Matrix of Creation by Richard Heath. Inner Traditions, Rochester, VT. 2004. $14.95 pb. "Sacred Geometry in the Realm of the Planets" is the subtitle of this book. Number came before creation, says Richard. Many would agree with him that creation, with its forms, arose from number.
I think of the planet Uranus. Even in the watered-down meanings in which planets have come down to us, the function of Uranus is to open us to knowledge which is already "out there." We realize that all invention, ruled by Uranus, already exists. We only allow these "new ideas" to come into our minds, and Uranus helps us to do that.
(Richard reminds us that Uranus became Prometheus, who was punished by Zeus for bringing fire—light—to humankind. This in itself can be a long story, and it has many number-symbol-planetary relationships.)
All of those ideas to which Uranus opens us, many would argue, are underlain by number.
Richard Heath gets very specific. He talks about the underlying numerical relationships in the solar system. They are truly mind-boggling. He says that indeed, the ancients did live in the enchanted world which we hear about through myth and legend, e.g., a Golden Age. Their world was enchanted for them because they were alive to these marvelous numerical relationships. In fact, they patterned their lives after them in many ways. They lived with the universe, and invoked its awesome beauty and power.
That number knowledge of the skies is now called "secret," because we’ve forgotten it. (My editorial comment: with many thanks to patriarchal religions…) And yet, these ancient mathematical principles still surround us. Richard examines mythology, music, monuments, and units of measurement in terms of ratio, and specifically the golden mean, and shows how they match the geometry of the planets.
Richard explains many sky puzzes, e.g., the discrepancy between the solar year, and lunar months, which has pushed many idealists into creating time patterns which don’t apply to life as we know it.
The solar-lunar cycle can be considered three years in length, because in three years, 37 lunations, it is off by only 3 days. A better fit is the Metonic cycle of 19 years, or 235 lunations, which is off by only 2 hours. Although Richard does not go into eclipses, their cycles and their placements relate to Metonic cycles.
Everything is connected, and Richard demonstrates many of those connections through number.
Saturn’s and Jupiter’s numbers both are very interconnected with Moon. I find this especially interesting because conceptually Saturn and Jupiter are the team who run our normal, social earth life, such as all of our institutions, those frameworks within which we live and work. Moon, on the other hand, is very closely connected with the daily behavior of us humans who live within those frameworks.
So this interrelationship is true not just conceptually and through observation, but there are underlying mathematical connections which are undeniable.
This is a fascinating and very basic book. It is not long. Everything which Richard discusses could be pursued at length. I’m sure he could have written an encyclopedia. But he has chosen to condense enough evidence to demonstrate the validity of his premise, and as a basis for stimulating readers to do their own research.
Richard’s brother, Robin, writes the preface. As he says, "The integration of Earth’s mysteries—geodesy, geomantics, and metrology—with the core content of myths and legends means that Matrix of Creation will appeal to psychologists, mythologists, astrologers, and alternative thinkers in addition to being essential reading for astronomers, mathematicians, metrologists, and historians."
I am very happy to see such a clear and accessible vindication and integration of ancient knowledge. This is a very special book, from many standpoints.
(Richard is a web developer and author, with degrees in electrical and computer engineering. He lives in Scotland.)
