Seven Hermetic Principles vs Nine Noble Virtues (Norse)

BY NICOLE LAU

The Seven Hermetic Principles and the Nine Noble Virtues represent two distinct yet complementary wisdom systems—one from Hellenistic Egypt describing universal laws governing reality, the other from Norse-Germanic culture outlining ethical virtues for honorable living. While the Hermetic Principles are cosmological and metaphysical (explaining how the universe works), the Nine Noble Virtues are ethical and practical (guiding how to live with honor). Despite different emphases, both systems offer complete frameworks for understanding reality and navigating life: Hermetic Principles provide the cosmic map, Nine Noble Virtues provide the moral compass. Comparing these systems reveals how ancient wisdom traditions balance understanding the universe with living virtuously within it.

The Seven Hermetic Principles

From The Kybalion (1908), attributed to "Three Initiates," synthesizing ancient Hermetic teachings:

1. The Principle of Mentalism

"THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental."

• Reality is fundamentally mental/consciousness, not material
• The universe exists within the Mind of THE ALL (God/Source)
• Matter is condensed thought; energy is thought in motion
• Understanding this principle grants power over material reality

2. The Principle of Correspondence

"As above, so below; as below, so above."

• Patterns repeat across all levels of reality
• Microcosm reflects macrocosm; individual mirrors universe
• Understanding one level reveals all levels
• The key to understanding the invisible is studying the visible

3. The Principle of Vibration

"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."

• All matter and energy is in constant motion
• Differences between manifestations are differences in vibration
• Thought vibrates at high frequency; matter at low frequency
• Mastering vibration allows transmutation and manifestation

4. The Principle of Polarity

"Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites."

• Opposites are identical in nature but different in degree
• Hot and cold are the same thing (temperature) at different points
• Love and hate are the same emotion at different vibrations
• Understanding polarity allows transmutation (changing one pole to another)

5. The Principle of Rhythm

"Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides."

• All things rise and fall, advance and retreat, wax and wane
• The pendulum swing manifests in everything
• Rhythm compensates—swing right equals swing left
• Mastering rhythm allows neutralizing unwanted swings

6. The Principle of Cause and Effect

"Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause."

• Nothing happens by chance; all is governed by Law
• Chance is merely a name for Law not recognized
• There are many planes of causation, but nothing escapes Law
• Masters rise to higher planes of causation, becoming causes rather than effects

7. The Principle of Gender

"Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles."

• Not just biological sex but metaphysical principles
• Masculine: active, projective, giving, yang
• Feminine: receptive, nurturing, receiving, yin
• Creation requires both principles working together
• Balance and integration of both is necessary for wholeness

The Nine Noble Virtues (Norse)

From modern Heathenry/Ásatrú, synthesizing values from Norse sagas, Eddas, and Germanic culture:

1. Courage (Hugr)

• Bravery in the face of danger, fear, or adversity
• Not absence of fear but action despite fear
• Willingness to face challenges, enemies, and fate itself
• The foundation of all other virtues

2. Truth (Sannr)

• Honesty in word and deed
• Speaking truth even when difficult or costly
• Keeping oaths and promises
• Living authentically, not wearing false masks

3. Honor (Sómi)

• Personal integrity and reputation
• Living according to your values and word
• Earning respect through worthy deeds
• Your name and reputation outlive you

4. Fidelity (Tryggð)

• Loyalty to family, friends, community, gods
• Keeping faith with those who trust you
• Standing by your people in good times and bad
• Trustworthiness and reliability

5. Discipline (Agi)

• Self-control and mastery over impulses
• Training body and mind
• Perseverance and dedication to goals
• The warrior's self-mastery

6. Hospitality (Gestrisni)

• Welcoming guests and strangers
• Sharing food, shelter, and warmth
• Sacred duty to host and be a good guest
• Building community through generosity

7. Self-Reliance (Sjálfstraust)

• Taking responsibility for yourself and your actions
• Not being a burden on others unnecessarily
• Developing skills and capabilities
• Independence balanced with community

8. Industriousness (Iðjusemi)

• Hard work and productivity
• Contributing to family and community
• Taking pride in your work and craft
• Laziness is shameful; effort is honorable

9. Perseverance (Þrautseigja)

• Endurance through hardship and adversity
• Not giving up when things are difficult
• Continuing the fight even when doom is certain (Ragnarök mentality)
• Resilience and determination

Core Similarities

1. Complete Systems

• Hermetic: Seven principles cover all aspects of reality (mind, matter, energy, causation)
• Norse: Nine virtues cover all aspects of character (courage, truth, honor, loyalty, discipline, hospitality, self-reliance, work, perseverance)
• Convergence: Both offer comprehensive frameworks, not partial teachings

2. Practical Application

• Hermetic: Principles are meant to be applied, not just understood intellectually
• Norse: Virtues are meant to be lived, not just admired
• Convergence: Both are action-oriented wisdom, not abstract philosophy

3. Balance and Integration

• Hermetic: Principle of Gender emphasizes balancing masculine/feminine; Polarity emphasizes integrating opposites
• Norse: Virtues balance individual (self-reliance) with community (hospitality, fidelity)
• Convergence: Both teach that wholeness requires integrating complementary forces

4. Mastery Through Understanding

• Hermetic: Understanding principles grants power over reality
• Norse: Embodying virtues grants honor and worthy life
• Convergence: Knowledge/virtue leads to mastery and excellence

Key Differences

1. Cosmological vs. Ethical

Hermetic Principles:

• Describe how the universe works
• Metaphysical and cosmological
• About understanding reality
• Objective laws governing all existence

Nine Noble Virtues:

• Describe how humans should act
• Ethical and moral
• About living honorably
• Subjective values guiding behavior

2. Universal Laws vs. Cultural Values

Hermetic Principles:

• Claim to be universal, applying to all reality everywhere
• Not culturally specific (though expressed through Hermetic tradition)
• Timeless and unchanging

Nine Noble Virtues:

• Rooted in specific culture (Norse-Germanic)
• Reflect warrior culture values
• Historically and culturally situated (though applicable beyond Norse context)

3. Understanding vs. Action

Hermetic Principles:

• Emphasis on understanding, contemplation, gnosis
• Knowledge is power
• Mental/spiritual work

Nine Noble Virtues:

• Emphasis on action, behavior, deeds
• Character is demonstrated through actions
• Physical/social work

4. Individual Mastery vs. Social Honor

Hermetic Principles:

• Focus on individual's relationship with cosmic laws
• Mastery is personal achievement
• Can be practiced in solitude

Nine Noble Virtues:

• Focus on individual's relationship with community
• Honor is social recognition
• Requires community to witness and validate

5. Transcendence vs. Engagement

Hermetic Principles:

• Goal is to rise above material plane, master causation
• Transcend the swings of rhythm and polarity
• Become cause rather than effect

Nine Noble Virtues:

• Goal is to engage honorably with life's challenges
• Face fate (wyrd) with courage and honor
• Live well within the world, not escape it

Complementary Integration

The two systems complement each other perfectly:

Hermetic Principles answer "How does reality work?"

• Mentalism: Reality is consciousness
• Correspondence: Patterns repeat across levels
• Vibration: Everything is energy in motion
• Polarity: Opposites are degrees of the same thing
• Rhythm: All things rise and fall
• Cause and Effect: Nothing happens by chance
• Gender: Creation requires masculine and feminine

Nine Noble Virtues answer "How should I live?"

• Courage: Face challenges bravely
• Truth: Speak and live honestly
• Honor: Maintain integrity and reputation
• Fidelity: Be loyal to your people
• Discipline: Master yourself
• Hospitality: Welcome and share with others
• Self-Reliance: Take responsibility for yourself
• Industriousness: Work hard and contribute
• Perseverance: Endure through hardship

Together:

• Understand cosmic laws (Hermetic) + Live virtuously within them (Norse)
• Master reality (Hermetic) + Master yourself (Norse)
• Know how the universe works (Hermetic) + Know how to act honorably (Norse)

Practical Application

Using Hermetic Principles:

• Mentalism: Your thoughts create your reality—choose them wisely
• Correspondence: Study yourself to understand the universe; study the universe to understand yourself
• Vibration: Raise your vibration through positive thoughts, emotions, and actions
• Polarity: Transform negative to positive by recognizing they're the same thing at different degrees
• Rhythm: Anticipate and neutralize unwanted swings; ride favorable rhythms
• Cause and Effect: Become a conscious cause rather than unconscious effect
• Gender: Balance your masculine (active) and feminine (receptive) energies

Using Nine Noble Virtues:

• Courage: Face your fears; take action despite uncertainty
• Truth: Speak honestly; keep your word; live authentically
• Honor: Act with integrity; build worthy reputation through deeds
• Fidelity: Be loyal to family, friends, community; keep faith
• Discipline: Train yourself; develop self-control; persevere in practice
• Hospitality: Welcome others; share generously; build community
• Self-Reliance: Take responsibility; develop skills; don't be a burden
• Industriousness: Work hard; contribute; take pride in your efforts
• Perseverance: Endure hardship; don't give up; keep fighting

Integrated Practice:

• Use Hermetic Principles to understand why things happen
• Use Nine Noble Virtues to guide how you respond
• Example: Understand that challenges follow Rhythm (Hermetic), face them with Courage and Perseverance (Norse)
• Example: Know that your thoughts create reality through Mentalism (Hermetic), so think with Truth and Honor (Norse)

The Constant Unification Perspective

From the Constant Unification framework, Hermetic Principles and Nine Noble Virtues are different calculations of the same truth constants:

Constant 1: Reality Operates by Knowable Patterns

• Hermetic calculation: Seven universal principles govern all reality
• Norse calculation: Nine virtues define honorable living within reality
• Convergence: The universe is ordered; understanding the order grants mastery

Constant 2: Balance is Essential

• Hermetic calculation: Gender principle—balance masculine/feminine; Polarity—integrate opposites
• Norse calculation: Balance individual virtues (self-reliance) with communal virtues (hospitality, fidelity)
• Convergence: Wholeness requires integrating complementary forces

Constant 3: Mastery Requires Both Understanding and Action

• Hermetic calculation: Understanding principles grants power
• Norse calculation: Embodying virtues grants honor
• Convergence: Knowledge without action is incomplete; action without understanding is blind

Constant 4: The Path is Systematic, Not Random

• Hermetic calculation: Seven principles provide complete cosmological framework
• Norse calculation: Nine virtues provide complete ethical framework
• Convergence: Wisdom is systematic; follow the complete system, not just parts

Conclusion

The Seven Hermetic Principles and Nine Noble Virtues, though addressing different aspects of existence (cosmology vs. ethics), offer complementary wisdom for the complete spiritual path. Hermetic Principles teach how the universe works; Nine Noble Virtues teach how to live honorably within it. Their differences—understanding vs. action, universal laws vs. cultural values, transcendence vs. engagement—are not contradictions but necessary complements.

Modern seekers need both. Hermetic Principles without Norse Virtues = knowledge without character, understanding without honor. Norse Virtues without Hermetic Principles = action without wisdom, honor without cosmic understanding. Together: Understand the cosmic laws (Hermetic) and live virtuously within them (Norse). Master reality (Hermetic) and master yourself (Norse). Know how the universe works (Hermetic) and how to act with honor (Norse).

As above, so below. Courage, truth, and honor. The principles are eternal. The virtues endure. The path is complete.