THE PRINCIPLE OF POLARITY TAUGHT BY THE KYBALION

The chapter 10 of the book The Kybalion details the fourth hermetic principle, which is the principle of polarity.

"Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled.” — The Kybalion.

 

The great Fourth Hermetic Principle—the Principle of Polarity embodies the truth that all manifested things have "two sides"; "two aspects"; "two poles"; a "pair of opposites," with manifold degrees between the two extremes. The old paradoxes, which have ever perplexed the mind of men, are explained by an understanding of this Principle. Man has always recognized something akin to this Principle, and has endeavored to express it by such sayings, maxims and aphorisms as the following: "Everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything"—"there is a reverse side to every shield," etc., etc.

 

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that the difference between things seemingly diametrically opposed to each other is merely a matter of degree. It teaches that "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled," and that "thesis and anti-thesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; and that the "universal reconciliation of opposites" is effected by a recognition of this Principle of Polarity. The teachers claim that illustrations of this Principle may be had on every hand, and from an examination into the real nature of anything. They begin by showing that Spirit and Matter are but the two poles of the same thing, the intermediate planes being merely degrees of vibration. They show that THE ALL and The Many are the same, the difference being merely a matter of degree of Mental Manifestation. Thus the LAW and Laws are the two opposite poles of one thing. Likewise, PRINCIPLE and Principles. Infinite Mind and finite minds.

 

Then passing on to the Physical Plane, they illustrate the Principle by showing that Heat and Cold are identical in nature, the differences being merely a matter of degrees. The thermometer shows many degrees of temperature, the lowest pole being called "cold," and the highest "heat." Between these two poles are many degrees of "heat" or "cold," call them either and you are equally correct. The higher of two degrees is always "warmer," while the lower is always "colder." There is no absolute standard-all is a matter of degree. There is no place on the thermometer where heat ceases and cold begins. It is all a matter of higher or lower vibrations. The very terms "high" and "low," which we are compelled to use, are but poles of the same thing-the terms are relative. So with "East and West"—travel around the world in an eastward direction, and you reach a point which is called west at your starting point, and you return from that westward point. Travel far enough North, and you will find yourself traveling South, or vice versa.

 

Light and Darkness are poles of the same thing, with many degrees between them. The musical scale is the same—starting with "C" you move upward until you reach another "C" and so on, the differences between the two ends of the board being the same, with many degrees between the two extremes. The scale of color is the same-higher and lower vibrations being the only difference between high violet and low red. Large and Small are relative. So are Noise and Quiet; Hard and Soft follow the rule. Likewise Sharp and Dull. Positive and Negative are two poles of the same thing, with countless degrees between them.

 

Good and Bad are not absolute—we call one end of the scale Good and the other Bad, or one end Good and the other Evil, according to the use of the terms. A thing is "less good" than the thing higher in the scale; but that "less good" thing, in turn, is "more good" than the thing next below it—and so on, the "more or less" being regulated by the position on the scale.

 

And so it is on the Mental Plane. "Love and. Hate" are generally regarded as being things diametrically opposed to each other; entirely different; unreconcilable. But we apply the Principle of Polarity; we find that there is no such thing as Absolute Love or Absolute Hate, as distinguished from each other. The two are merely terms applied to the two poles of the same thing. Beginning at any point of the scale we find "more love," or "less hate," as we ascend the scale; and "more hate" or "less love" as we descend this being true no matter from what point, high or low, we may start. There are degrees of Love and Hate, and there is a middle point where "Like and Dislike" become so faint that it is difficult to distinguish between them. Courage and Fear come under the same rule. The Pairs of Opposites exist everywhere. Where you find one thing you find its opposite-the two poles.

 

And it is this fact that enables the Hermetist to transmute one mental state into another, along the lines of Polarization. Things belonging to different classes cannot be transmuted into each other, but things of the same class may be changed, that is, may have their polarity changed. Thus Love never becomes East or West, or Red or Violet-but it may and often does turn into Hate and likewise Hate may be transformed into Love, by changing its polarity. Courage may be transmuted into Fear, and the reverse. Hard things may be rendered Soft. Dull things become Sharp. Hot things become Cold. And so on, the transmutation always being between things of the same kind of different degrees. Take the case of a Fearful man. By raising his mental vibrations along the line of Fear- Courage, he can be filled with the highest degree of Courage and Fearlessness. And, likewise, the Slothful man may change himself into an Active, Energetic individual simply by polarizing along the lines of the desired quality.

 

The student who is familiar with the processes by which the various schools of Mental Science, etc., produce changes in the mental states of those following their teachings, may not readily understand the principle underlying many of these changes. When, however, the Principle of Polarity is once grasped, and it is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity-a sliding along the same scale-the hatter is readily understood. The change is not in the nature of a transmutation of one thing into another thing entirely different-but is merely a change of degree in the same things, a vastly important difference. For instance, borrowing an analogy from the Physical Plane, it is impossible to change Heat into Sharpness, Loudness, Highness, etc., but Heat may readily be transmuted into Cold, simply by lowering the vibrations. In the same way Hate and Love are mutually transmutable; so are Fear and Courage. But Fear cannot be transformed into Love, nor can Courage be transmuted into Hate. The mental states belong to innumerable classes, each class of which has its opposite poles, along which transmutation is possible.

 

The student will readily recognize that in the mental states, as well as in the phenomena of the Physical Plane, the two poles may be classified as Positive and Negative, respectively. Thus Love is Positive to Hate; Courage to Fear; Activity to Non-Activity, etc., etc. And it will also be noticed that even to those unfamiliar with the Principle of Vibration, the Positive pole seems to be of a higher degree than the Negative, and readily dominates it. The tendency of Nature is in the direction of the dominant activity of the Positive pole.

 

(This asseveration can be discussed a lot since for example: when an activity is exhausted, the tendency is rather towards inertia; which, based on what was indicated above, would be the "negative pole".)

 

 

In addition to the changing of the poles of one's own mental states by the operation of the art of Polarization, the phenomena of Mental Influence, in its manifold phases, shows us that the principle may be extended so as to embrace the phenomena of the influence of one mind over that of another, of which so much has been written and taught of late years. When it is understood that Mental Induction is possible, that is that mental states may be produced by "induction" from others, then we can readily see how a certain rate of vibration, or polarization of a certain mental state, may be communicated to another person, and his polarity in that class of mental states thus changed. It is along this principle that the results of many of the "mental treatments" are obtained. For instance, a person is "blue," melancholy and full of fear. A mental scientist bringing his own mind up to the desired vibration by his trained will, and thus obtaining the desired polarization in his own case, then produces a similar mental state in the other by induction, the result being that the vibrations are raised and the person polarizes toward the Positive end of the scale instead toward the Negative, and his Fear and other negative emotions are transmuted to Courage and similar positive mental states. A little study will show you that these mental changes are nearly all along the line of Polarization, the change being one of degree rather than of kind.

 

(This is doable in theory, but in practice it tends to only have a small momentary influence, so it is easier if you speak directly to the person and try to warm her up.)

 

A knowledge of the existence of this great Hermetic Principle will enable the student to better understand his own mental states, and those of other people. He will see that these states are all matters of degree, and seeing thus, he will be able to raise or lower the vibration at will—to change his mental poles, and thus be Master of his mental states, instead of being their servant and slave. And by his knowledge he will be able to aid his fellows intelligently and by the appropriate methods change the polarity when the same is desirable. We advise all students to familiarize themselves with this Principle of Polarity, for a correct understanding of the same will throw light on many difficult subjects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OBSERVATIONS

 

I agree with most of what was said in this chapter, but I feel that the author of the Kybalion is very short in his explanation because he only talks about the polarities, but does not explain the reasons why those polarities exist (since after everything, if God is unity, then why create polarity?).

 

And the explanation that the masters gave is because for God to create, the original energy needs to be divided into different parts, because if it remains only one, then everything that original energy does will continue to be only itself.

 

And this is very well illustrated by the color white, which is the union of all colors; since if you mix white with white, then the result will be white. And if you mix white with white and white, then the result will be white. And you can make all the combinations you want with white and still white will continue to give you only white, because white can only give white.

 

So in order for the color white to create, it first has to be divided into the primary colors. And in the same way, for the original energy to be able to create, it first has to be divided into the primary energies, and by doing that, in a first stage that generates two polarities.

 

But the masters also explained that this first stage is very unstable and that is why after having created these two poles, a third is required so that an equilibrium is formed.

 

And this you can easily perceive if you try to maintain a board with only two support points, because then you will find that the board is very unstable and that with the slightest movement the board will tip over and fall. But if you add a third point of support, then the board will stabilize and you will be able to work on that board.

 

And the same thing happens with Creation, and that is why when white is divided to form the primary colors, not only two primary colors are formed, but three primary colors are formed, and from those three primary colors can be produced all the colors you know.

 

 

And the same happens with the original energy that in order to create, is first divided into two pristine energies, but from these two pristine energies a third energy is created, thus forming the three primary energies that are known in esotericism as "the three first rays”, and from those first three rays everything that exists in the Universe is created.

 

 

 

So, as you can see for yourselves, the matter is more complicated than simply putting polarities to everything that exists (as the author of the Kybalion did) since polarity is only one stage of a process that is more complex.

 

And you also have to know how to differentiate between polarity and absence of energy, since a true polarity is when there are two opposite poles that complement each other, such as: the masculine and the feminine, the positive charge and the negative charge, etc.

 

But instead (and contrary to what the author of the Kybalion said) cold is not the opposite pole of heat, rather it is the absence of heat; and darkness is not the opposite pole of light, but rather the absence of light.

 

And by this I mean that in the first case you cannot say that a man is the absence of a woman, because both the man and the woman have their own existence. But instead in the second case you can say that darkness is the absence of light, because as soon as light appears, darkness disappears.

 

Do you see the difference?

 

And this difference, the author of the Kybalion does not take it into account in his speech, when it is something important. And it is something important because when it's only about two polarities, in those cases you have to find a balance between them, as for example happens between your different emotional states. There it is not a question of you being anchored all the time in the positive pole as the author of the Kybalion claims, but rather that you learn to live in balance with those polarities.

 

But instead, when it comes to an absence of energy, then the matter is different, because then it consists of you learning to live in states of increasing intensity of that energy. And this is how humans, as they continue to evolve, will live in increasingly intense scales of divine light, making all the darkness that currently exists around them disappear.