EARTHQUEST NEWS

Magazine Overview

Title: EARTHQUEST NEWS
Issue: Vol. 6, No. 2
Date: Autumn 2003
Publisher: Andrew Collins
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of Earthquest News, edited by Andrew Collins, provides updates on the upcoming Questing Conference (QuestCon03) and explores intriguing mysteries related to Rennes-le-Chateau, UFOs, and ancient history.

QuestCon03 Latest

The upcoming Questing Conference, QuestCon03, is scheduled for Saturday, 15th November, and Sunday, 16th November 2003, at Cecil Sharp House in London. All advertised speakers have confirmed their appearances, including Colin Wilson, who has recently been unwell. Tickets are priced at £28 in advance and £30 on the day. The conference will feature lectures on various topics, such as the Magdalene, mtDNA research, the origins of civilization, the hermetic strain through history, the SCOLES Experiment, the Celtic cross, the Starchild Skull, and psychic questing exploits. Information and tickets can be found on www.questingconference.com or by contacting Atlantis Bookshop.

Questing in Rennes-le-Chateau

Andrew Collins recounts his questing pursuits that led him to Rennes-le-Chateau in France. The mystery centers around Bérengier Saunière, a Catholic priest who became wealthy overnight around 110 years ago, possibly after discovering treasure or a significant secret in his church. He lavishly renovated the church and built structures like Tour Magdala and Villa Bethania. Theories suggest Saunière may have stumbled upon a commodity like gold or a great secret for which he was paid to remain silent. Local rumors indicate he met with priests from Saint Sulpice in Paris, who directed him to obtain copies of paintings, including Nicholas Poussin's 'Les Bergers d'Arcadie'. This painting depicts shepherds looking at a tomb with a Latin inscription, 'ET IN ARCADIA EGO', interpreted as 'Also in Arcadia I' or 'And I too (am) in Arcadia', suggesting that death can be found even in paradise. A stone tomb matching the painting's description existed outside Arques until the late 1980s, leading to speculation that Poussin visited the area. The article discusses the historical context, including the Merovingian dynasty and the Prieure du Sion secret society, which allegedly aimed to preserve the Merovingian royal line. The book 'The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' by Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent, and Richard Leigh is highlighted as a significant work attempting to unravel this mystery, proposing an underground stream of knowledge regarding Christ's bloodline.

The author notes that the connection with the Pyrenees is not new, referencing Cathar apologists who believed Wolfram von Eschenbach's 'Parzival' alluded to Montsegur, a Cathar stronghold. German historian Otto Rahn's research into the Grail and his association with Heinrich Himmler are also mentioned. The article questions Saunière's role in the Grail mystery and explores theories about the Magdalene's connection to the village. Henry Lincoln's proposal of pentagonal geometry around Rennes-le-Chateau is discussed, though deemed complex for a parish priest. The author suggests Saunière may have found material treasure and a secret he shared with his housekeeper, Marie Dénarnaud. Collins' own initiation into the mystery began at Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, with a reversed relief of Poussin's painting, leading him and his wife Sue, along with Richard Ward, to visit Rennes-le-Chateau in June 2003. They confirmed the resemblance of the landscape, including Pech Cardou and Blanchefort, to Poussin's painting.

Andrew Collins Books

Andrew Collins discusses the surprising high prices of his older questing books, such as 'The Sword and the Stone' and 'The Black Alchemist', being sold on the second-hand market for hundreds of dollars. He attributes this surge in demand and price to the influence of Kenneth Grant's recent book 'The Ninth Arch', which cited Collins' works as expanding knowledge of the 'Thelemite' magical current. Collins plans to release a deluxe hardback edition of 'The Black Alchemist' next year.

Andrewcollins.com

The author announces the acquisition of the domain name andrewcollins.com, updating his website from the previous .net address. His wife manages the website.

Strange Creatures of Time and Space

Collins recounts his past career as a UFO investigator and his current focus on other areas like the Watchers and Nephilim. He discusses a Discovery Channel documentary, 'Alien Encounters' (also known as 'The Brazilian Roswell'), which presented evidence of small, non-terrestrial creatures captured in Varginha, Brazil, in January 1996. The incident involved a mysterious grey object and the subsequent capture of creatures by a special army unit. The documentary also covered the Chupacabra, a creature terrorizing Puerto Rico, described as bipedal with a large head, red eyes, grey hair, and sharp spikes, capable of floating and flying, and associated with animal deaths where blood is drained.

Collins expresses his evolving views on UFOs, moving from the belief that they are energy manifestations to acknowledging the possibility of strange, non-terrestrial biological entities intruding into our world. He suggests these entities might emerge from dimensional gateways rather than outer space, proposing the term TDBEs (trans-dimensional biological entities). He critiques the comparison of the Varginha incident to Roswell, arguing that Varginha has more reliable witnesses and a cohesive picture, whereas Roswell is marred by deceit and misinformation.

Nefertiti Found?

This section discusses a Discovery documentary on Egyptologist Joanne Fletcher's belief that she has identified Nefertiti among three mummies found in tomb KV35 in Egypt. Fletcher believes Nefertiti is the 'Younger Woman', who died around age 25-30. However, the author points out a flaw in Fletcher's theory: if Nefertiti became queen at 14 and disappeared from records in Year Fourteen of her reign, she would need to be at least 28 at death, not fitting the 'Younger Woman' profile if she ruled alone for a year after Akhenaten's death. The author suggests Nefertiti likely died in Year Fourteen of her reign as co-ruler. The section also notes the similarity between the 'Merovingian' twins from 'The Matrix Reloaded' and the 'Watcher' figure from Collins' books.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently explores mysteries, ancient history, and unexplained phenomena, with a particular focus on the Rennes-le-Chateau enigma and the nature of UFOs and cryptids. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various theories and evidence while maintaining a critical perspective, especially regarding the Varginha and Roswell incidents. There's a strong emphasis on the interconnectedness of historical mysteries, ancient texts, and modern unexplained events, suggesting a unified underlying reality or influence.