Journey to Saturn

I walk the hexagonal pattern of Saturn’s north pole, winding my way through each sector around its core. This revolving column of cloud reaches ever higher, piercing the stratosphere. I circumambulate the heart of the hexagon before I enter the center. Here, I honor the directions, then begin my return journey to the entrance of this mysterious vortex.

Inspired by Saturn’s north pole, I created a hexagonal labyrinth. Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun, is about 9.5 times larger in diameter than Earth. A massive gaseous planet, it has a band of icy rings that encircle its equator. The hexagon located at its north pole is a 20,000-mile-wide cloud pattern driven by a jet stream and rotating counterclockwise, in sync with the spinning of the planet around its axis. Scientist speculate that the hexagon may, in fact, be a vast tower that extends vertically 180 miles or more and varies in height from season to season (1, 2).

When I walk the hexagonal labyrinth, I envision a rising, spiraling journey into the upper atmosphere of Saturn. Here, I can see far and wide, gaining perspective on the whole that is before I wind my way back down the tower.

Hexagons are everywhere in Nature: in the facets of compound eyes, such as those in crabs and dragonflies; in cells of honeycombs and wasp nests; in columns of basalt; in crystals, like quartz and snowflakes; in molecular geometry of organic compounds; and in the architecture of nucleotides that make up our DNA.

The hexagon is a fundamental structure of life. For this reason, and more, it is an aspect of sacred geometry. The sacred, that which is holy (whole), inspires awe, wonder, reverence, and gratitude.

For all that is holy,

(1) Mike Wall. Sep.05.2018. Weird hexagon on Saturn is way bigger than scientists thought. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/weird-hexagon-saturn-way-bigger-scientists-thought-ncna906541

(2) Michelle Starr. Sep.06.2018. A Bizarre Structure Has Been Detected Towering High Above Saturn's Hexagon. https://www.sciencealert.com/saturn-hexagon-jet-stream-towering-high-into-stratosphere-north-pole