By Edgardo Gonzalez-Lopez
Disclaimer: The interpretations proposed in this article are the author’s view and do not represent any official view from the Grand Lodge of RI or any other Masonic institution.
Picture a grain of sand dancing on a metal plate, joining countless others in an intricate pattern orchestrated by sound itself. This is the wonderful world of cymatics, the study of how invisible waves of sound transform into visible patterns before our eyes. As we explore this phenomenon, let me propose a fascinating idea:
The Universe itself can be understood as a vibrating entity, a symphony of interacting forces and its language is geometry.
Cymatics, derived from the Greek word "kyma" meaning wave, is the study of how sound waves interact with matter. When fine particles are scattered on a plate and subjected to sound frequencies, they don't scatter randomly. Instead, they arrange themselves into precise geometric patterns known as Chladni figures. Each note, each tone, creates its own unique geometric expression. These patterns aren't just beautiful, they are windows into the mathematical architecture of sound itself.
But this connection between sound and form runs deeper than laboratory experiments. Ancient wisdom traditions have long studied this relationship. Consider Hinduism and Buddhism that emphasize the concept of "Nada Brahma," or "sound is Brahman," suggesting that the Universe itself originated from a primordial sound. The chanting of mantras and the use of resonant instruments in these traditions are designed to create specific vibrational frequencies that are believed to have a profound impact on consciousness and the surrounding environment.
This understanding of the universe as a resonating chamber also finds expression in Western philosophy. For example Pythagoras believed that the universe was governed by numerical ratios and harmonic proportions, a concept he termed the "Music of the Spheres." He envisioned the planets and stars as emitting a celestial harmony, a cosmic symphony that resonated throughout the Universe. While Pythagoras’s ideas were rooted in philosophical and mathematical reasoning, cymatics now offers a tangible, visual representation of how these harmonic ratios manifest in the physical world and how number and form are fundamental to reality.
The combination of sound, geometry, and the spiritual world is beautifully expressed in the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals. These magnificent circular windows, with their radiating patterns and precise geometries, bear a magnificent resemblance to cymatic patterns. Perhaps this is no mere coincidence, as the stonemasons who created these windows – many of whom were members of the craft guilds that would evolve into modern Freemasonry – understood something fundamental about the nature of harmony.
Just as sound waves organize scattered particles into coherent patterns, these artisans used geometry and light to transform stone and glass into patterns, one could say frozen music. Their rose windows serve as enduring reminders that the principles of harmony, order, and beauty are not just aesthetic preferences, but fundamental forces woven into the fabric of reality itself.
To conclude, cymatics can be seen as a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary science. In its intricate patterns, we find evidence that the universe is not a chaos of disconnected events, but a coherent symphony of interrelated vibrations. As we contemplate these "images of sound," we are reminded that harmony – whether in architecture, music, or human relationships – emerges when diverse elements align with underlying patterns of natural order. Freemasonry is also a tradition that points us to this natural order of things and the harmony that we as human beings should try to practice in our relationships.
* Photos by Edgardo Gonzalez-Lopez
https://architecturalmedicine.com/cymatics/
https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/chladni-figures-1787/
Rose Window, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA
Rose Window, La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
Chladni pattern in Cymatics experiment (AI Generated)
Chladni pattern in Cymatics experiment (AI Generated)
Chladni pattern in Cymatics experiment (AI Generated)
Rose Window in the Masonic Temple of Philadelphia
Rose Window, National Cathedral, Washington D.C.
Stonemason working on a rose window (AI Generated)