Episode 1: Introduction to Hermetic Thought, part 1

Episode 1. Introduction to Hermetic Thought, Part One. An introduction to Hermetic thought in light of “The Kybalion”. In this debut episode, the Philosophers of the Living Fire present an introduction to hermeticism via the book The Kybalion, and introduction to the Seven Hermetic Principles. For anyone who has even been interested in, but mystified by, The Kybalion or Hermeticism, we hope to shed light over the coming months on many of these mysteries.

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Magus Incognito reads: This is true and remote from all cover of falsehood. Whatever is below is similar to that which is above. Through this the marvels of the work of one thing are procured and perfected. Also, as all things are made from one, by the consideration of one, so all things were made from this one, by conjunction. The father of it is the sun, the mother the moon. The wind bore it in the womb. Its nurse is the earth, the mother of all perfection. Its power is perfected. If it is turned into earth, separate the earth from the fire, the subtle and thin from the crude and coarse, prudently, with modesty and wisdom.

This ascends from the earth into the sky and again descends from the sky to the earth, and receives the power and efficacy of things above and of things below. By this means you will acquire the glory of the whole world, and so you will drive away all shadows and blindness. For this by its fortitude snatches the palm from all other fortitude and power. For it is able to penetrate and subdue everything subtle and everything crude and hard. By this means the world was founded and hence the marvelous conjunctions of it and admirable effects, since this is the way by which these marvels may be brought about. And because of this they have called me Hermes Tristmegistus, since I have the three parts of the wisdom and Philosophy of the whole universe. My speech is finished, which I have spoken, concerning the solar work.

Brother Enoch: Dear unknown friend, welcome to the Philosophers of the Living Fire channel. The preceding is a translation of the Emerald Tablet as translated by Sir Isaac Newton in 1680. This channel will be devoted to exploring the primordial wisdom teachings of hermeticism. It is our hope that many might benefit, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

We will present the wisdom and ideas of various teachers on the subject of Hermeticism, and Christian Hermeticism, some quite well known, some quite obscure, some even from our own Order. We will explore the Holy Cabbala, Tarot, Astrology, and various practices for health and healing, both spiritually and physically. For this opening episode, we would first like to introduce our viewers to the fundamentals of hermeticism. We will preface this by stating that the subject of hermeticism, from an academic perspective, its origin and history, is quite complex and, at times, controversial. For this reason we will simply be sharing various versions of the occult tradition as they have been handed down in history.
One of the more interesting introductions to the subject of hermetic occult philosophy is to be found in the humble little occult work, The Kybalion, published in 1908, and credited to The Three Initiates. We find in its introduction some wonderful points of departure for our journey.

Magus Incognito: There is no portion of the occult teachings possessed by the world which have been so closely guarded as the fragments of the Hermetic Teachings which have come down to us over the tens of centuries which have elapsed since the lifetime of its great founder, Hermes Trismegistus, the scribe of the gods, who dwelt in old Egypt in the days when the present race of men was in its infancy. Contemporary with Abraham, and, if the legends be true, an instructor of that venerable sage, Hermes was, and is, the Great Central Sun of Occultism, whose rays have served to illumine the countless teachings which I have promulgated since his time. All the fundamental and basic teachings embedded in the esoteric teachings of every race may be traced back to Hermes. Even the most ancient teachings of India undoubtedly have their roots in the original Hermetic Teachings.

From the land of the Ganges many advanced occultists wandered to the land of Egypt, and sat at the feet of the Master. From him they obtained the Master-Key which explained and reconciled their divergent views, and thus the Secret Doctrine was firmly established...

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"The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears of understanding." — The Kybalion

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