Hermetic Principles

The 7 Hermetic Principles are fundamental universal laws drawn from ancient Hermetic philosophy, traditionally attributed to Hermes Trismegistus (a mythical figure blending the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). While these teachings are ancient, they were compiled and popularized in the early 20th century in a book called “The Kybalion,” written by “The Three Initiates.”

These principles are not merely abstract ideas; they are intended as practical tools for understanding the universe and influencing one’s reality through conscious application.

Here are the seven principles, along with a brief explanation of each:

  1. The Principle of Mentalism:

    • “THE ALL IS MIND; THE UNIVERSE IS MENTAL.”

    • This is the foundational principle. It states that everything that exists – the entire universe, all phenomena, all matter, energy, and life – is fundamentally mental in nature. It’s akin to the universe being a thought in a vast, Universal Mind (often referred to as “The All”). Your own mind is a part of this Universal Mind, and by understanding and mastering your thoughts, you can influence your reality.

  2. The Principle of Correspondence:

    • “AS ABOVE, SO BELOW; AS BELOW, SO ABOVE.”

    • This principle highlights the interconnectedness of all planes of existence. The patterns, laws, and phenomena that manifest on one level (e.g., the spiritual, mental, or physical) are mirrored on other levels. For example, the structure of an atom can be seen to reflect the structure of a solar system, and your inner world often corresponds to your outer experiences. By understanding one level, you can gain insight into others.

  3. The Principle of Vibration:

    • “NOTHING RESTS; EVERYTHING MOVES; EVERYTHING VIBRATES.”

    • Everything in the universe is in constant motion, from the smallest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies. Nothing is truly at rest. All things vibrate at different frequencies. The higher the vibration, the finer and more spiritual the manifestation; the lower the vibration, the denser and more material. Understanding this allows one to change their vibrational state and thus attract different experiences.

  4. 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 states that everything has an opposite, and these opposites are actually two extremes of the same thing. Hot and cold are degrees of temperature; love and hate are degrees of emotion. There is no absolute, only varying degrees along a continuum. By understanding polarity, one can transmute one pole into its opposite (e.g., fear into courage) by raising or lowering the vibration along the scale.

  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 TO THE RIGHT IS THE MEASURE OF THE SWING TO THE LEFT; RHYTHM COMPENSATES1.”

       

    • Building on Polarity, this principle states that everything has a natural rhythm or cycle. There are tides, seasons, day and night, life and death, periods of creation and destruction, joy and sorrow. Understanding this allows one to rise above the lower swings of the pendulum by maintaining mental equilibrium and using the incoming flow to their advantage.

  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 RECOGNIZED; THERE ARE MANY PLANES OF CAUSATION, BUT NOTHING ESCAPES THE LAW.”

    • This is essentially the law of karma, but on a universal scale. Nothing happens by chance. Every action, thought, or feeling is a cause that will inevitably produce a corresponding effect. By understanding the intricate web of causation, one can become more of a cause and less of an effect in their own life, consciously shaping their destiny rather than being passively subjected to circumstances.

  7. The Principle of Gender:

    • “GENDER IS IN EVERYTHING; EVERYTHING HAS ITS MASCULINE AND FEMININE PRINCIPLES; GENDER MANIFESTS ON ALL PLANES.”

    • This principle refers not just to biological sex, but to the inherent masculine (active, assertive, giving, logical) and feminine (passive, receptive, nurturing, intuitive) energies present in all things. These two principles are necessary for creation and manifestation on all planes – physical, mental, and spiritual. Balance between these two energies within oneself and in one’s actions leads to harmony and effective creation.

These principles together offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the fundamental nature of reality and for personal transformation, guiding individuals to align with universal laws for greater wisdom and mastery.