What do you think?
Rate this book
The Kybalion: A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece
This is an illustrated edition of an occult classic, with an intriguing and thought-provoking foreword by Summum. Since 1908, The Kybalion has served as a study of basic Hermetic teachings that outline an ageless wisdom and touch upon the inner workings of nature. 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 purpose of this work is not the enunciation of any special philosophy or doctrine, but rather is to give to the students a statement of the Truth that will serve to reconcile the many bits of occult knowledge that they may have acquired, but which are apparently opposed to each other and which often serve to discourage and disgust the beginner in the study. Our intent is not to erect a new Temple of Knowledge, but rather to place in the hands of the student a Master-Key with which he may open the many inner doors in the Temple of Mystery through the main portals he has already entered." -- The Kybalion
Illustrations in the print editions are black and white. Illustrations in the ebook (epub) are color.
"The purpose of this work is not the enunciation of any special philosophy or doctrine, but rather is to give to the students a statement of the Truth that will serve to reconcile the many bits of occult knowledge that they may have acquired, but which are apparently opposed to each other and which often serve to discourage and disgust the beginner in the study. Our intent is not to erect a new Temple of Knowledge, but rather to place in the hands of the student a Master-Key with which he may open the many inner doors in the Temple of Mystery through the main portals he has already entered." -- The Kybalion
Illustrations in the print editions are black and white. Illustrations in the ebook (epub) are color.
- GenresSpirituality
164 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 2021
229 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 27, 2024
I have often wondered why many New Age and fringe beliefs have a similar flavor to them, but until picking up this book I didn't have a full idea of where they really stem from.
While the Kybalion is not in itself a Hermetic text, the way that it is written for modern audiences is a good jumping-off point to explore ancient mysteries.
As someone who grew up with a parent in a New Age alien Jesus cult, this book revealed where a lot of the ideas were ripped from (especially since both originated in the early 20th century.) This is more revealing of modern New Age than it is ancient practices. I feel like any spiritual tiktok guru with a workshop is ripping partially from this text, whether knowing or unknowingly.
I'm interested in digging further, but at this point, my Goodreads is starting to look like an episode of ancient aliens on meth.
While the Kybalion is not in itself a Hermetic text, the way that it is written for modern audiences is a good jumping-off point to explore ancient mysteries.
As someone who grew up with a parent in a New Age alien Jesus cult, this book revealed where a lot of the ideas were ripped from (especially since both originated in the early 20th century.) This is more revealing of modern New Age than it is ancient practices. I feel like any spiritual tiktok guru with a workshop is ripping partially from this text, whether knowing or unknowingly.
I'm interested in digging further, but at this point, my Goodreads is starting to look like an episode of ancient aliens on meth.
December 10, 2025
For a book that's 136, it took me DAYS to finish, and here's why;
The Kybalion is one of the strangest reading experiences I’ve ever had:
part genuinely insightful philosophy, part pompous mysticism, and part spiritual ego trip.
On the positive side, the Hermetic principles themselves — Polarity, Rhythm, Mentalism, and so on — are fascinating, and when the book focuses on explaining these ideas, it works. Some passages are genuinely thought-provoking, and a few concepts (like Polarity) are applicable in real, grounded ways.
But the problems… oh, there are problems.
The tone is wildly inconsistent. One paragraph offers a useful idea, and the next suddenly turns condescending, elitist, or flat-out insulting. The authors constantly talk about “The Masses” as weak, unthinking, inferior beings, while glorifying “The Masters” as nearly superhuman. It creates a bizarre spiritual hierarchy that feels more like ego than wisdom.
Emotionally, the book swings between insight and irritation. The structure is messy; the pacing is uneven; whole chapters feel long-winded or contradictory. Modern readers will immediately recognise that some ideas are explained poorly or irresponsibly — especially the sections about “controlling emotions,” which could easily be misinterpreted as praising emotional numbness instead of healthy emotional regulation.
In short:
Great ideas buried under Victorian elitism, confusing explanations, and unnecessary arrogance.
This could have been a brilliant book if the authors hadn’t wandered so far into their own egos.
Worth reading for the historical value and the core principles —
but go in with a critical mind, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself arguing with the text more than once.
The Kybalion is one of the strangest reading experiences I’ve ever had:
part genuinely insightful philosophy, part pompous mysticism, and part spiritual ego trip.
On the positive side, the Hermetic principles themselves — Polarity, Rhythm, Mentalism, and so on — are fascinating, and when the book focuses on explaining these ideas, it works. Some passages are genuinely thought-provoking, and a few concepts (like Polarity) are applicable in real, grounded ways.
But the problems… oh, there are problems.
The tone is wildly inconsistent. One paragraph offers a useful idea, and the next suddenly turns condescending, elitist, or flat-out insulting. The authors constantly talk about “The Masses” as weak, unthinking, inferior beings, while glorifying “The Masters” as nearly superhuman. It creates a bizarre spiritual hierarchy that feels more like ego than wisdom.
Emotionally, the book swings between insight and irritation. The structure is messy; the pacing is uneven; whole chapters feel long-winded or contradictory. Modern readers will immediately recognise that some ideas are explained poorly or irresponsibly — especially the sections about “controlling emotions,” which could easily be misinterpreted as praising emotional numbness instead of healthy emotional regulation.
In short:
Great ideas buried under Victorian elitism, confusing explanations, and unnecessary arrogance.
This could have been a brilliant book if the authors hadn’t wandered so far into their own egos.
Worth reading for the historical value and the core principles —
but go in with a critical mind, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself arguing with the text more than once.
November 10, 2024
What's in here...
Twenty words or more. The Gold specifies these synchronicities for one's eyes only. When your time comes, good luck with whatever.
Twenty words or more. The Gold specifies these synchronicities for one's eyes only. When your time comes, good luck with whatever.
December 23, 2024
This is interesting if you are not familiar with new age and how it all came about.
It is long in explaining but intersting
It is long in explaining but intersting
April 4, 2023
Incrível a semelhança a Jung, principalmente no conceito de Gêneros.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews