Late last year, I picked up a copy of “The Kybalion” and was very impressed with the book. It was published in 1908, author unknown (though the introduction to the edition I bought lays the groundwork for whom they believe the author was). The book deals with seven Hermetic principles of the universe and how they work together. This was my formal introduction to Hermeticism (though it is not a work of classical Hermeticism). This is one of those few books that I read through and on the first time, it really connected with me. Esoteric books can be quite puzzling at times but this one really laid it out quite nicely. After I read a book that I really like, I look around on the internet for reviews to see what others say. Most people like to make the comment “This book will find you in life at the right time that you need it to” and isn’t that the truth! Here is the seven principles of the teaching:
- MENTALISM – All is mind.
- CORRESPONDENCE – Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes. “As Above, So Below.”
- VIBRATION – Everything is in motion.
- POLARITY – Everything is dual / has two poles. Opposites are the same, just differing in degrees.
- RHYTHM – Everything is manifested a measured motion, to and for (think of a pendulum).
- CAUSE AND EFFECT – There is a cause for every effect, an effect for every cause. Everything happens according to law. Nothing ever happens merely by chance.
- GENDER – Masculine and feminine principles always at work, regardless of plane.
The book goes into more detail about each principle. The principle that really got to me is the POLARITY aspect. I have a tendency to always look at issues from various viewpoints. I like to play “devil’s advocate” quite a bit. But when you look at issues from both sides, it gives you a different perspective and different ways to accomplish a goal. Example, if I state “I am feeling tired”, my mind is telling me that I am feeling sleepy and drained of energy. But if I would look on the flip side and say “I am feeling slower than usual”, my mind will then look for a solution to pick myself up. Imagine you have a line, like so:
Tiredness————————————–Vibrant
My example would first start me at:
Tiredness–<*———————————-Vibrant
I am thinking of that negative aspect and thus my mind tends to drift towards that. But when I on the flip side, thinking why am I feeling slower, I would be as such:
Tiredness–*>———————————-Vibrant
Now I am heading in the opposite direction and thus my mind reacts in that way. I start to find different solutions. I look at my problem a different way. So instead of repeating the mantra “why am I tired”, I now have a mantra of “need to get awake.”
I have applied this method into my life and it has really helped me over come quite a bit of tasks with results I would not have thought possible. The whole book is really quite a GEM and I highly recommend it to all. All seven principles are explained in detailed and it really just makes perfect sense IMO. If you want to read a PDF of the text, you can find it here: http://www.kybalion.org . I personally prefer to read my books in physical versions and I recommend the “The Kybalion: Centenary Edition” that is a small black hardback (faux leather) book that can be found on most online bookstores and even some brick and mortar shops (I found mine in store at a Barnes and Noble).
Culmination of Wisdom 