|
The Kybalion
CHAPTER X 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 matter is more 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.
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.
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.
Next
Human
Mind
|
