Sacred Number and the Origins of Civilization author: Richard Heath Inner Traditions 2007 ISBN #1-59477-131-6 Throughout history certain sacred numbers and ratios have influenced all parts of human life, from art, to architecture, to religion, and even the formation of secret societies. Heath addresses the origins of these influences, their deeper meaning, and how they were left within our planetary environment during the actual creation of earth, the moon, and our solar system. Heath explores sacred numbers through the venues of astronomy, harmony, geomancy, sacred centers, and myth. He explores the influence of sacred numbers in the construction of Gothic cathedrals, and the influence that sacred numbers had in the founding of the modern Western culture. heath does a stunning presentation of the Templar design of Washington, D.C. (including the Washington National Monument), showing how he feels that it represents the New Jerusalem. For me, some of the best material in this book is Heaths take on the role of secret societies as a repository for sacred numerical information. Emphasis is placed on understanding the planetary origins of the knowledge of sacred numbers, and how without this understanding the interpretation of sacred numbers becomes at best, cryptic, and, at worst, contradictory and deceptive. Heath describes this book as an overview based on the ongoing work of just a few people involved in the reconstruction of the ancient history of numbers. He does a wonderful job of pulling this information together, and provides excellent references for those readers that want take the study in this book a few steps further. Heath has included numerous illustrations, graphics and photographs, which act to not only visually enhance the reading experience, but to put the knowledge of numbers into a usable format. At the end of the book, Heath has included two Appendixes: Astrophysical Constants, and A Brief Introduction To The Metrology of Neal and Michell. You do not have to be deeply into the field of mathematics, or the field of esoteric numbers, to enjoy this book, and to gain some wisdom from it. The discussions on secret societies, and those on sacred numbers and architecture are absolutely breathtaking! Well written, and easily understood, this book has a place with those who wish to understand their own lives better. © February 2007 Bonnie Cehovet Personal Lifestyle Reading - I offer a Personal Lifestyle Reading using Tarot that looks at past, present and future influences in your life, at the energies that are currently available to help you along your path, and at those energies that are appearing as challanges. My goal is to offer you insight into your decision making process, as well as tools that you can use to both better understand your path and make conscious, choice centered decisions. Home Personal Empowerment links Personal Empowerment articles Graphics by Art for the web