THE SEVEN HERMETIC PRINCIPLES (A summary)

“We are all on The Path--and the road leads upward ever, with frequent resting places.”

-The Kybalion

THE SEVEN HERMETIC PRINCIPLES (A summary)

"The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these,

understandingly, possesses the magic key before whose

touch all the doors of the temple fly open."

--The Kybalion.

The Seven Hermetic Principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based, 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.

Below is a summary from the Kybalion Chapter 2

1. The Principal of Mentalism

"THE ALL IS THE MIND; The universe is mental". - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that "All is Mind". Explains that THE ALL (The "Material Universe") is SPIRIT which is in itself UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND. Also the phenomenal universe is simply a mental creation of THE ALL, under the laws of creation and the universe has its existence in the mind of THE ALL. in which we "live and move and have our being."

2. The Principle of Correspondence

"As above, so below; as below, so above." - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth there is always correspondence of law and phenomena of various planes and being of Life. The axiom "as above, so below; as below, so above", the unfolding of this mystery solves many a hidden secret of Nature. There are existences beyond our knowledge but when we apply this principle we can discover much that we could not understand otherwise. This principle is of universal application and manifestation.

3. The Principle of Vibration

"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates" - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that "everything is in motion", "everything vibrates", "nothing is at rest", verified by science. Explaining that the differences between manifestations of matter, energy, mind and even spirit, result significantly from varying rates of vibration from THE ALL which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of matter and all is in vibration; the higher the vibration the higher the position on the scale.

4. The Principle of Polarity

"Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pairs of opposites; like and unalike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but differing in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled" - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that in everything there are two poles, opposing aspects, and "opposites" are the same thing at either end, with many varying degrees in between.

5. 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 the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates" - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested measured motion, to and fro. There is always an action and a reaction, in the rise and fall of THE ALL.

6. 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 recognised; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the law" - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that "everything happens according to law"; "that nothing ever merely happens"; that there is no such thing as chance; that while there are various planes of cause and effect, nothing ever entirely escapes the Law.

7. The Principle of Gender

"Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; Gender manifests on all planes" - The Kybalion

Embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything - on all planes: physical, mental and even spiritual. No creation is possible without this principle. Every male thing has a female element also; every female thing contains also the male principle. The principle of gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration and creation.