PERMACULTURE AND SACRED GEOMETRY
WORKSHOP
SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST 2016
Introduction
My name is Jo Gillies and I’m the principal and founder of Archisoul Architects based in Manly.
I have to be frank and say that I’m NO expert on Permaculture but have a basic knowledge in it –
enough to combine what I do know about Sacred Geometry and how best you can integrate it
into your garden and home. The idea of today’s workshop is to open up your hearts and minds
to the endless possibilities of this amazing subject of Sacred Geometry and how it could be
applied in your life and interests.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF PERMACULTURE
• It is working with, rather than against, nature.
• The three ethics of permaculture:
• Care of the earth – means that we humans should try not to increase
situations which we destroy or perish the natural functioning or our
planet earth
• Care of the people – in Permaculture this means we all work together and
help each other instead of competing.
• Fair share - indicates the equal rights of using natural resources by all
individual. Resources should not be concentrated in just a few hands, but
optimally allocated.
My focus is not on educating anyone here on what they already know about
permaculture; but focus on the unseen meeting the seen. This is the ‘edge’ that
is referred in Permaculture – use the edge so to speak. Value the intersections.
SACRED GEOMETRY – WHAT IS IT?
“If you want to find the secrets of the Universe,
think in terms of energy, frequency and
vibration.”
Nikola Tesla
• Sacred Geometry is the blueprint of the natural world
and the basis of all form.
• It is an ancient science that explores and explains the
energy patterns that create and unify all things and
reveals the precise way that the energy of the Universe
organizes itself.
• On every scale, every natural patterns of growth or
movement conforms inevitably to one or more
geometric shape.
NATURE BY NUMBERS: A SHORT MOVIE
BY: CRISTOBAL VILA www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnkldfpgix4
It is also known as the Architecture of the universe or the fingerprint of
god.
Einstein referred to it as “the field is what governs all particles”. The
field he was referring to was invisible energy (void space) and the
particles refer to all matter. Sacred Geometry is then explaining to us
the most elusive secretive element of our world, which is energy. The
only way we can understand its behavior in its various forms is through
Mathematics. “Energy cannot be created, nor destroyed. It can only be
converted from one form to another.” Energy is therefore everything.
Sacred Geometry is about the energy force that can be used to harness
these edges – the unseen meets the seen.
I’d like to explore a bit of my own research into this topic that I’ve
uncovered through the power of intuition.
NUMEROLOGY
In numerology there is a number that is ascribed to each letter in the
alphabet. And in fact the numbers in numerology go to 9 and there are
again letters ascribed to each number in this ancient practice. It’s
amazing to ascribe your name in full and work out your personality
strengths this way. We can do this at the end if we have time. For now
though let’s review the words
SACRED GEOMETRY
S = 1 (and 19)
(and 7 again) 7 = G
A = 1 (and 1 again)
(and 5 again) 5 = E
C = 3 (and 3 again)
(and 15) 6 = O
R = 9 (and 18)
(and 13) 4 = M
E = 5 (and 5 again)
(and 5 again) 5 = E
D = 4 (and 4 again)
(and 20) 2 = T
(and 18) 9 = R
Synthesized down = 5
(and 25) 7 = Y
Synthesized down = 9
5 + 9 = 14
1+4=5
5 is the numerology behind the words Sacred Geometry.
These are 5 Senses – touch, feel, sight, smell and hearing.
There are 4 cardinal points plus a centre in Sacred Geometry.
It is known as the human microcosm.
There are 5 projections from our Torso.
4 Elements – Earth, Wind, Fire and Water and the 5th is the Spirit (Ether).
There are 5 platonic solids which form one of the basis behind Sacred Geometry.
These are the structures :
THE PLATONIC SOLIDS
CORE MODEL
The core model, which translates to the 3 dimension
torus, is a pattern that Bill Mollison spoke widely of
because of its transformative energy. A torus or
toroidal form is one of the shapes that is heavily
related to the study of sacred geometry. Its’ top
reflects the bottom primary-connection-torus-copy
and while seen in how many of us eat an apple, it can
also reflects in 2D shape of a mature tree. The green
photosynthesizing top is connected to a trunk of
sturdiness while its anchor lies below with the roots
firmly planted in the ground to hold the weight of it all
and deal with the forces of nature. The core model is a
pattern that reinforces balance and can be a reminder
of the duality of life and how there is a balancing force
between, the trunk that connects.
SOURCES:
https://treeyopermacultureedu.wordpress.com/chapter-4-pattern-understanding/core-model/
http://harmonicresolution.com/Toroidal%20Space.htm
Core Model is a template representing natural shapes. One may understand the Core Model by
slicing an apple core from top to bottom. At one angle you can see concentric circles, at another
angle you see a parabola, and at another angle you see spirals (Bell, 63). Such shapes represent
the forms of objects, energy and fluid movement. By working with these shapes and
incorporating them into your growing plan, you can maximize productivity and lessen impact on
the environment while increasing yield and plant health.
GOLDEN RATIO
The golden ratio, also known as the divine proportion,
golden mean, or golden section, is a number often
encountered when taking the ratios of distances in
simple geometric figures.
It is a special number found by dividing a line into two
parts so that the longer part divided by the smaller
part is also equal to the whole length divided by the
longer part and is often symbolized using phi, ɸ.
A golden rectangle (in pink) with longer side a and
shorter side b, when placed adjacent to a square
with sides of length a, will produce a similar golden
rectangle with longer side a + band shorter side a.
For centuries, designers have used the golden
rectangle in garden design, sometimes without
even realizing it. If you’re wondering how this could
be, take a look at your own garden. How many
groups of 3, 5 and 8 do you see? You planted them
that way because you found a grouping that size
visually appealing without knowing that groups of
this size are an integral part of the golden ratio.
Aesthetically, right proportion help us refine our
garden designs and the Golden Ratio which is a ratio of
proportion that’s been observed in everything from
the Great Pyramids at Giza to the Greek Parthenon and
has been used throughout history as a guide to a
pleasing sense of balance and order. One basic
application of this is the use of the Golden Rectangle
for garden/vegetable beds. A rectangular proportion of
a 5 by 8 feet bed would technically always look good!
HERB SPIRAL
This is another design created by Bill Mollison.
The design is both a pyramid and spiral design.
Basically this design is inspired by the spiral
designs you see in nature. And this spiral designs
in nature are amazingly following the rules of a
Golden Spiral of Sacred Geometry .
http://themicrogardener.com/15-benefits-of-a-herb-spiral-in-yourgarden/
The Herb Spiral is a highly productive and
energy efficient, vertical garden design. It
allows you to stack plants to maximise space – a
practical and attractive solution for urban
gardeners. It is typically 1.5 – 2m (5 – 6.5ft)
wide in diameter at the base, ascending to 1.0 –
1.3m (3.2 – 4.2ft), with the centre of the spiral
at the highest point. The spiral ramp provides a
planting area large enough to accommodate all
your common culinary herbs.
MANDALA
A Mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian
religions, representing the universe. It has become
a generic term for any diagram, chart or geometric
pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically
or symbolically; a microcosm of the universe.
A Mandala Garden is a raised garden bed using keyhole
pattern. It is usually a circle shape on a flat area. Bill
Mollison talks about it in his Permaculture, A Designers’
Manual, as the Gangamma’s Mandala [p.269, picture p.
274]. He took inspiration from Taiwan and the
Philippines to design this polycultural garden.
Building a mandala garden is a great way to break up your garden
beds into a riot of living colour, allowing easy accessibility and visual
interest. The paths allow you to crouch and inspect the garden
without ever stepping on the beds. The idea in Permaculture is that
you never step on the garden beds and crush or risk compacting the
soil.
They also have the following advantages:
• to allow a very dense crop association in varied patterns
permitting an improvement of soil building, pest control, etc.;
• to maximize edge effect as trees are associated to veggies,
tubers, water area, or whatever you want to put in it;
• to be particularly aesthetic;
• to gain space in your horticultural area because the ratio of path
to garden is less;
• to avoid water wastage;
• to be able to practice (if wanted) no dig agriculture;
• to be sure that each plant benefits from the same amount of
attention as they are all together.
MANDALA
Now we’ve discussed the basics about Sacred Geometry:
•
•
•
•
The Toros
The 5 Platonic Solids
The Golden Mean
The Mandala
We’re now going to do some group work involving
understanding alchemy and the power of intention. The end
result will be how you can use Sacred Geometry and creating
an intention as a part of your toolkit.
The group work involves using our intuition as our tool for
the alchemical process of ‘intention creating’.
Using our intuition we will start to understand the seed of
our vision and tend to its growth.
“Seeds are magic, potent vessels of nature. They hold entire
intelligent blueprint for life. They can be dormant for ages
before conditions are ripe for them to burst into life. As a
beautiful metaphor for consciousness, a seed represents the
divine design within all things.”
ALCHEMY
We can create a vortex of energy that acts as our own inner temple. Upon
entering the sacred space in meditation, we can access deep silence and
become empowered to recognize lower vibrational thought forms – we can
then ascend into higher consciousness outcomes.
We become Alchemists, transmuting intent into physical manifestation.
This divine design is also true of Sacred Geometry.
Alchemy is the process of turning lead (Negredo) into gold (Albedo)
in other ancient times.
The Rubedo (red tincture) is the transmutation or the bridge that
creates this.
In essence our Gold is our vision/ heart/ soul and our Lead is our
current reality.
DEMONSTRATION OF INTUITION USING CIRCLE WORK
Intuition is the very first piece of information into our minds before rational
thought takes over.
RULES OF INTUITION
Don’t overthink. Don’t rationalize.
Vision of garden/ home outcomes.
Current reality garden/ home outcomes.
Bridge garden/ home outcomes.
GROUPWORK
Tune into each other.
Vison and current reality then bridge.
Share with each other.
The vision and the bridge from your intention for your true desired
outcome.
HOW DOES SACRED GEOMETRY COMBINE
WITH THIS ALCHEMICAL PROCESS?
i. A shape of one of the elements of Sacred Geometry can inform you
of your vision. Try this at home with one of the shapes you resonate
with.
ii. A mandala for example can be meditative and inform you of deeper
divine wisdom of all aspects of alchemy and assist in crystalizing your
intention.
iii. Once your intention is crystal clear you can go deeper into the
meditative slate using Sacred Geometry and receive more answers
and connect to the joyous state of your intention.
HOW CAN SACRED GEOMETRY BE USED
FURTHER IN PERMACULTURE?
i. As a literal mathematical shape in your designs whilst
still referencing Permaculture principals.
ii. As a tool to create and connect to your intention and
vision for your permaculture outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Sacred Geometry is a beautiful tool and universal language and used
wisely will connect you to deeper states of your own innate divine wisdom
and therefore intentions and outcomes.
Both in Permaculture and in life. It is a reflection of our own inner
landscape.