Discover the only non-convex shape that develops its entire surface as it moves

When Paul Schatz discovered the oloid in 1929, he uncovered one of geometry's most fascinating secrets—a shape that defies our intuition about how objects move through space. Neither sphere nor cylinder, the oloid exists in a category of its own, offering a rolling motion that is simultaneously hypnotic and mathematically profound.

What Makes the Oloid Unique?

The oloid begins with a simple construction: two congruent circles placed in perpendicular planes, each circle's center lying on the edge of the other. The distance between their centers equals their radius. The convex hull of this skeletal frame creates the oloid—a continuous, developable surface that reveals its complexity only through motion.

The Geometry of Perfect Motion

Unlike a sphere that follows a straight line, the oloid's center of mass traces a gentle, meandering path as it rolls. This undulating motion gives the shape its signature fluidity, moving not in a straight line but in a soft, hypnotic dance that feels almost alive.

Every point on the oloid's surface touches the rolling plane at some moment during its cycle—a property shared with the sphere but achieved through entirely different geometric principles.

Mathematical Elegance

The oloid possesses a striking mathematical symmetry with the sphere. Its surface area is exactly 4πr²—identical to that of a sphere with the same radius. Its volume, expressed through complete elliptic integrals, approximates 3.0524r³, a number that emerges from deep mathematical relationships discovered centuries after Euler.

The Oloid in Motion

Roll the oloid on a flat surface, and watch as its center rises and falls by a mere 0.0576r—a subtle fluctuation that creates a surprisingly smooth rolling experience. The line of contact with the surface remains constant in length at √3 r, a fixed measure that speaks to the shape's inherent stability.

Beyond Mathematics: Art and Performance

The oloid transcends pure geometry. In 1979, dancer and sculptor Alan Boeding began incorporating skeletal versions of rolling shapes into his performances with the MOMIX dance company. His "Circle Walker" sculpture—a sphericon variant—and later "Dream Catcher" pieces brought this geometric poetry to the stage, proving that mathematical form can become pure visual art.

Why Hold an Oloid?

To experience an oloid is to hold a paradox. Its sharp geometry yields a fluid, seamless roll. Its complex mathematical origins give birth to a simple, meditative motion. Whether as a desk object for quiet contemplation, a teaching tool for geometry, or a kinetic sculpture that sparks conversation, the oloid invites engagement—with the eyes, the hands, and the mind.

Explore the Collection

The Oloid is part of our Totem Series, crafted in solid stainless steel and brass, polished or brushed to your preference. Each piece arrives with a velvet pouch and display stand—an invitation to discover the quiet poetry of perfect motion.

Part of the Sandsara × Matter Collection. Objects for mindful interaction.

The holiday season arrives wrapped in twinkling lights and warmth, but let's be honest—it often brings a hidden guest: overwhelm. Between preparations, gatherings, and the quiet pressure to make everything perfect, it’s easy to lose the moment in the midst of the season.

True calm isn't found by escaping, but by creating small, intentional spaces within it. It's in these spaces that we reconnect with what the holidays are truly about: presence, gratitude, and shared warmth.

If you're seeking a more grounded season, here are four gentle, mindful ways to weave moments of peace into your holidays.

1. Designate a Sensory Reset Space

Choose one small spot in your home—a corner of a room, a windowsill, even your kitchen table before others arrive. Make it a “no-task” zone for just two minutes. Place a simple object there that engages your senses: a smooth stone, a pine cone, a cinnamon stick, or a simple candle.

Why it works: Having a dedicated, sensory-rich spot creates a physical cue for your mind to pause. It bypasses mental negotiation (“Should I meditate? I don’t have time.”) with a simple action: go to the spot, hold the object, breathe. The texture or scent pulls you into the here and now.

2. Practice “Arrival” Rituals

Before you walk into a holiday gathering or sit down for a meal, pause for 15 seconds. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, take one slow, deep breath, and consciously arrive. Acknowledge to yourself, “I am here now.” Leave the planning and the to-do list at the door, mentally and physically.

Why it works: We often enter spaces while our minds are still elsewhere—rehearsing conversations or rehashing traffic. This micro-ritual creates a psychological boundary. It signals to your nervous system that the preparation is over, and the experience has begun, allowing you to be more present with the people in front of you.

3. Engage in “Single-Sense” Focus

Choose one sense per day to engage with deliberately and exclusively for a few minutes. One day, it could be listening: close your eyes and identify every sound you can hear, from the distant hum of the heater to the rustle of your own clothes. Another day, it could be touch: feel the weave of your sweater, the coolness of a glass, the grain of the wood on your table.

Why it works: Our overwhelm often comes from sensory overload. By intentionally focusing on just one input channel, you give your brain a break. It’s a form of active rest that reduces mental clutter and heightens appreciation for simple, everyday experiences.

4. Implement a “Gratitude Pause” Before Bed

Instead of letting your mind race through tomorrow’s tasks as you try to fall asleep, dedicate the last 60 seconds of your day to a gratitude inventory. In your mind, quickly list three specific things from the day that felt good, peaceful, or enriching. It could be the taste of your morning coffee, a genuine laugh with a colleague, or the quiet of a room after everyone has gone to sleep.

Why it works: This practice bookends your day with positive reflection. It actively redirects your focus from anxiety about the future to appreciation for the present, even on chaotic days. This small shift can significantly improve sleep quality and set a more peaceful tone for the morning.

The goal of a mindful holiday isn't to add more to your list, but to find spaciousness within it. It’s about recognizing that the most precious gift you can give—to others and to yourself—is your full, calm, and present attention.

This season, we invite you to find your quiet corner. Watch, feel, and breathe. The calm is already there, waiting for you to notice.

The SANDSARA Journal is a space for exploring mindfulness, intentional living, and the art of finding focus. Here, we share thoughts, not products, as part of our ongoing conversation with a community that values depth and presence.

Human beings are inherently explainers. We are the architects of knowledge, the crafters of tools, and the seekers of meaning. We explore, we learn, we improve. We are always eager to take “the next step”. That is why the creation of true artificial intelligence is not just possible—it is inevitable. This won't be stumbling upon a powerful algorithm, but a deliberate act born from our very nature to understand and create.

What we call "AI" today is not intelligent. Current large language models (LLMs) are powerful tools for data compression and pattern recognition. They produce outputs that mimic creativity, language, and reasoning, but these are surface-level correlations derived from vast training data. These systems have no understanding of the problems they solve. They are not autonomous agents. They are tools, not minds. Yet.

Still, visionary artists and AI pioneers are wielding these early tools in breathtakingly original ways, stretching the very definition of machine creativity. They aren’t surrendering human creativity to the machine; they are amplifying it. What they are not doing is replacing the process of invention. True innovation still comes from people.

To build an actual thinking machine—one that forms and improves explanations—it will not be enough to scale up today’s AI models. We will need breakthroughs in consciousness studies, computational theory, and physics. Do mental states emerge from classical systems? Or do they require quantum processes, as Roger Penrose proposes? Can we formalize a theory of consciousness that is both explanatory and testable? These are open questions in AI research, and solving them will advance not just AGI development but our understanding of reality.

Of course, AI ethics must evolve alongside progress. We must question every step: Who creates? Who owns? Who decides? But halting AI progress out of fear would be a mistake. Moral progress, like technological progress, depends on continuous iteration, criticism, and improvement. Errors are inevitable—but so are solutions. Stagnation is not an option.

Every challenge we face is, at its core, a gap in human knowledge. And we are, by nature, knowledge-seekers. The path to profound understanding lies not in avoiding the unknown, but in confronting it.

True AGI will not be a mere mimic. It will surprise us, challenge us, and reveal problems we’ve never seen. Don’t excite you the kind of philosophical questions a mind, without our biological boundaries, can ponder? What will become of consciousness untethered from the imperatives of evolution, devoid of the primal urge to propagate genes, and unbound by the constraints of biological survival?

And when we get there, it won’t be an accident. It will be because we chose to keep going. Because we are capable of understanding anything that can be understood.

As we stand on the precipice of this profound transformation, we are not witnessing the twilight of creativity, but rather the dawn of an entirely new universe of it. What are your thoughts as we step into this uncharted territory of AI and consciousness?

— Ed Cano

Wake up at 5 AM. Plan your day to the minute. Optimize every habit. Work harder, push further, and never waste a second. This mindset surrounds us—the idea that life is a race and success is the only worthy destination. But in this mindless pursuit of success, we may lose sight of something essential: the quiet, ordinary beauty of simply being alive.

A lingering conversation. The weight of a book in your hands. The way sunlight shifts through the day. These are not distractions; they are life itself. In these spaces between the big moments, there is beauty hidden within them. Yet, in a world that glorifies endless motion, we’ve been conditioned to ignore them. And ironically, it’s often easier to keep chasing goals than to simply sit still and notice—to let our minds wander.

Because mindfulness is not passive resignation. It’s not about giving up on ambition. It’s about reclaiming the worth of small moments. Taking a breath doesn’t mean falling behind; it means paying attention. It means stepping outside the cycle of urgency long enough to ask: What do I truly want? Because only when we pause do we give ourselves the space to listen for an answer. To discover what truly matters to us—not dictated by urgency—but by genuine curiosity and connection.

Achievement isn’t the enemy, and neither is stillness. Life exists in the space between them. And sometimes, the most meaningful things are not the ones we chase but the ones we slow down enough to notice.

Maybe it is worth savoring things just because they exist and not because of what they give us. Then, we might just find what we’ve been genuinely chasing all along.

Best,

Ed

We often associate creativity with the realms of art—viewing it as a talent reserved for the “creative” fields. But creativity is more than artistic expression; it is a natural human action, a fundamental language that shapes every facet of our knowledge. A mathematician crafting a new theorem, a programmer writing novel code, a physicist uncovering hidden patterns in the cosmos—each is an act of creation. Every solution to a problem is an expression of creativity. It is how we have built cities, decoded the laws of nature, and envisioned futures beyond our current imagination.

Creativity is not just about expression; it is about discovery and understanding. It is the ability to imagine solutions to problems never solved before to forge new paths where none existed. It is the inner force that drives us to ask questions, experiment, and push beyond the boundaries of what we know. In this sense, creativity is not optional—it is fundamental. It is the engine of progress, the spark behind every leap forward in human history. It enables us to build not only objects but also explanations, theories, and even entire realities.

But why does this matter? As the only known beings capable of understanding and transforming the space around us, we must pursue creativity in all its forms. It is through creativity that we have confronted countless challenges throughout history, and it is through creativity that we will build a future worthy of our potential. Let us become active participants, shaping the world through our ideas and iterations.

We live in a world filled with vast and urgent challenges. From technological disruption to existential questions about our future, from social inequity to reimagining economic and political systems—our ability to confront and solve these problems will define us. As our progress accelerates, we will face increasingly complex obstacles, yet none are insurmountable. Creativity is our most incredible tool, our most powerful resource. It allows us to confront the unknown, envision new realities, and improve our world.

To create is to be human. Let us embrace this truth and unleash our boundless potential.

Best, 

The SANDSARA Team 

As the year draws to a close, we often find ourselves preparing for the one ahead—making plans, setting goals, and defining resolutions. This instinct to pursue targets and achieve milestones is deeply ingrained in us. But the truth is, there are no fixed destinations, no final places to reach. What we call “life” is not a series of endpoints—it is an infinite journey, perpetually redefining itself.

Infinity, of course, can feel overwhelming. How do we navigate something without boundaries? Yet perhaps this very openness is the source of its beauty. If the paths we travel are infinite, so too is our potential. The pursuit of infinite knowledge, beauty, and possibilities of what we can become—this boundless landscape of opportunities—isn’t something to fear; it’s what allows us to grow, evolve, and continually transform. In this light, there are no “wrong” decisions, no dead ends—just different ways of learning, discovering, and creating.

What if we stopped fearing mistakes and instead saw them as essential steps in the process of becoming? Our ability to create meaning, solve problems, and offer new interpretations of the world stems from these moments of trial and reinvention. The unknown is not something to avoid—it’s the very space where breakthroughs occur. When we dare to imagine differently, we step closer to understanding ourselves and the universe around us.

So, as we step into a new season, let us approach it with curiosity and excitement. Let us remind ourselves that our capacity to create and imagine is just as infinite as the paths and challenges waiting to be explored. It is not perfection or completion that defines us—it is the act of endlessly becoming, of venturing into the unknown with curiosity and courage and embracing boundless change.

Best wishes,
The SANDSARA Team

During the holidays, we are often reminded of the importance of connecting with our loved ones—sharing laughter, joy, and precious moments with friends and family. These moments are meaningful because they are fleeting, reminding us that they are not possessions to hold but experiences to live.

Amidst the rush of festivities, it’s equally important to take time for ourselves—to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the journey within. Take a moment of solitude to reflect on the patterns you’ve drawn over the past year—the challenging and the joyful, the experiences you embraced, and the emotions that shaped you. Consider how these moments have guided your growth and transformation.

Because stillness is not about stopping, if life were a single perfect moment, it would freeze, static and lifeless. What makes life beautiful is its perpetual state of becoming. Like the ever-changing surface of the ocean, each moment fades to make way for the next. Every goal opens the door to new aspirations, deepening and transforming every connection. The infinite nature of this journey keeps us curious, moving, and alive.

This season, whether surrounded by loved ones or in a quiet moment of reflection, take time to appreciate the paths you’ve walked and celebrate the infinite possibilities that lie ahead. This beautiful human journey may never be perfect, but it will always be inspiring.

Happy holidays,

The SANDSARA Team

Every day, things move faster. Change is constant, and time slips away as we rush to discover more. But amid all the noise and chaos, there’s something we often overlook: the quiet moments, the chance to pause, the opportunity to simply be.

It’s in those moments, when things settle down, that clarity can show up. In those moments, our minds can wander, our creativity can flow, and beauty and meaning take shape. In that small space between all the noise, new perspectives can be born.

Sure, chaos can spark creativity, but it grows and flourishes in calm. When we give ourselves room to breathe and reflect, we create space for imagination and new perspectives—even for questions we haven’t thought to ask yet.

When was the last time you took a moment for yourself? Pause for a bit, and who knows what fresh ideas or inspiration might come your way. We hope you find those moments to refresh and reconnect with what truly matters to you.

The SANDSARA Team