The Law of Mental Neutralization: Controlling Emotional Fluctuations Using Hermetic Psychology

🧠 The Mental Law of Neutralization: How to Rise Above Emotional Swings and Regain Inner Control

Estimated reading time: 18–22 minutes

⭐ 40-Word Featured Snippet Version

The Mental Law of Neutralization—explained in The Kybalion (1908)—teaches that you can rise above emotional highs and lows by shifting into a higher mental plane. Rather than suppressing feelings, you neutralize their “swing” through conscious awareness and directed thought.

🔓 Introduction: The Hidden Hermetic Law That Stops Negative Emotions From Pulling You Down

If your emotions feel like they swing from confident to overwhelmed, peaceful to anxious, motivated to drained—you’re not weak; you’re human. Psychology calls these affective shifts. Hermetic philosophy calls them polarity swings.

But here’s the surprising part both agree on:

You don’t have to fight your emotions. You can rise above them.

This is the essence of the Mental Law of Neutralization, a Hermetic teaching that explains how you can “escape” emotional highs and lows by lifting your awareness to a higher mental position.

Modern psychology, without referencing Hermeticism, discovered nearly identical mechanisms:

• Cognitive reframing (Beck, 1979)
• Emotional regulation theory (Gross, 1998)
• Mindfulness-based non-reactivity (Bishop et al., 2004)
• Affect labeling (Lieberman et al., 2007)

This article translates the metaphysical idea into practical psychological steps.

By the end, you’ll learn:

• Exactly what the Mental Law of Neutralization means
• How Hermeticism explains emotional “pendulum swings”
• How modern psychology validates the principle
• How to use a 5-step method to stop negative emotional momentum
• How to apply it to fear, anger, sadness, stress, and overthinking
• How to download a free emotional neutralization workbook

Let’s begin.

🧩 What Is the Mental Law of Neutralization?

The Kybalion states:

“The Master of the mind neutralizes Rhythm, consciously rising above its swing.”“The Master of the mind neutralizes Rhythm, consciously rising above its swing.”

In Hermetic philosophy:

• The Law of Polarity says everything exists in degrees of opposites.
• The Law of Rhythm says everything experiences a forward and backward swing.
• The Mental Law of Neutralization says you can step above the swing so you are not controlled by it.

This is not suppressing emotions. It’s rising above them.

🔑 Simple Definition

Neutralization is the practice of moving your awareness to a higher mental position where emotions still exist—but they no longer drag you with their momentum.

Psychology mirrors this:

• Meta-awareness weakens emotional reactivity
• Cognitive reframing shifts emotional interpretation
• Breathwork interrupts the physiological loop
• Mindfulness creates distance between “you” and your feelings

Hermeticism simply explains it with different language.

🧲 Why Emotions Swing (Hermetic + Scientific Lens)

The Kybalion teaches:

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

This explains why after:

• joy comes fatigue
• confidence comes insecurity
• ambition comes doubt
• excitement comes anxiety

Psychology has its own explanations:

1. Opponent-Process Theory

Solomon & Corbit (1974) found that emotional highs generate a compensating low.

2. Homeostasis

Your body tries to return to a baseline state, creating oscillations.

3. Mood-congruent thinking

Negative mood automatically pulls negative thoughts into focus.

4. Neural momentum

Once an emotional trajectory starts, the brain tends to continue it.

Hermeticism and psychology are describing the same phenomenon in different languages.

🎛 Neutralization vs Suppression vs Avoidance

Because the law is often misunderstood, let’s define what it does not mean:

Neutralization is not suppression

You’re not forcing yourself to “stop feeling.” Suppression increases stress and physiological arousal (Gross, 1998).

Neutralization is not avoidance

You’re not distracting yourself to escape your emotions. Avoidance strengthens fear in the long term.

Neutralization is rising above

You watch the emotion from a higher perspective until the swing loses its grip.

This is why Hermetic masters were described as calm during storms—they weren’t suppressing emotion; they were simply unaffected by the swing.

🧘 How the Mental Law Works (Deep Mechanism)

The Kybalion says:

“The Master causes the mind to remain poised, refusing to participate in the backward swing.”“The Master causes the mind to remain poised, refusing to participate in the backward swing.”

Here’s the psychology behind that:

1. Awareness interrupts emotional momentum

Meta-awareness activates the prefrontal cortex, reducing reactivity.

2. Naming the emotion reduces intensity

Lieberman et al. (2007) showed that labeling an emotion weakens the amygdala response.

3. Reframing alters the emotional trajectory

Beck’s cognitive therapy proves that thoughts shape emotional direction.

4. Physiological calming breaks the feedback loop

Breathing slows the sympathetic nervous system, lowering agitation.

5. Conscious direction shifts you to a higher plane

The “higher plane” of Hermeticism corresponds with meta-cognition and executive function.

This is why the law works—not as magic, but as mental mechanics.

🧪 The 5-Step Neutralization Framework (Actionable Method)

You can use this instantly.

Step 1 — Recognize the Emotional Swing

Ask:

• “What direction is my mind moving right now?”
• “Is this rising or falling?”
• “Is this just rhythm?”

Recognition breaks unconsciousness.

Step 2 — Label the Emotion

Examples:

• “This is anxiety.”
• “This is frustration.”
• “This is irritation.”

Labeling cuts emotional intensity.

Step 3 — Shift to the Higher Plane (Hermetic Technique)

Say internally:

“I am the observer, not the emotion.”

This creates a psychological detachment.

Step 4 — Interrupt the Momentum

Use one:

• Slow breathing
• Grounding
• Cold splash
• Slow counting
• Asking “Is this absolutely true?”

Anything that interrupts the swing works.

Step 5 — Hold the Higher Position

Repeat:

“I remain steady. The swing passes beneath me.”

This stabilizes your mind above the rhythm.

🧠 Practical Examples: Neutralizing Real Emotional Scenarios

1. Anxiety

If you don’t intervene, anxiety spirals into fear → panic → helplessness.

Neutralization approach: Spot early tension → label it → move to observer → breathe → reframe → anxiety softens.

2. Anger

Anger accelerates quickly because of physiological activation.

Neutralization approach: Catch irritation → observe → pause → breathe slowly → emotion passes without escalation.

3. Sadness

Sadness often becomes rumination.

Neutralization approach: See sadness as a swing → label → detach → stop rumination → stabilize.

4. Stress

Stress pushes the mind into tunnel vision.

Neutralization approach: Recognize overwhelm → neutralize momentum → regain clarity.

🧬 Neutralization & the Law of Polarity

Hermeticism says all emotional states exist along a spectrum:

• Fear ↔ Courage
• Hate ↔ Love
• Depression ↔ Enthusiasm

Neutralization does not change the polarity—it changes your position in relation to the polarity.

In modern psychology, this resembles:

• Cognitive appraisal theory (Lazarus, 1991)
• Reframing emotional meaning
• Shifting attentional focus

Ultimately: You’re no longer yanked by extremes.

🧩 Neutralization & the Law of Rhythm

Every positive swing carries a compensating negative swing.

Hermeticism says you can “escape” the backward swing by rising to a higher plane of awareness.

Psychology says you can exit automatic emotional cycles through executive function.

Both systems converge: You are not the pendulum. You are the one observing it.

📘 Mini Story Case Study: Sarah’s Breakthrough

Sarah, a psychology student, often spiraled into anxiety before exams. Her inner dialogue:

“What if I fail? What if I blank out?”“What if I fail? What if I blank out?”

After learning the neutralization method, she tried it the next time anxiety appeared.

She:

1. Noted the anxiety
2. Labeled it
3. Shifted into observer mode
4. Breathed
5. Affirmed: “I don’t swing with this.”

To her surprise, the anxiety reduced from a “9/10” to a “4/10” in minutes.

Within weeks, she reported:

• fewer emotional swings
• faster recovery
• increasing clarity
• stable inner calm

Neutralization didn’t erase her emotions—it erased their power.

📥 Soft CTA: Download the Emotional Neutralization Workbook

Want worksheets, a daily journal, guided scripts, and a 7-minute neutralization audio?

➡️ Download the FREE “Mental Neutralization Workbook” Includes:

• 10 guided neutralization exercises
• Emotional swing detector
• Daily polarity journal
• 7-minute neutralization meditation MP3

Free for subscribers.

🧠 Advanced Section: What Hermeticism Calls the “Higher Plane”

In Hermetic philosophy, the Higher Plane is the level of mind that:

• observes emotions
• directs thoughts
• remains calm
• chooses vibration
• cannot be dragged by the swing

In psychology, this corresponds to:

• Meta-awareness
• Executive function
• Cognitive flexibility
• Mindfulness-based non-reactivity

This alignment makes the Mental Law feel less esoteric and more like a structured mental skill.

📚 Evidence & Source Notes

Hermetic Sources

• The Kybalion (1908) — public domain text
• Chapters: “Law of Polarity,” “Law of Rhythm,” “Mental Transmutation”

Psychology Sources

• Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders.
• Gross, J. J. (1998). Emotion regulation framework.
• Bishop et al. (2004). Meta-awareness and mindfulness.
• Solomon & Corbit (1974). Opponent-Process Theory.
• Lieberman et al. (2007). Affect labeling reduces amygdala activation.
• Lazarus (1991). Cognitive appraisal.

❓ FAQs (SEO + Objection Handling)

1. Is the Mental Law of Neutralization scientifically proven?

Parts of it align with well-documented psychological mechanisms. However, Hermeticism itself is philosophical. (Compliance: no absolute claims.)

2. Can neutralization stop panic attacks?

It can reduce intensity, but severe cases may require clinical support.

3. Does neutralization remove emotions?

No. It changes your relationship to them.

4. Is this the same as mindfulness?

Similar, but Hermeticism adds the concept of a higher mental plane.

5. How long does it take to master neutralization?

Most people notice improvements within days; mastery takes practice.

🧾 Exit-Intent CTA: Get the Quick-Start Kit

Download the Neutralization Quick-Start Kit to start practicing today:

• Neutralization checklist
• Emotional swing chart
• Affirmation scripts
• Polarity journal
• MP3 audio guide

It’s free.

🏁 Conclusion: Neutralization Is a Trainable Mental Superpower

The Mental Law of Neutralization is powerful because it teaches a truth modern science confirms:

You cannot stop emotion from rising—but you can stop it from controlling you.

When you rise to the higher plane:

• Anxiety loses its grip
• Anger stops escalating
• Stress softens
• Clarity increases
• Inner power grows

You don’t erase emotions. You reshape the relationship.

That is neutralization. That is Hermetic mastery.