The Buddhabrot - The Fractal Image That Unlocked Carl Jung’s Deepest Theory | After Skool

Oct 13, 2025

Dr. Harry Shirley, a researcher and author, connects fractal geometry to Carl Jung's theories, particularly the Unus Mundus concept. He discusses how numbers serve as a bridge between mind and matter. The Buddhabrot, a mesmerizing fractal, may represent archetypal symbols derived from pure mathematics. Shirley explores historical interpretations of numbers, linking them to cultural and artistic expressions. He encourages listeners to see patterns in life, emphasizing that recognizing the Buddhabrot fosters a sense of belonging and meaning.

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INSIGHT

Unus Mundus Connects Mind And Matter

Carl Jung proposed an underlying unity called the Unus Mundus linking mind and matter through symbols and synchronicity.
Jung believed numbers acted as a bridge between external reality and unconscious meaning.

INSIGHT

Numbers Are Symbolic Languages

Jung treated numbers as symbolic, not merely tools, seeing them as the unconscious's oldest language.
Numbers carry both quantitative and qualitative meaning, holding opposites together in psychic symbolism.

INSIGHT

Fractals Reveal Recurring Universal Patterns

Fractals are recurring patterns built from simple rules and appear across nature at every scale.
The Mandelbrot set reveals endless internal structure, bridging order and chaos visually and mathematically.

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The Buddhabrot - The Fractal Image That Unlocked Carl Jung’s Deepest Theory A few months ago, a groundbreaking study was published that linked fractal geometry to Carl Jung's theories. I contacted Dr Harry Shirley, the author of the study, to record a podcast about his findings. The discovery has changed the way I see everything - art, myth, culture, emotions, people - it's all fractals. Numbers are the key to this riddle. Before Carl Jung died, he hypothesized the number was the link between mind and matter, because it is both quantitative to the material world AND symbolic to the psychological realm. Several decades after Carl Jung's death, mathematicians stumbled upon the Buddhabrot set, a beautiful fractal pattern. The shape formed is entirely numerical iteration, derived from a simple mathematical formula , but the image produced looks like a spirit being. Dr Harry Shirley has made an incredible connection, linking the Buddhabrot to Carl Jung's concepts of archetypes and depth psychology. We can see hints of this connection is meaningful art, alchemical images, ancient monuments and religious architecture. I have even been unknowingly summoning the Buddhabrot in my own artwork.To view the study here https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/6te7w_v1Publication here - https://brill.com/view/journals/ijjs/aop/article-10.1163-19409060-bja10049/article-10.1163-19409060-bja10049.xmlCarl Jung (1875–1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. He’s one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century, especially when it comes to understanding the human mind, myth, spirituality, and the unconscious.The Buddhabrot is a mathematical fractal—a stunning visual pattern generated by iterating a simple formula in the complex number plane. It’s related to the famous Mandelbrot set, but rendered in a way that produces an image that eerily resembles a glowing spiritual figure, like a seated Buddha, hence the name.Dr Harry Shirley has a PhD in organic chemistry and research experience at University of Oxford. Now working as a consultant, he holds a personal passion for Jungian psychology and the interplay of psyche and matter.Get in touch with Dr Harry Shirley on X - @HarryS1964455 Or email -thebuddhabrot@gmail.com Support Dr Harry Shirley on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/DrHarryShirleyBackground music: Eternity by StellardroneSupport After Skool on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/AfterSkool Join the After Skool Newsletter https://www.afterskool.net/ Order After Skool shirts and prints https://shop.afterskool.net/ We cannot change the world. But we can change ourselves...and that will change the world. The goal of this podcast is to empower the individual and deliver profound ideas through art.Find After Skool on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AfterSkool/videosDisclaimer: This podcast is an independent initiative inspired by the thought-provoking content of After Skool. It is created by a viewer who appreciates the depth of the ideas shared and wants to make them more accessible in an audio format. While every effort is made to preserve the essence of the original content, this is not an official After Skool production, nor is it affiliated with or endorsed by After Skool. All rights to the original material belong to After Skool. If you have any concerns regarding this podcast, please feel free to reach out.

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