| Title | The Kybalion |
| Author | Three Initiates |
| Type | Philosophy |
| Year of Publication | 1908 |
| Language | English |
| File Format | |
| Rating | Click to rate this post! [Total: 1 Average: 5] |
The Kybalion (full title: The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece) is a book originally published in 1908 by “Three Initiates” (often identified as New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson, 1862-1932 ) that aims to transmit the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. A modern hermetic treatise, it has had a great influence in New Age circles since the 20th century.
Table of Contents
Summary
The precepts of Hermetic philosophy remained secret for more than 2,000 years, clouded by dark language and dense allegories. This concise guide offers a modern interpretation of the doctrine, distilling its teachings with seven compelling principles that can be applied to self-development in daily life.
Seven Hermetic Principles
A central concept in the book is that there are “seven Hermetic principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based.” These are literally quoted in the book:
1. The principle of mentalism
“The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental”.
2. The principle of correspondence
“As it is above, it is below; as it is below, it is above.” […] This principle embodies the truth that there is always a correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of being and life.
3. The principle of vibration
“Nothing rests, everything moves, everything vibrates.”
4. The principle of polarity
“Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; equal and different are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are half-truths; all paradoxes can be reconciled. “
5. The principle of rhythm
“Everything flows, outward and inward; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the swing of the pendulum manifests itself in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; the rhythm pays off. “
6. The principle of cause and effect
“Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to the law; chance is but a name for the unacknowledged law; there are many planes of causality, but nothing escapes the law.”
7. The gender principle
“Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; gender manifests itself on all levels.”
According to Mitch Horowitz, philosophical mentalism (the primacy of the mind as the active cause of things) described by the first principle of Kybalion was inspired by very similar notions in ancient Greek Hermetics.
Review
For generations, readers have debated the origins and studied the knowledge of this mysterious exploration of Hermetic wisdom, attributed to “Three Initiates.”
Now in its second century, The Kybalion is restored hardcover in a commemorative volume that evokes the appearance of the first edition of the hidden landmark.
The new introduction by Richard Smoley, a celebrated student of mystical traditions, makes it a historical keepsake.
The Kybalion PDF
