THE DIVINE PARADOX
"The half-wise, recognizing the comparative unreality of
the Universe, imagine that they may defy its Laws--such
are vain and presumptuous fools, and they are broken against
the rocks and torn asunder by the elements by reason of
their folly. The truly wise, knowing the nature of the Universe,
use Law against laws; the higher against the lower; and by
the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into
that which is worthy, and thus triumph. Mastery consists not
in abnormal dreams, visions and fantastic imaginings or
living, but in using the higher forces against the lower--escaping
the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher.
Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the
Master."--The Kybalion.
This is the Paradox of the Universe, resulting from the Principle of
Polarity which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create--hearken to it
for it points the difference between half-wisdom and wisdom. While to
THE INFINITE ALL, the Universe, its Laws, its Powers, its life, its
Phenomena, are as things witnessed in the state of Meditation or Dream;
yet to all that is Finite, the Universe must be treated as Real, and
life, and action, and thought, must be based thereupon, accordingly,
although with an ever understanding of the Higher Truth. Each according
to its own Plane and Laws. Were THE ALL to imagine that the Universe
were indeed Reality, then woe to the Universe, for there would be then
no escape from lower to higher, divineward--then would the Universe
become a fixity and progress would become impossible. And if Man, owing
to half-wisdom, acts and lives and thinks of the Universe as merely a
dream (akin to his own finite dreams) then indeed does it so become for
him, and like a sleep-walker he stumbles ever around and around in a
circle, making no progress, and being forced into an awakening at last
by his falling bruised and bleeding over the Natural Laws which he
ignored. Keep your mind ever on the Star, but let your eyes watch over
your footsteps, lest you fall into the mire by reason of your upward
gaze. Remember the Divine Paradox, that while the Universe IS NOT, still
IT IS. Remember ever the Two Poles of Truth the Absolute and the
Relative. Beware of Half-Truths.
What Hermetists know as "the Law of Paradox" is an aspect of the
Principle of Polarity. The Hermetic writings are filled with references
to the appearance of the Paradox in the consideration of the problems of
Life and Being. The Teachers are constantly warning their students
against the error of omitting the "other side" of any question. And
their warnings are particularly directed to the problems of the Absolute
and the Relative, which perplex all students of philosophy, and which
cause so many to think and act contrary to what is generally known as
"common sense." And we caution all students to be sure to grasp the
Divine Paradox of the Absolute and Relative, lest they become entangled
in the mire of the Half-Truth. With this in view this particular lesson
has been written. Read it carefully!
The first thought that comes to the thinking man after he realizes the
truth that the Universe is a Mental Creation of THE ALL, is that the
Universe and all that it contains is a mere illusion; an unreality;
against which idea his instincts revolt. But this, like all other great
truths, must be considered both from the Absolute and the Relative
points of view. From the Absolute viewpoint, of course, the Universe is
in the nature of an illusion, a dream, a phantasmagoria, as compared to
THE ALL in itself. We recognize this even in our ordinary view, for we
speak of the world as "a fleeting show" that comes and goes, is born and
dies--for the element of impermanence and change, finiteness and
unsubstantiality, must ever be connected with the idea of a created
Universe when it is contrasted with the idea of THE ALL, no matter what
may be our beliefs concerning the nature of both. Philosopher,
metaphysician, scientist and theologian all agree upon this idea, and
the thought is found in all forms of philosophical thought and religious
conceptions, as well as in the theories of the respective schools of
metaphysics and theology.
So, the Hermetic Teachings do not preach the unsubstantiality of the
Universe in any stronger terms than those more familiar to you, although
their presentation of the subject may seem somewhat more startling.
Anything that has a beginning and an ending must be, in a sense, unreal
and untrue, and the Universe comes under the rule, in all schools of
thought. From the Absolute point of view, there is nothing Real except
THE ALL, no matter what terms we may use in thinking of, or discussing
the subject. Whether the Universe be created of Matter, or whether it be
a Mental Creation in the Mind of THE ALL--it is unsubstantial,
non-enduring, a thing of time, space and change. We want you to realize
this fact thoroughly, before you pass judgment on the Hermetic
conception of the Mental nature of the Universe. Think over any and all
of the other conceptions, and see whether this be not true of them.
But the Absolute point of view shows merely one side of the picture--the
other side is the Relative one. Absolute Truth has been defined as
"Things as the mind of God knows them," while Relative Truth is "Things
as the highest reason of Man understands them." And so while to THE ALL
the Universe must be unreal and illusionary, a mere dream or result of
meditation,--nevertheless, to the finite minds forming a part of that
Universe, and viewing it through mortal faculties, the Universe is very
real indeed, and must be so considered. In recognizing the Absolute
view, we must not make the mistake of ignoring or denying the facts and
phenomena of the Universe as they present themselves to our mortal
faculties--we are not THE ALL, remember.
To take familiar illustrations, we all recognize the fact that matter
"exists" to our senses--we will fare badly if we do not. And yet, even
our finite minds understand the scientific dictum that there is no such
thing as Matter from a scientific point of view--that which we call
Matter is held to be merely an aggregation of atoms, which atoms
themselves are merely a grouping of units of force, called electrons or
"ions," vibrating and in constant circular motion. We kick a stone and
we feel the impact--it seems to be real, notwithstanding that we know it
to be merely what we have stated above. But remember that our foot,
which feels the impact by means of our brains, is likewise Matter, so
constituted of electrons, and for that matter so are our brains. And, at
the best, if it were not by reason of our Mind, we would not know the
foot or stone at all.
Then again, the ideal of the artist or sculptor, which he is endeavoring
to reproduce in stone or on canvas, seems very real to him. So do the
characters in the mind of the author; or dramatist, which he seeks to
express so that others may recognize them. And if this be true in the
case of our finite minds, what must be the degree of Reality in the
Mental Images created in the Mind of the Infinite? Oh, friends, to
mortals this Universe of Mentality is very real indeed--it is the only
one we can ever know, though we rise from plane to plane, higher and
higher in it. To know it otherwise, but actual experience, we must be
THE ALL itself. It is true that the higher we rise in the scale--the
nearer to "the mind of the Father" we reach--the more apparent becomes
the illusory nature of finite things, but not until THE ALL finally
withdraws us into itself does the vision actually vanish.
So, we need not dwell upon the feature of illusion. Rather let us,
recognizing the real nature of the Universe, seek to understand its
mental laws, and endeavor to use them to the best effect in our upward
progress through life, as we travel from plane to plane of being. The
Laws of the Universe are none the less "Iron Laws" because of the mental
nature. All, except THE ALL, are bound by them. What is IN THE INFINITE
MIND OF THE ALL is REAL in a degree second only to that Reality itself
which is vested in the nature of THE ALL.
So, do not feel insecure or afraid--we are all HELD FIRMLY IN THE
INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL, and there is naught to hurt us or for us to
fear. There is no Power outside of THE ALL to affect us. So we may rest
calm and secure. There is a world of comfort and security in this
realization when once attained. Then "calm and peaceful do we sleep,
rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"--resting safely on the bosom of the
Ocean of Infinite Mind, which is THE ALL. In THE ALL, indeed, do "we
live and move and have our being."
Matter is none the less Matter to us, while we dwell on the plane of
Matter, although we know it to be merely an aggregation of "electrons,"
or particles of Force, vibrating rapidly and gyrating around each other
in the formations of atoms; the atoms in turn vibrating and gyrating,
forming molecules, which latter in turn form larger masses of Matter.
Nor does Matter become less Matter, when we follow the inquiry still
further, and learn from the Hermetic Teachings, that the "Force" of
which the electrons are but units is merely a manifestation of the Mind
of THE ALL, and like all else in the Universe is purely Mental in its
nature. While on the Plane of matter, we must recognize its phenomena--
we may control Matter (as all Masters of higher or lesser degree do),
but we do so by applying the higher forces. We commit a folly when we
attempt to deny the existence of Matter in the relative aspect. We may
deny its mastery over us--and rightly so--but we should not attempt to
ignore it in its relative aspect, at least so long as we dwell upon its
plane.
Nor do the Laws of Nature become less constant or effective, when we
know them, likewise, to be merely mental creations. They are in full
effect on the various planes. We overcome the lower laws, by applying
still higher ones--and in this way only. But we cannot escape Law or
rise above it entirely. Nothing but THE ALL can escape Law--and that
because THE ALL is LAW itself, from which all Laws emerge. The most
advanced Masters may acquire the powers usually attributed to the gods
of men; and there are countless ranks of being, in the great hierarchy
of life, whose being and power transcends even that of the highest
Masters among men to a degree unthinkable by mortals, but even the
highest Master, and the highest Being, must bow to the Law, and be as
Nothing in the eye of THE ALL. So that if even these highest Beings,
whose powers exceed even those attributed by men to their gods--if even
these are bound by and are subservient to Law, then imagine the
presumption of mortal man, of our race and grade, when he dares to
consider the Laws of Nature as "unreal!" visionary and illusory, because
he happens to be able to grasp the truth that the Laws are Mental in
nature, and simply Mental Creations of THE ALL. Those Laws which THE ALL
intends to be governing Laws are not to be defied or argued away. So
long as the Universe endures, will they endure--for the Universe exists
by virtue of these Laws which form its framework and which hold it
together.
The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, while explaining the true nature of
the Universe upon the principle that all is Mental, does not change the
scientific conceptions of the Universe, Life, or Evolution. In fact,
science merely corroborates the Hermetic Teachings. The latter merely
teaches that the nature of the Universe is "Mental," while modern
science has taught that it is "Material"; or (of late) that it is
"Energy" at the last analysis. The Hermetic Teachings have no fault to
find with Herbert Spencer's basic principle which postulates the
existence of an "Infinite and Eternal Energy, from which all things
proceed." In fact, the Hermetics recognize in Spencer's philosophy the
highest outside statement of the workings of the Natural Laws that have
ever been promulgated, and they believe Spencer to have been a
reincarnation of an ancient philosopher who dwelt in ancient Egypt
thousands of years ago, and who later incarnated as Heraclitus, the
Grecian philosopher who lived B. C. 500. And they regard his statement
of the "Infinite and Eternal Energy" as directly in the line of the
Hermetic Teachings, always with the addition of their own doctrine
that his "Energy" is the Energy of the Mind of THE ALL. With the
Master-Key of the Hermetic Philosophy, the student of Spencer will be
able to unlock many doors of the inner philosophical conceptions of the
great English philosopher, whose work shows the results of the
preparation of his previous incarnations. His teachings regarding
Evolution and Rhythm are in almost perfect agreement with the Hermetic
Teachings regarding the Principle of Rhythm.
So, the student of Hermetics need not lay aside any of his cherished
scientific views regarding the Universe. All he is asked to do is to
grasp the underlying principle of "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is
Mental--held in the mind of THE ALL." He will find that the other six of
the Seven Principles will "fit into" his scientific knowledge, and will
serve to bring out obscure points and to throw light in dark corners.
This is not to be wondered at, when we realize the influence of the
Hermetic thought of the early philosophers of Greece, upon whose
foundations of thought the theories of modern science largely rest. The
acceptance of the First Hermetic Principle (Mentalism) is the only great
point of difference between Modern Science and Hermetic students, and
Science is gradually moving toward the Hermetic position in its groping
in the dark for a way out of the Labyrinth into which it has wandered in
its search for Reality.
The purpose of this lesson is to impress upon the minds of our students
the fact that, to all intents and purposes, the Universe and its laws,
and its phenomena, are just as REAL, so far as Man is concerned, as they
would be under the hypotheses of Materialism or Energism. Under any
hypothesis the Universe in its outer aspect is changing, ever-flowing,
and transitory--and therefore devoid of substantiality and reality. But
(note the other pole of the truth) under the same hypotheses, we are
compelled to ACT AND LIVE as if the fleeting things were real and
substantial. With this difference, always, between the various
hypotheses--that under the old views Mental Power was ignored as a
Natural Force, while under Mentalism it becomes the Greatest Natural
Force. And this one difference revolutionizes Life, to those who
understand the Principle and its resulting laws and practice.
So, finally, students all, grasp the advantage of Mentalism, and learn
to know, use and apply the laws resulting therefrom. But do not yield to
the temptation which, as The Kybalion states, overcomes the half-wise
and which causes them to be hypnotized by the apparent unreality of
things, the consequence being that they wander about like dream-people
dwelling in a world of dreams, ignoring the practical work and life of
man, the end being that "they are broken against the rocks and torn
asunder by the elements, by reason of their folly." Rather follow the
example of the wise, which the same authority states, "use Law against
Laws; the higher against the lower; and by the Art of Alchemy transmute
that which is undesirable into that which is worthy, and thus triumph."
Following the authority, let us avoid the half-wisdom (which is folly)
which ignores the truth that: "Mastery consists not in abnormal dreams,
visions, and fantastic imaginings or living, but in using the higher
forces against the lower--escaping the pains of the lower planes by
vibrating on the higher." Remember always, student, that "Transmutation,
not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the Master." The above
quotations are from The Kybalion, and are worthy of being committed to
memory by the student.
We do not live in a world of dreams, but in an Universe which while
relative, is real so far as our lives and actions are concerned. Our
business in the Universe is not to deny its existence, but 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. The true Meaning of
Life is not known to men on this plane .if, indeed, to any--but the
highest authorities, and our own intuitions, teach us that we will make
no mistake in living up to the best that is in us, so far as is
possible, and realising the Universal tendency in the same direction in
spite of apparent evidence to the contrary. We are all on The Path--and
the road leads upward ever, with frequent resting places.
Read the message of The Kybalion--and follow the example of "the
wise"--avoiding the mistake of "the half-wise" who perish by reason of
their folly.