The Kybalion: A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece

"Our business in the Universe is...to LIVE, using the Laws to rise from lower to higher—living on, doing the best that we can under the circumstances arising each day, and living, so far as is possible, to our biggest ideas and ideals."

This book was recommended to me by someone I love and respect so it was a must read. The rating I gave it is not a reflection of the quality of the writing itself, which is definitely not outstanding, but rather the impact it has had, and will continue to have, on me for the remainder of my life.

Before reading The Kybalion, I had seen the word "Hermetic,” but it held no meaning for me other than somehow being related to the Greek God Hermes.

Now I know better. "Hermeticism" or "Hermetism" is a show more combination of religion and philosophy. It is not affiliated with Hermes the God, but after a pagan man named Hermes Trismegistus (who the God was named after). Pre-dating Christianity, it teaches that there is a single true God in which everything in the Universe, including humans, participate and that exists in all religions.

An overview of Hermeticism, which including its seven principles, is given by the three anonymous Hermetic initiates who wrote this book in 1912. It was just enough to get a taste of what one could spend a lifetime studying and aspiring to.

Not only did this book personally validate some of my own unique belief system, but it has motivated me to do more and be more. I especially loved the Principle of Polarity and the Principle of Cause and Effect. I look forward to reading more about this mysterious and fascinating topic! show less

Really high-level intro to the Seven Hermetic Principles. I'll definitely need to spend some more time with this. It was interesting noting the direct tie-in to coaching; you get what you look for. Or more correctly, you create by using mental energy.

While the style of the book may be off-putting to some, the concepts are intriguing and refreshing. I wish I knew where to go as a next step in learning more!

Interesting dissection of the teachings and wisdom of Hermes. Everything is laid out in a very accessible way, even though these topics touch on topics as complex and particle physics and as esoteric as existence as nothing but a dream in the mind of God. I will definitely need to revisit this work at some point, to find deeper understanding of the concepts of hermetic wisdom.

The best first book I read in 2026! I had goosebumps, the book becomes a confirmation for a lot of things going on in my mind, I can relate with the principle of polarity, rhythm, cause and effect, because these topics keep showing up lately in scenarios of my own life and others that I observed. A year before I have the book in my hand, an eye triangle symbol keeps hovering, representing as above so below and vice versa, it's subconsciously calling me in. It's a sign! The teacher appears when the student is ready. The book also confirmed a lot that we had presented in the Arcanum Revelation series, our Gothic English books. Also, it's similar with Rhonda Byrne's theory about the universal laws, also the Divine Matrix, and Manly P. show more Hall's writing. Overall, 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 show less

The Kybalion is widely recognized as a classic in the field of New Age or occultism, but its pages have always seemed to me to be totally vacuous. Try as I might, I really can't find anything meaningful in them. So why in the world did I buy a second copy of a book I don't even like? For the introduction to this edition, which has biographical information about William Atkinson, a person who has always intrigued me. The editor, Philip Deslippe, has done a service in shedding light on the life of this enigmatic figure.

This work contains the aphorisms attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, known to the Egyptians as Thoth, that comprise the seven Hermetic Laws that govern cosmic existence. Three un-named initiates provide insightful commentary. This is the master key to occult wisdom. If you are going to study only one single text in life, this should be it. It is multivalent. I have studied it almost ten times and each time my understanding deepens. It is called the Master Key because these aphorisms, perfectly understood, are theoretically sufficient to reach enlightenment. Many occult traditions draw on them (As above, so below, as below, so above = the principle of correspondence). Furthermore, it highlights CENTRAL errors in the history of many occult show more traditions...namely the inappropriate conflation of the Principle of Polarity with the Principle of Gender. They are different principles. I cannot recommend this text highly enough. show less