Jack Shields Christensen (1931-2018) first developed this symbol of belief in the mid-1970’s and used it continually since. It derived from his studies of Taoism and the writings of Lao Tzu. Using the translation from Chinese by Witter Bynner, The Way of Live According to Lao Tzu, an American Version , 1944, the symbol is his personal visual representation of Verse 58, lines 12-15 (page 62 of the Capricorn Books Edition, 1962).

And in his Earthling: My Long Journey toward Spiritual Maturity, Part One: Elevation Of Consciousness , in the section named Longhand Affirmations, Jack Shields Christensen wrote:

“Along your way to the high plateau of old age, you are always confined within the circle of your consciousness and the square of your Quadratic Balance.

Quadratic Balance is our cultivated awareness of the four components of humankind – physical, emotional, rational, spiritual – which comprise our evolutionary fore-nature that we must respect conscientiously if we are to advance in accord with The True Human Movement.”