Comments on: Divine geometry http://snarkmarket.com/2013/8061 The stomping grounds of Tim Carmody, Robin Sloan and Matt Thompson. It's a long-running conversation about media, journalism, technology, cities, culture, design, books, music, movies, the future and the past. Tue, 14 May 2013 15:49:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Saheli http://snarkmarket.com/2013/8061/comment-page-1#comment-242772 Saheli Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:35:50 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=8061#comment-242772 "Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has stated that one should face the direction of the Earth" -- Toasty's wikipedia link. There's something kind of poetic about that! If you're in the space station, I guess that's the closest thing there is to down. With no intended disrespect to the Qiblah and its lyrical focus on Ibrahim's altar to Allah, the kowtow/dandavat/full-bow that so many cultures & religions employ (a full fledged kneel with the head on the ground) <i>always</i> points straight at the earth: there's a divine geometry in the <i>r</i> that attaches us to the planet. You could also imagine placing your head on the ground, and subtly shifting it so that your nose points straight in the direction of the underground secant that connects you to wherever. “Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has stated that one should face the direction of the Earth” — Toasty’s wikipedia link. There’s something kind of poetic about that! If you’re in the space station, I guess that’s the closest thing there is to down. With no intended disrespect to the Qiblah and its lyrical focus on Ibrahim’s altar to Allah, the kowtow/dandavat/full-bow that so many cultures & religions employ (a full fledged kneel with the head on the ground) always points straight at the earth: there’s a divine geometry in the r that attaches us to the planet. You could also imagine placing your head on the ground, and subtly shifting it so that your nose points straight in the direction of the underground secant that connects you to wherever.

]]> By: ToastyKen http://snarkmarket.com/2013/8061/comment-page-1#comment-241638 ToastyKen Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:18:47 +0000 http://snarkmarket.com/?p=8061#comment-241638 There's also the not-entirely-settled questions of which way astronauts in orbit should face: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiblah#From_space There’s also the not-entirely-settled questions of which way astronauts in orbit should face:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiblah#From_space

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