The Adytum Vault

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

THE KYBALION

This chapter begins by linking ancient Hermetic wisdom and mystical subjects practices to modern scientific one. In particular, the book focus on the emergence of chemistry, astronomy and modern psychology from alchemy, astrology and “mystic psychology.” This makes Hermes the single most important founding figure of the modern world. However, the book implies that there was something lost in the refinement of these field as it claims that the ancient scholars also had a firm understanding of the modern scientific fields, including certain fields that are overlooked today. To this end, the book implies that one should look to the past and rediscover older knowledge, particularly that which relates the mind to matter.

The older subjects of alchemy, astrology and mystic psychology are described as being the “transcendental” versions of chemistry, astronomy and modern psychology. The latter subjects are said to only deal with the material world. The ancient Hermetists are said to have both Inner Knowledge and Outer Knowledge. That is to say, they were able to externalize the internal, and vice versa. The name the Kybalion gives to this process is Mental Transmutation. Formally, the Kybalion define it as, “the art of changing and transforming mental states, forms and conditions, into others.” It is also describes as the “Art of Mental Chemistry” and a form of Mystic Psychology.

The Kybalion goes on to say that this is the “Magic” that the ancients talked about. By using the first Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, one is able to change the Universe since the Universe is Mental. If one is able to change mental conditions then one is able to control the material conditions around them and the minds of others.

Applications of Mental Transmutation

A bolder claim derived from this is the existence of Mental Alchemists proficient enough to control Nature itself, even at the scales of storms and earthquakes. Moreover, these Masters are said to be currently existing today. We are told that such Masters rarely concern themselves with revealing themselves, instead focusing on the secluded study on the “Path of Attainment.” As such, these Master serve to be aspirational figures of the possibilities of living in a Mental Universe. At any rate, even newer Initiates and Teachers are able to enact changes that form the basis of psychic phenomena and other fields which were emerging under the new-thought schools of thought. This makes sense in context of when the book was written as the scientific study on the existence of mental phenomena was very strong at the time.

The Kybalion was then perhaps written as an evolution on the contemporary field of New-Thought as it goes on to critique the use of affirmations and denials as, “imperfect and unscientific,” formulas of The Hermetic Art. It also stated that by correctly using Hermetic Methods you could also change the state of mind of others and protect ourself from being changed. This is a somewhat startling claim but the Kybalion assures that readers that the use of this principle for good and evil are extensions of the Hermetic Principle of Polarity. The book then stresses that having an understanding of the Underlying Principles is the, “Master-Key that will unlock the many doors of the Principle of Polarity.” Thus we can see the book builds up the concept through the use of its axioms on subsequent ones and this first application is the first step to understanding Hermetic Philosophy.

The second chapter of The Kybalion introduces the Seven Hermetic Principles and their associated axioms. These form the basis of Hermetic Philosophy and are as follows:

1. 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 GENDER

The Principle of Mentalism

THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental.

THE KYBALION

The realization of this Principle is called the Master-Key to understanding the profundity of The Kybalion. In essence, the truth of reality, which the book calls THE ALL, is fundamentally inaccessible to us as what we consider to be the material world and its associated phenomena are manifestations of the central Mind. THE ALL is described as being SPIRIT that can be conceptualized as being a single living mind, which we exist in.

As such, this puts the onus for controlling the material reality one finds oneself in on one’s own ability to understand the true reality of the Mental Nature of the Universe as the physical laws give way to Mental Laws. Thus, it is possible to enact changes in the subordinate, illusory physical world by successfully manipulating the dominate Mental world. This is then the explanation the books gives for the existence of psychic phenomena that would violate physical laws.

The Principle of Correspondence

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

THE KYBALION

This might be the most well known of all the Hermetic Principles as it is widely used in various esoteric teachings. While the true Mind of THE ALL is fundamentally unknowable and undefinable, it is still possible to catch glimpses of the true nature of the world and access hidden knowledge through the study of things that can be known at scales that are obtainable here on Earth.

A particularly evocative line from the book refers to tearing aside the Veil of Isis to catch a glimpse of the face of the goddess. This should be noted as being a rather significant departure from how the metaphor of the Veil of Isis was originally claimed to have been used in ancient times which was an unmovable barrier that prevented ordinary mortal beings from ever learning more about hidden knowledge except through divine intervention. In this context, The Kybalion instead claims to show the means for mere mortal to elevate themselves to a point at which they can gain extraordinary knowledge or inspiration, even if for just a brief moment. Through this line, we can see the general shift in the attitude towards the belief in the power of human cognition that was happening at the time, particularly in the field of science.

The Principle of Vibration

Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.

THE KYBALION

This Hermetic Principle is said in The Kybalion to be verified by modern science and is described in the book to be the primary method by which the various aspects of the material and spiritual world are differentiated. As such, in the Mental Universe, Matter, Energy, Mind and Spirit are all essentially the same thing, but varying only in Vibration. Spirit is described as being in the highest state of vibration while Matter is described as having vibration that is barely even perceptible. This presents the universe as being in a constant state of flux, ever changing and never static.

The key aspect of this Principle is then that one can control the vibrational state of one’s own mind. Notably, The Kybalion also says that it is possible to control the mental vibrations of others. This conscious control of the state at which the universe presents itself is then the method through which one can enact change in Natural phenomena and is where the power of The Kybalion lies.

The Principle of Polarity

Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled.

THE KYBALION

The fourth of the Hermetic Principles deals with the dual nature of the world as a way to resolve paradoxes. Opposites, we are told, are not really different things but rather the same thing as different extremes, or Poles. This view of the universe continues on with the ideas established by the Principle of Vibration and formalizes the definition of Poles used in The Kybalion. These Poles objects and phenomena vibrate between then present a universe where things are not in conflict with each other but rather are just continuations of each other. Heat and Cold are in fact just different amounts of heat, not opposing phenomena.

As with the other Hermetic Principles, Polarity extends inward to the one’s own mind and other people’s minds. Will is then the means by which one can readily switch between two Poles internally and control the Polarity of others. The Kybalion describes this practice as the “Art of Polarity” and places it as a form of “Mental Alchemy.” With this, The Kybalion says a proficient master can readily transmute Evil into Good, again placing the power of human cognition and Will as the paramount method for enacting change in the Universe.

The Principle of Rhythm

Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.

THE KYBALION

The last two Hermetic Principles establish that all things are vibrating and they vibrate between two Poles, which makes the two Poles the same thing. This Principle builds off of this basis by establishing that those movements are not randomly happening but part of a cycle that is readily observable. If there is a low, a high will come. If something has been created, it will be destroyed.

Becoming aware of this inescapable cycle is the only way to guard against it, both externally and Mentally. The Kybalion calls the means to do so the Mental Law of Neutralization. While it is not possible to completely stop the Principle of Rhythm, it is possible to instead use the Principle to your advantage. It is described that if successfully used, one could polarize themselves at the desired state and then stay in that state through conscious use of Will. This, we are told, form a large part of Mental Alchemy.

The Principle of Cause and Effect

Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law.

THE KYBALION

If the Principle of Rhythm describes the cyclical pattern of the states of objects, the penultimate Hermetic Principle removes the existence of Chance completely from this process. It can then be understood that the Universe is completely deterministic, all things that happen are due to an interconnected web of reactions.

Therefore, if one can become sufficiently aware of all the processes happening under their respective laws one can then readily enact change at will. Instead of being acted upon by the world and the wills of others, it is possible to be the one who controls events with enough control of our own mind as described through the use of the previous Principles. This is then the end goal for using the Hermetic Principles; control of the world through control of the self.

The Principle of Gender

Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes.

THE KYBALION

The final and also the shortest of the Hermetic Principles, the Principle of Gender gives name to the two Poles described earlier. Those name are of course, Male and Female. As such, everything would then have a Male and Female Element or Principle. Being able to be aware of and make use of these Elements would allow one to understand how to enact Mental and Spiritual Generation, Re-generation and Creation.

It should be noted that The Kybalion makes great effort to stress that this is not at all related to this concept in the physical sense, which is described as the base form that is understood as Sex, other than to say that this is merely the physical manifestation of this Principle. The Kybalion, we are told, does not concern itself with base matters.

Coming Across The Kybalion

Looking through the shelves of a Barnes and Noble bookstore that was going out of business I noticed a few copies of a small black book with gold stamping. The cover read, “THE KYBALION: HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY,” and I remembered that I heard this book referenced a lot by various people when discussing such topics as New Age mysticism, the Law of Attraction, and the power of the mind. Naturally, my interest was piqued and since the entire store was at least 50% off, I decided to purchase this book and a few others to get back into the habit of reading.

Doing some light research, it seems that this book is the origin of a lot of modern spiritual concepts (energy, vibrations, forces, etc.) that I had assumed developed organically from various sources. This seemed like a worthwhile endeavor to tackle works such as these head on and see what they say themselves firsthand. A flaw in the current way the Internet is set up is that it is very easy to disseminate knowledge and concepts, but it is very difficult to get the proper context for that knowledge. As such, I believe that provides fertile grounds for a more formal look into such topics and that is the general reason why I am writing this blog.

What is The Kybalion?

So, what is The Kybalion? Generally, it is a collection of aphorisms that are claimed to have been passed down from teacher to student through the ages from Hermes Trismegistus in ancient Egypt, and their explanations ostensibly given by 3 masters of the occult, the enigmatic Three Initiates, which provide the basis for understanding Hermetic philosophy. My copy of The Kybalion starts with an introduction by Richard Smoley, who is described as a “celebrated scholar of mystical traditions,” and indeed, he does an excellent job of quickly going through the origin of The Kybalion as well as the probable identity of the Three Initiates. According to Smoley, The Kybalion is rooted primarily on late 19th century adaptations of Hermetic texts written by Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and was written by William Walker Atkinson, an author in the New Thought movement. These 3 writers would then be the Three Initiates.

However, Smoley does not take too much issue with this, “pious fraud,” as The Kybalion seems to be faithful to the Hermetic tradition. It does indeed still draw upon passed down knowledge given from master to student and importantly adapts it to be understandable to a modern audience as science became the dominant force in our understanding of the world around the 20th century. Events began to be understood as interactions between particles and forces as opposed to the will of the gods and spirits. This shift in framing is the largest issue in connecting The Kybalion to ancient Hermetic teaching, Smoley points to this as a significant ongoing shift in Western esoteric thought; a shift from the personal to the impersonal, a shift from living gods and their whims to one of inanimate forces.

Smoley believes that the the basic principles presented in The Kybalion do still provide a useful source of information for understanding how the Universe works and how the power of the mind can be used.