Polarization: The Art of Mental Alchemy
“Use Law against Laws; the higher against the lower; and by the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into that which is worthy, and thus triumph.”
Throughout my life, I’ve believed in opposites. Good and evil, light and dark, love and hate. I’ve come to find that more things are connected than I’d previously believed. This has given me so much comfort, knowing that not only my faults can be converted into good, but that all things in life can’t be boiled down to Good or Bad. There’s no one right way to do things. I grew up being taught there was a right way and a wrong way to live, and if you were living in the wrong, the consequence would be eternal suffering. It is true that our actions have consequences, but it is also true that all things are connected. If we live life without compassion, we’ll find ourselves alone, having left a wake of pain and destruction behind us.
“Everything is duel. 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 must be reconciled.”
- The Kybalion
Life is a polarity. Everything is connected. Our weaknesses are a part of our strengths, and vice versa. Throughout ancient texts and doctrines, the idea of control is fairly consistent. We are very limited. But the one thing that most agree on is our ability to master our thoughts and emotions. It is true that emotional reactions tend to lead towards negative decision making, but not all reactions are bad or are something to be avoided. Like a game of chess, it’s ideal to play from a dominant position, causing your opponent to react, allowing you to guide them to where you want them to be. But reaction doesn’t always imply poor decision making. The wise will take a moment to analyze a situation and respond to it, verses emotionally making the first move that seems right at the time. You can react in a consciously, thoughtful manner with purpose and best suited to your interests. This is mastery of a situation. But in order to be there, you must first understand how to master your emotion.
“The wise individual reacts in a consciously thoughtful manner, beneficial to his particular situation. He makes the choice of reacting thoughtfully, with purpose, and in a manner most suited to his best interests. This is mastery of a situation.” -Napoleon Hill
We all face challenging times. Some more than others. But we don’t have to be a slave to our circumstances. Our mental habits determine our reaction, and how we react to our circumstances affect us in the long run. Napoleon Hill said that achievement is accomplished by controlling our minds. We have the ability to control our thoughts and emotions. This is much easier said than done, but as with anything in life, through proper exercise and focused direction, we can gain power.
Opposites are really two poles of the same thing, the difference is in degrees. Mitch Horowitz, in his abridgment of the Kybalion, likens this concept in an illustration of temperatures. Heat and Cold are the same. The difference between the two is merely in degrees. “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 simply indicate varying degrees of the same thing. And that same thing that manifests as heat is merely a form, variety, and rate of vibration.” This is the same case with light and darkness, black and white, courage and fear. Everything is duel.
Through the understanding of this concept, we can master the mental faculties that we’ve been given. Doing so allows us to view the world in a different light. When we choose how we will respond to any situation, our likelihood for success or achievement in your chief aim in life rises dramatically. As with anything in life, power can only be achieved “through control, exercise, and direction.” -Napoleon Hill
I’ve created a chart based on the principle of polarization. It can be downloaded and kept on your device or printed. This one is optimized for an 11"x17" ledger, which can be ordered from an Office Depot for a couple dollars. Keep this somewhere in your house where you’ll see it. Let it remind you that you have more power than you know. Use it to practice the art of polarization.
“The mastery of polarization is the mastery of the fundamental principles of mental transmutation or mental alchemy. For unless one acquires the art of changing his own polarity, he will be unable to affect his environment.”
- Mitch Horowitz
3 more styles free to download here.
Get your own copy of The Kybalion here.
“To change your mood or mental state, change your vibration.”
-The Kybalion
