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Mastering these 7 principles just may be the key to the life you always wanted.
By Micki Spollen — Last updated on Jul 27, 2023
The 7 Hermetic principles are believed to run the universe and create the reality you live in — and put you in complete control of your own life.
Hermeticism is a philosophical system based on the teachings of the ancient god Hermes Trismegistus. According to Hermeticism, the wisdom of the whole universe can be accessed independently of religion through alchemy, astrology, and theurgy.
And while this may sound a bit like something related to ancient times, even TikTokers are catching on to just how practical and useful it can be to apply the Hermetic laws in your daily life.
In 1908, a book titled "The Kybalion" was published to share Hermes Trismegistus’ teachings, outlining seven Hermetic laws passed down by Hermes Trismegistus and his students.
When understood and practiced, these universal laws are said to be the answers to leading a fulfilling and meaningful life that’s completely in your control. Because of this, leading figures in the realm of esoteric ideas, the occult and mysticism, including Manly P. Hall and Mitch Horowitz, have devoted books and speeches to teaching the Hermetic principals in detail.
The 7 Hermetic Principles and How to Use Them to Create the Reality You Want
1. The Principle of Mentalism
"The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental."
Broken down, this is very similar to what you may know as the Law of Attraction, which states that your thoughts create your reality.
Using this law, you have the power to determine the circumstances around you as, according to Hermetic philosophy, everything in the universe is mentally created. Everything that exists was created by a thought.
The changes that happen on this plane in your mind go on to become your reality.
2. The Principle of Correspondence
"As above, so below; as below, so above.”
According to this principle, the world around you is a manifestation of your inner world. Eventually, your inner thoughts, whether on a conscious or subconscious level, become your external circumstances.
The various methods of manifestation are based on this Hermetic principle as they’re techniques that train your focus and thoughts that then go on to become your reality.
3. The Principle of Vibration
"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."
This principle explains that everything in the universe, whether it’s a physical matter or thought, vibrates. Its vibration makes it real. The second you have a thought, it’s given a vibration. The more it’s thought about, the more momentum it's given to become real.
For this reason, it’s important to work on raising your vibration in order to manifest positive things in your life.
4. 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.”
Put simply, the principle of polarity means that all opposites are really the same thing. They are different ends of the same pole.
For example, heat and cold, though opposites, are both temperatures. Likewise, love and hate are opposite levels of an emotion, but a strong emotion nonetheless
The only difference between the two ends of the pole is vibration.
According to Hermetic beliefs, the same can be said of the spirit and reality. Put into practice, this principle encourages you to shift your vibration towards the more positive end of the spectrum to better your relationship with it.
5. The Principle of Rhythm
"Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."
This principle is similar to Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, which states that “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Everything is the universe will eventually even itself out, which leads to an ebb and flow.
When talking about your own mental or emotional state, you may see this in life as the emotional highs and lows you go through.
Mastering this principle is learning how to center yourself so that you don’t consciously or subconsciously act to counter an emotion, causing the pendulum to swing wildly from one side to the other. This leads to a state of inner peace in which your foundation is strong and you can remain unbothered by circumstances around you.
6. The Principle of Cause and Effect
"Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause; everything happens according to law; chance is but a name for law not recognized; there are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes the law."
The universe is governed by laws, meaning nothing happens without reason. You may not be able to directly pinpoint a specific cause for a certain effect because the cause may happen on different planes of existence, but every action has a ripple effect that leads to a consequence.
For example, a bad mood is an effect of a certain cause. Understanding these Hermetic principles allows you to exact power over your mind so that you can get yourself out of a bad mood, while mastering them instead makes you the cause instead of the effect, allowing you to avoid bad moods altogether.
7. The Principle of Gender
"Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles; gender manifests on all planes."
In Hermeticism, the principle of gender is not necessarily about the physical body. Instead, it’s referring to the qualities of masculinity and femininity which create balance in the world.
All things embody both masculine and feminine energies, and learning how to be open to and balance those energies within yourself can bring you to a higher state of consciousness that is simultaneously powerful and thoughtful.
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Micki Spollen is a YourTango editor and writer, as well as a frequent traveler. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her travels on her website.