The Kybalion

Chapter I — The Hermetic Philosophy

Contents List:

Old Egypt
Hermes Trismegistus
Secrecy
Living Tradition
This Book

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"The lips of wisdom are sealed, except to the ears of the Understanding" — The Kybalion

Old Egypt

From old Egypt have come the fundamental esoteric and occult teachings which have so strongly influenced the philosophies of all races, nations and peoples for several thousand years. Egypt, the home of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, was the birthplace of the Hidden Wisdom and Mystic Teachings. From her secret Doctrine all nations have borrowed. India, Persia, Chaldea, Medea, China, Japan, ancient Greece and Rome, and other ancient countries partook liberally at the feast of knowledge which the Hierophants and Masters of the Land of Isis so freely provided for those who came prepared to partake of the great store of Mystic and Occult Lore which the masterminds of that ancient land had gathered together.

In ancient Egypt dwelt the great Adepts and Masters who have never been surpassed, and who seldom have been equalled, during the centuries that have taken their processional flight since the days of the Great Hermes. In Egypt was located the Great Lodge of the Mystics. At the doors of her Temples entered the Neophytes who afterward, as Hierophants, Adepts, and Masters, travelled to the four corners of the earth carrying with them the precious knowledge which they were ready, anxious, and willing to pass on to those who were ready to receive the same. All students of the Occult recognise the debt that they owe to these venerable Masters of that ancient land.

Hermes Trismegistus"

But among these great Masters of Ancient Egypt there once dwelt one whom Masters hailed as "The Master of Masters". This man, if "man" indeed he was, dwelt in Egypt in the earliest days. He was known as Hermes Trismegistus. He was the father of the Occult Wisdom; the founder of Astrology; the discoverer of Alchemy. The details of his life story are lost to history owing to the lapse of the years, though several of the ancient countries disputed with each other in their claims to the honour of having furnished his birthplace — and this thousands of years ago. The date of his sojourn in Egypt, if that was his last incarnation on this planet, is not now known, but it has been fixed at the early days of the oldest dynasties of Egypt — long before the days of Moses. The best authorities regard him as a contemporary of Abraham, and some of the Jewish traditions go so far as to claim that Abraham acquired a portion of his mystic knowledge from Hermes himself.

As the years rolled by after his passing from this plane of life (tradition recording that he lived three hundred years in the flesh), the Egyptians deified Hermes and made him one of their gods, under the name of Thoth. Years after, the people of ancient Greece also made him one of their many gods — calling him "Hermes, the god of Wisdom". The Egyptians revered his memory for many centuries — yes, tens of centuries — calling him "the Scribe of the Gods" and bestowing upon him, distinctively, his ancient title "Trismegistus", which means "the thrice great", "the great-great", "the greatest great", etc. In all the ancient lands, the name of Hermes Trismegistus was revered, the name being synonymous with the "Fount of Wisdom". {The "tradition" quoted here is at variance with that given in others sources: but that need not worry us unduly. This is not a biographical or historical work, and it's the philosophy that really matters — Ed}

Secrecy

Even to this day, we use the term "Hermetic" in the sense of "secret", "sealed so that nothing can escape", etc., and this by reason of the fact that the followers of Hermes always observed the principle of secrecy in their teachings. They did not believe in "casting pearls before swine", but rather held to the teaching "milk for babes, meat for strong men ", both of which maxims are familiar to readers of the Christian scriptures but both of which had been used by the Egyptians for centuries before the Christian era.

This policy of careful dissemination of the truth has always characterised the Hermetics, even to the present day. The Hermetic Teachings are to be found in all lands, among all religions, but never identified with any particular country nor with any particular religious sect because of the warning of the ancient teachings against allowing the Secret Doctrine to become crystallised into a creed. The wisdom of this caution is apparent to all students of history. The ancient occultism of India and Persia degenerated and was largely lost owing to the fact that the teachers became priests who mixed theology with the philosophy: with the result that the occultism of these countries has been gradually lost amidst the mass of religious superstition, cults, creeds, and "gods". So it was with ancient Greece and Rome. So it was with the Hermetic Teachings of the Gnostics and Early Christians, which were lost at the time of Constantine, whose iron hand smothered philosophy with the blanket of theology, losing to the Christian church that which was its very essence and spirit and causing it to grope throughout several centuries before it found its way back to its ancient faith, the indications apparent to all careful observers in this Twentieth Century being that the Church is now struggling to get back to its ancient mystic teachings.

Living Tradition

But there were always a few faithful souls who kept the Flame alive, tending it carefully and not allowing its light to become extinguished. Thanks to these staunch hearts and fearless minds, we have the truth still with us. But it is not to any great extent found in books. It has been passed along from Master to Student, from Initiate to Hierophant, from lip to ear. When it was written down at all, its meaning was veiled in terms of alchemy and astrology so that only those possessing the key could read it aright. This was made necessary in order to avoid the persecutions of the theologians of the Middle Ages, who fought the Secret Doctrine with fire and sword; stake, gibbet, and cross. Even to this day there will be found but few reliable books on the Hermetic Philosophy, although there are countless references to it in many books written on various phases of Occultism. And yet the Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master Key which will open all the doors of the Occult Teachings!

In the early days, there was a compilation of certain Basic Hermetic Doctrines, passed on from teacher to student, which was known as "THE KYBALION", the exact significance and meaning of the term having been lost for several centuries. This teaching is, however, known to many to whom it has descended, from mouth to ear, on and on throughout the centuries. Its precepts have never been written down or printed so far as we know. It was merely a collection of maxims, axioms, and precepts, non-understandable to outsiders but readily understood by students after they had been explained and exemplified by the Hermetic Initiates to their Neophytes. These teachings really constituted the basic principles of "The Art of Hermetic Alchemy" which, contrary to the general belief, dealt in the mastery of Mental Forces rather than the Material Elements — the Transmutation of one kind of Mental Vibrations into others, instead of changing one kind of metal into another. The legends of the "Philosopher's Stone" which would turn base metal into Gold was an allegory relating to Hermetic Philosophy, readily understood by all students of true Hermeticism.

This Book

In this little book, of which this is the First Lesson, we invite our students to examine into the Hermetic Teachings as set forth in THE KYBALION and as explained by ourselves, humble students of the Teachings who, whilst bearing the title of Initiates, are still students at the feet of HERMES, the Master. We herein give you many of the maxims, axioms and precepts of THE KYBALION, accompanied by explanations and illustrations which we deem likely to render the teachings more easily comprehended by the modern student, particularly as the original text is purposely veiled in obscure terms.

The original maxims, axioms, and precepts of "THE KYBALION" are printed herein in quotation marks, the proper credit being given. Our own work is printed in the regular way, in the body of the work. We trust that the many students to whom we now offer this little work will derive as much benefit from the study of its pages as have the many who have gone on before, treading the same Path to Mastery throughout the centuries that have passed since the times of HERMES TRISMEGISTUS — the Master of Masters — the Great-Great. In the words of "THE KYBALION":

"Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those ready for his Teaching open wide."

"When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with Wisdom."

So that according to the Teachings, the passage of this book to those ready for the instruction will attract the attention of such as are prepared to receive the Teaching. And, likewise, when the pupil is ready to receive the truth, then will this little book come to him, or her. Such is the Law. The Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect, in its aspect of The Law of Attraction, will brings lips and ear together — pupil and book in company. So mote it be!