Earth Lights #1

[Ashley Rye]

In the Eye of the Dragon
---------------------------------------

If the side effects of any assumed energy excitation in the environment
can for the moment be viewed in terms of Wilhelm Reich’s discovery
of orgone energy, then the Austrian scientest’s belief that alternating
layers of organic and metal (i.e. morganic) substances are necessary
to produce a successful accumulator is of the utmost importance to
our own understanding of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments. For it
has been pointed out on several occasions that the tightly packed
layers so often used in the construction of burial mounds and barrows
appear to parallel Reich’s multi-layered orgone accumulator. The first
person to refer to Reich’s work in connection with prehistoric monuments
was author and visionary John Michell in his 1969 classic The View
Over Atlantis. In this he says:

From his [Reich’s] descriptions of the orgone flow and the ways in
which it can be directed, it is difficult not to suspect that this
form of energy was known and controlled in prehistoric times. Many
of the greatest works of the megalithic builders involve the construction
of a hidden chamber set deep within Ihe earth or at the heart of some
great artificial edifice. In Britain the chambers of New Grange and
those newly discovered at Knowth and Silbury [Hill] are among the
finest examples. The huge mounds that cover these secret rooms are
not merely piles of earth heaped up at random. They are carefully
and purposely constructed in a way which bears direct comparison with
Reich’s orgone accumulator. The chamber itself is lined with stone
covered with a layer of turf and with successive layers of clay and
sod. These layers are carefully built up different types and colours
of clay being used at each stage. Finally the whole structure is buried
under a great mound of earth.

If these observations are proved correct, then it would make Silbury
Hill Europe’s largest orgone accumulator (even though it does not
possess a central stone-lined chamber). Continuing this theme, in
his 1989 book The Orgone Accumulator Handbook American orgonomist
James de Meo cites the successful use of man-sized orgone accumulators
sunken beneath ground level and compares these with both the megalithic
`root cellars’ of New England and the Amerindian burial mounds. He
also points out that certain burial mounds and prehistoric structures
are constructed of `clay soils or stone of high iron content, covered
over with other layers of organic-rich soils or peat.’ He falls short
of suggesting that these must therefore act like orgone accumulators
but does admit that: `Some authors familiar with ancient archaeological
sites have even speculated that the life energy principles were known
and used by ancient peoples.’

So, if earthworks and chambered barrows are to be viewed as prehistoric
energy accumulators, then what about other types of ancient monument?
Might they serve similar functions? In many cases I feel the answer
is yes, but for somewhat different reasons. For instance the clear
gaps below ground level between the often evenly-spaced standing stone’s
of stone circles would give an alternating circular arrangement of
organic and inorganic substances that act together to form some kind
of invisible field. This effect, seen m association with the circular,
egg-shaped or elliptical geometry of the stones, could well constitute
an amalgamation of the effectiveness of both the crop circle and the
box-like orgone accumulator. Earthen monuments, such as henges and
hill-forts might also act as flat-plan orgone accumulators, producing
and storing energy in association with their circular banks and ditches.

Yet all of this brings us back to the reality or not of orgone, or indeed Reich's
concept of a primordial ocean of cosmic energy permeating the known universe. Should
a mass-free and presumably pre-atomic energy continuum of this description actually
exist, then it seems clear that cultures both past and present would have interpreted its
invisible presence and effects as constituting the existence of a universal, life-giving force
defined almost exclusively in philosophical and/or mystical terms. In places such as
China and Japan this mysterious force has always been known as ch'i, ki, or gi, while to
the Hindu mystics of India it is known as Prana. In more modem times these same
curious effects have been rediscovered by free thinkers such as Franz Anton Mesmer,
who in the eighteenth century saw this life energy in terms of `animal magnetism', and
Karl von Reichenbach, a nineteenth-century German scientist, who, inspired by Mesmer's
work, proposed the existence of a universal force called `Odyle' or OD.

The Two Breaths
---------------------------

Viewing the characteristics and qualities of the landscape in terms of the presence of an
alleged terrestrial energy is best understood by looking at the age-old beliefs of
indigenous cultures who have accepted the existence of such natural forces for
thousands of years. For example the so-called geomancers or earth diviners of the
Chinese Feng-shui (pronounced fen-shway and meaning 'wind and water') tradition
recognise ch'i as the universal life-force. Its name means `two breaths', a term expressing
its dualistic nature, its so-called Yin and Yang components - one female and the other
male, one negative and the other positive. In Feng-shui these twin aspects are
symbolised by the white tiger and azure dragon, whose misty breaths weave together to
become one harmonious life-essence existing in all living thmgs. Ch'i has also been used
for many centuries in eastern healing practices, such as acupuncture, as well as in martial
arts, where it is utilised to focus, sharpen and project the physical power of the body.
To the Feng-shui geomancers ch'i exists in different concentrations upon the
earth's surface and flows (or discharges) from place to place along winding paths known
as Lung-mei or `dragon veins'. Through ritualistic attunement and the use of magnetic
instrumentation, these highly skilled men are able to predict the nature of the ch'i present
at a location. They also believe there are different conditions involved with the
accumulation, direction and flow of the 'two breaths'. These include the topography of the
surrounding landscape and the presence of water - factors that had to be considered
when siting prospective new buildings or monuments. Great care would be taken to
construct new towns in strict accordance with ancient Feng-shui principles in the belief
that by regulating the flow of ch'i, the quality of life would also be enhanced. Landscaped
settings, such as the zen-influenced gardens of Kyoto, Japan, were created with the
specific purpose of accumulating, enhancing and channelling the natural ch'i, and today
we refer to the study of this age-old earth divination as geomancy.

The Earth Mysteries
-------------------------------

Since the 1960s the inexplicable effects of any pre-supposed energy continuum have
been seen by dowsers and supporters of the earth mysteries, i.e. those interested in the
ancient technology and wisdom of prehistoric monuments, as `earth energy', `ley energy'
(after the concept of leys or `ley-lines' proposed during the 1920s by Herefordshire man
Alfred Watkins) or, simply, `the energy'. Unfortunately, such terms are inappropriate as
they are all based on the assumption that these energetic effects are focused primarily
around prehistoric monuments and mostly-unproven alignments stretching between
distant sacred places.
Fuelled by the contlicting and quite subjective interpretations of this elusive `earth
energy', Paul Devereux, editor of The Ley Hunterjournal, launched a major scientific
project in late 1977 to determine not just its recordable existence, but to decide its place
in physics today. The Dragon Project, as it became known (after the connections
between dragons and lines of energy in Feng-shui geomancy), conducted extensive field
research over a several-year period at prehistoric monuments across Britain, with more
extensive, long-term experiments being conducted at the Rollright stone circle situated on
the Warwickshire/Oxfordshire border. Early results clearly indicated that many ancient
sites were indeed hotbeds of detectable anomalies; however, these were not anomalies
relating to some intangible universal energy, simply unaccountable ultrasound pulses,
variations in the background radiation levels and subtle shifts in the geomagnetic field.
A summary of the results obtained by the Dragon Project was first highlighted in an
article written by scientific archaeologist and lecturer Don Robins and published in New
Scientist during 1982. They were expanded in Robins's 1985 book Circles of Silence
and in Devereux's Places of Power, Secret Energies at Ancient Sites, published in 1990.
Both authors concluded that prehistoric man was fully aware of geophysical anomalies
relating to both time and place and skilfully enhanced and perpetuated their presence by
using an advanced knowledge of stone and earthen building techniques. The inexplicable
effects induced by such locations would have made them places of ancient power where
shamanic practices, such as the achievement of astral flight and altered states of
consciousness, were perpetuated through ceremonial magic and dreamtime
experiences.
Paul Devereux discovered no new scientifically-detectable `energy' and so, in
consequence, put into doubt the very existence of not just the so-called `earth energy' of
the dowsers and ley hunters, but also the ch'i of the Eastern geomancers, the prana of
the Indian mystics and any other interpretation of this intangible life force - including
Wilhelm Reich's orgone energy. Indeed, in respect to Reich's orgone research,
Devereux's view is, simply: `Forget it. It's just another name for another unknown.'
Yet to any dowser, psychic or open-minded earth mysteries researcher, hitherto
undiscovered terrestrial energies are notjust an unquestionable reality, they are both
detectable and visible to those who have the gift of second sight, in other words those
with a psychic sensitivity. What's more, they are scientifically verifiable as the following
report from Japan seems to show.

Channelling Ch'i
-------------------------

Recent experiments undertaken by a consortium of eminent physiologists and inedical
scientists at the Department of Physiology of the School of Medicine at Showa University
in Tokyo, have demonstrated that certain talented individuals with the ability to channel
ch'i through the palms of their hands can create to order bio-magnetic field strengths
1,000 times stronger than those normally detected in the human body. To make sure that
the delicate magnetic field detection system - which included a pair of eoils with 80,000
turns and a high sensitivity amplifier - were not producing machinery artefacts, the
subjects were asked to `switch off' the flow of ch'i, at which the visible oscillations on the
screen suddenly stopped. When the subjects were again asked to channel ch'i, the
instrumentation registered a reaction once more.
To produce such responses in the bio-magnetic field, a bio-electric current
equivalent to this reaction would have been required. Yet when the scientists tested the
subjects to see whether such an electrical current was indeed present, they were
astonished to find there was no increase at all in bio-electrical activity. This implied that
the individuals were defying the laws of physics and producing incredibly strong bio-
magnetic fields by substituting the necessary bio-electric current with some kind of X-
factor - an energy source seemingly beyond the detection of scientific instrumentation.
Was this X-factor the elusive ch'i of the Buddhist mystics and the Feng-shui geomancers?
The physiologists of the University certainly accepted this possibility, for their final report
on the experiments concluded that `the extraordinary large bio-magnetic field strength
might be originated from "Qi" energy [as referred to) in the oriental medicine or in the
oriental traditional philosophy.
For qi, or ch'i, substitute the term animal magnetism, bio-energy, earth energy,
ether, Odyte, orgone, plasma energy or prana, call it what you want - they are all
expressions representing the same X-factor behind the mysterious energy reactions
detectable either by scientific instrumentation or by the subtle processes of the human
body.
If this is true, then what is this elusive X-factor, and what causes its manifestation i
the real world? Could it be the displacement, destabilisation and excitation of some kind
of primary energy continuum laying beyond the realms of scientific detection? As
previously stated, Reich came to accept that the `Cosmic Energy Ocean' was simply a
medium by which other more primary forces such as gravity and electromagnetism were
brought into focus. He also concluded that orgone acted as a vehicle for the conveyance
of light and could thus be observed in this way, i.e. as the blue-green bions seen under
the microscope, the spinning balls of light observed inside accumulators or the various
other strange light manifestations found to be associated with orgone energy. On this
matter he said:

We may assume that the OR energy ocean which fills all space is the carrier
of the vibrations related to light. However, the relationship seems to be a much
closer one. The OR energy unit itself, as it develops from and sinks back into the
OR ocean, emits light, strongest and sharpest at the peak and weakest during the
period of rise and fall [Reich's emphasis).

By measuring the subtle shifts or discharges perceived as the result of the presence of
orgone, Reich believed he could calculate the displacement or excitation of the energy
`ocean' itself - implying that the only way we can really perceive the energy continuum is
by studying its apparent echoes.
So, can we define this energy continuum in terms of modern-day quantum
physics? I feel we can.

The Superforce Theory
-----------------------------------

In metaphysics orgone can be equated with the concept of quintessence the fifth
element, ether, but in physics it can be recognised as the so-called Fifth Force, the much
sought-after superforce that quantum mathematicians have long believed to be the
binding factor behind the primary forces governing space-time. As early as 1922
equations were put forward by the German mathematician Theodor Kaluza which unified
electromagnetism with gravity by demonstrating that they were both outward
manifestations of a five-dimensional superforce. Four years later in 1926 a Swedish
physicist named Oscar Klein was able to incorporate Kaluza's ideas into a workable
quantum theory.
Re-evaluations of the Kaluza-Klein or Unified Field theories by quantum physicists
during the 1980s have strongly supported the concept of a superforce but not one
existing across five dimensions as envisaged by Kaluza - one embracing 11 different
dimensions, no more, no less. To these people the universe was created in an 11-
dimensional state with no distinction between matter and force, only a pure multi-
dimensional energy source, linked by some scientists with the concept of zero point
energy (zpe) and the `dark matter' now thought to fill the otherwise empty universe. Once
this energy started to disperse after the Big Bang, some of the dimensions curled in on
themselves, creating matter in the form of particles or wave vibrations. At the same time
they produced what we know as the forces of nature, which are the readily identifiable
manifestations of the original superforce.
This is the currently held view concerning the construction and mechanics of our
universe. So, is this 11-dimensional or multi-dimensional superforce the pre-atomic
energy continuum proposed by Wilhelm Reich during the 1950s? I think the answer is
firmly yes. If so, then the energy continuum will be the only force that remains constant in
all dimensions - those we know and those we will perhaps never know, even though they
must co-exist with our own space-time and be present with us here and now. Only the
loudest echoes of these other dimensions ean ever be registered by us, and these we
almost certainly view in terms of anomalies of physics, astral domains, paranormal
phenomena and highly subjective emotionally-based experiences which are as I
demonstrated in the previous chapter, frequently reported in association with crop circles,
orgone accumulators, prehistoric monuments and the UFO phenomenon.

The True Dragon
---------------------------

Earth mysteries exponents have always cited the existence of the Feng-shui geomantic
tradition, with its belief in ch'i, as evidence of earth energies criss-crossing the landscape
and connecting ancient ritual sites. Indeed, I have used the analogy myself.
However, like ch'i, the concept of earth energies appears to be an all-
encompassing solution for a multitude of strange effects that remain unexplained or
paranormal simply because we have never before recognised either the presence or the
importance of a multi-dimensional energy continuum.
And yet if we had all looked deeper into the Feng-shui tradition we would have
seen that chi itself is purely the outer manifestation of a much more primordial force or
matrix known as shan, the dragon, delineated by topographical features of the living
landscape such as hills, mountain ridges, rivers and streams. This concept is of
paramount importance to the Feng-shui geomancers for they say that without the
arteries, veins and water ducts of the dragon, there is no way its blood, its breath and its
tears, i.e. the different forms of ch'i can flow.
So if ch'i is an expression of the life energy then the concept of shan suggests that
the practitioners of Feng-shui may well have recognised long ago the presence of an
energy matrix or continuum that allows the manifestation of primary forces, such as
electromagnetism, gravity and light and is today seen by quantum physicists in terms of
the Fifth Force, superforce or Unified Field theory.
This then is the true spirit of the dragon.

A Guiding Light
-----------------------

On Thursday, 9 July 1992 I stood in a crop formation at Sompting,
Sussex, (the one nicknamed the Spectrum logo) and decided to test
Trevor James Constable’s bioform hypothesis. According to his books
he would stand on a rocky prominence in a desert region and simply
use the power of the mind to draw `critters’ into some kind of recordable
manifestation be it photographic or purely visual. Knowing that crop
circles had been frequently linked with photographic anomal es of
the type achieved by Constable, I wondered what might occur if I was
to use a simplified form of his so-called Star Exercise in association
with a little creative visualisation. For the occasion I set up my
Nikon FG2O SLR camera ftted on a tripod with a standard 50 mm lens
focused on infinity, the intention being to take a sequence of time
delay photographs. This done, I positioned myself in the centre of
the circle and visualised a spiralling vortex of white energy rising
upwards into the air. Following this exercise I pictured tiny balls
of light cork-screwing down towards the circle. In this way I hoped
to create the necessary environment to draw any bioforms into manifestation
and hopefully record the results on 200 ASA Kodak Ektachrome colour
slide film. After some five minutes of visualisation I walked back
to the camera and pressed the time delay button. I then returned to
the circle and continued the meditation. After hearing the camera
click, I left the meditation again and took two further time delay
shots, this time with me standing behind the camera lens. The exposure
on this bright, but cloudy day was f.5.6 at an estimated shutter speed
of 1/250th per second. The matter was then forgotten until I collected
the processed slides from Photofen now Pegasus Photographic Laboratories,
of Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, a commercial processing company run by my
colleague Gary Bond. I flicked through each in turn and was perplexed
by what I found. On the first of the three shots taken during the
meditational exercise in the Sompting crop formation - the only one
showing me standing in the circle with my arms raised - there was
a horizontally placed, grey-green elliptical mass in the sky directly
above my head. It was shadow-like in appearance with a definite colour
graduation towards the centre in green, blue, indigo and, finally,
violet. The anomaly was distinct and clear, even on the small slide,
and enlarged prints only increased its objectivity. What’s more, this
flattened, oval shape bore a striking resemblance to the very similar
photographic anomaly caught on camera by John Langrish above Knap
Hill, Alton Barnes, in July 1991- the only difference being its slightly
different colour graduation. Logical explanations failed me. The anomaly
was certainly not an emulsion blemish as the slide was studied under
a microscope on my return from the processing laboratory. The only
possible solution either Gary Bond or I could offer was an out-of-focus
insect passing close to the lens as the shutter opened and closed.
Although this solution posed certain problems, it seemed to be the
only one we could offer.

Psycho-interactive Processes
----------------------------------------------

If photographic anomalies like the one taken at Sompting do represent
unmanifest energy forms, then it implies that these unseen masses
exist on the fringes of the electromagnetic spectrum and can be coaxed
into recordable appearance through psycho-interactive processes, just
as Constable believed. The physics behind such a wild concept is still
beyond even basic theory, although what slim evidence we do have suggests
that energy forms appear to register their presence in accordance
with the electromagnetic frequency ranges they penetrate, whether
as a radar trace, a photographic image, a noticeable geomagnetic shift
or as a visual sighting. Veryoccasionally UFO sightings coincide with blips on radar or
instrumental responses on the
ground, but in most cases just one of these aspects is present, indicating its existence
onl in certain veiy specific areas of the electromagnetic spectrum. Another familiar
aspect of the UFO phenomenon is its ability to pulse, flicker and blink on and off, and this
too suggests short-term penetrations across only very specific frequency ranges,
whether they be visual or otherwise.
These ideas are borne out by the rainbow-like colour chan es frequently reported
in association with UFO sightings. Aerial lightforms will be seen to change from blue to
turquoise, gold, orange and then finally red before becoming black absorptive bodies as
they appear to pass into the infrared frequency range which is, of course, invisible to the
naked eye. Some are seen to blink out completely before reappearing and reversing the
whole colour sequence, starting with black and then shifting from red to turquoise, gold
and then finally back to blue again. Such colour changes have earned these extraordinary
lights the title `rainbow fairies ' In the eyes of remote Philippino
communities.
A further example of this effect was recorded on film during the reported sighting of
a large luminous, oval-shaped object observed by three women from a remote cabin in
the Nord-Osterdalen valley of Norway during the early hours of Saturday, 3 August 1991.
It was seen to blink on and off at regular intervals and one of the women managed to
video just one of its brief flash-like appearances before the batteries gave out. No
explanation was ever forthcoming to account for the presence of this aerial lightform,
viewed for a total of two hours and also possibly seen by a local farmer.

When Ihe resulting video was examined a distinct crackling sound could be heard
at the exact moment the object appears, implying some kind of outside interference.
Since video cameras are generally well insulated against electrical noise, this crackling
could represent some kind of electrical discharge emitted by the phenomenon observed.
More importantly, when the recording was played back in slow motion, the single
appearance of the aerial flash tumed out to be two quite separate bursts of light, clearly
indicating that the object was pulsing in and out of manifestation while emitting electncal
energy only when visible to the camera eye.

Project Hessdalen
---------------------------

The idea that UFOs are sometimes present in our skies without being seen is obviousl a
matter of speculation. It does, however, have some scientific support. Following
increased reports of UFO sightings in the remote valley region around Hessdalen in
eastein Norway from December 1981 onwards, a multi-national research team was set up
in 1983 to scientifically monitor this unique aerial phenomenon - the first time that a
programme of this nature had been conducted whilst the phenomenon was still being
observed on a regular basis.
Between 21 lanuary and 26 February 1984, Project Hessdalen, as it became

known, recorded no less than 188 sightings of mysterious light sources, many of which
were subs uently dismissed as misidentified man-made or natural phenomena. Of those
sightings left unexplained some were said to have appeared as constant lightforms, either
in the daylight or in the night sky, while others pulsed in regular or irregular sequences or
continually changed their pattern of movement. Still others were described as changing
direction or shifting in altitude. Some were even described as looking `like many light-
sources "tied together"' usually in different colour sequences. Anomalous recordings
were made on various different kinds of instrumentation, some in association with clear
visual sightings. This included radar traces and noticeable shifts in the geomagnetic field.
The team also took a series of striking colour photographs, many of which remain as
some of the most baffling aerial luminosities ever captured on film.
The results of the first season at Hessdalen convinced the team to return to this
remote mountainous region in 1985. With increased support from a number of scientific
institutes, as well as from the military the project monitored the area from 13 January
through till 27 January. This time the observation team made no significant sightings at all,
which was obviously a great disappointment. However during this same period they did
obtain a number of instrumental recordings' comparable with those made the first year in
connection with clear visual sightings. This suggested that the sources responsible for
the production of the mysterious lights between 1981 and 1984 were still present in 1985,
but now only in an invisible state. This suggests that the phenomenon may have existed
just outside the visible spectrum, or that its rate of pulsation had rendered it invisible to
the naked eye. Evidence of this possibility was recorded on one occasion in 1984 when
radar traces matched a visual sighting on the ground. To quote from the Project
Hessdalen technical report compiled by Erling Strand:

One of the three times the light was followed with the eyes and was seen as
a reflection on the radarscreen at the same time and direction there were
reflection [sic] every second sweep. But the light was seen all the time. Could it be
that... the light does not reflect radar waves all the time? Only sometimes? The
same thing happened a couple of times when we didn't see the light: reflection
every second sweep.

This curious anomaly, which demonstrates the unpredictable nature of the UFO
phenomenon, suggests that although the light observed on the ground remained
constant in the visible spectrum it appeared to be producing a radar trace only every
second sweep of the dish. On other occasions the presence of unseen energy forms
were registered as regular pulsations on the radar screen, even though they did not
achieve a manifestation inside the visible spectrum.

(Continued in part 2)