Principles of Magic: Correspondence

“As above, so below; as within, so without.”

[Updated October 2025]

If you’ve been in the witchcraft community for even a little while, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “As above, so below; as within, so without.” It’s one of the most famous magical maxims, drawn from what’s known as the Principle of Correspondence.

At first, it sounds mysterious—almost cryptic. But this principle is deeply practical. It teaches that patterns repeat across all levels of reality: the cosmos reflects the self, and the microcosm mirrors the macrocosm.

For witches, this idea is woven into correspondences between the material—herbs, crystals, colors, symbols, and so on—and the spiritual—planetary influences, spirits, archetypes, and other energies and entities. In this post, we’ll explore what correspondence means, its roots, and how to apply it in everyday magic.

What is the Principle of Correspondence?

The Principle of Correspondence is one of the seven Hermetic laws, first written down in The Kybalion (1908). Its famous phrase—“as above, so below; as within, so without”—suggests that everything in the universe is connected, and that patterns repeat across different levels of reality.

In simple terms, the microcosm reflects the macrocosm. Each person mirrors the universe. Your inner world mirrors your outer reality. The patterns in the heavens mirror the patterns here on Earth.

This principle is what makes astrology, divination, and magical correspondences work. When we recognize that energies echo across planes of existence, we can start working with them intentionally instead of unconsciously.

How the Principle of Correspondence Shows Up in Witchcraft

This principle isn’t just theory; it’s something you already experience in your magical and everyday life. Here are a few ways it shows up:

1. Astrology
   The stars and planets are seen as a map of human experience. The movement of the cosmos reflects what happens here on Earth.
   RELATED: What is a Sun Sign?

2. Divination
   Tarot, runes, and scrying work because symbols correspond to deeper truths. A card pulled at random mirrors an inner state or an external situation.
   RELATED: Where to Start - Reading Tarot

3. Magical Materials
   Herbs, crystals, colors, and symbols each correspond to specific energies. Basil is associated with prosperity and protection. Rose quartz is associated with love and emotional healing.
   RELATED: Magical Materials

4. Ritual Spaces
   An altar is a miniature model of the cosmos. By setting up correspondences (candle for fire, vessel for water, crystal for earth, feather for air), you align your personal space with universal forces.
   RELATED: Creating Sacred Space

5. Personal Growth
   Your inner state often reflects your outer reality. When you engage in inner healing, you may notice that your relationships, work, or environment also begin to shift.

Why the Principle of Correspondence Matters for Modern Witches?

We live in a world that often teaches us separation —human vs. nature, spirit vs. matter, self vs. community. The Principle of Correspondence reminds us that separation is an illusion.

When you see the reflection between inner and outer, above and below, you start to notice synchronicities. You realize that changing your mindset, rituals, and energy doesn’t just affect you—it ripples outward.

For witches, this principle is empowering because it means:

• You are never disconnected from the larger universe.

• Every tool and material you use in magic is part of a greater pattern.

• When you align your inner state, you can influence your outer world.

Working with Magical Correspondences

One of the most practical applications of this principle is the use of magical correspondences (it’s right there in the name!)—the system of connecting herbs, crystals, colors, symbols, textures, sounds, and scents with particular energies or outcomes.

For example:

• Herbs: Lavender corresponds with peace and clarity, Mercury, and Air.

• Crystals: Citrine corresponds with abundance, the Sun, and Fire.

• Colors: Green corresponds with growth and prosperity, Venus, and Earth.

• Days of the Week: Monday corresponds with emotions and intuition, the Moon, and Water.

When you build a spell, you’re layering these correspondences to create resonance between your intention and the universal pattern.

Related: Magical Correspondences

How to Apply the Principle of Correspondence in Your Practice

Let’s look at some practical ways you can weave this principle into your craft:

1. Create a Correspondence Journal
   Start recording materials—herbs, crystals, colors, symbols, and even sounds, smells, and textures—you use most often, and what spirit realm energy they correspond with. Over time, you’ll build a personalized reference book that reflects your magical language.
   👉 I created a resource to help you with this. You can find it in the Blog Rewards Program.

2. Align with the Moon
   The days of the week are one of the simplest ways to practice “as above, so below.” Each day corresponds with planetary energy and carries specific intentions and outcomes. By aligning your magic with the day’s ruling planet, you’re syncing your practice with larger cosmic rhythms.
   🌞 Sunday (Sun): success, vitality, joy, illumination
   🌙 Monday (Moon): intuition, emotions, dreams, nurturing
   🔥 Tuesday (Mars): courage, strength, protection, action
   💨 Wednesday (Mercury): communication, learning, creativity, travel
   ✨ Thursday (Jupiter): abundance, luck, expansion, wisdom
   💚 Friday (Venus): love, beauty, harmony, relationships
   🪐 Saturday (Saturn): protection, boundaries, endings, banishing

3. Work with Seasonal Energies
   Follow the Wheel of the Year. Sabbats like Beltane, Samhain, or Yule correspond to natural cycles of fertility, death, and rebirth. By celebrating them, you attune yourself to the larger rhythm.

4. Build a Microcosm on Your Altar
   Design your altar as a miniature representation of the cosmos. Represent each element, add symbols for deities or ancestors, and let the space reflect your inner and outer goals.

5. Practice Mirror Work
   Literally explore the reflection of inner and outer by working with a mirror in a ritual. Use it to visualize the energy you want mirrored back into your life.

6. Notice Synchronicities
   Keep track of repeating symbols, numbers, or themes in your daily life. Often, they are correspondences pointing to more profound truths.

Common Misunderstandings of the Principle of Correspondence

Because the Principle of Correspondence is so often quoted, it sometimes gets oversimplified. Let’s clear up a few misconceptions:

• It doesn’t mean everything is identical. “As above, so below” means patterns reflect, not that they’re carbon copies.

• It isn’t about blaming yourself. If your outer life feels messy, it doesn’t mean you’re “doing it wrong.” It simply highlights where healing or realignment may be needed.

• It’s not purely symbolic. While some view correspondences as psychological metaphors, many witches perceive them as living, energetic connections.

Bringing it All Together

The Principle of Correspondence teaches us that the universe is woven with repeating patterns. What happens within us is echoed in the world around us, and what happens above us ripples into our daily lives.

As witches, this principle gives us both comfort and responsibility. Comfort, because it shows we’re never truly separate from the cosmos—responsibility, because what we cultivate inside ourselves radiates outward.

So the next time you light a candle, pull a tarot card, or stir herbs into a tea, remember: you’re not just working with objects, you’re working with the larger pattern they correspond to. And when you move in harmony with those patterns, your magic becomes not just personal, but universal.

✨ Bring Your Magic Into Focus ✨

The Principle of Correspondence reminds us that patterns echo across all levels of reality. To help you apply this, I created a Correspondence Tracker—a printable journal where you can record your own connections with crystals, herbs, colors, sounds, and more.

This resource is free inside the Blog Rewards Program, along with other exclusive witchy printables and guides to deepen your craft.

Click the button below to download your Correspondence Tracker and start building your own magical language of connections.

This post is part of a series. Read the next post, Principle of Magic: Vibration. Follow the entire Philosophy of Magic collection:

Where do you see “as within, so without” in your life right now? Which correspondences feel most natural in your practice? Let me know below or share in the forum in Mumbles Academy.