Understanding the Principle of Polarity: How Opposites Shape The Illusion of Reality

Today's Hermetic Principle is the Principle of Polarity. I want to emphasize that the seven Hermetic Principles are presented in the book "The Kybalion," which serves as a synthesis and summary of many teachings from the Greater Hermetica. This larger body of writings is much more extensive and intricate than "The Kybalion."

While I truly appreciate "The Kybalion" and consider it a very helpful book that I would recommend to anyone, I don't want anyone to mistakenly believe that it can replace the study of the Greater Hermetica. The Hermetica is an incredibly significant collection of works that provides profound insights.

Although it can be quite challenging, opaque, and sometimes difficult to navigate, it is well worth the effort. Therefore, I encourage you to read both "The Kybalion" and the Greater Hermetica.

The Principle of Polarity in the Physical World

In this world, within our three-dimensional reality, everything exists as part of a pair of opposites. There is nothing in the physical universe, as we understand it, that is truly a unity; everything exhibits some form of duality. We have light and dark, night and day, male and female, up and down, in and out, hot and cold, sharp and dull, and so on. This is what we refer to as the illusion of this world.

Some of these polarities are discussed in a different context when we talk about the principle of gender. However, many of the dualities that make up the illusion we experience in three-dimensional reality are not what they seem. By studying the polarities within the manifestations of this world, we can gain greater insight.

This world is a realm of phenomena, and all phenomena manifest through polarity. For example, even your hand has two sides, and you have two hands, two eyes, and two nostrils. Many of these dualities are rarely questioned. Take the concepts of love and fear—these are opposite emotions, and we generally accept that they fall into distinct categories.

Similarly, we do not question the polarity between poverty and prosperity; we simply assume these are true opposites. We accept the existence of light and dark without questioning it. We see night and day as separate entities, but if we examined any polarity closely, we would find that one end represents an "is," while the other represents a "not."

So, the polarity of light and dark does not truly consist of two separate principles. Instead, it reflects the illusion of duality, in which light exists alongside a shadow or the absence of light—essentially, "not light." There is heat or the absence of heat, love or the absence of love, joy or the absence of joy, prosperity or the absence of prosperity, God or the absence of God, creation or the absence of creation.

In this world, however, it may appear as though we have two opposing or complementary forces, such as yin and yang or night and day. We need both light and dark in this world; we could not exist without them.

The Illusion of Polarity

Why? Because this world is an illusion, we need polarity to keep it going. Otherwise, our reality would cease to exist. 

Imagine if the Earth had no rotation, so there were no days or nights. We wouldn’t be able to sustain life in this illusion. These illusions must appear real; otherwise, we cannot have experiences here.

Often, it feels like life is happening to us, doesn’t it? We find ourselves caught in a constant struggle between two opposing forces, leading to emotional bruises as we oscillate between one polarity and another (see also the principle of Rhythm which further explains this phenomenon). We fail to understand that this polarity isn’t as real as we believe. In fact, polarity is often an illusion created so we can have three-dimensional experiences that aren’t ultimately real or as they seem.

When we realize that polarity is an illusion, we can use it to navigate our way out of that illusion. Once we acknowledge that we are in an illusion and recognize polarity as its manifestation, we can use the principle of polarity to find our way to freedom.

Polarization and Transformation

In ancient Hermetic texts, the concepts of polarization and transformation refer to the reconciliation of opposites. For example, if you feel a sense of poverty, it’s important to understand that any polarity can be seen as a scale—there's having a lot versus having very little, or substantial abundance versus a significant lack.

If you find yourself heavily on the side of poverty, it's essential to recognize that you're leaning towards the "not" side of the pendulum swing. What you want is to shift over to the "is" side of that swing. By realizing that poverty is the absence of something, you can understand that there’s nothing to fight against; it’s just a shadow.

To achieve the reconciliation of a polarity, you must focus your attention on the "is" part of the polarity instead of the "not" part. This means concentrating on what you want rather than lamenting what you do not have. Remember the principle of mentalism: what we focus on tends to expand.

To manifest positive changes, you need to anchor your mind and your practices—such as your magical rituals—on the desired aspect of the polarity. Instead of feeling victimized by your circumstances, shift your focus back to the "is" part of the spectrum. By doing so, you can harness the power of your mind to reshape your reality by anchoring your attention.

Love, Fear, and Pain

Love and fear seem to be two opposing forces. When you find yourself overwhelmed by fear, it's important to recognize the different ways fear can manifest. You should ask yourself: where do I stand on the spectrum between love and fear? 

Fear is a shadow, not a principle unto itself. Fear is the shadowing of love. When you are being fearful, you are stepping AWAY FROM love. So when you want to change your thought process, recognize where you are on that scale and realize how much love you are lacking.

To navigate this, you must consciously direct your focus towards love. By anchoring your thoughts on love, you can begin to transmute your emotional state or any negative situation you might be facing. This process of transmutation relies on your ability to fixate on where you want to be on this spectrum.

For example, if you are experiencing pain, it may be very real in your experience, but in truth, pain represents a shadow—perhaps the shadowing of health or pleasure. Understanding the source of your pain can help you identify what is shadowing. From there, you need to concentrate your thoughts on where you wish to be, rather than where you currently believe you are. This focus will magnetize your experiences toward that desired state.

Spiritual Progress Beyond Polarity

Ultimately, spiritual progress leads us to the understanding that all polarities are illusions, and that we no longer desire to exist within them. Once we recognize that a polarity doesn't truly exist, we are freed from it entirely by that realization. To reach this understanding, we must navigate within the polarity to find our way out. When we understand that polarity only exists to cast a shadow over a principle, we can ascend towards that principle’s true essence, realizing that the shadow is not necessary because the principle is eternal.

Fear does not need to exist for love to be present; this connection only arises in the realm of polarities. If we desire to experience fear we must engage with the principle of polarity. However, if we do not desire fear, then the polarity itself is unnecessary, since love has no opposite. Similarly, concepts like prosperity, health, joy, happiness, and good do not have opposites.

I once read an explanation of the principle of polarity that suggested we should avoid being too happy because something bad might follow. This, however, is not aligned with Hermes' teachings. In his writings, Hermes conveyed that joy and happiness are natural states, and it is only when we cast a shadow over these feelings that polarity emerges, leading to experiences of fear, pain, sadness, and upset. This world is defined by opposites and polarities.

In this realm, pain, upset, and other shadows are inevitable; they exist to create a world of duality. However, it is all happening within the scope of an illusion, a kind of hallucination. By understanding the principle of polarity, we can find our way out. We must recognize when we are facing a problem as a manifestation of polarity and understand that we are experiencing the shadow side of that polarity, not the side that represents the principle.

Every principle has the potential to be shadowed in this world, but that shadow does not define the principle. Shadows are polarities created in this world to allow duality to exist. Once you recognize this, it becomes easier to apply your newly enlightened perspective to anything in this world. You can identify a polarity at play and understand that while it appears to exist, it doesn’t hold true significance. Only the principle exists, it's shadow does not.

Working with the Principle Polarity

What is the purpose of polarity? What does it seek to conceal, and what does it aim to shape? It's important to understand that all forms are not negative or evil simply because they shadow a principle. 

In this life here on Earth, we have to accept polarity as necessary. Yes, there are opposites, and yes, there is form and shadow. Once you know that, however, you are no longer a slave to it. You control it. Information is power. 

If I catch myself struggling with some not-so-fun side effect of polarity. I remind myself that I am experiencing polarity as illusion rather than as transformation. I focus my mind on the principle that governs the polarity rather than its shadow. Suddenly, I'm centered. Even within form and shadow, I can play. I can be happy here. I can prosper, grow, and enjoy the experience.

That doesn’t mean I won’t find myself falling into negative poles again; I certainly will. But now I have the tools and knowledge to transform my experience each time this happens. 

You can discover various effective ways to engage with the principle of polarity. Whenever a problem arises, instead of feeling overwhelmed, you can ask yourself, "What’s the polarity here? What is the principle, and what is the shadow?" For this exercise in exploring polarity, all you need to do is firmly set you mind on the principle that’s being shadowed, focusing on it rather than its shadow.

Remember, polarization occurs because form follows thought, and my mind expands in accordance with what I choose to focus on. Therefore, we are wise to keep our thoughts firmly anchored on what we truly want. Admittedly, it can be challenging to maintain our focus on the principle instead of getting caught up in the shadow.

The Role of Magical Practices

Spellcasting and related techniques can be quite useful because they help us stay focused on specific goals. We can use the law of correspondence to incorporate symbols into our practices, thereby enhancing our efforts and maintaining our focus by drawing on those with significant akashic energy—symbols that people throughout history have used to navigate their paths.

For example, if I were dealing with a challenging aspect of a relationship, such as conflicts or disharmony, I would identify the principle I want to focus on, in this case, perhaps cooperation. The underlying shadow of cooperation would be competition, and my aim would be to concentrate on cooperation instead.

I may decide to align myself with the planet Venus and use symbols commonly associated with that principle. I may decide to use roses, teal and pink colors, and lovely seashells. I might build an altar and create a spell which focuses my mind to think about working WITH others instead of AGAINST them. By doing this ritual, I am building out a thought form to help keep me focused on the principle I wish to increase in my life.

By using magic, we can supercharge the work we are doing to change ourselves. Focusing on Hermetic principles can sometimes be difficult, as it requires a lot of concentration. This is where some of our magical methods can help.

Some people are naturals at it. They can focus their will without using tools. The rest of us? It often feels challenging. So we can use our tools of magic which are physical items we prepare to help us focus our mind on what we desire to bring into our life.

Final Thoughts

The principle of polarity is always active in our physical world and is a fundamental aspect of how it operates. However, once you recognize that this world is ultimately an illusion, you can use the principle of polarity to break free from it and reconnect with the underlying principles that this law obscures, and thus create the experiences in this world you do want. This process is effective and consistent, functioning like clockwork.

Discipline, training, and harnessing our minds so we can repeat this process over and over again is how we succeed. Start where you are. Begin with what you can control and expand outwards from victory to victory. Turn the principle of polarity into your advantage.

Recommended Reading

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• The Kybalion by The Three Initiates – A foundational starting point that synthesizes the seven Hermetic Principles into an accessible, practical guide.

• The Corpus Hermeticum (translated by Brian Copenhaver) – The core collection of 17 Greek treatises attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.

• The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus – A brief but powerful foundational text of Western alchemy and Hermeticism that explores the relationship between the macrocosm and microcosm.