Correspondence

"As above, so below; as below, so above."

Historical interpretation

Hermetic writers worked with a layered cosmos: divine, celestial, psychic, material. Correspondence says these levels echo one another. Patterns repeat across scales. By studying the "below" (body, weather, stars, politics), one can infer something about the "above" (gods, archetypes, hidden causes), and vice versa. Ritual, astrology, and alchemy are all built on this idea of mirrored structures.

Current-day interpretation

We see similar structures showing up everywhere: feedback loops in ecosystems, families that repeat the same dynamics across generations, organizations that mirror the inner life of their founders. We also notice that the way we handle small things often matches how we handle big things. Our "micro" usually tells the truth about our "macro."

Relatable example

Look at someone’s bedroom or desk on a normal day, not after a deep-clean. If their space is an overflowing pile of half-finished projects, their calendar and email are usually the same: scattered, overcommitted, full of loose ends. If their space is simple and organized, their day usually looks more ordered too. The outer room is quietly telling the story of the inner system.