Touchstone - No 029 - 1991 04

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 29
Date: April 1991
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Focus: Earth Mysteries, Ley Lines, UFOs, Crop Circles

Woking Mosque - Ley Centre

The lead article by the editor discusses the convergence of ley lines at the Woking Mosque. The author recounts finding three prominent leys crossing the mosque site, composed of prehistoric, ancient Christian, and subconsciously sited points. Two particularly notable points were a standing stone and an ancient beacon site, discovered after their respective lines were drawn, reinforcing the significance of the alignments. Further investigation revealed three more leys, of slightly lesser quality but still linking places of worship across a wide timescale.

The article quotes from 'The Shell Guide to England', describing Woking's mosque as the largest in England, founded by Dr. Leitner in 1885. It notes the mosque's unusual architecture, featuring a large green sphere topped by a crescent, and highlights a clump of Scots pines behind it, which was found to be on one of the leys. The author details previous findings of two leys passing through the mosque: one originating from an earthwork on Chobham Common and a standing stone on Horsell Common, and another passing through St. Nicholas Church in Pyrford, a hilltop site considered potentially prehistoric.

A third ley was identified passing through St. Paul's church, an earthwork, and 'The Roman Star' on 'The Devil's Highway'. A fourth ley, identified after visiting the area, connects Christ Church near Woking station, the crematorium chapel, Brookwood church, an unmarked centre on the A325 at Farnborough, and a road junction at Crookham Village. This line also passes through Odiham Firs, a beacon site, and a hilltop wood at Bidden.

Another ley alignment is described passing through St. Paul's church, Addlestone, and Peper Harow church, with other points including a small church at Mayford and a cross-roads near Pitch Place. Finally, an alignment is noted linking St. Martha-on-the-Hill, Guildford, with the mosque, passing through various churches and road junctions.

When walking around Woking, the author discovered the Friends' Meeting House, a Quaker place of worship. Aligning this with the mosque revealed another ley passing through a church at Sheerwater, a tumulus, the mosque, the Friends' Meeting House, and continuing to Chinthurst Hill and Scotsland Farm.

The author concludes that the discovery of significant points after drawing the leys suggests subconscious influence. The article posits that these ley alignments demonstrate that leys make no distinction between different religious faiths, suggesting a higher truth that transcends doctrines and highlights the absurdity of inter-faith conflicts. The issue also previews the next article on leys aligning on Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Scunthorpe.

Corn Circles and Earth Mysteries

This article by Gordon Millington discusses the phenomenon of corn circles, distinguishing them from earlier 'UFO nests'. The current wave of crop circles, appearing since around 1980, are characterized by crops laid flat in uniform, often slightly elliptical patterns, which continue to ripen. The stalks are bent by a force, not broken. While Dr. G.T. Meaden initially proposed a plasma vortex theory based on physical and meteorological principles, the article argues that this is no longer tenable for the highly complex figures of 1990, suggesting directed intentionality.

The involvement of UFOs in crop circle production is considered problematic but possible, with parallels drawn to UFO sightings reported in 1989 and 1990 preceding circle appearances. Examples include a UFO sighting near Avebury in 1988, followed by quincunx formations, and UFO sightings in Devon and Norfolk in 1990 before circles appeared there. The author notes the similarity of structured patterns like triplets and quincunxes to recorded UFO formations.

The article references Alfred Watkins' rediscovery of ley energies and the post-war movement by Tony Wedd and Aime Michel, linking UFOs and leys. It mentions that dowsers can detect residual force patterns on circle sites, suggesting this force may have originally created the circle.

A witness account from Sandy Reid in Dundee describes the cessation of birdsong, a sense of presence, and corn stalks swaying in response to invisible forces, leading to a circle formation. A high-pitched whirring noise, similar to summer crickets, has also been reported by cereologists on circle sites.

Richard G. Andrews, a dowser, identified distinct force lines within circles, showing how intersecting leys create patterns. He also noted interconnections between groups of crop figures, where changes in one affect others, and how animals react to these force fields.

John Michell is quoted suggesting that crop circles have an esoteric meaning, relating them to ancient religions and UFO phenomena. He interprets UFOs as agents of change, with crop circles being a continuation of this phenomenon, possibly signifying major changes or warnings about environmental issues.

Letters

Several readers contribute letters:

• Gillian Bull from the Isle of Man agrees with the concept of 'subconscious siting' of churches on major ley lines, referencing Louis Charpentier's book on the relationship between sacred sites, earth energy, and astrology. She suggests that master masons deliberately designed transmitters-receivers for spiritual and geophysical equilibrium. She also discusses the role of music in worship for stimulating mental states and activating geo-potential at nodes. Bull notes that her own house is intersected by a ley, leading to occasional 'weird phenomena'.
• Brenda Spinney from Liphook fondly remembers Paul Baines, describing his aura of peace and the richness of his life.
• Richard Colborne from Oman mentions observing visible alignments from the air in Thailand, noting variations in status and some duplication of roads and parallel lines.
• Mary Bonney from Windsor discusses J. T. Page's article on springs beneath churches and the concept of 'unconscious siting'. She wonders if St. Mary Magdalene at South Holmwood might be another example and suggests investigation by a water-dowser. Bonney agrees with the 'Why Subconscious Siting' article, noting that some churches 'feel right' while others feel 'empty'.
• Eileen Grimshaw from Guildford provides detailed geometrical alignments around Anstiebury Camp, involving Leith Hill Tower, Holmbury Hill Fort, South Holmwood Church, and Shellwood Manor. She also describes drawing a line through several churches and then using circles to identify further points of interest, including Pitch Hill and other churches.

Notes and News

• Sixth Formers probe Corn Circle Mystery: Students at St. Anne's School in Southampton are investigating corn circles and other phenomena as part of an 'Appliance of Science' module, focusing on environmental issues, health, and key technologies. The module allows for experimentation and research into paranormal examples.
• London Meetings: A schedule of upcoming meetings and lectures is provided, including topics like Earthstars, Sacred Sites, British Mazes, and Yorkshire Prehistoric Sites, featuring speakers such as Chris Street, Dr. Rupert Sheldrake, Jeff Saward, and Robert Harris.
• Field trips: A list of upcoming field trips is included, such as LEMC at Kingston Green Fair, Dorking Caves, and a Maze Conference.

Drawing a Blank with the Celestial Surveyors' Ley of the Land

This section features an article from The Guardian by Gordon Harris, who claims to have discovered a network of lines, or 'ley lines', across Britain. Harris, a chartered engineer, uses ruled red lines on Ordnance Survey maps to identify these tracks, which he believes predate stone age man and were used for navigation. He suggests these lines converge on 'nodal points', often crossroads or significant junctions. Harris believes these tracks are the marks of a full survey of the globe carried out by extraterrestrial intelligent beings using radio-controlled vehicles.

He notes that archaeologists have been dismissive, while engineers tend to understand the logic of his explanation. Harris is currently working on Norfolk, finding nodal points, including one in a plantation called 'Madhouse'. He acknowledges that some of his ideas are from 'wilder moments', but insists the network of lines is a rational, technical explanation.

Book Reviews

• The Surrey Weather Book by Mark Davison and Ian Currie is reviewed. It is described as a feast of data on record-breaking weather in Surrey, with a focus on Fortean interests, though it leaves some aspects unaddressed and suffers from 'journalese'.
• Earthstars by C.E. Street is reviewed by Chris Hall. The book outlines geometrical relationships between ancient sites in the London area and proposes a New Age philosophy connecting human chakras with sacred sites. It suggests readers find local power centres for personal resonance. A key passage highlights that ancient sacred sites are part of a spiritual energy system linked to the Earth's intrinsic energies and universal creative impulses, sacred to all humanity. The review notes that the centre of the Earthstars circle is equidistant between All Souls, Langham Place and the Central London Synagogue.

Publications Available from Jimmy Goddard

A list of publications and videos related to leys, UFOs, and earth mysteries is provided, including titles like 'Skyways and Landmarks Revisited', 'Cosmic Friends', and 'The Inhabited Solar System'. Subscriptions for 'Touchstone' and 'Amskaya' newsletters are also advertised.

Exchange List

A list of other publications and groups involved in earth mysteries and related fields is provided for exchange purposes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the interconnectedness of ancient sites, ley lines, and spiritual energies, with a particular focus on the Woking Mosque as a nexus. The magazine explores the potential for subconscious siting of religious buildings and the broader implications of these alignments for understanding human spirituality and the Earth's energy grid. The issue also delves into the mystery of crop circles, linking them to UFO phenomena and ancient intelligences. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these phenomena, encouraging readers to share their own findings and perspectives, while also promoting a holistic view that transcends religious dogma and highlights the potential for a unified understanding of existence through earth energies and ancient sites.