“As above, so below. And as below, so above.”
The Universe, in its seemingly unending vastness, can feel too large to conceptualize and understand. Our physical senses can only detect a very small fraction of what exists. For example, our eyes can only see the visible spectrum of colors, though both infrared and ultraviolet exist. The same goes for sounds. There are frequencies that our ears simply cannot detect. The mysteries that cannot be detected by the senses, but nevertheless pondered and imagined, is how the Principle of Correspondence works.
Once we have identified the conceptual nature of something, we can expand or reduce it to help explain phenomena in our three-dimensional existence here on earth.
Take for example the swirling nature of how water goes down a drain. The motion of the swirl is very similar to the swirling of spiral galaxies that are thousands of light years across in size! The water going down the drain is the microcosm, and the twirling action of a spiral galaxy is the macrocosm. We can easily see how these two can be related, and it helps to understand how things work on either side of the size scale, because we have witnessed one to help explain the other. The universe is full of comparable examples, and we use what we understand in more simple terms to then theorize on other items that may have similar properties.
How about the concept of fire? We have learned that it is a chemical reaction that requires certain conditions to start and sustain. Heat and light are the results of fire, as detected by the sensory receptors in our skin and eyes. A burning match is the microcosm to something like the sun, which is the macrocosm of the same flame. We can use our knowledge of fire on earth to conceive how the sun is also a huge ball of flame producing an incredible amount of heat in the cold vastness of space. No one has come close to the sun in person, yet we understand that it is very similar to a flame, just magnitudes bigger. Knowing that the sun creates light and heat translates to another plan of existence … our desires. Passion and burning desires are associated with things that are hot. Are these motivations then somehow fueled by the sun’s energy? The Principle of Correspondence allows us to link these kinds of relationships so that we can cross over planes of existence to deepen our understanding of how we move in the world. It helps us to comprehend things that are hidden and not immediately obvious.
Let’s do one more. How about judgement? As humans, we are challenged to not judge others because each person is on a unique path, and we don’t have the total collection of experiences of others to fully understand why people make the choices that they do. Yet judging others when they perform certain actions almost seems like it’s part of our nature. Let’s apply the Principle of Correspondence here from a theological framework. In many spiritual texts, it is said that humankind is made “in the image of God”, and thus we are all seeded with a spark of the Divine. So since God holds the ultimate scepter judgement, it can be said that the small seed within each of us also carries the discernment to observe and judge others. God is clearly the macrocosm, and we humans are the microcosm when it comes to judgement.
Summary:
The Principle of Correspondence allows us to fathom the unfathomable, and to draw back the veil of life’s mysteries. In doing so, we can take the steps to draw closer to the greatest mystery of them all … understanding the mechanisms of our own inner nature.