12-04-2012, 11:26 AM
The Divine Proportion – a Masonic Number
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So then what is the Golden Section
But…the Golden Section is a special ratio – where the ratio of the short part to the long part is the same as the long part to the whole.
So what is this ratio
The Golden Section/Golden Mean/Divine Proportion is an irregular number – like π, and cannot be expressed fully in decimal form (i.e. π = 3.14128…)
Φ = 1.618033… or (1+5)/2
Somehow it seems fitting that we cannot represent the root of Sacred Geometry by an ordinary number.
So what about Architecture
The Divine Proportion was used by the Greeks – and is still being used by architects today to design buildings that are aesthetically pleasing.
There is evidence that the Great Pyramid incorporates Φ – in the so-called “King’s Chamber” and also in its overall dimensions.
Anything Else
It is likely that Virgil’s “Aeneid” and other great works of classical poetry used φ to determine metrical structure of the poem.
Mozart’s sonatas tend to divide in parts exactly at the Golden Section of total time of the work.
In Beethoven’s 5th Symphony the opening motto is repeated at exactly the Φ point through the Symphony (Bar 372) and also at the start of the recapitulation 1-Φ of the way through.
Stradivarius placed the “f” holes in his violins at the Φ point of the body structure.
So what does this have to do with Freemasonry
The Golden Section and its derivative constructs can be calculated using only 2 tools: the Square and Compasses.
If the S&C allow the calculation of the proportion used by the GAOTU when laying out the design for Creation on His trestle board, then I feel that there is some demonstrable validity to the spiritual symbolism that they are supposed to display.
I ask you now, Brethren: “Is it still true in your minds that there are no secrets in Freemasonry?”