The Kybalion is a compilation of ancient teachings and writings from the Hellenistic period* by Hermes Trismegistus - a figurative combination of two Greek gods, Hermes and Thoth. Hermes was the Greek god of communication and Thoth was the Egyptian god of wisdom. Together, Hermes Trismegistus was regarded by ancient Egyptians as the embodiment of the Universal Mind.
The Kybalion embodied the seven principles for self-mastery, known as the Hermetic principles. These principles held immense value for these ancient cultures. These seven laws were thought to assist us in having a fuller, happier and more meaningful life.
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Principle of Mentalism. – “The All is mind; The Universe is mental.”Basically, your thoughts shape your reality. Like the Law of Attraction, we can harness the power of our minds to create the life we want.
- Principle of Correspondence. – “As above, so below; as below, so above.”Closely connected with the first principle, your consciousness or inner thoughts become your external reality.
- The Principle of Vibration.– “Nothing rests; everything moves, everything vibrates.” Everything holds a vibration. Even thoughts and feelings have their own vibration. When you have a thought or feeling it is given a vibration and the more you think about it the more space it is given to be a reality. Sometimes we can even feel those good or bad “vibes”!
- 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. This principle is a belief that opposites are just two extremes of the same thing. It is just different perceptions. Such as hot and cold, light and dark is just a perception. You have an ability to change or transmute your experience of something. It is just changing your perspective.
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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." We inhale and exhale. Everything is in motion. We all have highs and lows, and mastering this principle enables us to centre ourselves in every emotion, which can bring inner peace.
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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." Ever hear that saying, everything happens for a reason? There is no such thing as a coincidence? We may not be able to pinpoint the cause, but we can change our reaction. For example, a bad mood is an effect. Using the Hermetic Principles, we can change our thoughts or perspective to get us out of the bad mood.
- The Principle of Gender."Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; gender manifests on all planes." This is not about physical gender, but more to do with the qualities of masculinity and femininity which create balance in our world. All of us hold both masculine and feminine energies. Similar to left brain and right brain thinking. Balance is the key of all self-mastery.
Having awareness of these principles gives us more of an understanding of ourselves and how we can use these laws to create the life we want.
The Kybalion principles were used by philosophers of Ancient Greece and pharaohs in Egypt, and also by artists of the great renaissance in Italy.
Notes:
- *Hellenization, or Hellenism, refers to the spread of Greek culture that had begun after the conquest of Alexander the Great in the fourth century, B.C.E.
- Universal Mind or universal consciousness is a metaphysical concept suggesting an underlying essence of all being and becoming in the universe.
- Hermetic, Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a label used to designate a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus