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The Caibalion of Hermes Trismegistus

Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and

Greece.
Marcus Shiva.

INTRODUCTION.
Our intention is not to build a new Temple of Knowledge, but to place in the
hands of the student a Master Key with which he can open all the internal doors
leading to the Temple of Mystery whose portals he has already entered.
No fragment of the occult knowledge possessed by the world has been so
zealously guarded as the fragments of the Hermetic Teachings which have
come down to us through the centuries past from the time of their great settler,
Hermes Trismegistus, the messenger of the gods, who lived in ancient Egypt
when the present human race was in its infancy. Contemporary of Abraham,
and if the legend is true, instructor of this venerable sage, Hermes was and is
the Great Central Sun of Occultism, whose rays have illuminated all the
teachings which have been published since his time. All the fundamental and
basic precepts introduced into the esoteric teachings of each race have been
formulated by Hermes. Even the oldest precepts of India had undoubtedly their
source in the original Hermetic Teachings.

Hermes' work seems to have been done in order to plant the great Seed-Truth
that developed and germinated in so many strange forms, faster than a school
of philosophy would have been established that would dominate the world's
thinking. But the original truths taught by him were kept intact in their original
purity by a small number of men, who, rejecting a great number of undeveloped
students and disciples, followed the hermetic custom and reserved their truths
for the few who were prepared to understand and direct them. From the lips to
the ears the truth has been transmitted among these few. There have always
existed, in every generation and in various countries of the earth, some Initiates
who kept alive the sacred flame of the Hermetic Teachings, and always
employed their lamps to rekindle the lesser lamps of the profane world, when
the light of truth began to dim and go out because of their neglect, and their
wicks became entangled with foreign substances. There was always a handful
of men to care for the altar of Truth, where they always kept the Perpetual Lamp
of Wisdom burning. These men dedicated their lives to that work of love which
the poet described very well along these lines:
"Oh! do not let the flame out! Kept From century to century In this dark cave, in
this sacred temple! Sustained by pure ministers of love! Let not this divine flame
go out!"

In this work we strive to offer you an idea of the fundamental precepts of the
Caibalion, seeking to give you the Triggering Principles and leaving you the
work of studying them, rather than dealing with their teachings in detail. If you
are true students you will be able to understand and apply these Principles; if
you are not you should develop them, because otherwise the Hermetic
Teachings will be to you only words, words, words! ...
THE HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY
"The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding." - THE
CAIBALION -.

Chapter 1

From ancient Egypt came the esoteric and hidden fundamental precepts that
have so strongly influenced the philosophies of all races, nations and peoples
for several thousand years. Egypt, the land of the Pyramids and the Sphinx,
went to the homeland of secret Wisdom and mystical Teachings. All nations
received from him the secret Doctrine. India, Persia, Chaldea, the Media, China,
Japan, Assyria, Ancient Greece and Rome, and other ancient countries,
laudably took advantage of the facts of knowledge, which the Hierophants and
Masters of the Land of Isis so frankly ministered to those who were prepared to
partake of the great abundance of mystical and occult precepts, which the
superior minds of this ancient country had continually condensed.
In ancient Egypt lived the great Adepts and Masters who were never again
advanced, and rarely equaled, in the centuries that have passed since the time
of the great Hermes. In Egypt was established the largest of the Lodges of the
Mystics. Through the doors of its Temples entered the Neophytes, who later, as
Hierophants, Adepts and Masters, spread out to all parts of the earth, taking
with them the precious knowledge they possessed anxious and eager to teach it
to those who were prepared to receive it. All the students of the Occult know
their debt to the venerable Masters of this ancient country.

But among these Great Masters of ancient Egypt, there was one that they
proclaimed as the Master of Masters. This man, if he was truly a man, lived in
Egypt in the most remote antiquity. He was known under the name of Hermes
Trismegistus. He was the father of Occult Science, the founder of Astrology, the
discoverer of Alchemy. The details of his life were lost due to the immense
space of time, which is thousands of years, and although many ancient
countries dispute among themselves the honor of having been his homeland.
The date of his existence in Egypt, in his last incarnation on this planet, is not
known now, but it was fixed in the early days of the most remote dynasties of
Egypt, long before the time of Moses. The best authorities consider him a
contemporary of Abraham, and some Jewish traditions clearly say that Abraham
acquired a part of his mystical knowledge from Hermes himself.

After many years of his departure from this plane of existence (tradition says he
lived three hundred years) the Egyptians deified Hermes and made him one of
their gods under the name of Thoth. Years later the peoples of ancient Greece
also deified him under the name of "Hermes, the God of Wisdom. The
Egyptians revered his memory for many centuries, calling him the messenger of
the Gods, and giving him as a badge his ancient title "Trismegistus," which
means the three times great, the great among the great.
In all ancient countries, the name of Hermes Trismegistus was revered, this
name being considered synonymous with "Source of Wisdom".
Even in our days we use the term "hermetic" in the sense of secret, closed in
such a way that nothing escapes, etc., for the reason that the disciples of
Hermes always observed the principle of secrecy in their precepts. They
ignored the principle of not throwing pearls to swine, but kept the precept of
giving milk to children, and meat to men made, precepts which are familiar to all
readers of the Christian Scriptures, but which were already used by the
Egyptians many centuries before the Christian era. The Hermetic Teachings are
scattered in stubs in the countries and in all religions, but they do not belong to
any particular religious sect. This is because of the warnings given by the
ancient teachers in order to prevent the Secret Doctrine from being crystallized
into a creed. The wisdom of this precaution is clear to all students of history.
The ancient occultism of India and Persia degenerated and was completely lost,
because their instructors became priests, and mixed theology with philosophy,
and consequently became the occultism of India and Persia, gradually lost
among the masses of religions, superstitions, cults, creeds, and gods. The
same happened with ancient Greece and Rome, and also with the Hermetic
Teachings of the Gnostics and early Christians, which were lost in the time of
Constantine, and which suffocated philosophy with the cloak of theology, thus
causing the Church to lose what was its true essence and spirit, and to walk
blindly for several centuries before taking its true path; for all the good
observers of this twentieth century say that the Church is struggling to return to
its ancient mystical teachings.

Despite all this, there have always been some faithful souls who kept the Flame
alive, carefully feeding it and not letting its light go out. And thanks to these firm
hearts and intrepid minds, we still have with us the truth. But most of it is not
found in books. It has been transmitted from Master to Disciple, from Initiate to
Hierophant, from lips to ears. Although it is written everywhere, it has been
purposely veiled with terms of alchemy and astrology, so that only those who
have the key can read it well. This was necessary to avoid the persecutions of
the theologians of the Middle Ages who fought the Secret Doctrine with iron,
 fire, pillory, gallows and cross.
Even today we find only a few valuable books on Hermetic Philosophy, in spite
of the numerous references made to it in the various books written on various
phases of Occultism. However, Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master-Key that
can open all the doors of the Occult Teachings!
In the early days there was a compilation of certain basic Doctrines of
Hermeticism, transmitted from master to disciple, which was known under the
name of "Caibalion", whose exact meaning was lost for several centuries. This
teaching is, however, known by several men to whom it has been transmitted
from the lips to the ears for many centuries.

These precepts were never written or printed until they came to our attention.
They were simply a collection of maxims, precepts and axioms, not intelligible to
the profane, but readily understood by the students; and, moreover, they were
later explained and amplified by the Hermetic Initiates to their Neophytes. These
precepts really constituted the basic principles of the Art of Hermetic Alchemy,
which, contrary to what is generally believed, is based upon the Mastery of
Mental Forces, rather than the Mastery of Material Elements; the Transmutation
of Mental Vibrations into others, rather than the changing of one kind of metal
into another. The legends of the Philosopher's Stone, which transformed any
metal into gold, were allegories of Hermetic Philosophy perfectly understood by
all students of true Hermeticism.
In this book, whose first lesson is this, we invite the students to examine the
Hermetic Teachings as they are exposed in the Caibalion and explained by us,
the humble students of these Teachings' who, although we have the title of
Initiates, are simple students at the feet of Hermes the Master. We offer you many
axioms, maxims and precepts of the Kybalion, accompanied by explanations and
comments, which we believe serve to make its precepts more comprehensible to
the modern student, chiefly because the original text is purposely veiled in
obscure terms.
The maxims, axioms and original precepts of Caíbalíon are printed in a different
type from the general type of our work. We hope that the students to whom we
offer this work, how can they take much advantage of the study of its pages as
have others who have gone before along the Path of the Adept in the centuries
since the time of Hermes Trismegistus, the Master of Masters, the Three Times
Great.
Says the Caibalion:
"Wherever the traces of the Master are, the ears of him who is prepared to receive
his Teaching will be fully opened.
"When the disciple's ears are ready to hear, then come the lips to fill them with
Wisdom.
So that, as indicated, only he who has a special preparation to receive the
Precepts that he transmits will give attention to this book. And, reciprocally, when
the student is prepared to receive the truth, this book will also appear to him. This
is the Law. The Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect, in its aspect of the Law of
Attraction, will take the ears to the lips, and the book to the disciple. Thus are the
atoms!
 Chapter 2
The Seven Hermetic Principles

"The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows them perfectly possesses the
Magic Key with which all the Doors of the Temple can be opened completely. -
THE KYBALION-

The Seven Principles upon which the whole Hermetic Philosophy is based are
the following:
I. The Principle of Mentalism.
II. The Principle of Correspondence.
III. The Principle of Vibration.
IV. The Principle of Polarity.
V. The Principle of Rhythm.
VI. The Principle of Cause and
Election.
VII. The Principle of Gender.

These Seven Principles can be explained and explained, as we will do in this

lesson. A short explanation of each of them can be done now, and that is what
we will do.

I. The Principle of Mentalism

"THE ALL is MIND; the Universe is Mental." - THE CAIBALION -

This Principle contains the truth that All is Mind. It explains that THE ALL (which
is the Substantial Reality which is hidden in all manifestations and appearances
which we know under the name of the Material Universe, Phenomena of Life,
Matter, Energy, in a word, under all that has appearance to our material senses)
is SPIRIT, is Unknowable, and UNIVERSAL in itself, but may be considered as
an INFINITE, UNIVERSAL LIVING MIND. It also teaches that the whole
phenomenal world or universe is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject
to the Laws of created Things, and that the universe as a whole, in its parts or
units, has its existence in the mind of THE ALL, in whose Mind we live, move
and have our existence. This Principle, by establishing the Mental Nature of the
Universe, explains all those mental and psychic phenomena which occupy a
great deal of public attention, and which, without such an explanation, would be
unintelligible and would challenge scientific examination.
Understanding this Hermetic Principle of Mentalism enables the individual to
readily embrace the laws of the Mental Universe, and to apply the same
Principle to his happiness and advancement. The Hermetic student does not yet
know how to apply the great Mental Law intelligently, though he employs it in a
casual manner.

With the Master-Key in his possession, the student will be able to open the
various doors of the psychic and mental temple of knowledge and enter through
them freely and intelligently. This Principle explains the true nature of Force,
Energy, and Matter, how and why they are all subordinated to the Mastery of
Mind. An old Hermetic Master wrote long ago: "He who understands the truth of
the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on the Path to Mastery. And
these words are as true today as they were at the time they were written.
Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student will knock in
vain at the many doors of the Temple.

II. The Principle of Correspondence

"What is above is like what is below, and what is below is like what is above." -
THE KYBALION.
This Principle contains the truth that there is a correspondence between the
laws and phenomena of the various planes of Existence and Life. The old
Hermetic axiom says these words: "That which is above is like that which is
below, and that which is below is like that which is above. Understanding this
Principle gives man the means to explain many obscure paradoxes and secrets
of Nature. There are plans outside of our knowledge, but when we apply the
Principle of Correspondence to them we come to understand much that would
otherwise be impossible for us to understand. 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 regarded this Principle as one of the most important
mental instruments by which man can see beyond the obstacles which conceal
the Unknown. Its constant use gradually tore the veil of Isis, and a glimpse of
the face of the goddess could be perceived. Just as knowledge of the Principles
of Geometry enables man, while in his observatory, to measure distant suns, so
knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables man to reason
intelligently, from the Known to the Unknown. By studying the Monad, he comes
to understand the archangel.
III. The Principle of Vibration

"Nothing is still; everything moves; everything vibrates." - THE KYBALION.

This Principle embodies the truth that everything is in motion: everything
vibrates; nothing is still; a fact which modern science observes, and which every
new scientific discovery tends to confirm. And yet this Hermetic Principle was
enunciated thousands of years ago by the Masters of ancient Egypt.
This Principle explains that the differences between the various manifestations
of Matter, Energy, Mind, and Spirit, result from the varying orders of Vibration.
From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, to the grossest form of Matter, everything
is in vibration; the higher the vibration, the higher the position on the scale. The
vibration of the Spirit is of such infinite intensity and speed that it is practically
stationary, as a wheel that moves very rapidly seems to be stationary.
At the lower end of the scale are the gross forms of matter, whose vibrations are
so slow that they seem to be stationary. Between these poles there are millions
upon millions of different degrees of vibration. From the corpuscle and the
electron, from the atom and the molecule, to the worlds and universes,
everything is in vibratory motion. This is true on the planes of energy and force
(which also vary in degrees of vibration); on the mental planes (whose states
depend upon vibrations), and also on the spiritual planes.
The knowledge of this Principle, 'with the appropriate formulas, enables the
hermetic student to know his mental vibrations, as well as those of others. Only
the Masters may apply this Principle to the conquest of Natural Phenomena, by
various means. "He who understands the Principle of Vibration has attained the
scepter of power," says an ancient writer.

IV. The Principle of Polarity

"Everything is Double; everything has poles; everything has its opposite; the
same and the unequal are the same; the opposites are identical in nature, but
different in degree; the extremes touch each other; all truths are half-truths; all
paradoxes can be reconciled". - THE KYBALION.
This Principle embodies the truth: everything is Double; everything has two
poles; everything has its opposite, which formed an old hermetic axiom. It
explains the old paradoxes, which have left many men perplexed, and which
have been so established: Thesis and Antithesis are identical in nature, but
different in degree; opposites are the same, differing only in degree; pairs of
opposites can be reconciled; extremes touch; everything exists and does not
exist at the same time; all truths are half-truths; all truth is half-truth; there are
two sides to everything, etc., etc.
He explains that in everything there are two poles or opposing aspects, and that
opposites are simply the two extremes of the same thing, the difference
consisting of varying degrees. For example: Heat and Cold, though they are;
opposites, are the same thing, and the difference between them consists simply
in the variation of degrees of that same thing.
Look at your thermometer and see if you can find out where the shutting up
ends and the cold starts! There is no such thing as absolute heat or absolute
cold; the two terms heat and cold indicate only the variation in degree of the
same thing, and that the same thing that manifests as heat and cold is nothing
more than a form, variety and order of Vibration.
Thus heat and cold are but the two poles of what we call Heat; and the
phenomena which result therefrom are manifestations of the Principle of
Polarity. The same Principle manifests in the case of Light and Darkness, which
are the same thing, the difference consisting simply in the variations of degrees
between the two poles of the phenomenon. What is the difference between the
great and the small? Between the strong and the weak? Between white and
black? Between the perceptive and the foolish? Between the high and the low?
Between the positive and the negative?
The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes, and no other Principle can
exceed it. The same Principle operates on the Mental Plane. It has allowed us
to take an extreme example: that of Love and Hate, two entirely different mental
states in appearance. And yet there are degrees of Hate and degrees of Love,
and a midpoint where we use the terms Equal or Inequal, which cover each
other up so gradually that we sometimes find it difficult to know what is the
same, unequal, or neither. And all are simply degrees of the same thing, as you
will understand if you meditate for a moment. And more than this (which
Hermetists consider of the utmost importance), it is possible to change the
vibrations of hate into vibrations of Love, in the very mind of each one of us, and
in the minds of others.
Many of you who read these lines have had personal experiences of the
transformation of Love into hate or the other way around, whether it was with
yourselves or with others. You can therefore make it possible for them to be
realized by exercising the use of your Will by means of the hermetic formulas.
God and the Devil are therefore the poles of the same thing, and the Hermetist
understands the art of transmuting the Devil into God, by applying the Principle
of Polarity. In short, the Art of Polarity becomes a phase of Mental Alchemy,
known and practiced by the ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. Knowledge
of the Principle will enable the disciple to change his own Polarity, as well as
that of others, if he will devote the time and study necessary to gain mastery of
the art.

V. The Principle of Rhythm

"Everything has flow and reflux; everything, in its tides; everything goes up and
down; everything is manifested by compensated oscillations; the measure of the
movement on the right is the measure of the movement on the left; rhythm is the
compensation". - THE KYBALION.
This Principle contains the truth that in everything there is manifested a forward
and backward movement, a ebb and flow, a movement of attraction and
repulsion, a pendulum-like movement, a flood tide and an ebb tide, a high tide
and a low tide, between the two poles, which exist, according to the Principle of
Polarity which we have just discussed. There is always an action and a reaction,
a march and a retreat, a rise and a fall. This happens in the things of the
Universe, in the suns, in the worlds, in men, in animals, in mind, in energy, and
in 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 the I-Man
(and it is with the latter that the Hermetists recognize the understanding of the
most important Principle). The Hermetists have understood this Principle,
recognizing its universal application, and have also discovered certain means of
mastering its effects on one's self by the employment of appropriate formulas
and methods. They apply the Mental Law of Neutralization. They cannot annul
the Principle, or prevent its operations, but have learned how to escape its
effects on one's own person, to a degree which depends upon the Mastery of
this Principle. They have learned how to employ it, rather than being employed
by it.
In this and other methods consists the Art of Hermetists. The Master of the
Hermetists would polarize to the point where he wished, and then neutralize the
Rhythmic Oscillation that would tend to drag him to the other pole.
All individuals who have attained any degree of Self-Romination do so to a
certain degree, more or less unconsciously, but the Master does so consciously
and with the use of His Will, reaching a degree of Balance and Mental Firmness
almost impossible to be believed by the popular masses who go back and forth
like a pendulum. This Principle, and that of Polarity, have been secretly studied
by the Hermetists, and the methods of preventing, neutralizing, and employing
them form an important part of the Mental Alchemy of Hermeticism.
VI. The Principle of Cause and Effect
"Every Cause has its Effect, every Effect has its Cause; everything happens
according to the Law; Chance is simply a name given to an unrecognized Law;
there are many planes of causality, but nothing escapes the Law. - THE
KYBALION.
This principle contains the truth that there is a Cause for every Effect and an
Effect for every Cause. It explains that: Everything happens according to the
Law; nothing happens without reason; there is no such thing as chance; that,
however, there are several planes of Cause and Effect, the higher planes
dominating the lower planes, nothing being able to escape the Law completely.
The Hermetists know the art and methods of rising from the ordinary plane of
Cause and Effect, to a certain degree, and by means of mental elevation to a
higher plane are taken Causers instead of Effects.
The masses of the people are carried forward; the desires and wills of others
are stronger than their wills; heredity, suggestion, and other external causes
move them as if they were pawns on the chessboard of Life. But the Masters,
rising to the higher plane, master their genius, character, qualities, powers, as
well as those around them, and become Motors instead of pawns. They help to
play creation, whether physical, mental or spiritual, it is possible without a
departure from life, instead of being played and moved by other wills and
influences. They employ the Principle instead of being its instruments. The
Masters obey the Causality of the higher plane, but help to rule our plane.
In this precept is condensed a treasure of the Hermetic Knowledge: learn it
whoever you want.

VII. The Principle of Gender

"Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine principle and its feminine
principle; gender manifests itself on all planes. - THE KYBALION.
This principle embodies the truth that gender is manifested in everything; that the
masculine principle and the feminine principle are always at work. This is true not
only on the Physical Plane, but also on the Mental and Spiritual Planes. On the
Physical Plane this Principle manifests as sex, on the higher planes it takes
higher forms, but is always the same Principle.
No creation, be it physical, mental or spiritual, is possible to be this Principle, The
understanding of its laws may clarify many matters which have perplexed the
minds of men.
The Principle of Gender always operates in the direction of generation,
regeneration, and creation." All things and all people contain within themselves
the two Elements of this great Principle.
All things male have also the Female Element; all things female have the Male
Element. If you understand the philosophy of Mental Creation, Generation, and
Regeneration, you may study and understand this Hermetic Principle. It
contains the solution of many mysteries of Life. We warn you that this Principle
bears no relation to the lustful, pernicious, and degrading theories and
practices, which have exciting and fantastic titles, and are nothing more than the
prostitution of the great natural Principle of Gender. Such theories, based on the
ancient infamous forms of Falicism, tend to ruin the mind, body and soul; and
the Hermetic Philosophy has always published severe notes against these
precepts which tend to lust, depravity and perversion of the principles of Nature.
If you desire such teachings you may look elsewhere: Hermeticism contains
nothing in these lines that serves for you. To him who is pure, all things are
pure; to him who is vile, all things are vile and low.

Chapter 3

MENTAL TRANSMUTATION
"Mind (as well as metals and elements) can be transmuted from state to state,
degree to degree, condition to condition, pole to pole, vibration to vibration. True
hermetic transmutation is a Mental Art." - THE CAIBALION
−
As we said, the Hermetists were the ancient alchemists, astrologers and
psychologists, and Hermes was the founder of these schools of thought. From
astrology was born modern astronomy; from alchemy was born modern
chemistry; from mystical psychology was born modern school psychology. But it
cannot be assumed that the ancients ignored what modern schools claim to be
their exclusive and special property. The memories engraved on the stones of
Ancient Egypt clearly show that the ancients had a great knowledge of
astronomy, the true construction of the Pyramids representing the relationship
between their design and the study of astronomical science. They did not ignore
Chemistry, because the fragments of the ancient writings show that they knew
the chemical properties of things; in fact, the ancient theories relating to physics
are being slowly verified by the latest discoveries of modern science, especially
those relating to the constitution of matter.

It should not be believed that they ignored so-called modern discoveries in

psychology; on the contrary, the Egyptians were especially versed in the
science of psychology,
Particularly in the branches which modern schools ignore; which, however, have
been covered up under the name of psychic science, that the confusion of
psychologists of today, making them repugnantly admit that after all there may
be something in it.

The truth is that under material chemistry, astronomy and psychology (which is
psychology in its action phase of thought), the ancients possessed a knowledge
of transcendent astronomy, called astrology; of transcendent chemistry, called
alchemy; of transcendent psychology called mystical psychology. They
possessed the Inner Knowledge as the Outer Knowledge, the latter being the
only one possessed by modern scientists. Among the many secret branches of
knowledge possessed by the Hermetists was that known under the name of
Mental Transmutation, which forms the material exposition of this lesson.
Transmutation is a term usually used to designate the ancient art of the
transmutation of metals; particularly of impure metals into gold. The word
transmute means to change from one nature, form, or substance into another;
to transform (Webster). And likewise, Mental Transmutation means the art of
transforming and changing mental states, forms, and conditions into others. So
you can see that Mental Transmutation is the Art of Mental Chemistry, or if you
like, a form of practical Mystical Psychology.
But these meanings are far from what they outwardly appear to be.

Transmutation, Alchemy, or Chemistry, on the Mental Plane is certainly very

important in its effects, and if art has ceased now, then it cannot but be one of
the most important branches of study known to men. But this is simply the
beginning. Let us see the reason!
The first of the Seven Hermetic Principles is the principle of Mentalism; its
axiom is "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental," which means that the
Objective Reality of the Universe is Mind; and the same Universe is Mental, that
is, existing in the Mind of THE ALL. We shall study this principle in the following
lessons, but let us examine the effect of the principle if it is held to be true.

If the Universe is Mental in its nature, Mental Transmutation may be considered

as the art of CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNIVERSE, in the
divisions of Matter, Force and Mind. Thus you will understand that Mental
Transmutation is really the Magic which the ancient writers have dealt with
much in their mystical works, and which they give very little practical instruction
about. If All is Mental, then the art which teaches transmutation of mental
conditions may make the Master director of material conditions as well as of
conditions ordinarily called mental.

In fact, no alchemist, who is not advanced in mental Alchemy, can obtain the
necessary degree of power to dominate the gross physical conditions and
elements of Nature, the production or cessation of storms and earthquakes as
well as other great physical phenomena. That such men have existed, and still
exist today, is a matter of the greatest certainty to all advanced occultists of all
schools. That there are Masters, and that they have these powers, the best
instructors assure their disciples, having experiences which justify them in these
opinions and statements. These Masters do not exhibit their powers in public,
but seek to remove themselves from the turmoil of men, in order to better open
their way on the Path of Knowledge. We mention their existence here simply to
draw your attention to the fact that their Power is entirely Mental, and that they
operate along the lines of the highest Mental Transmutation, and in accordance
with the Hermetic Principle of Mentalism. "The Universe is Mental.

But the disciples and Hermetists of a lower degree than the Masters - the
Initiates and Instructors - can easily operate on the Mental Plane when
practicing Mental Transmutation. In fact, all that we call psychic phenomena,
mental influence, mental science, phenomena of new thinking, etc., is realized
along the same general line, for in this is more of a hidden principle than the
matter whose name is given, the phenomenon.
The disciple who is a practitioner of Mental Transmutation operates on the
Mental Plane, transmuting mental conditions, states, etc. into others, according
to various formulas more or less effective. The various treatments, affirmations
and denials, etc., of the schools of mental science are rather formulas, often
very imperfect and unscientific, of the Hermetic Art. The majority of modern
practitioners are very ignorant in comparison with the old masters, for they lack
the fundamental knowledge on which the operation is based.

Not only can one's own mental states be changed or transmuted by hermetic
methods; but the mental states of others can be, and even are constantly
transmuted in the same direction, almost always unconsciously, but sometimes
consciously, by a person who knows the laws and principles, in cases where the
person influenced is not informed of the principles of self protection. And even
more, as several disciples and practitioners of modern mental science know,
every material condition that depends upon the minds of others can be changed
or transmuted according to the desire, the will, and the real treatments of the
person who wishes to change the conditions of life. At present the Public is
generally informed of these things, that we do not deem it necessary to mention
them in full; for our purpose in this regard is simply to show the Art, and the
Hermetic Principle of Polarity.

In this book we seek to establish the basic principles of Mental Transmutation,

that all who read may understand the Secondary Principles, and then possess
the Master-Key which will open the many doors of the Hermetic Principle of
Polarity.
Let us now make a consideration of the first of the Seven Hermetic Principles:
the principle of Mentalism, which affirms the truth that "THE ALL is Mind; the
Universe is Mental," according to the words of the Kybalion. We ask that you
pay close attention to, and carefully study, this great Principle, on the part of our
disciples, for it is indeed the Basic Principle of all the Hermetic Philosophy and
the Hermetic Art of Mental Transmutation.

Chapter 4
THE ALL
"Under the appearances of the Universe, of Time and Space, and
of Mobility, the Substantial Reality is always covered up: the
fundamental Truth.
- THE CAIBALION -
Substance is that which is hidden beneath all outward manifestations, the
essence, the essential reality, the thing itself, etc. Substantial is that which
exists today, which is essential element, which is real, etc. Reality is the real,
true, permanent, lasting, actual state of an entity.

Under and within all outward appearances or manifestations, there has always
been a substantial Reality. This is the Law.
Man, considering the Universe, of which he is simply a particle, observes that
everything is transformed into matter, forces and mental states. He knows that
nothing is real, but that, on the contrary, everything is MOBILE and
CONDITIONAL. Nothing is still; everything is born, grows and dies; at the
moment when a thing reaches its peak it soon begins to decline; the law of
rhythm is in constant action; there is no reality, lasting quality, fixity or
substantiality in anything; nothing is permanent, everything is transformed. The
man who observes the laws of the Universe sees that all things evolve from
other things, and resolve themselves into others; he sees a constant action and
reaction, a flow and ebb, a creation and destruction, birth, growth and death.
Nothing is permanent, everything is transformed. If this man is an active thinker,
he will accomplish all these changeable things, which will, however, be outward
appearances or manifestations of the same Occult Force, of the same
substantial reality.
All thinkers of all countries and all ages have understood the need to admit the
existence of this substantial Reality. All philosophies worthy of the name are
based on this opinion. Men have given this substantial Reality many names:
many have called it Divinity (under various titles); others have called it Eternal
and Infinite Energy; still others have simply named it Matter: but all have
acknowledged its existence. This is self-evident; no arguments are necessary.
In these lessons we will follow the example of many great ancient and modern
thinkers-the Hermetic Masters-and designate this Hidden Force, this substantial
Reality under the name of THE ALL, a term which we consider to be the most
understandable of the many terms employed by Man to designate THAT which
exceeds the names and touches the terms.
We accept and teach the ideas of the great Hermetic thinkers of all times, as
well as those of these enlightened souls, who have climbed elevated Planes of
existence, and who affirm the intimate nature of THE ALL to be
INCOGNOSABLE. This is so that no one can comprehend by THE ALL itself the
nature and intimate existence of it.

The Hermetists think and teach that THE ALL, in itself, is and will always be
INCOGNOSIBLE. They consider all the theories, conjecture and speculation of
theologians and metaphysicians regarding the intimate nature of THE ALL, as
the childish efforts of finite minds to understand the secret of the Infinite. Such
efforts have always deviated, and will always deviate, from the true nature of its
end. A person who proceeds in such investigations will, from circuit to circuit in
the maze of thought, harm his sound reasoning, his action, and his conduct,
until he is utterly unusable for the work of life. He is like the squirrel, who
furiously runs inside the surroundings of his cage, always walking without ever
getting anywhere, and stopping only when he gets scared: he is finally a
prisoner.

But even more presumptuous are those who attribute to THE ALL personality,
qualities and proprieties-characteristics and attributes of themselves, and want
THE ALL to have emotions, sensations, and other human traits which are
beneath the small qualities of mankind, such as envy, the desire for flattery and
praise, the desire for offerings and worship, and all the other attributes which
have survived since the infancy of the race. Such ideas are not worthy of
mature people and are rapidly being abandoned.
(It comes to mind that we distinguish between Religion and Theology, between
Philosophy and Metaphysics).
Religion to us is the institutional realization of the existence of THE ALL, and its
relation to it; while Theology-represents man's effort to assign to it personality,
qualities, and characteristics, the theories concerning its affairs, plans, desires,
and wills, and the appropriations of all this to the office of mediators between
THE ALL and the people.
 Philosophy is, for us, investigation according to the knowledge of things known
and conceivable; while Metaphysics is the attempt to take investigation to the
unknowable and inconceivable regions and beyond its limits, with the same
tendency as Theology. Therefore, Religion and Philosophy are for us things
which have their principle in Reality, while Theology and Metaphysics seem to
be thin reeds, rooted in the quicksand of ignorance, and nothing but the most
uncertain support for the mind or soul of Man. We will not insist with students
who accept these definitions; we will only mention them to show the position in
which we place ourselves on this subject. In any case, we will talk very little
about Theology and Metaphysics.

But while the essential nature of THE ALL is Unknowable, there are certain
truths connected with its existence which the human mind has been forced to
accept. And the examination of these truths forms a proper subject for
investigation, especially when they agree with the testimony of the Illumined
One on the higher planes. We invite you to make these inquiries.
"THAT which is the Fundamental Truth, the Substantial Reality, is outside a true
denomination, but the wise man calls it THE ALL. - THE CAIBALION-
"In His Essence, THE ALL is INCOGNOSABLE." - THE CAIBALION -
"But the testimonies of Reason must be hospitably received and treated with
respect." - THE CAIBALION -
Human reason, whose testimonies we must accept when reasoning about
something, tells us the following concerning THE ALL, but without pretending to
lift the veil of the Unknowable:

I.THE ALL is ALL that IS REAL. Nothing can exist outside of THE ALL, for
otherwise THE ALL would no longer be THE ALL.

II. THE ALL IS INFINITE, because there is no one to define, restrict, and limit THE
ALL. It is Infinite in Time, OR ETERNAL; it has always existed, without ceasing;
for there is nothing that could create it, and if it had not existed, it could not exist
now; it will exist perpetually, for there is no one to destroy it, and it cannot cease
 to exist, for that which is something cannot remain nothing. It is infinite in-space;
it is everywhere because there is no place outside of THE ALL; it is continuous
in Space without cessation, separation, or interruption, for there is nothing to
separate, divide, or interrupt its continuity, and nothing to fill gaps. It is Infinite or
Absolute in Power; because there is nothing to limit it, restrict it, or condition it; it
is subject to no other Power, because there is no other Power.

III. THE ALL IS IMMUTABLE, or is not subject to change in its real nature,
there is nothing that can bring about change in it, nothing in which it can be
changed, nor anything that has been changed. It cannot be increased or
diminished, or become greater or lesser, for any reason whatsoever. It has
always been and always will be just as it is now: THE ALL; there has been, is
and will be nothing in which it can be changed.
ALL being Infinite, Absolute, Eternal, and Unchanging, it follows that all that is
finite, transient, conditional, and Changeable is not the All. And since there is
nothing Real outside of THE ALL, all things finite are not Real. You should not
be surprised and amazed at our words; we do not wish to take you to Christian
Science founded upon the lower part of the Hermetic Philosophy. There is a
Reconciliation to the apparent contradictory present state of the matter. Have
patience, we will deal with this matter in your time.
We see around us that what is called Matter constitutes the Principle of all
forms. Is THE ALL Simply Matter? Absolutely not! Matter cannot manifest Life or
Mind, and how Life and Mind are manifested in the Universe, for nothing is
superior to its own origin, nothing manifests as an effect which is not in the
cause, nothing evolves as a consequence, which has not involuted as
antecedent. When modern science tells us that there is really nothing but
Matter, we must know that what it calls Matter is simply an interrupted energy I
force, that is, an energy or force with few degrees of vibration. A recent writer
said, "Matter has become obscured in Mystery. Even materialistic science has
abandoned the theory of Matter and now rests on the basis of Energy.

So is THE ALL simply Energy or Force? It is not Energy or Force as the

materialists employ these terms, for their energy and force are blind and
mechanical things, deprived of Life or Mind. Life or Mind cannot evolve from
blind Energy or Force, for the reason given above: Nothing is superior to its own
origin, nothing evolves that has not evolved, nothing manifests as an effect that
does not have its cause. And so THE ALL cannot simply be Energy or Force, for
if it were, Life and Mind would not exist, and we know very well that they exist,
because we are the ones who have Life, and who employ Mind to consider this
matter, as do those who claim that Energy or Force is All.

What is it, then, that we know to exist in the Universe, which is superior to
Matter or Energy? LIFE AND MIND! Life and Mind in all its various degrees of
development! "So, you ask, do you mean that THE ALL IS LIFE AND MIND?
Yes and No! is our answer. If you understand Life and Mind as we poor mortals
do, we will say, No! THE ALL is not that! "But, what nature of Life and Mind do
you mean? " you shall say.
The answer is: "THE LIVING MIND, far above what mortals know by these
words, as Life and Mind are superior to mechanical forces or matter; THE
INFINITE MIND is far superior in comparison to Life and finite Mind. We wish to
express what enlightened souls mean by reverently pronouncing the word
SPIRIT!
THE ALL is the Infinite Living Mind; the Enlightened One calls it
SPIRIT!

Chapter 5
THE MENTAL UNIVERSE
"The Universe is Mental: it is within the mind of THE ALL. - the Kybalion -
THE ALL is SPIRIT! But what is Spirit? This question cannot be answered, for
its definition would be practically that of THE ALL, which cannot be explained or
defined. Spirit is a simple name which men give to their highest conceptions of
the Infinite Living Mind; this word means the Real Essence; it means the Living
Mind, as superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior
to Mechanical Energy and Matter. Spirit is superior to our understanding, and
we use this term only to speak of THE ALL. In the judgment of thinkers and
intelligentsia we are justified in speaking of Spirit as Infinite.
Living Mind, and recognizing that we cannot understand it, either by reasoning
about it or by studying the matter in its entirety.
Let us now make a consideration of the nature of the Universe, both as a whole
and in its parts. What is the Universe? We have said that there is nothing
outside of THE ALL. So the Universe is THE ALL? No; it is not; for the Universe
seems to be made up of MANY, and is constantly changing, or, in other words,
it cannot be compared with the ideas we have established regarding THE ALL.
So, if the Universe is not THE ALL, it is Nothing; such is the inevitable
conclusion of the mind at the first idea. But this does not satisfy the question, for
we feel the existence of the Universe. Now, if the Universe is not THE ALL, nor
Nothing, what will it be then? Let us examine the question.
If the Universe truly exists, or seems to exist, it will proceed directly from THE
ALL, it may be a creation of THE ALL. But how can anything come out of
nothing, that THE ALL would have created it?
Several philosophers have answered this question, saying that THE ALL
created the Universe of itself SAME, that is, of the existence and substance of
THE ALL. But this cannot be, for THE ALL cannot be divided or diminished, as
we have seen, and if this were true, every particle of the Universe could not fail
to know its One-THE ALL; THE ALL would not lose its self-knowledge, nor
would it currently TORN an atom, a blind force, or a thing of humble life. In fact,
some men, thinking that THE ALL is exactly ALL, and recognizing also that
they, men, exist, ventured to conclude that they were identical with THE ALL,
and stormed the air with their cries of "I AM GOD!" for the amusement of the
multitude and the smile of the wise. The clamor of the corpuscle to say, "I AM
GOD!" would be more modest in comparison.
But what, then, is the Universe, if not THE ALL separating itself into fragments?
What else can it be? Of what thing can it be made? That is the great question.
Let us examine it well. We recognize that the Principle of Correspondence (see
lesson one) comes to our aid here. The old Hermetic axiom, "that which is
above is like that which is below," can be successfully employed here. It allows
us to make a quick hypothesis about the higher planes,'examining them in
ourselves. The Principle of Correspondence applies to this as to other
problems.
Let's see, yes! On your own plane of existence, how do you create Man? First
of all, he can create by doing something from outside materials. But it cannot be
so, for there are no materials outside of THE ALL with which it can create.
Second, Man procreates or reproduces his species by the process of
generation, which is the very multiplication through the transformation of a part
of his substance into that of his offspring. But so it cannot be, for the Whole
cannot transfer or subtract a part of itself, as well as reproduce or multiply itself:
in the first case there would be a revocation of the law, and in the second, a
multiplication or addition of THE ALL, totally absurd ideas. Is there no other
means by which THE MAN creates? Yes, there is; He CREATES MENTALLY!
And in this way He does not employ outside materials, He does not reproduce
Himself, and yet His Spirit pervades Mental Creation.

According to the Principle of Correspondence, we are right to consider that THE

ALL MENTALLY CREATES the Universe, in a manner similar to the process by
which Man creates the Mental Images. This is the testimony of Reason, which
agrees perfectly with the testimony of the Enlightened One, as He manifests it
by His teachings and writings. So are the teachings of the Sage. Such was the
doctrine of Hermes.
THE ALL cannot create otherwise but mentally, without employing any material
(there is nothing to be employed), nor reproduce itself (which is also
impossible). One cannot escape this conclusion from Reason, which, as we
have said, agrees with the highest precepts of the Illumined. Just as you can
create a Universe of yourselves in your mentality, so THE ALL creates Universe
in its own Mind. But your Universe is the mental creation of a finite Mind, while
that of THE ALL is the creation of an Infinite Mind. Both are analogous in nature,
but infinitely different in degree. Let us examine carefully as we do the
processes of creation and manifestation. But first of all, we must fix your minds
upon this sentence: THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL THAT IT CONTAINS, IS A
MENTAL CREATION OF THE ALL. Indeed, THE ALL IS MIND!

"THE ALL creates in its infinite Mind, innumerable Universes, which exist for
eons of Time; and yet for THE ALL the creation, development, decline and
death of a million Universes is like the blinking time of an eye. - THE
CAIBALION-.
"The Infinite Mind of THE ALL is the matrix of Universes. -THE KYBALION-.
The Principle of Gender (see lesson one and following) is manifested on all
planes of life, whether material, mental or spiritual. But, as we have said,
Gender does not mean Sex; sex is simply a material manifestation of Gender.
Gender means relative to generation or creation. On any place, on any plane,
where a thing is created or generated, the Principle of Gender manifests. And
this is true even in the creation of Universes.

But one should not conclude from this that we teach that there is a male and
female God or Creator. This idea is a deviation from the ancient precepts on
this subject.
The real teaching is that THE ALL itself is outside of Gender, as well as any
other Law, even those of Time and Space. It is the Law from which all Laws
proceed, and is not subject to them. But when THE ALL manifests on the plane
of generation or creation, its acts agree with the Law and the Principle, because
they take place on a lower plane of existence. And consequently it manifests on
the Mental Plane the Principle of Gender, in its Masculine and Feminine
aspects.

This idea may cause some of you to admire it for the first time, but you have all
accepted it passively in your daily conceptions. You speak of the Fatherhood of
God, and the Motherhood of Nature; of God, the Divine Father, and of Nature,
the Universal Mother; then you instinctively recognize the Principle of Gender in
the Universe. Is that not so?
But the Hermetic Doctrine does not express a real duality: THE ALL is one; the
two aspects are simply aspects of manifestation. The teaching is that the
Masculine Principle manifested by THE ALL only prevents the destruction of the
present conception of the Universe. It projects its Desire into the Feminine
Principle (which is called Nature), while the latter begins the present work of the
evolution of the Universe, from simple centers of activity to man, and ascending
ever more in accordance with the well-established Laws of Nature. If you give
preference to the old ways of expression, you may consider the Masculine
Principle AS GOD, the Father, and the Feminine Principle AS NATURE, the
Universal Mother, in whose matrix things have been generated. This is not
simply a poetic fiction of language; it is an idea of the present process of
creating the Universe. But we must not forget that THE ALL is one, and that the
Universe is generated, created, and exists in its Infinite Mind.
This will allow you to make an idea of yourself if you want to apply the Law of
Correspondence to your own mind and to yourself. You know the part of You
that You call Me. In a sense, supports and proves the creation of Mind Images
in your own mind. The part of your mind in which the mental generation is
realized may be called the lower self, distinct from the Self, which sustains and
examines the thoughts, ideas, and images of the lower self. Notice well that
"what is above is like what is below," and that the phenomena of one plane may
be employed in solving the riddles of higher or lower planes.

Is it to admire that you, the children, feel this instinctive reverence for THE ALL,
a feeling that we call religion; this reverence and this respect for the MIND-
FATHER? Is it to admire that when you consider the works and wonders of
Nature, you are overwhelmed by a great feeling which has its origin outside of
your innermost being? It is the MIND-MOTHER that narrows you down, like a
mother narrows her child to her breast.

You must not make the mistake of believing that the little world you see around
you, the Earth, which is simply a grain of sand in comparison with the Universe,
is the Universe itself. There are millions of similar and larger worlds. There are
millions upon millions of alike Universes in existence within the Infinite Mind of
THE ALL. And even in our small solar system there are regions and planes of
life higher than ours, -and entities, in comparison to which we, mere mortals, are
like the vivid living forms that dwell at the bottom of the ocean, compared to
Man. There are beings with powers and attributes higher than those Man
dreamed of being possessed by the gods. Nevertheless, these beings were like
you and still inferior, and in time you may be like them or superior to them; for,
as the Enlightened One says, such is the Destiny of Man.

Death is not real, even in the relative sense; it is simply Birth to a new life, and
you will always continue from higher planes of life to higher ones for eons and
eons of time. The Universe is your dwelling place, and you will study its most
distant a@,s before the end of Time, You dwell in the Infinite Mind of THE ALL,
 and your potentialities and opportunities are infinite but only in time and space.
And at the end of the Great Cycle of Eons, THE ALL will collect into itself all of
its creations, but you will continue your joyful journey, for then you will want to
prepare yourselves to know the Total Truth of existence in Oneness with THE
ALL.

And when you are halfway there, you will be calm and serene; you will be safe
and protected by the Infinite Power of the MIND-MOTHER.
"Within the Father-Mother Mind, the mortal son is in his dwelling." - The
Kybalion - "There is no Father or Mother orphan in the Universe. "THE
CAIBALION -

Chapter 6

THE DIVINE PARADOX

"The false sages, recognizing the comparative unreality of the Universe,
imagined that they could transgress its Laws: these are vain and presumptuous
fools; they break on the rock and are torn to pieces by the elements, because of
their madness. The true sage, knowing the nature of the Universe, employs the
Law against the laws, the superior against the inferior; and by the Art of
Alchemy transmits that which is disagreeable into that which is pleasing, and in
this way triumphs, The Mastery consists not in abnormal dreams, visions, life
and fantastic imaginations, but in the employment of the superior forces against
the inferior ones, thus escaping the feathers of the inferior sinks by the vibration
in the superior ones. "Transmutation is not a presumptuous denial; it is the
Master's offensive weapon. - THE CAIBALION - .

This is the Paradox of the Universe, which results from the Principle of Polarity
which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create. It is necessary to pay attention,
for this establishes the difference between false and true wisdom.
While for the INFINITE ALL, the Universe, its Laws, its Forces, its Life and its
Phenomena, are like thoughts present in the state of Meditation or Dream; for all
that is Finite, the Universe must be considered as Real, and life, action and
thought must be based upon it, so as to agree upon a precept of the higher Truth;
each agreeing upon his own Plan and Laws. If THE ALL were to imagine that the
Universe was true Reality, woe upon the Universe because it could not rise from
lower to higher than deification; then the Universe would become fixed, and
progress would be impossible.

And if Man, due to false wisdom, considers the actions, lives and thoughts of the
Universe, as a mere dream (similar to his own finite dreams), then he makes it so
convenient for him, and, like a sleeper who is walking, always stumbles in a
vicious circle, without making any progress, being at last awakened by a terrible
fall, coming from the Natural Laws that he ignores. Always keep your mind on the
Stars, but let your eyes see your steps so as not to fall into the mud, because of
your contemplation from above. Remember the Divine Paradox, that at the same
time the Universe DOES NOT EXIST, HE EXISTS. Always remember the two
Poles of Truth: the Absolute and the Relative. Beware of the Half-truths.
What Hermetists know as the Law of Paradox is an aspect of the Principle of
Polarity. The Hermetic writings are full of references to the appearance of
Paradoxes in the consideration of the problems of Life and Existence. The
Teachers constantly warn their disciples against the error of omitting the other
side of each question. And their admonitions refer particularly to the problems of
the Absolute and Relative, which perplex all students of philosophy, and which
cause many ideas and actions contrary to what is generally known as common
sense. We warn all students to be sure to understand the Divine Paradox of the
Absolute and Relative, lest they become bogged down in the mire of the Meia-
Struth. It is to this end that this particular lesson has been written. Learn it well!

The first thought which thinking man has, after he understands well the truth
that the Universe is a Mental Creation of THE ALL, is that the Universe, and all
that it contains, is mere illusion, unreality; an idea against which his instincts
revolt. But this, like all other great truths, may be considered from the Absolute
and Relative points of view. From the Absolute standpoint the Universe
compared with THE ALL itself is of the nature of an illusion, a dream, a
phantasmagoria. We always recognize it in our ordinary sights, for we speak of
the world as a transitory spectacle coming and going, born and dying, because
of the element of impermanence and change, limitation and unsubstantiality; an
idea which is in relation to that of a created Universe, while contrasting with the
idea of THE ALL.
Philosophers, metaphysicists, scientists and theologians are all agreed on this
point, which is based on all forms of philosophical and religious ideas, as well
as the theories of the respective metaphysical and theological schools.

Thus, the hermetic doctrines do not teach the unsubstantiality of the Universe
with words higher than those familiar to you, but, nevertheless, their way of
facing the subject will seem a more frightening thing. Something which has a
beginning and an end may be regarded, in a sense, as unreal and not true; and,
according to all schools of.thought, the Universe is under this law. In the
Absolute Point of View, there is nothing real except THE ALL, which cannot
really be explained. Either the Universe is created out of Matter, or it is a mental
creation in the Mind of THE ALL: it is unsubstantial, non-durable, a thing of time,
space and mobility. It is necessary for you to understand this fully, before you
begin to examine the hermetic conceptions about the mental nature of the
Universe. Examine each of the other conceptions and you will see that they are
not true.

But the Absolute point of view shows only one side of the Panorama; the other
side is the Relative. Absolute Truth has been defined as Things as the mind of
God knows them, while Relative Truth is Things as the highest reason Man
understands them. Thus, while for the Whole Universe is unreal and illusory, a
simple dream or result of meditation; for the finite minds that are part of this very
Universe and observe it through their faculties, it is truly real and thus must be
considered. In recognizing the absolute point of view, we must not make the
mistake of denying or ignoring the facts and phenomena of the Universe as they
present themselves to our faculties: let us remember that we are not THE ALL.

To give a familiar example, we all recognize that Matter exists for our senses,
and we would be wrong the finite mind if we did not recognize it. But our finite
mind always understands the scientific affirmation that, scientifically speaking,
there is nothing more than Matter; that which we call Matter is considered to be
simply an aggregation of atoms, which are a group of units of forces called
electrons or ions, which are in constant vibration and circular motion. We hit a
rock and feel the thump; it seems to be a real thing, but it is simply what we
have said above. But we remember that our foot, which feels the thump, is also
Matter, and therefore is constituted of electrons, because this matter is also our
brain. And, to put it better, if it were not for our Mind, we absolutely could not
recognize the foot or the stone.

Thus, the ideal of the artist or sculptor, which he strives so hard to reproduce on
canvas or marble, seems truly real to him. Thus the characters are produced in
the mind of the author or playwright, who tries to express them so that others
can recognize them. And if this is true in the case of our finite mind, what will not
be the degree of Reality in the mental images created in the Mind of the Infinite?
To mortals this Universe of Mentality is truly real; it is the only one we can ever
know, even as we rise from planes to higher and higher planes. To know it
otherwise, from present experience, we would have to be THE ALL itself. It is
true that the higher we rise on the ladder-the nearer we reach the mind of the
Father-the more visible things take on the illusory nature of finite things, But
before THE ALL withdraws us in itself the present vision does not disappear.
Thus, we should not live above the forms of illusion. Since we recognize the real
nature of the Universe, let us seek to understand its mental laws and strive to
employ them to achieve better results in our progress through life, as we walk
from one plane to another plane of existence. The Laws of the Universe are not
the small Ferrous Laws, because of their mental nature. Everything except THE
ALL is limited by them. That which is IN THE MIND. INFINITE OF THE ALL is
REAL in degree relative to this very Reality which is vested in the nature of THE
ALL. Let us not, then, be uncertain and fearful: we are all FIRMLY CONTINUED
IN THE INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL, and nothing can harm us or intimidate us.
There is no force outside of THE ALL to act upon us. Therefore, we can be calm
and tranquil. There is a world of comfort and tranquility in this realization once
attained. Then "we shall rest calmly and quietly, packed into the Cradle of the
Abyss"; remaining safely in the bosom of the Dc. Ocean of Infinite Mind, which
is THE ALL. IN THE ALL, move, oars, we shall live, and have our existence.

Matter is not for us the inferior Matter, while we live in the plane of Matter,
although we know that it is simply an aggregation of electrons, or particles of
Force, which vibrate rapidly and rotate around each other in the formation of
atoms; the atoms vibrate and rotate forming molecules which, in turn, form the
great masses of Matter. Matter is not for us the inferior Matter, when we
proceed to the higher investigations, and learn from the Hermetic Teachings
that the Force, of which electrons are units, is simply a manifestation of the
mind of THE ALL, and thus in the Universe everything is simply Metal in its
nature. While on the Plane of Matter we may recognize its phenomena, we may
examine it (as do all Masters of more or less exalted degrees), but we do so by
applying the higher forces. We will commit a folly by pretending to deny the
existence of Matter in the relative aspect. We may deny its dominion over us,
we must do, but we must not ignore that it exists in its relative aspects, at least
as far as its plane.

The Laws of Nature are no less constant or effective, as we know, although they
are simply mental creations. They are in many effects of the various planes.
We master the lower laws by applying those which are superior to them; and
only in this way. But we cannot escape the Law and remain entirely outside it.
Nothing but THE ALL can escape the Law; and that is because THE ALL is THE
LAW itself, from which all Laws proceed. The more advanced Masters may
acquire the powers usually attributed to the gods of man; and there are
numerous orders of beings, in the great hierarchy of life, whose existences and
powers exceed those of the higher Masters among men to an imaginary degree
for mortals. But the highest of the Masters and the highest of the Entities must
bow to the Law, and be as Nothing before the Whole. So that if even these
Beings, whose powers exceed that which men attribute to their gods, are
subordinate to the Law, imagine what the presumption of mortal man of our race
and degree will be when he dares to regard the Laws of Nature as unreal,
visionary, and illusory, because he has come to understand the truth that the
Laws are of a mental nature and simple Mental Creations of THE ALL. These
Laws, which THE ALL has designed to rule the Laws, cannot be challenged or
disputed. As long as the Universe lasts, they will last, for the Universe exists
only by virtue of these Laws, which form its framework, and at the same time
maintain it.
The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, explaining the true nature of the Universe
through the principle that all is Mental, does not change the scientific
conceptions of the Universe, Life, or Evolution. In fact, science merely
corroborates the Hermetic Teachings. The latter teach that the nature of the
Universe is Mental, while modern science has said that it is Material; or (lately)
that it is Energy, in the last analysis. The Hermetic Teachings do not fall into the
error of combating the basic principles of Herbert Spencer, which affirm the
existence of "Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all things proceed. Indeed,
the Hermetists recognize in Spencer's philosophy the highest exposition of the
operations of the natural Laws which have been promulgated to date, and they
believe that Spencer was a reincarnation of an ancient philosopher who lived in
Egypt thousands of years before, and who had last incarnated as Heraclitus, a
Greek philosopher who lived in 500 before Christ. And they regard this idea of
"Infinite and Eternal Energy" as departing directly from the line of the Hermetic
Teachings, always with the addition of their own doctrine that this (Spencer's)
Energy is the Energy of the Mind of THE ALL. With the Master-Key of the
Hermetic Philosophy, the student will be able to open several doors to the
highest philosophical conceptions of the great English philosopher, whose work
manifests the results of the preparation of his preceding incarnations. His
doctrine regarding Evolution and Rhythm is in the most perfect agreement with
the Hermetic Teachings on the Principle of Rhythm.

Thus, the student of Hermeticism should not despise any of these scientific
points of view regarding the Universe. All must be questioned to conclude and
understand the occult principle that "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental
and created in the Mind of THE ALL. They believe that the other six of the
Seven Principles will adapt to this scientific doctrine, and serve to clarify it. No
wonder we find the influence of Hermetic thought in the early philosophers of
Greece, upon whose fundamental ideas the theories of modern science are
largely based. The acceptance of the First Hermetic Principle (that of
Mentalism) is the only great point of difference between modern science and
Hermetic students, but Science is gradually turning to the side of the Hermetists
in their groping in the midst of darkness to find a way out of the Labyrinth into
which it wanders in its search for Reality.

The end of this lesson is to engrave in the minds of our students the truth that,
for all intents and purposes, the Universe and its laws, its phenomena, are
precisely REAL, that even Man is included in them, so that they could be under
the hypothesis of Materialism or Energism. Under any hypothesis the Universe
in its outer aspect is changeable and transitory; and therefore without
substantiality and reality. But (note the other pole of truth), under any of the
same hypotheses, we are compelled to, ACT AND LIVE as if the transitory
things were real and substantial. There is always this difference between the
various hypotheses; that under the old viewpoints Mental Power was ignored as
a Natural Force, while under Mentalism it becomes a great Natural Force. This
difference revolutionizes the Life of those who understand this Principle, the
laws that result from it, and their practices.
So that all students must understand the advantages of mentalism and learn to
know, use and apply the laws that result from it. But they must not fall into the
temptation which, as the Kybalion says, dominates the false sages and leaves
them hypnotized by the apparent unreality of things, with the consequence that
they walk backwards like madmen, living in a world of dreams, ignoring the work
and the life of man, their end being "to break themselves against the rocks and
shatter themselves by the elements, because of their madness. In the first place
comes the example of the wise man, which the same authority establishes as
follows: "He employs the Law against the Laws, the superior against the inferior,
and by the Art of Alchemy transmutes what is unpleasant into what is pleasant
and thus triumphs. Following authority, let us also combat false wisdom (which
is madness), which ignores the truth: "Domination consists not in abnormal
visions and dreams, in life and fantastic imaginations, but in the employment of
superior forces against inferior ones, thus escaping the penalties of the inferior
planes by the vibration of the superior ones. Always remember, students, that
"Transmutation is not presumptuous denial, but the Master's offensive weapon.
The above quotations are from the Caibalion, and are worthy to be preserved in
the memory of the student.

We do not live in a world of dreams, but in a Universe that, while relative, is real
as much as our lives and actions are interested. Our occupation in the Universe
is not to deny its existence, but to live, employing the Laws to elevate us from
the lower to the higher, doing the best we can under the circumstances that
appear each day, and living, as far as is possible, for our high ideas and ideals.
The true end of Life is not known to man on this plane; the highest authorities
and our own intuition tell us that we would not make a mistake by living as best
we can, and according to the Universal trend at the same point, despite
apparent evidence to the contrary. We are all on the Way, and the road always
leads upwards, leaving many places behind.

Read the message of the Kybalion, and follow the example of the wise man,
fleeing from the error of the false sage who perishes because of his madness.
Chapter 7

THE ALL IN EVERYTHING

"While All is in THE ALL, it is also true that THE ALL is in All. He who truly
understands this truth has attained great knowledge. - THE CAIBALION-

How many times have most people heard repeated the statement that their
Divinity (called by many names) was "All in All, and how little did they suspect
the hidden truth covered up by these carelessly spoken words"? The commonly
used expression is a survival of the ancient hermetic maxim quoted above. As
the Kybalion says, "He who truly understands this truth has attained the great
knowledge. And so I have permitted us to examine this truth, whose knowledge
means so much. In this exposition of the truth - this Hermetic maxim - one of the
greatest philosophical, scientific and religious truths is concealed.
We have explained to you the Hermetic Teachings regarding the Mental Nature
of the Universe: the truth that "the Universe is Mental; it is within the Mind of
THE ALL. Says Kybalion in the above passage, "All is in THE ALL. But note
also the correlative statement: "It is also true that THE ALL is in ALL." This
apparently contradictory statement is reconcilable by the Law of Paradox. It is,
indeed, an exact hermetic statement of the relations which exist between THE
ALL and its mental Universe. We have seen that "All is in THE ALL," let us now
look at the other aspect of the matter.
The Hermetic Teachings are, in fact, that the Whole is imminent (remains, is
inherent, inhabits) in its Universe, and in every particle, unit or combination
within the Universe. This expression is usually illustrated by the Teachers with a
reference to the Principle of Correspondence. The Teacher teaches the disciple
to form a Mental Image of a thing, a person, or an idea, for all things have a
mental form; giving as an example the dramatic actor who forms an idea of his
characters, or a painter or sculptor who forms an image of an ideal which he
seeks to express by his art. In this case, the study before must understand that,
while the image has its existence and is only in his own mind, at the same time
he, the student, author, playwright, painter or sculptor, is in a certain sense
immanent, and remains, dwells, in the mental image. In other words, all the
virtue, life, spirit, and reality of the mental image is derived from the immanent
mind of the thinker. Consider this for a moment and you will soon understand
the idea.

To take a modern example, we will say that Othello, lake, Hamlet, Lear, Richard
III, existed only in Shakespeare's mind, at the time of their conception or
creation. And yet, Shakespeare also existed in each of these characters, giving
them his vitality, spirit and action. (What is the spirit) > of the characters we
know as Micawber, Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep; will it be Dickens, or will each of
these characters have a personal spirit, independent of its creator? Do they
have the Venus de Medici, the Sistine Madonna, the Apollo of Belvedere, spirit
and reality of themselves, or do they represent the spiritual and mental power of
their creators? The Law of Paradox demonstrates that both propositions are
true, considered from their own point of view. Micawber is Micawber and he is
also Dickens. And too much, while Micawber can be said Dickens, the same
Dickens is not identical with Micawber. Man, like Micawber, can exclaim: "The
Spirit of my Creator is inherent in me, and yet I am not HE! How different is this
from the horrible mela-@,erity so loudly announced by some of the false sages,
who fill the atmosphere with their cries: "I am God! Imagine the poor devil of
Micawber or Uriah Heep, shouting: "I am Dickens"; or some of the humble fools
of Shekespeare's plays, announcing with great frequency: "I am Sbakespeare!
THE ALL is even in the worm, yet the worm is far from being THE ALL. And
even, it is a wonder that, while the worm exists only as a humble ooisa, created,
and having its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, it, THE ALL, is immanent in
the worm and in the particles which form it. Is there perhaps a greater mystery
than All in THE ALL, and THE ALL in All?

The student will notice in the course of the work that the examples given above
are necessarily imperfect and inadequate, because they represent the creation
of mental images in the finite mind, while the Universe is the creation of the
Infinite Mind and the difference between the two poles separates them.
And so it is simply a matter of degree, for in both the same Principle is in
operation: the Principle of Correspondence manifests itself in them. "That which
is above is like that which is below; and that which is below is like that which is
above.

And in the degree to which man realizes the existence of the Spirit that is
immanent in his being, he will ascend the spiritual ladder of life. This is what
spiritual development means: the recognition, realization and manifestation of
the Spirit within us. Try not to forget this last definition: that of development. It
contains the Truth of true Religion.

There are many planes of Existence, many sub-planes of Life, many degrees of
existence in the Universe. And it all depends on the advancement of the beings
on the ladder, whose lowest point is the grossest matter, and the highest being
separated only by the smallest division of the SPIRIT OF THE ALL. In this
Ladder of Life, everything moves up and down. All are in the path, whose end is
THE ALL. All progress is a return to the dwelling place itself. All is up and down,
despite all appearances of contradiction. Such is the message of the
Enlightened One.

The Hermetic Teachings concerning the process of the Mental Creation of the
Universe are that at the beginning of the Cycle of Creation, THE ALL, in its
aspect of Existence, projects its Will upon its aspect of State, and the process of
creation begins.

They say that the process consists in lowering the Vibration until a much lower
degree of vibratory energy is reached, at which point the grossest possible form
of Matter is manifested. This process is called the state of Involution, in which
THE ALL is involved, or involved within its creation. This process is regarded by
the Hermetists as corresponding to the mental process of an artist, writer, or
inventor, who also becomes involved in his mental creation as almost forgetting
his own existence, and who for some time almost lives in his creation. If instead
of using the word ecstasy, perhaps we can give a little idea of what we mean.
This Involutive state of Creation is often called the Infusion of Divine Energy, as
the Evolutionary state is called Infusion. The extreme pole of the Creation
process is considered to be the furthest one moved by THE ALL, while the
principle of the Evolutionary state is considered to be the principle of the return
of the pendulum of Rhythm; an idea being expressed in all the Hermetic
Teachings to 'return home.

The precepts are that during the Elusion, the vibrations become increasingly
lower until finally the restriction ceases, and the vibrations back begin. But there
is a difference: while in Elusion the creative forces manifest themselves
compactly, and as a whole, at the beginning of the Evolutionary or Infusion state
the Law of Individualization is manifested, which is the tendency to separate into
United of Force, until finally that which has separated from THE ALL as
nonindividualized energy returns to its source as a highly developed Unit of Life,
having risen up the ladder too high through Physical, Mental and Spiritual
Evolution.

The ancient heritnetists use the word Meditation, in degrading the process of
mental creation of the Universe in the Mind of THE ALL, the word contemplation
being also often employed. But the idea understood seems to be that of the
employment of Attention.
Divine. Attention is a word derived from a Latin verb, which means to extend,
unfold, and also the act of. Attention is really a mental unfolding, an extension of
mental energy, so that the inner idea is easily understood when we examine the
real meaning of Attention.

The Hermetic Teachings regarding the process of Evolution are those which the
Whole, having meditated at the beginning of Creation, having then established
the material foundations of the Universe, having thought of its existence,
gradually awakens from its Meditation and thus begins to manifest the process
of Evolution, on the material, mental and spiritual planes, successively and in
order. Then the movement of ascension begins, and everything begins to move
into the spiritual mansion. Matter becomes less coarse; Units are born into
existence; combinations begin to form; Life appears and manifests in ever
higher forms; and Mind becomes ever more evident, vibrations being constantly
higher. In short, the total promise of Evolution, in all its phases, begins and
proceeds according to the established Laws of the Infusion process. They all
occupy eons and eons of Man's time, each eon containing many millions of
years; but, as the Enlightened One tells us, the entire creation, including
Involution and Evolution of a Universe, is to THE ALL simply as a blink of an
eye. At the end of the countless cycles of time eons, THE ALL withdraws its
Attention, its Contemplation and Meditation from the Universe, because the
Great Work is finished, and All is withdrawn into THE ALL from which it came.
But, 6 Mystery of Mysteries!, The Spirit of each soul is not annihilated, but
infinitely expanded; the Creature and the Creator are confounded. Such is the
relationship of the Enlightened One!

The preceding illustration of meditation and the subsequent awakening of the

meditation of THE ALL is yet another effort of the Teachers to describe the
Infinite process by a finite example. And again: What is above is like what is
below, and what is below is like what is above. The difference is only in degree.
And so AS THE ALL awakens from Meditation upon the Universe, so Man (in
time) ceases to manifest on the Material Plane, and withdraws more and more
into the present Spirit, which is really The Divine Ego.
There is one major subject that we wish to talk to you about in this lesson, and
which would immediately lead us to an invasion of the field of speculation
-metaphysics; however, our aim is simply to show the futility of such
speculation. We allude to the matter which inevitably comes to the minds of
those thinkers who have ventured to investigate the Truth. The question is:
WHY has THE ALL created Universes? The question may be asked in different
ways, but the one which goes above is the essence of the investigation.

The men have made an effort to answer this question, but there is still no
answer worthy of a name. Many have imagined that THE ALL has much to gain
from this, but this is absurd; for, what could THE ALL gain that it no longer
possesses? Others have given the answer in the idea that THE ALL wanted it
all to love, and others that it created for pleasure and amusement, or because it
was alone, or to manifest its power: all the answers and puerile ideas, qualities
of the childish period of thought.

Others have believed they have discovered the mystery by affirming that THE
ALL found itself impelled to create, by reason of its own inner nature, its creative
instinct, This idea is more advanced than the others, but its weak point lies in
the idea that THE ALL is impelled by something both internal and external. If
your inner nature, or creative instinct, impels you to do things, then your inner
nature, or creative instinct, would be the
Absolute, rather than ALL, and in this case this part of the proposition is wrong.
And yet THE ALL creates and manifests, and seems to have many qualities of
satisfaction in doing so. (And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that, to an
infinite degree, it could have what corresponds in man to an innate nature, or a
creative instinct, corresponding to an infinite I.) Desire and Will. He couldn't act
without Willing to act; and he couldn't Willing to act without Desiring to act; and
he wouldn't Desire to act without Satisfaction in that. And all these things would
belong to an Infinite Nature, and can be considered to be in accordance with the
Law of Correspondence. But, still, we prefer to regard THE ALL as acting
entirely FREE from all influence, both internal and external. This is the problem
which lies at the root of the difficulty, and the difficulty which lies at the root of
the problem.

Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be a Reason for THE ALL to act,
because a Reason implies a Cause, and THE ALL is above Cause and Effect,
except when it wants to take cause, at which time the Principle is set in motion.
Thus, you say, the matter is Incomprehensible, just as THE ALL is Unknowable.
Just as we say simply that THE ALL "IS," so we are compelled to say that THE
ALL acts because it does. Finally, THE ALL is all Reason in itself, all Law in
itself, all Action in itself; and it may be said, in truth, that THE ALL is its own
Reason, its own Law, its own Action; or that THE ALL, its Reason, its Action, its
Law, are one, with all these names being of one thing. In the opinion of those
who give you these lessons, the answer lies in the OWN INTIMATE OF THE
ALL, together with its Secret of Existence.
The Law of Correspondence, in our opinion, comprises only this aspect of THE
ALL, which may be called the aspect of STATE.
The opposite side of this aspect is the aspect of EXISTENCE, in which all ' s
Laws are lost in the LAW, all Principles are immersed in the PRINCIPLE; and
the ALL, the PRINCIPLE, the EXISTENCE, are IDENTICAL BETWEEN YOU
(each other). Therefore, metaphysical speculations on this point are futile. We
enter here into the subject, simply to show that we know the question and also
the absurdity of the ordinary answers of metaphysics and theologies.
In conclusion, it may be of interest to the students to tell them that although
many of the ancient and modern Hermetic Teachings tend to apply the Principle
of Correspondence to the question, with which results the conclusion of Intimate
Nature, even so the legends tell that Hermes the Great, being questioned on
this question by his advanced disciples, answered them CLOSING HIS LABELS
WITH FIRM, and not saying a word, indicating that THERE IS NO RESPONSE.
But then he could have understood to apply the axiom of his philosophy, which
says, "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding,"
meaning that still his advanced disciples did not possess the Understanding
which enabled them to the Precept. In any case, if Hermes possessed the
Secret, he ceased to communicate it, and though the world takes great interest,
THE LIPS OF HERMES are CLOSED in this regard. And when the Great
Hermes hesitated to speak, which mortal might dare to teach?
But you must remember that even if that is the answer to this problem, if there is
perhaps an answer, the truth remains that: "While All is in THE ALL, it is also
true that THE ALL is in All. The Precept is emphatic. And we may add the
concluding words of quotation: "He who truly understands this truth has attained
great knowledge. ”.