Touchstone

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 20
Date: January 1989
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a magazine focused on Earth Mysteries, covers the Northern Moot held in Chesterfield in 1988. The content delves into various esoteric and historical topics, including dowsing, ancient sites, Celtic traditions, ufology, and the emerging field of 'allotechnology'.

Northern Moot at Chesterfield 1988

The issue opens with a report on the Northern Moot, which took place in Chesterfield, adjacent to the Derbyshire Peak District. The venue, a central library, was well-equipped, even featuring a video projector. Rob Wilson commenced the proceedings with a welcome and a cautionary note against burying crystals at sacred sites, suggesting it could harm their energy systems.

Norman Fahy then discussed dowsing at Peakland sites, sharing his lifelong interest in Neolithic and Bronze Age sites. He noted examples in the Derbyshire-Staffordshire area and expressed admiration for archaeologists' professionalism, while lamenting the destruction caused by excavation. Fahy taught himself dowsing using Tom Graves' "The Dowser's Handbook," discovering its ability to detect differences in strata, buried features, and post holes, describing it as an 'echo of previous existence'. He emphasized the need for relaxation and good health for effective dowsing.

John Barnatt's book, "Standing Stones of the Peak," was mentioned for its perspective on geometry, landscape, and astronomical connections. Fahy's own dowsing efforts, including mapping sites like Arbor Low and the Bull Ring henge, were detailed, along with the Bradbourne ley, which traced a path through various ancient features. His current project involves the Bridestones, a neolithic long barrow.

Philip Heselton on Space People and Electronic Voice Phenomena

Philip Heselton presented a review of the life of Philip Rodgers, a man with impaired sight but acute hearing, known for his mysterious tape recordings of sounds and voices he believed were from space people. Rodgers' interest was sparked by George Adamski's "Inside the Space Ships." Heselton recounted Rodgers' personal sightings of lights and his attempts to record unexplained sounds, including a loud metallic note and 'singing discs'.

Rodgers made hundreds of recordings, often capturing faint voices. He noted that one recording indicated the people were listening to music, and another corrected him when he used the wrong clock format. The BBC's foreign language centre could not identify the language of the recorded voices or music.

Heselton also discussed Rodgers' development of a 'yonskaler' device for communication and healing, and a model flying saucer. He concluded that while the recordings yielded no new information, the entities seemed warm and friendly. Rodgers claimed personal contact with some of these individuals.

Celtic Traditions and Stone Heads

David Clarke delivered a talk on Celtic stone heads, particularly in Derbyshire, noting their presence on barns, churches, and walls, some appearing recently made. He described featureless faces, occasional horns, and moustaches, and mentioned examples like those at the Sun Inn, Haworth, and Darley Dale church. He also touched upon water worship, holy wells, and pagan survivals in the region, linking them to the worship of nature and the seasons.

Megalithic Malta and Ancient Sites

Jonathan Mullard presented slides on megalithic Malta, highlighting the island's ancient temples built around 2500 B.C. He noted the duality in temple construction and the presence of spiral patterns. The island of Gozo was mentioned for its unspoilt sites. Mullard also discussed the later period of tiny dolmens dating to 1800 B.C., which appear to be connected with fault lines, contrasting with older British sites.

Allotechnology and Free Energy

Philip Heselton introduced 'allotechnology,' a concept involving personal vibrations and the creation of devices. He referenced Wilhelm Reich's orgone accumulator and the importance of combining organic and inorganic materials. The idea of personal impregnation of a device with one's own energies was likened to psychometry. Heselton suggested that the technology should be simple enough for individuals to create themselves.

Other Articles and Notes

Other contributions included a review of an Alfred Watkins Society formation, a report on the West Coast Moot in America, and a discussion on early plans of Avebury that might revise current understanding of the site. There was also a piece on the 'Jersey wants its tomb back' story concerning a neolithic tomb moved to Henley-on-Thames.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently explores themes of ancient mysteries, earth energies, unexplained phenomena, and alternative histories. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting various perspectives and research findings from contributors and authors within the Earth Mysteries community. The publication encourages reader participation through meetings and contributions.