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
half-truths"; "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." 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 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 Fear-
Courage, 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.
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 themselves with this Principle of Polarity, for
a correct understanding of the same will throw light on many difficult
subjects.