The Importance Of Balance

The phrase has come to mean various things to different people, societies and religions. It has evolved on some stages and remained the same on others. But to understand the original concept of As Above, So Below, we need to know where it came from and how it was first used.

Who created the idea and why? How did they implement it and what did it stand for? These questions can help us understand the journey of the concept and perhaps even regain the importance behind the words and how they should still be applied to our lives today.

The History Of Above and Below
In the Pagan and Metaphysical communities, these words are often used and bandied about to show relation between spirit and physical realms. They are reported to have originated from the “Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus”, also know as the tablet of “The Secret of Hermes”. But this is a downsized version of the tablet’s verse. The original phrase stated “That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above, corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing”

According to Wikipedia there are several translations of this text, including Arabic, Latin, and even one from Isaac Newton. “The compact and cryptic text was highly regarded by European alchemists as the foundation of their art, in particular of its Hermetic tradition. Interpreting the layers of meanings of the Emerald Tablet, from individual words to the overall meaning, is fraught with possibilities, but certainly Alchemy’s Magnum opus and the ancient, classical, element system are the basis of any sound explanation, as they provide a key to the ideas of earth, fire, sun, moon, etc., common to all the translations.” This elemental approach strives to show the balance in all things or the circles of existence.

Over the centuries, many Occult organizations have put their own spin on “As above, so below”. But it’s not only in these realms of mysticism that the phrase can be found. It’s been accepted into almost every known religion today and is often associated with that religion’s history. All three non-pagan religions have laid claim to the phrase and put their own spin on its meaning as well. New Age and modern Metaphysics also have their claims on the concept and have given it their own interpretations. Continue reading →