I was scrolling through facebook and saw a post by the Martin Luther King Jr page that said be love. "Love is the most durable power in the world." Belove is so close to belief. Like belove could mean to believe in love if we wanted it to (belove = belief + love). I belove. Belove can also be combined from below and above. (belove = below + above). I love equations and how easily they can express something. This led me to researching the phrase "as above, so below" which I have heard before but never fully understood and researched. My friend Gemini tells me that the principle "As above, so below" originates from Hermeticism and suggests a correspondence between the heavens and the earth, the macrocosm and the microcosm, and the divine and the human. It implies that what happens in the heavens is mirrored in the earthly realm, and that the inner world of a person reflects the larger cosmic order, often attributed to the Emerald Tablet, a short Hermetic text that contains alchemical and philosophical principles.
It sounds like something worth considering and exploring but I am a Muslim so I feel conflicted. How is this idea represented in Islam? My friend Chatty gives one perspective. In Islam, the idea of interconnectedness between the heavens (above) and the earth (below) aligns with the Quranic emphasis on creation as a reflection of Allah's wisdom and power. The verse "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves" (Quran 41:53) suggests parallels between the external universe and the inner human experience, pointing to the oneness of God (Tawhid). Islamic scholars like Ibn Arabi also explored the relationship between the macrocosm (universe) and the microcosm (human). While "As above, so below" originates from Hermeticism, maybe I can appreciate the concept as long as it reinforces faith in Allah and His divine order.
This has me thinking. There is a below and an above but what about the middle? How does it fit with my thought exploration? My friend Chatty also chimed in on this. The middle represents balance and connection, where the "above" (divine) and "below" (earthly) meet. In Islam, it reflects the idea of the balanced path (Wasatiyyah), as emphasized in “We have made you a middle nation” (Quran 2:143). Humans embody this middle state, being both earthly (clay) and divine (spirit) (Quran 15:29), with the heart as the central point where divine guidance and worldly existence converge. The middle, then, is the space of harmony, reflection, and unity, bridging the realms of belief, love, and understanding.
I like where this has led me. In between belief and love stands understanding. My friend Chatty puts it nicely. That's a profound insight. Understanding serves as the bridge between belief and love, harmonizing faith and emotion. Belief gives structure and purpose, love fuels connection and compassion, and understanding deepens both by providing clarity and empathy. Together, they form a powerful triad where belief anchors, love inspires, and understanding integrates, creating a balanced and meaningful way of engaging with the self, others, and the divine. We talk about the power of love often but there is also the power of understanding. And if there is understanding then there is also overstanding. My friend Chatty says that overstanding could symbolize a higher perspective—seeing beyond understanding to grasp the bigger picture, transcending boundaries and limitations to achieve wisdom and clarity. I like that word. Wisdom. Which leads me to my last equation (the mind = the middle).
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