Amskaya - No 015 - 1989 07

Magazine Overview

AMSKAYA, Newsletter of the STAR Fellowship, Issue No. 15, dated July 1989, is a publication focused on earth mysteries, ley lines, UFO sightings, and extraterrestrial communication. The cover features a bold title and an illustration of two flying saucers.

Nostalgic Journey

This article details a weekend trip in May 1989 with Philip Heselton and his family, visiting various locations in Kent and Surrey. The journey began with a visit to Chiddingstone, Kent, commemorating the first STAR Fellowship Rally on May 27th, 1960, which also marked the birth of the earth mysteries movement. The booklet "Skyways and Landmarks," which inspired renewed interest in leys and flying saucers, was first displayed at this rally. The author suggests the 1954 French 'flap' was an educational exercise to reveal knowledge of leys and their power, influenced by Aime Michel's work and Alfred Watkins' research on terrestrial alignments, which inspired Tony Wedd's "Skyways and Landmarks."

Visits included the village of Chiddingstone with its Tudor buildings and a cave mentioned in "Skyways and Landmarks." The cave, described as a cruciform chamber with a roof rising to a point, required a torch to see clearly. After a meal at the Castle Inn, the group visited the Lyewood Common clump, a site prominent in Tony Wedd's work, which had been significantly damaged by the October 1987 hurricane. They also visited Gills Lap, the inspiration for "Galleon's Lap" in "The House at Pooh Corner," which had also suffered some damage but showed signs of renewal with young pines. The journey concluded with a visit to Pitch Hill near Shere, noted for its spectacular Scots pines and a reported UFO sighting near the Hurt Wood Track.

The following day, the author explored clumps in the Addlestone area, noting an interesting pattern and potential alignments, though some were not convincing as leys. The article highlights the importance of seeking other validating factors beyond map alignments. The line from St. Anne's Hill to Woburn Hill is mentioned as a powerful alignment, despite doubts about its acceptance by Alfred Watkins. The Catholic church on Woburn Hill is a modern building, and a coincident modern road stretch at the author's former workplace is noted. The author felt a sense of power from this alignment.

The article then describes specific clumps visited: the Samaritan Centre clump, linked to Ottershaw and Addlestone parish churches; the Spratts Lane clump with a large depression attributed to a former clay pit; and Ether Hill, Ottershaw, described as the most impressive, visible in line with St. Peter's Way and featuring an oval-shaped earthwork at its summit, similar to Gills Lap. The final destination was St. Anne's Hill, Chertsey, a tree-covered summit with a group of conifers, noted for its pleasant atmosphere and visible hillfort and earthworks. The author expresses satisfaction that it remains a public open space, unlike St. George's Hill.

The article concludes that the clump alignments around Addlestone show an interesting arrangement, despite being subject to subconscious siting and damage over time. The importance of the pine tree in alignment systems, as stressed by Wedd and Watkins, is validated across the country.

Book Reviews

LIGHT YEARS, by Gary Kinder

This book, subtitled "The Best Documented, most Credible UFO case ever," is a review of Gary Kinder's investigation into the contact claims of Eduard Meier, a Swiss farmer who allegedly had numerous contacts with extraterrestrials from the Pleiades star cluster and took clear photographs of flying saucers. The reviewer found the book to be interesting but noted it dwelled too much on the investigation and less on the contacts themselves. The reviewer also felt that much was left out, and there was padding about the general history of UFO investigation. The investigators reportedly found no evidence of equipment for faking photographs, but the frequency of contact seemed almost too good to be true, making the Meier case truly enigmatic.

LINES ON THE LANDSCAPE, by Paul Devereux and Nigel Pennick

This book is described as a worthwhile work with new original research, including the discovery of a French use of the word "laie" for a track and research into cursuses. The reviewer notes the omission of the Dorchester-on-Thames cursus, which is compared to Stonehenge. The book also covers interesting discoveries abroad. However, the reviewer finds the tendency to downplay the importance of the energy aspect of leys disturbing, and ley centres, which have always been taboo for Devereux, are not mentioned. The book provides a history of leys, with only a cursory mention of the STAR Fellowship's role in the modern movement and its connection to UFOs. The reviewer suggests that the role of 'space friends' in educating about the ley system awaits a future author. Despite these criticisms, the book is recommended for its original information and the authors' evident hard work.

"Ever-Increasing Circles" by Elisabeth Dunn

This is an article from the Daily Telegraph Magazine (July 8th, 1989) by Richard Pywell, discussing the mysterious and uncannily perfect circles appearing in cornfields. The corn is flattened but not broken, continuing to grow horizontally. Attempts to replicate the circles have resulted in cruder approximations. The article states there are no common factors, but many circles are near ancient sites like Winterbourne Stoke, Seven Barrows, Silbury Hill, and the Bratton White Horse. One case involved a UFO sighting followed by two circle outbreaks the next morning, aligned with the sighting location. Unusual occurrences such as burglar alarms activating without intruders and a dog becoming ill after being taken into a circle are also mentioned. The implications of the circles are unclear, but a book titled "Circular Evidence" by Elisabeth Dunn is mentioned, published by Bloomsbury at £14.95.

Uri Geller and the Space People (Part 1)

This article by Tony Wedd posits that universal mysteries are on the verge of breakthrough, with new energies appearing that will restore harmony and order. He emphasizes the need to expand horizons rapidly, framing it as a race between the capacity to create a new world and the capacity to destroy the old one. Wedd references the 'pathetic story of the whales' as proof of destructiveness and contrasts it with the ability to build a "New Jerusalem." He suggests that if 'space people' exist, they hold the key to understanding how civilizations become critical, referencing vague legends of Mu and Atlantis. The author believes that UFOs patrolling our skies without dramatic invasion is a sign that extraterrestrials are waiting for humanity to build a New Age that will not self-destruct, and that learning from them is crucial.

The main obstacle to receiving this information is identified as human arrogance and the belief in our own uniqueness and advancement. Wedd argues that this 'bull-in-the-china-shop' power is deceptive. He then discusses Uri Geller, stating that scientists are aware he has undermined assumptions about the real world, even requiring qualification to Einstein's E=mc². Wedd quotes Geller as saying his powers are not solely his own but are channeled by 'space people.' Geller reportedly experienced an opening at age three to a role as a servant, with his abilities for vanishing and translocating things attributed to these 'space people.'

The article criticizes the media for focusing on Geller's spoon-bending and watch-starting abilities, calling it a pointless demonstration of psychic power compared to what could be achieved. The author believes the media's bias and selectivity prevent a full understanding of the truth, sticking to trivial examples of Geller's powers.

Sighting in Surrey

This section reports a UFO sighting on November 5th, 1988, by a 21-year-old girl and her 23-year-old boyfriend near Shere and Ewhurst. They observed a UFO to the west, described as half a mile away, with a flattened top and a red light. It flew in a circle, flipped over, and then flew away at high speed. The sighting was investigated by Gordon Millington of the Open University Graduates' Research into Anomalous Phenomena. No sound was heard, and the countryside was described as unnaturally quiet.

The sighting is noted as occurring near the Hurt Wood Track, which is presented as a prime example of a long, straight track aligned with a ley in Surrey. The track is over two miles long and is described as sticking out on the Dorking O.S. map. Philip Heselton and a member of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group had previously found and walked it. The track's characteristics, including its variation in nature and its ability to run straight up steep hills, suggest it is an ancient ley track. It is also considered a good ley.

An anecdote is shared by Philip Heselton about meeting the Hurt Wood Ranger in May 1966. The ranger pointed out a strange, round object on legs on a ridge. Heselton did not investigate further, and the ranger could not recall the incident when contacted later. However, the ranger did mention that 1966 was a year of puma sightings in Hurt Wood. Research by Chris Hall confirmed 1966 as the peak year for puma sightings, and the ranger linked the object on the ridge to a tentative UFO account.

News from Foresight

This section summarizes UFO news from the July issue of Foresight magazine. It mentions UFO-mania in Guatemala, with thousands hoping for sightings of extraterrestrials. It also notes that ex-President Reagan saw a UFO from an aircraft in 1974, a fact disclosed by the pilot. Two stranger stories are presented: one about a group of three-and-a-half-foot-tall extraterrestrials with IQs around 200 operating from Nevada with US permission, and another about a Bolivian radio operator receiving a message from a spacecraft in Hindustani, implying time travel. An astronomer and UFO expert claims interference on the tape is characteristic of space transmissions.

Publications Available from Jimmy Goddard

This section lists publications for sale, including:

• SKYWAYS AND LANDMARKS REVISITED: A re-examination of Tony Wedd's work in leys and flying saucers (£1.18).
• CAMPUS LINES: Results of a nine-year project investigating leys around six university campuses (£1.18).
• COSMIC FRIENDS: An account of communication with extraterrestrials over many years (68p).
• TOUCHSTONE: Newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group (Quarterly, £2 for four issues).
• AMSKAYA: Newsletter of the STAR Fellowship, concerned with extraterrestrial communication (Quarterly, £2 for four issues).

All prices include postage. AMSKAYA is the journal of the STAR Fellowship, published quarterly. An annual subscription to the Fellowship is £2 and includes a subscription to AMSKAYA. Cheques should be made payable to J. Goddard, 25, Albert Road, Addlestone, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2PX.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of AMSKAYA are earth mysteries, particularly ley lines and ancient sites, and UFO phenomena, including sightings and contact claims. The STAR Fellowship's focus on extraterrestrial communication is evident. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, encouraging readers to explore the connections between ancient knowledge, paranormal phenomena, and potential extraterrestrial influence. There is a critical perspective on media coverage of UFOs and a belief in the importance of understanding the broader implications of these phenomena beyond sensationalized accounts.