CRACKING THE COSMIC CODE
by John Michell
Last week we looked at the circle of the universe. Its area is 12!(known as '12 factorial'), which means the numbers 1 to 12 multiplied together. By two geometric processes, involving the square and the triangle, a smaller circle was developed from this. Its radius is 5,040 or 7!, the first seven numbers multiplied together. This smaller circle represents the earth with its satellite, the moon. 5,040 miles is the sum of the earth's mean radius (3,960 miles) plus the radius of the moon (1,080 miles).

It is a striking fact of nature that the circles of moon and earth illustrate a primary symbol of creative geometry, the 'squared circle'. It is a marriage of opposites. The circle is the symbol of eternity and the heavens; the square is the material world of earth. If you can draw them together so that each has the same measure round its perimeter, you have created a squared circle. The diameters of the earth and moon are as 11 to 3. Using these simple numbers, draw their two circles so that they touch each other. Enclose the earth circle in a square, and from its centre draw a circle through the centre of the moon. Taking 22/7 as the value or pi, you can calculate that the circumference of this circle is 44. The square containing the earth circle has a side of 11, so its perimeter is also 44. Its actual measure is 31,680 miles.

To complete the diagram, draw four 'moons' at the four quarters of the earth, and add two on each side of them - making 12 in all. The eight added circles pass through the eight points where the square and the circle meet. This basic diagram, the circle squared by the earth and moon, is the key to ancient science and wisdom. It is said to be revealed from time to time. There are many references to it in ancient writings and the architecture of temples. One example is in the last two chapters of the Bible, where St John describes the Heavenly City. It is the ideal geometric pattern of the universe, beautiful, colourful and complete in all its parts. He gave its dimensions, based on the same numbers as in our squared-circle diagram.

In the geometer's creation story that we are following, certain numbers are specially prominent. The first is 5,040 - the measure in miles of the combined radii of the earth and moon. It is the pivot of the basic numbers 1 to 10, for I x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 x 6 x 7 = 5040, and 7 x 8 x 9 x 10 = 5040. Plato gave 5,040 as the key to the esoteric diagram behind his ideal state constitution. 5,040 symbolises the female spirit of the world that was there from the beginning.