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The Kybalion
The Mysteries of Hermes
Three Initiates
 The Kybalion

Content

Content.......................................................................................... 2

Introduction

Hermetic Philosophy

Chapter II The seven hermetic principles .............................................. 11

Chapter III Mental Transmutation.......................................................... 19

Chapter IV The All ................................................................................. 23

Chapter V The mental universe ................................................................ 28

Chapter VI The divine paradox................................................................ 34

Chapter VII The All in All.......................................................... 42

Chapter VIII The correspondence plans ......................................... 49

Chapter IX Vibration......................................................... 59

Chapter X Polarity.......................................................... 64

Chapter XI Rhythm ................................................................................... 69

Chapter XII Causality............................................................... 74

80

Chapter XIV Mental Genre................................................................. 85

Chapter XV Hermetic Axioms ........................................................... 93

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 The Kybalion

Introduction
It gives us great pleasure to present this work for your attention.
students and researchers of the Secret Doctrines, a work that is
based on the ancient hermetic teachings. It has been written so
little is said on this matter, despite the countless references
what has been done with these teachings in many of the works on
occultism, which the researchers of arcane truths will have, without
doubts, foreseeing the appearance of this book.

The purpose of this is not the enunciation of a philosophy or doctrine.

especially, but rather to give the student an exegesis of the truth,
may it help to reconcile the many topics of knowledge
hidden that may have already been acquired, but that, apparently, are
contradictory and paradoxical, which often discourages and displeases the
beginner. Our attempt is not to erect a new temple of
wisdom, but rather to place a master key in the hands of the researcher
with which I can open the numerous internal doors that lead to
Temple of Mystery.

No hidden knowledge has been guarded as fiercely as the

fragments of the hermetic teachings, those that have reached until
we through the centuries that have passed since the times of
Great Founder, Hermes Trismegistus, 'the chosen one of the gods', who
died in ancient Egypt, when the current race was in its infancy.
Contemporary of Abraham, and, if the legend does not lie, instructor of
that venerable sage, Hermes was and is the Great Central Sun of Occultism,
whose rays have illuminated all the knowledge that has been
imparted since then. All the fundamental bases of the
esoteric teachings that have been imparted at any time to the
races are originally, essentially, those formulated by Hermes. Even the
the oldest doctrines of India have their source in the
hermetic teachings.

From the land of the Ganges, many advanced occultists headed

to Egypt to kneel at the Master's feet. From him they obtained the
master key, which, while explaining, reconciled its different

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points of view, thus firmly establishing the Secret Doctrine. Of

from all parts of the globe came disciples and neophytes who looked at
Hermes as the Master of Masters, and his influence was so great
that, despite the refusals of the hundreds of instructors that there were
in different countries, it can be easily found in the
teachings of these recent fundamental bases on which
they established the hermetic doctrines. The student of religions
compared can easily perceive the great influence that the
hermetic teachings have influenced all religions, whatever that may be
it was the name by which they are known now, whether in the religions
dead or in the currently existing ones. The analogy is clear.
despite the seemingly contradictory points, and the teachings
hermetic ones are like a mediator for them.

The work of Hermes seems to have been directed towards sowing the
great truth that has developed and germinated in so many and such strange
forms, rather than in establishing a school of philosophy that
will dominate the thought of the world. However, the original truth
taught by him has been preserved intact, in its primal purity, by a
reduced number of men in each era, who, refusing great
number of fans and underdeveloped students, followed the
hermetic procedure and reserved their knowledge for the few who
they were ready to understand it and master it. From the lips to the ears
this knowledge was transmitted among those few. They have always existed
in each generation and in the various countries of the earth some initiates
they kept alive the sacred flame of the hermetic teachings, and
that they have always wanted to use their lamps to light the
lesser lamps of the profane world, when the light of truth
he languished and became cloudy due to his negligence, or when his wick
it was soiled with strange materials. There have always been a few who
they took care of the altar of truth, upon which they always kept burning
the perpetual lamp of Wisdom. Those men dedicated their lives to
that labor of love that the poet described in these lines:

Oh, do not let the flame extinguish! Sustained by generation after

generation in its dark cave —sustained in its sacred temples.
Nourished by pure love priests— don't let the flame go out!

These men never sought either popular approval or to monopolize.

a large number of proselytes. They are indifferent to those things, for they know about
there are so few in each generation, capable of receiving the truth,

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or recognize it if it were presented to them. They "reserve the meat for the
men", while others "give milk to the children", they preserve
your pearls of wisdom for the few chosen ones capable of appreciating them
value and to wear them in their crowns, instead of throwing them to the pigs that
they would tarnish and trample them in the mud of their pens. But these
men have not yet forgotten the precepts of Hermes regarding the
transmission of these teachings to those who are prepared to
receive them, regarding which The Kybalion says: 'Wherever they are'
footprints of the Master, there, the ears of the one who is ready to receive them
"lessons open wide." And also: "When the ear is
able to hear, then come the lips that are to fill them with
wisdom." But his usual attitude has always been strictly of
agreement with another aphorism from The Kybalion as well, which says that "the
The lips of Wisdom remain closed, except to the capable ear.
to understand.

And those ears incapable of understanding are the ones that have criticized this
attitude of the hermeticists and those who have publicly lamented about
that they have never clearly expressed the true spirit
of his teachings, without reservations or hesitations. But a look
retrospective in the pages of history will demonstrate the wisdom of the
masters, who knew the madness that it was to try to teach the world
what he neither wanted nor was prepared to receive. The hermeticists
they have never wished to be martyrs, but on the contrary, they have
remained withdrawn, silent and smiling in the face of efforts of
some who imagined, in their ardent enthusiasm, that they could force
to a race of barbarians to accept truths that they can only understand
those who have advanced a lot on the Path.

The spirit of persecution has not yet died on earth. There are certain
hermetic teachings that, if disclosed, would bring upon their
spreading a scream of hate and the contempt of the crowds, those who
they would shout again: Crucify him!... Crucify him!...

In this little work, we have tried to give you an idea of the teachings.
fundamentals of The Kybalion, indicating everything related to the
current principles, leaving you the work of studying them, rather than the
to treat them ourselves in detail. If you are true students or
disciples, you will understand and be able to apply these principles; if not, you must
develop them, for otherwise the Hermetic teachings will not be
for you but 'words, words, words.'

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THE THREE INITIATED

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Chapter I
Hermetic philosophy
The lips of wisdom remain closed, except
for the ear capable of understanding.
The Kybalion.

From ancient Egypt have come the fundamental teachings and

secrets that have strongly influenced philosophical systems of
all races and all peoples, for entire centuries. The
Egypt, the land of the pyramids and the Sphinx, was the cradle of the
Secret Wisdom and the mystical doctrines. All nations have
taken from their esoteric doctrines, India, Persia, Chaldea,
Medea, China, Japan, Assyria, ancient Greece and Rome, and others no less.
important countries took full advantage of the doctrines
formulated by the hierophants and Masters of the land of Isis,
knowledge that was only transmitted to those who were prepared
to participate in the occult.

It was also in ancient Egypt where the great adepts lived.

and Masters that no one has surpassed since, and who have rarely been
equaled in the centuries that have passed since the times of
Great Hermes. Egypt was the residence of the Great Lodge of the
mystical fraternities. Through the doors of their temple, all entered
neophytes who later became Adepts, Hierophants, and Masters,
they spread everywhere, bringing with them the precious knowledge
who possessed it and wishing to make everyone who was part of it
ready to receive it. No student of occultism can fail to
to acknowledge the great debt that one has incurred with those venerable
Masters of Egypt.

But among those great masters there was one whom the others
they proclaimed "the Master of Masters". This man, if he can
to call oneself 'man' a being similar, lived in Egypt in the most remote
antiquity and was recognized under the name of Hermes Trismegistus.

He was the father of wisdom, the founder of astrology, the discoverer

from alchemy. The details of his life have been lost to history,
due to the immense span of time that has passed since then.

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date of his birth in Egypt, in his last incarnation in this

planet, it is not known now, but it has been said that it was contemporary with
the oldest dynasties of Egypt, long before Moses. The
authorities in the field believe he is contemporary with Abraham, and in
Some of the Jewish traditions assert that Abraham obtained
many of the knowledge he possessed from the same Hermes.

Many years have passed since his death.

tradition states that he lived three hundred years), the Egyptians deified him and
they made him one of their gods, under the name of Thoth. Years later
the Greeks also made him another of their gods and called him
Hermes, the god of wisdom. Both the Greeks and the Egyptians
they venerated his memory for whole centuries, calling him the
"inspired by the gods," and adding its ancient name
"Trismegistus," which means "thrice great." All these ancient
countries adored him, and his name was synonymous with 'source of wisdom'.

Even in our days we use the term "hermetic" in the sense of

"secret", "reserved", etc., and this is due to the hermeticists
they had always strictly observed the secrecy of their teachings.
Although at that time the saying 'do not cast pearls before swine' was not known,
they followed their special code of conduct which instructed them to 'give milk
to children and meat to men," whose maxims are familiar to everyone.
the readers of the biblical scriptures, maxims that, on the other hand, had been
were already used many centuries before the Christian Era.

And this policy of carefully disseminating the truth has characterized

always to the hermeticists, even in our days. The teachings
hermetic traditions are found in all countries and in all religions,
but never identified with a particular country or religious sect
some. This is due to the preaching that the ancient instructors did
to prevent the Secret Doctrine from crystallizing into a creed. The
the wisdom of this measure is evident to all students of
history. The ancient occultism of India and Persia degenerated and became
they lost their knowledge, due to the fact that the instructors had
converted into priests and mixed theology with philosophy, being
its immediate consequence was that they lost all their wisdom, which ended
to turn into an immense amount of religious superstitions,
cults, creeds, and gods. The same happened with Hermetic teachings.
from the Christian Gnostics, teachings that were lost over time
Constantine, who tarnished philosophy by mixing it with theology, and the

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the Christian church then lost its true essence and spirit, finding itself
forced to walk blindly for several centuries, without it having been until now that
found its way, currently observing that the Christian church
is struggling again to get closer to his former teachings
mystical.

But there have always been a few souls that have kept alive
the flame, carefully feeding it and not allowing it to
extinguish your light. And thanks to those steadfast hearts and those minds of
extraordinary development we still have the truth with us. But we do not
find in the books. She has been transmitted from the Master to the disciple,
from the initiated to the novice, from lips to ears. If it has ever been
written something about her, her meaning has been carefully veiled with
terms of astrology and alchemy, in such a way that only those who possessed
the key could be read correctly. This became necessary in order to
to avoid the persecutions of the theologians of the Middle Ages, who
They fought against the Secret Doctrine with blood and fire. Even in our
these days it is not easy to find some valuable books on Hermetic philosophy,
but most of it has been lost. However, Hermetic Philosophy is
the only master key that can open the doors to all the
hidden teachings.

In the early times, there existed a compilation of certain doctrines.

hermetic that were the fundamental bases of all the Secret Doctrine,
and which had been, until then, transmitted from the instructor to
student, compilation that was known by the name of The Kybalion,
whose exact meaning was lost for hundreds of years. Without
embargo, some have received their maxims from lips to ears
they understand them and know them. Their precepts had not been written
never until now. They are simply a series of maxims and axioms.
which were then explained and expanded by the Initiates. These
teachings really constitute the basic principles of "alchemy"
"hermetic," which, contrary to popular belief, is based on the
mastery of mental forces, rather than of the elements
materials; in the transmutation of a type of mental vibrations into
others, rather than in the change from one class of metal to another. The
legend about the philosopher's stone, which turned all metals into
gold, it was an allegory related to Hermetic Philosophy, an allegory that was
perfectly understood by all the disciples of the true
hermetism.

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In this little work, we invite our students to examine the

Hermetic teachings, as they were presented in The Kybalion,
explained and expanded by us, humble students of the same,
for although we bear the title of initiates, we are, however, simple
disciples at the feet of Hermes, the Master. We transcribe here many
of the maxims and precepts of The Kybalion, accompanied by
explanations and comments that we believe will help make more
easily understandable those teachings by modern men,
especially considering that the original text has been obscured to
purpose with obscure and puzzling terms.

The original maxims, axioms, and precepts of The Kybalion are

printed with a different typeface. We hope that the readers of this work
they will gain as much benefit from studying its pages as they have gained
others who have walked before along the same path that leads to the
mastery since the times of Hermes Trismegistus, the Master of the
Masters, the Three Times Great, so far.

The Kybalion states:

Wherever the Master's footprints are, there the ears of

those who are ready to receive your teachings open wide
by.

When the ear is able to hear, then the lips come that
they should fill them with wisdom.

Therefore, according to what has been indicated, this book will only attract the
attention from those who are prepared to receive it. And reciprocally,
when the student is ready to receive the truth, then this
the book will reach him. The hermetic principle of cause and effect, in its aspect
of the 'law of attraction,' will bring the ears close to the lips and the book close to the
disciple.

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Chapter II
The seven hermetic principles
The principles of truth are seven: he who understands this
perfectly, it holds the magic key before which all the
The temple doors will swing wide open.
The Kybalion

The seven principles upon which all Hermetic Philosophy is based are
the following:

THE PRINCIPLE OF MENTALISM.

2. THE PRINCIPLE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
3. THE PRINCIPLE OF VIBRATION.
4. THE PRINCIPLE OF POLARITY.
5. THE PRINCIPLE OF RHYTHM.
6. THE PRINCIPLE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT.
7. THE PRINCIPLE OF GENERATION.

1. The principle of mentalism

The ALL is Mind; the universe is mental.

The Kybalion.

This principle encapsulates the truth that 'everything is mind'.

that the ALL, which is the substantial reality that is hidden behind
all the manifestations and appearances that we know under the
names of 'material universe', 'phenomena of life'
matter, energy, etc., and in one word, everything that is
sensible to our material senses, is spirit, who in itself
the same is unknowable and indefinable, but it can be
considered as an infinite, universal, and living mind. Explain
also that the whole world or universe is a creation
mental of EVERYTHING in whose mind we live, move, and have
our being. This principle, by establishing the mental nature of
universe, easily explains the various mental phenomena and
psychics that have so concerned the public's attention, and that

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Without such explanation, they are not comprehensible and challenge all hypotheses.
scientific. The understanding of this hermetic principle of
Mentalism enables the individual to perform and understand the law that governs
the mental universe, applying it to their well-being and development. The
a student of Hermetic Philosophy can employ
consciously the great mental laws, instead of using them
by chance or be used by them. With the master key in their
power, the disciple can open the doors of the temple of
mental and psychic knowledge and to enter into it, free and
intelligently. This principle explains the true nature of
the energy, of force and matter, and how and why all
these are subordinate to the domain of the mind. One of the
ancient Masters wrote a long time ago: "He who understands the
the truth that the universe is mental is very advanced in it
"Path of mastery." And these words are so true today in
day as they were when they were written. Without this master key the
mastery is impossible, and the student who does not possess it, in vain
He will knock on the door of the Temple.

2. The principle of correspondence

As above, so below; as below, so above.

The Kybalion.

This principle encompasses the truth that there is always a certain

correspondence between the laws and the phenomena of the various
states of being and of life, and the ancient hermetic axiom is
it refers precisely to this, and states: 'As it is above, so it is below;'
as it is below, so it is above", and the understanding of this principle gives
a key to solving many of the darkest problems and
paradoxes of the mysterious secrets of Nature. There are
many plans that we do not know, but when we apply that law
of correspondence to them, much of what otherwise would
it would be incomprehensible becomes clear to our consciousness. This
The principle is of universal application in the various planes, mental,
material or spiritual of the Cosmos: it is a universal law. The ancients

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hermetists considered this principle as one of the most

important auxiliaries of the mind, through which one can
unveil the veil that hides the unknown from our lives. Its
the application can somewhat tear the Veil of Isis, in such a way
that allows us to see, if only a little, some of the traits of
the goddess. Similarly to understanding the principles of the
geometry enables man to measure diameter, orbit and
movement of the farthest stars, while it remains
sitting in his observatory, so too is the knowledge of
the principle of correspondence enables man to reason
intelligently from the known or the unknown; studying the
the monad reaches the understanding of the archangel.

3. The Principle of Vibration

Nothing is still; everything moves; everything vibrates.

The Kybalion.

This principle contains the truth that everything is in motion,

that nothing remains motionless, both things that he confirms by his
part of modern science, and each new discovery verifies it and
check. And, despite everything, this hermetic principle was
statement hundreds of years ago by the Masters of ancient Egypt.
This principle explains the differences between the various
manifestations of matter, force, mind, and even of
same spirit, those that are nothing but the result of the various
vibrational states. From the WHOLE, which is pure spirit, to the
rougher form of matter, everything is in vibration: the more
the higher it is, the more elevated its position in the scale.
the vibration of the spirit is of an infinite intensity; so much that
it can practically be considered as if it were at rest,
in the same way that a wheel that spins rapidly seems to
it is at rest. And at the other end of the scale there are forms
of very dense matter, whose vibration is so weak that it seems
also be at rest. Between both poles, there are millions of
millions of degrees of vibrational intensity. From the corpuscle and
the electron, from the atom and the molecule to the star and the

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Universes, everything is in vibration. And this is equally true in the

regarding the states or planes of energy or force (the one that
it is nothing more than a certain vibrational state), and to the planes
mental and spiritual. A perfect understanding of this
the principle enables the hermetic student to control their own
mental vibrations, as well as those of others. The Masters
they also employ this principle to conquer phenomena
natural. "He who understands the vibratory principle has reached
the scepter of power,” said one of the oldest writers.

4. The Principle of Polarity

Everything is dual, everything has two poles; everything has its pair of
Opposites: the similar and the antagonistic are the same;
Opposites are identical in nature, but different in
degree; extremes touch; all truths are
half truths, all paradoxes can
reconcile.

The Kybalion.

This principle encompasses the truth that everything is dual; everything has
two poles; all their pair of opposites, assertions that belong to others
so many hermetic axioms. Explain and elucidate the ancient ones.
paradoxes that have left so many researchers perplexed, and
They literally said: 'The thesis and the antithesis are identical in
nature, differing only in degree"; "the opposites are identical
actually, differing in their gradation"; "the pairs of
opposites can be reconciled, extremes touch each other; everything is and
it is not at the same time", "every truth is but half truth";
“every truth is half false,” etc. This principle explains that in
each thing has two poles, two aspects, and that the 'opposites' do not
are actually, but the two extremes of the same thing,
the difference consisting simply of various degrees between
both. Heat and cold, although opposed, are really the same
what, the difference consisting simply in different degrees
from that. Look at a thermometer and try to find out where
the heat begins and where the cold ends. There is nothing that is

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absolute heat in reality, simply indicating both terms,

cold and heat, different degrees of the same thing, and that this
manifests in those opposites is nothing more than the poles of that which
It is called Heat, that is to say, the manifestation of the principle of polarity.
that occupies us. The same principle is manifested in the 'light' and the
"darkness", which are, in summary, nothing but the same thing,
the difference is caused by the diversity of degree between the
two poles of the phenomenon. Where does darkness end and where
Does the light start? What is the difference between big and small?
Which is harder and which is softer? Which is harder and which is softer? Which
between white and black? Which between high and low? Which between positive
And negative? The principle of polarity explains this paradox. The
the same principle operates in the same way on the mental plane.
Let's take, for example, love and hate, two mental states.
completely different apparently, and we will notice that there is
many degrees between both; so many that the words that we
we use to designate them, "pleasant" and "unpleasant", we
they merge into one another to such an extent that many times we are
unable to affirm whether something brings us pleasure or disgust.
They are all just gradations of the same thing, like it
you will clearly understand if you reflect on it a little. And even
more than this, it is possible to change or transmute the vibrations of
hatred for love vibrations, in one's own mind and in the mind of
the others, what is considered as the most important by the
hermetics. Many of you who read these pages will have had
experiences in yourselves and in others of the quick and
involuntary transition from love to hate and vice versa. And now
You will understand the possibility of doing this through power.
from the will, according to the hermetic formulas. The 'Good'
and the 'Evil' are nothing but the poles of one and the same thing, and the
hermeticist understands and knows perfectly the art of
transmute evil into good by intelligently applying the principle
of polarity. In one word, the 'art of polarizing' becomes
a phase of mental alchemy, known and practiced by the
ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. The perfect
understanding this principle empowers to change one's own
polarity, as well as that of others, if one takes the time and
study what is necessary to master this art.

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5. The principle of rhythm

Everything flows and ebbs; everything has its periods of progress and
recession, everything rises and falls; everything moves like
a pendulum; the measure of its movement to the right,
it is the same as its movement to the left; the
rhythm is compensation.

The Kybalion.

This principle encapsulates the truth that everything manifests in a

determined back-and-forth movement; a flow and ebb, a
pendulum oscillation between the two existing poles according to
with the principle of polarity, described a moment ago. There is always
an action and a reaction, a forward movement and a setback, a
ascension and a descent. And this law governs everything; suns, worlds,
animals, mind, energy, matter. This law manifests in the same way
in the creation as in the destruction of worlds, in the
progress like in the decline of nations, in life, in the
all things, and, finally, in the mental states of man, and
It is often to this latter point that hermetists believe this
principle is the most important. Hermeticists have discovered
this principle, finding it universally applicable, and have
likewise discovered certain methods to escape their effects,
through the use of appropriate formulas and methods.
They use the mental law of neutralization for this. They cannot
nullify the principle or prevent it from operating, but they have learned to evade
its effects up to a certain degree, a degree that depends on the domain
that is known of said principle. They know how to use it, instead of being
used by him. This and other similar methods consist of the
hermetic science. The Master polarizes himself at the point
where do you want to stay, and then neutralizes the rhythmic oscillation
pendulum that would tend to drag it towards the other pole. All the
who have gained a certain degree of self-control
they execute this to a certain extent, consciously or unconsciously,
but the Master performs it consciously, and by the power of
his will reaches such a degree of stability and mental firmness
almost impossible to conceive by that immense crowd that goes
and comes in a continuous wave-like motion, propelled by

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this principle of rhythm. This, just like the principle of polarity, has been
carefully studied by hermeticists, and the methods of
to counterbalance them, to neutralize them and to use them, form one of the
most important parts of hermetic mental alchemy.

6. The principle of cause and effect

Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause;
everything happens according to the law; luck is nothing more than the
name given to the unrecognized law; there are many
"Plans of chance, but nothing escapes the Law."

The Kybalion.

This principle contains the truth that every effect has its cause,
and every cause has its effect. It claims that nothing happens by chance and that
everything happens according to the Law.

Luck is a vain word, and although there are many levels of

causes and effects, dominating the superiors over the inferiors, even
thus no one escapes completely from the Law. The hermeticists know
the means and methods by which one can ascend beyond
of the ordinary plane of causes and effects, to a certain degree, and
mentally reaching the higher plane becomes causes
instead of effects. The crowds are swept away, carried along
for the environment that surrounds them or for the desires and
wills of others, if they are superior to their own. The
inheritance, suggestions, and other multiple external causes
they push like automatons on the great stage of life. But the
Masters, having reached the higher plane, dominate their
modalities, their characteristics, their qualities and powers, as well as
the environment that surrounds them, thus becoming
as leaders, instead of being the led.

They help the masses and individuals have fun in the game of the
life, instead of them being the players or the automata moved
by others’ wills. They use the principle, instead of being their
instruments. The Masters obey the causality of the

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upper floors in which they are located, but they provide their
collaboration to regulate and govern in its own realm. In what was said
it condenses a very valuable hermetic knowledge: that the
May it be capable of reading between the lines, is our wish.

7. The principle of generation

The generation exists everywhere; everything has its beginning.

male and female; the generation manifests itself in all
the plans.
The Kybalion.

This principle encapsulates the truth that generation manifests in

everything, while always in action the masculine and feminine principles.
This is true, not only on the physical level but also on the mental level.
and in the spiritual. In the physical world, this principle manifests as
"sex," and in the higher planes, it takes on more elevated forms, but the
the principle always remains the same. No physical, mental, or
spiritual, it is impossible without this principle. Understanding it illuminates
many of the problems that have so confused the minds of the
men. This creative principle always works in the sense of "generating",
"regenerate" and "create". Every being contains within itself the two elements.
from this principle. If you wish to know the philosophy of creation,
mental and spiritual generation and regeneration, you must study this
hermetic principle, for it contains the solution to many of the
mysteries of life. We warn you that this principle has nothing to do with
with the harmful and degrading theories, teachings, and practices that
they are announced with eye-catching titles, which are nothing more than a
prostitution of the great natural principle of generation. Such theories and
practices are nothing more than the resurrection of ancient phallic doctrines,
that can only produce the ruin of the mind, the soul, and the body, and the
Hermetic Philosophy has always reached its voice of protest against
those licenses and perversions of natural principles. If what
if you desire such teachings, you must go look for them elsewhere: the
Hermeticism contains nothing about them. For the pure, all things are
pure; for the wicked, all are wicked.

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Chapter III
mental transmutation
The mind, just like all metals and other elements,
they can be transmuted, from state to state, from degree to
degree, from condition to condition, from pole to pole, from
vibration in vibration. The true transmutation
Hermeticism is a practice, a method, a mental art.

The Kybalion.

As we indicated earlier, the hermeticists were the true

creators of alchemy, astrology, and psychology, having been
Hermes the founder of those schools of thought. Of astrology.
modern astronomy has derived; chemistry has emerged from alchemy
and from mystical psychology to modern psychology. But it should not be assumed
that the ancients were ignorant regarding what schools
moderns believe in their exclusive ownership. The engraved inscriptions
the stones and monuments of Egypt conclusively prove that
the ancients possessed the most perfect knowledge about the
astronomy, showing the construction of the same pyramids one
very close relationship between their designs and their knowledge of science
astronomical. Nor should it be assumed that they are ignorant of chemistry, for the
fragments of ancient writings discovered show that they were
very familiar with the chemical properties of bodies. In a
word, his theories regarding physics have been subsequently
verified and confirmed by the latest discoveries in science
modern, especially concerning the constitution of matter.
Far from ignoring the calls of modern psychological discoveries, the
Egyptians were very aware of all this, especially in certain
branches that completely ignore modern schools, and above all
in 'psychic science', which is so confusing the psychologists of
nowadays, and making them finally confess that, "after all, well
There may be some truth to it.

The truth is that, in addition to chemistry, astronomy, and psychology (that is,
psychology in its aspect of brain function), the ancients possessed a
transcendental knowledge of astronomy that was called alchemy and of
the transcendental psychology titled mystical psychology. And not only

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 The Kybalion

they possessed this internal knowledge, but also the external one, being this
last the only one that modern scientists know. Among the
many aspects and topics of secret knowledge of the Hermeticists
is found what is known as 'mental transmutation', of which
we are going to address in this chapter.

"Transmutation" is the term generally used to refer to the

ancient art of transmuting metals, especially those of little value,
in gold. The word 'transmute' means 'to change nature, of
substance and form, becoming another; transforming into something else
(Webster). And according to that definition, 'mental transmutation'
it means the art of transforming or changing states, qualities, forms,
mental conditions etc., in others. So you can see that the
mental transmutation is nothing more than a kind of mental chemistry;
And if you prefer the term, a special practical form of mystical psychology.

But this has a much greater meaning than it seems at first glance.
view. The alchemical transmutation on the mental plane is as important in
its effects, if known, would be one of the most important studies
important for man. And this is just the beginning. Let's see
why.

The first of the seven Hermetic principles is that of mentalism, which

it states that "the ALL is mind, that the universe is mental," which
it means that the only reality that is hidden behind everything that exists is
mind; and the universe itself is a mental creation, that is, it exists
in the mind of the ALL. We will consider this principle in the following
lessons, as we are now going to study their effects, assuming that
that principle were true.

If the universe is of a mental nature, then mental transmutation

it must be the art of changing or transforming the conditions of the universe,
whether it is matter, energy, or the mind. So that
transmutation is nothing but magic, about which so much has been said
the ancient writers in their mystical works, but about which
They give so few practical instructions. If everything is mental, then the
possession of the means to transmute mental conditions
The teacher must be the leader and controller of the conditions.
materials, as well as the operations called mental.

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 The Kybalion

It is very true that no one, except the most mental alchemists

advanced, they have reached the necessary level of power to dominate the
denser physical conditions, such as the elements of the
nature, the production and cessation of storms, the production and
cessation of earthquakes or other physical phenomena of any kind, but
The existence of such men in the past and present is something that cannot be doubted.
no occultist, whether from any school. The best instructors
they assure their students that Masters exist, with those
had some personal experiences that justified his belief.
These Masters do not publicly display their powers, but rather,
On the contrary, they remain solitary in order to act and work better.
on the path of realization. We mention its existence here,
merely to draw your attention to the fact that your powers are
entirely mental and operate in the sense of the highest
mental transmutation, according to the principle of mentalism from The Kybalion,
The universe is a mental creation.

But the students and hermeticists of the grades lower than that of Master
the initiates and instructors can also act and work freely
in the mental plane.

Everything we call 'psychic phenomena', 'mental influence',

"mentalism" etc., is mental transmutation, for there exists a principle
unique, and nothing matters the name given to the phenomena that are
they produce.

Those who practice mental transmutation work on that plane,

transforming conditions and mental states into others, according to
more or less effective formulas. The various "treatments",
"affirmations", "autosuggestions", etc., from the mentalist schools do not
they are more than those same formulas (often very imperfect and
empirical), of hermetic art. Most of those who practice it are
some ignorants compared to the ancient Masters, because not
they possess the fundamental knowledge on which it is based
operation.

Not only one's own mental states can be

transmuted according to hermetic methods, but can also
doing this with the mentality of others and, indeed, everyone
we undergo mental transformations of any kind,
unconsciously, generally, but sometimes consciously, when

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 The Kybalion

we understand something about the laws and principles that govern them, and
especially when others ignore the means to protect themselves
same. Many mentalism students know that the conditions
materials depend on the minds of others, and can be
transmuted and changed according to the desires of the person who
wants to change their living conditions. This has become so public.
nowadays, we do not believe it is necessary to mention it in detail, being
our sole purpose is to show the action of this principle
hermetic that hides behind all those various ways of operating, good
oh bad, because force can be used in both directions, of
agreement with the hermetic principle of polarity.

In this short work, we will outline the basic principles on which it is founded.
mental transmutation, so that all who study it
they can understand the laws they obey, and thus possessing the key
teacher, be able to open the many doors of the principle of
polarity.

Now we will proceed to consider the first of the seven principles.

hermetic, that of mentalism, the one that explains and develops the axiom of
that everything is mental, that the universe is a mental creation,
according to the words of The Kybalion.

This principle must be studied carefully, because it is, in fact,

the basis of all Hermetic Philosophy and the hermetic art of
mental transmutation.

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 The Kybalion

Chapter IV
The All
Beyond the Cosmos, Beyond Time, Beyond Space, Beyond everything
How much it moves and changes, reality is found.
Substantial, the Fundamental Truth.
The Kybalion.

"Substance" means that which lies hidden beneath all external manifestation,
the essential reality, the thing in itself. 'Substantial' means
currently existing, the essential element, the real being. "Reality"
it means the state of being true, real, eternal, permanent, fixed.

Beyond all external appearance or manifestation, there must always be

a substantial reality. This is the law. Man, upon considering and
to examine the universe, of which it is a unit, sees nothing else but a
continuous change in matter, in forces in mental states. Go
that nothing is really, that everything transforms and changes. Nothing
remains: everything is born, grows, dies; as soon as one thing has
having reached its maximum development begins to decline; the law of rhythm is
in constant operation; there are no realities, nothing firm, nothing lasting,
fixed or substantial, nothing permanent, everything is change. All things
they arise and evolve from other things. There is a continuous action that is
always followed by its corresponding reaction; everything flows and ebbs,
everything is built and collapses, everything is creation and destruction, life and
death. And if the man who makes such an examination and sees such things is outside a
thinker, would understand that all those things in perpetual change do not
they can be nothing but simple external appearances or manifestations of some
power that is hidden behind them, of some substantial reality enclosed
in them.

All thinkers, from any country or era, have been compelled

to affirm the existence of this substantial reality. All philosophies,
whoever their name may have been, they have been based on this idea. The
men have given this substantial reality many names: some
they have called it 'God', others 'Infinite Divinity' and 'Eternal Energy',
Matter, etc., but everyone has recognized its existence. It is evident from
herself. She does not need arguments.

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 The Kybalion

In these lessons, we have followed the example of some of the most

great thinkers of the world, ancient and modern —the Masters
hermetical— and we have named that power that hides behind all
the manifestations, to that substantial reality, by its hermetic name
of EVERYTHING, whose term we think is the broadest of those that can be
employ the man.

We accept and teach the theories of great thinkers.

hermetic, as well as those of those enlightened souls who have
ascended to higher planes of existence. Both claim that the
The intimate nature of the ALL is unknowable. And this must be so.
Indeed, for no one, except the ALL itself, can understand.
its own nature and its own being. Hermeticists believe and teach
that the WHOLE in itself is and must be unknowable. They consider the
theories and speculations of theologians and metaphysicians regarding the
the intimate nature of the ALL as childish efforts of minds
mortals to uncover the secret of the Infinite. All those efforts have
always a failure, and they will continue to fail, due to their very nature
about the task. Those who speculate on it find themselves lost in a
a labyrinth of thoughts without an exit, and if it persists in its attempt, it ends up
to lose all ability to reason sanely, to the point of becoming
life would be impossible. One would find oneself in a situation similar to that of the
squirrel, which in the cage starts to spin on its wheel, without moving from the
same place, continuing as imprisoned as before having begun.

And even more presumptuous are those who try to attribute to the ALL
the personality, qualities, properties, characteristics, and attributes of
themselves, as if the WHOLE had emotions, feelings and
characteristics of humans. And it even attributes bad qualities to them,
like jealousy, susceptibility to praise and prayer, the desire to
that is offered to and worshiped and all those other things that have been
legacy as inheritance from the early days of humanity's childhood.
Such ideas are of no use to the developed man and end up
put them aside.

We believe it should indicate that we make a distinction between philosophy and the
metaphysics. Religion means for us the intuitive realization of the
existence of the ALL and the relationship between oneself and HIM, while
Theology means for us the effort or the efforts that one makes
man to attribute one's own qualities, personality,
characteristics, etc., as well as their theories, projects, wishes, and designs,

24
 The Kybalion

assuming the role of the intermediary between the ALL and the people. The
philosophy means for us the speculation that aims to understand
the knowable and thinkable things (let us use the word), insofar as
that metaphysics indicates the attempt to inquire among the nebulous
the regions of the unknowable and the unthinkable, the one that, in the end and finally
cabo has the same trend as theology. Consequently, the
Religion and philosophy mean to us things that have reality
for themselves, while theology and metaphysics are somewhat like
twisted and labyrinthine paths, through which ignorance circulates, and
they form the most insecure and unstable base on which one can rely.
mind or the soul of man. We will not insist that you accept these
definitions; we mention them with the sole purpose of delineating our
position. In any case, we will talk very little in these lessons about
theology and metaphysics.

Although it is true that the essential nature of the ALL is unknowable,

there are, however, certain truths related to its existence, that the
the human mind is forced to accept. The examination of these constitutes
an appropriate subject for research, particularly regarding what is
refers to what the enlightened one communicates to us about their impressions in the most
elevated planes of existence. And to this investigation we invite you now.

What constitutes Fundamental Truth, substantial Reality,

it is beyond all denomination, but the wise call it the
TODO.
The Kybalion

In its essence, the WHOLE is unknowable.

The Kybalion

But the judgment of reason must be accepted

hospitably, and treated with respect.
The Kybalion

The human reason, whose judgment we must accept as much as it

let's judge what is convenient, it tells us with respect to the WHOLE, without intending
to tear the veil of the unknowable:

1. The ALL must be everything that it truly is. Nothing can exist outside.
of ALL, or otherwise, the ALL would not be such.

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 The Kybalion

2. THE ALL must be infinite, for nothing can exist that defines, limits
or impose restrictions on EVERYTHING. It must be infinite in time, or Eternal,
It must have always existed, continuously, for nothing can have it.
created ever, and something can never arise from nothing, and if ever not
it would have been, even if just for an instant, it could not be. There must exist
forever, because there is nothing that can destroy it, and it can never leave
to be seen even for a single moment, because something can never become
in nothing. It must be infinite in Space, it must be found in all
parts, because nothing exists, nor is there any place that is beyond the
TODO. It cannot be otherwise, but continuous and omnipresent in the
space, without ceasing, separation or interruption, because there is nothing in
HE who can be interrupted, separated or cease in his absolute
continuity, and there is nothing that can "fill the cracks" either. It must be
to be infinite in Power, or Absolute, because there is nothing that can limit it,
restrict it, confine it, or hinder it. It is not subject to any power,
because there is no other than His.

3. THE WHOLE must be immutable, that is, not subject to change in its
real nature, because nothing exists that can force it to change, nor
nothing that can be transformed. It cannot be increased nor
diminished, neither being greater nor lesser, under any aspect. There must be
"is" always, and it must continue to "be" always too, identical to the
what is now: the ALL. There has never been, nor is there, nor will there be anything in which
can transform or change.

Being the Infinite, Absolute, Eternal, Immutable ALL, it must be deduced that
everything that is finite, mutable, transformable, and conditioned cannot
to be the ALL. And since nothing exists outside of Him in reality, everything that is
finished must be nothing really. Do not be surprised or scared,
Why don't we try to engage you in Christian Science, covering these
teachings under the title of Hermetic Philosophy. There is a reconciliation
between these apparently contradictory issues. Be patient, for
We will all arrive in due time.

We see around us what is called 'matter', which constitutes

the physical bases of all forms. Is the ALL simply matter?
Absolutely not. Matter cannot manifest Life or Mindset, and
as the mind is manifested in the universe, the ALL cannot be
matter, for nothing ascends beyond its own source, nothing can
to manifest itself in an effect if it is not also in the cause, nothing can
evolve or emerge as a consequence if not involved or

26
 The Kybalion

evolved as a background. And furthermore, modern science tells us

that matter does not really exist, but is 'energy or force'
"interrupted", that is, energy or force at a lower degree of intensity.
vibratory. As a writer recently said, 'matter is
submerged in Mystery." Even materialistic science has abandoned the
theory of matter and now rests on the basis of "energy".

Is then, the ALL mere force or energy? No. The force, as such...
materialists understand it is a blind, mechanical thing, devoid of life
or mindset. Life and the mind cannot arise from blind energy, for
the reasons given a moment ago: 'Nothing can rise higher than its'
own source, nothing evolves if it has not involuted, nothing manifests
"in an effect if it is not in the cause." So the WHOLE cannot be mere
force or energy, because if it were, that which is called mind would not exist.
life, and we both know that they exist, because we are alive and
we are employing our mind to consider this matter; and in
the same conditions are found for those who affirm that energy is everything.

What is there that is above matter and energy, and that we know?
what exists in the Universe? Life and mind in all its diverse degrees of
development! Then you will ask: Do you mean that the
Is everything life and mind? Yes and no, that's our answer. If you understand by
life and mind what we, poor mortals, know about them: No,
the EVERYTHING is not that! But what kind of life and mentality do you mean?
you will ask.

The answer is living mind, as vast as we can be.

to conceive her, since life and mind are far superior to strength
purely mechanical or to matter. Infinite and living mind, if one
compare with finite life and mentality. We want to indicate that
they want to signify the illuminated souls, when reverently
they pronounce the word: !SPIRIT!

The ALL is a living and infinite mind, the enlightened call it Spirit.

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 The Kybalion

Chapter V
The mental universe
The universe is a mental creation sustained in the mind.
of EVERYTHING.
The Kybalion

The ALL is spirit. But what is spirit? That question cannot be

answered, since defining it would practically mean defining the WHOLE,
which cannot be explained. The spirit is simply the name that the
men give to the highest conception of the infinite Living Mind,
it means the real essence, so superior to everything we understand by
mind and life, as the latter to energy and matter. The spirit is
beyond our understanding, and we use that term in the same
meaning and wanting to signify the same as when we talk about the WHOLE.
For our understanding, we can think of the spirit as a
Infinite Living Mind, taking into account, at the same time, that not
we can understand it completely. Either we do this, or we are forced
to stop thinking.

We will now proceed to study the Nature of the Universe as a whole,

and also in its parts. What is the Universe? We have already seen that nothing
Can exist outside of the WHOLE; so is the Universe the WHOLE? No, no.
it could be, because the Universe seems to be made of many, of
multiple units, and is in continuous change; And anyway, not
he agrees with the ideas that we have been forced to accept
regarding the WHOLE, as we already indicated in our previous lesson.
So, if the Universe is not everything, it must be nothing; such is the inevitable.
consequence that appears in the mind. But this does not
it satisfies the question, because we are sensitive and feel the
existence of the Universe. And if the universe is something and is not the ALL, what
Can it be? Let's examine the issue.

If the Universe exists absolutely, or at least seems to exist,

it must proceed in some way from the WHOLE, be its creation. But how
Something cannot come from nothing, what could the ALL have created it from? Some
philosophers have answered this question by saying that the ALL created the
Universe of the self, that is, drawing it out of its own substance. But
this answer is not useful, since the TODO cannot be increased, nor
decreased, nor divided, as we have already seen, and even if it were not

28
 The Kybalion

Could each particle of the Universe be sure of being the ALL, since
that he cannot lose awareness of himself, nor become
an atom or blind force or an inferior living being. Some, having
realized that the WHOLE is everything, and recognizing that they existed, have
arrived at the extraordinary conclusion that they and the ALL were
identical, and they have filled the air with their cries of 'I am God', serving
from solace to the masses and from a cause of sorrow for the wise.

If the atom shouted 'I am man', it would still be modest in

comparison.

But what is, in reality, the Universe, if it is not the ALL nor has it been
created by Him separating it from His own substance? What else should
Be? Or rather asked. What else could it have been done for? This
it is the big question. We find ourselves with that the principle of
correspondence (see chapter I) comes to our aid. The ancient
The hermetic axiom 'as above, so below' can be applied now.
to illuminate this point. Let us try to understand something of what
It happens in the higher planes, examining what happens in ours.
own. The principle of correspondence can be applied to this as well
than any other problem. Let's see. In its own plane of existence,
How does man create? First, he can create by making or building.
something with the materials that the outside world provides him. But this does not us
It works, because outside of EVERYTHING there are no materials of any kind with
those that He can create. Secondly, man can create by
means of fertilization, which is nothing more than its multiplication,
accompanied by the transfer of a part of its own substance to the
matrix of the mother. But this is not useful to us either, because the WHOLE does not
cannot transfer or subtract a portion from itself, nor can it
reproduce or multiply itself. In the first case, there will be a
subtraction of its substance or addition to the WHOLE, which is an absurdity.

Is there no other means by which man is created? Yes, there is another: creation
mental. By creating in this way, he does not use materials that are provided to him by the
external world, nor reproduces itself, and yet, its spirit
it penetrates its mental creation.

Following the principle of correspondence, one can think

justifiably that the ALL creates the Universe mentally, in one
a similar way to the process by which man creates his
mental images. And here it is that in this description both coincide the

29
 The Kybalion

ruling given by reason like that of illuminated souls, as it is

you can find in his writings or in his teachings. Such are the
doctrines of the wise. Such were those taught by Hermes.

The TODO cannot be created in any way, except mentally, without

to employ neither materials (since there are none), nor reproducing (what
it is also impossible). There is no escape from this conclusion of the
reason, which, as we have already seen, perfectly matches what
the enlightened say. Just as you can create a
universe in your own mind, thus the ALL creates the Kosmos in the
your own.

But your universe would be the creation of a finite mind, while

The one of EVERYTHING would be the creation of an infinite. The two are equal in class,
but they differ infinitely in degree. We will examine more strictly the
process of creation and manifestation as we move forward in
our study. But this is the point you should focus on for now in
your minds: The Universe and everything it contains is a creation
mental of EVERYTHING; everything is mind.

"The ALL creates in its infinite mind, countless universes, the

that exist for eons of time, and yet, for Him, the
creation, development, decay, and death of a million
universes means nothing more than the time it takes to open
and close your eyes.
The Kybalion

"The infinite mind of the ALL is the matrix of the Kosmos."

The Kybalion

The principle of gender or generation (see chapter I and others that

will manifest) in all aspects of life: material, mental and
spiritual. But, as we have already indicated before, the 'gender' does not
it means 'sex', since the latter is nothing more than the manifestation
material of the genre. "Genre" means "that which relates" to generation or
creation. And wherever something is generated or created, whether on the plane
whatever it is, the principle of gender is manifesting itself there. And this is
truth, even in what refers to the creation of the universes.

30
 The Kybalion

Now don't go assuming that we are teaching that there is a god.

male creator and another female. This would be nothing more than a mystification of
the ancient teachings on the subject. The truth is that the ALL, in itself
same, it is beyond gender, just as it is beyond all
another law, including those of time and space. He is the law of which
All laws proceed, and therefore cannot be subject to them.
last. But when the ALL manifests in the plane of generation
or creation, then act according to the law and the Principle, for
is moving in a lower plane of existence. And consequently,
He expresses the principle of gender, in its masculine and
female, in the mental plane, of course.

This idea may seem somewhat shocking if you hear it for the first time, but
other times you have passively accepted it in your conceptions
daily. You talk about the fatherhood of God and the motherhood of the
Nature, of God as divine father and of Nature as mother
Universal, and thus you will have instinctively understood the principle of Gender
in the Universe. Isn’t that so?

But Hermetic teachings do not imply a real duality —the ALL

it is ONE—being the two aspects simple phases of manifestation. The
doctrine is that the masculine principle manifested by the ALL
remains, in a certain way, apart from the mental creation of the Universe.
It projects its will onto the feminine principle (which can be called
nature), being in this that the evolutionary work of a
Universe, from simple "centers of activity" to man, and even to
higher planes of existence than the human one, all of this in accordance
with well-established laws of Nature. If you prefer the ancient ones
mental images, you can conceive the masculine principle as God, the
father, and the feminine principle as Nature, the universal mother, of
whose matrix all things are born. This is something more than a simple
poetic figure of language, it is an idea of the process of the creation of a
Universe. But always remember that the ALL is ONE, and that in its
infinite mind is where they create and generate and the Kosmos exist.

I could help you to conceive this by properly applying the law of

correspondence in your own mind. You know that part of
you who call yourselves 'I', in a certain sense, remain apart from the
creation and your mental images in the intellect. The part of the
the mind in which image generation takes place can be called
the "me," in distinction from the "I," which remains apart and examines

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 The Kybalion

the thoughts, ideas, and images of the 'self'. As 'above is below',

remember, and the phenomena of a plane can be used to solve
the enigmas of the upper and lower planes.

Is it not wonderful that you, the children, feel a reverence

instinctive towards Father-Mother? Isn’t it wonderful that when you consider
the works and wonders of Nature move you to the core
deeper within your being? It is to your mother-mind that you
you are narrowing, like a child narrows to the breast of his mother.

Do not suppose that the tiny world that surrounds you —the
Earth— which is nothing more than a grain of sand in the Universe, is the
the universe itself. There are millions and millions of such worlds, and still many
greater than him. And there are still millions of such universes that
they exist in the Mind of the One. And even in our solar system there is
regions and planes of life far superior to ours, and beings
compared to what we are to the amoebas regarding the
Man. There are beings whose powers and attributes are much higher.
than those of man, and he has never dreamed that they could exist. But, to
despite this, those beings quickly became what we are now, and
we will be a time like they are and even superior, because such is the
destination of man, judging by what the enlightened tell us.

Death is not real, not even in a relative sense: it is simply to be born into a
new life, and we ascend and we will continue to ascend to planes of life
increasingly elevated, for eons and eons of time. The universe is
our house, our home and we can explore it to its farthest
confines, before the consummation of the times. We are in the mind
of EVERYTHING and our possibilities and opportunities are infinite, the same
in time rather than in space. And at the end of the great cycle of eons, when the
TODO absorbs its creations back into itself, we will march joyfully.
because then we will be able to understand the whole truth of being
ONE with the ALL. This is what the enlightened ones assert, those who
they have advanced so much on the path of realization.

And in the meantime, let us be calm and serene; we are safe and
protected by the Infinite Power of the Father-Mother Mind.

"In the Mind of the Father-Mother, the children are in their home."

The Kybalion

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 The Kybalion

There is no one who does not have a father and mother in the Universe.

The Kybalion.

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 The Kybalion

Chapter VI
The divine paradox
The half-wise, recognizing the relative unreality of
Universe, if you imagine you can defy its laws, that one not.
he is more than a vain and presumptuous fool, who will crash
against the rocks and will be crushed by the elements, in
reason for his madness. The true wise man knowing the
nature of the universe, employs the Law against the laws: the
superiors against the inferiors, and through alchemy
transform what is undesirable into what is valuable and from this
way triumphs. Mastery consists, not in dreams
abnormal, visions or ghostly images, but in the
wise use of superior forces against the inferior ones
vibrating at the highest levels. The transmutation (not the
presumptuous denial), is the weapon of the Master.

The Kybalion

That is the paradox of the Universe, which results from the principle of polarity.
principle that manifests when the WHOLE begins to create.

Although for the infinite ALL, the Universe, its laws, its powers, its life,
their phenomena are like things contemplated in the state of
meditation or daydreaming, the Universe must be treated as real, and life,
actions and thoughts must be based on it,
accordingly, although there is a clear understanding and implementation of the
Superior truth for each one regarding their own plane and laws. If the ALL
I would have imagined a real Universe would be disastrous for this one, because
then one could not ascend from the lower to the higher, the universe
it would have turned into a fixed, immobile thing and progress would result
impossible. And if man, on his part, due to his half-wisdom,
act and live and think of the Universe as if it were a dream (similar to
his own dreams into finite ones), thus it will effectively become for him, and,
Like a walking corpse, you will find yourself spinning around and around.
going around in a circle, making no progress and being forced by
last to wake up and live by the natural laws that he would have forgotten.
Always keep your mind fixed on the Star, but watch where you place it.
the feet, do not let them sink into some abyss. Remember the paradox.

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 The Kybalion

divine that affirms that although the 'Universe is not, it is nonetheless.'

Let us always remember the two poles of truth: the absolute and the relative.
Let us guard ourselves from half-truths.

What hermeticists refer to as the "Law of Paradox" is an aspect

of the principle of polarity. The hermetic writings are full of all
class of references regarding that paradox which is discovered in everyone
the problems of Life and Being. The instructors are always
struggling to prevent their students from omitting the 'other side' of
any issues, and their recommendations are directed especially to the
problems of the absolute and the relative, which confuse so much the
philosophy students, and that compel so many to act and to think
contrary to what is known as 'common sense'.

We highly recommend to our students that they ensure to

having understood the divine paradox of the absolute and the relative,
avoiding being hypnotized by the false mirage of half-truth.
From this point of view, this lesson has been written. Read it
carefully.

The first idea that occurs to the thinker who has understood and
the truth that the Universe is a mental creation of the ALL,
it is that the Universe and everything it contains are a pure illusion,
an unreality, against which the idea revolts instantly. But this,
like other great truths, it must be considered from the
from an absolute point of view, the Universe is, of course, an illusion, a
dream, a phantasmagoria, when compared to the ALL in itself. This
we recognize it ourselves when we talk about the world as of
a dream, that comes and goes, that is born and dies, from the moment that everything
that which is mutable, which changes, which is finite and insubstantial, must be
linked to the idea of a created Universe, when compared to the ALL
same, regardless of what our belief may be regarding the
nature of both.

Philosophers, metaphysicians, scientists, and theologians all agree.

about it, and this conception is found in all systems
philosophical and religious, as well as in the respective theories of the
metaphysical and theological schools.

Hermetic teachings do not preach the insubstantiality of the Universe.

in stronger terms than those you are more familiar with, although the

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 The Kybalion

The presentation of the issue may seem somewhat more forceful to you. Everything
as much as it has a beginning and an end, in a certain sense it must be unreal and
illusory, and the Universe is in this case, whatever the system
from the schools of thought. From the absolute point of view, nothing
there is nothing real except the EVERYTHING, regardless of the terms we use
to think about it or when discussing it. Whether the Universe has been
created from matter, or it may be a mental creation in the mind of the
Everything is insubstantial, mutable, subject to time, space, and change.
We must understand and feel this well before thinking and examining the
hermetic conception of the mental nature of the Universe. Examines
any other conceptions, and see if there is any that does not admit it.

But the absolute point of view shows only one side of the
question, the other being the relative aspect of it. The truths
absolutes have been defined as "things, as they are known and as
"See the mind of God," while relative truths are "the things
as the highest reason of man understands them." And from this
way, while for the ALL the Universe must be illusory and unreal,
a simple dream or a result of meditation, however for the
finite minds that are part of that Universe, and looking through
the mortal faculties, the Universe is certainly real, and so it must be
considered. By recognizing the absolute point of view this way, we will not commit
the error of ignoring or denying the facts and phenomena of the Universe, just as
we are presented before our mortal faculties: we are not the ALL,
let's remember it.

To use family illustrations, we can acknowledge the fact that

that matter "exists" for our senses, and we would do very wrong if so
we would not recognize it. And, despite this, our finite mind recognizes the
scientific truth that there is no such matter from the point of view of
science, and that what we call matter is nothing more than an aggregate of
atoms, atoms which in turn are nothing more than units of force
grouped that we call 'electrons' or 'ions', vibrating
constantly with circular motion. We hit a stone and
we feel the impact, it seems to be real, and, despite that, we know that not
it is more than what has already been stated.

But remember that our foot, which feels the blow through the
intervention of the brain, is similarly matter made up of
electrons, and because our brain is also made of that matter.

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 The Kybalion

And lastly, if it weren't for the mind, we wouldn't know anything about the foot or
the stone absolutely.

In addition, the ideal that an artist or a sculptor try to reproduce in the

marble or on the canvas seems very real to them. The same happens with the
characters created by the mind of a playwright, who tries to
express them so that others can recognize them. And if this were
certain in the case of our finite minds, what would be the degree of
reality of the mental images created in the mind of the Infinite? Oh,
For mortals, this mindset universe is certainly very real!
He is the only one we will never be able to know, even if we rise to a higher plane.
in plain sight, increasingly higher. So that we could know it in another
way, from current experience, we would have to be the ALL itself. It is
it's very true that the higher we rise on the scale, the closer we get
we will find ourselves from the mind of the Father and it becomes all the more evident that the
illusory nature of finite things, but until the ALL does not
Finally absorbs within Himself, the vision will not fade away.

Therefore, we do not need to rely on that illusion.

Let's rather recognize the true nature of the Universe and try
to understand their mental laws, striving to apply them in the
most effective way for our upward progress throughout life
as we travel from one plane to another of being. The laws of
The universe does not stop being 'iron laws' just because they are of a natural nature.
mental. Everyone except the ALL are subject to them. What is in the
the infinite mind of EVERYTHING is real, just one degree less than reality
the same that constitutes the nature of the WHOLE.

Let us not feel, then, insecure or fearful; let us feel firmly.

sustained in the infinite mind, and nothing exists that can harm us or
cause us fear. There is no power outside of the ALL that can
affect us. We can remain calm and safe. And in this
realization, once achieved, there is a fullness of security and calm.
Then we will sleep serenely on the inconceivable firmness of what
Deep, and we will surely rest upon the Ocean of the mind
Infinite that constitutes the ALL. In Him, certainly, we live, we
we move and have our being.

Matter is no less matter for us as long as we remain

on that level, although we know that it is nothing more than an addition of
force particles, or electrons, that vibrate quickly, spinning some

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 The Kybalion

around others, in the formation of atoms. Atoms, in turn

They spin and vibrate, thus forming the molecules, and the grouping of these latter.
they make up the large masses of matter. And it will not be less matter because of the
the fact that, when we advance in our research, we know that
the force, whose units are electrons, are nothing more than
units of manifestation of the mind of the ALL, and that like everything
everything else in the universe is purely mental in its nature. Although in
In the plane of Matter, we must recognize its phenomena, we can
to master it (as all teachers do to a greater or lesser extent),
applying the superior forces to them. We would thus be committing madness if
we deny the existence of matter in that relative aspect. We can,
yes, deny their dominance over us; that's fine, but we must not try
ignore it in its relative aspect, at least as long as we live in this
plan.

The laws of nature do not become less constant either.

effective because we know them and know what they are
simple mental creations. They fully operate on all planes. And
we free ourselves from the lower laws by applying the higher ones, and only
We can achieve it this way. But we cannot escape the Law.
or to raise ourselves completely above it. No one, but the ALL,
one can escape the Law, and this is because the ALL is the law itself,
from which all others spring. The most advanced teachers can
acquire the powers that are generally attributed to the gods, and exist
many degrees of being in the great hierarchy of life, whose powers
they transcend even those of the most elevated masters, to a degree
inconceivable for mortals, but even the greatest Master and the being
The higher must bow before the Law and are as nothing in the eyes
of EVERYTHING. So if even those exalted beings, whose powers exceed
those attributed by man to his gods are subject to and serve the Law,
imagine the presumption of the mortal of our race when looking at the laws of
nature as 'unreal', visionary and illusory, because it has been able to
to realize that those laws are of a mental nature, or simple
creations of the ALL. Those laws that the ALL wants to govern do not
they can be challenged or transgressed. As long as the Universe exists
they will subsist, because that exists by virtue of those laws, which form the
the plot or the skeleton on which the Universe rests.

The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, while explaining the true

the nature of the Universe based on the fact that everything is mental, does not change
the scientific conceptions of the Universe, of life, or of evolution. In

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reality, science only serves to corroborate the teachings

hermetic. The latter teaches that the nature of the Universe is
mental, while science claims it is "material"; or, according to their
latest news, what is "energy" in the latest analysis. The teachings
hermeticals are also not in conflict with Herbert's basic principle
Spencer, who proposed the existence of an 'Infinite and Eternal Energy, of the
where all things proceed from." In reality, hermeticists recognize
in Spencer's philosophy, the highest expression of the work of the
natural laws that would never be enacted, and they believe that Spencer was a
reincarnation of an ancient philosopher who lived in Egypt thousands of years ago
and later lived like Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher who lived in
the year 500 B.C. And they consider their doctrine of 'infinite and eternal energy'
as according to the Hermetic teachings always with the
added that this energy is the mind of the ALL. With this key
master of Hermetic philosophy, can the student of Spencer open
many doors to the internal philosophical conceptions of the great philosopher
English, whose works demonstrate the results of their preparation in their
previous incarnations. Their teachings regarding Evolution and to the
Rhythm is almost perfectly in agreement with the Hermetic Doctrine regarding
at the beginning of the Rhythm.

Thus, the student does not need to set aside the viewpoints
scientists regarding the Universe. All that is asked of them is that
understand the basic principle that the ALL is mind, that the
The universe is mental: firmly sustained in the mind of the ALL. And
you will find that the other six principles match perfectly with
this scientific knowledge, and will serve to fully elucidate the
dark points. One should not marvel at it, if one considers the
influence that hermetic thought had on philosophers
primitives of Greece, on whose doctrines largely rests the
theories of current science. The acceptance of the first hermetic principle
(mentalism) is the only great difference between modern science and the
hermetic students, and science is gradually moving towards
that point, as it moves through the darkness and finds its
path in the labyrinth in which he has entered in search of Reality.

The objective of this lesson is to imprint in the student's mind the fact
that the Universe and its laws and its phenomena are so real, in what
concerning man, as it would be under the hypothesis of materialism and
of energy. Under any hypothesis, the Universe, in its external aspect,
is always changing and is transient, and, consequently, is

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 The Kybalion

devoid of substantial reality. But, and note the other pole of the
truth, under any of these hypotheses we are obliged to act and to
live as if those fleeting things were real and substantial. With this
There is always a difference, as according to the doctrines the mental power was ignored.
as Natural Force, while now we see that Mentalism is the
greater strength of that class. And this single difference is enough to revolutionize
the life of those who understand the principle and the practice and laws
resulting.

Finally, once the advantage of Mentalism is understood,

learn to know, use, and apply the resulting laws. But do not
fall into the temptation that, according to The Kybalion, lurks in the middle-
wise who makes himself hypnotized by the apparent unreality of things,
being her consciousness that walks back and forth as if dreaming,
living in a dream world, ignoring daily life and its work,
being its end that will be shattered against the rocks and will dissolve in the
elements, due to their madness. Rather, follow the example of the wise.
that the same authority states: "use the Law against the laws; the superior
against the inferior, and by the art of alchemy transform what is not
desirable in what is estimable, triumphing in that way." According to this
doctrine, one must avoid half-wisdom, which is madness and ignores the
truth that: 'Dominion consists, not in abnormal dreams or visions
and fantastic imaginations, but in employing the superior forces
against the lower realms, thus escaping the pains of the lower planes
through the elevation to the superiors." Always remember that the
transmutation and not presumptuous denial is the weapon of the Master.
The aforementioned quotes belong to The Kybalion, and are very worthy of
to always keep them present.

We do not live in a world of dreams, but in a Universe that, although it is

relative, it's real, at least insofar as it concerns our life and works.
Our mission in the Universe is not to deny its existence, but to live,
properly employing its laws to rise from the lower to the
superior, living and doing our best within the
circumstances that arise every day, and living, as much as possible, our
higher ideas and ideals. The true meaning of life is not
known to man in this realm —if anyone knows it—;
but the wisest, and our own intuitions as well, teach us
that we will not go wrong if we try to live the best we can and accomplish
the universal trend in the same direction, despite the apparent

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 The Kybalion

evidence against. We are all on the Path, and this way always goes
ascending, with frequent resting spots.

Read the message of The Kybalion, and follow the example of the wise, avoiding
the error of the half-wise, who perishes because of his madness.

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 The Kybalion

Chapter VII
The All in all
While it is true that everything is in the ALL, it is no less so
that the ALL is in all things. The one who understands
this has duly acquired great knowledge.

The Kybalion

How often have we heard the majority repeat the statement that their
Deity was "everything in everything," and how little the intimate has suspected.
hidden meaning enclosed in those words emitted so randomly!
The commonly used pressure is what has remained of the maximum.
hermetic of the epigraph. As The Kybalion says: "He who understands this
duly, has acquired great knowledge." And if this is the case, let's try
to understand what it means, given its great importance.

In that maxim lies one of the greatest truths.

philosophical, scientific, and religious.

We have already given the hermetic teaching concerning nature.

Mental of the Universe —the truth that "the Universe is Mental, supported
in the mind of the ALL." As The Kybalion states in the quoted passage:
"All things are in the WHOLE." But also note the following.
correlated statement: "It is equally true that the ALL is in
all things." This apparent contradiction is reconcilable according to the law.
of the Paradox. It is also an exact hermetic statement about the
relationships that exist in the WHOLE and its mental Universe. We have already seen
how everything is in the ALL; let's now examine the second
aspect of the matter.

The hermetic doctrine indicates that the ALL is imminent and inherent to the
Universe, just like everywhere, particle, unit or combination, within
of the universe.

Teachers often illustrate this postulate by referring to the Principle of

Correspondence. The instructor asks the student to form an image
mental of something, of a person, an idea, or something that has form

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 The Kybalion

mental, being the preferred example of an author who is in the process of developing
an idea of the characters, that of a painter or sculptor who is creating the
mental image of what they are trying to express with their art. In each case, the
The student will see that, although the image has existence and being only
within his own mind, however, the student himself, author,
painter, or sculptor is, in a certain sense, immanent in that image. In
other words, all the virtue, life, spirit or reality of the mental image
it derives from the "imminent mind" of the thinker. Let this be meditated upon for a moment.
moment until the idea is well understood.

Using another example, we could say that Othello, Iago, Hamlet, Lear,
Richard III, etc., existed in Shakespeare's mind at the moment of
its conception or creation. And yet, Shakespeare also existed.
within each of those characters, giving them their vitality, their spirit
and its action.

What is the spirit of the characters we know as Micawber?

Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep?… Is it Charles Dickens or does each one have
Do they have a personal spirit, independent of their creator? Do they have the
Venus de Medici, the Sistine Madonna, the Apollo of Belvedere, spirits and
reality own or represent the mental and spiritual powers of their
creators? The Law of Paradox explains that both propositions are
certain, considered from the appropriate perspectives. Micawber is,
at the same time, Micawber and Dickens. And while it can be said that Micawber is
Dickens, Dickens is not identical to Micawber. The man, like Micawber,
it can exclaim: 'The spirit of my creator is inherent to me, and, without
"However, I am not Him." This is very different from the shocking half-
it is true that some half-wise people announce clamoringly, saying:
"I am God." Imagine poor Micawber or the thief Uriah Heep.
exclaiming: 'I am Dickens,' or any other character from the works
from Shakespeare announcing: 'I am Shakespeare'. The WHOLE is in the
worm, but the worm is far from being the WHOLE. But even though the
worm exists merely as a small thing, created and having its
to be only in the mind of the ALL, the ALL is immanent to it, thus
like in the particles that compose it. Can there be any mystery
greater than that enclosed in that proposition: 'Everything is in the ALL and the '
Is everything in everything?

The student will understand, of course, that the given illustrations

higher up are necessarily imperfect and inadequate, because
they represent the creation of mental images in finite minds,

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 The Kybalion

while the Universe is the creation of an infinite mind, and the

the difference between the two poles separates them. And yet, it is only a matter
of degree - the same Principle is the one that operates - the Principle of
Correspondence is manifested in each one: 'As above, so below;'
As it is below, so it is above.

And in proportion to the fulfillment that man achieves from existence.

of the underlying spirit inherent in its own being will rise in the
scale of life. This is what spiritual development means; the
recognition, the realization and the manifestation of the inner Spirit.
Always remember this definition (of spiritual development),
because it contains the truth of every true Religion.

There are many planes of being, many subplanes of life, many

degrees of existence in the Universe. And all depend on the advancement of
the beings on the scale, whose lowest point is the densest matter,
being the highest Being separated from the Spirit of the ALL only by a
subtle division, and everywhere, along this scale of life,
everything is in motion. Everyone is on the path, whose end and goal is the
TODO. All progress is a return home. Everything moves towards
up, forward, despite the apparent contradictions. This is the
message from the enlightened.

The hermetic doctrine concerning the process of mental creation of the

The universe is that, at the beginning of the creative cycle, the ALL, in its aspect of
to be, projects its will towards its aspect of "Becoming" and the process of
creation begins. It is said that this process boils down to a
gradual decrease in vibratory intensity until a
very low degree of vibrating energy, at which point the form manifests
the densest possible matter. This process is called involution because the
Everything is "wrapped" in its creation. And this has its correspondence in
the mental processes of an artist, writer, or inventor, who
"envelops" itself so much in its mental creation that it almost completely forgets
his own existence, for at those moments "he lives in his creation." If
instead of the word 'envelope', we would use 'absorb'.
maybe a clearer idea of the meaning that it tries to suggest would come across.

This involutionary state of creation is also known as the

"Emanation" of divine energy, just as the evolutionary state is
denominated "Absorption". To the most extreme pole of the creative process, it is called
considered as the most separated from the WHOLE, inasmuch as the principle of the

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 The Kybalion

evolutionary state is viewed as a return of the pendulum's oscillation

of Rhythm, like a return home.

The teaching is that during the Outpouring the vibrations go away

gradually damping until the damping impulse ceases due to
last, and then the return of the pendulum oscillation occurs. But
there is this difference: that while in the effusion the
creating forces compactly, as a whole from the beginning
the same from the evolutionary state or 'reabsorption' is manifested in the law of the
individualization; that is, the tendency to separate into units of force,
in such a way that what left the ALL as non-individualized energy
returns to its original source like countless units of life,
highly developed, which have been rising higher and higher in
the scale through physical, mental, and spiritual evolution.

The ancient hermetics used the word 'meditation' to

describe the process of the mental creation of the Universe in the mind of
TODO, having also frequently employed the word
contemplation

But the idea it seems to suggest is that of the use of Divine Attention.
"Attention" is a word derived from a Latin root, which means "to reach,
to arrive", and the act of attention is really a "reach, an extension"
of mental energy; in such a way that we will understand
perfectly the concept if we examine the true meaning of the
attention.

The Hermetic doctrine concerning evolution is that the ALL,

having meditated on the principle of creation, and thus established the
base material of the Cosmos, thinking about existence, gradually goes
waking up from his meditation, and in doing so he produces the manifestation
of the evolutionary process, in the material, mental, and spiritual planes,
successively in order. Thus begins the upward movement, and everyone
beings begin to move towards the Spirit. Matter is leaving
making it less dense, the units come to be, the combinations are
they begin, life appears and starts to manifest itself in increasingly shapes
elevated and the mind becomes more evident, vibrating everything each
more intensely. In a word, the entire process of evolution,
in all its phases, begins and follows according to the laws of
the process of "absorption". All of this takes eons and eons of time,
each eon being composed of millions of years; but, as it is said,

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 The Kybalion

illuminated, all creation, including the involution and the evolution of a

universe is nothing more than a blink of an eye for the ALL. In the end
For countless cycles of aeons of time, the ALL withdraws its attention.
(contemplation) or meditation of the Universe, because the Great Work has
finished, and everything is absorbed in Him from whom it once emerged.

But the mystery of mysteries is that the Spirit of each soul does not remain
destroyed, but rather it expands infinitely, one sinking into
another the Creator and the Created. That is the voice of enlightenment.

The illumination exposed on meditation and the subsequent awakening

of her of everything is, of course, nothing more than an attempt at description
of the infinite process, through a finite example. But nonetheless: "As
as above, so below. The difference is only of degree. And so it is, like the ALL.
he awakens from his meditation on the Universe, so does man
in due time) it will cease to manifest on the material plane and will leave
withdrawing more and more into the Inner spirit, which, certainly, is the
Divine Ego.

There is another thing we want to talk about in this lesson, and this
it comes very close to the metaphysical field of speculation, although our
The purpose is simply to show the futility of such speculation.
We allude to the question that inevitably arises in the mind of
all the thinkers who have ventured to seek the Truth, the
The question is: Why did the ALL create the Universe? This question may
it can be stated in a different way, but its essence is always the same.

Many men have struggled to answer it, but they still do not know.
Does it have any response that deserves that name? Some have...
imagined that the EVERYTHING would gain something from it, but that is absurd,
because what will the ALL be able to obtain that it does not already possess? Others
They say that the ALL desires to love something, or that it had created it for
to have fun, or because it was just emptiness, or to manifest its power. But all
those answers are childish and belong to the first
childhood of thought.

Some have tried to explain the mystery assuming that the ALL
"compelled" to create, because of its "internal nature", or its
"creative instinct".

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 The Kybalion

That idea, although it represents an advance over the others, has a point.
weak. If his 'internal nature or creative instinct' drove him to do
something, then the internal nature or creative instinct would be the Absolute,
instead of the ALL, and hence the proposition fails on its own basis.
However, the WHOLE creates and manifests and seems to find some
satisfaction in doing it. And it is very difficult to escape the conclusion that in
some infinite degree would have to have something that corresponded to a
internal nature or creative instinct in man, with a desire and
Will correspondingly infinite. I could not act if I did not want to.
do it, I couldn't do it unless I wanted to, and I wouldn't want to if not
would obtain satisfaction with it. And all these things would belong to
an internal Nature, and its existence could be posited according to
the Law of Correspondence, both internal and external. This is the
problem that lies at the very root of the difficulty and the difficulty that is
find in the same root of the problem.

Strictly speaking, it cannot be said that there is any 'reason'

to act, because a reason implies a cause, and the whole is about
above cause and effect, except when its will itself is
turns into a cause, at which moment the principle is set in
movement. Therefore, it cannot be thought of in the same way.
subject, because just like the same WHOLE is unknowable. Just as we
we are forced to simply say: THE WHOLE IS, so also only
we can say that the ALL WORKS BECAUSE IT WORKS. And, in the end
term, the ALL is the reason in itself, and it can truly be said that
He is his own reason, his own law; his own act, even better: That the
TODO, its reason, its act and its law, are one, the words being different.
names for the same thing. In the opinion of those who write this, the
The answer is found enclosed in the intimate being of the ALL, in its being.
secret. The Law of correspondence, in our opinion, only reaches the
aspect of the WHOLE that we call the aspect of becoming or state.
Behind that aspect is the aspect of being, in which all laws are lost.
the Law, all the principles in the Principle and the ALL, the Principle and the Being,
they are identical, one and the same.

Therefore, all metaphysical speculation on the point is futile. If

we are dealing here with the issue is just to show that, although
we acknowledge the fact, we also acknowledge the absurdity of the
answers given by metaphysicians and theologians.

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 The Kybalion

In conclusion, it may be of interest to students to know that in

so much so that some of the ancient and modern hermetic instructors
they are more inclined to apply the Principle of Correspondence to the issue,
what results in the 'internal nature', the legend says that Hermes,
the Great, when he was asked that question by some of his closest
advanced students, she replied pressing her lips tightly and not
saying a word, as if indicating that there was no response. But
it could also be that I wanted to apply the axiom of this philosophy that
it says that "the lips of Wisdom remain closed, except for
the ears of understanding," in the belief that even their most
gifted disciples did not possess the necessary understanding that the
will qualify for that teaching. In any case, if Hermes possessed the
The secret was not communicated, and at least as far as the world is concerned,
Hermes' lips are sealed on the matter. And if Hermes the Great
he hesitated to speak, who would be the bold mortal that would try to teach him?

But, let's remember, whatever the answer to this problem is, if

Is there any, the truth is that: 'While it is true that everything is in
the ALL, is no less than the ALL is in all things.
the proposition at this point is emphatic. And, to conclude, we will repeat the
Words from the quote: 'He who understands this properly has acquired
great knowledge

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 The Kybalion

Chapter VIII
The correspondence plans
As above, so below; as below, so above.

The Kybalion

The second great hermetic principle contains the truth that there exists
among the various planes of manifestation of life and being one
harmony, concordance and correspondence. This truth is so because everything
everything in the Universe emanated from the same source, and the same laws,
principles and characteristics apply to each unit or combination of
units of activity, as each one manifests its own phenomenon
on its own plane.

To facilitate meditation and study, Hermetic Philosophy considers

that the Universe can be divided into three large classes of phenomena,
known as the three Great Planes:

I. THE PHYSICAL PLAN.

II. THE MENTAL PLANE.
III. THE SPIRITUAL PLANE.

These divisions are more or less artificial and arbitrary, because the
the truth is that the three divisions are nothing more than ascending grades in
the grand scale of life, with the lowest point being matter
undifferentiated, and the highest is that of the Spirit. And, moreover, the different
plans fade into one another, so that it cannot be established
a firm and clear division between the upper part of the Physical Plane and the
inferior of the Mental.

In one word, the three great planes can be considered as

three large groups of grades of life in manifestation. And although the
The purpose of this book does not allow us to enter into an extensive explanation.
of the same, we will give a general description of them.

To begin, we can consider the question so often asked

by the neophyte, who wishes to know what the word really means
"Plan", a term that is used freely and has hardly been explained,

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 The Kybalion

in many works of occultism. The question is generally phrased as follows:

Is a Plane a place that has dimensions, or is it just a
condition or state?" And we can answer "No, it is neither a place nor a
ordinary dimension of space; but, however, it is more than a
state or condition. It can be considered as a state or condition.
but, nonetheless, the state or condition is a dimensional degree, it is a
scale, and is subject to measure. This may seem like a paradox, but
Let's examine the point. A 'dimension' is a measurement in a straight line.
related to a base measure, etc. The ordinary dimensions of
Space is length or width, latitude or breadth, and thickness or height. But there exists
another dimension of created things, or measured in a straight line, known
by the occultists and also by men of science, although these
last ones have not yet been given the name dimension. This new
dimension, which for the moment is the basis of many speculations
under the name of Fourth Dimension, it is the type used to determine the
degrees or planes.

This fourth dimension can be called the 'Vibration'. It is a

a fact well known to modern science, as well as to hermetists,
who have locked that truth in their third principle, that 'everything is
in motion, everything vibrates, nothing is at rest. From the highest
manifestation down to the lowest, all things vibrate. And not only
they vibrate with different intensity, but in different dimensions and of
different way. The degrees of 'vibratory intensity' constitute the
degrees to measure on the vibration scale, that is the degrees of the
Fourth Dimension. All these degrees form what the occultists call
plans

The higher the degree of vibration, the higher it is.

plane. Thus, although a plane is not a place, nor a state or
condition, possesses, however, common qualities to both. Something more
we will have to talk about vibrations in the upcoming chapters, in
those of us who will study the Hermetic principle of Vibration.

It should be remembered, however, that the three major plans are not divisions.
actual and real phenomena of the Universe, but simple means
arbitrary employed by the hermetic to aid thought and to
study of the various degrees and forms of activity and life
universals. The atom of matter, the unit of force, the mind of
man and the being of the archangel, are nothing more than degrees of a single and
same scale, and they are all fundamentally the same, being the

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difference is just a matter of degree and vibratory intensity: all are

creations of the ALL, and they have their existence within its infinite mind.

The hermetics subdivide each of those three great planes into seven.
smaller plans, each of these in seven subplans, these being
more or less arbitrary divisions, fading into one another, but they have
have been adopted for the convenience of scientific study.

The Great Physical Plane, and its seven minor planes, is the division that
understands all the phenomena of the universe that relate to things,
forces and physical manifestations. It includes all forms of what
we know as matter, and all the forms of what we call energy
or strength. But it should be remembered that Hermetic Philosophy does not recognize the
matter as a thing in itself, or as if it had an existence
separated from the mind of the ALL. The proposition is that matter is not
more than a form of energy, this is, energy of an intensity
lower vibratory of a certain kind. And accordingly, the hermetic ones
they classify the subject under the title of energy, and they assign three of the
seven minor planes of the Great Physical Plane.

The following are the seven minor divisions:

I. THE PLAN OF MATERIAL (A)

II. THE MATERIAL PLAN (B)
III. THE MATERIAL PLAN (C)
IV. THE PLANE OF ETHEREAL SUBSTANCE.
V. THE ENERGY PLAN (A)
VI. THE ENERGY PLAN (B)
VII. THE ENERGY PLAN (C)

The Matter Plan A includes solid, liquid, and...

gases, as generally recognized by physics textbooks. The
The Plan of Matter B comprises certain higher and more subtle forms of
the existence that science is just beginning to understand: the phenomena of
the radiant matter, under its phases of radium, etc., which belong to the
the lowest subdivision of this minor plane. The Plane of Matter C
understanding forms of matter that are more subtle and tenuous, whose existence neither
at least the current scientists suspect. The Plan of the
Ethereal substance includes what science refers to as 'ether', substance
of extreme thinness and prodigious elasticity, that permeates everything the
Universal space that serves as a medium for the transmission of waves

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of energy such as light, heat, electricity, etc. This substance

etheric is the link between what is called matter and energy,
participating in the nature of both. The hermetic doctrine says that
this plan has seven subdivisions (like the other plans do)
minors), and that, in reality, there are seven ethers instead of one.

Immediately after comes the Energy Plan A, which includes

the forms of energy that science currently knows, being their
seven subdivisions respectively: Heat, Light, Magnetism, Electricity,
Attraction (gravity, cohesion, chemical affinity, etc.) and several others
forms of force revealed by scientific experiments, but that still
they have not been named or classified. The Energy Plan B
understands seven subdivisions of the highest modalities of
energy that science has not yet discovered, but has been
called "The Subtle Forces of Nature", whose manifestation is
provokes certain mental phenomena, whose phenomena are
made possible thanks to them. The Energy Plan C comprises seven
energy subdivisions so highly organized that it has many
of the characteristics of life, but they are not recognized by man
in the current state of development, only usable for the
beings of the Spiritual Planet. That energy is inconceivable and can be
considered almost as "divine power." The beings who use it are
like gods, even when compared to the highest type of human that
let's get to know each other.

The Great Mental Plane encompasses those forms of living things that
we know in ordinary life, as well as other forms not so well
known, except by the occultists.

The classification of the seven minor mental planes is not very

satisfactory but rather arbitrary (unless accompanied by
complicated explanations that are unrelated to the purpose of this book), but
we will mention her.

I. THE PLAN OF THE MINERAL MIND

II. THE PLANE OF THE ELEMENTAL MIND A
III. THE PLANE OF THE VEGETAL MIND
IV. THE PLANE OF ELEMENTAL MIND B
V. THE PLAN OF THE ANIMAL MIND
VI. THE ELEMENTAL MIND PLAN C
VII. THE PLAN OF THE HUMAN MIND.

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 The Kybalion

The Plan of the Mineral Mind includes the states or conditions of the
units or entities, or groups and combinations of them, that
they animate the forms known by the name of minerals, substances
chemicals, etc. These entities should not be confused with the
molecules, atoms, and corpuscles, the latter being only the body
the material of such entities, just as the body of man is no more
that its material form and not itself. Those entities can be
call "souls" in a certain sense, and they are living beings of low degree
of development, life, and mentality, just a little more than the units
of "living energy" that includes the upper subdivisions of
higher physical plane. The ordinary man does not usually attribute mind,
soul or life to the mineral kingdom, but all occultists recognize the
existence of it, and modern science is heading towards
quickly towards this viewpoint. Molecules, atoms and
particles have their "hatreds and loves", likes and dislikes,
attractions and repulsions, affinities and non-affinities, etc., and some
men of science have expressed the opinion that desire and the
will, the emotions and feelings of atoms only differ in
degree of man. We do not have space to discuss the matter here.
All occultists know that it is a fact, and others refer to the
most recent scientific discoveries so that it can be seen
corroboration. This plan has the seven usual subdivisions.

The Plan of the Elemental Mind A encompasses the state or condition and
degree of mental and vital development of a class of entities
unknown to the ordinary man, but known to the occultist. They are
invisible to the ordinary senses of man, but nevertheless,
they exist and play their role in the Drama of the Universe. Their degree of
intelligence is an intermediary between mineral and chemical entities due to
one part and the entities of the animal kingdom on the other. There are seven
subdivisions in this plan too.

The Plan of the Vegetable Mind and its seven subdivisions includes the
states or conditions of the entities contained in the plant world,
the mental and vital phenomena that are commonly known.
Many interesting scientific works have been written recently about
the mind and life in plants. Vegetables have life, mind, and soul,
as much as animals, man and the superman.

The Plan of the Elemental Mind B and its seven subdivisions includes
the states and conditions of a form of elementals or entities

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invisibles, who carry out their work in the Universe, whose mind and vitality shape
part of the scale between the Plane of the Plant Mind and the Plane of the
Animal mind, these entities participating in the nature of both.

The Plan of the Animal Mind and its seven subdivisions includes the
states and conditions of the entities, beings or souls that animate the
living bodies of animals that are familiar to everyone. It is not
it is necessary to go into details concerning this kingdom or plane of life,
because the animal world is as familiar to us as our own.

The Plan of Elemental Mind C and its seven subdivisions includes

the entities or invisible beings that partake in the nature of life
animal and human, to a certain degree and combination. The elements
belonging to this plane and that are at the highest degree of
they are semi-humans in intelligence.

The Plan of the Human Mind and its seven subdivisions includes the
manifestations of life and mentality that are common to man in
its various degrees and divisions. At this point we must indicate the fact
that the average man today occupies the fourth subdivision of the Plan
from the Human mind, and only the most intelligent have crossed the boundaries
from the fifth subdivision. Millions of years the race has taken to
reaching this stage, and it will take many more years to get to the
sixth and seventh subdivisions. But we must remember that there has been
previous races to ours that have gone through those degrees and
after beyond them. Our own race is the fifth (with more the
leftovers of the fourth) that marks the Path. There has been a
how many advanced souls have surpassed the mass and have arrived
to the sixth and up to the seventh subdivision, and some a little beyond
still. The man of the sixth subdivision will be the superman, and the one from the
seventh the ultra man.

In considering the seven lower mental planes, we have referred to the

three elemental planes in a general sense. We do not wish to delve into
more details in this work, because the matter does not belong to this
plan of philosophy and general teachings. But we have said this for
to give a clearer idea of the relationships of these planes with the
that is more familiar to us. The Basic Plans hold the same
relationship in mentality and vitality with the Mineral, Plant, Animal Planes
and human, like the black keys of a piano with the white ones. The keys
white ones are enough to produce music, but there are certain scales, melodies

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and harmonies in which the black keys play their part, being
your presence is necessary. They are also necessary as links of
union in the emotional conditions, or diverse states of being, among the
other planes, thus reaching certain forms of development. And
this fact will give the reader who can read between the lines a new light on
the process of evolution, a new key to the secret door of the
life that hides between kingdom and kingdom. All occultists know
perfectly those great realms of Elementals, and the works
esoteric are full of allusions to them.

Moving from the great Mental Plane to the Great Spiritual Plane, what is it that
could we say?, how could we explain those high states of
to be, of life and of the mentality to minds that are still incapable of
understand the higher subdivisions of the Mind Map
Humans? That task is impossible. We can only talk in the terms
more general. How could light be described to a man who has
born blind? How to explain sugar to someone who has never tasted anything
sweet?, How to talk about harmony to a deaf person?

All we can say is that the seven lesser planes of the Great
Spiritual Plan (each of which has the usual seven)
subdivisions), encompass beings as superior to current man as
this last one is superior to the worm or perhaps to even lower forms. Life
of those beings transcends ours so much that we cannot even
to think about the details of them. Their mind is so elevated that, for
they, we barely think, and our mental processes them
they seem like purely material processes. The matter that forms their bodies is
of the highest plane, and some say they are enveloped by pure
energy. What could be said about such beings?

In the seven lower planes of the Great Spiritual Plane, there are beings of
those of us who speak like Angels, Archangels, or demigods. In the
lower minor plans live those whom we name
Masters and Adepts. Over them are the great hierarchies of hosts.
angelic, inconceivable to man, and above them are those who without
Any irreverence could be called gods, for their degree of elevation
on the scale, its power and intelligence are so high, so great, that
surpass all the conceptions that man has formed about
the Deity. Those men are everything one can imagine, being
the word 'Divine' the only one that could be applied to them. Many of those
beings, including the angelic hosts, have a great interest in things

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of the Universe and play a very important role in its processes.

Those invisible divine entities and angelic helpers exert their influence
freely and powerfully in the work of evolution and progress
cosmic. Its occasional intervention and direct assistance in matters
humans have given rise to many legends, beliefs, religions and
traditions of past and present races. They have overlapped their
knowledge and power over the world again and again, all under the law of
TODO, of course.

But nevertheless, even those extremely high beings exist merely as

creations of the mind of the ALL and are subject to the processes
cosmic and the universal laws. They are still mortals, we can
call them "gods" if we please, but they are nothing more than our
older brothers: the advanced souls that have surpassed their
female companions who have temporarily renounced the ecstasy of the
absorption in the ALL, in order to help the race in its ascent
journey on the Path. But they belong to the Universe and are subject to its
conditions —are mortal and their plane is inferior to that of the Absolute Spirit.

Only the most advanced hermetics are capable of understanding the

secret teachings concerning the state of existence and the
powers manifested in spiritual planes. The phenomenon is so
superior to that produced in the Mental Planes than any attempt
the description would only serve to produce great confusion of ideas.
Only those whose mindset has been carefully educated
in Hermetic Philosophy for entire years, and those who have brought
I obtain the knowledge acquired from previous incarnations.
previously, they can properly understand what the
teachings related to spiritual planes. And many of them
they guard the hermetics jealously for considering them too
sacred, important, and even dangerous, to the point of being disclosed
publicly. The intelligent student will understand what this means
if we said that the meaning of the word 'Spirit', as they use it
the hermetic, is synonymous with "living power", of animated force, of
internal or vital essence, etc., meaning that should not be confused with the
which is generally attributed to the term in question: "religious,
ecclesiastical, spiritual, ethereal, holy, etc." The occultist uses the word
Spirit in the sense of 'animating principle', which carries with it the idea
of power, of living energy, of mystical force, etc. The occultist knows
very well what he knows as spiritual power can be used
with good or bad ends (according to the principle of polarity),

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fact that has been recognized by most religions in their

conceptions of Satan, Beelzebub, the Devil, Lucifer, fallen Angels, etc.
For this reason, the knowledge regarding those plans has been maintained.
in the secret, in the Sanctuary of Sanctuaries of all fraternities
esoteric and hidden orders. It has been stored in the most secret chamber
of the Temple. But, and this we can say, those who have reached
great spiritual powers and they have misused them, a
Terrible fate, and the oscillation of the pendulum of Rhythm inevitably them
will take to the other extreme of material existence, from which point
they will have to return once again to take the same path along the
multiple spirals of the Path, but they will always have as punishment the
vibrant memory of the peaks where they fell due to their wrongdoing.
The legends about fallen angels have a real basis, as you know.
all the occultists. The self-interested struggle for power in the realms
spirituals inevitably cause the selfish soul to lose its
spiritual balance and fall as low as he had ascended. But, even to
these souls are presented with the opportunity to retrace their steps, and
they make the return journey paying the tremendous penalty, according to
with the invariable law.

In conclusion, we remind you that, according to the principle of

Correspondence that contains the truth that 'As above, so below.'
"As above, so below"; all seven hermetic principles
They are in full operation on the various planes, physical, mental, and spiritual.
The Principle of Mental Substance applies, of course, to all
plans, because everything is in the mind of the ALL. The Principle of
Correspondence is manifested in everyone, because there is analogy, agreement,
correspondence and agreement between the various planes. The Principle of
Vibration also manifests in all planes, for the
the differences that divide them are a consequence of vibration, as already
We have explained. The Principle of Polarity manifests in every plane,
being the extremes or poles apparently opposite and contradictory. The
The principle of rhythm manifests in every plane, with ebb and flow.
ascent and descent, income and expenditure. The Principle of Cause and Effect is
it manifests in every plane, with every effect having its cause and every cause its
effect. The Principle of Gender is manifested in every plane, being
always expressed the creative energy and operating through the aspects
male and female.

"As above, so below; as below, so above." The ancients.

Hermetic axioms enclose the great principles of phenomena

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universals. As we consider the remaining principles,

we will see more and more clearly the truth of the universal nature of this
great Principle of Correspondence.

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Chapter IX
Vibration
Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.
The Kybalion

The third Great Hermetic Principle —the Principle of Vibration—

It encloses the truth that movement manifests throughout the Universe.
Nothing is at rest, everything moves, vibrates, and circulates. This principle
Hermetic was recognized by some of the primitive Greek philosophers,
who exposed it in their systems. But later, for centuries
integers, was forgotten, except by the pursuers of the doctrines
hermetic. In the 19th century, physical science has rediscovered that truth,
and the scientific discoveries of the 20th century have provided their testimony
in corroboration of that truth upheld by the ancient Philosophy
Hermetic.

The hermetic doctrine does not merely assert that everything is in motion
constant, but the differences between the various manifestations of
universal power is entirely due to the different mode and intensity
vibratory. And not only this, but even the WHOLE itself manifests a
constant vibration of such infinite intensity and speed that practically
it can be considered as if it were at rest. The instructors call
the student's attention to the fact that even on the physical plane a
an object that spins rapidly, like a wheel, for example, seems to be
motionless. The spirit is one of the poles of vibration, constituting the
another pole of extremely dense forms of matter. Between both poles
there are millions and millions of different intensities and modes of vibration.

Modern science has proven that everything we call matter and

energy is nothing more than 'modes of vibrational movements', and some
some of the most advanced men of science are heading towards
quickly towards the viewpoint that occultists have on the
phenomena of the mind: simple modes of vibration or movement.
Let's now see what science has to say about vibrations in the
matter and energy.

First of all, science says that all manifested matter, in some

degree, the vibration produced by temperature or heat. Be an object
cold or hot (since both are merely degrees of the same thing),

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it manifests certain caloric vibrations, and in that sense it is in

vibration. All matter particles are following a movement
circular, the same for the corpuscles as for the stars. The planets revolve in
around a sun, and many of them also rotate on their own axes.
The suns, in turn, revolve around larger central points, and it is believed
that these also revolve around even larger ones, and so on
successively, ad infinitum. The molecules that make up any
class of matter are in constant vibration, moving around each other
of others, and also some against each other. The molecules are composed
by atoms, those that, like those, are also in constant
movement and vibration. Atoms are composed of corpuscles,
also called "electrons," "ions," etc., those that are also in
a state of very rapid motion, revolving around each other, with
various vibrational modalities. And in this way all matter
manifest vibration, according to the hermetic principle
corresponding.

And this also happens with the various forms of energy. Science says
that light, heat, magnetism, and electricity are nothing more than
forms of vibrational movement related in some way to the ether,
or probably emanating from it. Science has not yet attempted to explain
the nature of the phenomenon known as cohesion, which is the principle
of molecular attraction, nor of chemical affinity, which is the principle of
the atomic attraction; nor of gravitation (the greatest mystery of the three),
What is the principle of attraction by which every particle or mass of
matter is attracted to every other particle or mass. These three
The modalities of energy are not yet understood by science, although the
scholars tend to think that they are also manifestations of
some form of vibrational energy, something that the hermetics have
taught for long ages in the past.

The universal ether, whose existence science postulates without understanding.

clearly its nature had already been explained by the hermetics,
who asserted that it was a superior manifestation of what
erroneously called matter; that is to say, that ether was matter in a
superior vibration degree. The name they gave it was Substance
Ethereal, and they said that this substance was of thinness and elasticity.
extremes, filling the universal space, serving as a medium of
transmission for the waves of vibrational energy such as heat, light, the
electricity, magnetism, etc. The ethereal substance is the link of
union between the modality of vibrational energy that we know as

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matter on one side and what we know as energy or force, on the other
another, also manifesting a degree of vibration, in intensity and mode,
completely one's own.

The men of science propose as an illustration to see the effects

from the increase in vibration of a wheel spinning rapidly.
Let's first suppose that the wheel turns slowly. Then
We would say it is an 'object'. If the object rotates slowly, we will be able to see it.
easily, but we didn't hear the slightest sound. Increasing
gradually the speed at times becomes so fast
a very low and deep note begins to be heard. As it continues
increasing the speed, the note rises in the musical scale, and
thus the various notes are distinguished from one another as they go along
increases the rotation speed. Finally, when the movement has
Upon reaching a certain limit, one arrives at the last note perceptible by the ear.
human, and if the speed increases even more, the greatest silence continues.

Nothing is heard anymore, for the intensity of the movement is so high that the ear
humans cannot record their vibrations. Then they begin to
to perceive successive shades of color little by little. After some time
the eye begins to perceive a dark shade of red. This red starts to become
increasingly brighter. If the speed continues to increase, the red will
it will turn orange, the orange into yellow. Then they will continue
subsequently shades of green, blue, and indigo, and finally the
violet hue. The speed increases even more: then it disappears.
all colors, because the human eye can no longer register them. But certain
human radiations emanate from the revolving object: the rays that
They use in photography and other subtle radiations of light.

Then the rays known by the name begin to manifest.

from X, and later electricity and magnetism begin to emanate.

When the object has reached a certain degree of vibration, its molecules
they disintegrate, resolving into their original elements or atoms.
After the atoms, according to the principle of vibration, they would separate into
innumerable corpuscles or electrons, of which they are composed. And,
finally, even the corpuscles would disappear and it could be said that the
the object would be composed of ethereal substance. Science does not dare to
to take the illustration further, but the hermetics say that if the
vibrations will continue to increase the object would successively pass through
states of higher manifestation, reaching the mental plane and then

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to the spiritual, until finally being absorbed in the ALL THAT IS

Absolute Spirit. The "object," however, would have ceased to be such.
long before reaching the ethereal substance, but anyway the
The illustration is correct in that it demonstrates the effects of the increase.
continuation of the vibrational intensity. It should be remembered that in the illustration
previous, with the arrival at the states in which the object radiates color, light, etc.
the issue in those forms of energy has not been resolved yet (which are
at a much higher degree), but simply reaches a degree
of vibration in which those energies are released to a certain extent from the
limiting influences of molecules, atoms, and corpuscles. Those
energies, while they are much higher on the scale than matter, are
imprisoned and confined in material combinations, due to
the forces that manifest through them, and using forms
materials, and in this way they are confined in their corporeal creations, which
that, to a certain extent, is true in all creation, leaving the strength
creator wrapped in her own creation.

But hermetic doctrine goes much further than modern science, and
claims that every manifestation of thought, emotion, reason, will,
desire or any other mental state is accompanied by vibrations,
part of which emanates outward and tends to affect the minds
from others by 'induction'. This is the cause of telepathy, of the
mental influence and other effects of one mind over another, the
that is already becoming public knowledge, due to the large number of works
about the occultism that disciples and instructors are publishing on these
subjects.

Every thought, emotion, or mental state has its corresponding

intensity and vibrational modality. And, others, those mental states
they can be reproduced, just as a musical note can be
reproduced by vibrating the strings of an instrument with the
required speed, or how to reproduce any color.
Knowing the Principle of Vibration, applied to mental phenomena,
one can polarize their mind to the degree they want, thereby obtaining a
perfect control and mastery over their mental states. Of the same
way, it could affect the minds of others, producing in them the
required mental states. In one word, it can produce on the Plane
Mental what science produces in the physical, that is the vibrations to
will. This power, of course, can only be acquired
through the appropriate instructions, exercises, and practices, being the

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science that teaches them, that of "mental transmutation," one of the branches
of Hermetic Philosophy.

A little reflection on what we have said will show that the Principle
Vibration is hidden behind all the wonderful phenomena of the
powers manifested by the Masters and Adepts, who can
apparently evade the laws of Nature, but actually do not
they do more than employ one law against another, one principle against others, and
that carry out their results by modifying the vibrations of things
materials or energies, thus doing what we commonly call
miracles.

As one of the oldest hermetic authorities said: "He who

has understood the Principle of Vibration, has attained the scepter of
Power

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Chapter X
Polarity
Everything is dual, everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites;
the similar and the dissimilar are the same; the
opposites are identical in nature, differing only in
degree; extremes meet; all truths are
media truths, all paradoxes can
reconcile.
The Kybalion

The Fourth Great Hermetic Principle —the Principle of Polarity— contains

the truth is that all manifested things have two sides, two
aspects, of the poles; a pair of opposites with countless degrees in between
both extremes. The ancient paradoxes, which have always confused the
The minds of men are explained if this principle is understood.
Man has always recognized something similar to this principle and has
treaty of expressing them with sayings, maxims or aphorisms like those
next: 'Everything is and is not at the same time'; 'all truths do not
They are more than half-truths; 'every truth is half-false'; 'All
things have two sides; there is always a reverse for every front
etc.

Hermetic teachings express opinions about the difference that exists between
apparently diametrically opposed things, that is just a matter of
degree. And it asserts that every pair of opposites can be reconciled and that the thesis
and the antithesis are identical in nature, differing only in degree. The
universal reconciliation of opposites is achieved by recognizing this
Principle of Polarity. An example of this principle can be found in
everywhere, after an examination of the real nature of things.

The spirit and matter are nothing but poles of the same things,
intermediate planes being a matter of vibrational degrees
merely. The ALL and the many are the same, residing in the
difference only in the degree of mental manifestation. In this way,
Well, the LAW and the laws are the two poles of one and the same thing.
The same happens with the PRINCIPLE and the principles, with the infinite MIND and
the finite mind.

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If we move to the physical plane, we find that Heat and Cold are
identical nature, the difference being a simple matter of degrees. The
thermometer indicates the degrees of temperature, with the lower pole being the
called "cold" and the superior "heat". Between the two there are many degrees of
heat and cold, for any name given to them is correct. Of two
degrees, the upper one is always hotter compared to the
inferior, which is colder. There is absolutely no fixed type: everything is
degree issue. There is no place on the thermometer where it ceases
heat and the cold absolutely begins. Everything comes down to vibrations more
either elevated or low. The same words 'elevated' and 'low' that
we are compelled to use, are nothing more than poles of the same thing: the
terms are relative. The same happens with the 'East' and the 'West'.
If we travel around the world to the east, we will arrive at a
point called the West, considering it from the starting point.
Let's march far enough to the North and soon we
we will find traveling south and vice versa.

Light and darkness are poles of the same thing, with many degrees.
between both. The musical scale is the same. Starting from the B onward
we will come to find another yes and so on, with the differences being
between the extremes is also a matter of degrees. On the color scale
the same happens, with the vibrational intensity being the only difference that
exists between red and violet. The large and the small are things
relative. Likewise, so is noise and silence, hardness and softness,
sharp and blunt. Positive and negative are the two poles of the same
thing, with countless gradations between both.

Good and bad are not absolute things; We call one extreme good and
to the other bad one, or Good to one and Bad to the other, according to the meaning that
We want to give you. One thing is less good than that which is superior to it in
the scale, but that less good thing, in turn, is better compared to
the one with the most or the least governed by the position it has in the
scale.

The same thing happens on the mental plane. Love and hate are considered
like diametrically opposed, completely different and
irreconcilables. But if we apply the Principle of Polarity,
we will find that there is no absolute love or absolute hatred,
different from each other. The two are nothing more than terms applied to the
two poles of the same thing. Starting at any point on the scale,
we find "more love" or "less hate" if we ascend through it, or

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"less love" if we descend for her, and this is true, regardless

nothing the point, high and low, that we take as a starting point.

There are many degrees of love and hate, and there is also a midpoint.
where pleasure and displeasure mix in such a way that it is impossible
distinguish them. Value and fear also fall under the same rule. The
pairs of opposites exist everywhere. Wherever we find one thing,
we will also find its opposite: the two poles.

This fact is what allows the hermetic to transmute a mental state.

in another, following the lines of polarization. Things of different class
they cannot be transmuted into each other, but those of the same class can. Thus,
Well, Love cannot become This or That, or Red or Purple,
but it can turn into Hate, and likewise Hate can turn into
Love changing its polarity. The value can transmute into fear and
vice versa. Hard things can become soft, hot things, cold,
and so on, always effecting the transmutation between things
of the same class, but of different degree. Concerning a man
coward, if their mental vibrations rise along the line
Fear-value, it will be filled with courage and contempt for danger.
similarly, the sloth can become active and energetic, polarizing itself
simply along the lines of the desired quality.

The disciples familiarized with the procedures by which

the various schools of mental science produce changes in states
mentalities of their followers, perhaps, do not easily understand what is the
principle that is hidden behind those changes. But, nonetheless, once that
the Principle of Polarity has been understood, it is immediately seen that those
mental changes are caused by a change of polarity, by a
sliding along the same scale. This change is not from the
nature of transmuting one thing into another completely different, but
which is reduced to a simple change of degree of the same thing, which is
an extremely important difference. For example, taking an example from
Physical World, it is impossible to change heat into sharpness or wisdom,
heaviness, elevation, etc., but it can be easily transmuted into cold,
by simply damping the vibration. In the same way, hate and love
they are mutually transmutable, just like fear and courage. But the
Fear cannot transform into Love, nor can Courage into Hate. The states
mentals belong to countless classes, each of which
they have their opposite poles, along which it is possible the
transmutation.

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It will be easily understood that, both in mental states and in

The phenomena of the physical plane, the two poles can be classified
as positive and negative, respectively. Thus, love is positive
regarding hatred; the courage regarding fear; the activity regarding the
inertia, etc. And it will also be noticeable, even without knowing the principle of
vibration, where the positive pole seems to be of a higher degree than the
negative, as that one could easily dominate this one. The tendency of the
Nature is towards the dominant activity of the positive pole.

In addition to the change of the poles of the mental states themselves

through the application of the art of polarization, the phenomenon of the
mental influence, in its multiple phases, demonstrates that the principle
it can extend to encompass the phenomena of the influence of a
mind about another, of what has been written so much in recent years.
When it is understood that mental induction is possible, that is,
mental states can be induced by others,
then it will be seen how it can communicate to another certain class of
vibration or polarity, thus changing the polarization of the whole mind.
Most of the results obtained through the 'treatments
"mentales" are obtained according to that principle. For example, a person
is sad, melancholic, and fearful. A scientist of the mind elevates his
own mindset to the desired level of vibration, through their will
previously exercised, and in this way it obtains the polarization
required in its own mentality. Then by induction, it produces a
analogous mental state in the other, resulting in the vibrations
this intensifies and the patient polarizes towards the positive pole of the
scale, instead of polarizing towards the negative, and its fears, melancholy,
etc., are transformed into value, joy, and similar internal states. A
a little meditation on the matter will demonstrate that those changes
mental processes are carried out almost entirely along the lines of polarization,
being the change more a matter of class.

The knowledge of this great hermetic principle will allow understanding

better the own mental states, as well as those of others. And it will be seen
that these states are purely a matter of degrees, and upon verifying the
fact can elevate the inner vibrations at will, changing its
polarity, taking control of his thoughts, instead of being their
slave and servant. This knowledge will also allow you to help others.
intelligently, changing, through the appropriate methods, your
polarity. It is very convenient to familiarize oneself with this principle, because its

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correct understanding will shed a lot of light on difficult problems and

dark.

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Chapter XI
Rhythm
Everything flows and ebbs, everything rises and falls;
pendulum oscillation manifests in all things; the
the measure of movement to the right is the same as the
from the oscillation to the left; the Rhythm is the
compensation.
The Kybalion

The Fifth Great Hermetic Principle —The Principle of Rhythm— encompasses the
truth that in everyone a measured oscillation manifests, movement
back and forth, a flow and ebb, a movement similar to that of a pendulum,
a tide with rises and falls, always manifesting between the two poles
the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. The principle of Rhythm is
closely related to the principle of polarity, described in the
previous chapter. The rhythm manifests itself between the two established poles
by the principle of polarity. This does not mean, however, that the
rhythmic oscillation goes to the extremes of each pole, as this
it happens very rarely. In reality, it is very difficult to establish the
extreme polar opposites in most cases.

But the oscillation is always "toward" one pole first, and then "toward"
the other.

There is always an action and a reaction, a progress and a setback, a

elevation and a fall, manifesting in all things and phenomena
of the universe. Moles, worlds, men, animals, plants, minerals,
energies, forces, mind, and matter, and even the spirit itself manifests
this principle. The principle manifests itself in the creation and destruction of
the worlds, in the rise and fall of nations, in the history of the
the life of all things and, ultimately, in the mental states of man.

Starting with the manifestations of the Spirit —the ALL— it will be seen
that there is always an Emanation, followed by Absorption, 'the breathing and
the aspiration of Brahma," according to the brahmins. The universes are
they create, reach the lowest point of motherhood and then they begin
the oscillation of return. The suns are born, reach the peak of their power,
the progress of its regression begins and after eons without end it
turn into dead masses of matter, waiting for another impulse that

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impart new internal energies to them and lead them to a new cycle
of solar life. And so it happens with all worlds: they are born, they grow and
they die, only to be reborn again. And the same happens with all the
things of body or shape: they oscillate from action to reaction, from
from birth to death, from activity to inactivity, and again
the cycle begins. The same happens with all the major movements
philosophical, beliefs of any kind, governments, nations, etc.: are born,
they grow, reach maturity, decline, die, only to be reborn from
new.

The pendulum swing is evident everywhere.

The night follows the day and the day follows the night. The pendulum swings from summer to
winter and from this to that. The corpuscles, atoms and molecules and all
the masses of matter oscillate around the circle that corresponds to their
nature. There is no such thing as absolute rest or cessation of movement. Everything
Movement participates in Rhythm. This principle is of universal application.
It can be applied to any issue or phenomenon of the many phases.
of life. It can be applied to all phases of human activity.
There is always the rhythmic oscillation from one pole to another. The Pendulum
Universal is always in motion. The tides of life flow and
they flow according to the Law.

Modern science recognizes the principle of Rhythm, and considers it to

universal application when it comes to material things. But the
hermetics take the principle much further and know that their
manifestations extend to the mental activities of man, and
that he merely explains the great succession of his modalities, feelings and
other significant changes that we notice in ourselves. But the
hermetics, when studying the operation of this principle, have discovered the
way of withdrawing from activities through Transmutation.

The Hermetic Masters discovered that as long as the principle of

Rhythm was invariable, and evident in all mental phenomena, there was
two planes of manifestation in terms of mental phenomena
concerned. They discovered that there were two general planes of consciousness,
the Inferior and the Superior, and this discovery allowed them to rise to
upper plane, escaping the oscillation of the rhythmic pendulum, which
manifested on the lower plane. In other words, the oscillation of
the pendulum occurs in the unconscious plane and consciousness does not remain,
therefore, affected. This law was called the Law of the

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Neutralization. Its operation consists of raising the Ego above the

vibrations of the unconscious plane of mental activity, in such a way that
the negative oscillation of the pendulum does not manifest in consciousness and does not
I was left affected by it. It's the same as rising above
one thing and let it pass underneath one. The instructor or
hermetic disciple polarizes himself at the required pole, and by a
a procedure similar to "refusing" to participate in the oscillation
retrograde, or if you prefer, "denying" its influence over him, remains
firmly in its polarized position, and allows the mental pendulum to swing
backward in the unconscious plane. Every man, who to a greater or
lesser degree, has acquired some self-control, does this more or
less consciously, preventing their modalities or states
negative mental states affect him, through the application of the law of the
neutralization. The teacher, however, takes this to a degree
much greater in efficacy and proficiency, and, through his will, he arrives
to a degree of balance and mental inflexibility almost impossible to conceive
for those who let themselves be carried away by the mental pendulum of their
feelings and modalities.

Every thinker will properly appreciate the great importance of the matter with
only consider the slave that, for the most part, people are of their own
mood, feelings and emotions and the little self-control
same that they have. With a little thought on the matter, it will be understood.
how much those fluctuations of rhythm have affected our lives;
just as a period of enthusiasm has been followed by a corresponding period
of depression.

Similarly, we have value periods, which are followed by periods of

discouragement and fear. And this happens with everyone or at least most of them:
the tide of feelings and emotions rises and falls, but never
they suspect the cause of that phenomenon. If the operation of
this principle, the key to mastering those oscillations will be obtained
one will be able to know oneself much better, also avoiding letting oneself
to be carried by those flows and ebbs. The will is far superior to the
conscious manifestation of this principle, no matter how the principle
the same can never be destroyed. We will be able to withdraw from its effects,
but, nonetheless, the principle will operate. The pendulum always swings, albeit
we can avoid being dragged by its oscillation.

There are also other particularities in the operation of this Principle.

of the Rhythm, which we are going to talk about now. Within its operation comes

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what is known as the law of compensation. One of the definitions or

The meanings of the word compensation is 'to counterbalance'.
"to balance", and in this sense the term is used in Philosophy
Hermetic. This law of compensation is referred to in The Kybalion when
It states: "The measure of the oscillation to the right is the same as that of
the oscillation to the left; the rhythm is the compensation.

The law of compensation is what causes the oscillation in one direction.

determine another oscillation in the opposite direction, and thus they balance out
mutually. In the Physical Plane, we see many examples of this law. The
the pendulum of a clock swings to a certain point to the right and from there
swing back to the left again. The seasons balance out
one another in the same way. The tides obey the same law.
And the same law is manifested in all the phenomena of Rhythm. The
pendulum that only makes a short swing to the right, makes another
short oscillation to the left. If the oscillation to the right is
large, the oscillation to the left is equally so, an object
Anyone thrown upwards has to cover exactly the same.
way back. The force with which a projectile is launched upward is
reproduce when the projectile returns to the ground. This law is constant in
the Physical Plan, like any reference to the highest scientific authority
it will corroborate.

But the hermetic takes it even further. And asserts that the states
mental states are subject to the same law. A man capable of enjoying
shrewdly, is also capable of suffering equally. He who is only
capable of little pain, nor can he enjoy more than little pleasure. The
pigs suffer mentally very little; but, on the other hand, they cannot either
enjoy a great deal: it is compensated. On the other hand, there are animals that
they are extraordinarily happy, but also their nervous system and
temperament makes them suffer extreme degrees of pain. Likewise
It happens with man. There are temperaments that are only capable of very
little joy, but then only exists, as compensation, a
ability to withstand very little pain, while other men
Those who can enjoy intensely suffer to the same degree. The rule is that the
the ability for pleasure and pain in each individual is balanced.
The law of compensation operates broadly here as well.

But the hermetic goes even further in this matter, and asserts that before
that one can enjoy a certain degree of pleasure, it is necessary that there be
proportionally swung another amount toward the other pole of feeling or

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sensation. The negative in this matter precedes the positive; that is,
by experiencing a certain degree of pleasure, it should not be concluded that 'it is necessary to'

"pay it" with a corresponding degree of pain; on the contrary, pleasure

it is the rhythmic oscillation, according to the law of compensation, originated
due to a degree of pain experienced previously, either in the current life
or in previous incarnations. And this sheds new light on the
pain problem.

The hermetics consider the chain of lives as continuous, as

simple doors of a single life of the individual, such that the oscillation
rhythm is considered in this way, while it would have no meaning
some if the doctrine of reincarnation were not accepted.

But, in addition, the hermetic holds that the master or the disciple
advanced is capable, to a superlative degree, of avoiding the oscillation towards the
pain, carrying out the neutralization process we referred to
previously. By ascending to the higher plane of the Ego, many are avoided
of the experiences that come to those who dwell in lower planes.

The law of compensation plays an important role in life.

men, for it will be seen that one generally pays the price of what
it has or is missing. If one thing is owned, another is lacking, and thus it balances the
scale. No one can keep their cent and at the same time have the
cake, everything has its pleasant and unpleasant side. The things that one
always gets the pay that he loses. The rich possess much of what
that the poor lack, while the poor possess things that
they are often out of reach of the rich. The millionaire who likes
of the feasts, and that has the necessary fortune to satisfy their
wishes and ensuring the satisfaction of their gluttony, lacks appetite
necessary to please them, and envies the appetite and digestion of the worker to
who lacks the fortune and inclination of the millionaire, enjoying more of his
simple food that the millionaire without appetite and with a ruined stomach.
And so it happens with everything in life. The law of compensation is always
working, balancing and counterbalancing things continuously, in
the succession of time, although the oscillation of the rhythm takes whole lives.

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Chapter XII
Causality
Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause;
Everything happens according to the law. Chance is nothing more than the
name given to the unrecognized law; there are many
plans of causality, but none escape the law.

The Kybalion

The Sixth Great Hermetic Principle —the principle of Cause and Effect—
it contains the truth that nothing happens by chance; that chance is
only a term that indicates the existence of an unrecognized cause or
perceived; that the phenomenon is continuous, without interruptions.

The Principle of Cause and Effect is behind all scientific thought.

ancient or modern, and was stated by the Hermetic Instructors of
primitive times.

And although many discussions and disputes have arisen among the various
schools of thought, those disputes have particularly focused on
about the details of the operation of the cited principle, and also about the
meaning of certain words. The immanent principle of Cause and
The effect has been accepted as correct by all thinkers of the
worlds that truly deserve such a designation. Thinking otherwise
it would be to remove the phenomenon of the universe from the realm of law and order,
relegating it to that imaginary something that man has named
coincidence.

A little meditation would show that absolutely no such thing exists.

coincidence. Webster defines the word coincidence as: "it is a
supposed agent or mode of activity different from a force, law or
purpose; the operation or activity of said agent; the supposed effect of
the agent; an event, a fortuitous thing, a coincidence, etc.
A little meditation will demonstrate that such a causal agent cannot exist.
in the sense of something external and outside the law, something apart from the cause and
of the effect.

How could there be something acting in the phenomenal universe,

independent of the laws, of order, and of the continuity of the last? Such

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agent would be something completely independent from the coordinated train of

universe, and consequently, it would be superior to it. We cannot imagine
nothing outside the ALL, beyond the law, and this is because the ALL is
precisely the law in itself. There is no place in the universe for anything
external or independent of the law. The existence of something similar
would render all natural laws ineffective, and would plunge the
universe everything in the most chaotic disorder.

A careful examination will show that what we call chance is

merely an expression concerning obscure causes, causes that do not
we can perceive, causes that we cannot understand. The word
chance derives from a phrase that means 'to throw the dice', being
the enclosed idea that the fall is merely an occurrence, without relation
for any cause. And in this sense, the word is usually used in
question. But when the matter is examined in detail, it will be seen that
there is absolutely no such coincidence in the roll of a die. Every time
that the die falls showing a certain number, obeys such an infallible law
like the one that governs the revolution of the planets around the Sun. After
the fall of the die there are causes, or chains of causes, links in
uninterrupted succession, to the extent that the mind cannot reach.
position of the die in the box, the sum of muscular energy used to
throwing it, the condition of the table, etc., are several other causes whose effect
It can be seen. But, behind these, there is a chain of invisible causes.
precedents, all of which act on the number that the die must
show on its upper face.

If the dice are thrown a large number of times, it will be seen that the points
marked are almost the same, that is, there will be an equal number of ones, of
two, etc. Toss a coin in the air, and when it falls it will show heads or tails. But if
if a number of times sufficient is thrown, the heads and the tails will
They will equalize. But everything falls under the operation of the Law of Cause and Effect, and
if we could examine the entire chain of causes we would see
it was clearly simply impossible for the die to land on another
the way it fell, under the same circumstances and at the same
time. Being the same causes, the same result always occurs.
result. Every occurrence has its cause and its reason. Nothing happens without
cause, or rather, without a chain of causes.

When considering this principle, many are left confused, because not
can you explain how one thing can be the cause of another, that is, being the
first creator of the second. In reality, nothing can

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produce or create another. The cause and effect reside merely in the
events. An event or occurrence is what comes, arrives, or happens.
as a consequence or result of a previous event or occurrence.
No event creates another; it is nothing more than the link.
precedent in the great chain coordinated by events that flow from the
creative energy of the ALL. There is a continuity of solution among all
the preceding, consequent, and subsequent events. There is
there is always a relationship between everything that has happened and everything that continues.
A stone falls from the mountain and crushes against the roof of
a farm located in the neighboring valley. At first glance, it seems to be the work of the
coincidence; but if the matter is examined, a great chain will be found
of causes behind that event. First of all, there was the rain that
softened the ground that supported the stone, allowing it to fall; before
that cause was the preceding influence of the Sun and other rains, the
that gradually were disintegrating the stone of the rock; even before that,
there were the causes that contributed to or produced the formation of the
mountain and its successive elevation through the convulsions of the
Nature, and so on infinitely.

We can also review the causes of rain, we can consider the

existence of the roof. In one word, soon we would find ourselves
wrapped in a labyrinth of causes and effects from which we would soon have
that we fight to escape.

Just as a man has two parents and four grandparents and eight great-grandparents,
and sixteen great-great-grandparents and so on, so that in the end
forty generations are calculated the number of ancestors in many
millions, the same happens with the number of underlying cases
after the most trivial event or phenomenon, such as the passing of a light breeze
a piece of coal carried by the wind. It's not easy to follow the trail of
that soot particle back to the primitive periods of history of the
world, when it was part of a trunk massif, which later became
turned into coal, and so on, until the moment when
it was flying past us in search of many other adventures. And
a powerful chain of events, of causes and effects, the
led to his current condition, and this is nothing more than one of the many
events of the chain, and that will continue to produce more and more events
for hundreds and hundreds of years from now. One of
the series of events originated by that particle of soot
floating has been writing these lines, which has forced a typographer to
to perform certain work; this will awaken in your minds certain

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thoughts, as well as those of others, which in turn will affect

to others, and so on, until where the mind cannot reach, and
everything for the simplistic flight of a particle of soot, all of which
it shows the relativity and association of things and deduction
consequent that there is nothing great or small in the mind that everything
he/she/it created.

Let's meditate for a moment. If a certain man had not found a certain
woman in the dark Stone Age, you, who are now reading this
lines, you wouldn't be here now. And if, perhaps, the same couple hadn't
found, those of us who write these lines would not be here either. And
the very fact that we, for our part, write, and that
you will read for your own, it will affect not only our own lives,
but it will also have a direct or indirect effect on many others
people who currently live or who will live in the ages to come.
Every thought generated in our mind, every act performed, has
its direct and indirect results, which are linked coordinately
in the great chain of Causes and Effects.

We do not wish to enter into a discussion about free will and determinism.
in this work, for multiple reasons. Among many others, the main one is
that no side of the issue is completely accurate, being in reality
both partially true, according to Hermetic teachings.
The Principle of Polarity demonstrates that both aspects are halves-
truths: the opposite poles of truth. The truth is that man
it can be both free and limited by necessity, depending entirely on the
meaning of the terms and of the height of truth from which it
examine the matter. Ancient writers expressed the point by saying
The further away the creation of the Center is, the more limited it becomes.
It is. The closer it is to the Center, the freer it is.

Men are mostly more or less slaves of inheritance,

of the environment, etc., and they show very little free will. They are seen
dragged by the opinions, customs, and thoughts of the world
external, as well as by their emotions, feelings and
modalities. They do not show the slightest self-control that is worthy of
that name. And with indignation, they reject that statement saying: 'I
I can certainly act with complete freedom and do what I feel like.
"I win; I do exactly what I want to do." But they cannot explain.
why or where does the 'I need' and 'I like' come from. What is it that they
What makes someone prefer one thing over another? What is it that makes them do so?

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"to like" one thing and not another? Is there no "reason" for your
"likes" and "needs"? The teacher can transform the "pleasures and
"needs" in others at the opposite extreme of their mental pole. It can
and has the ability to 'want, want' instead of wanting because of some
feeling, modality, emotion or suggestion of the environment
awaken in him a tendency or desire to do such or such thing.

Most men are dragged like a stone,

obeying the environment, external influences, and the
modalities, desires and internal emotions, etc., not to mention the
wishes and wills of others that are stronger. The inheritance, the
environment and suggestions drag them without the slightest resistance
on their part, without exercising their will in any way. Driven
like the pieces on the chessboard of life, play their part
and they stay to the side after the game. But the Masters, who
they know the rules of the game, they rise above the plane of life
material, and coming into contact with the higher powers of their
natures dominate their own modalities, characters, qualities and
polarities, as well as the environment surrounding them, becoming in
this way directors of the game instead of mere pieces: Causes instead of
Effects. The Masters are not free from causality in the planes
superiors, but they are under the control of those higher laws,
and by making use of these, they take control of the circumstances in the
lower plans. In this way they become a conscious part of the Law,
instead of being their blind instruments. While they obey and serve in the
Higher planes dominate and are the owners of the material plane.

But, both above and below, the Law is always in operation. Not
Such coincidence or chance exists. The blind goddess has been abolished by reason.
Now we can see, with eyes illuminated by knowledge, that everything
is governed by the universal law and that the infinite number of laws is not
more than manifestations of the One Great Law: the Law that is the WHOLE.
It is indeed very true that not even a sparrow fails to be present in
the Mind of the ALL, that even the hairs on our head are
counted, according to the scriptures. Nothing is outside the law; nothing
it happens against her. But, despite that, do not let it fall into the
the error that man is a blind automaton, on the contrary. The doctrine
Hermeticism says that man can employ the Law against the laws, that
the superior will always prevail over the inferior, until man
he has reached that state in which he will seek refuge in the LAW itself

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and will be able to escape all phenomenal laws. Can it be understood

the intimate, internal meaning of this?

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Chapter XIII
Genre
Gender is in everything, everything has its masculine principle and
female; the gender manifests itself on all levels.

The Kybalion

The Seventh Great Hermetic Principle — the Principle of Gender — encompasses

the truth that gender manifests itself in all things, that the
masculine and feminine principles are always present in full
activity in all phenomena and in each of the planes of life.
At this point, it is worth drawing attention to the fact that the
Gender, in its hermetic sense, and sex, in the ordinarily accepted meaning
accepted of the term, they are not the same.

The word 'gender' derives from the Latin root that means 'to conceive,
procreate, generate, create, produce. A moment of consideration about
the matter will demonstrate that this word has a much deeper meaning
broad and general than the term 'sex', as this refers to the
physical distinctions between male and female beings. Sex is no more
that a mere manifestation of Gender on a certain plane of the Great Plane
Physical: that of organic life. It is necessary that this distinction be emphasized.
in the mind, because certain writers who have acquired some
Notions of hermetic philosophy have tried to identify this seventh.
begins with stupid and sometimes reprehensible theories and teachings
regarding sex.

The craft of the genre is only to create, produce, generate, etc., and its
manifestations are visible in all phenomenal planes. It is a
it is so difficult to provide evidence of this following scientific lines,
why science has not yet recognized this principle as
universal application. However, there are still some tests being conducted.
coming from scientific sources. First of all, we find a
different manifestation of the Principle of Gender among the corpuscles,
ions or electrons, which constitute the bases of matter like the
science currently recognizes, and that, by constituting certain
combinations, form the atom, which was previously considered as
the final and indivisible point.

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The latest word from science is that the atom is composed of a

multitude of corpuscles, electrons or ions (various names of the
same thing), that revolve around each other and vibrate at a high
degree of intensity. But it is also postulated that the formation of the atom
it is really due to the negative corpuscles starting to spin in
return of one positive. The positive corpuscles seem to exert certain
influence over the negatives, encouraging them to constitute certain
combinations that result in the 'creation' or 'generation' of
an atom. And this is perfectly in line with the oldest
hermetic teachings, which have always identified with the principle
the masculine gender with the 'positive' and the feminine with the 'negative'.
like in electricity, for example.

It can now be added that the public mind has been formulated a
completely erroneous impression about the qualities of the so-called 'pole'
negative" of electrified or magnetized matter. The positive terms
and negatives have been poorly applied to this phenomenon. The word
"Positive" means something real and strong compared to unreality or
weakness of the negative. But nothing is further from the real facts than
the electrical phenomena. The negative pole of the battery is actually the
pole in and by which the generation or production of shapes and
new energies. There is nothing 'negative' about it. Scientists
of higher authority are currently using the word 'cathode' in
instead of 'negative', deriving cathode from a Greek root that means
"descend, the journey or path of the generation", etc. From the cathode
the whirlwind of electrons or corpuscles emerges; from the same pole arise
those wonderful 'rays' that have revolutionized the conceptions
scientific during the last decade. The cathode pole is the mother of
all the strange phenomena that have rendered the
old textbooks that have made theories for a long time
accepted have been relegated to the heap of waste of the
scientific speculations. The cathode, or negative pole, is the principle
mother of Electrical Phenomena and of the most subtle forms of
matter that science currently knows. Thus, there exists
powerful reasons that drive the rejection of the term 'negative'
insisting on replacing it with the word "female" instead of the term
ancient. The facts lead us to this, without taking into account at all
the hermetic doctrine, and, therefore, we will use the word
"feminine" instead of "negative" when talking about that pole of activity.

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The latest scientific teachings say that corpuscles or electrons

creators are feminine. (Science says that "they are composed of
negative electricity" and we who are composed of energy
female)

A female corpuscle stands out, or rather, leaves a corpuscle.

male and starts a new career. Actively seeks a union
with a masculine corpuscle, animated by the natural impulse to create
new forms of matter or energy. A certain author goes even further and says
that "immediately seeks, of its own will, a union"… this
shedding and unity form the basis of most of the
activities in the chemical world. When a female corpuscle joins
to another male, a certain process begins. The particles
feminine energies vibrate more intensely under the influence of energy
masculine and rotate quickly around the latter. The result is the
birth of a new atom. This new atom is composed of
really due to a union of masculine and feminine electrons, but
when the union is made the atom is a separate thing, that possesses
certain properties, but no longer manifests the property of
electricity in freedom. The process of detachment or separation of
the female electrons is called 'ionization'. These electrons or
Corpuscles are the most active workers in the field of Nature.
From their unions or combinations arise the various manifestations of
the light, of heat, of electricity, of magnetism, of attraction, of the
repulsion, of chemical affinities and their opposites, as well as others
similar nature phenomena. And everything arises from the operation of the principle of
gender in the energy realm.

The role of the masculine principle seems to be that of directing a certain energy.
inherent to the feminine principle, thereby activating the
creative process. But the feminine principle is the only one that executes
always the active creator work in all planes absolutely. But,
however, each principle is incapable of operating energy without help
of the other. In some forms of life, the two principles are
combine into a single organism. For this reason, everything in the world
organic manifests both genders: the masculine principle is always present
present in the feminine form. The hermetic teachings encompass
to a great extent, the operation of the two principles of gender in the
production and manifestation of the various forms of energy, etc., but
it is not necessary to go into details about it in this matter, as
it is not possible to temporarily endorse them with scientific evidence that

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they do not exist yet, because science has not progressed yet
sufficiently. But the example presented about the phenomena of the
electrons or corpuscles show that science is on the true path
road and also gives a general idea about the underlying principles.

Some scientific researchers have announced their belief that, in

the formation of crystals, there is something that corresponds to a
a kind of sexual activity, which is further proof of the direction of
where the wind is currently blowing over the field of science.

And each passing year will bring new facts that will corroborate the
accuracy of the Hermetic Principle of Gender. You will find that the gender
it is in constant operation, manifesting itself in the entire field of
inorganic matter, as well as in the field of energy or force. The
Electricity is currently considered as "something" in which all the
other forms of energy mix or dissolve. The Electric Theory of
Universe is the latest scientific doctrine issued, and it is acquiring
quickly great popularity and acceptance. And from this it is deduced that, if
we have been able to discover in the phenomenon of electricity, in the same
root or source of its manifestations, a clear and unequivocal evidence of
the presence of gender and its activities can be stated without fear
that science will ultimately come to provide evidence of existence, in
all the phenomena of the universe, of that great hermetic principle: the
Principle of Gender.

It is not necessary to waste time talking about the well-known phenomenon of the
"attraction and repulsion" of atoms, of chemical affinity, of the
loves and hates of molecules, of the attraction or cohesion between them
particles of matter. Those facts are well known enough to
demand more comments. But, has it ever been thought that
all those things are nothing more than manifestations of the principle of
Gender? Isn't it clear that the phenomenon is general, whether it is about
particles, molecules or electrons? And even more: is it not entirely
reasonable and logical the hermetic teaching that states that the same law
of gravitation —that strange attraction by which all particles and
bodies in the universe tend towards one another— it is just another way
to manifest from the principle of the genre, which operates in the direction of
attract masculine energies towards feminine ones and vice versa? It's not
it is possible to offer scientific evidence at the moment, but if they are examined
the phenomena in light of the hermetic doctrines on the matter are
you will see that there is no hypothesis better than the current one, that explains the

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problems. Subject all physical phenomena to the test, and it will be seen
that the principle of gender becomes evident.

Let's now consider the operation of this principle in the plane.

Many interesting facts are awaiting our examination.

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Chapter XIV
Mental gender
The psychology students who have closely followed the trend of
modern thinking regarding mental phenomena
They must have been surprised by the strange insistence on the idea or concept.
of the mental duality that has manifested so strongly during the
ten or fifteen recent years, and has given rise to a large number of
plausible theories concerning the nature and constitution of that
double mind. The late Thomson J. Hudson gained great popularity
in 1893 when stating his well-known theory on the "objective and subjective minds"
subjective," which, according to his assertion, existed in each individual. Other authors
they have also drawn attention with their theories regarding the
minds "conscious and subconscious", voluntary and involuntary minds,
active and passive mind, etc. These theories may differ according to each author,
but the basic principle of mental duality always remains.

The student of hermetic philosophy is tempted by the smile.

when reading and hearing about those numerous new theories, regarding the
duality of the mind, each school tenaciously adhering to its own
doctrine, proclaiming each one with effort that it has been she who has
discovered the truth. The student who browses through the book of hidden history
you will find in its very beginning references to the ancient teachings
hermetical about the principle of gender. And if it continues its examination,
you will find that that ancient philosophy recognized the phenomenon of duality
mental and explained it through the theory of gender in the mind. This
the concept of mental gender can be explained in few words to the
students who have already become familiar with modern theories that
they refer to the same. The masculine principle of the mind corresponds to the
objective mind, conscious mind, voluntary or active mind, etc.
as the feminine principle corresponds to the so-called mind
subjective, subconscious, involuntary, passive, etc.

Of course, Hermetic teaching does not agree with the many

modern theories concerning the two phases of the mind, nor admits
many of the facts proclaimed by those schools in support of that
double aspect. If we indicate the basis of the agreement, it is to facilitate the
student the assimilation of previously acquired knowledge
about Hermetic philosophy. Hudson's students will know the
proposition made at the beginning of the second chapter of his work

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The Law of Psychic Phenomena

that says: "the mystical gibberish of hermetic philosophers expresses the
same general idea... that is, the duality of the mind. If Doctor Hudson
he would have taken the trouble to decipher something more 'the mystical gibberish'
of Hermetic Philosophy" would have received much light on the point of the
duality of the mind; but then, perhaps, her most interesting work not
it would have been written. Let us now consider the hermetic teachings
concerning mental gender.

The hermetic instructors impart teachings concerning this

point, asking his disciples to adhere to the process of their own
consciousness, to his own self. The disciple then focuses his attention
internally about the ego that is in each one of us. Each
student sees that their own conscience gives them as the first result of the
existence of your self: 'I Am'. At first, this seems to be the word
end of consciousness, but a further examination reveals the fact that
this 'I am' can be separated into two distinct parts or aspects that, if
they work in unison and conjunction, however it may be
separated in consciousness.

Although at first it seems that there is only one single Self, a closer examination
Careful reveals that there is a 'me' and a 'mine'. This mental pair differs in
characteristics and nature, and the examination of this, as well as of the
phenomena that arise from it, shed great light on many of the
problems of mental influence.

Let's start by considering the 'me', which is generally confused with

the "I", if not delved deeply into the recesses of consciousness. The
man thinks of himself (in his aspect of "me" or "myself") as if
were composed of certain feelings, pleasures, likes, and
disgusts, habits, special bonds, characteristics, etc., all of which
shapes his personality, or the being that he knows himself and others.
man knows that these emotions and feelings change, that they are born and
they die, that are subject to the principle of Rhythm and that of Polarity,
whose principles take him from one extreme to another. He also thinks of himself
the same as a certain sum of knowledge grouped in his mind, that
thus forming part of it.

This is the man's 'me' or 'mine'.

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But perhaps we have preceded too quickly. The 'me' of many

men are largely composed of the awareness they have of their
own body and its physical appetites, etc. And, being his conscience
limited to a high degree by their bodily nature, practically "live
there." Some men go so far in this that they consider their appearance
personnel as part of their 'me', and they really consider it part of themselves
same. A writer humorously said on one occasion that the
Man is composed of three parts: 'Soul, body, and clothes'. And this
would cause many to lose their personality if they were stripped of their
dresses. But, even those that are not so closely
enslaved by the idea of their personal appearance, they are by the
awareness of their bodies. They cannot be conceived without it. Their mind
it seems to be something 'that belongs' to their body, which, in many
cases, it is really true.

But as man advances in the scale of consciousness, he goes

acquiring the power to detach their 'self' from that bodily idea, and
You may think of your body as something that 'belongs' to yourself.
mental part. But even then it is very capable of identifying the "me"
completely with their mental states, sensations, etc., that they feel
they exist within it. And it will identify those states with itself, instead
to regard them as mere 'things' produced by their mentality,
existing in it, within it, and coming from it, but, however,
they are not themselves. You can also check that those states change.
through a volitional effort, and that is capable of producing a sensation
the completely opposite state of nature in the same way, and,
however, the same "self" always continues to exist. After a
time, will thus allow to set aside those various mental states,
emotions, feelings, habits, qualities, characteristics, and others
personal possessions, considering them as a collection of
qualities, curiosities or valuable possessions of the "not mine". This demands
a lot of mental concentration and analytical power from the student.
But that work is possible, and even those who are not very advanced.
They can see, in their imagination, how the described process takes place.

After completing that exercise, the disciple will find themselves in possession
aware of a "Being" that can be considered under its dual aspect
from 'I' and from 'me'. The 'me' will feel like something mental in which
thoughts, ideas, emotions, feelings can arise and
other mental states. It can be considered as if it were the "matrix
mental," as the ancients used to say, capable of generating mentally. This

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latent generations, of all kinds. Their creative energy power is

enormous, as one can feel it oneself. But, despite everything, one has
the awareness that it must receive some form of energy, either from
same 'me', inseparable companion, or perhaps of some other 'me', in order to
so that it can produce its mental creations. This consciousness contributes
I achieve a realization of the enormous capacity for mental work and of
creator power that encloses.

The student soon finds that there is not everything in consciousness.

intimate, as it sees that there is a mental something that can "want" that the
"I" works according to a certain creative line and yet,
remain separate, as a witness of that mental creation. To this part of
he is given the name of 'I'. And he can rest in his consciousness
at will. There lies not a consciousness of a capacity of
generate and actively create in the sense of the gradual process common to
the mental operations, but rather of the awareness of a
ability to project an energy from 'I' to 'me': 'Wanting' that the
mental creation begin and proceed.

It is also experienced that the 'self' can remain apart, a witness.

of the operations or mental creations of the 'self'. This double aspect
Exists in the mind of every person, the 'I' represents the Principle.
Masculine of the mental gender, and the 'me' to the Feminine Principle. The 'I'
it represents the aspect of Being; the "me" the aspect of "becoming". It will be noted
that the principle of correspondence operates in this plane just like in
the one that carries out the creation of the Universe. The two are similar, although
They differ enormously in degree. 'As above, so below; as is
down is up.

These aspects of the mind - the masculine and feminine principles - the
"I" and the "me" —considered in relation to psychic phenomena and
already known mental ones—, provide the master key to elucidate the operation
and manifestation of those nebulous regions of the mind. The principle of
mental genre contributes the truth that is enclosed in the entire field of the
mental influence phenomena.

The tendency of the feminine principle is always to receive impressions,

while the masculine trend is to give or express them. The
the feminine principle has a much more varied field of action than the
masculine. The feminine principle guides the work of generating new

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thoughts, concepts, ideas, even the work of imagination. The

the male is content with the act of 'loving' in its various phases. Without
embargo, without the active help of the will of the masculine principle, the
female can be satisfied with generating mental images that are the
result of prints received from abroad, instead of producing
original mental creations.

People who can maintain continuous attention to a subject

they actively employ both mental principles: the feminine, in the
active work of mental generation, and the masculine in stimulating and giving
energy to the creative portion of the mind. Most barely makes use of it.
of the masculine principle, and is content to live according to the
thoughts and ideas that filter into their 'self' and come from the 'I' of
other mindsets. But it is not our purpose to dwell on this aspect
on the subject, something that can be studied in any good treatise of
psychology, with the previously indicated key about mental gender.

The student of psychic phenomena knows the reality of the

wonderful phenomena classified as telepathy, mental influence,
suggestion, hypnotism, etc. Many have sought an explanation for these
various phases of phenomena, following the theories of duality
mental promulgated by the different instructors. And, to a certain extent,
they are right, because there is really a clear manifestation and
defined by two distinct phases of mental activity. But if those
students consider that duality in light of the teachings
hermetic concerns regarding vibration and mental gender would see that the
the sought-after key is within reach.

In telepathic phenomena, it is seen that the vibrational energy of the principle

masculine projects towards the feminine principle of another person, and that
this last one absorbs that thought and allows it to develop it and
maturing it. Suggestion and hypnosis work in the same way. The
masculine principle of a person gives the suggestion directing a
energy current or vibrational power towards the feminine principle of another,
and this, by accepting it, makes it his own and thinks accordingly. An idea like this
housed in the mind of another person, it grows and unfolds, and to its
time is considered a true mental creation of the individual,
while in reality it is nothing more than a cuckoo's egg laid in the
sparrow's nest, for that bird lays its eggs in someone else's nest. The
the normal process is that the masculine and feminine principle of a
a coordinated and harmonious person together. But,

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Unfortunately, the masculine principle of the ordinary man is

too inert and lazy to act and the display of power
volitional is very light, and consequently, most is directed by the
minds and wills of others whom one is allowed to love and think
by oneself. How many original thoughts or works does the
ordinary man? Isn't the majority of men just a simple shadow or
echo of those who have a stronger mind or will than theirs? The
disturbance comes from the fact that the average man almost rests
completely in their consciousness of the "self" and does not understand that,
it really has a 'self'. It is polarized in its mental feminine principle,
and its masculine principle, in which will resides, is inactive and
inert.

The strong man of the world invariably manifests the principle

male of will, and its strength materially depends on this fact.
And instead of living in the impressions produced by other mentalities,
master your own mind, through your will, thus obtaining the kind of
mental images that one wants and masters, thus also mastering the
other people's minds in the same way.

Consider a strong man and see how he manages to

implant their mental germs in the minds of the masses, forcing them
thus to think according to their wishes. This is why the masses
they are like flocks of rams, who never originate their own idea nor
they use their own powers and mental activities.

The manifestation of mental gender can be noticed everywhere.

daily. Magnetic people are those who can use their
masculine principle to imprint his ideas on others. The actor who
Making the audience laugh or cry is making use of this principle.
The same happens with the speaker, politician, preacher, or anyone else.
any other that attracts public attention. The peculiar influence that
The exercise of one man over another is due to the manifestation of gender.
mental according to the indicated vibrational lines. In this principle is the
secret of personal magnetism, of fascination, etc., as well as
also of the phenomena grouped under the name of hypnotism.

The student who has become familiar with the phenomena generally
the so-called psychics will have discovered the important part that
plays in the aforementioned phenomena that force that science calls
"suggestion," for which term indicates the process or method by which

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an idea is transferred or printed onto the mind of another, thus obliging

to the second mentality to act consistently. A true
understanding of suggestion is necessary to comprehend
intelligently the various psychic phenomena to which suggestion gives rise
origin. But knowledge of vibration and of is even more necessary.
mental genre, because the entire suggestive principle depends on these.

Writers on the subject of suggestion say that the objective mind or

voluntary is that which creates a mental impression, or suggestion, on the mind
subjective or involuntary. But they do not describe the process nor indicate any
analogy by which it is easier to understand the idea. If one
consider the matter in light of hermetic teachings, it will be seen that
the energizing of the feminine principle by the vibrational energy of
male is in agreement with the universal laws of nature, and the
the natural world offers countless analogies that facilitate the
understanding of the principle. In fact, the hermetic doctrine states that the
the same creation of the universe obeys that law and that in all the
creative manifestations on the spiritual, mental, and physical planes,
the principle of gender is always in operation: the expression of the
masculine and feminine principles. 'As it is above, so it is below; as it is
down is up." And even more than this: when this is understood
at first, one is able to intelligently classify immediately the
various psychological phenomena, instead of staying confused in front of them.
The principle really works in practice because it is based on the
universal and immutable laws of life.

We will not enter into a detailed elucidation of the various

phenomena related to mental influence or psychic activity.
There are many books, mostly very good, that have been written.
recently on the matter. The main facts highlighted in those
works are exact, although various authors try to explain them by
the different theories of their own harvest. The student can
to familiarize oneself with these subjects, and using the doctrine of gender
mental will be able to conveniently coordinate the chaotic mass of theories and
teachings in conflict, and will also be able to completely take ownership of
subject if he felt inclined to it. The purpose of this work is not to give
a lengthy explanation of psychic phenomena, but rather that of
simply indicate the master key that opens the many doors that
they lead to the Temple of Knowledge if one wishes to explore its interior. We believe
that when examining the teachings contained in The Kybalion it is easy
finding the explanation for many difficulties that confuse. You're welcome.

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it is useful to go into details regarding the many features of the

psychic and mental phenomena if the student is given the means
to understand the matter that draws your attention. With the help of
Kybalion can be found in any library, for the ancient light of
Egypt will illuminate the confusing pages and the obscure problems. This is
the true object of this work. We do not come to present a philosophy
new, but to provide the fundamental bases of the ancient
universal teaching that clarifies all doctrines, and that will serve to
reconcile all theories, no matter how different or opposed they may seem.

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Chapter XV
Hermetic axioms
The possession of knowledge, if not accompanied by
a manifestation and expression in practice and in the work, is
the same as burying precious metals: a vain thing
is useless. Knowledge, just like fortune, must
to employ oneself. The law of use is universal, and he who violates it suffers.
for having come into conflict with the natural forces.

The Kybalion

Hermetic teachings have been carefully preserved in

secret, in the hearts of its fortunate holders, for the reasons already
exposed, but it was never thought to keep them that way always. The law of
use is enclosed in such teachings, as can be seen in the
previous paragraph. If knowledge is not used and expressed, it is just a thing
a vanity that can bring no benefit to its owner or to its race.
Let's guard ourselves from all mental greed, and express in action what
we have learned. Study the axioms and aphorisms, but
practice them as well.

We present below some of the most important axioms

hermetic, taken from The Kybalion, with some added comments.
Let each one make them their own and practice and use them, because never
they will really be a possession of their own until they have been taken to the
practice.

To change your trait or mental state, change

your vibration.

One can change their mental vibrations through an effort of the

will, deliberately focusing attention on the desired state.
The will is what directs attention, and it is this that changes the
vibration. Cultivate the art of being attentive, through willpower and
he will have solved the problem of mastering one's own modalities and states
of the mind.

"To destroy an unwanted vibration degree, put yourself in..."

operation the principle of polarity and focus on attention on

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the opposite pole to the one that is desired to be suppressed. The undesirable is killed
changing its polarity.

This is one of the most important hermetic formulas and is based on

about true scientific principles. It was already indicated that a mental state
and its opposite were simply two poles of the same thing, and that
through mental transmutation that polarity could be inverted. The
modern psychologists know this principle and apply it to dissolve the
undesirable habits, advising their disciples to concentrate
about the opposite quality. If one is afraid, it is useless for them to lose their
time trying to kill fear, but rather it must cultivate courage, and
then the fear will disappear. Some authors have expressed this
idea, illustrating it with the example of a dark room. There is no need to
wasting time trying to throw darkness out, but it is
much better to open the windows and let in the light, and the darkness
it will disappear on its own. To kill a negative quality it is necessary
focus on the positive pole of that same quality, and the
vibrations will gradually change from negative to positive, until
it will finally polarize at the positive pole, instead of being at the
negative. The inverse is also true, because many have found
the pain of having allowed oneself to vibrate too constantly in the
negative pole of things. By changing the polarity, they can be controlled.
the modalities and mental states, reshaping the entire disposition
own and thus building character. Much of the mastery that the
advanced hermetics possess about their mentality is due to the
intelligent application of polarity, which is one of the most important
aspects of mental transmutation. Remember the hermetic axiom,
previously cited, which says:

The mind, just like metals and elements, can

to transmute from degree to degree, from condition to condition, from
"pole to pole, from vibration to vibration."

Mastering polarity means mastering the principles of transmutation or

mental alchemy; because, unless one acquires the art of changing the
own polarity, the environment around us cannot be affected. If
we understand that principle we can change our own polarity,
just like that of others, as long as we dedicate time to it,
Care, the study and the practice necessary to master that art. The
the principle is true, but the results obtained depend on the
persistent patience and practice of the student.

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The rhythm can be neutralized through the art of polarization.

As we explained in the previous chapters, the hermetics maintain
that the principle of Rhythm manifests itself in the Mental Plane, just as in
the Physical Plan, and that the linked succession of modalities,
feelings, emotions, and other mental states, are due to
oscillating movement of the mental pendulum, which drags us from one extreme
to another. The hermetic teachings also state that the law of neutralization
enables us, to a large extent, to overcome the operation of
Rhythm in consciousness. As we have already explained, there is a plane of
higher consciousness, as well as a lower one, and the master, rising
mentally to the upper plane, causes the oscillation of the mental pendulum
manifest in the lower plane, while he remains in the other,
thus liberating his conscience from the opposing oscillation.

This is carried out by polarizing in the Higher Self, thus elevating the
mental vibrations of the Ego on the plane of ordinary consciousness. It is
the same as rising above something and allowing it to pass
below. The advanced hermetic polarizes at the positive pole of its
to be, I AM, rather than at the pole of his personality, and,
refusing and denying the operation of Rhythm, it rises above its plane of
awareness, standing firm in its affirmation of being, and the oscillation
passes on the lower plane, without changing its own polarity at all. This
it is done by all individuals who have reached any degree of
own domain, whether they understand the law or not. Those people refuse
simply allowing oneself to be swept away by the oscillation, and affirming
resolutely their superiority remains positively polarized. The
master of course, reaches a higher level of perfection
because it perfectly understands the law that is dominating with help
of a Superior law, and through its will acquires a degree of
balance and firmness almost impossible to conceive for those who let themselves be carried away
from one side to the other due to the oscillations of emotions.

Always remember, however, that the principle of Rhythm cannot

to be destroyed, because it is indestructible. It is only possible to overcome
a law balancing it with another, thus maintaining the balance. The laws
the balance operates both on the mental and physical level, and the
understanding of those laws allows one to overcome them,
counterbalancing them.

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Nothing escapes the principle of cause and effect, but there are many
causality plans and one can employ the laws of the plane
superior to dominate those of the inferior.

Understanding the practice of polarization, the hermetic rises to

superior plan of causality, thus balancing the laws of the plans
inferior. Rising above the realm of ordinary causes, one
turns one, to a certain extent, into a cause, instead of being just a simple
effect. Being able to master one's feelings and modes, and
neutralizing the rhythm, it is possible to avoid a large part of the operations of
the law of cause and effect in the ordinary plane. The masses are left
dragging, obeying the environment that surrounds them, the wills and
desires of some men stronger than them, for the purposes of the
hereditary tendencies or external suggestions or other causes, not
more than just simple pieces on the chessboard of life.
Rising above those causes, the advanced hermetics seek a
superior mental action plan, and mastering one's own qualities, it
they create a new character, qualities, and powers, through which they
they superimpose on their ordinary environment, thus becoming directors instead of
guided. Those individuals help in the realization of the game of life
consciously, instead of being swayed by influences, powers or
external wills. They use the principle of cause and effect instead of
to be dominated by him. Of course, even the most elevated beings are
subject to this principle as expressed in the higher planes,
but in the lower realms, they are lords and not slaves. According to The Kybalion:

The wise serves in the superior, but rules in the inferior. He obeyes to
the laws that are above him, but on his own plane and in
those that are below him, rules and orders. However, when
do it, be part of the principle rather than opposing it. The
the wise dives into the Law, and understanding its movements,
act on it instead of being its blind slave. Similarly to
good swimmer, goes back and forth, according to his own will, in
instead of letting oneself be carried away like the log that floats in the current.
However, the swimmer, the wise man, and the ignorant are all
subject to the law. He who understands this is on the right path
that leads to the Master's degree.

To conclude, we again recall the hermetic axiom that says that:

The true hermetic transmutation is a mental art.

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In this axiom, the hermetic indicates that the external environment is influenced.
through the power of the mind. The Universe, which is totally mental,
it can only be mastered through mindset. In this truth
the explanation of all phenomena and manifestations will be found
the various mental powers that are attracting so much attention
currently, in the middle of the 20th century. After all the teaching given by the
various schools or religions, the principle always lies constantly
of the mental substantiality of the Universe. If this is mental, in its
intrinsic nature, it is easily deduced that mental transmutation
must modify and transform the conditions and phenomena of
Universe, and that the mind must be the greatest power that can affect its
phenomena. If this truth is understood, all so-called miracles and
wonders will no longer have any dark point, because the explanation is
quite clear and simple.

The ALL is MIND; the Universe is mental.

Esotericism is rich in keywords, symbols, and 'essences'.

conceptual. Its transmission, through the ages, involved a
strenuous learning, a memorization of meanings, "accents" and
a persistent custody of its original values so that nothing of the
preserved would lose its color, its flavor, its purpose, and its intensity. When
with the support of such premises, the tree of the
hermetic science that recognizes its roots in The Kybalion. And this
latest summary of a timeless knowledge, found in Hermes
Trismegistus to his most accomplished mentor and messenger. In these pages
drafted with depth and accuracy by three initiates, it is possible to pass
review truly wise topics on hidden philosophy. Its
guiding principles (in which mentalism, correspondence,
vibration, polarity, cause and effect, and generation play roles
preponderant); mental transmutation, totality, the mental universe,
the divine paradox and the hermetic axioms are just some of the
topics so well presented here. The Kybalion, then, an exposition
sincere and resounding of the basic schemes of esotericism, and how very
As the three initiates correctly point out, they do not propose to erect a new temple.
of wisdom, but to put in the hands of the researcher the key that will open the
numerous internal doors that lead to the Temple of Mystery. And,
In the strictness of truth, the many reissues of this work, its constant
renewal, through the different hermetic circles of the world in their
reflections, talks, conferences, and classes are an eloquent affirmation

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of the virtues of a doctrine that has illuminated humanity for centuries

centuries.

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