THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The shapes of the arc and the triangle are some of the most basic forms in two-dimensional geometry. The arc is a simple curve that we see formed in a rainbow or a tunnel through which we pass. It is an arc that creates a section of the path of a celestial object on its journey through the heavens. The triangle is the simplest polygon—three closed sides defining an area. It is a shape that is intrinsic to all other polygons. We see triangles every day in the roof shape of many of our homes and the supporting structures of numerous bridges we pass over. The curve (arch) and triangle are fundamental building blocks in architecture used for their strength and simplicity. They also are found in the core of biology and the fabric of the universe. The archetypes of the arc and triangle with their power and straightforwardness also exhibit themselves in religious and mystical symbolism throughout the world in various ages.

These forms are the linchpins of cosmology and biology from which the essence of life and religious symbolism are spawned. Their examination shows that the frequency of occurrence throughout history and the cultures within their spirituality are significant and emerge as cosmic archetypes that manifest at the core of science and human consciousness. They are two forms that clearly show the yin and the yang, the masculine and the feminine, perfectly containing their opposite counterparts in balance. From the triangle the arc can be drawn, and from arcs triangles can be created. Such is the reach and influence of these apparently simple forms that together they create a fusion for uniting science with spirituality. They are the archetypal forms that are the warp and woof of the universe, intrinsic symbols of both religion and science creating an elegant equation of unification. Elegant equations are what theorists call formulas such as Einstein’s E=mc2 and Newton’s “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.

Donald B. Carroll