by Matthew Koren | Dec 7, 2022 | Hermetics
In an effort to distill the wisdoms found within old Hermetic axioms, we’re publishing a series of blog posts that dive into the theme of Hermetic Principles. We’ve shared about the Principle of Gender, and now we’ll cover the Principle of 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.
Within this text, we find a designation of things as similar, if not identical, in their essence. Yet they differ in their expression, or rather, they are ‘different in degree’. What this is pointing to, is the similarity amongst what may feel like opposites.
There’s a kindred ‘sameness’ amongst two things that feel like they’re fundamentally different. Alas, they’re born of the same cloth, if you will. An example that is offered to explain this concept, is the notion of hot and cold. While, on one hand, someone may think these two are opposite, in reality, they are both temperatures. In their most fundamental definition, they are different degrees of the same thing; temperature.
The Middle Way
The principle of Polarity calls into view the notion of the middle way. There’s a path of reconciliation, of harmony, of balance and equilibrium. This is the path we are called to walk. What we can learn from this Principle is that there’s a gradual nature of how things slide along their spectrum of expression.
When we speak of temperature, for instance, we have varying degrees on the spectrum of cold to hot. Of course, there are incremental and gradual differentiations along the path from hot to cold. These gradual changes, especially closer to the center of this spectrum, are key to understanding the notion of equilibrium and balance. If we are able to understand, through the placement of both extremes on either end of the Polarity, we can then choose the centered route of neutrality and balance. Oftentimes, as you may come to realize, the path of the middle way is found through employing the Principle of Polarity to bring imbalance back into balance.
by Matthew Koren | Nov 15, 2022 | Hermetics
Now that we’ve gone over the basics around Hermetic Principles, it’s time we start diving into some of the specific Principles as reviewed in “The Kybalion”. For our second blog post within this series, we’ll discuss the Principle of Gender.
“Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all planes.”–The Kybalion.
When we speak about the principle of Gender, we may likely find ourselves navigating within the sensitive nature of gender identity. Above all else, we care that these conversations empower and uplift all. This is why this blog post will begin with that precise reminder; these teachings are designed to empower individuals to express themselves authentically in service toward the uniqueness we’re all designed to express in this world! Also, the purity of these teachings are important to maintain as they give us a solid foundation to orient ourselves when we are confused about where to go next. In this way, we can ensure that all folks stay empowered as creators of their reality.
Humans are born as two different genders, male and female, as so proven by biology and that the science of this is accurate. Of course, each individual has the freedom to express themselves as whatever (i.e. gender, sexual orientation, etc.) or whoever brings them the most joy. However, the foundational physicality or starting point is that we are all born either male or female and that there are real differences in that foundation. If you go for gender reassignment surgery, the first thing the doctor needs to know is where s/he is starting from. Hermetics creates this clarity.
What we seek to bridge is the gap that is sometimes found between our physical reality, and our mental thoughts around it. This gap, which forms a disconnection from our physical reality, can create undue stress and mental health issues. In order to stay balanced in our creative capacities and in order to achieve self-mastery, it would behoove us to understand the Principle of Gender.
Masculine & Feminine Differentiation
What we are speaking of, in this regard, are the components necessary for creation. In order to create, our universe needs an interplay between the masculine and feminine energies. These two distinct qualities come together to come alive. The expressions of these qualities come in many different shapes and sizes, textures and colors.
Perhaps we can understand these qualities of energy in different ways. Ultimately, the qualities of masculine and feminine are not exactly opposites of each other, they are simply different. They are distinct from one another. Within the Hermetic teachings, we find that men can’t take action on what hasn’t been birthed. Women have to birth it first. Otherwise the energy won’t be there. After all, we are experiencing ourselves within a feminine Universe, where the feminine came first in the design. While both are necessary for creation, the feminine recognized the need for the masculine in order to create. Therefore, the masculine is here to serve the feminine. Human kind is here to serve the Goddess, the beloved planet we get to call home for now. We, as a human family, are only here because of Her.
There you have it, an overview of the Principle of Gender, which permeates all we know and all we do! May this information serve to empower you in your embodiment and expression of the qualities of gender.
by Matthew Koren | Sep 28, 2022 | Community Conversations
Alright, so everyone’s pretty familiar with the age-old archetypal relationship between student and teacher. The transference of key teachings, bestowed upon the student by the teacher, becomes a vehicle for the ongoing circulation of ancient wisdom.
Arguably the most valuable of ancient wisdom we have access to today are the Hermetic Teachings. Why, might you ask? Well, these teachings can be traced back as source code material for nearly all esoteric and ancient teachings, from every people, on every continent. Indeed, that’s a wide range.
In a reverent dedication to Hermes Trismegistus, three investigative students created a piece of work that has become a very powerful resource. This work is called “The Kybalion”, and it offers a summary of the teachings most fundamental. These teachings are the Hermetic Principles, and they’ve been promulgated through this treatise by the Three Initiates (whose identity spur their own air of mystery) since 1908. This crucial source of ancient wisdom has been a doorway for students of life to enter into a whole new way of living. So, are you ready to approach this door? Through this threshold awaits a new way of seeing, doing and believing.
Of course, as with most things in life, it’s important to embody one’s learned wisdom. So, you’re encouraged to read up about these Principles and then explore what it looks like to experience the understanding of them as a felt sense.
The propagation of these teachings is key for the ongoing development of an empowered populace. So, it’s only important to study these teachings insofar as the seeds they carry can be sown in the fertile ground of your mind and heart. Only then, when these seeds can germinate within you, can they grow to become mature and actualized. Only then, will you become a walking expression of the Arcane Truths.
Throughout the next few blog posts, we’ll explore the Principles and how you may notice their presence in your life. Once you enable the witness to really acknowledge the Principles at play, you’re free to play! Witnessing and observing (as with most things) comes first. So, enjoy the next few blog posts where we’ll dive deeper into the Principles.
by user_dd | May 31, 2022 | Community Conversations
Honest Communication as the Path
We’re at an age where many of us are beginning to understand the universal principle of gender. As an energetic principle, we all have feminine and masculine aspects working within and around us. Understanding these principles can help us to align with our highest expression of these aspects. Empowered with the knowledge needed for us to step into our highest expression, we become better and better versions of ourselves as time goes on.
Misconceptions & Modern Times
There are many misconceptions around masculinity. We don’t need to look too deep below the surface to find the layers of conditioning; masculinity is often associated with brute strength, assertiveness, courage, leadership and bravery. Now, when we look towards the way we’ve evolved, we recognize that the embodiment of this principle becomes less and less physical. We’ve already invented the wheel, forged new inventions and blazed plenty of trails. Now is the time in human history where we can begin to really refine the masculine principle into its Divine form.
Inner Inquiry
So, here we are, poised with the question of ‘how does the Divine Masculine communicate through me?’
The answer may be different for all of us. Yet there are some basic underlying principles that are important to acknowledge. When we apply the traditional traits of masculinity (strength, assertiveness, leadership) toward these modern times, we see that what’s really valiant is to apply these principles to the way we communicate our truth. Embodying the masculine principle in the way we communicate looks like openness and honesty. Oriented toward truth, we usher in clarity with compassion, never shying away from the power of whatever message we’re seeking to get across.
Compassion and Honesty
Through this compassionate expression of one’s truth, the people we’re communicating with are able to better understand where they stand. When I am embodying the principle of Divine Masculinity, I am not only able to clearly and compassionately articulate my truth and know exactly where I stand on any given matter, but I also allow others to know where they stand in relationship to me. The people in my life always know where they stand with me. I share my message gently, and with care, always orienting toward the importance of the intentionality behind my communication. When honesty is at the core, we calibrate to truth, and that is honorable.
Perhaps you can think of something you’ve been wanting to communicate to someone in your life. This is your invitation to practice a bit, perhaps with yourself first, finding compassion in the way your truth is communicated. Step by step, the Divine Masculine principle will continue to crystallize in your field as you become a stronger and more compassionately courageous human being!
by user_dd | May 23, 2022 | Community Conversations
So, we all know the term ‘physics’. Yet, how many of us are adept in understanding the term ‘metaphysics’? What’s the difference? (If you haven’t read our prior post around this topic, dive in).
Bluntly put, metaphysics provide a framework for understanding how our universe works (not just the physical matter that we perceive in our ‘reality’).
Alright, so let’s get back to our topic at hand; ‘toxic masculinity’. When I say that this concept is not real, I am saying that this term is subjective.
All subjectivity is ultimately not real.
The term “toxic masculinity” does not mean the same thing to everyone. There is no shared agreement or understanding about what is toxic versus not toxic. There is also a lot of confusion about what is masculine, but we’ll get to that later.
So when you put two words together to describe behaviors for which there is no shared agreement you end up with not meaning anything at all.
If one person can label a cis-straight male asking a woman out on a date “toxic,” and another person thinks that’s completely acceptable behavior, then there’s nothing objective or real about that distinction. If two people see a man open the door for a woman, and one reports it as toxic while another reports it as him simply being a gentleman, was it toxic masculinity?
“Objective” or “real” means there’s something observable and measurable that does not change based on who’s looking. That there’s agreement based on a shared experience. You don’t have that with ‘toxic masculinity.’
You see, something that is objectively real can’t be changed by your thoughts, opinions, or beliefs.
Conversely, anything that can be changed just by thinking about it, is subjective, or not real.
I can’t think a chair into being a car. I can say it’s a car, tell others it’s a car, and convince my baby brother that if he sits on the chair we can go for a ride, but the reality is, at the end of the day, it’s still a chair. And to my little brother’s dismay, it’s not going anywhere.
This is illustrated in the evolution of how LGBT became LGBTQII2+. If these distinctions were real, then they could not change. The reality is that as long as you can keep adding distinctions to the pile of letters sexual orientation has become, then you’re clearly talking about something subjective, not objective, not real. If the distinctions were real, then they wouldn’t need to be explained, adapted, contextualized, re-defined, parsed out, distinguished in ANY way, and then added onto by successive generations. They would just be…unfettered in their objective truth.
We’re creating new levels of distinctions to try and get at more nuances of identity and expression.
But none of that’s real. It’s convenient maybe, has meaning to some, but it’s not real.
Are these distinctions useful to people? Sure. I like telling women I’m a gay man. It relieves them of the social labor of having to guard themselves against me hitting on them with a sexual motive, when I’m merely trying to have a pleasant conversation. But how many gay men have actually had sex with a woman? I personally know many gay
men who have not only children, but also grandchildren. So clearly they’ve had sex with women.
So the distinction, while convenient and maybe even meaningful, is not real.
Clearly being “gay” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.
Are you gay because you are male and have had a sexual experience with another man? Isn’t that what a bisexual male does? How many straight men have experimented sexually with other men? Does one gay experience make you gay? Or is there a minimum number, like 5 times, and then you’re officially gay.
Are you only gay if you march in parades and proudly display your homosexuality? Does eschewing that behavior mean we ‘take your Gay card away?’
As you all know, only you can define this identity for yourself. No one can tell you whether you’re gay, bi, whatever. I don’t care what you are, if it serves you, go for it. But if I and no one else can tell by looking at you or your behavior and make that distinction accurately most of the time, it isn’t a real distinction.
It’s convenient and maybe even meaningful, but it’s not real.
Here’s another example: We know that the experience of a black trans man is not the same as a white trans woman. Just because they’re both trans doesn’t mean they have the same experience.
Their race brings a very different dimension to their identity and experience in our culture. This is due to the effect of intersectionality on identity.
So when I tell you they are both trans, does that communicate anything meaningful to you about their experience? Does the term distinguish something or tell you something that helps you understand their experience holistically? It may, but also, it may not.
So the distinction, while convenient and maybe even meaningful, is not real.
Misunderstanding what’s objectively real versus what’s subjectively real, meaning what’s real for me and maybe not real for you, is the source of endless confusion in our society.
When we replace reality with subjectivity, we are damaging our own ability to understand who we really are, to find our place in the world, and most importantly: to navigate and adapt to change.
Throughout the ages, humans have learned to live in increasingly complex environments. Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution said, “It’s not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive, the future belongs to those who can best manage change.”
Because we have forgotten who we are, I believe we now live in a world where humans have forgotten how to be human.
The core work of being human is learning to ask the right questions. The only source of ‘capital T’ Truth is you!
Truth resonates with the wisdom of the heart. So, let your answers come from your heart. Your mind is polluted with all sorts of confusing thoughts and ideas programmed into you by society, or ingrained from prior traumas and dramas that aren’t who you truly are.
Our methods to distinguish what’s right from wrong, such as labeling behaviors as ‘toxic masculinity’ are actually creating more separation and hate, when what we really need is unity and love.
I say this, because our kids today are confused. By not pointing out which way is objectively north, they have no true orientation, no way to navigate the complexities of modern living.
For the sake of their psychological health, at least be clear that there’s a real, true difference between a man and woman. Stop pretending like there’s not.
Gender is real.
It’s embedded into reality in a way that will persist ever after we, and our opinions, die.
But “Toxic Masculinity” is not real. It’s a subjective opinion masquerading as objective reality. This is dangerous.
I’m just asking you to stop believing your subjective reality is objectively real. It’s not!
Trust me, you don’t need other people to validate your subjective reality in order to thrive. Gay men do it all the time. We learn to thrive in environments where other people disagree with our reality. Every day. 24/7. That’s life.
