As above so below

In its strictest sense this phrase means that the invisible software level ‘above’ the physical hardware level mirrors it – that is for every entity that physically exists, a spiritual software layer exists to ‘animate’ it. But as we are copies of the Intelligences and the software they embody we can extend the meaning to also include this aspect. 

The phrase occurs in numerous cultures. The standing or sitting Buddha – cross legged with back upright  -  hands pointing above and below symbolises the epithet ‘as above so below’.

Furthermore there are many other references to the same concept.  The following tarot card from Rider Waite shows this and the Freemason’s diagram….

Eliphas Levi’s painting of Baphomet also incorporates the same symbolism.   Levi was an interpreter and contributor to tarot symbolism. Even the following statue of George Washington incorporates the symbolism – though it may not have been intentional.  In this latter case the statue is probably indicating the laws in his lower hand have been given by God, but nevertheless the incorporation of the symbolism we see here is interesting…

See also the Pointing finger symbolism

Observations

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• Al-Ghazzali - Miscellaneous quote
• Da Vinci, Leonardo - Beautiful men - St John the Baptist
• Ernest Eitel - Feng Shui
• Godwin, Joscelyn - Knowing who you are
• Jeans, Sir James - The Mysterious Universe - The Word
• Lowell, James Russell - Eternal stars! With holy awe
• Mayo, Jeff - Hearts and aggregations
• Nerval, Gerard de - I seemed to myself a hero living under the very eyes of the gods
• Pauli, Wolfgang - Letter 28th September 1952
• Picts – Basic truths - As above so below
• Rider-Waite - 01 The Magician
• Rossetti, Dante Gabriel - Damsel of the Sanct Grail
• Schuré - The Great Initiates – 'Remolding' in order to attain mastery
• Shah, Idries - The Sufis - QaLB
• Spencer, Stanley - Symbolism 03 - The Roundabout 1923
• Tabula Smaragdina - Jabir ibn Hayyan translation
• Tabula Smaragdina - Latin translation
• Tabula Smaragdina - Newton translation
• Tabula Smaragdina - Theatrum Chemicum translation
• The Calculation of the Sigui - By the Dogon, the Bambara, the Bozo and the Minianka
• The Kybalion - As above so below