The Platonic Solids are a series of five distinct geometric forms which were considered by ancient Greek philosophers to make up the entire composition of the universe. Each of these forms had a relationship to one of the elemental components which consist of fire, earth, air, water and ether. Their shapes have inspired many great thinkers through out time. The link to Plato is established through his great work Timaeus. In this discourse he describes the creative being having manifest
the Universe from five distinct elements or principles.

Classical sacred geometry makes use of a three dimensional diagram of the Platonic solids suspended within an Icosahedron. The Icosahedron represents the elemental water, within this shape the other platonic solids appear to be suspended. The Decahedron which is representative of the world of spirit appears in the center hanging from a set of dotted lines. This diagram representing the Platonic solids in a suspended state is believed to have originated during the Renaissance. This page demonstrates the New Jerusalem mandala's relationship to the three dimensional renderings of the Platonic Solids. By clicking on highlight text in each of the sections below a rendering of that solid's position within the mandala will be displayed.

Click on the Shapes for Mandala Relationship

Tetrahedron - A geometric shape having 6 edges and four faces. It is the first nature of the birth of the world. Symbolic of the element fire or aspiration. As a pattern of geometric design it represents a balance of energy. Buckminster Fuller used the Tetrahedron as basis of his design and mathematical works.
Octahedron - shape having 12 edges and 8 faces. It is the second nature, which can be likened to the movement of the world. Symbolically it is represents the element air. It is what is added to the fire to either increase or decrease its temperature. It also represents the quartering of the world as a mandalic structure
Cube - shape having 12 edges and 6 faces. It is the nature of manifest form, which can be likened to the world about use. Its is representative of the element earth. It has eight corner points which relate to the eight directions of space. As a shape the cube contains a Star Tetrahedron.
Icosahedron - A polyhedron with 30 edges and 20 faces. It is symbolic of the reflection powers of water, or the movement of the reflection after manifestation has occurred. Representing the element water. It is a point where all of the elements come into a symbolic merger. Fire joined to air, air to earth, and all are joined in the elemental of water. When we think of water it is truly what makes earth a unique planet in our solar system. Also most every earthly living things require water for existence.
Dodecahedron - This form consists of 30 edges and 12 faces. It is symbolic of the spirit, Plato refers to the maker using a certain fifth composition by which the entire universe is composed. As representative of the element ether or prana, it is the light-life force that is embodied by all things animate and inanimate. Our daily interface to it is symbolic by the breath, taking in oxygen and pranic energies from all about us.
Sonehenge has an interesting correlation to the drawing of the Platonic Solids as three dimensional objects. In this image Stonehenge has been overlain the Platonic Solid renderings and combined with the New Jerusalem circles. In a book called "Time Stands Still" Keith Critchlow investigates the relationship of the Platonic Solids to Stonehenge. A complete set of stones carved in the shapes of the Platonic Solids were found in the Stonehenge area. These stones which are now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford date to around 1,500 years BC. That is over 1,000 years before Plato's arrival to the planet, at least as Plato that is.