Hieratica: A Repository of Joy and Learning
Background Reading:
General:
A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art and Science, a Voyage from 1 to 10, Michael S. Schneider
Quadrivium: The Four Classical Liberal Arts of Number, Geometry, Music, & Cosmology, 2009, Wooden Books, content by Miranda Lundy, Daud Sutton, Anthony Ashton, Jason Martineau
Sacred Geometry: Philosophy & Practice, Robert Lawlor, 1982, Thames & Hudson
The Power of Limits: Proportional Harmonies in Nature, Art & Architecture, György Doczi, 1981, Shambhala Publications Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-power-of-limits
Sacred Geometry, Miranda Lundy, 2001 Wooden Books – one of the sections of Quadrivium only focusing on Sacred Geometry
How the World is Made: The Story of Creation According to Sacred Geometry, John Michell with Allan Brown, 2009, Inner Traditions
Time Stands Still: New Light on Megalithic Science, Keith Critchlow, 2007, Floris Books
The Hidden Geometry of Flowers: Living Rhythms, Form and Number, Keith Critchlow, 2014, Floris Books, Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-geometry-flowers
Article about the life of Keith Critchlow, Pattern Seeker Extraordinaire
https://besharamagazine.org/remarkable-lives/keith-critchlow-a-life-well-lived/
The Geometry of Art and Life, Matila Ghyka, 1977, Dover Publications
Platonic & Archimedean Solids, Daud Sutton, 1998, Wooden Books
Golden Ratio/Phi:
The Golden Ratio: The Divine Beauty of Mathematics by Gary B. Meisner, 2018, The Quarto Group
The Golden Ratio: The Story of Phi, The World’s Most Astonishing Number, Mario Livio, 2002, Broadway Books, Book summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-page-phi
Art and Architecture:
The Painter’s Secret Geometry: A Study of Composition in Art, Charles Bouleau,1963 Allegro Editions
Beauty, Memory, Unity: A Theory of Proportion in Architecture and Design, Steve Bass, 2019, Lindisfarne Books
Celtic Pattern: Visual Rhythms of the Ancient Mind, Adam Tetlow, 2013 Wooden Books
Infinite Measure: Learning to Design in Geometric Harmony with Art, Architecture, and Nature, Rachel Fletcher, 2013, George F. Thompson Publishing
The Elements of Dynamic Symmetry, Jay Hambidge, 1926, Dover Publications
Music and Harmonics:
Math and Music: Harmonious Connections, Trudi Hammel Garland and Charity Vaughan Kahn, 1995, Dale Seymour Publications
The Monochord in Ancient Greek Harmonic Science, David Creese, 2010, Cambridge University Press
The Harmony of the Spheres: A Sourcebook of the Pythagorean Tradition in Music, Joscelyn Godwin, 1993, Inner Traditions International
Islamic Geometry:
Islamic Patterns: An Analytical and Cosmological Approach, Keith Critchlow, 2017, Thames & Hudson
Arts & Crafts of the Islamic Lands: Principles, Materials, Practice, Edited by Khaled Azzam, 2013, Thames & Hudson, first paperback edition 2021
Book summary available on my website: Hand-on Geometry Books:
Medieval Platonism and Architecture:
Universe of Stone: A Biography of Chartres Cathedral, Philip Ball, HarperCollins Books, 2008
Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-universe-of-stone
Chartres and the Birth of the Cathedral, Titus Burckhardt, 2010, World Wisdom Books
Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-chartres-birth-cathedral
Rose Windows, Painton Cowen, 1979, Thames & Hudson
Gothic Cathedrals and Sacred Geometry, George Lesser, Alec Tiranti Publishing, 1957
Platonism and Pythagoreanism:
The Golden Chain: An Anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy, edited by Algis Uždavinys, 2004, World Wisdom, Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-page-golden-chain
The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life, Bruce J. MacLennan, Ph,D., 2013, Llewellyn Publications, Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/post/the-wisdom-of-hypatia-book-summary
The Oracles of Apollo: Practical Ancient Greek Divination for Today, John Opsopaus, Ph.D., 2017, Llewellyn Publications
Medieval Views of the Cosmos: Picturing the Universe in the Christian and Islamic Middle Ages, E. Edson & E. Savage-Smith, 2004, The Bodleian Library
Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science, edited by Christopher Bamford, Lindisfarne Books
Measuring Heaven: Pythagoras and His Influence on Thought and Art in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Christiane L. Joost-Gaugier, 2006, Cornell University Press, Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/secret-page-measuring-heaven
Pythgagoras and the Pythagoreans: A Brief History, Charles H. Kahn, 2001, Hackett Publishing Co., Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/pythagoras-kahn
The Lost Masters: Rediscovering the Mysticism of the Ancient Greek Philosophers, by Linda Johnsen, 2006
Book Summary available on my website: https://www.nancycastille.com/book-report-lost-masters
The Pythagorean Plato: Prelude to the Song Itself, Ernest G. McClain, 1978, Nicolas-Hays, Inc.
Medieval History:
Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art by Thomas Cahill
The Medieval World: Europe 1100-1350, Friedrich Heer, 1998, Welcome Rain Publishing
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Math, Science and Spirituality
Is God a Mathematician? by Mario Livio, Simon Schuster, 2009
Exploring the Invisible: Art, Science, and the Spiritual, Lynn Gamwell, Princeton University Press, 2020
Hand-on Geometry Books:
Ruler & Compass: Practical Geometric Constructions, Andrew Sutton, 2009 by Wooden Books
Drawing Geometry: A Primer of Basic Forms for Artists, Designers and Architects by Jon Allen, 2007 Floris Books
Drawing Geometric Solids: How to Draw Polyhedra from Platonic Solids to Star-Shaped Dodecahedrons,2015 Päivi Halmekoski, Sympsionics Design
Islamic Geometric Patterns, Eric Broug, 2008, Thames & Hudson
Geometherapy: Mastering the Art of Process, Stephanie June Ellis, 2019, published by Stephanie June Ellis
Websites:
https://www.constructingtheuniverse.com
A great resource maintained by Michael S. Schneider, lots of interesting links and rabbit holes to go down. One can also order Michael’s workbook series, which offers step by step hands-on exercises in geometry in art, literature, and architecture. Schneider is also the author of the invaluable resource “A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe”
https://www.nancycastille.com/sacred-geometry
My website page featuring the artwork that I have done along my Sacred Geometry journey.
https://www.drawingislamicgeometricdesigns.com/artists-and-tutors
A wealth of resources and links can be found here. Tutorials on Sacred Geometry are offered.
https://artofislamicpattern.com/online-classes/online-course-archive/
Many classes available
Many excellent online tutorials available from Adam Williamson
https://www.theartofprocess.art
Excellent tutorials and books available from Stephanie June Ellis
Many excellent tutorials available in Islamic design from Samira Mian
Many tutorials and activities available from Clarissa Grandi
https://www.youtube.com/c/ArthurGeometry
Youtube tutorials on simple geometric constructions
https://www.youtube.com/c/dearingwang
Youtube tutorials on geometric constructions
https://www.youtube.com/user/Vihart
VI Hart is a hilarious and creative mathematician. She has many videos available on cool things in math.
https://princes-foundation.org/school-of-traditional-arts/open-programme
The Prince’s Foundation: School of Traditional Arts
https://www.temenosacademy.org
Great resource for essays, courses, and lectures on Platonism, extensive Lecture archive available, founded by Kathleen Raine and Keith Critchlow
Videos:
My hour-long talk on Harmonics and Architecture, prepared for a group visiting southern France with Dr. Kayleen Asbo
https://www.nancycastille.com/post/2019/09/01/harmonics-and-architecture
A 1-hour and 47 minute talk I gave to my women’s group on the subject of “Geometry: Shrine of the Divine”
The venerable Keith Critchlow speaks on Sacred Geometry and Chartres Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral: A Sacred Geometry (2003)
https://archive.org/details/ChartresCathedralDVDROM2003/Chartres+Cathedral.mkv