An ancient statement rooted in Hermetic thought, which suggests that the patterns, laws, and phenomena on one level of reality are mirrored in other levels.
As above, so below; as below, so above.
A fundamental tenet suggesting that patterns repeat across different scales and dimensions of existence, from the cosmic to the microscopic, from the macrocosm to the microcosm.
Originating from the Emerald Tablet attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, this axiom proposes that celestial mechanics mirror atomic structures, that psychological landscapes reflect societal dynamics, and that understanding one level of reality provides insight into all others.
The complementary phrase “As within, so without” extends this correspondence to the relationship between Consciousness and external reality, suggesting that inner states manifest in outer circumstances and that the subjective and objective realms are fundamentally interconnected rather than separate.
This principle underpins numerous esoteric traditions and finds unexpected resonance in modern concepts like fractals, holographic theory, and systems thinking, where self-similar patterns emerge across scales and the whole is encoded in each part.