The Seven Cosmic Principles of Hermes Trismegistos (Hermetic Laws)
as posted in May 2007
Many of you will be familiar with these Principles. With the new interest in the Law of Attraction and so many searching for more information, I thought it would be wise to post them for those who may still be unfamiliar.
It is said that all philosophy is based upon these laws, as given by Thot the Egyptian God of Wisdom. The laws are valid in all of Creation on every level of existence, they are eternal and unchangeable. It is said that only the Unconditional Love of GOD can transcend them.
1. The Principle of Mentalism (MIND)
“THE ALL IS MIND; The Universe is Mental.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that “All is Mind.” It explainsthat THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know or perceive as “The Material Universe”; the “Phenomena of Life”; “Matter”; “Energy”; and, in short, all that is perceived by our senses is SPIRIT which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as a UNIVERSAL,INFINITE, LIVING MIND.) It also explains that all the phenomena in the “Universe” is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject to the Laws of Created Things, and that the universe, as a whole, and in its parts or units, has its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, in which Mind we “live and move and have our being.” This Principle, by establishing the Mental Nature of the Universe, easly explains all of the varied mental and psychic phenomena that occupy such a large portion of the public attention, and which, without such explanation, are non-understandable and defy scientific treatment.
2. The Principle of Cause and Effect (KARMA)
“Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happensaccording to Law; Chance is but a name for Law not recognized; there aremany planes of causation, but nothing escapes the Law.”–The Kybalion
there is a cause for every effect and an effect from every Cause. “Everything Happens according to Law”. Nothing ever happens by chance and there are no coincidences. There exist various planes of Cause and Effect, with the higher planes dominating the lower planes, yet, nothing ever entirely escapes the Law.
3. The Principle of Correspondence (ANALOGY)
“As above, so below; as below, so above.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that there is always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of Being and Life itself. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: “As above, so below; as below,so above.” and the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of Correspondence to
them we are able to perceive much that would otherwise be unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation, on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe. It is a Universal Law. The ancient Hermetists considered this Principle as one of the most important mental instruments by which man was able to pry aside the obstacles which hid from view the Unknown.
4. 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
This Principle embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, to and fro; a flow and inflow; a swing backward and forward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and low-tide; between the two poles which exist in accordance with the Principle of Polarity described a moment ago. There is always an action and a reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. This is in the affairs of
the Universe, suns, worlds, men, animals, mind, energy, and matter. This law is manifest in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man.
5. The Principle of Gender
“Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes.”–The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything. The Masculine and Feminine Principles are always at work. This is true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX, on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on many a subject that has perplexed the mindsof men.
6. The Principle of Vibration
“Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.” –The Kybalion.
This Principle embodies the truth that “everything is in motion”, “everything vibrates”, “nothing is at rest”; facts which Modern Science endorses and which each new scientific discovery tends to verify. And yet this Hermetic Principle was enunciated thousands of years ago, by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This Principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, result largely from varying rates of Vibration. From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of Matter, all
is in vibration, the higher the vibration, the higher the position in the scale.
7. The Principle of Polarity (DUALITY)
“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.
This Principle embodies the truth that “everything is dual”, “everything has two poles”, “everything has its pair of opposites”, all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: “Thesis and antithesis are identicalin nature, but different in degree”, “opposites are the same, differing only in degree”, “the pairs of opposites may be reconciled”, “extremes meet”, “everything is and isn’t, at the same time”, “all truths are but half truths”, “every truth is half-false”, “there
are two sides to everything”, etc. “Opposites” are really only the two extremes of the same thing, with many varying degrees between them.
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