Sacred Geometry: The Equilateral Triangle (3) and the Vesica Piscis (√3)
Written by Kevin J McKee for the SoJournal and Personal Guide 2026. Reprinted with permission.
The number 3, or the Triad is represented by the equilateral triangle, we will also discuss the Vesica Piscis (the vessel of the fish), the shape that is created when you join 2 identical circles with the edge of one going through the centre of the second.
If you want to draw it yourself, draw a circle on a blank piece of paper, then place the compass point on the edge of the circle you created and draw another circle, The “eye” shape that is formed is called the Vesica Piscis.
The reason we are discussing the Vesica Piscis as well, is because the Equilateral Triangle emerges from the Vesica Piscis, and the vesica is often referred to as the birth portal. Many sacred geometry forms start with the circle and then the Vesica Piscis, and from there the other forms evolve.
In the following articles, there are lots of straight lines, what is hidden in the final image though is that almost all the diagrams originate in the Vesica Piscis and are surrounded by a circle. Basically, the images emerge, through the birth portal, into physical reality.
The Vesica Piscis is one of the most powerful symbols in Sacred Geometry and pops up all over the place. The Christian mythology uses the Vesica Piscis as the basic for the fish symbol, just turned on its side, with one side of the fish shape expanded along the circumference of the circle to create the tail. It often appears slightly hidden in cathedral windows, and in mosaics on church floors and sacred art works.
The Vesica Piscis is also the basic shape of the female sexual organs and womb opening. In the process of conception too, if the perfect Vesica Piscis is not created in the merging of the male and female zygote spheres, conception just does not happen, fertilisation does not take place, and the cells are flushed away through the body. More about this later in the discussion of the Flower of Life.
Whenever two forces combine to create a more complex form, the Vesica Piscis is normally in there somewhere.
On to the Equilateral Triangle. To draw it, first draw the Vesica Piscis as above then take your straight edge and connect the two sharp points at the top and bottom of the Vesica, and then join the centre points of each of the circles. If you connect those three points you will get a small Equilateral Triangle (sides the same length and inner angles the same and adding up to 180°), but to really get the “emerging through the birth portal into physical reality” concept, expand the sides down to the edge of the circle. Then connect the two points where they cross the circumference (edge) of the circle to each other. Wherever you join the bottom line, if it is parallel to the central line joining the two circles, will create an equilateral triangle. No matter how big or small, the essential energy generated is the same.
The number three represents the concept of creation through the union of two opposing forces, 1 (Unity) and 2 Duality). It represents the emanation of the divine unity into the physical duality. Notice that even if the unity has become the duality, they still exist within each other.
The Triangle is also the most stable of the shapes. If you want to test this, take 3 planks of equal lengths and join them into a triangle, you can press and push from any side and the triangle, if it buckles, will jump back, this is why the shape is used on roofing and other support structures. All the other shapes will deform in some way when pressure is applied.
Many belief systems include this concept in their mythologies, they just name them differently; Maiden – Mother – Crone representing the three stages of womanhood, Youth – Father – Sage similarly used for the stages of manhood in the pagan worldview. Father – Mother – Child for the family, Father – Son – Holy Spirit for the Christian Trinity, and the list goes on.
The number three pops up in many situations when discussing the divine unity made manifest into physical reality.
Meditation
Read through the instructions below, don’t be scared to open your eyes and check something rather than hope you are doing it right. The answer to the questions; “Am I doing this right?” and “Am I meditating?” is always no. If you are thinking, you are not meditating. Meditation is a heart-based process, not an intellectual one.
Trust yourself just a little bit, you can do this. Everyone meditates in their own way, don’t panic, do the best you can right now and surrender to the process.
- Prepare as you normally would for meditation if you are an experienced meditator. If you haven’t meditated for a while, or ever, use a place you can be undisturbed, maybe light a candle (white would be good for this purpose), light your favourite incense, put on some instrumental music, lyrics will disturb your concentration. Sit comfortably on the floor or on a chair, wear loose clothing or at least loosen belts etc.
- Take a few slow, deep breaths focussing on relaxing, releasing the thoughts in your head, your mind will start running around a bit, that’s ok, acknowledge the thought, let it go and focus back on your breathing. Meditation is an exercise and like any exercise it takes a bit of practice to “get it right”.
- An important thing to remember about meditation is that it takes place in the inner planes of your mind, so release your expectations of what is going to happen, release your expectations about what is correct or right and relax into the process.
- If you try to control the meditation you are not meditating, you are just breathing deeply. Be open to receive, even if what you receive is not what you expect or hope for.
- If your attention “skips”, that’s ok, take another deep breath and focus again. It will get easier with practice.
- If you have already done a meditation to create a meditation temple or inner temple etc. you can use it for this process, if you haven’t created an inner temple or something similar, you can imagine your mind and awareness moving down from your head into your heart (PS – apparently your physical heart has brain cells in it too – called the heart brain – more about the heart space in the article on (0) or the blank page).
- Once you are in the heart space, understand that the heart space is where creation happens. Breathe deeply and let your focus move down from your mind to your heart centre. Float in the void of creation for a bit.
- As we have done before, allow two points to emerge as specks of light, see one of them start moving around the other to create the circle. The two points now duplicate themselves in the same position as the others and swap roles, with the centre point rotating around the point on the circumference of the circle this time until they create the Vesica Piscis in a flash of light.
- Focus on the Vesica Piscis and allow your thoughts to flow, maybe allow yourself to look through the vesica and see the light of creation within it. Things may emerge from it, just watch and absorb the process of creation.
- Just watch and listen and let the thoughts flow
- When you feel you have absorbed everything you can for the moment, focus again on your breathing, you may feel disconnected from your body, that’s ok, take some more breathes focussing on balancing your mind with your body, rub your fingers and thumb on both hands together until you feel centred, calm and grounded.
- Take a massive breath in, blow yourself up like a balloon, then exhale in a rush allowing all the air to rush out of your lungs, then breathe normally and when you feel ready open your eyes.
- Remember to make notes in your journal/mediation journal.