As Above So Below
What is as above so below?
Key facts
| Term | As above, so below[1] |
|---|---|
| Source text | Emerald Tablet[1] |
| Tradition | Hermeticism[1] |
| Meaning | Correspondence between higher and lower levels of reality[1] |
| Key concepts | Macrocosm; microcosm[1] |
| Textual wording | "That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above."[1] |
As above, so below is a Hermetic saying that describes a correspondence between different levels of reality, especially the macrocosm and the microcosm. It is a modern paraphrase of a line from the Emerald Tablet, a short Hermetic text. The phrase means that what happens on a higher level of reality also happens on lower levels.
Context
The saying originates from the Emerald Tablet, a short Hermetic text, and is a modern paraphrase of the line "That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above" [1]. Historians of philosophy and science often read the verse as referring to the supposed effects of heavenly bodies on terrestrial events [1]. Another common interpretation is that it describes structural similarities or correspondences between the macrocosm and the microcosm [1]. The phrase was popularized in occult contexts and linked to Emanuel Swedenborg's doctrine of correspondence between different planes of existence [1]. The concept is described in Wiktionary as meaning that what happens on a higher level of reality also happens on lower levels [2].
Documented claims
- Historians of philosophy and science often read the verse as referring to the supposed effects of heavenly bodies on terrestrial events. [1]
- Another common interpretation is that it describes structural similarities or correspondences between the macrocosm and the microcosm. [1]
- The phrase was popularized in occult contexts and linked to Emanuel Swedenborg's doctrine of correspondence between different planes of existence. [1]
- The concept is described in Wiktionary as meaning that what happens on a higher level of reality also happens on lower levels. [2]
Questions and answers
What does the saying "as above so below" mean?
Is there a Bible verse that says "as above so below"?
The phrase is not from the Bible. It comes from the Emerald Tablet, a Hermetic text [1].
Is the movie As Above So Below worth watching?
The sources do not discuss the movie As Above So Below.
Sources
- As Above, So Below — angelfire.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
- As above, so below — en.wikipedia.org (retrieved August 3, 2026)