Oneness may sound lofty to many of us. Like the heads and tails of a coin, it’s hard to get away from the idea that there are two sides to everything. Today, I’d like to introduce a physical, three-dimensional symbol that might help us break up dualistic thinking for just a moment. It is called the Mobius Strip and to my analytical mind it’s a thought provoking, physical example of oneness. According to Wikipedia, its discovery is credited to German mathematicians, Johann Benedict Listing and August Ferdinand Möbius in 1858. I was first introduced to it only recently by Alan Watts in his book aptly titled, The Book.
While I will offer a brief instruction for making a Mobius strip here, its far more fun and interesting if you actually make one yourself. Then take the time to play with your creation. It’s quite simple. Take a sheet of paper and cut off a strip. If you use an 8 ½ by 11 sheet, cut a strip about an inch wide lengthwise. Twist the strip once and then tape the two ends together. Voila! You now have a Mobius strip. Note that a quick Google search will reveal countless images of what your creation should look like along with far more detail about the history and applications for this unique shape.
Now comes the fun part. If you followed the directions correctly, you have just taken a double-sided strip of paper and by adding a twist and connecting the ends together, there is now only one side! If you are unconvinced try drawing a line along the length until you reach the end. You will find that your pen or pencil ends where you started. Huh?
Give it a try. Amaze your friends and family. Today, we experience this fun sensory example of oneness on our journey in which we travel great distances only to end up right back where we started. Is it possible that the universe takes the shape of a Mobius strip?
Photo from Microsoft Stock Photo Gallery
