Synergetics Geometry Studio

MISSION STATEMENT 
A STUDIO where positive IN-tention and pure, unstained action of body, speech and mind, occurs spontaneously IN the moment, aligning effortlessly with the natural rhythmic cycling of the IN-wardly spiraling, self-IN-terfering, associative material energies, and the OUT-wardly spiraling, radially expanding, dis-associative, light energies, provided by Earth, Sun, Moon, planets, stars and galaxies, IN harmony with the most subtle vibrations of cosmic consciousness, universal law, truth, beauty, symmetry and awareness of the IN-terconnectedness of self and all other beings.

A STUDIO where such positively intended vectors of body, speech and mind, forming a minimum, triangular, right-hand spiral unite with a minimum, triangular left-hand spiral comprised of the vectors of truth, beauty and symmetry to form a Synergetic abstract tetrahedral minimum system, which being the IN-tuitive, IN-tellectual heart of the STUDIO, divides the entire universe at this locus into three consideration sets:

1. The micro-cosmic volume of un-manifest no-thing-ness and all beings taking refuge IN-side the STUDIO
2. An integrated, holistic, creative-living system comprised of structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO itself
3. The macro-cosmic other-ness of all energies and beings, both positive and negative, OUT-side the STUDIO.

A STUDIO where the micro-cosmic volume of un-manifest no-thing-ness IN-side the STUDIO resonates with the positively IN-tended right-hand spiraling vectors of body, speech and mind of the beings IN-habiting the STUDIO, resulting in un-IN-hibited and IN-spired re-structuring of material and energetic natural resources with-IN the STUDIO, thus re-forming the resources IN-to ART-SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY physical artifacts that re-flect the left-hand spiraling vectors of truth, beauty and symmetry, which ultimately re-IN-forces the abstract tetrahedral minimum system at the heart of the STUDIO.

A STUDIO where such positively IN-tended right-hand spiraling vectors of body, speech and mind of the beings STUDIO IN-habitants spontaneously, and safely IN-teract with material and energetic natural resources with-IN the STUDIO to creatively form spiral-orbital re-structurings of these resources, thereby un-knotting the self-IN-terfering, associative physical structures of the material resources through the controlled application of sacred spiral radiating, dis-associative energies, ultimately forming artifacts that re-flect truth, beauty and symmetry which may then be propagated and distributed OUT-side the STUDIO to benefit unlimited numbers of beings.

A STUDIO where the creative activities of STUDIO IN-habitants are supported by the structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO, which itself is an IN-spired artifact (tool for creative living), IN harmony with IN-habitants' physical and meta-physical requirements, thereby forming a REFUGE that both protects and nurtures while simultaneously enabling the safe and un-IN-hibited manipulation of material and energetic resources for the purpose of positively IN-tended artifact development.

A STUDIO where the macro-cosmic other-ness of all energies and beings, both positive and negative, OUT-side the STUDIO are brought IN-to the compassionate awareness and creative consideration of STUDIO IN-habitants, and because the STUDIO IN-habitants' physical and meta-physical positive growth requirements are met elegantly and efficiently IN harmony with the planet's regenerative systems, the STUDIO IN-habitants spontaneously, with wisdom, IN-telligence and skillful means, safely leverage the un-bounded, IN-spiraling associative and OUT-spiralling dis-associative cosmic energies, carefully applied to physical and energetic resources, empowered by the structural, architectural, mechanical and elemental valving sub-systems of the STUDIO, to form ART-SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY physical artifacts to be distributed to beings OUT-side the STUDIO, in a manner which reflects the axioms of truth, beauty and symmetry at the abstract of heart of the STUDIO, forming a sacred bond of realized IN-terconnectedness with those beings receiving the artifacts OUT-side the STUDIO, ultimately expanding the STUDIO's positive vibrations at the most subtle level of cosmic consciousness, following planetary lines of energy, causing sympathetic vibrational modes in all planetary GREAT CIRCLE wave lines, thereby healing planetary dis-harmony, resulting in planet-wide peace and happiness.

30 Transcendent Virtues
by Tom Greenbaum

Transforming Economics with Positive Thinking

Malthus was wrong. The planet's economic systems based on Malthusian principles of scarcity are a lie and a deception. This is one of the root causes behind the world's woes. If humanity learned the power of positive thinking we can eliminate war, famine, disease, oppression and the disparity between the wealthy ruling class and the poor working class.

Thomas Robert Malthus thought that the dangers of population growth would preclude endless progress towards a utopian society: "The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man".

Current world leaders teach that the, "First rule of economics is that there are limited resources and there are never enough goods or money to satisfy everyone." This is what Malthus declared at a time when there was barely a billion people on the planet. Now there are over 6 billion people with a majority living with access to resources that Malthus could not have imagined.

How could Malthus be so wrong? The simple truth is that he did not understand the very basic principle of innovation and Human ingenuity. Human's ability to discover the generalized operating principles of Universe and apply them in the creation of artifacts that do ever MORE with ever LESS physical resources is what Malthus did not understand and what the world political, financial and oil-wealth based tyrannies continue to perpetuate as the greatest deception Humanity has had to overcome.

Utopia or Oblivion: the Prospects for Humanity
By R. Buckminster Fuller

Why is Humanity taught to believe in this lie? It is because Humans react with fear and aggression when they think that there is not enough resources for everyone. Humans driven by fear of scarcity are easily controlled and organized into competing camps.
Nations, banks and oil companies who control access to the world's "limited" physical resources need to perpetuate the lie in order to secure their power base.
However, the real resource is and has always been intellectual attainment. Sometimes referred to as "mind over matter" or BRAIN POWER it is humans' ability to ever more with ever less physical resources, that is the ultimate power base.

Students have come to America for two centuries in order to gain the best education in the world. In the past, 90 percent have stayed and added to the intellectual resources of America, founded great innovative companies, and added to the power and success of our nation.

For example, consider the following entrepenuers who helped to build Silicon Valley:

• Andrew Grove, former Chairman and CEO Intel Corporation, born in Budapest, Hungary, graduated University of California, Berkeley.
• Pierre Omidyar, founder and Chairman, eBay, born in Paris, France to Iranian immigrant parents, graduated from Tufts University, net worth $5.5 Billion.
• Salar Kamangar, CEO of YouTube, created the company's first business plan, born in Tehran, Iran, graduated from Stanford University.
• Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin, Google founder, born in Moscow, graduated from Stanford University, net worth $15 Billion.
• Jerry Yang, Yahoo co-founder, born in Taiwan, graduated from Stanford University, net worth $1.15 Billion.

The 1999 report Silicon Valley's New Immigrant Entrepreneurs "finds that immigrants account for one-third of the scientific and engineering workforce in Silicon Valley and that Indian or Chinese Chief Executive Officers are running one-fourth of all of the high-technology firms in the region."

These entrepeneurs created vast information enterprises from nothing. These companies now influence the entire world. This is the proof that BRAIN POWER is limitless and that the power of the earth to provide subsistence for humanity is boundless. 

Sacred Geometry, Metatron’s Cube and Merkabah Connections

Sometimes isolation and solitude catalyze the greatest feelings of connection. This is not a paradox. It is about simplicity, being able to listen through the static, filtering meaning from the noise. This is why a cave, a bowl or the center of a sphere is an excellent location for meditation and for accumulating jnana. These forms present a uniform interior to our minds allowing our body/mind to relax. These spaces provide a refuge that protects us from negative energies and shield us from distractions. We are open to the entire universe, yet we do not feel threatened. In fact, we feel at home and protected.

Triacon Plan View - An Alternate View of Metatron's Cube
Copyright © Thomas J. Greenbaum

This is also what sacred geometry provides. We can visualize ourselves in the center of the mandala (the Chariot, the Merkabah) and feel at home amongst the lines, arcs, triangles, circles, tetrahedrons and spheres. It may not take an overt mental act or visualization method to do this. If the geometry reflects truth, beauty and symmetry it is easily and naturally accomplished. Truth, of course, is the most difficult aspect to achieve.

"Know the self to be sitting in a Chariot, the body to be the Chariot, the intellect (buddhi) the charioteer, and the mind the reins." --The Upanishads

Having established a locus for our mind within the sacred space/geometry, connections occur without the interference of overt metaphors or symbols. We can listen/feel the most subtle vibrations, like a spider in the center of its web. Once centered in the grid/web looking inside and looking outside we become aware of a unity of form and function. Consciousness merges with the sacred geometry and the fractal nature of awareness arises. Micro/macro views are self-similar resulting in harmony, balance and equilibrium. Connections arise spontaneously between all nodes on the grid; no single node is dominant, all nodes vibrate together.

Engraved illustration of the "chariot vision" of the Biblical book of Ezekiel, chapter 1, after an earlier illustration by Matthaeus (Matthäus) Merian (1593-1650)

In contrast, our mundane awareness is not easily balanced. Each connection we experience competes for our attention/energy. Each node fights for dominance over the others. Life is a discordant cacophony of overt signs, symbols, messages and mythologies with contradictory meanings. Consciousness cannot settle into any locus. Awareness does not feel centered and does not realize the self-similar fractal nature of phenomena. Looking inside yields one view, while looking outside we something totally different; alien and threatening. Although the view outside is disturbing we cannot take our attention from it. After a while we are afraid to look inside.

The opportunity/potential of the Lotus Bowl, Metatron's Cube, or any sacred geometry is that it can become the Chariot of God, the Merkabah. These forms may become vehicles for individual consciousness to connect with our Buddha nature. They transport our mundane consciousness to realms of enlightened awareness - the Pure Realms. During these states of expanded consciousness we open ourselves fully to being connected to all possibilities. We arrive to sit on our Lotus Throne, cup one hand to our ear and listen to the vibrations of the cosmos, the music of the spheres, to the songs of all beings - while in the other hand we gather precious Amrita, the elixir that will make us immortal.

Milarepa - Great Yogi and Kagyu Saint

The Power of Myth

The full meaning of the term "myth" is something you should learn. Understanding the role of myth in your life is perhaps the most powerful tool you can attain. It is a tool that you can pragmatically apply to help you live your life with joy.

I consider Joseph Campbell one of the wisest scholars of the 20th century. In some ways he is wiser than Bucky Fuller. Campbell's book The Power of Myth changed my life. The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary (available on DVD) originally broadcast on PBS in 1988. The documentary comprises six one-hour conversations between mythologist Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers and includes selections from Moyers' interview with Star Wars creator George Lucas. 

Joseph John Campbell (March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience. His philosophy is often summarized by his phrase: "Follow your bliss."

George Lucas was the first Hollywood filmmaker to credit Campbell's influence. Lucas stated following the release of the first Star Wars film in 1977 that its story was shaped, in part, by ideas described in The Hero with a Thousand Faces and other works of Campbell's.

Check out the YouTube video: The Mythology Of Star Wars which is a Bill Moyers interview of George Lucas and his thoughts of God and "The Force."  Lucas says Mythology creates a context for the unknown. The video includes a great clip of when Luke Skywalker first meets Yoda and receives his first lesson about "The Force." Lucas says that when Star Wars first came out, almost every single religion took Star Wars and used it as an example of their religion and related the Star Wars mythology to the Bible, the Quaran and the Torah. He goes on to say if the Star Wars mythology is a tool to make old stories be new and relate to younger people - that's what the whole point was.

When Campbell published his book Historical Atlas of World Mythology,  a reporter interviewed Campbell and confronted him with some tough questions:

Reporter: "The word 'myth,' means 'a lie.' Myth is a lie." 

Campbell: "No, myth is not a lie. A whole mythology is an organization of symbolic images and narratives, metaphorical of the possibilities of human experience and the fulfillment of a given culture at a given time." 

Campbell: "That which human beings have in common is revealed in myths. Myths are the stories of our search through the ages for truth, for meaning, for significance. Myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life.

Joseph Campbell defined myths as having four basic functions: 

1. the Mystical Function--experiencing the awe of the universe
2. the Cosmological Function--explaining the shape of the universe
3. the Sociological Function--supporting and validating a certain social order
4. the Pedagogical Function--how to live a human lifetime under any circumstances

See more in an interview with Campbell regarding The Function of Myth In the Individual Life.

Some inspirational quotes by Joseph Campbell:

Follow your bliss.

If you do follow your bliss,

you put yourself on a kind of track

that has been there all the while waiting for you,

and the life you ought to be living

is the one you are living.

When you can see that,

you begin to meet people

who are in the field of your bliss,

and they open the doors to you.

I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid,

and doors will open

where you didn't know they were going to be.

If you follow your bliss,

doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.

☼

People say that what we're seeking is a meaning for life. 

I don't think that's what we're really seeking. 

I think that what we're seeking is an experience of being alive, 

so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.

☼

Find a place (inside) where there's joy,

and the joy will burn out the pain.

☼

The goal of life

is to make your heartbeat

match the beat of the universe,

to match your nature with Nature.

Untie the Knots of False Knowledge to Release the Infinite Energy of the Void

In this post I will talk about how to untie knots of false knowledge and the benefits that this will bring us.

An explosion is the sudden release of energy. This is similar to Satori, or sudden Enlightenment. Explosives development consists of discovering how to untie a myriad of complex knots of ever decreasing size with ever increasing rapidity. Tie a knot to bind energy. Untie a knot to release energy.

Discover a molecular (chemical) knot that can be unravelled in a flash and you have a powerful explosive. Invent a way to untie the knot that binds the nucleus of atoms in a split second and an explosion millions of times greater results. In this post I explore how to untie the knot that forms the very fabric of energy-mass to in order to free the binds of false knowledge and gain Enlightenment.

It is interesting to note that the "Auspicious Knot" is one of the eight traditional symbols of Buddhism. Also called Shrivatsa, or the endless knot. It represents the Buddha's heart, the essence of which is bodhicitta, ("awakened mind" or, universal compassion).

Auspicious Knot

From Buckminster Fuller's Synergetics (section 505 Pattern), Bucky uses the knot metaphor to help us understand how atoms are held together:

505.21 Each of the chemical elements is a uniquely complex pattern of energy event interrelatednesses which interact inter-interferingly to continually relocalize the involved quantity of energy. These self-interference patterns of atomic element components are in many ways similar to the family of knots that are tied with rope by sailors to produce various local behaviors, all of which, however, result in further contraction of the knot as the two ends of the rope immediately outside the knot are pulled away from one another by forces external to the knot^__and thus all the attractive forces of Universe operating upon the atoms may result precessionally in keeping the atomic knots pulled together. (See Sec.506.14.)

Synergetics Fig. 505.41 Involution and Evolution
Copyright © 1997 Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller

In Synergetics section 506 Knot, Bucky further explains how the energy-mass pattern knot is self-tightening, or self-interfering. Bucky explains that the Yin-Yang diagram is actually the minimum tetrahedron knot.

506.14 Pulling on the two ends of the knotted rope causes the knot to contract. This is a form of interference wave where the wave comes back on itself, and as a consequence of any tension in it, the knot gets tighter. This is one of the ways in which the energy-mass patterns begin to tighten up. It is self-tightening. This is the essence of "matter" as a consequence of two circles of 720 degrees tending to annihilate or lose one's self. Tetrahedron creates an insideness. Knot attempts to annihilate it. The knot is a tetrahedron or a complex of tetrahedra. Yin-Yang is a picture of a minimum tetrahedron knot interference tying. (See Sec. 505.21.)

In the Shurangama Sutra, Volume 5, Part One the Buddha uses the knot metaphor. He provides instruction to his disciple Ananda on how to gain Enlightenment by removing the knots of the six sense-organs which are the root cause of defiling appearance (illusory existence). Following are some selected excerpts from the Sutra. The reader is highly encouraged to read the entire Sutra to gain immeasurable insight on how to obtain liberation.

Ananda, consider someone who wants to untie a knot. If he can't see where the knot is, how can he untie it? But I have never heard of anyone unbinding empty space. Why not? Because emptiness has no form of appearance; and so there are no knots to untie. But now your visible eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, as well as your body and mind are like six thieving matchmakers who plunder the jewels of your own household. And, thus, from beginningless time, because beings and the temporal and spatial world, have been bound up together, beings are unable to transcend the material world.

Therefore, Ananda, you can select whichever one of the six sense-organs you wish. If the knots of the sense-organs are removed, then the defiling appearance disappear of themselves. All falseness ceases to be.

Ananda, consider someone who wants to untie a knot. If he can't see where the knot is, how can he untie it? But I have never heard of anyone unbinding empty space. Why not? Because emptiness has no form of appearance; and so there are no knots to untie. But now your visible eyes, ears, nose, and tongue, as well as your body and mind are like six thieving matchmakers who plunder the jewels of your own household. And, thus, from beginningless time, because beings and the temporal and spatial world, have been bound up together, beings are unable to transcend the material world.

Ananda said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, although the Tathagata has explained this second absolute, as I now regard someone who wants to untie a knot, if he cannot find its center, he will never get the knot undone. World Honored One, I and all other Hearers in the great assembly who are not beyond study are the same way. From time without beginning we have been accompanied in birth and death by ignorance. We have obtained these good roots of erudition and are said to have left the home life, yet in fact we act like someone with recurrent malaria. I only hope, Greatly Compassionate One, that you will take pity on us who are sinking and drowning. What are the knots in our body and mind and how do we untie them? Your explanation will also enable future beings who are in suffering and difficulty to avoid the cycle of rebirth and keep them from falling into the three realms of existence."

Good indeed, Ananda! You wish to recognize your innate ignorance that causes you to turn on the wheel. The origin of the knot of birth and death is simply your six sense-organs and nothing else. You also want to understand unsurpassed Bodhi, so that you can quickly realize bliss, liberation, tranquility, and wonderful permanence. It, too, is your six sense-organs and nothing else.

Here is a little poem I wrote to summarize this teaching:

Cut the Root of the Tree of False Knowledge

By Karma Lodro Gyaltsen

Infinite energy of the Void tied in knots by limited perception,

False knowledge derived from finite, bounded definitions.

We may argue and dispute the facts, I pull

At the definition from one end, you pull

From the other end, however, the knot

Of conceptuality grows ever tighter.

Apply wisdom to untie the knots
Cut the root of the false tree
of knowledge.

Infinite energy
Liberated,

Freedom
Explodes

From within.

Emotion Versus Intuition

In my previous post I talk about how the 120 LCD Spherical Triangle diagram of Synergetics was intuitively derived by the mind of the great architect Buckminster Fuller through a study of the geometric relationships of icosahedron spin properties. I also examine how the Becker-Hagens Grid puts a pseudoscientific "spin" on these very same diagrams. I said that the 120 LCD Spherical Triangle model of Synergetics was intuitively derived, but the Becker-Hagens UVG 120 sphere was emotionally derived.

In this post I would like to elaborate on the difference between "emotionally derived" and "intuitively derived." Let us begin by reviewing the Synergetics definition of intuition in section 500.00 Conceptuality:

529.32   Intuition derives from the approximate instantaneity of intellect, which is much faster than any physical phenomenon like the brain lags. Intuition is the absolute- velocity insistence of the intellect upon the laggingly reflexed brain to call its attention to significance of various special-case, brain-registered, experience relationships. Intuition is intellect coming instantly in at highest speed into dominance over lower-speed, lagging brain reflexing.

The benefit of LEARNING is that once a teaching becomes a brain reflex, this allows an entirely new level of INTUITION to occur instantly. The rational route is through the lower-speed travel across the rough terrain of the thinking process. After this terrain is crossed repeatedly, bridges are constructed. Intuition crosses the bridge over the rough terrain to travel with high-speed connectivity between previous landmarks of our mapped experience. By broadening our consideration set across a wide range of special case experiences, we enable the absolute-velocity intellect to find patterns of connectivity within the map. Intuition will use the map to empower intellect to discover new generalized principles of Universe. 

Triacon 3D Visualization
Copyright by Thomas J. Greenbaum

Rotation and spin is how the Universe creates seemingly complex systems from very simple relationships. I created an online Triacon program using the Processing language that uses spin relationships to create a 3D rhombic triacontahedron on screen.  The programming code actually takes a single golden rhombus and spins it and rotates it 30 times to create the entire model. See: http://openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=14609 

Create experience maps based only on rational, intellectually-derived truthful relationships, then all your INTUITIONS will be inspired revelations of Universal Law.

Spin and the 120 LCD Spherical Triangle of Synergetics

In my previous post "Planetary Energetic Grid Theory" I talk about how various New Age philosophers have used the mathematically proven geometries from Buckminster Fuller's Synergetics to further their own pseudoscientific theories. I would like to delve a little deeper into this issue and point out the difference between New Age pseudoscience and real science.

I encourage the reader to review Synergetics section 901.00 Basic Disequilibrium LCD Triangle for an explanation of the relevance of the 120 LCD spherical triangle geometry to the modelability of nature's structures. Buckminster Fuller discovered these geometries as being generalized operational principles of Universe evident in natural structures. These structures appear on all scales from the micro-cosmic icosahedral protein capsid of a virus to the macro-cosmic spiral arm of a galaxy.

901.02 The Basic Disequilibrium 120 LCD Spherical Triangle of synergetics is derived from the 15-great-circle, symmetric, three-way grid of the spherical icosahedron. It is the lowest common denominator of a sphere's surface, being precisely 1/120th of that surface as described by the icosahedron's 15 great circles. The trigonometric data for the Basic Disequilibrium LCD Triangle includes the data for the entire sphere and is the basis of all geodesic dome calculations. (See Sec.612.00.)

See the website of R.W. Gray Projects on Great Circle and LCD Triangle Info for a very complete explanation of Bucky's concept of how the great circles are defined by spinning the polyhedron about an axis. He explains in great detail the derivation of the LCD Spherical Triangles and provides corrected tables of angles.

Image with Becker-Hagens copyright but contains diagrams from Synergetics

Note how the completely rational and mathematically derived 120 LCD Spherical Triangle model of Synergetics is compared in stark contrast to the plagiarized and emotionally derived UVG 120 Sphere by Becker-Hagens. It is interesting to see how Becker-Hagens copied exactly the drawings from Bucky straight out of Synergetics and added their own copyright to them. See "Illustration 17 - Planetary Grid Projection" compare with "Fig. 986.405 Respective Subdivision of Rhombic Dodecahedron (A) and Rhombic Triacontahedron"

Synergetics Fig. 986.405 Copyright © 1997 Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller

We all realize that the images of geometric forms discovered by Bucky's brilliant and extraordinarily disciplined mind are potent in their beauty and resonate on many levels of the psyche due to their intuitive connection to the coordinate system of Universe. The lesson here is that we need to be careful that these images do not become symbols and signs of a new religion which removes the images from their rightful place at the heart of the Design Science Revolution.

Geometry is a true science that can lead humanity to innovations which use less resources to accomplish more benefit for Humanity. The magic and mystery resides in the ability of the Human mind to derive the generalized operating principles of Universe from experience and observation. However, the geometric images in of themselves do not possess magical properties to divine the source of etheric energies beyond that of inspiring within the seer the motivation to use their own internal creative energies for the betterment of the planet.

Planetary Energetic Grid Theory

The concept of etheric energy lines or "ley lines" encircling the Earth is attributed to New Age beliefs. The Wikipedia article on ley lines says:

The believers in ley lines think that the lines and their intersection points resonate a special psychic or mystical energy. Ascribing such characteristics to ley lines has led to the term being classified as pseudoscience.

I bring up this idea of ley lines because I find it fascinating that there are websites devoted to a "serious" examination of various Planetary Energetic Grid Theories and almost all of them have used the spherical geometric constructions invented by Buckminster Fuller as the basis of their grids. Many websites have used Bucky's images without attribution which is not ethical. However, some New Age writers do give Bucky credit for their application of a spherical coordinate system to their grid system.

For example, search the web for "Becker-Hagens Grid" and you will find that there are many websites which mention this New Age theory. A website by Bethe Hagens writes extensively on this theory. She says on the website:

"This is the same form that was used by R. Buckminster Fuller for his domes and in our research, we have called it the Unified Vector Geometry (UVG) 120 Sphere. We consider it the key component in our proposed "new synthesis" of planetary grid research."

Synergetics Color Plate # 30.
Copyright © 1997 Estate of R. Buckminster Fuller 

See Synergetics Fig. 987.132E Composite of Primary and Secondary Icosahedron Great Circle Sets and the beautiful color version of this diagram in Color Plate 30. Also, the Becker-Hagens BASIC TRIANGLE Unified Vector Geometry (UVG) is identical to Bucky's Synergetics Fig. 987.132F Net Diagram of Angles and Edges for Basic Disequilibrium 120 LCD Triangle  

Also, on this web page is a discussion of the rhombic triacontahedron used as the basis for an "EarthStar" map.

"The geometry of EarthStar is the rhombic triacontahedron projection method developed by R. Buckminster Fuller."

The Vortex Maps website offers the unique triacontahedron "EarthStar" map of the Earth.

The rhombic triacontahedron is exactly the same geometry for which I have created the Triacon visualization application and upon which I use as an aid in creating some of my fused glass art pieces.

30 Transcendent Virtues
Fused glass art by Thomas J. Greebaum
Based on rhombic triacontahedron

At the Crystal Links website there is a drawing of the Earth with a superimposed spherical icosahedron and the multitude of spin lines identical to what Bucky published in Synergetics. The Crystal Worlds website has a very similar image of the Earth Globe with superimposed icosahedron lines.

It is a small world after all, why not cover it in a spherical icosahedron grid?

GRUNCH of Giants

I wanted to share with you some words from Buckminster Fuller which I feel are extremely pertinent to today's world financial crisis. The words are from the book Grunch of Giants by Buckminster Fuller. The book is a 'sequel' to Bucky's Critical Path. The title of the book includes the word GRUNCH which is Fuller's acronym for:

GRoss Universal Cash Heist

Written in the 1980's in allegorical form, this serious satire about the rise of multi-national corporations, capitalistic selfishness and the technological revolution emphasizes that our present economic system, and the theories on which it is based are no longer useful because of its false assumption of scarcity.

Following is the quote from the book,

Buckminster Fuller on economic turmoil and social revolution An excerpt from Grunch of Giants by R. Buckminster Fuller: Greater justice and economic improvement for the many is not always the result of social revolution. The Europeans' guns overwhelming of the American Indian bow-and-arrow weapons was in most ways a retrogressive social revolution implemented by design-science revolution. It is always the design revolution that tips the social scales one way or the other. However, sum totally the combined design and social revolutions ultimately favor the many. Between 1900 and today, 60 percent of humans in the U.S.A. have attained a standard of living far in advance of those of the greatest potentates of 1900 while concurrently doubling the life-span of that fortunate 60 percent. Never before in all history have the inequities and the momentums of unthinking money-power been more glaringly evident to so vastly large a number of now literate, competent, and constructively thinking all-around-the-world humans. There's a soon-to-occur critical-mass moment when the intuition of the responsibly inspired majority of humanity, in contradistinction to the angered Luddites and avenging Robin Hoods, faced with comprehensive functional discontinuity of nationally contained techno-economic system, will call for and accomplish a world-around reorientation of our planetary affairs. At this critical moment will occur a realization by the responsibly inspired majority that the adequate capacity of the invisible technology to sustainingly support all humanity depends on all the resources, physical and metaphysical, being always and only employed for all of world-around humanity as a completely integrated techno-economic system operating entirely on its daily income principally of Sun-emanating energy. You can read Grunch of Giants on the www.bfi.org website or purchase it from the Buckminster Fuller Institute online store.

Language of Emptiness

In my previous post "The Deliberately Non-Straight Path" I mentioned the teaching of Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness because that is the most profound teaching of the Buddhist idea of Emptiness (Shunyata) that I know of. The Teaching utilizes the approach of leading the student through a review of the different schools of Buddhism. It leads us on a journey to go beyond our illusion and false views of reality. We realize that over time, scholars of Buddhist philosophy have progressively evolved and refined their understanding of Emptiness. In this way, the student can themselves evolve their own understanding.

The Teaching is at the same time profound and straightforward. Because the subject is so incredibly difficult to put into words, the method of the teaching utilizes a variety of metaphors comparing our experience of reality to dreams. However, this teaching is not for everyone.

When I received the empowerment from the Venerable Khenpo Tsultrum Gyamtso Rinpoche for the Teaching of Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness it was up in Woodstock at the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery. I remember Rinpoche holding up a flower, declaring to the students sitting on cushions in the main shrine room, "This flower is an illusion, it is empty of self."

A woman student was visibly shaken by this declaration that the flower is an illusion. She objected. She got up and started arguing with Rinpoche. "How can you say it is an illusion?" she said defiantly. "I can see you holding it in your hand. We can all see it in your hand. It is REAL."

Obviously, she was not ready for the teaching. She was confused and upset. She got up and left the shrine room and did not return. 

In the Heart Sūtra also referred to as the Prajñāpāramitā, or "Perfection of Wisdom," the Buddha teaches:

All conditioned phenomena

Are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, or shadows;

Like drops of dew, or flashes of lightning;

Thusly should they be contemplated.

The mantra given in the Prajñāpāramitā is:

gate gate pāragate pārasamgate bodhi svāhā

"gone gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all hail!"

What do you think "gone beyond" means? Here are some of my thoughts about going beyond.

I have been a student of the physical sciences my entire life. By the time I graduated High School I had exhausted all of the High School math, science, chemistry and physics courses including the Advanced Placement courses and had moved on to Independent Study courses at a college level. My first two years in college I was a physics major and took some pretty serious math, science and engineering courses. I completed 4 semesters of calculus.

I mention this because this because all of this academic experience has all been Grist for the Mill. I can tell you with utmost confidence in my experience that science has discovered no physical objects.

The little swirling whirlpool on the downstream side of a boulder in a stream appears to be a thing. It seems to have an identity; an existence. We might describe it as a system. It has insideness and outsideness. It has structure. However, it does not exist separately from the stream of water. It is empty of self.

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51), image from Hubble Space Telescope

Science has powerful instruments that extend our senses into realms of the incredibly small and highly energetic. We have poked and prodded matter and energy and have found no particle, no system, no energy, no fabric of time and space that is indivisible, eternal, unchanging, substantive, or objective. All observed scientific phenomena are empty of self.

Science has "gone beyond," way beyond, and can find no objective reality. So-called solid matter has been found to be composed of molecules. Molecules are composed of atoms. Atoms are broken down into sub-atomic particles. Sub-atomic particles decomposed into quarks. Quarks are made of strings .... ad infinitum. There is no theoretical limit to this reductio ad absurdum search for a fundamental "thing" that makes up physical reality. 

What the heck is a string? No one really knows. A string is mathematical object, it is not an object that can be directly observed, and yet science says this is the stuff that all of reality is made of. Strings are a set of mathematical theories and constructs understood by a handful of people on the planet and they cannot even agree on the mathematics. 

Physical reality is now ruled by mathematicians. Mathematics is imaginary, it exists completely in the realm of abstract mental phenomena. The most fundamental description of physical experience is mathematical, abstract, non-substantive, existing only in the minds of an elite few.

Every time that science has poked and prodded what appears to be a physically solid "thing" it comes apart into ethereal sub-components. As science continues its journey trying to understand and define what matter and energy is, it keeps "going beyond" and discovering that there are no things that independently exist. What appeared to be a thing is an illusion, a temporary holding pattern of yet finer things in orbit about each other, which themselves are holding patterns of even finer things, etc., etc. Science has discovered no-thingness. 

Science has sensed and mathematically described trajectories and orbits, spins and vibration. But science has found no things that move, orbit, spin and vibrate. Because every time that science has tried to describe the things that move, orbit, spin and vibrate, it discovers only more movement, orbits, spins and vibration existing on a smaller, micro-cosmic scale of experience.

Experience is based on information gathered via the senses. Patterns arise in from these experiences and form is perceived, along with other concepts such as symmetry, order and beauty. Abstract thought and language together structure experience. This structuring of experience is a mental activity.

Reality is a mental projection, similar to a movie projection. Individual experiences are projected onto a mental image of what appears to be a continuity of experience. This is similar to the rapidly displayed frames of a movie which the visual sense assembles into the illusion of continuous movement. However, continuity of experience is an illusion. The flow of time is an illusion.

All that is known about reality is what is sensed and conceived and felt and remembered at this very moment. Memories presents the illusion of the past, but the past does not exist "beyond" our memory. The past is an illusion.

The future is a mental construct of imagined events and experience based on projected patterns of memories and feelings and thought. The sun is imagined to rise tomorrow. All sorts of events and activities are projected to occur in the future based on memories and thoughts and concepts that occur only in this moment. However, tomorrow never comes. It is always today. It is always this moment. There is nothing "beyond" this moment that is not an illusion; an imaginary mental construct.

Even though I talk of God, I actually do not believe in God as most people do. I do not differentiate between the Mind of God and a Personal Mind. 

The idea that all experience is mental phenomena (consciousness-only) is the position of the Yogācāra school of Buddhism. This is talked about extensively in Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness. There is no experience that is not a mental event. 

In my view (not necessarily any Buddhist teaching). There is no differentiation between mental realms, other selves, gods, deities, etc. The Mind of God is an illusion; a projection. The minds of deities, gods, and other selves are imaginary as well. All these projections of separately existing minds exist within the discontinuous experience of mind. There is not one mind, there are not many minds, there is only mind.

There is experience. Experience is experience, there is no "going beyond" that. I am that which I am. YHVH. Suchness. Tathagata.

The realization of this simple truth has brought me "beyond" the false belief in imaginary projections. Reality is like a dream that is realized to be a dream only after we wake up. While in the dream, the experience of the dream is very real. However, when we awake from the dream we review the memory of the dream and know it to be an illusion; only existing as a mental phenomena.

Perhaps some day in the future I will awake from this dream. But, there is no future, so I should be awake at this moment. 

Beyond, beyond, beyond that beyond, the great beyond, awaken, rejoice!