Map by: http://duanemclemore.wordpress.com/page/2/
Architect Nicholas Hawksmoor's
churches are said to be linked to an intricate pattern of ley lines and
sacred geometry criss-crossing across London. In Radio 4's Saturday Live
programme (22.12.12) John McCarthy walked through the East End of London from Hawksmoor's Christ Church
in Spitalfields to Wapping while discussing psychogeography with author Iain Sinclair. (This Hawksmoor interview
will be available online from BBC's Listen Again archive for over a year, if you are interested).
Above: Google map of Hawksmoor Churches in London
Psychogeography utilises romantic, gothic and occult ideas to describe the energetic resonence of a city. The language weaves Fortean and occult ideas (like earth mysteries, ley lines, and chaos magic) in an interpretation of the modern urban landscape which is magical and interesting. The term 'psychogeography' was defined in 1955 by Guy Debord as “the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals”. Since then, the complex topic that has developed quite a following, particularly amongst writers and artists. For more information, you could read Peter Ackroyd's 'London: A Biography' and Merlin Coverley's 'Psychogeography'.
Above: Drawing of London in the time of Edward VI (1537–1553)
Sacred geometry is used in the planning and construction of religious structures such as churches, temples, mosques, monuments, altars; as well as for sacred spaces such as temenoi, sacred groves, village greens and holy wells, and the creation of religious art. In sacred geometry, symbolic and sacred meanings are ascribed to certain geometric shapes (polygons, triangles, squares, hexagons), numbers and proportions.
St Paul's floorplan by Wren and photo from above by Aggiemania.
There is a star polygon at the centre of St Paul's Cathedral, under the dome, which is the main ceremonial area for church and congregation. It is very difficult to find a photograph of it anywhere on the Web (- if you do then, please let me know!) and photography is not allowed inside the cathedral so I was unable to take a photo of it myself. However, the blurry photo above gives an indication of what it looks like.
If you are curious about the subject you may be interested to read
author Chris Street's The Ley Lines of London, which examines extensively London's energy lines and sacred geometry.
Above: Earthstar sacred geometry from Chris Street's book 'Ley Lines of London.'
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