In Sacred Geometry: Philosophy & Practice, Robert Lawlor sets out the system that determines the dimension and the form of both man-made and natural structures, from Gothic cathedrals to flowers, from music to the human body. By also involving the reader in practical experiments, he leads with ease from simple principles to a grasp of the logarithmic spiral, the Golden Proportion, the squaring of the circle and other ubiquitous ratios and proportions.
Introduction:
‘Geometry’ means ‘measure 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 the orderly marking of plot and farm areas. This yearly flood symbol- ized to the Egyptian the cyclic return of the primal watery chaos, and when the waters receded the work began of redefining and re-establishing the boundaries.
This work was called geometry and was seen as a re-establishment of the principle of order and law on earth. Each year the areas measured out would be somewhat different. The human order would shift and this was reflected in the ordering of the earth. The Temple astronomer might say that certain celestial configurations had changed so that the orientation or location of a temple had to be adjusted accord- ingly. So the laying of squares upon the earth had, for the Egyptian, a metaphysical as well as a physical and social dimension.
This activity of ‘measuring the earth’ became the basis for a science of natural law as it is embodied in the archetypal forms of circle, square and triangle. Geometry is the study of spatial order through the measure and relationships of forms. Geometry and arithmetic, together with astronomy, the science of temporal order through the observation of cyclic movement, constituted the major intellectual disciplines of classical education.
The fourth element of this great fourfold syllabus, the Quadrivium, was the study ofharmony and music. The laws harmonics were considered to be universals which defined the relationship and interchange between the temporal movements and events of the heavens and the spatial order and development on earth.
Contents:
- The Practice of Geometry
- Sacred Geometry : Metaphor of Universal Order
- The Primal Act: The Division of Unity
- Alternation
- Proportion and the Golden Section
- Gnomonic Expansion and the Creation of Spirals
- The Squaring of the Circle
- Mediation : Geometry becomes Music
- The Genesis of Cosmic Volumes
Sacred Geometry: Philosophy & Practice By Robert Lawlor pdf
Zavier Bauer (verified owner) –
I feel like I have been cheated because I wasn’t taught any of this in public school. It makes so much sense! It makes math so much more interesting. I absolutely love this book!!! 💜
Alayna Buck (verified owner) –
Loved it. Now moving on to the sacred Tibet book in this series. Anyone who is slightly curious about this topic should definitely read this book! Awesome!
Arjun Wolf (verified owner) –
Reading Robert Lawlors book took me out of a classroom and into a discussion of the origins of mathematics. Just enough details to all the material covered, making it a breath of fresh air to others stodgy presentations.
Jon Hendrix (verified owner) –
This book is a brilliant and absolutely mindbending piece of writing. Want to know about the platonic solids, their connections to each other, how these things are used in Indian cosmology, what the number phi (1,618…) has to do with it, how these ancient ideas relate to cutting-edge physics today etc etc? You must be crazy to miss this one. BUY IT NOW!
Sawyer Soto (verified owner) –
This book is very enjoyable. It not only explains what sacred geometry is, it gives you exercises to do using basic tools like a compass, graph paper and a pencil. After reading and doing the fun and educational illustrations, you’ll be looking for sacred geometry everywhere around you as well as spotting it in famous works of art and architecture.
Eve Vaughan (verified owner) –
If you have been looking for the secrets of the Pythagorian Brotherhood, then look no futher – this is the book. Robert Lawlor takes you step by step into the realm of Hermetic Knowledge and connects it all together.
Bella Jordan (verified owner) –
Beautiful book.
Jazmin Sharp (verified owner) –
An instant classic on “the matter.” This book is thorough in illustration of major templates and foundational principles of sacred geometry in nature and composition. Discussion is informative and easy to consume. Highly recommended! There is now concise article called “A = 432hz: On the Proper Concert Pitch and a New Standardization of Tempo,” available as an eBook through Lulu, Barnes and Noble, NOOK, and iBookstore marketplaces; it details the way in which such geometrical factors play into modern music when it is tuned correctly (and suggests how to do so). It was inspired in great part by this book and The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life (as new-agey as some of the concepts are within it). Anyone can become greater at whatever it is that they profess when they augment themselves with this knowledge.
Rowan Wilkins (verified owner) –
Read this book years ago. It’s probably the most important book I’ve ever read. If you ever get confused about what’s what in the world, read this book!
Zyaire Ramos (verified owner) –
Sometimes it happens that someone who is exposed to transcendental wisdom cannot quite handle it, jumps off the mystical gangplank and drowns in the seas of New Age nuttiness. Sadly, that seems to have been the case with Lawlor, who after this effort appears to have become some kind of Green Aborigine space cadet. If only he hadn’t strayed from the teaching of his mentor Schwaller, and Pythagoras, which is the inspiration of this book…
This book was written when Lawlor still had his wits about him, and very little of the later type of nonsense is in this one. It does have a few speculations about some tangential subjects that were contemporary at the time it was written, but they don’t seriously detract from the book. And of course no book on this subject could be called exhaustive or complete, not even Euclid, so we can forgive him some omissions of what others might consider basics.
The reason the book succeeds is for precisely the reason his later works so obviously fail, which is that here he sticks to the facts. This is simply a textbook of geometry that rarely delves into anything anyone could disagree about if they know the subject. Until some other book comes along that has this particular information presented as clearly and succinctly, this book will remain a staple.
Castiel Holmes (verified owner) –
Very, very insightful intro to sacred geometry. If not familiar with this topic, I would suggest one first read the book to get your feet wet in a new way of perceiving what’s around you. Then go back, re-read it slowly, and carefully do the math (which isn’t difficult, really) and make the geometric constructs on graph paper like the author suggests. You have to do the exercises for it all to fully sink in, and achieve greater comprehension. This book is quietly profound. I only wish it was longer and for this talented author to get into the deeper end of the pool. Lawlor’s commentary is often provocative and compelling.
Sadie Horton (verified owner) –
There is a gulf between the promise of this book and what it actually delivers. The idea of exploring the deeper meaning of geometry (there is some wonderful insight here), and the approach of making it a doing experience for the reader are both worthy of praise. Unfortunately, like many books of this type, it is also riddled by mistakes: vague and/or spurious conclusions/interpretations, sometimes confusing layouts and printing, typos, misdirections, and enough false statements and faulty calculations that my trust in this book was steadily replaced by skepticism and annoyance. It seemed as though I was doing as much proofreading as learning. Whether all of the fault lies with the author is a question. Perhaps proofreaders and editors are called upon to check material they don’t fully grasp. Or perhaps no one concerned expects us to study these books too carefully.
Garrett Atkinson (verified owner) –
Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice is a book by Robert Lawlor designed to introduce the topic of geometry as it applies to modern structures. First, Lawlor discusses the great thinkers throughout ancient civilizations as well as the ways geometry shaped their beliefs. he does on to define additional components of geometry, the “study of spatial order through the measure and relationship of forms.”
One of the best reasons to pick up this 112-page book is because you want to immerse yourself in a workbook that is full of illustrations. Lawlor uses examples from fine art, atomic structure, and various other components. This real-life spin on topics most of us might find inaccessible makes geometry that much simpler.
This book is designed for the hands-on learner. Lawlor introduces the concepts of geometry in a way that you can understand even the more complex principles. He sticks to facts in this seemingly short book, which still packs quite a punch.
Yusuf Reyna (verified owner) –
Its alright
Gerardo Holmes (verified owner) –
Probably one of the most interesting books ever. I was extremely surprised. It is a great overview of sacred geometry.
Westley Velazquez (verified owner) –
a lovely read you will like it AADeL
Scarlett Ali (verified owner) –
this book has a good balance of the practical and the metaphysical for someone looking to understand the inner workings of geometries in more detail. it is the most comprehensive of the books i have found on the subject.
Jaxx Lee (verified owner) –
Nice book for understanding the depth of knowledge hidden in Geometry. Book is well built to last, and large size so that the drawings are comfortable and not cramped.
Brynlee Landry (verified owner) –
Great basic book!
Banks Larson (verified owner) –
A very interesting discovery of how many different aspects of life are affected with a hidden geometry, and how to find it, which can make you look at many aspects of everyday things with more understanding.
Stefan Murphy (verified owner) –
Very technical but interesting.
Royce Carr (verified owner) –
A good summary of the relationship of number, geometry and nature. Anyone is able to understand concepts and basics geometry.
Jolene Pineda (verified owner) –
Really excellent. Lots of practical exercises and great pictures. So many things clearly explained all in one reasonably priced volume. Perfect if you are a Waldorf teacher for digging into the Seventh Grade geometry block or High School Sacred Geometry. Highly recommended!
Harleigh Kelley (verified owner) –
…about such things, it fills a need, or, curiosity, touches on the ‘spiritual’ connections, and historic examples. There are other ones, more indepth, but more complicated for the casual reader.
Kaiya McGuire (verified owner) –
nice idea investigation style geometry
Jakob Rowland (verified owner) –
This is more of a review of several geometric formula’s used in ancient structures, and some modern art. The book is LIGHT on content, anyone with abit of research could had published this book, for someone somewhat familiar with the subject, this book will not be shedding any new light on the concept of many buildings being Geometrically designed. It is a decent book, but not very long.
Bailey Blake (verified owner) –
I was hoping for an elementary introductory to this subject matter but instead I found it challenging to keep up with.
Alice Nava (verified owner) –
Wow! This book is definitely an eye-opener and mind-blower that will probably cause a paradigm shift in the way you perceive the world and our universe. Robert Lawlor is a careful and tremendously insightful teacher with a very deep understanding of our reality.
Bailey Bender (verified owner) –
Having become interested in Sacred Geometry, I came across this work book and feel it’s beneficial to anyone trying to understand geometry on a higher level. If I had this book in High School or College for my geometry classes, I would have gotten A’s. I gained deep understanding from the workbook’s clear pictures and easy to understand examples from art, nature, architecture and numerology. Practicing sacred geometry has helped me understand the world we live in and find meaning everywhere.
Jaliyah Cortes (verified owner) –
I have been looking for a good book on this subject and this one does not disappoint one bit! The author goes through step by step from the simple concepts to the complex complete with many illustrations and even excercises so that you can experience the “magic” of geometry yourself. I could not imagine getting the same level of understanding from a book without all the diagrams to see the relationships. More of a workbook than a text book, but packed with information and history. I would rate this as an essential book for anyone’s library who is interested in understanding religious symbols, architecture, mathematics, and the beauty of the creation we find ourselves in.
Haley Woodard (verified owner) –
The book illuminated most of the geometrically related information which we experienced hands-on in our class with
Richard Henry, British Geometrist. Richard led in making multi-dimensional shapes from point to dodecahydron and
beyond! These forms were described and attributed historically, illustrated and defined for construction in the
book which is comprehensive for understanding, making and looking at geometry relationally. It is an essential
asset in the study of Geometry. I love this book and will share it with friends new to its information.
Zhuri McMahon (verified owner) –
Interesting resource on sacred geometry with examples from architecture and nature. The book also has a fair amount of mathematical equations along with the fine illustrations.
Casey Hodges (verified owner) –
very smart author! bought all his books and still studying them now!
Eric Cox (verified owner) –
Love this book and it came in perfect condtion. No bent or torn pages and nothing written on pages either.