The Seven Principles of Hermeticism
The functioning of the universe is governed by some laws that apply everywhere in space and time. The core of the hermetic philosophical system, which dates at least to ancient Egypt, are the seven Hermetic principles. We will examine the second concept, the Principle of Correspondence, and how to apply it to your daily life in this brief article.
The Kybalion
Of the seven hermetic principles in the Kybalion, this Principle of Correspondence one is arguably the most well-known. This 1908 text asserts to contain Hermes Trismegistus’ core teachings. He was, so the story goes, Abraham’s instructor. These ideas supposedly originated in ancient Egypt.
Each of The Kybalion’s seven axioms, which are regarded as universal rules, is the subject of a separate chapter. This philosophical movement has a long history. However, we may effectively use the concepts it outlines in contemporary situations. All you have to do is study it with an open mind and the proper mindset to comprehend the core ideas behind its axioms.
The second of The Kybalion’s seven hermetic principles is the principle of correspondence. According to this theory, there is always a correlation between the laws governing occurrences on the many “planes” of existence.
As Above So Below, As Below, So Above
Hermes’ well-known expression perfectly captures this idea. There are an endless number of interrelated reality planes that are all reflections of one another. All planes of existence have the same truths that apply to one plane.
For instance, the planets’ orbits around the sun are comparable to an atom and the electrons that surround it. Global weather trends exhibit the same spiraling Fibonacci patterns as small plants’ growth patterns, but on a far larger scale. A true comprehension of the correspondence axiom allows for a far deeper comprehension of the laws governing reality. Knowing that the many planes of existence that we are unable to perceive are a mirror of the planes that we can sense helps us to understand the many planes of existence that are accessible to us. What occurs internally also occurs externally. The surroundings in which we live externally reflect what we believe and feel.
When we comprehend this theory, we start to see how changing one aspect of our lives has an impact on all of them. Because we are aware that we are each a microcosm of the macrocosmic cosmos we live in, we are able to gather intuitive signs and insights regarding external circumstances from within your mind.
All the Exists, Exists Within You
Every principle that operates on the physical plane has a counterpart principle that prevails in the universe, according to the second of the seven Hermetic Principles. Essentially, nothing just happens to exist. Since everything in the universe is composed of energy and since thoughts are also energy, I prefer to relate this to thoughts. According to the Law of Thermodynamics, energy can only grow and change shape; it can’t be created or destroyed. The same holds true for thought. You’ve probably heard that there are no original ideas or thoughts because they have all been used before, either here or in the great “unknown”!
According to the Principle of Correspondence, all that is, exists within you. You should always emphasize consulting your inner being over anyone outside of you because of this Universal fact. You already know the answers to everything! Understanding the unknown means understanding oneself.
This Principle contains the mirror realm, a place of unadulterated reflection. Everything is a perfect reflection of the one who is seeing. If you didn’t already possess a frequency or vibration, you couldn’t possibly resonate with it. Because of this, I occasionally find it amusing when we label our partners, parents, or other people as the “problem” in our relationships. This Principle is being embodied, which means that these people who seem toxic to you are actually mirroring characteristics of your own that you may not particularly like.
Planes of Existence
The reality that there is constantly a correspondence between the rules and manifestations of the different planes of Being and Life is embodied in this principle. “As above, so below; as below, so above,” was the classic Hermetic maxim. Understanding this principle equips one with the tools necessary to unravel numerous perplexing paradoxes and nature’s well-kept secrets.
There are planes that are beyond our comprehension, but when we use the Principle of Correspondence to understand them, we can learn a lot that we otherwise couldn’t. This Principle is a Universal Law that has applications and manifestations across all of the world’s physical, mental, and spiritual realms.
The ancient Hermetists regarded this Principle as one of the more significant mental tools that allowed man to overcome the barriers that obscured the Unknown. Even the Veil of Isis was torn apart by its use, allowing one to catch a glimpse of the goddess’s face.
Man may calculate distant suns and their motions from his observatory by understanding the Geometrical Principles. Much as Man can reason logically from the Known to the Unknown by understanding the Correspondence Principle. He comprehends the archangel after studying the monad.
Mirror Your Encounters
If you begin to view the world as a mirror, you will be able to access the deepest parts of your subconscious mind and the belief systems that shape the way you see the world. Even if you don’t consider yourself religious, you may have heard the Bible’s famous phrase: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven.” In Matthew 6:10 This passage, which is an expression of the Principle of Correspondence, is derived from the so-called “Lord’s Prayer.”
Treating every encounter you have as a mirror can help you put the Principle of Correspondence into practice. Take notice of your emotions, which are indicators of what is going on in your inner life. If anything triggers you, look within to determine why; what might you be concealing rather than healing? Ask yourself why something makes you happy or truly resonates with you. Perhaps a road is opening for you to take so you can travel it and come closer to solutions you’ve been looking for! And most importantly, take the utmost care of yourself. Keep in mind that your inner world is a precise reflection of your outer reality. Make it lovely; respect yourself.
