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Bridging Science and Spirituality
Principle of Polarity
"This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is dual"; "everything has two poles"; "everything has its pair of opposites," all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: "Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; "opposites are the same, differing only in degree"; "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled"; "extremes meet"; "everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything," etc., etc., etc. It explains that in everything there are two poles, or opposite aspects, and that "opposites" are really only the two extremes of the same thing, with many varying degrees between them. To illustrate: Heat and Cold, although "opposites," are really the same thing, the differences consisting merely of degrees of the same thing. Look at your thermometer? and see if you can discover where "heat" terminates and "cold" begins! There is no such thing as "absolute heat" or "absolute cold" - the two terms "heat" and "cold" simply indicate varying degrees of the same thing, and that "same thing" which manifests as "heat" and "cold" is merely a form, variety, and rate of Vibration. So "heat" and "cold" are simply the "two poles" of that which we call "Heat" - and the phenomena attendant thereupon are manifestations of the Principle of Polarity. The same Principle manifests in the case of "Light and Darkness," which are the same thing, the difference consisting of varying degrees between the two poles of the phenomena. Where does "darkness" leave off, and "light" begin? What is the difference between "Large and Small"? Between "Hard and Soft"? Between "Black? and White"? Between "Sharp and Dull"? Between "Noise and Quiet"? Between "High and Low"? Between "Positive and Negative"? The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes, and no other Principle can supersede it. The same Principle operates on the Mental Plane. Let us take a radical and extreme example that of "Love and Hate," two mental states apparently totally different. And yet there are degrees of Hate and degrees of Love, and a middle point in which we use the terms "Like or Dislike," which shade into each other so gradually that sometimes we are at a loss to know whether we "Like" or "dislike" or "neither." And all are simply degrees of the same thing, as you will see if you will but think a moment. And, more than this (and considered of more importance by the Hermetists), it is possible to change the vibrations of Hate to the vibrations of Love, in one's own mind, and in the minds of others. Many of you, who read these lines, have had personal experiences of the involuntary rapid transition from Love to Hate, and the reverse, in your own case and that of others. And you will therefore realize the possibility of this being accomplished by the use of the Will, by means of the Hermetic formulas. "Good and Evil" are but the poles of the same thing, and the Hermetist understand the art of transmuting Evil into Good, by means of an application of the Principle of Polarity. In short, the "Art of Polarization" becomes a phase of "Mental Alchemy?" known and practiced by the ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. An understanding of the Principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will devote the time and study necessary to master the art." (The Kybalion; San Francisco, 1904)This principle has been known since antiquity. It has been and is depicted in the symbols of many belief systems. These symbols include but are not limited to the circle, cross, Star of David, Yin/Yang and Eagle Feather.
Polarity as Yin and Yang
This is a table of seeming opposing states, conditions, motions or vectors. For dualities of state, condition or cause and effect see Table of Cause and Effect Dualities.
"Applying these fundamental laws to an explanation of the universe, as it is brought to human cognition, all manifestations of force may be treated as modes of vibrations. The essential differences give rise to three modes of vibration:
I. The Radiating: called also the "Dispersing", the "Propulsive", the "Positive", and the "Enharmonic".
II. The Focalizing: called also the "Negative", the "Negative Attractive?", the "Polarizing", and the "Harmonic".
III. The Dominant: called also the "Etheric", or the "Celestial".
"These, it will be noted, correspond to the three laws of being. It is not to be understood that any one of these three modes of vibration can exist independently. Each by itself is called a "current", and all three must be present in every "stream" or "flow" of force. The relations of the currents in every flow are expressible in thirds, and it is experimentally demonstrable that the relation of the three are in the order named: as 33 1/3 : 66 2/3 : 100. [KEELYS PHYSICAL PHILOSOPHY - Snell]
I. The Radiating: called also the "Dispersing", the "Propulsive", the "Positive", and the "Enharmonic".
II. The Focalizing: called also the "Negative", the "Negative Attractive?", the "Polarizing", and the "Harmonic".
III. The Dominant: called also the "Etheric", or the "Celestial".
"These, it will be noted, correspond to the three laws of being. It is not to be understood that any one of these three modes of vibration can exist independently. Each by itself is called a "current", and all three must be present in every "stream" or "flow" of force. The relations of the currents in every flow are expressible in thirds, and it is experimentally demonstrable that the relation of the three are in the order named: as 33 1/3 : 66 2/3 : 100. [KEELYS PHYSICAL PHILOSOPHY - Snell]
| The Focalizing | The Radiating |
| Absorbing | Emanating |
| Accumulating | Dissipating |
| Plus | Minus |
| Affinity | Disunity |
| Affinity to Neutral Center[2] | Affinity to Celestial[2] |
| Amperage | Voltage |
| Anode | Cathode |
| Appearance | Disappearance |
| Assembling | Distributing |
| Assimilation | Dispersion |
| Association | Dissociation |
| Attracting | Repulsing |
| Attractive | Propulsive |
| Attractive | Repulsive? |
| Center seeking | Center fleeing |
| Centropy | Entropy |
| Centralizing | Decentralizing |
| Charging | Discharging |
| Composing | Decomposing |
| Concentrative | Dispersing |
| Concordant | Discordant |
| Condensation | Ionization |
| Contracting | Expanding |
| Cooling | Heating |
| Decreasing volume | Increasing volume |
| Density | Evaporization? |
| Distinctness | Nebulousness |
| Earth | Heaven |
| Electricity | Magnetism |
| Endothermic | Exothermic |
| Fast revolution | Slow revolution |
| Fast orbit | Slow orbit |
| Focalizing? | Radiant? |
| Generating | Degenerating |
| Genero-active | Radio-active |
| Gravitation | Radiation |
| Gravity | Magnetism |
| Hardness | Softness |
| Harmonic[1] | Dominant[1] |
| Harmonic | Enharmonic |
| Health | Disease |
| High melting point | Low melting point |
| High pressure | Low pressure |
| Increasing Pressure | Decreasing Pressure |
| Integrating | Disintegrating |
| Inhalation | Exhalation |
| Induction | Conduction |
| Life | Death |
| Male | Female |
| Massive | Tenuous |
| Negative (Keely) | Positive (Keely) |
| Order | Chaos |
| Order | Disorder |
| Point? | Circumference |
| Polar Propulsion[1] | Polar Attraction[1] |
| Polarization[2] | Depolarization[2] |
| Positive | Negative |
| negative vibration?[1] | positive vibration?[1] |
| Polar | Depolar |
| Receptive | Propulsive |
| Red | Blue |
| Rising potential | Lowering potential |
| Slow rotation (spin) | Fast rotation (spin) |
| Slow spin | Fast spin |
| Solidity | Tenuosity |
| Solution | Dissolution? |
| Storing | Leaking |
| Sympathetic | Anti-sympathetic? |
| Centripetal | Centrifugal |
| Terrestrial | Celestial |
[1] see MAGNETISM AND ELECTRICITY
[2] see POLARIZATION AND DEPOLARIZATION
See Also
Dual
Duality
Father-Mother Principle
Polar
Rhythmic Balanced Interchange
Sex
Table of Cause and Effect Dualities
Page last modified on Saturday 25 of December, 2010 09:39:43 MST