Touchstone - No 087 - 2009 10

Magazine Overview

Title: Touchstone
Issue: No. 87
Date: October 2009
Publisher: Surrey Earth Mysteries Group

This issue of Touchstone, a newsletter from the Surrey Earth Mysteries Group, focuses on the enduring reality and significance of ley lines and earth energies, challenging skeptical viewpoints. It features articles that explore the historical context, practical experience, and wider implications of these landscape phenomena.

NO SUCH FEATURES?

The lead article, "NO SUCH FEATURES?", directly addresses a statement from an article in *Fortean Times* that questioned the existence of ley lines. The author, described as a "veteran ley hunter" and former editor of *The Ley Hunter*, strongly refutes this, asserting that leys and their associated earth energies are undeniably real, based on forty-nine years of personal study and experience. The article explains that the ley system is complex, perceptible at multiple levels, and possesses various properties.

Subtle Energies

The association of leys with subtle energies was first raised by the Straight Track Club, with energy effects noted at certain sites. A novel by Dion Fortune further developed the idea of alignments as energy flows. In 1961, Tony Wedd revitalized interest by linking leys to UFO sightings and postulating "magnetic lines and centres." Energy effects, such as tinglings and tones in the head, were reported at some sites, and alignments were found to be dowsable.

Width and Structure

Dowsing indicated that leys have boundaries and actual reality, typically about six paces wide, though some are wider. A sliding scale of width exists in relation to frequency of occurrence. The E-Line, traveling across southern Britain, is noted as being exceptionally wide and powerful, approximately 100 paces. Research into the nature and structure of leys has also been conducted by Rienk Noordhuis of Holland.

Effects of Heavenly Bodies

Leys are connected to the wider universe. Spirals of energy at standing stones reverse polarity six days after each new moon. The energy flow in leys doubles in width around sunrise and sunset, with the E-Line expanding to 200 paces during these times, varying by latitude.

Subconscious Siting - A Network of the Sacred

It has been observed that non-prehistoric sites, particularly churches, often align with leys. Alfred Watkins suggested this might be due to a decree from Pope Gregory to Abbot Mellitus, instructing churches to be built on earlier temple sites. This phenomenon extends to various sacred buildings and is seen as an ongoing reality, not just remnants of the past.

One World-wide System

Examples of straightness and alignment exist globally, including "holy lines" in Germany, Nazca lines in Peru, "ceque" lines of the Incas, tracks in Bolivia, Maya ceremonial roads, North American alignments, and Australian "songlines." Despite regional differences, these are seen as part of a single system. Three great circle leys are mentioned: the E-Line, the St. Michael line of John Michell, and one connecting Native American sites in Sedona and Pipestone.

Acumeridians of the Living Planet

Many indigenous cultures view the Earth as a living being with which humans live in symbiosis. Tom Graves, in *Needles of Stone*, likened ancient structures to acupuncture needles that heal by affecting a system of meridians. The phenomenon of subconscious siting suggests that the marking of the ley system with sacred sites is related to the Earth's health.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ALFRED WATKINS

This personal account by Norman Darwen describes a visit to the Malvern Hills, inspired by a holiday in South-West Wales. The author reflects on the distinctive earthworks of British Camp and the experience of walking in what felt like Alfred Watkins' footsteps. The visit served as a reminder to appreciate the landscape beyond getting bogged down in arguments about leys.

SOCIETY OF LEYHUNTERS SEPTEMBER MOOT 2009

Part 1 of the report details the autumn moot held in East Anglia. The group visited Bury St. Edmunds Abbey, noting the St. Michael line passing through it, and also explored the adjacent cathedral. They also dowsed curving Michael and Mary lines. The report mentions the creation of a turf labyrinth based on the Chartres Cathedral pattern and a talk on the Alchemy of a Chartres Labyrinth.

West end of Rushbrooke Church

Further exploration involved visiting St. Nicholas Church, Rushbrooke, where the Michael line was traced. A tumulus was also visited where the ley ran tangentially, suggesting movement since previous dowsing. The tumulus had a Roman brick vault containing a sarcophagus and artefacts.

Walking Clare's labyrinth at Rougham

The group experienced a turf labyrinth created on the pattern of the one in Chartres Cathedral. The serpentine Michael line was found to run near and then through the labyrinth.

Oral Tradition and Chartres Cathedral

Clare spoke about the seven-church ley in Cambridge, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The concept of oral tradition is discussed, contrasting it with the move to literacy and its impact on perception. The Chartres Cathedral crypt is mentioned for its cave and well, and the labyrinth in its floor is noted. A large labyrinth, 70 meters in diameter, was created in a field, aligning with the St. Michael line, and was described as a cosmic telluric chimney. Crop circles at Gogmagog, appearing in 2001, incorporated a labyrinth pattern.

Suffolk's Seven Wonders

Jeremy Clarkson presented on Suffolk's Seven Wonders, detailing a vast heptagon discovered in the Sussex landscape through synchronicities. The report lists several sites connected to this geometry, including Cuckooo Hill and Hawks Leys stone, and mentions a hidden site at Grimstone End.

Other Articles and Reports

The heptagon shape

The heptagon shape is described as difficult to construct, with the Peddars Way track following it for two and a half miles. Other geometric forms in the landscape, such as the equilateral triangle of Stonehenge, are mentioned.

Hearse Wood

Hearse Wood is on a midsummer sunrise line and is described as an ancient, wheel-like wood with clearings. The wheel cross represents solstices and equinoxes, and a powerful feeling is noted.

Hawks Leys stone

The Hawks Leys stone on the village green at Hartest is thought to have been originally at the centre of the zodiac at Long Wood. "Leye" means blaze or fire, and "hawk" means sacred or holy. Many sites are related to constellations, with examples from Egypt and Yorkshire.

The Sevenhills Old Wood

This wood, with its barrow, is described as powerful. It is noted that 35% of Wiltshire barrows contain no skeletons, their location being the reason for their existence. The apex point is accessible and is the convergence of three ancient trackways: the Puddingstone Track, the Icknield Way, and the Peddars Way.

The Icknield Way

The Icknield Way connected Thetford and Avebury and is the oldest road in Britain. The St. Michael Line is largely the same. The Puddingstone Track is 200 miles long and marked with conglomerate stones.

Internal Rhythms and Earth's Fields

Our internal rhythms interact with the Earth's low frequency isoelectric field, magnetic field, and electrostatic field, affecting health and mental focus. Minute fluctuations in these fields have cosmic ramifications. Pulses of these fields circumnavigate the globe, sending co-ordinating signals to organisms and connecting us to the global electrostatic field, the Schuman's resonance (SR).

Landscape Heptagon Geometry

There is a consistent connection between frequency, wavelength, energy transference, and the arcane landscape. The landscape heptagon's geometry is closely bound to the Earth's circumference and the wavelength of frequencies that circumnavigate it.

Long Grove Wood and Hartest Village Green

Visits were made to Long Grove Wood, a powerful heptagon point, and Hartest village green, where an anvil-shaped stone, said to have been moved from near Long Grove 480 years ago, is located. It was placed there to celebrate the victory of the Duke of Marlborough.

Hearse Wood and Sevenhills Wood

Hearse Wood is described as older than Saxon, with a boundary ditch. The clearing felt energetic. Sevenhills Wood is where three trackways meet, and a specific spot was dowsed, but the group was intercepted by a gamekeeper.

Baileypool Bridge

A visit was made to Baileypool Bridge at Grimstone End, a long barrow and sarsen site. A nineteenth-century map marked a "hewn stone sarsen."

Ancient British Isles Surveyors and Astronomers

Edmund Marriage spoke on the Surveyors and Astronomers of the Ancient British Isles, suggesting that around 4500 BC, people were Sumerians from the Near East. Evidence is presented for an advanced ancient civilization, including maps of ancient sea kings and detailed surveying of Britain.

Astronomy and Supernovae

Astronomy was important due to a supernova explosion 200 light years away in 39000 BC. The ice age and Younger Dryas are mentioned, followed by a period of warming.

Christian and Joy O'Brien's Research

Christian and Joy O'Brien attempted to disprove leys but found a line of stones called the Loxodrome, leading to the identification of surveyors and astronomers. Their fieldwork in East Anglia revealed a deliberate design.

Books of Enoch and Ancient Civilizations

Evidence from the Books of Enoch mentions cords to measure and angels with measuring tapes. The oldest city plan, from Nippir near Baghdad, dates back 5000 years. The Indo-Europeans are mentioned as common ancestors, with symbols of kingship being a rod and a measuring tape.

Ancient Sea Kings and Maps

Professor Hapgood's work on maps of the ancient sea kings, including the Piri Reis map and Orontius Finius maps, is referenced, agreeing with sonar maps of the Antarctic ice.

Egyptian and British Surveying

Dr. Livio C. Stechin showed that Egyptians could measure latitude and longitude accurately in 3000 BC. Tom Brooks demonstrated detailed surveying of Britain, with antiquities on the highest ground.

Silbury Hill and Mottes

Silbury Hill is a key datum point for surveying. Mottes, older than Normans, are mentioned, including one in Jerusalem and one in Flintshire. Long barrows are described as having sophisticated structures, similar to Malta temples, for protection from cometary debris.

Ancient Relics and Astronomy

Relics of large stones from 3200 BC are mentioned, including the tomb of King Shudur-Kib. The Leonid meteors are noted. Barrows, henges, and circles are discussed, with builders using calculation methods for the Earth's roundness. Silbury was a central marker for a system.

Megaliths and Ancient Mines

Megaliths are found worldwide. Early settlements in the west of England and the Powys copper mine, active before 2000 BC, are mentioned. Leadmines in Derbyshire were ancient.

Astronomy and Original Sin

Quotations from Enoch about angels studying seasons are discussed. Original sin is presented as a misinterpretation. Noah was a king in Sumeria, and the Epuna Anu Enlil tablets contained an encyclopedia of astronomy. Stonehenge had a 360-day year.

Druids and Sidon

The Druids were missionaries from Sidon, with a history of pursuing excellence. They had no priests or politicians, and the king and people were equal under the law.

NOTES AND NEWS

London Earth Mysteries Circle Meetings

Details are provided for upcoming meetings of the London Earth Mysteries Circle, including topics and speakers for November and December.

TEMS MEETINGS

Information is given for TEMS (The Earth Mysteries Society) meetings, including dates and contact details for booking.

Beacon Hill urn on display at Wells Museum

The burial urn of a lady whose reburial at Beacon Hill was described in a previous issue is now on display at the Wells and Mendip Museum. The Mendips are noted as the second most intensive area for occupation in the Bronze Age.

Beacon Hill and Roman Roads

Beacon Hill is located at a Roman crossroads of the Fosse Way and the Mendip Charterhouse road. Leys are described as forming a tangential "skirting centre" on the earthwork, with two following Roman stretches and one running along the length of Wells Cathedral.

Jesus Christ in Somerset

There is a possibility that Jesus Christ may have been in the area, with legends suggesting his great-uncle Joseph of Arimathea, a metal trader, visited Somerset and Cornwall.

Henge monument found near Stonehenge

A smaller circle, 60 feet in diameter with 27 bluestones, was unearthed near Stonehenge. The stones are thought to have been dismantled and incorporated into Stonehenge.

Stonehenge and Ley Lines

An inset discusses the use of Stonehenge, with believers claiming it is the centre of mystical ley lines and that it was a landing site for flying saucers.

MEYN MAMYVRO - Ancient stones & sacred sites in Cornwall

Information is provided about a publication on ancient stones and sacred sites in Cornwall, including subscription details and other available guides.

Book and CD-ROM Reviews/Promotions

THE HIDDEN UNITY and BEGINNINGS

Two booklets are described: "The Hidden Unity" explores subconscious siting of ley points and the apparent necessity of worship. "Beginnings" details Jimmy Goddard's discoveries over twenty years, including earth energy detection and cognitive dissonance. Both are available from the Touchstone address.

EARTH PEOPLE, SPACE PEOPLE

This booklet is a more modest version of Tony Wedd's unpublished manuscript "Earth Men, Space Men," detailing claims of extraterrestrial contact. It includes articles on the STAR Fellowship and evidence for life in the Solar System.

THE LEGACY OF TONY WEDD

A CD-ROM is available, featuring Tony Wedd's travelling exhibition on flying saucers, landscape energies, and lost technology.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Touchstone are the reality and significance of ley lines and earth energies, the exploration of ancient sites and civilizations, and the connection between the landscape and human consciousness. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of the existence and importance of these phenomena, actively countering skeptical views and promoting research and personal experience in the field of earth mysteries.