THE KYBALION --- 10 CHAPTER 10. POLARITY

CHAPTER 10. 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 halftruths"; "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."
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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
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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 FearCourage, 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.
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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
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themselves with this Principle of Polarity, for a correct understanding of
the same will throw light on many difficult subjects.