Sacred Geometry – a philosophy

Sacred Geometry can be seen as the blueprint by which nature creates. On a conscious level there is a reassuring familiarity that the shapes and designs possess and on a subconscious level this shape and form is accessing our ancestral heritage. It, therefore, seems to hold some meaning and becomes a unifying factor behind diverse cultural and religious symbolism as seen throughout the world, the origin of which predates our modern world. Evidence of its existence and use can be found in many of the world’s ancient structures including the Pyramids, the Parthenon and the Taj Mahal. The principles of Sacred Geometry are inherent throughout the natural world and in us all.

Our experience and our reaction to all things beautiful is made possible by our unique ability to recognize geometric order from transitory chaos. The perfection inherent in a temple or a painting by, say, Da Vinci is not simply because it is made of a particular material or has a certain brush stroke and colour, but because the harmonic proportions contained in their design are bound by the laws of Sacred Geometry, which is itself the embodiment of harmonic waves of energy, melody and universal proportion. What our senses respond to is the geometrical and proportional harmonies and wave forms created through the existence of Sacred Geometry, without which, all things natural, including ourselves, would be just random unconnected growth. All one needs to do is appreciate the growth pattern in a sunflower to see the evidence. Sacred Geometry, therefore, can be seen as the medium through which the unmanifest becomes manifest.

Sacred Geometry – a literal explanation

First - Geometry; ‘Geo’ meaning Earth and ‘metry’ meaning measure of. So, literally – Measure of the Earth.

The Sacred part comes into it because in ancient times there was no metric or imperial measuring system, ergo no mathematics as such, were used to create these geometric drawings or blueprints. Indeed, nature does not use measurement to grow. It is only mans need to apply measurement that has lead to the development of units of measure. (There is whole area of this, called metrology, that deals with ancient measurement like the Jewish Rod, The Roman Foot, the Greek Foot, Egyptian Foot and the Megalithic Yard and their inter-relationships.) When one starts to study Sacred Geometry (and Pythagoras is a good start), one soon learns that these intricate designs with their inherent mathematics (Angles, Square Roots, Ratios, Golden Mean (or Divine Proportion) and Pi, amongst others), actually require only the drawing of interconnected circles and a straight edge. Following this principle, one can map out the blueprint (known as Metatron’s Cube) for the Platonic Solids (3D shapes of equal sides and equal internal angles). These five shapes were associated by the early scientists and philosophers with the five elements; Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Aether.

The expansion and manipulation of these Sacred Geometrical designs in a two dimensional floor plan and elevation into relative three dimensional space is the key to the design of many temples and places of worship right to the present day. Indeed, because of their ‘divine’ proportions they create a Sacred Space and hence could be seen as a representation of ‘Heaven on Earth’, although the temple building concept of Sacred Geometry predates the concept Heaven (allegedly).

The realm of Sacred Geometry is a vast and fascinating one, and is way too expansive to cover in this website. There has been plenty written and much research undertaken. There are many avenues to explore; from art to architecture, from philosophy to religion, from music to mathematics, from science to nature, to mention but a few. The links page provides a few places to start and is by no means, exhaustive! Enjoy your quest.