Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. The seasons change with the summer becoming winter. Not only is that incompatible with a nature-based witchcraft, but it smacks too much of the denial of the flesh adopted by Christianity, which witches ignore on purpose. [2], Chapel also points out that there are a number of stark contrasts between the Kybalion and the traditional Hermetica, such as the Kybalion's anti-theological stance versus the heavy emphasis on theology in the Hermetica, or the Kybalion's focus on the practitioner's "mental transmutation" versus the Hermetica's preoccupation with reverence for and unification with the divine. Panentheism. In the seventeenth century, Rosicrucianism flourished under the banner of Hermes Trismegistus. , Tags: asclepius, corpus hermeticum, esotericism, hermetica, hermeticism, hermetism, history, kybalion, learning, the kybalion. In 1884, Anna Kingsford, an Englishwoman who founded an organisation called the Hermetic Society, published a book entitled The Virgin of the World of Hermes Trismegistus, which presents an adaptation of the Hermetic texts. It was published in the early 20th century and preaches a philosophy closer to that of the New Thought movement. The dot held within each side is their strength. He was a lawyer, a renowned occultist, and publisher through his Yogi Publication Society in Chicago. As a heavily syncretic movement both in ancient and modern times, it incorporates an eclectic mix of topics. The great Fourth Hermetic Principlethe Principle of Polarity embodies the truth that all manifested things have "two sides"; "two aspects"; "two poles"; a "pair of opposites," with manifold degrees between the two extremes. There are Physical, Mental, and Spiritual planes in which all things exist. As a tradition, Christianity is more than a system of religious belief. These are each further subdivided by 7 sub-planes. This makes all the room we need for every manner of gender identity and sexual expression. 120, This page was last edited on 25 October 2022, at 17:58. Note that I am not arguing that all of those groups and philosophies you mentioned arent related. The Kybalion serves as an introduction to so-called Hermetic philosophy to many. It is all the same idea, the Kybalion is simply restating it in 20th century language. Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall., 6. The Way of Hermes by Clement Salaman et al, is a recent translation of the Corpus Hermeticum. The core of the work is a series of aphorisms that, the authors contend, go back to the early days and were passed on from teacher to student,the exact signification and meaning of the terms having been lost for several centuries.. At its most basic, Christianity is the faith tradition that focuses on the figure of Jesus Christ. All exists as a blend of this spectrum. There is no such thing as chance; chance is merely a term indicating extant causes not recognized or perceived. I also drill down into the very different concepts of divinity in the Kybalion and the CH in this article: https://arnemancy.com/articles/hermeticism/the-nature-of-god-in-the-kybalion-and-the-hermetica/. However, the Gnostics as a result often adopted a pessimistic view of mankind, while the Hermetic belief system generally retained a positive attitude towards mankind. How to enjoy the bliss, beauty and joy of life. Visit his blog at www.innerchristianity.com/blog.htm. The precepts of Hermetic philosophy remained shrouded in secrecy for more than 2,000 years, clouded by obscure language and dense allegories. Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates., 4. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Polarity. As above, so below; as below so above. The Kybalion.[15]. Iamblichus said that Pythagoras and Plato studied the ancient Hermetic pillars in Egypt and thus communicated its wisdom in Greece. I was looking for recommendations on where to start and asked a friend (Matt) and he pointed me to If youre interested in learning more about occultism and esotericism in general, check out my list of getting started books. Nothing rests, and everything moves and vibrates. And there are claims of similarly hidden texts in other traditions. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. Some occultists interested in the transcendental magic and magic as a means of spiritual self-actualization think the Kybalion is a good primer on Hermetic philosophy. The book purports to be based upon ancient Hermeticism, though many of its ideas are relatively modern concepts arising from the New Thought movement. Understanding leads to wisdom. The Corpus Hermeticum did not exist in a philosophical vacuum; its elevated and abstruse dialogues form only a part of the ancient Hermetic literature. Three Initiates, The Kybalion, Clayton, Ga.: Tri-State Press, 1988 [1908]. There was an tangible, demonstrable Is-ness within these principles. However, after more study, it is clear that The Kybalion is not a book about Hermetic philosophy at all. Depending on your point of view, The Kybalion, which is fabled to have been authored by the three anonymous initiates, is either a bunch of pseudo-scientific, half baked nonsense or it is an essential truth that has survived the ages which is only now being validated by recent breakthroughs in science, like the fourth state of water or the observation effect in quantum physics. As the first principle Mentalism suggests, the ideas of The Kybalion bear some resemblance to New Thought, a movement to which Atkinson was closely connected. The 7 Hermetic Principles are a set of ancient tenets, passed down through the generations. The first text of the Corpus Hermeticum, the Poimandres (whose name is probably a Greek adaptation of the Egyptian p-eime-n-re or mind of authority), tells us that the source of the universe was nous consciousness or mind much as The Kybalion asserts the principle of Mentalism. Moreover, this divine mind is described as being androgyne and existing as light and life which parallels the concept of Gender as set out in The Kybalion. Hermetism had a strong philosophical influence,[1] especially from Stoicism and Platonism. The Kybalion is purported to reflect the writings of Hermes Trismegistus the personage of the Greek God Hermes and the Egyptian God Thoth from the time of the Greek Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, who was associated with wisdom, learning, and literature. Physical, Mental, and Spiritual are not separated but instead flow in the same line with different degrees of existence. All paradoxes may be reconciled. 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 the New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson, 18621932)[1] that purports to convey the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. not just physical sex but its generative function to beget, to procreate, to generate, to create, or to produce is manifested in everything. Moreover, within Divine Mind, all our lifetimes are considered one big path that our spirit is treading upward as we evolve, so the effect in this life could very well be caused by something in a previous life. Others, such as Yohanan Alemanno, claimed that the Hermetic teachings were part of a primordial wisdom of the ancients and put the writings of Hermes as being equal to those of King Solomon. Nicholas E. Journal of the Western Mystery Tradition No. For example, Maitland asserts that consciousness is the indispensable condition of existence, and that matter is a mode of consciousness, which certainly resonates with The Kybalions doctrine of mentalism. It is from the New Thought movements interpretation of the classic Hermetic teachings on Mental Transmutation, that we get The Law of Attraction as made enormously popular within the New Age scene that emerged in the last few decades, and was made popular through the books and movie called The Secret.[3], The Law of Attraction is based on the Hermetic notion that the Universe is made of thoughts, and that by properly envisioning a desired outcome, focusing our thoughts in alignment with that outcome, like will attract like. In particular, they believed the Hermetic teachings to have its origins in ancient Jewish sources. by deliberately fixing ones intention upon a more desirable state. The Kybalion proposed a Hermetic understanding of the order of the cosmos, but gave a means to work effectively WITHIN that order toward becoming the captains of our own destiny. [2], On the identification of the author of the, "The Kybalion's New Clothes: An Early 20th Century Text's Dubious Association with Hermeticism", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Kybalion&oldid=1148532331, This page was last edited on 6 April 2023, at 19:00. Maitland also mentions the law of correspondence between all planes, or spheres, of existence. He also speaks of the doctrine of Karma, which dictates the impossibility either of getting good by doing evil, or of escaping the penalty of the latter an obvious parallel to The Kybalions law of cause and effect. In light of these resemblances and The Kybalions insistence that it contains the essence of Hermetic teaching, it is very likely that Kingsford and Maitlands work was at least one of The Kybalions sources. Ed. If the Kybalion sparked your interest, there is a whole new world of wonder to be found in the philosophies and teachings of ancient Hermeticism. Anyway, even if The Kybalion isnt 100% genuine Hermetic philosophy, its still a wonderful starting place for anyone interested in learning about occultism or mental influence in general. The work is attributed to the Three Initiates. The Kybalions New Clothes: In the Corpus Hermeticum, there is a great deal of emphasis on denying their bodies, so that upon death they could escape the bonds of destiny, and transcend beyond the cycles of reincarnation, to re-merge with the Divine Mind (Nous), singing hymns of praises among the outer stars for eternity. A Suggestive Inquiry into Hermetic Philosophy and Alchemy was written by Mary Anne Atwood and originally published anonymously in 1850. Medigo claimed that the theurgic practices of Hermetism were against the teachings of the Torah. Then, in a 1917 edition of the work in French, the translators introduction credits Atkinson as the original author. The New Thought movement is totally Hermetic if you really think about it, minus all the allegories, false blinds, etc. The poetry here is that we would then be thoughts and dreams within the Divine Mind. 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.[17]. [13] Though she relays that a scholar named Angus believed that the two would be more similar if they had the same proportion of Hermetic writings as Christian writings. Even there, they are held in unique balance of polarity which is a range of possibility. Even these, however, represent the logical evolution of the Graeco-Egyptian magical literature of the so-called technical Hermetica, and evince a focus on the divine that is entirely lacking in The Kybalion. However, do not confuse this concept of Mental Gender with physical sex. The Kybalion [1] describes how to control your own rhythm and guard against those with negative intentions. The All is Mind; the Universe is mental., 2. All of Creation is made of Divine Mind, and we are interconnected within that dream to form the body of Divinity. Matter, energy, mind and even spirit are the results only of different vibrations. The only difference between states of matter, thought, energy, and spirit are their rate of vibration. You might enjoy this podcast episode with Sam Block that discusses the Hermetica. Brian P. Copenhaver, Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation with Notes and an Introduction, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. In the passage quoted above it does day, Like is understood by Like. In this way, physical disease could be cured, mental and emotional illnesses re-balanced, happiness, wealth, love and spiritual attainment could all be realized. The Kybalion distills knowledge from the emerald tablet - a legendary ancient Egyptian wor. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. I think people are too judgemental of the Kybalion. Page 87, [22] http://www.kybalion.org/kybalion.php?chapter=II. The feminine alone is apt to constantly reflect and fail to actually do anything, resulting in stagnation. The Kybalion claimed to be based on an ancient, yet unpublished, Hermetic tractate, which supposedly outlined seven Universal laws that govern creation, and summarized the principles of Classical Hermeticism. [21] Hermetism is generally optimistic about God, while many forms of Christian Gnosticism are pessimistic about the creator: several Christian Gnostic sects saw the cosmos as the product of an evil creator, and thus as being evil itself, while Hermetists saw the cosmos as a beautiful creation in the image of God. But was the Kybalion actually an extension of Hermeticism, as Atkinson claimed? Just like any of the Physical Laws, such as Gravity, whether or not youve ever stepped into a science classroom to hear this term in your life, youre still just as stuck to the earth. Do the best you can under the circumstances arising each day. The use of mind power as we find it in New Thought seems to be very much an innovation of the nineteenth century. The book states that it makes its appearance in ones life when the time is appropriate, so make of that what you will dear reader. This isnt so much a karma thing, as that implies a judgement. Mentalism. Rather they are both of the same quality but different in degree. [10] Second, cosmic speculation is paramount to the Hermetic work while the fourth Gospel focuses on issues of religion. The feminine conducts the work of generating new thoughts, concepts and ideas, including the work of the imagination and the subconscious. For example, fear can be transmuted to love, just as heat can be transmuted to cold, but they shift along a single pole. As Greer points out, the introduction to this book bears a strong similarity to many of the ideas in The Kybalion. The Greek word used in the Corpus Hermeticum is Nous, translated as Supreme Intelligence. The most familiar edition is a plain volume bound in blue cloth and stamped with gold, in a format like those of other books from the same publisher, including various works on yoga by one Swami Ramacharaka. This knowledge of God comes upon a mystical experience dependent upon rebirth, the focal point of arguments for influence from one of these religions upon the other. The term The All, for example, resembles the Greek to pan which also means the all and which appears in some Hermetic maxims, most famously Hen to pan: All is one.. The Complete Idiots Guide to Alchemy: The Magic and Mystery of the Ancient Craft Revealed for Today (Complete Idiots Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592577350/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_qDAKCbXFHH8MX. The ancient Hermetic Philosophies, which were originally attributed to an Egyptian Priest named Hermes Trismegistus, came to heavily influence the New Thought movement during the late 1800s in North America. The author was one of the founding members of Blondie, and has since gone on to write many books and articles about mysticism and the occult. Atkinsons Seven Hermetic principles became ubiquitous across the New Age Movement over the next 100 years. [17], However, there are also some significant differences between Hermetism and Gnosticism with regard to philosophical theology, cosmology, and anthropology. The Kybalion is a book written in the early 20th century by a businessman who was interested in New Thought (the early 20th century version of the New Age movement). Certainly their style and mode of thought are more evocative of twentieth-century America than of ancient Egypt or Greece. found all over historical Hermetic Philosophy to the dust-bin; hence, my statement that this book isn't Hermetic. The masculine principle leans in the direction of giving, making or expressing. [6], Lyman also sees important similarities between the Fourth Gospel, or Gospel of John, and the Corpus Hermeticum, in religious thought and religious questing. This culminated in a wide use of Hermetic texts for the use of theurgy and talisman construction. amazon.com. Chapter 2. Transmutation (the idea that a thing can be changed from one state to another) is the practical application of this principle. However, it might take until the next life to feel the effect of the ball slamming into that corner pocket, just like you called it. There are repeating patterns throughout the planes of reality, that correspond in harmony and agreement to one another. Psycho-Cybernetics Summary: Learn how to tap into the power of your subconscious mind, Getting Things Done by David Allen (Including Infographic), The Miracle Morning Summary (Including Infographic). Neither is there mention of demons which torture us with the shadowy aspects of human desires. Together, these seven principles constitute an explanation of the basic laws that apply to all of creation. In careful consideration of the cause, we can lead to a better effect. [11] Atkinson, William Walker. 3. Stay tuned for the next installment in this series, where we follow the path of the Hermetic Philosophies from ancient Egypt into British Wicca, and conclude with why these philosophies are important to Modern Witchcraft today. Heron Michelle is a witch, high priestess, mom, artist and shopkeeper living in Greenville, North Carolina. The Jewish version of the theurgic practice of drawing divine spirits down to Earth was horadat haruhaniyut, "the lowering of spirituality." Frankly, Im thrilled by Atkinsons contributions to Hermetic philosophy, as their shift of focus is in much better alignment with my Witchcrafts ideals. The wise student of magick will learn these principles well, and then put them to beneficial use in their lives with purpose. by Three Initiates. [24], According to ninth- and tenth-century Arabic authors, the pagan community from the Upper-Mesopotamian city of Harran (who self-identified as the Sabians mentioned in the Qur'an) counted Hermes Trismegistus as one of their major prophets. What does Hermetic Philosophy teach? Nicholas Chapel, who wrote an article called The Kybalions New Clothes, for the Journal of the Western Mystery Tradition in 2013, drew this conclusion: Hermeticism has long appropriated ideas and even entire systems which have not originated from within its own milieu. I have a ton of more reading to do, thanks again for the recommendations! [3] However, she points out that there are some deep differences as well. This post was updated in October 2017 to replace the list of recommended books. If I've learned anything from Aphrodite, it's this: you are already a Tucker Carlson Fired Are the Adults in As popular as Tucker Carlson was, he became more trouble than he Black-African centered teaching groups and Black Nationalist movements, who gave proper credit to the African origins of the Egyptian God Thoth, also known as Tehuti. Hence the aphorisms in The Kybalion are very likely a pious fraud. He sees ties to Hermeticism in Mormon support for Pelagianism, communitarianism, polygamy and Dispensationalism. While there is some overlap between the teachings of the Kybalion and Hermeticism,2 there is a great deal more to this tradition. Our conversation truly did help restore my faith in the decency ", "Thank you for coming on the podcast, and for your kind words. "[8], "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. Projective qualities are considered Masculine, and receptive qualities are considered Feminine. Witches' 2023 Astrological Calendar for Magickal An Evangelical and a Witch Agree About Street My Psychic Kids Heard my Thoughts Telepathically, Wisdom-Nuggets for Samhain Trick or Treat. It is a mystical primer for New Thought, which ushered in a huge segment of esoteric thinking, especially in America. It was published in the early 20th century and preaches a philosophy closer to that of the New Thought movement. Everything in the Cosmos is a thought within this Divine Mind. It is a popularized form of self-help psychology, relying on principles such as mind-over-matter and the law of attraction. [28] Medieval Hermetism, aside from alchemy, is often seen as analogous to and was heavily influenced by these Kabbalistic ideas. Spiritual Plane = Upperworld and Heavens.