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The Kybalion - Online

  by Three Initiates

The Kybalion online

An online edition of The Kybalion — this book is a study of basic Hermetic teachings that outline an ageless wisdom. In ancient times and even today, these teachings were not understood by the lay person, but were readily understood by students, after the axioms and principles had been explained and exemplified by the Hermetic Initiates and Masters to their Neophytes. The Kybalion was originally published in the early 1900's and is now in the public domain. A priceless gem!

Click to view PDF

The Kybalion is available in PDF format. Click here to view/download the PDF file.


The Kybalion
Second Illustrated Edition

An illustrated edition of The Kybalion is available that includes images which complement the work. This second edition includes an intriguing and thought-provoking foreword by Summum, and is available in ebook, print, and audio editions.

Ebook

The ebook features color illustrations. For a nominal cost of $1.99, this illustrated edition is available for eReaders.

Kindle Ebook Reader

Amazon Kindle users can download The Kybalion from Amazon's Kindle store.

This ebook was selected by Amazon for their "Great on Kindle" program which features high-quality nonfiction ebooks.

NOOK

Barnes & Noble NOOK users can obtain The Kybalion from B & N's NOOK bookstore.

iPad


Apple device users, look for The Kybalion on Apple Books.

Download The Kybalion ePub

The Kybalion is available from these other sellers:

The Kybalion in Print

The illustrated edition of The Kybalion is available in paperback and hardcover. The illustrations are in black and white and the books are available from Amazon.

$8.95 - Paperback
Available at Amazon

$15.95 - Hardcover
Available at Amazon
Audio speaker

The Kybalion — Audiobook
Narrated by: Steve McCleskey
Length: 4 hrs and 33 mins

The Kybalion is also available as an audio book. Enjoy listening.

CD cover

Sample from the Foreword

Who were the Three Initiates?

The authors of The Kybalion chose not to associate their names with the book, possibly because the principles and philosophy it outlines cannot be accredited to any person. Were they self-proclaimed initiates or did someone or something initiate them? If they were initiated, who or what did it and what was the initiation? As mysteries abound, explore the rest of the links on this page and see where they lead you.

But be sensible in your inquiry. Ultimately, their identity is irrelevant, for it is the message The Kybalion brings that holds importance, and overly concern about anything else will only amount to a distraction.

Paul Foster Case

Some say Paul Foster Case is an author of The Kybalion.

William Walker Atkinson

Yogi Ramacharaka

 aka William Walker Atkinson

Stories suggest Atkinson was one of the authors after meeting a traveler from the East.

In the book, The Kybalion: The Definitive Edition, religious scholar Philip Deslippe maintains that William Walker Atkinson is the sole author of The Kybalion.

Alchemy texts archives - Kybalion
An archived 1997 newsgroup discussion about The Kybalion and its authors.

History of the Kybalion
The Occult Library discusses the authors of The Kybalion. Could one initiate have been a woman?

Hermes Trismegistus

Hermes

The Three Initiates dedicated The Kybalion to a figure by the name of Hermes Trismegistus whom they credit for this information. But the axioms really describe the intelligence and characteristics of nature, and so the source is nature itself rather than a person. Nevertheless, the figure of Hermes has become closely tied to the work. Who or what was he? Explore the myths, the legends, the stories.

Thoth

Herbert Spencer

Herbert Spencer

The Kybalion's chapter on the Divine Paradox mentions Herbert Spencer who was an English philosopher, prominent classical liberal political theorist, and sociological theorist of the Victorian era. Spencer developed an all-embracing conception of evolution as the progressive development of the physical world, biological organisms, the human mind, and human culture and societies. The Kybalion alleges that he was an incarnation of the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, who taught the unity of opposites. Books by Spencer are available from Amazon.

Thomson J. Hudson

Thomson Jay Hudson

The Kybalion's chapter on Mental Gender also mentions Thomson J. Hudson who was a psychical researcher and is known for his three laws of psychic phenomena, first published in 1893. Dr. Hudson advanced theories of the objective and subjective mind. Books by him are available from Amazon.

The Kybalion in other Languages

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"These Unseen Divinities and Angelic Helpers...

...extend their influence freely and powerfully, in the process of Evolution, and Cosmic Progress. Their occasional intervention and assistance in human affairs have led to the many legends, beliefs, religions and traditions of the race, past and present." — The Kybalion

In 1975, such an intervention occurred. Listen to this account of one man's encounter with angelic beings and the events that led up to it.

Nothing is permanent but Change

"... all things [are] evolving from other things, and resolving into other things..." — The Kybalion

Therefore, change must apply to The Kybalion as well. While The Kybalion is a great little book, you have to admit, its language is slowly becoming more outdated. A newer publication has evolved that breathes fresh life into an age old philosophy...

Summum Pyramid
Photo © and courtesy of Summum

Summum and The Kybalion
If you liked The Kybalion, then here is another gem you should add to your reading collection. It offers ideas to questions and issues not found in The Kybalion. Explore the Grand Principle from which the Seven Principles arise.

"The voice of wisdom is silent, except to the open mind."— Summum

The epilogue of the Summum book tells a very fascinating story about one man's research into The Kybalion and what he discovered.

Epilogue of the
Summum book

The Seven Principles and the U.S. Supreme Court

Seal of the Supreme Court of the United States

History was made when the Seven Hermetic Principles went before the United States Supreme Court in November of 2008. The issue involved whether Summum, a spiritual organization that espouses the seven principles, could erect a monument of the principles next to a monument of the Ten Commandments in a city park.

From the Alternative Religions Blog at About.com:

"If Paul Case were alive today, I wonder what he would make of the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments from the town of Pleasant Grove, Utah, which is seeking to prevent a monument of the Seven Hermetic Aphorisms from being posted alongside its Ten Commandments."

On February 25, 2009, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision. All nine justices voted unanimously against the monument of the Seven Principles. It just goes to show you the rule of paradox is always in effect — the highest law of the land was not able to recognize the highest laws of nature.

To find out more, click here to do a Google search for articles about the case.

And if you feel inclined to read the legalese, click this link to view the Supreme Court's copy of the ruling.

Miscellany

Articles about the The Kybalion on Wikipedia

The Kybalion on YouTube
Videos about The Kybalion can be found on YouTube.