Spirals in Nature and the Universe: From Galaxies to DNA

I recently attended a live talk by astronomer István Szapudi, from the University of Hawaiʻi’s Institute for Astronomy, who suggested something extraordinary: the universe itself may be spiraling — and that this motion could explain its constant expansion.

This insight carried me back four years, to the quiet days of the Covid era, when meditation was my daily practice and when I experienced an out-of-body journey (OBE).

One morning, as I drifted from sleep, I felt something extraordinary within my own body: my astral self spiraling back into alignment with the physical — moving in a conelike motion.

It was my clearest OBE: I could distinctly sense two parts of myself, and the spiral left me curious for years. I even searched for paintings and drawings, always wondering — why a spiral? Why not a straight return, or a gentle drop back into place, as artists usually show? It took me a long time to find any depictions of the whirling OBE I had experienced.

I knew spirals were common in nature, but after listening to Szapudi’s presentation on the whirling universe — and remembering my own spiraling OBE — I realized something deeper: perhaps the spiraling tendency of energy is a universal rule, woven into the very fabric of our existence.

Even if we don’t yet know whether the universe itself is rotating, we can already witness spirals all around us: galaxies swirl through space in vast disc-like forms. Hurricanes gather their winds with spiraling force. Buds on a tree often sprout at angles that follow Fibonacci patterns. Rivers bend and coil, rarely moving in straight lines. Seashells curl in elegant spirals.

Within the human body, life itself is spun in spirals: DNA coiled in a double helix, the spine rising with gentle rotations, the heartbeat following a curved rhythm — never rigid, always flowing.

Across cultures and ages, in the ways people move and create, the spiral appears again and again. In yoga, it is honored through the spine’s twists and turns, reminding us that life isn’t linear. In Tai Chi, it flows through graceful multidirectional movements. In Qigong, it whirls around the lower belly, the Dantian. And in the whirling dances of Sufism, the spiral becomes devotion in motion. In indigenous traditions, spiral motifs emerge as archetypal, timeless symbols — I have witnessed these too during my visits to remote tribal villages.

Scientists call it the Fibonacci sequence or the golden ratio. Ancient wisdom sees in the spiral the pattern of transformation — a path of endless cycles. Both seem to agree: the spiral is an efficient, naturally occurring geometry — a pattern of growth, balance, and proportion.

So perhaps spirals aren’t just shapes — they embody balance, rhythm, and flow. In galaxies, in DNA, in nature, and maybe even in the unseen world. Perhaps my spiraling OBE was no accident at all: this spiral rhythm is not only present in the body, in nature, and in the cosmos, but also in invisible realms.

Maybe it has always been the spiral — quietly guiding us back into perfect harmony.

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological diagnosis or advice. If you experience any physical or mental health concerns, please seek support from a qualified professional.

© 2025 Antonia Bai Psychology. All texts and materials are the intellectual property of Antonia Bai. Copying, republishing, or using any part of these writings, images, or excerpts in any form is only permitted with the prior authorisation of the author.