7 Hermetic Principles

October 18, 2023

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” –Matthew 7:7-8

If you’ve never heard of Hermeticism, then I think you are in for quite a treat. In this essay we’ll dive into the 7 Hermetic Principles and why they might be worth your consideration. These principles have a close association with what I call Universal Law or the Laws of Creation. Universal Law is the intersection of science, philosophy, and theology. 

When we take the time to understand these principles, we can use them and leverage them. In the same way that we push against gravity to fly, deepening our understanding of these principles can elevate the human experience. It is important to note that these principles or laws mix and intermingle with dozens of other principles; they are not exclusionary. They often fluidly interact with each other; much like Russian nesting dolls fitting one into the other. In some ways, you could reason that the principle of love encompasses and governs all laws.

Origins

Hermeticism dates back to the first century A.D. Greek and Egyptian philosophy and is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, who is believed to be the author of the Emerald Tablet and the Corpus Hermeticum. In Greece, he was known as Hermes; in Egypt, Thoth. These works have gone on to influence cultures for thousands of years. In the early 20th century, these writings were compiled into a book called The Kybalion and remain a source of wisdom independent of religion and culture.  

It is important to note that I do not subscribe to all of the teachings of the Kybalion and its expanded definitions for each of these seven principles. I agree with the general principles, but the extracted or expanded beliefs from such principles are where the application can often diverge. When a belief in a higher power and doctrinal precepts is aligned with these principles, our understanding can expand greatly. So let’s take a look at the 7 Hermetic Principles:

MENTALISM

“The All is Mind. The Universe is Mental.”

The Universe itself is mental, therefore all intelligence may access this universal mind to gain any and all understanding. This principle is one of the most fundamental ideas of existence. It is where the “magic” or spiritual creation begins and is where all of creation began; God thought the universe into existence. All other laws are subject to thought. The ability to create in the mind is the “divine spark”, even the most intimate connection between you and God and His omniscience or all-knowing. The belief that we are created by God, also suggests that God is within you and that we are all One.

Knowing this to be the most foundational principle of consciousness and awareness, and believing that good and evil exist, would suggest that those with ill intent would focus their greatest efforts on controlling the mind. If Satan and his minions can control the thoughts of a person, they can control all outward expressions of that person. Freedom of the mind is the pinnacle of agency and autonomy, and mind control is the epitome of evil.

A common idiom suggests: Thoughts lead to actions; Actions lead to habits; Habits define our character and our Character manifests our Destiny. If you want to influence the trajectory of your destiny, begin with your thoughts.

CORRESPONDENCE

“As above, so below; as below, so above.”

This principle suggests that patterns repeat throughout the universe, and on a personal level, our reality is a mirror of what's happening inside us at that moment. We can glean an understanding of higher and lower realms of our universe or conditions that are foreign to us, by learning about our own realm and extrapolating information into those lower or higher realms. It suggests interconnectedness between all things and the possibility of understanding all things.

By studying the structure of atoms we find similar arrangements to solar systems. Through the study of natural law on earth, we can gain greater insight into God’s higher laws. For example, the simple act of planting and nourishing a seed that sprouts and produces fruit has great application to the laws that govern our progress individually, as families, as a society, and beyond.

VIBRATION

“Nothing rests, everything moves, everything vibrates.”

At a microscopic level, everything is in constant motion, vibrating at a specific frequency. This applies to matter but also one's personal frequency as well. Our very thoughts, words, and actions vibrate at a certain frequency. Our base or carnal emotions vibrate on a very low frequency, while expressions of love and empathy operate at higher frequencies.

This principle is often aligned with the law of attraction or the concept of manifestation. When we operate (think, feel, believe, or act) at a higher frequency, we tend to attract things of similar frequency. What we may call sin is often a manifestation of lower vibration sequences, whereas principles of light vibrate on a higher frequency. The more we connect with higher vibrations the less prone we are to participate in lower vibration activities. The Holy Spirit operates at a high vibration and is vital in the process of purification and sanctification.

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.”

Understanding the principle of polarity helps us recognize that everything has its opposite. Through that recognition, we can raise our vibration through intentional thoughts and actions. This principle is manifest through concepts such as good and evil, love and hate, light and darkness, or health and sickness. Let’s take love and hate as an example. They are both an expression of emotional energy and exist on the same plane, but are manifest in infinite degrees or spectrums. When we understand the duality in all things we are empowered to transmute these experiences at will. “Love your enemy” takes on a whole new meaning.

In the Book of Mormon, we find a masterful discourse from Lehi on the need for opposition and the duality in all things. Without polarity—good and evil, righteousness and wickedness—God would cease to exist. It is only through opposition that we can learn and grow. Without opposition, all progression stops. The story of Adam and Eve eloquently illustrates this principle through a narrative of innocence, choice, and the importance of opposition in our understanding of the nature of God.

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 might well be thought of as a pendulum, where a swing to one side will always be met with an equal and opposite force to the other side. While similar to the principle of Polarity, it is not a focus on polar opposites but embodies the necessary flow from one extreme to the other.

A very poignant example of this is the pride cycle in the Book of Mormon. Righteousness often brought blessings, which in turn manifested pride, leading to wickedness and death, only to be resolved through humility and back to righteousness. A more modern structure of this idea goes as follows: “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times” –G. Michael Hopf

Cycles are a natural part of the Universe. In the physical world, we can learn from the ebb and flow of the seasons. Often associated with this principle is the idea that living in the center of extremes essentially balances Rhythm and Polarity, leading to a state of peace. “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” —Matthew 23: 12

CAUSE & 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 principle supports the idea that nothing happens by chance and that all things are explainable. There is no such thing as coincidence; all things are explained through law. This principle has great application when we understand the importance of all action or inaction, for in reality, they are the same. Cause and Effect are manifest in two different planes, namely the past and the present. All Effects are rooted in the past and all Causes are manifest in the present or future.

Another way to look at this is the concept of being either a creator or a receiver. Are we creating (causing) our circumstances or are we merely reacting to the effects? In societal terms, we could see this as relating to the treatment of symptoms and not the cause. How often do we see the effects of societal decline or poverty, yet rarely do we address the root causes?

This also has great application to the principle known as the Law of Restoration, or in more Eastern philosophy, Karma. This law can be stated as such: “With choice comes action, and all action causes consequences. Wherefore, when we act upon matter, it is moved to and fro. But matter is not static. When it is moved out of its place, it in turn moves other matter out of its place. And that matter is made to move and cause other matter to move. But the universe is one eternal round and all movement returns unto its own. Wherefore, there is a law in the universe that restores all things into a state of stability and equilibrium.” (The Book of Manti, ch.4) In short, all things return unto themselves. The only way to counter the effects of sin is through repentance. When the effects of sin are met with unconditional love, the cycles of karma are broken.

GENDER

“Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes.”

All things are comprised of both masculine and feminine energies. This principle embodies creative and regenerative processes which require the participation of both genders. Men and women are refined through the development of both traits. Our very minds are set in left and right hemispheres, suggesting the masculine and feminine.

It is suggested in various records that in order for the Universe to come into existence, combining both the masculine and feminine was necessary. The masculine gifts or traits enabled the organization and arrangement of matter, whereas the feminine gifts and endowments gave matter life and awareness. All of creation is a combination of the divine masculine and feminine. If we borrow from the principle of Correspondence (as above, so below), we can learn a great deal about how life is created in our mortal sphere and its application in the greater universe.

That’s probably a good starting place for now. I hope this introduction to these principles can be a springboard to further insights. We have been created with souls that are both exquisite and inquisitive. God wants us to ask lots and lots of questions and to learn from all things around us. In future essays, we’ll explore each of these seven principles in greater depth, as well as their connection to other Universal Laws. If you’re not really sure where to begin, start with the principle of Mentalism, for that is truly where the seeds of creation begin. As always, know that you are loved unconditionally.

Shalom

  • When people begin studying Hermeticism they usually run into the word “occult.” My conditioning and first reaction to this word was negative. “Occult” sounds bad. Well, let’s look at the definition:

    occult : verb

    : to shut off from view or exposure : COVER, ECLIPSE

    1 : not revealed : SECRET

    2 : not easily apprehended or understood : ABSTRUSE, MYSTERIOUS

    3 : hidden from view : CONCEALED

    4 : of or relating to the occult

    5 : not manifest or detectable by clinical methods alone

    We often find things that are secretive to be taboo, but the second definition here seems to apply quite well: “not easily apprehended or understood.” To some degree, there is a fair amount of mystery behind things of a spiritual nature. In many ways, we learn things from others about God and the workings of the Universe, but it is only when we take the journey ourselves that can we truly learn these mysteries.

    I can see how there are degrees to the Occult. In fact, the word actually fits in perfectly with the 4th hermetic principle, which is Polarity: “Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its opposites.”

    If we take a generalized definition of the word, all it means is hidden knowledge. Now if we take this concept into their polar opposites, we have God’s knowledge that is higher laws and understanding which elevate and enlighten, and are only kept hidden due to other eternal laws such as “no unclean thing can enter the presence of God.” God’s wisdom is governed by principles of righteousness. And then we have Satan’s counterfeit which is secret wisdom which is used for leveraging power and manipulating the mind.

    The veil of forgetfulness is based upon the occult. We enter this life with our previous eons of experience hidden from us. Yet… I would add that it is God’s desire that we pierce the veil. In Vinny Tolman’s NDE, he was taught that while we were in God’s presence, His love was so overwhelming that we could never make choices other than what God wanted. In some regards, God’s love was so strong that it overcame agency itself. Hence the reason why a veil was created, so we could learn and grow through physical and spiritual autonomy.

Disclaimer: Only a small portion of my thoughts and feelings are contained within this essay. It is nearly impossible to condense a lifetime of study, thoughts, and impressions, into a few paragraphs. I value and encourage the need for altering perspective as new light and knowledge is acquired. One of the best ways to know a person’s heart is to sit down and talk face-to-face, perhaps while consuming a mild barley drink or a foamy glass of chocolate milk.