousness brings with it arealization of an enormous capacity formentalworkandcreativeability.

Butthestudentsoonfindsthatthisisnotall that he finds within his innerconsciousness.HefindsthatthereexistsamentalSomethingwhichisabletoWillthat the "Me" act along certain creativelines, and which is also able to standaside and witness the mental creation.Thispartofhimselfheistaughttocallhis"I."Heisabletorestinitsconsciousnessatwill.Hefindstherenotaconsciousnessof an ability to generate and activelycreate,inthesenseofthegradualprocessattendant upon mental operations, but

rather a sense and consciousness of anabilitytoprojectanenergyfromthe"I"tothe "Me"-a process of "willing" that themental creation begin and proceed. Healso finds that the "I" is able to standaside andwitness the operations of the"Me's" mental creation and generation.There is this dual aspect in themind ofevery person. The "I" represents theMasculinePrincipleofMentalGender-the"Me" represents the Female Principle.The "I" represents the Aspect of Being;the"Me"theAspectofBecoming.Youwillnotice that the Principle ofCorrespondence operates on this planejustasitdoesuponthegreatplaneuponwhich the creation of Universes isperformed. The two are similar in kind,

although vastly different in degree. "Asabove, so below; as below, so above."Theseaspectsofmind-theMasculineandFemininePrinciples-the"I"andthe"Me"-considered in connectionwith the well-known mental and psychic phenomena,give the master-key to these dimlyknown regions of mental operation andmanifestation. The principle of MentalGender gives the truth underlying thewhole field of the phenomena ofmentalinfluence,etc.

ThetendencyoftheFemininePrincipleisalways in the direction of receivingimpressions, while the tendency of theMasculine Principle is always in. thedirectionofgivingout,orexpressing.The

Feminine Principle has a much morevaried field of operation than has theMasculine Principle. The FemininePrincipleconductstheworkofgeneratingnew thoughts, concepts, ideas, includingthe work of the imagination. TheMasculine Principle contents itself withthe work of the "Will," in its variedphases.Andyetwithouttheactiveaidofthe Will of the Masculine Principle, theFemininePrincipleisapttorestcontentwithgeneratingmentalimageswhicharethe result of impressions received fromoutside, instead of producing originalmental creations. Persons who can givecontinued attention and thought to asubject actively employ both of theMental Principles-the Feminine in the

workofactivementalgeneration,andtheMasculine Will in stimulating andenergizing the creative portion of themind. The majority of persons reallyemploytheMasculinePrinciplebut littleand are content to live according to thethoughtsandideasinstilledintothe"Me"fromthe"I"ofotherminds.But it isnotourpurpose todwellupon thisphaseofthe subject, whichmay be studied fromanygoodtextbookuponpsychology,withthekeythatwehavegivenyouregardingMentalGender.

The student of Psychic Phenomena isaware of the wonderful phenomenaclassified under the head of Telepathy;Thought Transference;Mental Influence;

Suggestion; Hypnotism, etc. Many havesoughtforanexplanationofthesevariedphasesofphenomenaunderthetheoriesofthevarious"dualmind"teachers.Andin ameasure they are right, for there isclearly a manifestation of two distinctphases of mental activity. But if suchstudentswillconsiderthese"dualminds"in the light of the Hermetic TeachingsregardingVibrationsandMentalGender,theywillseethatthelongsoughtforkeyisathand.

InthephenomenaofTelepathyitisseenhow the Vibratory Energy of theMasculine Principle is projected towardtheFemininePrincipleofanotherperson,andthelattertakestheseed-thoughtand

allowsittodevelopintomaturity.Inthesame way Suggestion and Hypnotismoperates. TheMasculinePrinciple of theperson giving the suggestions directs astreamofVibratoryEnergyorWill-Powertoward the Feminine Principle of theother person, and the latter accepting itmakes it its own and acts and thinksaccordingly. An idea thus lodged in themind of another person grows anddevelops, and in time is regardedas therightful mental offspring of theindividual,whereasitisinrealitylikethecuckooeggplaced inthesparrow'snest,where it destroys the rightful offspringand makes itself at home. The normalmethod is for the Masculine andFemininePrinciplesinaperson'smindto

coordinate and act harmoniously inconjunction with each other. But,unfortunately, theMasculinePrinciple intheaveragepersonistoo lazytoact-thedisplay of Will-Power is too slight-andtheconsequenceisthatsuchpersonsareruled almost entirely by the minds andwills of otherpersons,whom they allowtodotheirthinkingandwillingforthem.How few original thoughts or originalactions are performed by the averageperson?Arenot themajority of personsmere shadows and echoes of othershaving stronger wills or minds thanthemselves? The trouble is that theaveragepersondwellsalmostaltogetherinhis "Me" consciousness, anddoesnotrealizethathehassuchathingasan"I."

HeispolarizedinhisFemininePrincipleof Mind, and theMasculine Principle, inwhich is lodged the Will, is allowed toremaininactiveandnotemployed.

Thestrongmenandwomenoftheworldinvariably manifest the MasculinePrinciple of Will, and their strengthdepends materially upon this fact.Instead of living upon the impressionsmade upon their minds by others, theydominate theirownmindsby theirWill,obtaining the kind of mental imagesdesired, and moreover dominate theminds of others likewise, in the samemanner. Look at the strong people, howthey manage to implant their seed-thoughts in theminds of themasses of

the people, thus causing the latter tothink thoughts in accordance with thedesires and wills of the strongindividuals. This is why the masses ofpeople are such sheep-like creatures,never originating an idea of their own,nor using their own powers of mentalactivity.

ThemanifestationofMentalGendermaybenoticedallaroundusineverydaylife.ThemagneticpersonsarethosewhoareabletousetheMasculinePrincipleintheway of impressing their ideas uponothers. The actor who makes peopleweeporcryashewills,isemployingthisprinciple.Andsoisthesuccessfulorator,statesman, preacher, writer or other

people who are before the publicattention.Thepeculiar influenceexertedbysomepeopleoverothersisduetothemanifestationofMentalGenderalongtheVibratorial lines above indicated. In thisprinciple lies the secret of personalmagnetism, personal influence,fascination, etc., as well as thephenomenagenerallygroupedunderthenameofHypnotism.

Thestudentwhohasfamiliarizedhimselfwiththephenomenagenerallyspokenofas "psychic" will have discovered theimportant part played in the saidphenomena by that force which sciencehasstyled"Suggestion,"bywhichtermismeanttheprocessormethodwherebyan

idea is transferred to, or "impressedupon" the mind of another, causing thesecond mind to act in accordancetherewith. A correct understanding ofSuggestion is necessary in order tointelligently comprehend the variedpsychical phenomena which Suggestionunderlies.But, stillmore is a knowledgeof Vibration and Mental Gendernecessary for the student of Suggestion.For the whole principle of Suggestiondepends upon the principle of MentalGenderandVibration.

It is customary for the writers andteachers of Suggestion to explain that itis the "objective or voluntary" mindwhich make the mental impression, or

suggestion, upon the "subjective orinvoluntary" mind. But they do notdescribe the process or give us anyanalogyinnaturewherebywemaymorereadily comprehend the idea But if youwillthinkofthematterinthelightoftheHermetic Teachings, youwill be able tosee that the energizing of the FemininePrincipleby theVibratoryEnergyof theMasculine Principle is in accordance totheuniversallawsofnature,andthatthenaturalworldaffordscountlessanalogieswhereby the principle may beunderstood. In fact, the HermeticTeachingsshowthattheverycreationofthe Universe follows the same law, andthat in all creativemanifestations, uponthe planes of the spiritual, the mental,

and the physical, there is always inoperation this principle of Gender-thismanifestation of the Masculine and theFemininePrinciples."Asabove,sobelow;asbelow,soabove."Andmorethanthis,when the principle of Mental Gender isoncegraspedandunderstood,thevariedphenomena of psychology at oncebecomes capable of intelligentclassificationandstudy,insteadofbeingvery much in the dark. The principle"works out" in practice, because it isbasedupontheimmutableuniversallawsoflife.

We shall not enter into an extendeddiscussion of, or description of, thevariedphenomenaofmentalinfluenceor

psychic activity. There are many books,many of them quite good, which havebeen written and published on thissubject of late years. The main factsstatedinthesevariousbooksarecorrect,although the several writers haveattempted to explain thephenomenabyvarious pet theories of their own. Thestudentmayacquainthimselfwiththesematters, and by using the theory ofMental Gender he will be able to bringorder out of the chaos of conflictingtheory and teachings, and may,moreover,readilymakehimselfamasterof the subject if he be so inclined. Thepurpose of this work is not to give anextendedaccountofpsychicphenomena,but rather to give to the student a

master-key whereby he may unlock themanydoorsleadingintothepartsoftheTempleofKnowledgewhichhemaywishto explore. We feel that in thisconsideration of the teachings of TheKybalion, one may find an explanationwhich will serve to clear away manyperplexing difficulties-a key that willunlock many doors. What is the use ofgoingintodetailregardingallofthemanyfeatures of psychic phenomena andmentalscience,providedweplaceinthehandsofthestudentthemeanswherebyhemay acquaint himself fully regardingany phase of the subject which mayinterest him. With the aid of TheKybaliononemaygothroughanyoccultlibrary anew, the old Light from Egypt

illuminating many dark pages, andobscure subjects. That is thepurposeofthisbook.Wedonotcomeexpoundinganewphilosophy,butratherfurnishingtheoutlines of a great world-old teachingwhich will make clear the teachings ofothers-which will serve as a GreatReconciler of differing theories, andopposingdoctrines.


CHAPTER XV.HERMETICAXIOMS

"The possession of Knowledge, unlessaccompanied by a manifestation andexpressioninAction,islikethehoardingofprecious metals-a vain and foolish thing.Knowledge,likeWealth,isintendedforUse.The Law of Use is Universal, and hewhoviolates it suffersby reasonofhis conflictwithnaturalforces."-TheKybalion.

The Hermetic Teachings, while alwayshaving been kept securely locked up inthe minds of the fortunate possessors

thereof, for reasons which we havealreadystated,wereneverintendedtobemerely stored away and secreted. TheLaw of Use is dwelt upon in theTeachings, as youmay see by referenceto the above quotation from TheKybalion, which states it forcibly.Knowledge without Use and Expressionis a vain thing, bringing no good to itspossessor, or to the race. Beware ofMental Miserliness, and express intoAction that which you have learned.Study the Axioms and Aphorisms, butpractice themalso.WegivebelowsomeofthemoreimportantHermeticAxioms,fromTheKybalion,withafewcommentsaddedtoeach.Maketheseyourown,andpractice and use them, for they are not

reallyyourownuntilyouhaveusedthem.

"To change your mood or mental state-changeyourvibration."-TheKybalion.

Onemaychangehismentalvibrationsbyan effort of Will, in the direction ofdeliberately fixing the Attention upon amore desirable state. Will directs theAttention, and Attention changes theVibration. Cultivate theArt of Attention,bymeansoftheWill,andyouhavesolvedthe secret of theMastery ofMoods andMentalStates.

"Todestroyanundesirablerateofmentalvibration,put intooperationthePrincipleof Polarity and concentrate upon tile

opposite pole to thatwhich you desire tosuppress. Kill out the undesirable bychangingitspolarity."-TheKybalion.

This isoneofthemost importantoftheHermeticFormulas.Itisbasedupontruescientificprinciples.Wehaveshownyouthatamentalstateanditsoppositeweremerely the two poles of one thing, andthat by Mental Transmutation thepolaritymightbereversed.Thisprincipleis known tomodern psychologists, whoapplyittothebreakingupofundesirablehabits by bidding their studentsconcentrateupontheoppositequality.IfyouarepossessedofFear,donotwastetimetryingto"killout"Fear,butinsteadcultivate thequality of Courage, and the

Fear will disappear. Some writers haveexpressed this idea most forcibly byusing the illustration of the dark room.Youdonothave to shoveloutor sweepouttheDarkness,butbymerelyopeningthe shutters and letting in the Light theDarkness has disappeared. To kill out aNegative quality, concentrate upon thePositivePoleofthatsamequality,andthevibrations will gradually change fromNegativetoPositive,untilfinallyyouwillbecome polarized on the Positive poleinstead of the Negative. The reverse isalsotrue,asmanyhavefoundouttotheirsorrow, when they have allowedthemselves to vibrate too constantly ontheNegativepoleof things.Bychangingyour polarity you may master your

moods, change your mental states,remake your disposition, and build upcharacter.MuchoftheMentalMasteryofthe advanced Hermetics is due to thisapplication of Polarity, which is one ofthe important aspects of MentalTransmutation.RemembertheHermeticAxiom(quotedpreviously),whichsays:

"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."-TheKybalion.

The mastery of Polarization is themasteryofthefundamentalprinciplesofMental Transmutation or Mental

Alchemy, forunlessoneacquires theartof changing his own polarity, hewill beunable to affect his environment. Anunderstanding of this principle willenableonetochangehisownPolarity,aswellasthatofothers,ifhewillbutdevotethe time, care, study and practicenecessarytomastertheart.Theprincipleis true, but the results obtained dependuponthepersistentpatienceandpracticeofthestudent.

"Rhythm may be neutralized by anapplicationoftheArtofPolarization."-TheKybalion.

As we have explained in previouschapters, the Hermetists hold that the

Principle of Rhythm manifests on theMental Plane as well as on the PhysicalPlane, and that the bewilderingsuccessionofmoods, feelings,emotions,and other mental states, are due to thebackward and forward swing of thementalpendulum,whichcarriesus fromoneextremeoffeelingtotheother.

TheHermetistsalsoteachthattheLawofNeutralization enables one, to a greatextent, to overcome the operation ofRhythm in consciousness. As we haveexplained, there is a Higher Plane ofConsciousness, as well as the ordinaryLower Plane, and the Master by risingmentally to theHigher Plane causes theswing of the mental pendulum to

manifest on the Lower Plane, and he,dwellingonhisHigherPlane,escapestheconsciousness of the swing backward.This is effected by polarizing on theHigher Self, and thus raising thementalvibrationsof theEgoabovethoseof theordinaryplaneofconsciousness.Itisakintorisingaboveathing,andallowingittopass beneath you. The advancedHermetist polarizes himself at thePositivePoleofhisBeing-the"IAm"polerather than the pole of personality, andby "refusing" and "denying" theoperation of Rhythm, raises himselfabove its plane of consciousness, andstanding firm in his Statement of Beingheallowsthependulumtoswingbackonthe Lower Plane without changing his

Polarity. This is accomplished by allindividualswhohaveattainedanydegreeofself-mastery,whethertheyunderstandthe law or not. Such persons simply"refuse"toallowthemselvestobeswungback by the pendulum of mood andemotion,andbysteadfastlyaffirmingthesuperiority,theyremainpolarizedonthePositive pole. The Master, of course,attains a far greater degree ofproficiency, because he understands thelawwhichhe is overcomingby ahigherlaw,andbytheuseofhisWillheattainsadegreeofPoiseandMentalSteadfastnessalmostimpossibleofbeliefonthepartofthosewhoallowthemselvestobeswungbackward and forward by the mentalpendulum of moods and feelings.

Remember,always,however,thatyoudonot really destroy the Principle ofRhythm, for that is indestructible. Yousimply overcome one law by counter-balancing it with another, and thusmaintain an equilibrium. The laws ofbalance and counter-balance are inoperationonthementalaswellasonthephysicalplanes,andanunderstandingofthese laws enables one to seem tooverthrow laws, whereas he is merelyexertingacounterbalance.

"Nothing escapes the Principle of Causeand Effect, but there are many Planes ofCausation,andonemayusethelawsofthehighertoovercomethelawsofthelower."-TheKybalion.

By an understanding of the practice ofPolarization, the Hermetists rise to ahigher plane of Causation and thuscounter-balance the laws of the lowerplanesof Causation.By rising above theplane of ordinary Causes they becomethemselves,inadegree,Causesinsteadofbeing merely Caused. By being able tomaster their own moods and feelings,and by being able to neutralizeRhythm,as we have already explained, they areable to escape a great part of theoperations of Cause and Effect on theordinaryplane.Themassesofpeoplearecarried along, obedient to theirenvironment; the wills and desires ofothers stronger than themselves; the

effect of inherited tendencies; thesuggestions of those about them; andother outward causes; which tend tomove themabouton the chess-boardoflife like mere pawns. By rising abovethese influencing causes, the advancedHermetistsseekahigherplaneofmentalaction, and by dominating their moods,emotions, impulses and feelings, theycreate for themselves new characters,qualities and powers, by which theyovercome their ordinary environment,and thus become practically playersinsteadofmerePawns.Suchpeoplehelptoplay thegameof lifeunderstandingly,instead of being moved about this wayand thatwaybystronger influencesandpowersandwills.Theyuse thePrinciple

ofCauseandEffect,insteadofbeingusedby it. Of course, even the highest aresubjecttothePrincipleasitmanifestsonthehigherplanes,butonthelowerplanesof activity, they are Masters instead ofSlaves.AsTheKybalionsays:

"Thewiseonesserveonthehigher,butruleon the lower. They obey the laws comingfromabove them,buten theirownplane,and those below them, they rule and giveorders. And, yet, in so doing, they form apartofthePrinciple,insteadofopposingit.ThewisemanfallsinwiththeLaw,andbyunderstanding itsmovementsheoperatesit instead of being its blind slave. Just asdoestheskilledswimmerturnthiswayandthat way, going and coming as he will,

insteadofbeingasthelogwhichiscarriedhere and there-so is the wise man ascompared to the ordinary man-and yetbothswimmerandlog;wisemanandfool,are subject to Law. He who understandsthis is well on the road to Mastery."-TheKybalion.

In conclusion let us again call yourattentiontotheHermeticAxiom:

"TrueHermeticTransmutationisaMentalArt."-TheKybalion.

Intheaboveaxiom,theHermetiststeachthat the great work of influencing one'senvironment is accomplished byMentalPower. The Universe being wholly

mental, it follows that it may be ruledonlybyMentality.And in this truth is tobe found an explanation of all thephenomena and manifestations of thevarious mental powers which areattractingsomuchattentionandstudyinthese earlier years of the TwentiethCentury.Backofandundertheteachingsofthevariouscultsandschools,remainseverconstanttheprincipleoftheMentalSubstanceoftheUniverse.IftheUniversebeMentalinitssubstantialnature,thenitfollows thatMentalTransmutationmustchangetheconditionsandphenomenaofthe Universe. If the Universe is Mental,then Mind must be the highest poweraffecting its phenomena. If this beunderstood then all the so-called

"miracles" and "wonder-workings areseenplainlyforwhattheyare.

"THE ALL is MIND; The Universe isMental."-TheKybalion.

Kybalion: A Study Of The Hermetic Philosophy Of Ancient Egypt … A Study Of... · 2020-03-20 ·...

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