The Principle of Polarity [Yin-Yang]

The Principle of Polarity says that all manifested things have:

• two sides
• two aspects
• two poles
• pair of opposites with manifold degrees between the two extremes.

The human version of this is:

• “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”

The difference between things seemingly diametrically opposed to each other is merely a matter of degree.

This applies to everything. 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”. The differences between the two ends of the board are the same, with many degrees between the two extremes.

The scale of color is the same. Higher and lower vibrations are 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.

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.

This fact 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 turn into Hate. 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, etc.

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.

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.

Even to ordinary people, the Positive pole seems higher 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 via 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.

Mental states and rates of vibration can be produced by “induction” from others. This can change the polarity of his mental states.

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 with a trained will can use it to bring his own mind up to the desired vibration. He can thus:

• obtain the desired polarization
• produce a similar mental state in the other person by induction

In this way, his Fear and other negative emotions are transmuted to Courage and similar positive mental states.

This 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
• be able to raise or lower the vibration at will, change his mental poles, and thus be Master of his mental states, instead of being their servant and slave.