Touchstone - No 045 - 1996 07

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 45
Date: July 1996
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, the newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, features a detailed account of a field trip to the Surrey Hills, alongside articles on herbal cures, earth energies, and book reviews.

SEMG/TEMS Field Trip: The Surrey Hills - Investigation of the St. Martha's Quest Terrain

Authored by Eileen Roche, this section details a field trip on May 12th, 1996, to the Surrey Hills. The party, including Chris, Victor, Bob, Lionel, Peter and his wife, Reg and Gerda, Mick and Lorraine, and Clive, investigated sites connected by sight lines or legends to St. Martha's Hill. The trip began with Eileen relating the "Story of Clive and Eileen's Quest," which originated from an intriguing stained glass memorial window found at St. Martha's. This sparked a quest to identify the artist, leading to extensive research about the family who donated the window. Clive presented his research findings from London records offices, and field trips to London. Rob Stephenson of LEMC also contributed by locating family graves.

The excursion included visits to Pitch Hill, where the Neolithic landscape was imagined, and Holmbury, an Iron Age site with visible ramparts. An unusual incident occurred at Holmbury when a man who had lost his wife was encountered and helped. Eileen shared stories and legends, including those of local giantesses and the Mother Goose character. Clive discussed the personalities of the quest's central characters.

Lunch was taken at the Stephan Langton at Friday Street, where Jimmy's ley line plotting was discussed. Leith Hill was visited, offering views of St. Martha's and Pitch Hill. Lionel described Leith Tower's history, Eileen recounted stories associated with Friday Street, and Clive continued the Quest narrative.

As evening approached, the party explored Anstiebury Camp, another Iron Age encampment linked by energy lines. Eileen presented her archaeological research. The day concluded with tea and chat at Eileen's house.

Herbal Cures of the British Romany Gypsies

By Micheal O' hAodha, this article explores the traditional herbal knowledge of the Romany Gypsies. It highlights their expertise in preventative medicine and symptom alleviation. The article details various remedies, including:

• Dandelion: Used for liver complaints, kidney complaints, jaundice, and dropsy. Washed leaves are eaten in spring for blood purification, and stem juice is used for warts. A herbal cigarette of dried dandelion and eyebright leaves can ease asthma and bronchial complaints.
• Nettle: A poultice of green leaves relieves pain, including neuralgia. Bruised nettle leaves are used for rheumatism. A nettle brew serves as a hair tonic and can restore natural hair color. Men can use it to prevent baldness.
• Nettle Tea: Taken hot, it relieves fevers and colds. Boiled leaves applied externally stop bleeding. Ritual draughts of nettle tea are consumed for general well-being and to prevent skin complaints.
• Other Remedies: Marsh trefoil, buckbean, bogbean leaves for blood purification; coltsfoot and horehound for wheezy chests; bittersweet, burdock, and St. John's Wort for more ambitious remedies; coltsfoot for piles. Ointments are made from coltsfoot juice or pilewort.
• Fever Remedies: Blackberry leaves smoked as tobacco, dog grass/twitch grass/couch grass boiled into syrup, or infusions of dried cowslips or foxglove leaves.

The article also provides specific Romany remedies for Rheumatism (Dandelion Root) and Blood-Pressure (Stinging Nettle), with dosage instructions.

Earth Energies & Beliefs in West Africa

Authored by Eileen Roche, this section recounts observations made in August 1993 in southeastern Nigerian villages. The lush, fertile landscape is described, with dusty tracks and occasional rainstorms. Three main forms of worship were observed: Christian, Muslim, and Pagan, though no one admitted to being pagan.

Churches and mosques were often built on ley or earth energy lines, but pagan shrines and spirit houses were more abundant in the bush. Spirit houses, described as brick-built, tin-roofed constructions, are positioned on ley lines and used for five-yearly masquerades. Women are forbidden to watch these ceremonies.

Ley lines are described as warm, sluggish, and meandering at chest height, with their energy perceived as slower than in England or France, possibly due to their use in juju practices.

Shrines, comprising wooden posts and mud walls with grass or corrugated iron roofs, are found on ley lines. These are dedicated to individual gods, such as Odo, who was greatly feared. A spring near Odo's shrine provided pure water.

The article mentions a shrine in Igbomokum village dedicated to Ogumaga, a powerful warrior and witch doctor who cursed the village. It also recounts the story of Oba Adebambo Oyenuga, the local king, who refused to visit the village due to the curse. The Ogumaga shrine is worshipped annually, and the village has become a haven for lawbreakers.

In Eke village, the compound of Chief Onyeama was visited, and the story of his mother, Chinazungwa, who was forced to take a ritual oath before the Amankwo juju shrine and confessed to poisoning a bully, is recounted.

Impressive carved images were seen in a juju shrine in Owa village, depicting the founders Mr. and Mrs. Owa. A ley line ran through a clearing in Owa village, marked by Iroko trees and a juju shrine.

Shrines to ancestors were also found in Affa and Egede villages. Pagan burial sites are marked by trees, while Christians use concrete grave markers.

At Awhum, a hilltop site, a Trappist monastery was visited, situated on a wide ley line. The monks' singing and a sign saying "Listen to God" are noted. Stations of the cross were laid out on the ley.

A beautiful valley near Affa, known for its magical and occult properties, was described as a place where convicted witches or wizards were left to die. The author's attempts to visit this valley were thwarted.

In Benin City, famous for its bronzes, the Oba was holding court. The Edo Myth of Creation is recounted, explaining how the king of Benin received a snail shell full of sand, which he used to create dry land in a waterlogged world.

Artistic links with European culture were observed in the west, including stone monoliths with Celtic-like symbols and Celtic crosses.

The article concludes by noting the refreshing aspect of how people in Nigerian bush villages take earth energies for granted and actively utilize them.

Letters

• Lionel Beer, Hampton: Responds to a previous article about the Bluestones of Stonehenge possibly coming from Ireland. He recounts a 1985 visit to Southern Ireland and the Presceli Hills, referencing Geoffrey of Monmouth and Tom Lethbridge's theories about the stones' origin and transportation via the River Avon.
• Norman Darwen, Leyland, Lancashire: Describes Rivington Pike as a place of pilgrimage and mentions a tradition of eating Hot Cross Buns there. He notes a stone head found in Jarrow Reservoir.
• Terry Veale, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire: Expresses fascination with the development of ideas from leys to crop circles to UFOs, and wonders about subconscious guidance. He notes the current interest in UFOs, X-files, and related media.
• Ronald Hewson, New York: Discovered the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group's website while searching for material about Hindhead. He expresses interest in leys and the atmospheric nature of Hindhead, the Devil's Jumps, and the Punchbowl.

Notes and News

• SEMG site on the World-wide Web: Provides the URL for the SEMG website, which includes information on the group's activities, ley hunting, and research into the E-line.
• TEMS meeting: Announces a meeting on Sunday, August 25th, with Nick Pope, author of "Open Skies, Closed Minds," as the speaker.
• London Earth Mysteries Circle meetings: Lists upcoming meetings in London, with topics such as the Druids, the Fellowship of Isis, ghost hunting, Devas, Ancient Sites of Ireland, and the Coronation.
• Earth Lights in Ireland: Eileen Roche reports on an experience at the dolmen at Fourknocks in Ireland, where a group chanting to a musical line perceived from megalithic art witnessed a bright light emerge and disappear.

Book Reviews

• Goddesses, Guardians & Groves - The Awakening Spirit of the Land by Jack Gale: Reviewed as a book in the genre of "uncloseted Earth Mysterians," focusing on intuition, spirituality, and mysticism. The reviewer praises Gale's use of psychic methods and archival records to present a unified picture of landscape perception.

TEMS Hertfordshire Field Trip - July 28th

Members of TEMS and SEMG visited St. Albans Abbey Cathedral, noting its Roman bricks and the shrine of St. Alban. They also saw wall paintings and experienced energy fluctuations correlating with music. The trip continued to a medieval clock tower, noted for its political statement and various uses. An alignment of churches was observed from the tower. Beech Bottom Dyke, an immense ditch with unusual trees, was visited, showing strong dowsing reactions. Lunch was taken near the Wicked Lady pub. The Devil's Dyke was also visited. The final stop was the Roman bath house at Welwyn, noted for its sophisticated design and social function.

Other Railway Crop Circle

Doris observed two crop circles near Basingstoke, one a narrow annular ring and the other a larger filled-in circle with a maze pattern.

Blandford

Blandford is highlighted as a prolific publishing firm specializing in Earth Mysteries. Their output includes books on Arthurian legend, Celtic themes, UFOs, and the Druids.

Booklets

• The Hidden Unity and Beginnings: Described as a series of potentially useful discoveries, including subconscious siting of ley points, earth energy detection, and antigravity. "The Hidden Unity" focuses on ley points and worship sites, while "Beginnings" covers various early-stage discoveries.
• Earth People, Space People: A booklet based on Tony Wedd's manuscript "Earth Men, Space Men," detailing extraterrestrial contact claims, the STAR Fellowship, and evidence for life in the Solar System.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Touchstone include the exploration of earth energies, ley lines, ancient sites, folklore, and spiritual beliefs, particularly within the context of British and West African cultures. There is a strong emphasis on research, both historical and field-based, and a willingness to consider unconventional theories and personal experiences. The magazine appears to promote a holistic approach, integrating scientific investigation with intuition and spiritual insights. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry into earth mysteries and related phenomena, encouraging readers to share their own findings and experiences.