true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the
Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX,
on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever
the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible
without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on
many a subject that has perplexed the minds of men. The Principle of
Gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration, and
creation. Everything, and every person, contains the two Elements or
Principles, or this great Principle, within it, him or her. Every Male
thing has the Female Element also; every Female contains also the Male
Principle. If you would understand the philosophy of Mental and
Spiritual Creation, Generation, and Re-generation, you must understand
and study this Hermetic Principle. It contains the solution of many
mysteries of Life. We caution you that this Principle has no reference
to the many base, pernicious and degrading lustful theories, teachings
and practices, which are taught under fanciful titles, and which are a
prostitution of the great natural principle of Gender. Such base
revivals of the ancient infamous forms of Phallicism tend to ruin mind,
body and soul, and the Hermetic Philosophy has ever sounded the warning
note against these degraded teachings which tend toward lust,
licentiousness, and perversion of Nature's principles. If you seek such
teachings, you must go elsewhere for them--Hermeticism contains nothing
for you along these lines. To the pure, all things are pure; to the
base, all things are base.



CHAPTER III

MENTAL TRANSMUTATION