"The books of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of reason." Kyballion

Without fear of being mistaken in appreciation, one can affirm the problamtic of hermetism does not constitute itself in clear principles, easily understood by anyone who happens on them, if there is no earlier preparation, in excess of what is generally available, in the field of hermeneutics. We will approach in an introductive manner certain thematic notions, for an adequate understanding of the current undertaking. Hermetism represents a system of universal laws. The holistic laws – those which interpret mystically the thesis of the irreducibility of the whole to the sum of its parts, admitting an immaterial and incognoscible principle as factor of integration – are manifest in three media: the material, the mental, and the spiritual. They were written by Hermes Trismegistos (Thrice great), a great initiate and wise man, nicknamed "The father of occult wisdom", founder of astrology and alchemy. History situates him in Egypt among the first dynasties attested in the region, long before Moses. Following certain historians, he was contemporary with Abraham, who was to have received from Hermes a great part of his mystical knowledge. The word "hermetic" is used in the sense of "closed secret", that is, nothing can be disclosed, except to those chosen and only in certain conditions, much less accessible to all those who desire it. It is worth underlining that the secret doctrine was never transformed into religious faith, precisely because such a purpose was never considered, as well as because not all these laws were accepted by the religious doctrines of the ages, precisely because of their leaders. Thus, initiation in the occult sciences has at its basis the Hermetic Laws. That is why any initiate must know them and respect them. That is because the universal laws of the Kybalion constitute in fact the sine-qua-non of discipleship, without which one cannot assume possession of the secret keys of initiation, unless he will know and apply these laws with the greatest fidelity and dedication. He represents the fundament of hermetic philosophy, Kiballion. Example: Kybalion "A Study on the hermetic philosophy of old Egypt and old Greece" by three initiates, translated by Andrei Durville, edited by Henri Durvil – Paris. This is one of the fundamental works in the field, from which I quote: "Nature had Life and Life was God therefore who studied nature became by that very fact the Priest of Eternity and the other way around, any member of the Sacerdotal College became by instruction a naturalist savant." The issue is, fundamentally, the relation of man to nature. Those who practice them concretely, respecting laws and universal principles, known only by some, are known as initiates. In the beginning of Antiquity, there was a limited number of fundamental secret doctrines. These were transmitted from master to apprentice, orally ("into the ear"), discretely, gradually, with the teaching proper to the domain, and they were known by the name Kyballion.

In time, the real meaning and generally the proper significance of the word was lost, across the centuries. Not even the written principles of the field were kept and which, on first sight, may seem like nothing more than maxims, axioms, precepts, unintelligible to the profane. They were, however, immediately learned by the initiates, novices or apprentices chosen from the profane world. The farther we go from the eternal and universal philosophy, from the purity of notions coming from the original source, we have the more chances to denature with one’s own interpretations the truth, the universal laws and principles.

The Kyballion is exactly that which concernes itself with the principles that cannot be changed. Universal laws.

It is worth noting that the 7 laws of the Kybalion cannot exist without one another. Thus, their action is always inseparable, they cannot act unilaterally. The effects of these laws are found in any space and time, existing or intuited. They govern the whole universe, as we have shown (holistic laws), acting in all that is material, mental or spiritual, but also in everything we define through the notion of time: present, past, and future. More concretely: the Divine Principle, the Infinite Spirit, the Invisible Absolute, the Inoculated Intangible, the Infinite Wisdom, the All-knowing Intelligence, the Essence of Reality, or any other name met with in history, specific to the various peoples. Personally, I have studied more concepts and conceptions, different works, on the Laws of Kyballion. The conclusion I can express is that the problematic study matter is limited. Especially old works, from patrimonial archives and/or particular or private rare collections. The great majority of works is inspired from the same matter, with personal expressions and inrepretations, but which add nothing new or sensational in the field. Even so, I appreciate every undertaking in this field as welcome. In this sense, I consider that if we cannot integrally master our nature, the effects of nature, at least we can know it, know its causes and master them, so far as is in our power. The same also with the laws of Kybalion – knowing them, without applying them, or trying to apply them as far as possible to the specifics of each case particularly, is only intention without finality. A desideratum. The active principles stand now and here and everywhere, at your disposition. Apply them!

Before presenting the seven hermetic principles, it is worth quoting the Kybalion:‚,Behind the steps of the master, let the ears of the those who are prepared to understand his doctrine open wide"; "When the ears of the pupil are ready to listen, then come the lips to fill them with wisdom"; "When the pupil will be ready to receive the truth, then will this book come to him. That is the Law. The hermetic principle of Cause and Effect under the aspect of the Law of Attraction will unite the lips and the ears, the pupil and the work. Let it be so!"

The 7 Hermetic Laws, (The Principles of Truth) on which is based the entire hermetic philosophy are the following:

1. THE LAW OF MENTALISM:"All is Spirit; the Universe is mental" Kybalion.

This law explains the fact that all is substantial reality, present in all the manifestations and its exterior appearances, which we know under the name of material universal, phenomena of Life, Matter, and Energy – in a word, all that is perceived by our material senses is spirit. This spirit cannot be explained or defined, but it can be considered and thought as a universal, infinite, and alive spirit. It explains the Truth as being the World. To understand this great hermetic principle of mentalism, it permits the individual to understand easily the laws of the Mental universe and apply them to its good state and perfection. Following one of the Masters of Hermetic: "That one who understands the truth of the mental nature of the Universe is already well on the way to mastery". These words are just as true today as they were at the time they were written. Without the key to mastery the pupil will knock on innumerable doors of the Temple in vain.

2. THE LAW OF CORRESPONDENCE: "What is up is also what is down, what is down is also what is up" Kybalion

It is worth noting that this principle implies the truth of the following statement: there is always a constant report between the laws and phenomena of the different planes of being and life. All that makes up the universe is found in all its components, both in the smaller ones and in the larger ones, though in different proportions. All that is has its correspondents: the flow of man’s life corresponds to the flow of life in the universe. There are planes of life that we ignore completely, but when we apply the principle of correspondence, we will become capable of understanding farther that it is not possible to do otherwise. It manifests itself and is applied everywhere in the universe, on the different planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe; it is therefore an universal law. This principle was considered by the old hermeneutic experts, as one of the most important mental instruments, with the help of which man is capable to victoriously overturn obstacles raised in his path, through interpretation, similitude, and intuition. Kybalion

3. THE LAW OF VIBRATION: "Nothing is at rest, everything moves, everything vibrates" or: "Nothing stay, everything moves, everything vibrates". Kybalion

This law reveals the truth that everything is in motion, everything vibrates, there not existing anything in a state of pause. All that is Pure Spirit, to the crassest forms of matter – everything vibrates. The more intense the vibration, the highest the position on the staircase. The Vibration of the Spirit is so intense and infinitely quick, that practically he is in a state of pause, the same as a wheel that turns with such speed that it seems to remain still. On the opposite side, the crass forms of matter vibrate so slowly that they seem to not even exist. Between these two opposed poles there are millions and millions of degrees of vibrations. Everything moves, everything vibrates, from corpuscule to electrone, fro matom to molecule to worlds and universes. The principle is the same for energy and for force. They are only different degrees of the vibration, which correspond to the mental plane, whose state is governed by vibration, even to the spiritual plane. Each disciple in hermetism who understands this principle and its forms is capable of controlling his own mental vibrations and also others’. Masters use equally this principle in the different manners to overcome the phenomena of nature. Thus: "The one who has understood the principle of vibration has won the scepter of power!" Let us note that modern science accepts the principle and each new scientific discovery tends to verify it.

4. THE LAW OF POLARITY: "Eveything is double, any thing has two poles, everything has two extremes, the like and the unlike mean the same thing, the opposite poles have an identical nature, though in different degrees, the extremes touch, all the truths are only half-truths, all paradoxes can be reconciled." Kybalion

The Law of Polarity explains the fact that in each thing there exist two poles, two different aspects, opposed.

Hermetic experts attribute it a special importance; it is possible to change, in one’s own spirit and in others’ spirit, the vibrations of hate into the vibrations of love. Good and evil are only two different poles of the same thing; hermetism knows the art to transform Evil into Good through the application of the principle of polarity. In totality, the art of polarizing is a phase of mental alchemy, known and applied by the old and modern masters of hermetism. Understanding this principle allows you to modify the polarity as well as that of others’, if you want to dedicate the necessary time and study to become a master of the art. Kyballion

5. THE LAW OF RHYTHM: "Everything flows inward or outward, any thing has its time, everything evolves, then degenerates, the balance of the pendulum manifests itself in all and the measure of its oscillation to the right is similar to the measure of its oscillation to the left, the rhythm is constant." Kybalion

In everything a back-and-forth motion manifests itself, an ebb and a flow, a balance to and fro, a movement like that of the pendulum etc. This movement is produced between two poles whose principle is known and is recognized. There is always an action and a reaction, a progress and a regress, a maximum and a minimum. So also is it for the elements of the universe: suns, worlds, men, animals, spirit, energy, matter. Thus, this law manifests itself in the creation and destruction of worlds, in the progress and decadence of nations, in the life of everything, finally, in the mental state of man. This principle and the one of polarity, as well as the methods to counteract them, neutralize them, were studied in detail by the hermetic masters and to use them is an important part of the hermetic mental alchemy that is almost impossible to believe by the masses that swing back and forth like the pendulum. Kybalion

6. THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT: "Ever cause has its effect or, every effect has a cuase, everything happens according to the Law, hazard is only a name for an uknown law. There are numerous planes of causality, but nothing escapes the Law." Kybalion

Nothing ever happens unpredictably, accidentally. Hazard does not exist. There are different planes of cause and effect – and the superior plane always dominates the inferior plane. An event is what happens, is produced, what occurs as a result or consequence of a though, word or other preceding event. Thus also a deed creates through itself another deed and constitutes a link in the great chain of ordered events. There is a continuity between all preceding events, resulting events, and following events. The law is respected. Hermetic experts know to a point the art and method to rise above the usual plane of cause and effect. Mentally rising to a superior plane, they become cause instead of being effect. Multitudes let themselves be led docilely, they listen to everything surrounding them, the wills and desires of others which are stronger than them., masters, on the contrary, rising to a superior plane, dominate their feelings, character, qualities and powers, as well as everything surrounding them. They become masters, not pawns. They play the game of life instead of being played and directed by the wills of ohers and by external influences. They are served by the principle instead of being its instrument. Masters listen to the causality of the superior plane, but they can command their own plane. There is in this affirmation a true wealth of hermetic knowledge. Who can understand it will. Kybalion

7. THE LAW OF GENDER: "There is a gender in all things, everything has its principles, masculine and feminine, the gender manifests itself in all planes." Kybalion

The fact that gender exists everywhere is a universal principle; the masculine and feminine principles are constantly in action. That is the truth on the physical plane, on the mental and spiritual. Any thing, any individual contains the two elements: masculine and feminine. Any masculine element has its feminine element and the other way around. The role of the masculine principle is to direct to the Feminine principle a certain inherent energy, and so the other way around and thus set in motion the Process of Creation. One or the other, taken separately as principles, are incapable of creation, to dynamize, or to exist. Otherwise put, they are two halves. He hides the solution to a great number of life’s mysteries. It has to be specified that it has no connection to the many dangerous and degraded theories – the teachings that are spread under fantastic titles and which are only a prostitution of the great natural principle of gender. Hermetic philosophy itself has always raised with indignation against all the degrading teachings that lead to debauchery, immoderate passions and the perversion of the principles of nature. "For those who are pure (clean in their souls) everything is pure; for those who are dirty, everything is dirty" is a well known and appreciated hermetic principle. Significant to this law: "And when two will become ONE, behold MAN!"