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bibliographer
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22 Jan 2008, 7:46 pm

1. i'm terrible with conventional forms of mathematics but i like to find the "the lines of symmetry" in every object that i pass.
2. catholic monasteries have a lot of objects and a lot of lines of symmetry.
3. sometimes it upsets me when people behave in asymmetrical ways. i want people to speak in symmetry. i want people to be hidden behind symmetrical habits (clothing worn by monks).
4. i like to hide in the shadows, hold my head and make symmetrical noises.
5. the monastery has a lot of shadows but not a lot of symmetrical noises.
6. it upsets me when numbers are asymmetrical. sometimes they are symmetrical when written down (88, 808, 80.08. for instance). most of the time they're not symmetrical (11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 99, for instance).
7. i've never seen the number 88, 808, 80.08 in a monastery, which upsets me. i've seen a lot of asymmetrical numbers, though.
8. i don't like the number 8 because it seems slow and dull to me, and sticky, too. in this sense, it's good that the number 8 is not in the monastery (liking something while dis-liking it is difficult to resolve).
9. i'll also say that i enjoy franz kafka's short story titled, "the burrow." has anyone read this story? the burrow reminds me of a monastery, but there are always people trying to look into the windows to "see" a monk.
10. trappist monks wear an outfit colored black and white, which is symmetrical by design. although i have not seen their belts up close, so they (the belts) might be asymmetrical.



SeaBright
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22 Jan 2008, 8:17 pm

I like not so much monasteries but ivroy covered churches.

They are usually some hundreds years old.
Old archetecture, old stones, old stories. High ceilings and many nooks. Archetecture (sp)

nothing very symmetry or mathematic about my reasons.
Though..that may have been entirely in the building.


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22 Jan 2008, 10:01 pm

don't know if I've ever been to a monestary, unless you count the Cloisters on Manhatten.

most of the numerical ideas in monestaries probably revolves around 3 (the Trinity), but I'm hardly an expert...



Brooks
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22 Jan 2008, 10:47 pm

Never really thought about it.

The only monastery I have ever been to is Saint Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. It is the home of Ava Maria Grotto, a beautiful series of sculptures by a Benedictine Monk.

If you are ever in Alabama, go by and see it. It is incredible what he did with cast offs and leftovers in sculpting these miniatures of Jerusalem.

http://www.avemariagrotto.com/


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nominalist
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22 Jan 2008, 11:24 pm

I used to think about becoming a monk, but I would have needed to join a religion which had them. ;-)


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23 Jan 2008, 12:23 am

I saw a documentary movie about the silent monks' monastery in the Alps in eastern France. I highly recommend it. So beautiful.


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talitha_kumi
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23 Jan 2008, 6:03 am

I love visiting churches and monasteries. I used to dream of being a nun when I was small.



Sifr
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23 Jan 2008, 9:38 am

I love monasteries. I find them peaceful, and I went through a 2-3 month passion of wanting to join (become ascetic). In the end I decided to return to school. Ugh...very stressful.


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Mindtear
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23 Jan 2008, 10:03 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

A fair few medieval churches are built around the golden ratio, thus seem asymmetrical.



BainAduial
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23 Jan 2008, 5:29 pm

I love them, although I'm not sure symmetry plays a big part in it. I wanted to be a monastic hermit when I was a teenager, and I got very upset with my carreer counsellor when she pointed out that not only was this not a practical future, but that I wasn't a man, so I'd have to be a nun instead. For some reason, being a nun was never as appealing as being a hermit monk, so I gave up on the idea. but I'm still fascinated by monasteries and old churches or temples, from a variety of religions.



ASS-P
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12 Sep 2009, 7:30 pm

...I did a post about monasteries myself , I was trying to revive it but I could not find it in search. :( :? ..



cosmiccat
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12 Sep 2009, 8:30 pm

I love monastaries, cathedrals, shrines, abbeys. No vacation is complete for me if it doesn't include a visit to one of these places. I am very fascinated by ritual, which is, when you think about it, a pattern of thought and action working together to create ritual, so yes, I suppose you could say that symmetry is at play in ritual and perhaps that is part of the attraction. The number eight seems symmetrical to me, the sign for infinity. I spent a few days at Saint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal and went to a mass for the sick and dying which was said in French. Also went to a fantastic organ concert there.

I love Gothic architecture, especially in cathedrals, and last summer I came across a book by accident in a thrift shop. I usually don't enjoy reading fiction, but this book was based on fact and the history of cathedral builders in medieval times. The thing that swung me on buying the book was what I read about the author on the jacket. He is fascinated with cathedrals and always makes time to visit them when he is on assignment or on vacation in distant places. The book was fascinating and goes into detail about how the cathedrals were planned and built. It also, at the same time, explores the life of the stone masons and cathedral builders during that period. I loved it.

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Francis
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12 Sep 2009, 9:31 pm

If your ever up in the Boston area, you can visit Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Monastery. Thats where I lived for awhile.

Though I don't think it has the symmetical architecture you are talking about.



Woodpeace
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13 Sep 2009, 9:08 am

I love monasteries and medieval churches, cathedrals and abbeys.



richie
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13 Sep 2009, 6:58 pm

One of the most tranquil places in New York City is the Cloisters up near Fort Tryon Park
at the extreme north end of Manhattan. I once went there over 30 years ago and I remember
its museum and gardens and hearing Gregorian Chants in the background..


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ruveyn
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13 Sep 2009, 7:39 pm

bibliographer wrote:
3. sometimes it upsets me when people behave in asymmetrical ways. i want people to speak in symmetry.


There are just so many palindromes in English. You are bound to be disappointed.

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