Sacred Geometry in Home Decor
Apply The Symbolic Language of Nature to Interior Design
Apr 2, 2009 Mary Jane Kasliner
Geometry means study of the earth. In ancient Egypt, from which Greece inherited this study, the Nile would flood its banks each year, covering the land and obliterating plots designated for farming. The ancients saw this as the the cycles of nature. When the waters receded they began to redefine the boundaries of fertile land. In essence, this reconfiguring of plots was called geometry. This activity of measuring the earth began the basis for the science of natural law and the archetypal forms of the circle, square and triangle.
The essence of all shapes weather in nature or design stems from mathematics. It is a well known fact that embedded within every structure there is basic math or numbers. Simple numbers or shapes relate to each other in harmonious patterns. Just notice the replication of shape in the nautilus shell or how tile on a floor that has different shapes can mesh together. These shapes align to the simple numbers (1 through 10) and speak a symbolic language that is so profound that all of nature contains it.
Numbers and Shapes in Nature and Design
- One (Monad) is the beginning representing the shape of a circle. The circle, which we are all naturally drawn to, represents wholeness, unity, oneness and the divine source. The shape is seen in nature as our greatest source of qi; the sun, or as a water ripple that spirals in concentric rings. We see it in famous symbols of art such as the Hindu Shiva dancing around the Universe and the Tibetan Wheel of life with God holding the cosmos.
- Two (Dyad) is the result of the birth of the other. The most famous symbol, aside from the taiji representing twoness, is the vesica pisces. This shape is seen in architecture, especially in the facades of many cathedrals around the world.
- From the two, three is born. This is a significant number in the sequence of ten setting the grounds for the birth of other numbers. The triad creates the shape of a triangle and is perhaps one of the most powerful shapes to work with. The triangle calls our attention and can be seen in many aspects of nature. Many fruits and vegetables contain three-corner structure, as does the wings of a butterfly.
- The number four defines depth and seen in the cube. It represents fairness, stability, reliability and a sense of be grounded. It defines the planet earth with its stable and solid mass and follows the Tibetian proportions for depicting the Buddha. All architecture incorporates the square in designs with the most common feature being doors, windows and roofs.
- Fiveness or the pentagram reflects the symbol of life. Many living forms, plant, animal, and human, displays the clear geometry of the pentagram in their structure. The famous Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da vinci is a prime example of this shape with the five extensions from the torso, each limb ending in 5 fingers or toes.
- Six creates the shape of the hexagon and represents structure, function and order. Multiples of this number call to mind the 12 constellations of the Zodiac, the process of the sun's journey through the cycle of the year. Fruits and vegetables such as a sliced tomato or carrot slice reveal their hexagrams, as well as the working part of the human lung (alveoli). The most famous hexagram shape in nature can be seen in the honeycomb built by bees.
- Seven is a number that has taken on a sacred element. In the Bible it represents the day of rest. The Universe is said to vibrate on the seven musical notes. The Electromagnetic spectrum of visible light is based on the seven colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV). Many famous works of art and architecture are designed in proportions of the musical scale. The human body centers of energy vortexes (chakras) is based on the number seven.
- Eight represents the 8 directions of the wind, creates the octagon shape, and considered an auspicious number in feng shui. The oldest philosophical book in China known as the I Ching depicts the cosmos as dynamic events and stages of transformation based on the 8 symbols or trigrams. Many living creatures of the sea hold the octagon shape such as the jellyfish and glass sponge. Cell division or mitosis in the human body moves through 8 phases. The moon, or night luminary, also moves through 8 phases during its cycle.
- Nine is the greatest single digit in the scale from 1 to 10. This is a powerful number in many cultures throughout the world and throughout time. Labyrinths are created by the cross of nine points and bring a state of meditative awareness.
- Number ten points to new beginnings. It is the replication of the whole and symbolic in many religions. Ten manifests itself in nature as seen in the lobster and crayfish, as well as in the plant kingdom.
The numbers one through ten establish sacred geometric forms that are found in nature and the human body. These constructions are used by architects, carpenters, engineers, graphic designers and feng shui consultants. When you Incorporate nature's essence in your environment in its most simplistic form (plants, shells, sunflowers, etc.) you begin to recognize the symbolic language that naturally exudes a sense of divine harmony. It teaches us how to get the most from the least.
Nature's Design
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Home & Style
Latest Articles