His work would go on to influence both ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures, with both adopting him as a god of wisdom. (In Greece he was called Hermes; in Egypt, Thoth.) He was known in his time as a great master of the universe and is said to have lived for thousands of years. Over time, the seven hermetic principles were passed down by word-of-mouth from teacher to student, and eventually, one day in the early 20th century, the teachings were compiled into a book called The Kybalion, written by “The Three Initiates.” Today, they remain an occult source of wisdom, separate from any real religion but powerful nonetheless. And while the seven principles are just one way of understanding the universe, they aren’t so constricting that they cannot be studied alongside other spiritual philosophies. Here’s what each of the seven principles is all about: The principle of mentalism states that the universe is akin to a mental projection. The is like manifestation 101, which is all about using your thoughts to shape your reality. For anything to be, a thought must precede it. Through this principle, it’s believed that God is consciousness, or thought, and the universe is a manifestation of the mind of God. Using this law, we, too, can harness the power of our minds to create the life we want. When we recognize how much our thoughts manifest every day, whether internally as a physiological or emotional state, or externally, as the things we do or places we go, we see that when we can control our mind, we control our lives. We can get better at this through spiritual practices such as meditation, which help us train the mind. We’ve all heard this quote before, but maybe you never knew it was Hermes who first coined it. It’s closely related to the first principle of mentalism and states that what we hold in our thoughts and mind will become our reality. It explains the many planes of existence, including those of lower and higher vibrational frequencies and how they’re connected. Yes, believe it or not, the idea of “vibes” has been around a long, long time. The principle of vibration states that all things, both physical matter and spiritual energy, hold a certain vibration. Basic science tells us atoms are in constant motion, as is the universe itself. Even our hearts, as they beat, give off different vibrations depending on our emotional state. And when we’re “vibing high,” we’re able to avoid low-level frequencies that don’t serve us. The principle of polarity explains that seemingly opposite things are actually one and the same at varying degrees. A simple example of this is hot and cold. Cold is just the absence of heat, and they’re both one thing: temperature. Physical matter and spiritual energy are the same thing, with spiritual energy vibrating at a much higher level, such that it can’t be perceived by our senses. Love and hate are two ways of experiencing the same thing, a relationship toward something. This is the foundation of alchemy, or the ability to “transmute” your experiences at will. Closely related to the principle of polarity, the fifth principle states that between the opposing poles, there exists an inherent rhythm. The tides move in and out. We inhale and exhale. Everything is in motion. Nature has its seasons and so, too, do we. Understanding this principle allows us to recognize our life’s—and the universe’s—natural rhythms, so we can actually work with them rather than having them working against us. Everything is connected through the principle of cause and effect, for each cause of one thing is merely the effect of something else, going back to the very beginning. Ask yourself, are you a cause? Or are you an effect? This principle is all about acknowledging the effects of our thoughts and behavior and how we may change them to bring about greater effects. The seventh principle states that all things have masculine and feminine qualities. Yes, the two sexes can be thought of as a physical manifestation of this principle, but as we’re all coming to understand, on an internal level, all of us hold both energies. (Think the left and right brain.) Masculine and feminine energy exists in not only the physical plane but the mental and spiritual plane as well. The unity of these two energies is essential for creation, and when one has a balance of both, they’re better able to apply all of the principles together for maximum benefit. If this all sounds like a lot—don’t worry. These principles run very, very deep, and it can take a long time to fully understand and embody them. Each time you come back to them, you may understand them in a new way, or on a deeper level. And in time, these principles can help you master your own mind and your life as a whole.
