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The Meaning of Sacred Geometry sacredgeometryinternational.com

Most of us tend to think of geometry as a

relatively dry, if not altogether boring, subject
remembered from our Middle school years,
consisting of endless axioms, definitions,
postulates and proofs, hearkening back, in
fact, to the methodology of Euclids Elements
, in form and structure a masterly exposition
of logical thinking and mental training but not
the most thrilling read one might undertake
in their leisure time. While the modern,
academic approach to the study of geometry
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sees it as the very embodiment of
rationalism and left brain, intellectual processes, which indeed it is, it has neglected the right brain,
intuitive, artistic dimension of the subject. Sacred geometry seeks to unite and synthesize these two
dynamic and complementary aspects of geometry into an integrated whole. Robert Lawlor addresses this
fundamentally dualistic nature of geometry in his essential work: Sacred Geometry – Philosophy and
Practice (1982), in reference to a medieval representation of geometry as a woman seated at a table,
with compasses in hand, surrounded by the implements of the art:

“Geometry as a contemplative practice is personified by an elegant and refined woman, for

geometry functions as an intuitive, synthesizing, creative yet exact activity of mind associated
with the feminine principle. But when these geometric laws come to be applied in the technology
of daily life they are represented by the rational, masculine principle: contemplative geometry is
transformed into practical geometry.”

Lawlor here expresses a crucial idea in the definition of Sacred

Geometry—it has both a contemplative side and a practical side, and an
intuitive and intellectual side, it is an activity both right brained and left
brained.

Further differentiating Sacred Geometry from the ordinary geometry of our

school days is its’ relation to number and symbol. This difference, I think, is
succinctly expressed by Miranda Lundy in her superb little book entitled
simply Sacred Geometry (2001)

“Sacred Geometry charts the unfolding of number in space. It differs

Geometry as a Woman
from mundane geometry purely in the sense that the moves and
concepts involved are regarded as having symbolic value, and thus, like good music, facilitate the
evolution of the soul.”

Sacred Geometry, then, charts the unfolding of number in space and has symbolic value and thereby has
conferred upon it a qualitative status absent from common geometry. And here I must add that
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magnifying the inherent power of Sacred Geometry is the fact that it also charts the unfolding of number in
time. This is an idea of such compelling ramifications that I must return to it in detail in another article.

At the very earliest appearance of human civilization we observe the presence and importance of
geometry. It is clearly evident that geometry was comprehended and utilized by the ancient Master
Builders, who, laboring at the dawn of civilization some four and one half millennia ago, bestowed upon
the world such masterworks as the megalithic structures of ancient Europe, the Pyramids and temples of
Pharaonic Egypt and the stepped Ziggurats of Sumeria. That geometry continued to be employed
throughout the centuries from those earliest times until times historically recent is also clearly evident.
That it was made use of by cultures far-flung about the globe is evident as well, finding expression in
China, Central and South America, in pre-Columbian North America amongst Native Americans, in Africa,
SE Asia and Indonesia, Rome and of course in classical Greece and in Europe, from the Megalithic era
some 4000 years ago, as stated, and again some 3000 years later, magnificently expressed during the
Gothic era of cathedral building.

Geometry is especially associated with Classical Greece and such illustrious figures as Pythagoras, Plato
and Euclid, who wrote the first actual textbook on the subject, the aforementioned Elements. Geometry
has also been held in particular reverence and high esteem by the ancient order of Freemasons, which, of
course, hearkens back to the great Cathedral Building era of the 12th through the 14th centuries, from
whom modern Masons derive their pedigree.

From the foregoing is should be obvious that geometry was, and is, closely associated with Architecture,
that great manuscript of the human race, which provided the first and primary vehicle for the human
employment of geometry. That it is closely associated with Art, Music and Handicraft is obvious as well to
the student of the history of these subjects. Ultimately, it must be appreciated that it was apparent to
archaic peoples, as it is becoming increasingly apparent to contemporary students of the subject, that
geometry is intrinsic to the very order of Nature itself, both biological and cosmic, and, now, thanks to
scientific inquiry, the realization dawns that geometry lies at the basis of the molecular and atomic levels
of creation.

The word Geometry itself means ‘Earth measure,’ which definition is generally attributed to the fact that
the ancient Egyptians regularly utilized geometry to resurvey the fertile farmlands of the Nile river
floodplain in late summer, after existing boundaries were buried by the deposition of thick layers of
alluvium from the annual flooding of the river. However, I would suggest the possibility that the idea of
‘Earth measure’ applied not only to the local measure of tracts of agricultural land in Egypt, but also on a
much larger scale, literally, to the measure of the Earth itself, in a geodetic sense. More on that compelling
idea later.

Anecdote has it that over the entrance to Plato’s Academy was inscribed the phrase “Let none enter
here who are ignorant of geometry.” Whether or not this is a historical fact, the idea should make
sense to anyone who has attempted to ascend the heights of metaphysical experience and knowledge,
that a form of mental training designed to develop the rational faculties and the reasoning ability to high
levels of proficiency, would be a prerequisite for successful completion of the metaphysical journey and
avoidance of the many traps, snares and pitfalls that await the inattentive pilgrim who presumes to tread
the path of knowledge.

An old Masonic lecture from several centuries ago states:

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“If we consider the symmetry and order which govern all the works of creation, we must admit that
geometry pervades the universe…By geometry we may curiously trace nature through her various
windings to her most concealed recesses; by it we discover how the planets move in their
respective orbits and demonstrate their various revolutions; by it we account for the return of the
seasons and the variety of the scenes which each season displays to the discerning eye……By it
we discover the power, wisdom and goodness of the Grand Artificer of the Universe and view with
delight the proportions which connect the vast machine…”

We are here introduced to a another fundamental idea lying at the heart of

Sacred Geometry,— that it provided the means by which God, as the Great
Architect of the Universe, was able to frame the template of Creation.
Freemasons, Hermeticists and Initiates into the Mysteries have for centuries
held the conception of the Universe as the material expression of a hidden
reality, an invisible blueprint, set down by the hand of the Grand Geometrician,
and to which the study of Geometry provided the key and the means to render
visible that which is concealed from the undiscerning and untrained eye, and
that these fundamental geometric relations, manifested through form, pattern
and number, form the very basis of harmony.
‘Demiurge’ by William Blake
The idea, vision rather, of God as a Great Architect and Geometrician has
found expression through numerous sources throughout the ages. The great Christian theologian St.
Augustine, who held both Pythagoras and Plato in high regard, grasped the significance of geometric
form, pattern and proportion, and their representation through numerical symbolism, when he stated:

“Numbers are the thoughts of God.”

And further when he said:

“The construction of the physical and moral world alike is based on eternal numbers.”

Galileo clearly understood this geometrical/numerical dimension of reality when he said:

“Mathematics is the alphabet with which God has written the universe.”

And so did Johannes Kepler when he said:

“Geometry existed before the creation. It is co-eternal with the mind of God…Geometry provided
God with a model for the Creation…”

Here in the Keplerian view Geometry is clearly envisioned as existing upon an archetypal level, prior to
the manifestation of material creation, and serving as the model utilized by the Great Architect. Through
the study and practice of Sacred Geometry this invisible geometric matrix begins to reveal itself as the
template upon which the material universe, expressed through space and time, has been framed by the
hand of the Great Architect.

The famous early 20th century architect Le Corbusier obviously appreciated the fundamental idea of
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archetypal geometry and its’ expression through number when he wrote:

“Behind the wall, the gods play, they play with numbers, of which the universe is made up.”

As did French architect Paul Jacques Grillo, who wrote:

“The world around us is a world of numbersnumbers that spell life and harmony. They are
organized by the geometry of figures, all related to one another according to a sublime order, into
dynamic symmetry. Glimpses into this magnificent kingdom form the basis of all our knowledge
and it seems that in this domain the ancient civilizations had gone further than modern science.”

Form Function and Design (1960)

The term ‘dynamic symmetry’ refers to a concept that we will explore in depth a little further on. For now
let it be said that dynamic symmetry describes a way of dividing space such that there is a specific
relationship between the parts of a spatial composition and the whole of that composition, a specific
relationship that can be expressed by certain constants of proportionality, as for example, the square root
of two, or the square root of three, the Phi ratio, and so forth. Stated simply, dynamic symmetry is the idea
of dividing space such that the proportions of the whole are found in the parts. Probably the most well
known example of this principle is found in the famous Phi ratio, which, in its simplest representation as a
straight line, is divided asymmetrically such that the small segment is to the large segment as the large
segment is to the whole line. I will have much more to say about this proportion later on.

It is extremely interesting that Grillo

recognized, back in 1960, when the source
of the above quote was published, the
significant fact that ancient civilizations
were highly knowledgeable of the domain
of number and geometry to an extent
completely unappreciated by conventional
scholarship of his time. Implicit in this idea
regarding the degree of advancement of
ancient cultures, is the recognition that a
study of Sacred Geometry requires an
The Golden Mean or Phi Ratio
immersion into the history and meaning of
the archaic cultures for whom it provided a vehicle to produce some of the most awe-inspiring
demonstrations of symbolic and sacred architecture to have been conceived and executed by the mind
and hand of mankind, while at the same time providing a path to a deepened spiritual awareness of the
fundamental principles of creation.

It could be said of Sacred Geometry that it provides one of the most, if not the most important key to
unlocking the great Mysteries of the Ages. According to the famous 17 century Alchemical tract Atalanta
Fugiens the great Hermetic Secret lies concealed behind the ‘Wall of Mystery’ which can only be
penetrated through an astute employment of geometry.

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In the lodges of old, as in schools of Plato

and Euclid the tools of Geometry were
simply an unmarked strait edge and a pair of
compasses. That’s all. With those two tools
it was possible to draw straight lines and
circles, or arcs of circles. Out of the
combination of straight lines and arcs the
entire edifice of Euclidian geometry could be
generated. In the archaic conception, God
was seen as working only with lines and
arcs, or circles, to create the entire
The great Hermetic Secret lies concealed behind the ‘Wall of Mystery’ which manifested universe. In modern language
can only be penetrated through an astute employment of geometry. we might think of vector forces and scalar
forces. Through a simple act of geometric
construction using these two tools two lines could be drawn that intersect at an angle of 90 degrees. The
same act of geometry can yield an intersection forming an angle of 60 degrees. These two angles lie at
the base of the two great systems of Masonic geometry, Ad Quadratum and Ad Triangulum, that is ‘of the
square’ and ‘of the triangle’, respectively, and, through their marriage emerges an infinity of form.

In a small handbook frequently given to newly initiated Freemasons we find a valuable elucidation on the
meaning of Geometry:

“Geometry is an ‘exact’ science. It leaves nothing to chance. Except for its axioms, it can prove
everything it teaches. It is precise. It is definite. By it we buy and sell our land, navigate our ships
upon the pathless ocean, foretell eclipses, and measure time. All science rests upon mathematics,
and mathematics is first and last, geometry, whether we call its extension ‘trigonometry’ or
‘differential calculus’ or any other name. Geometry is the ultimate fact we have won out of a
puzzling universe….There are no ultimate facts of which the human mind can take cognizance
which are more certain, more fundamental, than the facts of geometry.”

Foreign Countries (1925) Carl H. Claudy

A study of Sacred Geometry begins with the hands-on experience, the commission of a geometric act of
creation, utilizing only the straight-edge for drawing lines and the compasses for the drawing of arcs.
Following from engagement of the hand and eye, the most basic of geometric axioms can be easily and
intuitively grasped by the mind. Familiarity with the simpler exercises is soon followed by an ever
increasing mastery of the more complex principles. A comprehensive program of study would require
both deep contemplation of the forms, patterns and proportions of Geometry and their meanings, as well
as the ability to apply the knowledge of Geometry in practical applications of problem solving and creative
work.

As we trace the manifestations of Sacred Geometry throughout history and around the world, we see that
it is infinitely adaptable and constantly evolving. As we continue to recover from the wreckage of ages
past and civilizations lost new knowledge and new understanding of our extraordinary cultural heritage,
we begin to appreciate that Geometry played a profound role in opening up the mysteries and secrets of
Nature to humankind, inspiring our predecessors on this planet to achieve glorious heights of creativity by

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mimicking the fundamental processes and harmonies of Creation. As modern science becomes ever
more proficient at penetrating the finest recesses of Natures’ Order, we will have the opportunity to
develop new and original applications of this ancient Craft.

It is difficult to convey the power of Sacred Geometry through the written word. It is best experienced
first-hand through the process of geometric construction. In my classes and workshops over the years I
have endeavored to provide students with the experience of Sacred Geometry by guiding them to a place
where they can perceive for themselves the patterns and forms as they emerge beneath straightedge and
compasses. And, I have attempted to show them examples of the myriad ways in which Sacred
Geometry both conceals and reveals itself throughout the kingdoms of Nature, Art, Architecture and Life,
and finally, to suggest the possibility of a revitalization of Sacred Geometry, that it might once again
become a force for manifesting greater harmony in the world.

[Editors Note: If you are interested in taking Sacred Geometry classes or workshops with Randall
please send us an email. Telecourses coming early 2013 for students outside of the Atlanta area.]

Read The Meaning of Sacred Geometry Part 2: What’s The Point?

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