Published : 06/15/2022

Why is geometry sacred?

- Categories : Sacred geometry

But that's a good question, don't you think?

The term "geometry", of Greek origin, etymologically means " measurement of the earth ". Long before it was written down, geometry was used to measure the ground, which today is called "topography". The construction of buildings and the determination of the property boundaries of a land are subsumed in geometry. And at a higher level, geometry allows us to distinguish the sacred from the profane.

Euclid (325-265 BC) was the first to summarize in detail the axioms and theorems of this fascinating field. What Euclid wrote in the Elements is still completely valid and has not been superseded by other theories despite the passing of 2000 years.

But what other form of geometry, perhaps more secret or sacred, remains hidden in the architecture of buildings and in the work of nature?

Of course, not all aspects of geometry are sacred. It is considered useful for locating and constructing buildings suitable for their inhabitants. But when it appeared pleasing to the Gods, it became sacred.

A temple, for example, can be sanctified if its construction meets certain sacred proportions and if it is oriented in a specific direction. These concerns about proportion and orientation are common to so many cultures that they must reflect a specific reality.

Sacred geometry : meaning

What is the difference between classical and sacred geometry?

Just as numbers were sacred to the Pythagoreans, geometry was sacred to the ancient Greeks because it was both the most concrete and the most abstract mode of reasoning.

Geometry is the archetypal schematization of many, if not all, things, whether they are noumenal (something in itself that can be experienced but not proven), conceptual, mathematical, natural or architectural.

Most ancient peoples built their temples and shrines with attention to correct numbers, geometry and proportions. Geometry governs the movements of celestial bodies and the seasons.

The megalithic builders of Great Britain and the builders of the pyramids of Egypt applied this sacred geometry to the orientation of their buildings.

In its purest and simplest form, geometry is sacred; but also in certain ordinary applications as well as in Euclid's figures - circles, triangles and squares - or in proportions and harmonics.

Growth is expressed in repetitive patterns, and in the same way, the art and virtuosity of architecture is expressed in harmony. What isharmony but the repetition of equal proportions. The parts of a whole are not always of a precise proportion, but can constitute a harmonic of this proportion.

The sacred proportions are governed by certain numbers, such as phi, which is also called the golden number. They can be found again and again in the works of the ancient Greeks and the architects of the Middle Ages, but also in the growth of living things. sacred geometry in nature, the sacred geometry of life and the notion of perspective in art and architecture coincide in these numbers.

God is the geometer of the world

Sacred geometry attributes symbolic and sacred meanings to certain geometric shapes and proportions. It is associated with the belief that a god is the surveyor of the world. Geometry used in the design and construction of religious structures such as churches, temples, mosques, religious monuments, altars and tabernacles has sometimes been considered sacred.

The belief that a god created the universe according to a geometric plan has ancient origins. Plutarch attributed the belief to Plato, writing that "Plato said that God continually geometrizes" (Convivialium disputationum, liber 8,2). In modern times, the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss adapted this quote to mean"God arithmetizes".

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630, German astronomer, mathematician, astrologer, natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the scientific revolution of the 17th century, best known for his laws of planetary motion and his books) believed in the geometric foundations of the cosmos

Harvard mathematician Shing-Tung Yau expressed his belief in the centrality of geometry in 2010: ruler - and this is not a knock against the ruler, which happens to be a technology I admire - geometry is one of the main avenues open to us to probe the universe. Physics and cosmology have been, almost by definition, absolutely crucial to making sense of the universe. The role of geometry in this respect is perhaps less obvious, but it is just as vital. I would go so far as to say that geometry not only deserves a place at the table alongside physics and cosmology, but in many ways it is the table."

Sacred geometry or the magic of shapes

Geometric symbols based on whole numbers

The civilizations of ancient Egypt and Greece used the circle, ellipse, triangle, square and rectangle to create harmonious proportions for their tombs and temples.

Their geometers were interested in the right-angled triangle of Pythagoras (for many reasons), in the square roots associated with it, in sacred numbers like 9, in the square/circle relationship, and in the ratios of volumes of different buildings.

Throughout history, from the pyramids of Egypt to the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, the emphasis was on whole numbers to express easily measurable dimensions. To a lesser extent, they used ratios of irrational numbers such as the golden section (represented by the Greek letter phi, also known as the golden ratio) that generated a logarithmic spiral, one of the basic curves representing life and growth.

Pythagoras demonstrated how integers are basic to creation because of their definition of harmony, whether in music or in the celestial spheres.

Geometric shapes and repetitive patterns

For Plato (427-347 BC) everything is number and nothing can be conceived without numbers. For too long his theories were considered mystical, but the physical importance of simple forms and numbers is now confirmed by many physicists and biologists

They discovered simple essential formulas, such as the structure of DNA (based on the geometry of the helix and pentagon) or the growth curve of a plant's leaves (based on the fixed geometric angle).

The Roman architect Vitruvius (1st century B.C.) articulated mathematical proportion and harmony in the construction of buildings. When the details of his work were rediscovered in Europe, they became the model for the Renaissance buildings imagined by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and Donato Bramante (1444-1514), artists, surveyors and architects.

Sacred geometry was also very present in the Islamic world, where the representation of human or animal forms was forbidden. The use of tiles to draw patterns, mosaics, and certain timeless architectural features - the dome, the tunnel vault, the horseshoe arch, and stalactite ornaments - became the concrete world of geometric expression.

Gothic architecture combines elements of Greek architecture with Vitruvian proportions. Master builders integrated geometric and numerical symbolism into their buildings. Surprisingly, it was the circle, not the triangle or square as is often believed, that was used as a reference shape for the design of Gothic cathedrals.

Numerical symbolism was widespread, and circles, rectangles and other polygons were generated in proportions of divine harmony.

The repeating patterns and shapes of nature, such as the helix, the logarithmic spiral, the geometric appearance of a plant's growth and the fractal, are products of the internal geometry of growth.

Da Vinci loved to observe and draw living, anatomical structures, bird wings, trees, waves and streams.

Leonardo of Pisa (1170-1240 - not to be confused with Leonardo da Vinci) discovered a number sequence, later known as fibonacci sequence. Its application in the constitution of paintings of repetitive patterns, plant growth took a long time to materialize.

Organic forms inspired architecture. This is the case for Antonio Gaudi's cathedral in Barcelona, or for certain artistic trends such as Art Nouveau or Surrealism. They culminated in the geometric complexity of their structures, as in the Goetheanum in Switzerland or the Sydney Opera House, where culture replaced religion to govern the sacred geometry.

What is the role of sacred geometry?

The purpose of a temple, church or mosque is to provide a sacred space for people to worship and communicate with God. When it is sacred, this space is closer to God, facilitates prayer and provides a common place for priests. It is sacred when its structure is of such perfection and purity that the gods agree to reside there.

The primary requirements for a shrine have always been a well-proportioned architecture, a good location, and a good orientation

Orientation remains a key issue: the mosque faces Mecca, while most Hindu and Christian temples face east. There are a few exceptions, such as Chartres Cathedral in France, which faces northeast.

Megalithic monuments, such as Stonehenge in England (also oriented northeast) are oriented differently: they face each other along the lines of the meridians while taking into account theastronomical alignment of the Moon and the Sun. Sacred geometry is necessary to locate and align such structures.

In the past, churches, temples and megalithic stones had to be erected on a " powerful site. In imperial China (and still today) Feng Shui is used to find the hsuesh, or dragon point, to bring as much energy as possible to important buildings such as palaces, temples and tombs.

In its early days, the Christian church went so far as to lay down guidelines that, where appropriate, required churches to be built on ancient pagan places of worship.

There were 3 reasons for this: the geometric priests used the power of the place, the followers of the ancient cults kept coming there, and the original pagan artifacts were destroyed. The implications of this become interesting if one looks at the geometry of the meridian lines.

Finally, the structure, just as important, had to meet certain precise geometric rules

For example, the Greeks, inventors of the principles of geometry, applied it carefully to the construction of their temples. Greek architecture was not always based on the famous golden section but, as in the case of the Parthenon, on fractions with 1 in the numerator and volumes.

In Egypt, the sacred geometry of the Great Pyramid depends more on segment measurements than on the golden ratio. Surprisingly, the proportions of Hebrew, Greek and Egyptian sacred geometry have common units of measurement.

Of course, sacred geometry is sacred because it is often a representation of God's work - from the structure of a crystal to the flow of a river, from the movement of the palm of a hand unfolding to the ammonite building its shell.

How to use sacred geometry?

By observing and contemplating sacred geometric forms, they can reveal a deep wisdom, opening to life and the creation of the Universe itself.

The ancients considered the experience of Sacred Geometry to be essential to theeducation of the soul. They knew that these patterns were symbolic of our own inner realm and were important for higher consciousness and self-awareness. Sacred Geometry amplifies our connection to spirit and creates harmony within ourselves and between ourselves and the outside world. It is often called "sacred architecture" because it underlies everything and is woven into the fabric of all creation.

Sacred geometry as it is contains high frequencies of energy and light that can activate, heal, awaken and transform. The symbols are like codes that assist you in your life journey, but can also be used more consciously to bring about a deep soul awakening and connection to your true divine essence. It can be used to open pathways and doorways to the infinite realms, as well as the connection to the oneness of all life, in nature and in the whole world around us.

Sacred geometry brings certain healing, harmonizing and rebalancing effects on all levels. It connects the inner and the outer, uniting the whole.

However, you can also use sacred geometry for much more "material" or "physical" needs such as :

- To energize water, to find balance and to reinforce your vitality

- To raise your vibratory rate and that of your environment

- To clean and recharge minerals efficiently

- To remain zen in all circumstances

- To harmonize your 7 chakras

- To concentrate on positive thoughts

- To improve your concentration and to be more efficient

- For meditation

We develop all these subjects in our blog articles.

Sacred geometry for protection

Some symbols are powerful tools for protection.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, I invite you to read "Symbol for protection: 5 symbols under the microscope"

Our sacred geometry symbols

We are pleased to be able to offer you the largest selection of symbols on the market.

We are constantly expanding our range of symbols and items.

The Tree of Life symbol
The Indian Chakra symbols
The Metatron's Cube symbol
The Flower of Life symbol
The Vibrational Mandala symbols
The Om - Aum symbol
The Pentacle - Pentagram symbol
The Sri Yantra symbol
The Triskel symbol
The Yin Yang symbol

What is the perfect shape or the most powerful wavelenght form?

Some people swear by the Flower of Life, others by the Metatron Cube, which they consider the most powerful symbol of sacred geometry. Indeed, the Metatron Cube not only contains the sacred forms of the Flower of Life, the Seed of Life and the Merkabah, but it also contains all the Platonic solids.

The perfect shape is simply the one that fits you best, the one that attracts you. So listen to your feelings.

How to draw Sacred Geometry?

A nice tutorial of only a few minutes to teach you how to draw basic shapes of sacred geometry and the Flower of Life.

To conclude:

It is in terms of absolute truth that the Greeks conceived the Creator of the universe, and not as a transmitted dogma, a received wisdom or a religious belief. They concluded that forms and numbers were essential to the universe and that creation drew on abstract forms - something that could be appreciated intellectually, but imperceptible and ungraspable by our five senses - to make a physical reality. The subtleties of numbers and the absoluteness of geometry were part of the noumenal world, the hidden structure behind every physical element.

Geometry and numbers are sacred because they codify the hidden order of creation. They are the instruments that were used in the genesis of the universe. The simplicity of numbers, fractions and proportions makes the universe and the geometry of Euclid and the Greeks rigorous and harmonious.

The concrete application of the universality of these numbers - and their use - is realized through music but also through symbols.