Touchstone - No 073 - 2006 04

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 73
Date: April 2006
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, delves into various aspects of Earth Mysteries, ancient sites, and unexplained phenomena. The cover story focuses on 'Subconscious Siting in Side, Turkey,' exploring the ancient city's historical layers and potential alignments.

Subconscious Siting in Side, Turkey

The article details a trip to Turkey, ostensibly for the solar eclipse, but with a focus on the ancient coastal town of Side. Although the hotel was inconveniently located, the author explored Side through online resources. The author notes fascinating alignments between ancient sites in the old town and modern mosques in the new town, suggesting a theory of 'subconscious siting.' Side, historically a significant port in Pamphylia, was named after the pomegranate and was a magnet for people displaced by disaster or war. Its history includes periods under Lycian rule, invasion by Persians, conquest by Alexander the Great, rule by the Ptolemaeans and Seleucids, and eventual incorporation into the kingdom of Pergamum. The city was part of the Roman Empire by 78 BC, a center of culture and scholarship, and a site of a romantic tryst between Mark Antony and Cleopatra. It also engaged in the slave trade. Attacks by mountain peoples in the 3rd century weakened its economy, leading to the construction of new defensive walls. Under the Byzantines, Side experienced a final period of prosperity before earthquakes, piracy, and Arab incursions led to its abandonment in the 10th century. According to the Arab geographer Idrisi, the inhabitants migrated to Antalya. The town features a large Roman amphitheatre where a crowd, including NASA scientists, watched an eclipse. The article also describes the re-erected columns of the Temple of Apollo and the remains of the Temple of Athena, which were later demolished to build a Christian church and bishop's palace. The alignment of a mosque in the new town with the main street of the old town and the amphitheatre is highlighted, as are other alignments involving mosques, temples, and roads, supporting the subconscious siting theory and the concept of a living ley system.

The author also recounts witnessing the total solar eclipse, describing the corona as extensive streamers and noting a starlike object that appeared to move erratically. The sky did not become completely dark but resembled a dark sunset. Photographs were taken, showing the corona and the mysterious object.

A hilltop pine clump between Side and Antalya is also noted.

Thee-Line Field Trip - Part 2

This section details the second part of a field trip by TEMS members along the 'E-line,' described as the widest and most powerful ley found. The group visited Wormley Church, identified as being on the E-line, and dowsed its path. They also explored Wormley Hill, noting terracing similar to that associated with the legend of the Lambton Worm. The article mentions a mummers play, 'The Worm of Wormley Hill, or the Luck of Hydons Ball,' performed annually.

The group then walked to a point where a footpath became coincident with the E-line in a cutting, measuring the ley's width at 77 yards. Rick Gibson recorded a compass anomaly.

Further investigations involved driving to cross-roads at Brook and tracing the E-line, noting an oval pond and Victorian street lamps. A contiguous straight earthwork on the south side of the road was also found to mark the E-line.

The journey continued towards Hindhead, passing the Devil's Punchbowl. The E-line was crossed again near the Youth Hostel. The group visited Grayshott, where the E-line passed through the lodge of Grayshott Hall, noting embankments and dragons on gateposts. The E-line was measured at 185 paces wide at a road corner and driveway. At Ludshott Common, it was found to be 135 paces wide.

In Hampshire, the E-line was traced through Bordon and the Walldown Enclosure, a scheduled ancient monument. The E-line was 108 paces wide in three energy bands and crossed into the rings of the enclosure. Rick dowsed the site and found two other lines crossing at the earthwork.

The group then proceeded towards Blackmoor, noting a tumulus and Scots Pines on the ley. They visited St. Matthew's Church, Blackmoor, and the adjacent war memorial, with the E-line running through them. The church history suggested an earlier chapel on the site, and a water drinking fountain was found on the E-line, similar to one found earlier.

The vicar, Rev. Hughes, shared information about gargoyle dragons on the church tower and a 'displaced' dragon running down it. The group also dowsed for entrances under the church.

The final visit was to Temple Yard, a former Templar site, from which St. Matthew's tower was visible. The group then went to Selborne, where Gilbert White lived, and discussed theories, including the Punchbowl being a volcanic crater on the line, suggesting an earth fault.

More on the Effra Road Ley

This section describes a ley line running along Effra Road in Wimbledon, identified in a previous issue. The ley passes through eight churches and a Hindu temple. The Hillside Church is noted as being ten paces wide for the ley. John the Baptist Church, a Grade 2 listed building, is also on the ley, which was again measured at ten paces wide. A building site marked the location of a former church on The Downs, with a Scots pine on the line opposite.

Further investigation in Wimbledon included Christ Church, Copse Hill, also identified as being on a ley. The ley was found to continue westward through other churches, including Norbiton Church and Lyne Church.

Letters

Michael Behrend, Huntingdon: Questions the alignment of a four-mile stretch of railway line from Royston to Cambridge with the Cambridge castle mound, offering three possible explanations: sighting on a beacon, a whim of planners, or coincidence. He notes that the Roman road from Huntingdon to Cambridge is also aligned on the mound and suggests the mound might have been Norman, placed for lookout purposes.

Norman Darwen, Bolton, Lancashire: Responds to an article about May Day activities, mentioning Caesar's Well and the Ravensbourne Morris Men, who perform a ritual at the well at dawn on May 1st. He notes their tradition of splashing water and performing a mummer's play.

Gordon Harris, Frodsham, Cheshire: Discusses Churchingford leys and other alignments, mentioning churches and barrows in the area. He also points out two other ley centers: one at the junction of five roads at Horton, and another at Church End.

Notes and News

Announcements for London Earth Mysteries Circle meetings are provided, including topics such as King Arthur's Camlan, Wooden Churches of Eastern Europe, the Bookham Zodiac, and the Cygnus Mystery.

TEMS Meetings

Details of upcoming TEMS (The Earth Mysteries Society) meetings and a field trip are listed.

The E-line in Peru

This section reviews Erich von Daniken's book 'Arrival of the Gods,' which features aerial photographs of the Nazca Lines in Peru. The book includes images of circular formations in the Palpe mountains and 'Y' form puquitos, both identified as being on the E-line.

It also mentions the Ica stones, mysterious painted stones from Ica, Peru, collected by Dr. Cabrera, which depict dinosaurs, maps of Atlantis, and ancient medical operations. The origin of these stones is unknown.

Bookham Zodiac

A 'Bookham Zodiac' is presented as part of a doctoral thesis.

Meyn Mamvro

This section advertises 'Meyn Mamvro: Ancient stones & sacred sites in Cornwall,' offering guides on Earth Energies, Ancient Stones, Sacred Sites, Paganism, Leypaths, Pre-history, Megalithic Mysteries, and Folklore.

They gave me the Evil Eye!

A brief anecdote about receiving a card in Turkey with the phrase 'Nazar Degmesin,' a traditional Turkish belief meaning 'may the evil eye not touch you.'

The Hidden Unity and Beginnings

This reviews two booklets: 'The Hidden Unity,' which examines subconscious siting of ley points and the predominance of worship places on leys, and 'Beginnings,' detailing discoveries in Earth energy detection, natural antigravity, subconscious siting, and cognitive dissonance.

Earth People, Space People

This reviews a booklet prepared as a more modest version of Tony Wedd's unpublished manuscript 'Earth Men, Space Men,' which detailed extraterrestrial contact claims. The booklet includes articles on the STAR Fellowship, evidence for extraterrestrial life, and extraterrestrial language.

The Legacy of Tony Wedd

This advertises a CD-ROM based on Tony Wedd's travelling exhibition, covering flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology.

Touchstone Newsletter

Information is provided for subscribing to Touchstone, the newsletter of the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are ley lines, Earth energies, ancient sites, subconscious siting, and unexplained phenomena, particularly UFOs and ancient mysteries. The magazine appears to adopt an open-minded, investigative stance, presenting research and theories within the field of Earth Mysteries, encouraging reader contributions and discussion.