The Thumbprint of God

Spirituality and its once perceived "arch-nemesis" the sciences, rallied together in the movie What the Bleep, where quantum physics exploded into the limelight as a doorway to understanding the spiritual nature of reality and the two worlds merged as one. Today there is another bridge being gapped, this time within the realm of mathematics. Often referred to in the sciences as the "Thumb Print of God", fractals are bringing the power of nature, creation and geometry to the forefront.

As the geometrical structure of all things found in nature, fractals are self-repeating, irregular shapes. From the largest scale down to the smallest, the same basic shape can be found at all levels of magnification. Examples of fractals in nature include snowflakes, forests and coastlines; even the human DNA is constructed on the basis of this awe-inspiring geometry.

While it may be hard for the average human mind to fully grasp the concept of fractals, back in the early 1980’s one brilliant mind did just that and discovered nature’s secret while working for IBM. The fated destiny of this brilliant mathematician brought him to North America from Paris, where he desperately sought refuge from the confines of the standard mathematical concepts of his day. Priding himself on thinking "outside the box", Benoit Mandelbrot worked on long-forgotten mathematical theories from the early 20th century in the only place where their true workings could be revealed. Given free-rein at this massive computer company, Mandelbrot worked out these complicated formulas to unveil some of the best kept secrets of Mother Nature herself.

Today fractal mathematics is used in a multitude of applications, from medicine to research science, engineering and yes sadly enough, in high tech government spy technology. Beginning with one of the amazing discoveries of our day, with the seemingly basic fractal formula z -> z^2 + c , we have gained advances into such topics as the Chaos Theory, where in simple layman’s terms the findings expose what appears to be random chaotic events as being well structured patterned happenings. The Chaos theory replies to the question, "Does God play dice?" with a resounding NO for an answer.

Fascinating doorways into the mysteries of life itself are being exposed by the research being conducted on the human DNA. Working from the basis that DNA is constructed from fractal patterning, science is now revealing an amazing world of communication happening between the DNA commonly referred to as "Junk". Comprising nearly 95% of all DNA found in the human body, these non-coding DNA are using fractal forms of information transference. Breaking the code of this secret language is the next step for science, though it may not be completed any time soon.

These findings have created a different kind of stir for those who look at science with spiritual eyes however, and probing questions abounding. Can the language of the genes expose any truth behind the new age theories of human evolution to a 12 strand DNA being? Do these new findings have any correlation to recent findings in the changing strands being discovered? If 95% of our DNA isn’t junk after all, just what role does it play in creation and human advancement? Could the languaging between cells and genes within our own bodies aid us in gaining a greater understanding of our own communion with God?

While we may have to wait to resolve the answers to these perplexing questions, studies at the University of Oregon are shedding light on the physiological impact of fractal images on the human mind. An increased sense of well-being and a mental boost were just some of the findings of this research. Mandelbrot himself had stated in the PSB documentary, "Fractals: The Colors of Infinity" that the subconscious mind naturally understands and recognizes fractals. This leads to the question of deciphering what is actually being communicated from within a fractal image that can restore a sense of well-being and give an individual a mental boost? Are we at the threshold of a whole new perspective from which to look at the world and the way in which the human beings interacts with it?

Even the higher intelligence responsible for the making of crop circles is asking us to examine this form of geometry more closely. With the increasing number of basic fractal shapes appearing in fields of simple farmers, one cannot help but to wonder what it is that we, the human race, are being called to remember. Could it be that those who are responsible for these mysterious messages encoded in the crops are trying to give us clues as to what might possibly lie at the very foundation of life it’s self.

Though its implications are vast, and one could easily become lost within the scientific data and findings, one thing is for certain - humans resonate with these mathematical structures, and the benefit of understanding them further could have a very profound effect on man-kind, both intellectually and spiritually.