The Golden Spiral

Here is a picture of the "golden spiral"-which exhibits what is called the "divine proportion" found in many living creatures.

The nautilus displays the golden spiral proportions. These proportions have been mathematically sequenced by a famous mathematician-Fibonnaci.

Therefore, this mathematical rendition is called the Fibonnaci Spiral.

Diagram from Wikipedia

A year ago, I was fortunate to meet a fellow Mark, who used this diagram of the spiral on the jacket of his book. Since reading Mark's book, I am more convinced that the Fibonnaci Spiral is an important symbolic representation of cycles found in nature, especially human consciousness.

The remainder of this blog will unveil some ideas that I want to spiral out and lift off the page with respect to learning, systems thinking and water management planning, as these areas embody my passions. One of the most important things I have learned through this symbol is that there is always a catalyst to begin human consciousness, and subsequent learning or thinking iterations follow the divine proportions in the Fibonnaci Spiral until reaching the widest circle of influence at which point the idea, or thought or system launches into the world. Like Mark's book.

A spiral is not "flat" and does not "go around in circles"-its lifts off the page in three dimensions. A person engaged in learning, systems thinking or water management planning never returns to the catalyst stage-in summary-an engaged person can never return to zero.

Next I will address traditional images of systems thinking, and why I believe they are portrayed incoherently and incorrectly to conscious humans, who often see an inherent defect in the diagrams but are unable to point out the flaw.