There was something formless and perfect
Before the Universe was born.
It is serene. Empty.
Solitary. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the Universe.
For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.
-Lao Tzu
Tao is most often translated as "way" or "path" and in this one-day workshop our path leads towards the center of Chinese Geometry. Deep within the ancient art and science of Geometry lies a beautiful and mysterious system of forms that has fascinated philosophers and sages from all spiritual traditions since antiquity. Participants are invited to access the golden key of Sacred Geometry and unlock secrets encoded in the art, architecture, science, and sacred symbols of China. This multifaceted class integrates hands-on drawing with dynamic multimedia presentations and invites students to explore the harmonic balance of Heaven and Earth, Form and Emptiness, Science and Spirituality, Mastery and Mystery, Yin and Yang.
Yin Yang Fractal
Being and Non-Being create each otherŠ
-Lao Tzu
The Tai Chi, known in the west as the Yin Yang, is a familiar symbol that embodies the philosophy of non-dualism or complementarity. Its key principles of polarity and harmony, as well as cyclic and wave motion are reflected throughout the cosmos. We will explore this archetypal geometric form found throughout Chinese culture through a unique multi-media presentation and discussion.
The Vortex and the Wave
Harmonize the light,
assimilate the world.
This is called mysterious sameness.
-Lao Tzu
By meditatively drawing variations of the Yin Yang with the geometer's tools we will explore the principles and pathways of Fractal, Toroidal, and Vortex Geometries and how they map the physical phenomena of Electromagnetism, Chi, Gravity, Biology, and Human Anatomy.
The Circle and The Square
Just remain at the center of the circle
And let all things take their course.
-Lao Tzu
It is said that the Great Square has no Corners.
-Lao Tzu
One of the oldest puzzles in human history is a called "squaring the circle". This problem of constructing a square and circle that have equal areas has fascinated mathematicians all over the world for millennia and lead to the discovery of the elusive number pi. In modern times, "squaring the circle" has come to represent something that appears logically impossible. Like a Zen koan, this level of paradox can invite the mind to transcend the rigidity of logic and arrive at a deeper level of meaning. With Heaven as Circle and Earth as Square, this ancient riddle expresses an underlying aspect of the whole of Chinese cosmology that points towards the relationship of Emptiness and Form; Spirit and Matter.
