The Kybalion Explained: 7 Hermetic Laws in Real Life

“The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of understanding.”
– The Kybalion

If you’ve ever felt like there’s a pattern behind everything — that life isn’t random, but you can’t quite put your finger on how it all works — the Kybalion might just give you the keys.

This little book, published in 1908 by three mysterious authors calling themselves “The Three Initiates,” distills ancient Hermetic wisdom into 7 principles that explain how reality functions — mentally, spiritually, and physically.

But here’s the thing:
It’s not just philosophy.
It’s practical.
It shows up in your life every single day.

Let’s break down each law in plain language — no robes, no rituals, just straight insight — and show you how they apply to your actual life.

1. The Principle of Mentalism

“All is Mind; the Universe is Mental.”

This law says that everything — literally everything — begins in the mind. Reality is like a dream in the mind of the All (you can think of that as Source, God, the Universe, etc.).

Real-life example:
You’ve probably heard “thoughts become things.” That’s not just a motivational quote — it’s Hermetic law. Every invention, every relationship, every mistake started as a thought. If you constantly tell yourself, “I’m never going to get ahead,” you’re programming your reality to reflect that. Change your thoughts, and over time, your external world begins to mirror that internal shift.

Application:
Master your thoughts. Don’t let them run wild. Meditation isn’t just “woo-woo”—it’s training your reality at the source code level.

2. The Principle of Correspondence

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

Everything is connected. Patterns repeat across scales. The macro reflects the micro.

Real-life example:
Think of an atom: tiny nucleus with electrons orbiting. Now look at the solar system: a sun with planets orbiting. Different size, same pattern. Or take your inner emotional state — if you’re chaotic inside, your environment usually ends up reflecting that (messy house, tense relationships, etc.).

Application:
Want to understand the universe? Start by understanding yourself. Want a better outer world? Clean up your inner one. It’s not separate.

3. The Principle of Vibration

“Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.”

At a fundamental level, everything is in motion. Even what looks still (like a rock) is vibrating at the atomic level. Thoughts, feelings, matter — all have frequency.

Real-life example:
Ever walk into a room and feel the “vibe”? No one said anything, but you knew something was off. That’s vibration. Angry thoughts carry a low, dense frequency. Joy and love are higher, lighter ones. Your mood isn’t just “emotional” — it’s energetic.

Application:
Raise your vibration — not in a fake positivity way, but by choosing better inputs. Music, food, people, thoughts — they all have frequency. Choose wisely.

4. The Principle of Polarity

“Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites.”

Everything exists on a spectrum. Hot and cold, light and dark, love and hate — they’re not different things, but extremes of the same thing.

Real-life example:
Cold and hot are both temperature. Love and hate are both deep emotional investments. You don’t go from love to indifference — you go from love to hate because they’re the same scale. Once you see this, you stop labeling things “good” or “bad” and start learning how to shift your position on the scale.

Application:
If you’re in fear, move toward courage. If you’re in pain, find a way to reframe it. You don’t have to jump to bliss — just shift a few degrees.

5. The Principle of Rhythm

“Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides.”

Life has cycles — ups and downs, peaks and valleys. Nothing stays the same forever.

Real-life example:
Think of your energy levels. One day you’re on fire, the next you feel heavy. That’s rhythm. Or your bank account — it grows, dips, flows. Same with relationships. Once you understand this principle, you stop panicking in the lows and stop clinging in the highs. You ride the wave.

Application:
Anticipate your own tides. If you're feeling low, don’t fight it. Reflect, rest. The upswing will come — just don’t get stuck. Surf the rhythm, don’t drown in it.

6. The Principle of Cause and Effect

“Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause.”

Nothing happens by chance. Every result has a reason, whether seen or unseen.

Real-life example:
That “bad luck” you had? Might have come from ignoring a pattern. That opportunity that fell into your lap? Might be the result of effort you forgot you put in. Your health, your mindset, your results — they all trace back to habits, actions, and energy.

Application:
Be the cause, not just the effect. Start asking “What’s this teaching me?” instead of “Why is this happening to me?” Create your reality by being intentional in your choices.

7. The Principle of Gender

“Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles.”

This isn’t about men and women. It’s about the masculine and feminine energies that exist in all things. Masculine is action, logic, will. Feminine is intuition, creativity, receptivity.

Real-life example:
You use masculine energy when you plan your day, take action, make decisions. You use feminine energy when you reflect, feel, or wait for clarity. The most effective people use both — like starting a business (masculine) with a vision that came from deep intuition (feminine).

Application:
Don’t reject one side. Balance your doing with being. Listen inward (feminine), then act with focus (masculine). Too much of one throws everything off.

Final Thoughts

The Kybalion isn’t a religious text. It’s not even trying to convert you. It’s a manual — a map of the rules that reality seems to play by.

The more you understand these principles, the more power you reclaim. Life doesn’t feel random anymore. You stop reacting and start responding. You stop blaming and start creating.

These 7 laws are already working in your life — whether you know it or not.
The difference now?
You know.

And once you know, you can’t unknow.

Mastering Reality: The Hermetic Teachings of The Kybalion and Universal Laws

https://youtu.be/gzFF-jqD3UI