The mental Gender (Chapter XIV, The Kybalion)
Students of psychology who have followed the modern trend of thought along the lines of
mental phenomena are struck by the persistence of the dual-mind idea which has
manifested itself so strongly during the past ten or fifteen years, and which has given rise to
a number of plausible theories regarding the nature and constitution of these “two minds.”
The late Thomson J. Hudson attained great popularity in 1893 by advancing his well-known
theory of the “objective and subjective minds” which he held existed in every individual.
Other writers have attracted almost equal attention by the theories regarding the “conscious
and sub-conscious minds”; the “voluntary and involuntary minds”; “the active and passive
minds,” etc., etc. The theories of the various writers differ from each other, but there remains
the underlying principle of “the duality of mind.”
The student of the Hermetic Philosophy is tempted to smile when he reads and hears of
these many “new theories” regarding the duality of mind, each school adhering tenaciously
to its own pet theories, and each claiming to have “discovered the truth.” The student turns
back the pages of occult history, and away back in the dim beginnings of occult teachings he
finds references to the ancient Hermetic doctrine of the Principle of Gender on the Mental
Plane–the manifestation of Mental Gender. And examining further he finds that the ancient
philosophy took cognizance of the phenomenon of the “dual mind,” and accounted for it by
the theory of Mental Gender. This idea of Mental Gender may be explained in a few words to
students who are familiar with the modern theories just alluded to. The Masculine Principle
of Mind corresponds to the so-called Objective Mind; Conscious Mind; Voluntary Mind;
Active Mind, etc. And the Feminine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called Subjective
Mind; Subconscious Mind; Involuntary Mind; Passive Mind, etc. Of course the Hermetic
Teachings do not agree with the many modern theories regarding the nature of the two
phases of mind, nor does it admit many of the facts claimed for the two respective aspects–
some of the said theories and claims being very far-fetched and incapable of standing the
test of experiment and demonstration.
We point to the phases of agreement merely for the purpose of helping the student
to assimilate his previously acquired knowledge with the teachings of the Hermetic Philosophy.
Students of Hudson will notice the statement at the beginning of his second chapter of “The Law of Psychic Phenomena,”
that: “The mystic jargon of the Hermetic philosophers discloses the same general idea”–i. e., the duality of mind.
If Dr. Hudson had taken the time and trouble to decipher a little of “the mystic jargon of
tile Hermetic Philosophy,” he might have received much light upon the subject of “the dual mind”–but then, perhaps,
his most interesting work might not have been written. Let us now consider the Hermetic Teachings regarding Mental Gender.
The Hermetic Teachers impart their instruction regarding this subject by bidding their
students examine the report of their consciousness regarding their Self. The students are
bidden to turn their attention inward upon the Self dwelling within each. Each student is led
to see that his consciousness gives him first a report of the existence of his Self–the report is
“I Am.” This at first seems to be the final words from the consciousness, but a little further
examination discloses the fact that this “I Am” may be separated or split into two distinct
parts, or aspects, which while working in unison and in conjunction, yet, nevertheless, may
be separated in consciousness.
While at first there seems to be only an “I” existing, a more careful and closer examination
reveals the fact that there exists an “I” and a “Me.” These mental twins differ in their
characteristics and nature, and an examination of their nature and the phenomena arising
from the same will throw much light upon many of the problems of mental influence.
Let us begin with a consideration of the “Me,” which is usually mistaken for the “I” by the
student, until he presses the inquiry a little further back into the recesses of consciousness.
A man thinks of his Self (in its aspect of “Me”) as being composed of certain feelings, tastes,
likes, dislikes, habits, peculiar ties, characteristics, etc., all of which go to make up his
personality, or the “Self” known to himself and others. He knows that these emotions and
feelings change; are born and die away; are subject to the Principle of Rhythm, and the
Principle of Polarity, which take him from one extreme of feeling to another. He also thinks of
the “Me” as being certain knowledge gathered together in his mind, and thus forming a part
of himself. This is the ”Me” of a man.
But we have proceeded too hastily. The “Me” of many men may be said to consist largely
of their consciousness of the body and their physical appetites, etc. Their consciousness
being largely bound up with their bodily nature, they practically “live there.” Some men even
go so far as to regard their personal apparel as a part of their “Me,” and actually seem to
consider it a part of themselves. A writer has humorously said that “men consist of three
parts–soul, body and clothes.” These “clothes conscious” people would lose their personality
if divested of their clothing by savages upon the occasion of a ship-wreck. But even many
who are not so closely bound up with the idea of personal raiment stick closely to the
consciousness of their bodies being their “Me.” They cannot conceive of a Self independent
of the body. Their mind seems to them to be practically “a something belonging to” their
body–which in many cases it is indeed.
But as man rises in the scale of consciousness he is able to disentangle his “Me” from his
idea of body, and is able to think of his body as “belonging to” the mental part of him. But
even then he is very apt to identify the “Me” entirely with the mental states, feelings, etc.,
which he feels to exist within him. He is very apt to consider these internal states as identical
with himself, instead of their being simply “things” produced by some part of his mentality,
and existing within him–of him, and in him, but still not “himself.” He sees that he may
change these internal states of feelings by an effort of will, and that he may produce a
feeling or state of an exactly opposite nature, in the same way, and yet the same “Me”
exists.
And so after a while he is able to set aside these various mental states, emotions,
feelings, habits, qualities, characteristics, and other personal mental belongings–he is able
to set them aside in the “not-me” collection of curiosities and encumbrances, as well as
valuable possessions. This requires much mental concentration and power of mental
analysis on the part of the student. But still the task is possible for the advanced student, and
even those not so far advanced are able to see, in the imagination, how the process may be
performed.
After this laying-aside process has been performed, the student will find himself in
conscious possession of a “Self” which may be considered in its “I” and “Me” dual aspects.
The “Me” will be felt to be a Something mental in which thoughts, ideas, emotions, feelings,
and other mental states may be produced. It may be considered as the “mental womb,” as
the ancients styled it–capable of generating mental offspring. It reports to the consciousness
as a “Me” with latent powers of creation and generation of mental progeny of all sorts and
kinds. Its powers of creative energy are felt to be enormous. But still it seems to be
conscious that it must receive some form of energy from either its “I” companion, or else
from some other “I,” ere it is able to bring into being its mental creations. This consciousness
brings with it a realization of an enormous capacity for mental work and creative ability.
But the student soon finds that this is not all that he finds within his inner consciousness.
He finds that there exists a mental Something which is able to Will that the “Me” act along
certain creative lines, and which is also able to stand aside and witness the mental creation.
This part of himself he is taught to call his “I.” He is able to rest in its consciousness at will.
He finds there not a consciousness of an ability to generate and actively create, in the sense
of the gradual process attendant upon mental operations, but rather a sense and
consciousness of an ability to project an energy from the “I” to the “Me”–a process of “willing”
that the mental creation begin and proceed. He also finds that the “I” is able to stand aside
and witness the operations of the “Me's” mental creation and generation. There is this dual
aspect in the mind of every person. The “I” represents the Masculine Principle of Mental
Gender–the “Me” represents the Female Principle. The “I” represents the Aspect of Being;
the “Me” the Aspect of Becoming. You will notice that the Principle of Correspondence
operates on this plane just as it does upon the great plane upon which the creation of
Universes is performed. The two are similar in kind, although vastly different in degree. “As
above, so below; as below, so above.”
These aspects of mind–the Masculine and Feminine Principles–the “I” and the “Me”–
considered in connection with the well-known mental and psychic phenomena, give the
master-key to these dimly known regions of mental operation and manifestation. The
principle of Mental Gender gives the truth underlying the whole field of the phenomena of
mental influence, etc.
The tendency of the Feminine Principle is always in the direction of receiving
impressions, while the tendency of the Masculine Principle is always in. the direction of
giving out, or expressing. The Feminine Principle has a much more varied field of operation
than has the Masculine Principle. The Feminine Principle conducts the work of generating
new thoughts, concepts, ideas, including the work of the imagination. The Masculine
Principle contents itself with the work of the “Will,” in its varied phases. And yet without the
active aid of the Will of the Masculine Principle, the Feminine Principle is apt to rest content
with generating mental images which are the result of impressions received from outside,
instead of producing original mental creations.
Persons who can give continued attention and thought to a subject actively employ both
of the Mental Principles–the Feminine in the work of active mental generation, and the
Masculine Will in stimulating and energizing the creative portion of the mind. The majority of
persons really employ the Masculine Principle but little and are content to live according to
the thoughts and ideas instilled into the “Me” from the “I” of other minds. But it is not our
purpose to dwell upon this phase of the subject, which may be studied from any good textbook
upon psychology, with the key that we have given you regarding Mental Gender.
The student of Psychic Phenomena is aware of the wonderful phenomena classified
under the head of Telepathy; Thought Transference; Mental Influence; Suggestion;
Hypnotism, etc. Many have sought for an explanation of these varied phases of phenomena
under the theories of the various “dual mind” teachers. And in a measure they are right, for
there is clearly a manifestation of two distinct phases of mental activity. But if such students
will consider these “dual minds” in the light of the Hermetic Teachings regarding Vibrations
and Mental Gender, they will see that the long sought for key is at hand.
In the phenomena of Telepathy it is seen how the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine
Principle is projected toward the Feminine Principle of another person, and the latter takes
the seed-thought and allows it to develop into maturity. In the same way Suggestion and
Hypnotism operates. The Masculine Principle of the person giving the suggestions directs a
stream of Vibratory Energy or Will-Power toward the Feminine Principle of the other person,
and the latter accepting it makes it its own and acts and thinks accordingly. An idea thus
lodged in the mind of another person grows and develops, and in time is regarded as the
rightful mental offspring of the individual, whereas it is in reality like the cuckoo egg placed in
the sparrow's nest, where it destroys the rightful offspring and makes itself at home. The
normal method is for the Masculine and Feminine Principles in a person's mind to coordinate
and act harmoniously in conjunction with each other. But, unfortunately, the
Masculine Principle in the average person is too lazy to act–the display of Will-Power is too
slight–and the consequence is that such persons are ruled almost entirely by the minds and
wills of other persons, whom they allow to do their thinking and willing for them. How few
original thoughts or original actions are performed by the average person? Are not the
majority of persons mere shadows and echoes of others having stronger wills or minds than
themselves? The trouble is that the average person dwells almost altogether in his “Me”
consciousness, and does not realize that he has such a thing as an “I.” He is polarized in his
Feminine Principle of Mind, and the Masculine Principle, in which is lodged the Will, is
allowed to remain inactive and not employed.
The strong men and women of the world invariably manifest the Masculine Principle of
Will, and their strength depends materially upon this fact. Instead of living upon the
impressions made upon their minds by others, they dominate their own minds by their Will,
obtaining the kind of mental images desired, and moreover dominate the minds of others
likewise, in the same manner. Look at the strong people, how they manage to implant their
seed-thoughts in the minds of the masses of the people, thus causing the latter to think
thoughts in accordance with the desires and wills of the strong individuals. This is why the
masses of people are such sheep-like creatures, never originating an idea of their own, nor
using their own powers of mental activity.
The manifestation of Mental Gender may be noticed all around us in everyday life. The
magnetic persons are those who are able to use the Masculine Principle in the way of
impressing their ideas upon others. The actor who makes people weep or cry as he wills, is
employing this principle. And so is the successful orator, statesman, preacher, writer or other
people who are before the public attention. The peculiar influence exerted by some people
over others is due to the manifestation of Mental Gender along the Vibratorial lines above
indicated. In this principle lies the secret of personal magnetism, personal influence,
fascination, etc., as well as the phenomena generally grouped under the name of
Hypnotism.
The student who has familiarized himself with the phenomena generally spoken of as
“psychic” will have discovered the important part played in the said phenomena by that force
which science has styled “Suggestion,” by which term is meant the process or method
whereby an idea is transferred to, or “impressed upon” the mind of another, causing the
second mind to act in accordance therewith. A correct understanding of Suggestion is
necessary in order to intelligently comprehend the varied psychical phenomena which
Suggestion underlies. But, still more is a knowledge of Vibration and Mental Gender
necessary for the student of Suggestion. For the whole principle of Suggestion depends
upon the principle of Mental Gender and Vibration.
It is customary for the writers and teachers of Suggestion to explain that it is the
“objective or voluntary” mind which make the mental impression, or suggestion, upon the
“subjective or involuntary” mind. But they do not describe the process or give us any analogy
in nature whereby we may more readily comprehend the idea But if you will think of the
matter in the light of the Hermetic Teachings, you will be able to see that the energizing of
the Feminine Principle by the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine Principle is in accordance to
the universal laws of nature, and that the natural world affords countless analogies whereby
the principle may be understood. In fact, the Hermetic Teachings show that the very creation
of the Universe follows the same law, and that in all creative manifestations, upon the planes
of the spiritual, the mental, and the physical, there is always in operation this principle of
Gender–this manifestation of the Masculine and the Feminine Principles. “As above, so
below; as below, so above.” And more than this, when the principle of Mental Gender is
once grasped and understood, the varied phenomena of psychology at once becomes
capable of intelligent classification and study, instead of being very much in the dark. The
principle “works out” in practice, because it is based upon the immutable universal laws of
life.
We shall not enter into an extended discussion of, or description of, the varied
phenomena of mental influence or psychic activity. There are many books, many of them
quite good, which have been written and published on this subject of late years. The main
facts stated in these various books are correct, although the several writers have attempted
to explain the phenomena by various pet theories of their own. The student may acquaint
himself with these matters, and by using the theory of Mental Gender he will be able to bring
order out of the chaos of conflicting theory and teachings, and may, moreover, readily make
himself a master of the subject if he be so inclined. The purpose of this work is not to give an
extended account of psychic phenomena, but rather to give to the student a master-key
whereby he may unlock the many doors leading into the parts of the Temple of Knowledge
which he may wish to explore. We feel that in this consideration of the teachings of The
Kybalion, one may find an explanation which will serve to clear away many perplexing
difficulties–a key that will unlock many doors. What is the use of going into detail regarding
all of the many features of psychic phenomena and mental science, provided we place in the
hands of the student the means whereby he may acquaint himself fully regarding any phase
of the subject which may interest him. With the aid of The Kybalion one may go through any
occult library anew, the old Light from Egypt illuminating many dark pages, and obscure
subjects. That is the purpose of this book. We do not come expounding a new philosophy,
but rather furnishing the outlines of a great world-old teaching which will make clear the
teachings of others–which will serve as a Great Reconciler of differing theories, and
opposing doctrines.
Read Lecture 12: "The power of positive thought."
Let´s receive love and peace from all of us.
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