The most important hermetic axioms are the ones written down in the Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius. They can be found in the book 'The Way of Hermes' by Clement Salaman. The first two are: God: an intelligible world; world: a sensible God; man: a destructible world; God: an immovable world; heaven: a movable world; man: a reasonable world. Then there are three worlds. Now the immovable world (is) God, and the reasonable world is man: for both of (these) units (are) one: God and man after the species. Consequently (there are) three worlds on the whole: two units (make up) the sensible and one (is) the intelligible; one (is) after the species, and the third one (is) after (its) fullness. All of the multiple (belongs to) the three worlds: two of them (are) visible: (namely) the sensible and man, (that) destructible world; and the intelligible is this God: he is not visible, but evident within the visible (things) Answer from sigismundo_celine on reddit.com
Mysticryst
mysticryst.com › blogs › the-mystic-journal › hermetic-know-thyself-as-internal-locus-training-the-foundation-of-psychological-sovereignty
Hermetic "Know Thyself" as Internal Locus Training: Psychological Sovereignty Through Ancient Wisdom – Nicole's ritual universe
February 28, 2026 - This is the essence of internal ... contains within it a radical epistemological instruction: the primary laboratory for truth is your own consciousness....
Lightwarriorslegion
lightwarriorslegion.com › light warriors legion › occult › the seven hermetic principles
The 7 Hermetic Principles: Universal Laws Explained
January 7, 2026 - “Know thyself, and you will know the Universe and the gods.” This ancient Delphic maxim mirrors the Hermetic idea that everything is connected. But how can this be used practically?
What are the basic axioms of the hermetic philosophy?
The most important hermetic axioms are the ones written down in the Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius. They can be found in the book 'The Way of Hermes' by Clement Salaman. The first two are: God: an intelligible world; world: a sensible God; man: a destructible world; God: an immovable world; heaven: a movable world; man: a reasonable world. Then there are three worlds. Now the immovable world (is) God, and the reasonable world is man: for both of (these) units (are) one: God and man after the species. Consequently (there are) three worlds on the whole: two units (make up) the sensible and one (is) the intelligible; one (is) after the species, and the third one (is) after (its) fullness. All of the multiple (belongs to) the three worlds: two of them (are) visible: (namely) the sensible and man, (that) destructible world; and the intelligible is this God: he is not visible, but evident within the visible (things) More on reddit.com
16
23
June 28, 2020where does the quote by Socrates “to know yourself, think for yourself” come from? How do we know he said that?
Welcome to r/askphilosophy . Please read our rules before commenting and understand that your comments will be removed if they are not up to standard or otherwise break the rules. While we do not require citations in answers (but do encourage them), answers need to be reasonably substantive and well-researched, accurately portray the state of the research, and come only from those with relevant knowledge. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. More on reddit.com
5
1
January 10, 2021Who was it that said "to know thyself is the beginning of wisdom", and where was it said?
Welcome to r/askphilosophy . Please read our rules before commenting and understand that your comments will be removed if they are not up to standard or otherwise break the rules. While we do not require citations in answers (but do encourage them), answers need to be reasonably substantive and well-researched, accurately portray the state of the research, and come only from those with relevant knowledge. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. More on reddit.com
1
3
June 23, 2022Trying to find the source of this quote; is it Socrates or Aristotle?
"The beginning of all wisdom is wonder." So, it's possible that this quote is both from Socrates and Aristotle. I'll just focus on the sources in Aristotle because I have my Aristotle books next to me. The above quote is from Aristotle and is from Metaphysics Book I, chapter II. Chapter II The fact that this science is not productive is also clear from those who first engaged in philosophy. For human beings originally began philosophy, as they do now, because of wonder... However, the possession of this science must in a way leave us in a condition contrary to the one we were in when we began our search. For, as we said, everyone begins from wonder that something is the way it is, as they wonder at toys that move spontaneously, or the turnings of the sun.... I'm gonna say that the quote can be from both philosophers (depending on the translation, the quotes may obviously not be the as you have written them but hold the same meaning), as wisdom is central to both of their projects, though the attainment of wisdom will be different. Aristotle definitely sees wonder as being the first step to wisdom via trying to ask the highest questions, and this becomes clear when he is explaining the full story of why philosophy comes about. A couple paragraphs later, the second quote is said, showing that "the possession of this science" brings us wisdom which we attain first through a sense of wonder. More on reddit.com
10
14
February 9, 2015Videos
Great Quotes about Knowing Yourself
07:23
Lessons 2 &3: "Know Thyself" - YouTube
05:47
The Examined Life: Know Thyself #1 | WIRELESS PHILOSOPHY - YouTube
02:35
Socrates Quotes - Know Thyself - YouTube
Man know thyself; then thou shalt know the Universe and God. To ...
Man, know thyself! | "The Lord is kind and compassionate ...
Lightparty
lightparty.com › Spirituality › ManKnowThyself › ManKnowThyself.html
Man Know Thyself: Hermetic Qabalistic Keys to the Bible
This book is dedicated to the Truth · Copyright 1980 Raphael Ornstein, M.D. Published by San Francisco Medical Research Foundation 20 Sunnyside Ave, Suite A-156, MIll Valley, California 94941 (415) 381-4061
Modernmysteryschoolint
modernmysteryschoolint.com › home › know thyself
KNOW THYSELF - The Modern Mystery School
April 27, 2025 - At its essence, the Hermetic axiom Know Thyself beckons us to embark on a journey — not across distant lands or through the depths of outer space, but rather into the uncharted territory of our own being.
Spotify
open.spotify.com › episode › 6NcFA8HDXfkXKhmCQOIK9a
E62 - Robert Edward Grant: Decoding The Hermetic Principles & NEW Pyramid DISCOVERY - Know Thyself | Podcast on Spotify
September 5, 2023 - Listen to this episode from Know Thyself on Spotify. Polymath Robert Edward Grant explains the journey of knowing thyself through the 7 Hermetic Principles AND shares several new discoveries that he has made in relation to the pyramids & the Declaration of Independence.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/hermeticism › what are the basic axioms of the hermetic philosophy?
r/Hermeticism on Reddit: What are the basic axioms of the hermetic philosophy?
June 28, 2020 -
So I learned the Kybalion is not all that faithful to the original teaching of Hermes Trismegistus. This has left me wondering if Hermeticism is not what is taught in the Kybalion then what exactly is Hermetic Philosophy? I have tried looking everywhere for a summary of what hermetic philosophy is and its principles but can't find one anywhere. Could you give me a brief example of the core teachings? Or is asking for that proof I am undeserving to know what it is? I am going to order the corpus hermetic and the emerald tablets but I would like to hear what the philosophy means to the modern adept.
Edit: Spelling
Top answer 1 of 3
16
The most important hermetic axioms are the ones written down in the Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius. They can be found in the book 'The Way of Hermes' by Clement Salaman. The first two are: God: an intelligible world; world: a sensible God; man: a destructible world; God: an immovable world; heaven: a movable world; man: a reasonable world. Then there are three worlds. Now the immovable world (is) God, and the reasonable world is man: for both of (these) units (are) one: God and man after the species. Consequently (there are) three worlds on the whole: two units (make up) the sensible and one (is) the intelligible; one (is) after the species, and the third one (is) after (its) fullness. All of the multiple (belongs to) the three worlds: two of them (are) visible: (namely) the sensible and man, (that) destructible world; and the intelligible is this God: he is not visible, but evident within the visible (things)
2 of 3
5
The thing about trying to give a fixed set of "Hermetic principles" or "axioms" is that it's really super hard, because what we have as the "classical Hermetic canon/corpus" isn't a single, coherent set of texts, and presents a number of viewpoints that don't always agree amongst themselves (sometimes explicitly so). I recently put out two articles ( here and here ) about this very topic and why it's so difficult and what biases and problems it raises. In a way, you end up with a situation where if you ask five different Hermet(ic)ists what Hermet(ic)ism is about, you'll get seven different answers except eight on Wednesdays. Personally, I like looking at Book III of the Corpus Hermeticum as a very brief summary of both our cosmology and purpose from a Hermetic viewpoint; I put out my own translation, analysis, and summary of this text on my blog recently . However, that doesn't cover a lot of the philosophical or mystical aspects of the Way of Hermēs, either, which is elaborated on in other texts. I'm still in the process of trying to figure out what my own "summary" of the Hermetic texts are, but it's a hard process. But four "directives" stand out to me, and although these should not be taken as an exclusive or definitive list, I think it does bring up some of the biggest purposes of what's discussed in the Hermetic texts: To show devotion (SH IIb.2) To join reverence with knowledge (CH VI.5) To not be evil (CH XII.23) To enter into God so as to become God (CH I.26) All this is facilitated by means of (again, not an exclusive or definitive list): study of the natural world around us to understand the creation and creatures that were created by the Creator understanding the twisted, twisting happenings of fate by means of studying the motions of the planets and stars, i.e. astrology, along with other systems of omen understanding the proper roles, function, and place of matter in the created world and how we both fit and don't fit among them, and the means by which the cosmos changes and constantly regenerates without death or destruction but only dissolution introspection, meditation, and contemplation on the immortal soul of the human that inhabits a mortal body differentiating between the base desires of the body and the pure desires of the soul so that the soul can act more freely without being inhibited by the body attaining divine consciousness ("Nous") by means of reasoned speech ("Logos") to further us and our studies to better approach and behold the Divine participating in the activity of divinity (theurgy) by means of worship of divinity and calling the powers of divinity into this world elevation and ascent of the soul through spiritual rebirth to become more free from the powers of fate to better reclaim and recognize our divine status as holy entities made as children of the Divine But, of course, this is just my own take based on my own studies and approach. Others' will likely differ, especially depending on what other religious, spiritual, or occult influences they bring to bear on their Hermetic work; some people take in the Jewish or Jewish-derived practices of Qabbalah, some people take in more Iamblichean Neoplatonism, some focus more on alchemy, some focus more on astrology, some are more Christian, some are more Islamic, some are more polytheist, some focus more on this or that or the other. Hermet(ic)ism isn't really a "philosophy", per se, like how we might consider Stoicism or Platonism; if the term hadn't already been commandeered in modern times, a better term for this would be "theosophy", the coming-to-be-wise of God and the divine. It's more of a spiritual practice—perhaps even a religion, under some definitions—than a philosophy. Just like with starting a journey, the best way to start is to just get walking; the best way to get started with Hermetic stuff is to just dive right in. To that end, just get a copy of the Corpus Hermeticum and start reading and thinking on it, and see where it takes you. I wrote up a resource list with various translations of the Corpus Hermeticum, Asclepius, and Fragments about a month ago on this subreddit which should give you a few places to start; I recommend the Salaman translations of the Corpus Hermeticum, Definitions, and Asclepius, as well as the Copenhaver translation of the Corpus Hermeticum and Asclepius and absolutely definitely Litwa's translation of the Fragments (Hermetica II should absolutely be a part of everyone's library, and it's a shame it's relatively unused or unread outside of the Korē Kosmou).
soipost
soipost.wordpress.com › 2017 › 01 › 27 › man-know-thyself
Man Know Thyself | soipost
January 27, 2017 - The occult interpretation of this ... and is associated with the Hermetic axiom: That which is above, is as that which is below, and that which is below, is as that which is above....
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Know_thyself
Know thyself - Wikipedia
March 3, 2026 - In the ensuing dialogue, the two men agree that the self is not the body, and neither is it some combination of soul and body; they therefore conclude that a man's self is "nothing other than his soul" (130a–c). Socrates then considers how one should obtain knowledge of the soul (132c–133c). He begins by asking how they would solve the puzzle if, instead of "know thyself", the inscription at Delphi had read "see thyself".
Ritmanlibrary
ritmanlibrary.com › 2012 › 09 › hermeticism-key-to-universal-knowledge
Hermeticism. Key to universal knowledge.
September 17, 2012 - It has once more confirmed me in my view that Hermetica can be applied as the key to universal knowledge, as the Source leading to the obtaining of Gnosis: knowledge of the One Self and the All-self, and in this way to get to know God the Creator from his works.
Robert Edward Grant
robertedwardgrant.com › home › decoding the hermetic principles & new pyramid discovery – robert edward grant on know thyself podcast
Decoding The Hermetic Principles & NEW Pyramid DISCOVERY - Robert Edward Grant on Know Thyself Podcast
September 11, 2023 - The Hermetic Principles are seven foundational laws of our reality that can help us to understand and ascend in this lifetime. Grant takes us on a journey through those principles on this episode of Know Thyself, thoroughly explaining each one and how you can apply its wisdom to your life today.
Hermetic
hermetic-academy.com › self-knowledge
Self-Knowledge - The Foundation of Wisdom and Spiritual Life
February 12, 2024 - It translates to, “Know thyself!” Often, this statement is extended with: “Then you will know God!” Along with MEDEN AGAN (Nothing in excess!) and EI (You are), this injunction represents one of the three Apollonian wisdoms of the Mysteries ...
Address Hermetic World LTD Limnaria 1 Westpark Village, Shop 20, 8042, Paphos
Ritmanlibrary
ritmanlibrary.com › founder › hermetica-key-to-universal-knowledge
Hermetica, Key to Universal Knowledge by Joost R. Ritman
‘Nosce te ipsum – know thyself’ is also the motto over one of the entrance gates of a Greek temple at Delphi. As the founder of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica, the international centre of research on the sources of the Hermetica, ‘The Ritman Institute’ and the publishing house ‘In de Pelikaan’, I can assure you that for me the motto ‘He who knows himself, knows the All...
Superphysics
superphysics.org › research › hermes › kybalion › chapter-15
Hermetic Axioms | Superphysics
This makes the swing of the mental pendulum to manifest on the Lower Plane. Since he is on his Higher Plane, he escapes the consciousness of the swing backward. This is effected by polarizing on the Higher Self, and thus raising the mental vibrations of the Ego above those of the ordinary plane of consciousness. It is akin to rising above a thing and allowing it to pass beneath you. The advanced Hermetist polarizes himself at the Positive Pole of his Being-the “I Am” pole rather than the pole of personality and by “refusing” and “denying” the operation of Rhythm, raises himself above its plane of consciousness, and standing firm in his Statement of Being he allows the pendulum to swing back on the Lower Plane without changing his Polarity.
Mind Your Reality
mind-your-reality.com › seven_universal_laws.html
The Seven Universal Laws Explained - The Laws and Principles of the Universe
The New Thought author, James Allen, perfectly captured this Law when he said, "Circumstances do not make a man, they reveal him." This means that your outer world circumstances are revealing your inner world and so to change your circumstances, ...
Sacred-texts
sacred-texts.com › home › esoteric & occult
The Kybalion: Chapter II. The Seven Hermetic Principles | Internet Sacred Text Archive
The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: "As above, so below; as below, so above." And the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature.
Hermetics
hermetics.net › media-library › occultism › moina-mathers-know-thyself
Moina Mathers – Know Thyself – Hermetic Academy Library
Perfect knowledge of Self is required in order to attain Knowledge of Divinity, for when you can know the God of yourself it will be possible to obtain a dim vision of the God of All, for the God of the Macrocosm only reflects Himself to Man through the God of Man’s Microcosm · Therefore, ...
IMDb
imdb.com › title › tt29194817
"Know Thyself" Decoding The Hermetic Principles & NEW Pyramid DISCOVERY - Robert Edward Grant | Know Thyself EP 62 (Podcast Episode 2023) - IMDb
September 5, 2023 - IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers.
Quora
quora.com › What-is-the-philosophical-meaning-of-the-quote-Man-know-thyself-from-Socrates
What is the philosophical meaning of the quote, “Man know thyself” from Socrates? - Quora
Answer (1 of 22): This quote basically means to know yourself first and than learn other things. Who wrote the quote Know thyself? Socrates says, as he did in Phaedrus, that people make themselves appear ridiculous when they are trying to know ...
Medium
medium.com › @ruslansharonov › hermeticism-for-the-modern-seeker-an-ancient-path-to-self-knowledge-f0d1ef822fa6
Hermeticism for the Modern Seeker: An Ancient Path to Self-Knowledge | by Ruslan Sharonov | Medium
May 26, 2025 - These principles act as keys, unlocking deeper layers of reality. ... This famous Hermetic axiom expresses the idea that the microcosm (human being) reflects the macrocosm (the universe), and vice versa.
Redeemerbaltimore
redeemerbaltimore.org › know-thyself
Know Thyself – The Church of the Redeemer
April 18, 2024 - Inscribed on a column of the Temple of Apollo in the ancient Greek city of Delphi was the philosophical axiom: know thyself. These words are attributed to Socrates when asked about the totality of ALL philosophical axioms. He supposedly replied, “The unexamined life is not worth living.