As Above, So Below
The Phrase Everybody has Heard from a Tradition that Nobody Knows
The phrase “As Above, So Below” is a famous paraphrase that emerged out of the Hermetic tradition - although most people don’t know that. In most people’s minds, it's some phrase that has something to do with ancient magic or witchcraft. The paraphrase has been widely disseminated into popular culture, serving as song names, titles of art, and even the name of a 2014 horror film. As a result, the true meaning of the paraphrase, which is even a paraphrase of an English translation, is largely unknown outside the academic world. In this post, fitting with my theme of Hermetic research, I will attempt to create a digestible (somewhat) definition of the famous phrase that everyone has heard from a tradition that nobody knows.
“As above, so below” originates from a cryptic Hermetic text known as The Emerald Tablet, considered part of the Technical Hermetica. If you did not read my last post, The Corpus Hermetica is the central text of the Hermetic tradition. Typically, it is recognized as having two parts - the religious-philosophical side and the technical side; the technical side, discussed here deals with magical practices, alchemy, and theurgy (rituals involving the invocation of divine beings). The Emerald Tablet primarily deals with alchemy, the supposed practice of converting metals into gold. While the text, like other Hermetic texts, is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus’ the first written text of The Emerald Tablet was found in an Arab treatise in the 7th-8th century.1
“To determine the actual meaning of the phrase, it is important to understand the ideas that and philosophies that alchemy was founded on. Thus, I will attempt to break down the themes and meanings of the piece of The Emerald Tablet that contains our phrase. The passage that contains the direct quote of the “as above, so below” paraphrase is as follows:
True it is, without falsehood, certain and most true.
That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above, to accomplish the miracles of one thing.
And as all things were by contemplation of one, so all things arose from this one thing by a single act of adaptation.
The father thereof is the Sun, the mother the Moon. The wind carried it in its womb, the earth is the nurse thereof.
It is the father of all works of wonder throughout the whole world. The power thereof is perfect. If it be cast on to earth, it will separate the element of earth from that of fire, the subtle from the gross.
With great sagacity it doth ascend gently from earth to heaven. Again it doth descend to earth, and uniteth in itself the force from things superior and things inferior.
Thus thou wilt possess the glory of the brightness of the whole world, and all obscurity will fly far from thee.
This thing is the strong fortitude of all strength, for it overcometh every subtle thing and doth penetrate every solid substance.
Thus was this world created.
Hence will there be marvellous adaptations achieved, of which the manner is this. For this reason I am called Hermes Trismegistus, because I hold three parts of the wisdom of the whole world.
That which I had to say about the operation of Sol is completed.2
First, the excerpt begins with the author, supposedly Hermes Trismegistus, affirming that everything they write is entirely true and contains no lies or deceit - this fits with a universal theme of Hermeticism, being that Hermes Trismegistus is a divine entity that bestows universal truths upon mankind. Next is the direct quote paraphrased to “as above, so below.” People often think this phrase directly pertains to alchemy or magic, but that is not exactly the case. This line of the excerpt deals with the relationship between Heaven and Earth, or rather, the realm that exists beyond and the physical world. To put it in simple terms, “as above, so below” explains the symbiotic relationship of both realms; what occurs in the Heavens reflects what happens on the Earth, and what happens on the Earth is reflected into the Heavens. That is, that the microcosm (the world we perceive as humans) and the macrocosm (the entire universe) are similar in structure and nature.3 This in itself is a difficult concept to wrap one’s head around and countless interpretations of the phrase’s true meaning have been debated. What seems to be the common understanding among scholars, are two main ideas - the phrase is an axiom within Hermeticism to emphasize the connectedness of everything and that in turning towards God and the pursuit of knowledge will bring you closer to reaching enlightenment. As one anonymous scholar, who authored the Hermetic analysis text The Kybalion, put it: “Just as a knowledge of the Principles of Geometry enables man to measure distant suns and their movements, while seated in his observatory, so a knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables Man to reason intelligently from the Known to the Unknown.”4
From there, lines 3-5 portray some sort of divine force or entity that interconnects all parts of the cosmos and the Earth. This is consistent with the theme of “as above, so below” and how everything in the universe comes from the same point and operates on the same principles. It also coincides with Hermetic principles of the cyclical nature of everything.
Lastly, the final lines see Hermes Trismegistus directly addressing the reader, reiterating the same principles of interconnectedness and promising man a path by which they can achieve a higher existence. He specifically mentions making “marvelous adaptations,” likely referring to alchemy - it was part of the Hermetic belief that alchemy was one of the ways in which man could pursue knowledge.
All in all, this passage, while daunting at first, is simply a re-affirmation of core Hermetic principles. Nevertheless, I think “as above, so below” is still a standout passage from the excerpt. You might have been wondering what my personal thoughts on the excerpt are or what I believe the true meaning of “as above, so below” is. Or not, but you’re getting them anyway. I think that “as above, so below” is a perfect encapsulation of the Hermetic belief system. While I think you could get hung up on the technicalities and specifics of how exactly everything is connected or how Heaven and Earth impact one another, I think that’s missing the point. That specific knowledge is not something to be immediately understood, its something to be discovered on the quest to grow closer to God - the point of human existence according to Hermes Trismegistus. What should be taken away from this phrase, in my opinion, is that because the whole of existence is all interconnected, humans are just one small piece of a large puzzle. We are specially created by God to be unique, sure, but that doesn’t invalidate or lower the status of everything that surrounds us. To me, this phrase is a reminder that all creation was made to reflect God, to reflect divinity, and for that reason we should embrace it and treat it with respect. While “as above, so below” is just one drop in the very complicated ocean of Hermetic philosophy, I think it is a helpful reminder that can ground us and recenter our view of our place in the universe.
“The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus,” cabinet, Accessed May 8, 2025, https://www.cabinet.ox.ac.uk/emerald-tablet-hermes-trismegistus.
Hermes, The Emerald Tablet of hermes: Multiple translations, Whitefish, Mont: Kessinger Pub, 2004.
Three Initiates (1908), The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, Chicago: The Yogi Publication Society, p 113-114.
Three Initiates (1908), The Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, Chicago: The Yogi Publication Society, p 113-114.