The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece (Dodo Press),   ISBN:9781409969983

Customer Rating: 

This book is, to my mind, still the best primer on Basic Hermetic Philosophy available. It's coverage of the Seven Fundamental Laws of Hermeticism is timeless. It also adds seven related Axioms which are of very practical use in implementing the seven laws in one's life. Indeed, the seven axioms are strikingly similar to the knowledge of the Mystery Schools. One must be willing to look past the sometimes dated, but almost never arcane, language and the occasionally sensationalist tone of this book to fully appreciate its value. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but this little book is actually quite readable considering it was written in the early 1900's.

As far as the intermixture of Eastern mysticism (as mentioned as a major negative by one of the lowest scored reviews to this book) as the true initiate to the Hermetic Mysteries knows, the Hermetic Philosophy was a Greco-Egyptian synthesis of esoteric truths and methods that were not limited to the historical periods and regions of ancient Greece and Old Kingdom Egypt. To include yogic principles and yogic techniques in the book is quite appropriate.

Suspend your reluctance lest you are disinclined to buy this book because if its date of publication or its occasional inaccuracies (understandable given that in 1912 we were less than 50 years from the rebirth of the serious and open, as opposed to secret, study of Hermetics - which had been obscured for centuries). Even though it is available, if you look hard enough, on the WWW (and no please don't ask me for the site), I already own one copy and am in the process of buying another from Amazon for use in another location. I don't own too many "doubles" of books on magic or the practice of mysticism (I am not that rich), and that should tell you something.

Good Reading...Louis

Customer Rating: 

Due to the very wide and deep areas covered by "The Kybalion" and the historical fog around the authors and their origins and related authors and their origins -- I will only claim my own very personal [and very independant] Rosicrucian understanding of this little book. I understand "The Kybalion" as the single best presentation of Rosicrucian Philosophy. Possible Symbolist meanings of Rose-and-Cross are such Dyads as Laws-and-Trial, Life-and-Trust, Love-and-Truth and Mary-and-Jesus -- as well as exoteric and esoteric meanings of Christian Rosenkreuz. The major content of "The Kybalion" is in as much ordered detail as just sufficient and necessary to guide one towards such Dyadic Philosophy -- as well a transcendant guide to further Inspiration that is unlimited -- due to the expansive generality of this little book. Understanding increases upon every re-reading. The exact ordering of topics -- based on the Seven Hermetic Principles -- is most precise and natural -- as is the exact intention of other aspects of "The Kybalion" -- down to careful explanations of principles, examples and usages thereof, and the exact wording used for all the prose. Interesting that this little book is from 1908 -- considering the close harmony with later Relativity and Quantum Dynamics -- matter as a form of energy and levels and vibrations of such energy -- as just so remarked upon in "The Kybalion". Ever-Inspiring +++

Customer Rating: 

The Kybalion is one of the main philosophies that Occultists draw on - over and over again - sometimes without knowing it- and this book has much for the novice as for the advanced practitioner. Some of the material will help you understand some of the stumbling blocks when working on a particular occult project. I recommend this book 100% and can offer a few other key books if you are looking for just practical occult teachings, i.e. how to achieve occult power instead of just plain research (but these books that I am about to recommend really are not for the novice, they are strictly for someone seeking occult power and who can keep it in check):

True Astral Worship: Why Today, More Than Ever, Are The Pre-Religions Very Important.

The New Avatar And The Destiny Of The Soul: Answers To The Question: Why?

Second Sight: A Study Of Natural And Induced Clairvoyance

How To Read The Crystal: With A Concise Dictionary Of Astrological Terms

Finding The Higher Powers Of Mind And Spirit: The Way To The Prime Goal

How To Achieve Clairvoyance And Occult Power

Getting In Tune With The Infinite: A Guide To Fullness Of Peace, Power, And Plenty

Each of these books, as well as The Kybalion can help you find the astral plane, but what you do there, and why you go there is your affair.

Customer Rating: 

After reading this book, I can say this is very insightful guide to the principles underlying hermetic. Each of the seven principles is presented and discussed in an easy to understand manner. However, to apply these principles to your life is another matter. This book is not about the practice of hermitic, but about the primal philosophy that transcend mysticism and religion. It is an invaluable addition to your library, but only if you are ready for it.

The author(s) of this book, who we know only as Three Initiates, starts out describing the fundamentals of the hermetic history and philosophy. Then it briefly introduces the seven principles of hermetic, setting a framework for further discussion:

I. The Principle of Mentalism
II. The Principle of Correspondence
III. The Principle of Vibration
IV. The Principe of Polarity
V. The Principle of Rhythm
VI. The Principle of Cause and Effect
VII. The Principle of Gender

Prior presenting each principle, Three Initiates builds up the necessary knowledge to understand it better. For example, concepts of "Mental Transmutation" and "The All" are discussed before starting with the Principle of Mentalism. Each principle is explained with some detail, and multiple examples.

Finally, Three Initiates advices us against the pursuing Knowledge without expressing it into Action, which otherwise becomes a vain affair. In the last chapter, it summarizes the previously presented principles and briefly explain how to approach them.

This is a book that belongs to every mystical library, but paradoxically, not the first that a new student of hermetic should approach. For that purpose, I would recommend Initiation into Hermetics by Franz Bardon or The New Hermetics: 21st Century Magick for Illumination and Power by Jason Augustus Newcomb. However, the philosophical content in this book is approachable from any mystical foundation, not just hermetics. As such, buy it because eventually you will find it in your path to mysticism.

Customer Rating: 

Though this edition maintains the truth of the Hermetic Kybalion, while at the same time being clean and well presented, incessant plugs for occult websites peppered throughout struck me as incredibly irritating. As a philosophy the work stands on its own. (This review refers to the "Weejees" edition.)