Read

July/August 2010 Spirituality
Sacred Geometry: Creating Order in the World

by Rachel Zuses

Why do salt crystals form as cubes? Why are snowflakes and honeycomb cells always six-sided? Why are certain musical intervals such as an octave or a fifth pleasing to the ear? The answers come from sacred geometry, which provides insight into the order behind creation.

Sacred geometry is the study of the forms and patterns that shape creation. Its teachings come from the philosophers and mystics of ancient Egypt and Greece, who sought to understand how the world came to be by investigating the archetypal numbers and shapes found in nature.

Sacred geometry invites us to participate in the act of creation. Using only a compass and a straight edge, we become the creators, weaving intricate, beautiful designs out of simple lines and curves.

Sacred geometry reveals six principles of creation, which show how we can explore the interrelationships of the archetypal shapes (circle, triangle and square) from which everything is built. We discover that as embodiments of creation ourselves, we carry within us an inherent knowledge of the forms and patterns that define reality.

Here are the six principles of creation.

1. Unity. Whether a seed, an egg or an atom, all forms are born from the circle, the perfect never-ending curve that is known around the world as a symbol of unity, the one, the universal whole. Each of us, as well as every plant, animal or rock that we encounter, is one of the infinite facets of the universal whole. Like a prism refracting light into a rainbow of color, the circle is the gateway through which the single source of being passes to reveal the rich diversity of nature.
2. Polarity. Creation is the way that the universal whole comes to understand itself. As a singular point of oneness, there is literally no space for it to get some perspective. On the impulse for self-knowledge, the one projects outward to gaze back at itself, as though looking in a mirror. One point has now become two, connected along a straight line, but like the two poles of a magnet, the pair are irresistibly attracted, since they are actually the same.
   The polarity of the line reminds us that while our perception of separation and difference can be powerfully convincing, we are truly all of the same essence, each with our own link back to the whole.
3. Order. The vast diversity of creation can often seem random and chaotic, yet the symmetry and patterning of geometric forms speaks otherwise. Crystals are one of nature’s most exquisite displays of geometry, and their perfect lines are made possible only by the precise aligning of millions of identical molecules into orderly rows. Similarly, triangles, squares and hexagons fit precisely together to create perfectly repeating patterns (tilings), which we make use of in everything from bathroom tile to checkered shirts. Whenever we view such designs, we are reminded that order and harmony are ever present in creation.
4. Abundance. With only a compass and a straight edge, a few simple steps show how a circle contains infinitely replicating squares and triangles. Just as readily, cells divide, molecules form, energy is transformed. All living things, from plants to microbes to humans, are designed for reproduction, and ideas are equally prolific. Replication brings abundance. Contrary to the many voices in society that preach scarcity, we see that the true state of creation is one of abundance.
5. Beauty. The golden ratio is said to be the key to beauty. It works like this: given two sections that make up a whole, the ratio of the size of the smaller piece to the larger piece will equal the ratio of the larger to the whole. This means that no matter how far the ratio extends, it will always contain the essence of the whole.
   It is a proportion so harmonious that we can’t help but respond to its effect, and it has been used throughout history in sacred art and architecture, most famously by Leonardo da Vinci. Nature is also fond of the golden ratio — it is seen in sunflowers, fiddlehead ferns, ammonite shells and the human body. The golden ratio reveals that the secret to beauty is in harmonizing with the universal whole, something available to all of us as emanations of the one.
6. Wonder. The perfect harmony of the movement of the sun, planets and moons of our solar system has been called the music of the spheres. The relative sizes and distances of the sun and the moon, the two most visible circles in our sky, are such that they appear to us to be exactly the same size (making for spectacular solar eclipses).

The movement of Venus around the sun as seen from Earth traces a perfect, curvy pentagram every eight years. The relative size of the moon to the Earth is 3:11 or 27.3 percent and the moon orbits the Earth every 27.3 days. Whether it is coincidence or a proof of the perfect design of creation, the geometry of the heavens is certainly wondrous, connecting the natural order on Earth with something greater.

The study of sacred geometry offers profound insights into the mysteries behind nature, creation and ourselves. With a strengthened understanding of our connection to the world, we may find more peace and an increased sense of well-being as we navigate through life.

Rachel Zuses enjoys guiding others in the use of sacred geometry and numerology for personal growth and spiritual exploration through workshops, consultations and personalized mandala art. Visit www.divinetemplatecreations.com.