THE SOURCE OF FRACTALS
(April, 2001)

By Noel Huntley, Ph.D.

Fractals are self-similar forms on different scales. The leaves of a fern or the branches of a tree are typical examples. No part of the natural world appears free from them: ocean waves contain smaller waves, etc. a coast line has irregularities similar on all scales (viewed at different heights); a ploughed field has a clumpiness within a clumpiness; the foliages of a tree from leaf to whole tree reflect the branch hierarchy in its groups within groups; pebbles thrown on the ground organise fractally; even the stars in the sky visually reflect the fractal organisation; and we might add to this list--though not recognised in current science--the 'clumpiness' of the universe (which the Big Bang theory fails to explain), such as planets within star systems, within larger systems, within the galaxies, within galaxy clusters, within superclusters of galaxies, within the universe.

All these might be referred to as regular systems. However, fractals are inherent in all manifestations. Many systems of an irregular nature, such as moving clouds, turbulence of smoke, or fluids as from a faucet or of a water fall, also exhibit fractals but these only seem to become apparent when the randomness reaches chaotic activity. Some of these systems can be studied using the mathematical tool 'attractor' which gives a graphic demonstration of regular and irregular patterns, and in particular chaotic systems. In the latter case the behaviour is not merely random; organisation is present within the randomness but there is still unpredictability of its future state.

We do not need to dwell on these more cryptic fractals. We are interested in why fractals occur and what is their origin. Could we have a universe without fractals? What would happen? The universe would run down. Entropy would rapidly go to a maximum and complete disorder would ensue. It would be a universe of 'particles' scattered everywhere. Fractals are one of the keys to life, and as we shall see, reflects the multidimensional nature of consciousness.

Now we might consider there are two main groups of fractals: linear and nonlinear. Though we shall see they are the same. For example, branches on a tree, from trunk through smaller branches to twigs, are perceived visually and linearly, that is, in external linear spacetime--they are not superimposed. We see the branches, etc. as fractal levels. But these are structured from atoms which give us perception of a branch due to the fact that our perception and most scientific instruments respond to this spectrum of energies. We don't see the organising energy behind these fractals. The reason is that the energies exist in internal nonlinear spacetime (see other articles discussing nonlinearity, particularly on the wave function, revealing the fractalised packets of sine waves).

Science hasn't recognised that all particles and entities throughout the natural world, for example, planets, star systems, galaxies, etc., are fractals and contain wholeness in their own right. The same type of spirals of higher-dimensional energy (see article on the basic energy unit) for a tree, as it branches into smaller spirals (smaller branches), etc., also forms the universe as its spiralling energy branches off into galaxies, which in turn branch off into star systems, then planets, etc. See Figure 1.

 

Though also not detected in current science, the joints of the arm exhibit these same vortices---nature's computer system for regulating the angle of the joints in physical skills (see articles on physical mobility). In fact the whole arm and its fractal joints demonstrates the basic structure of all things: hierarchical systems, fractals, quantum reduction (of information), chaos theory, and even how free will works (these features are dealt with in other articles). Note that the vortices are in reality spherical and should be visualised as encompassing, for example, the joints.

There would appear to be an infinite gradient of fractals to one whole quantum, containing infinite probabilities (that is, everything is potential here). Or vice versa, coming down from the whole, or infinite probabilities, one goes through increasing degrees of specificity, and points selected on this gradient for manifestation would be fractally related.

The wholeness of each fractal level contains many probabilities--the probability manifesting in our third dimension is a particular selection. The wholeness of all natural entities is greater than the sum of the parts. A galaxy is more than its stars, planets, atoms, etc. which apparently comprise it. The planet Earth is more than the atoms which represent it in 3D. But we do not perceive these nonlinear higher-dimensional fractals in their basic state--if we could see them there would appear to be superposition.

Thus underlying natural groupings of atoms, such as in forming molecules, cells, organs, leaves, planets, etc. is a singular packet of vibrations (the sine waves can be considered as large as each of these entities). The larger (higher-dimensional) sine waves control the overall geometry of the lower, smaller entities (and sine waves). These wholenesses on different dimensions are quantum states and constitute in effect a holographic structure.

From the holographic standpoint, we have the same configuration on different dimensional levels, but this is in inner-space at the 'blueprint' level and the outward appearance can manifest different probabilities. For example, with a more accurate understanding of the atom today, it doesn't look the same as a solar system, or a galaxy doesn't appear to have any resemblance to the DNA. However, underlying all these states are fractal holographic self-similar patterns.

We have then countless quantum states of different magnitudes impinging into 3D, keeping particles organised. Note that we explained in the articles on context that there will basically be a complete gradient of contexts from the microscopic to the macroscopic but only selected levels in this strata of contexts manifest in the physical universe, such as a molecule, a cell, a planet, etc. They can be considered to be rekindled or regenerated from a virtual-state holographic matrix (see other articles) which contains all the states and probabilities.

Have we now explained the source of fractals? Not really. Why do these wholenesses occur? Remember we have stated that the specific manifested fractal states, such as a planet, are elicited from a continuous gradient and complete virtual state matrix of contexts. These are like the underlying fine steps of increasing integrity. Why does the presence of this potential gradient spectrum of contexts occur?

It is now particularly relevant to introduce the fact that perception manifests fractal organisation. For example, if one gazes at a clump of grass at certain distances away, the blades of grass will appear to group, mentally, more than they actually do physically. The attention is of course jumping around maybe erratically through different degrees of focuses but any groupings which exist in the environment, such as a whole house, causes the perception to focus into gestalt states. The intensity of attention is uniform across such a gestalt vision--it is one whole (frequency). All that is perceived is always in gestalt format whether it is small or large.

The mind is flickering about from one focus, or state of wholeness of attention to another. These are quantum states. This applies to all experiences. There is actually no continuity along space and time but countless broken wholenesses, superimposing, of different magnitudes and frequencies. Why? What are these?

The same applies to the universe as the mind. Consciousness or basic awareness, whatever one wishes to call this, is beyond spacetime. If we begin with spacetime, this is not good physics. One must go beyond. That is, one must consider that consciousness primarily is not of space or time. However, if we consider a universe is a manifestation from a non-spacetime condition then the form it takes will mimic or reflect the nature of this non-spacetime condition. A spacetime interpretation of a non-spacetime condition would be one in which energy exists only as wholeness of discrete states and will be capable of manifesting any focus, from the micro to the macro, and furthermore any and all of these quantum states could be superimposed. An energy expression of a non-spacetime condition would be holographic. This is the multidimensional nature of consciousness. (See the article The Theory of One for more information.)

This is the condition of our universe in which in itself it possesses wholeness, and within it, all its parts, arranged hierarchically, also possess wholeness down to a particle. These are all fractal states (manifesting from an inherent fractal hierarchy--the nature of consciousness) and are a natural product of a creative mind not bound by space or time.