Geomancy

By Colin Bloy (February 1986). Reproduced here by permission of Suzanne M. Thomas of Heart and Thought

The perception that alignments, or ley lines, can carry “energy” was first hinted at by John Michell some years ago and was the stimulus for a group of dowsers to go and look and see.

This was based on an appreciation of dowsing as a phenomenon of consciousness and not physiology, and incidentally that consciousness is holistic, structured and it does not reside uniquely in the brain.

The establishment of dowsing that certain known ley alignments, not all, were coexistent with “Energy” lines, raised more questions than it answered.

Such energy lines were soon found to follow alignments that included modern monuments, like TV masts, war memorials, town halls, nuclear power stations, modern straight roads, etc, and that the creation of a more potent “node point” could drag away the energy from a traditional ley.

It was observed that such energy lines were distinguished by the number of parallels – 1, 4, 8, 16, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64 and multiples thereof, which seems to be an indication of intensity.

It may also be noted that what may be termed “spiritual” energy has the effect of increasing the intensity, temporarily or permanently. The number of parallels may also indicate positive or negative.

A further aspect of this energy is that when it goes into function at “node points”, it takes on geometrical form, which appears to be specific and affects the state of consciousness of people in, on, or around them. There is evidence to show that a change in brain rhythm is experienced by people in such places.

It is further noted that certain points, dedicated altars, healer’s sanctuaries, and places generally well used, a vertical column of energy in 8 concentric circles exists. Sensitives observe these circles to have different colours, as do the parallels in the lines. Such a column appears around the healer at work and has been clearly photographed. It also extends above individuals whose crown chakra is active, also photographed. And when they lie down, it goes horizontal for about 15 yards before resuming the vertical. American dowsers refer to these as “uppers”. “Downers” also exist.

A healer or gathering involved in spiritual activity plugs in, consciously or unconsciously, to the four nearest node points during the period of activity and is the centre of the most approximate form of a cross that local circumstances permit. Negative activities produce similar but opposite effects.

Noting the phenomenon of spiritual healing and its intimate relationship with the “ley system”, Fountain International groups came into being in order to test whether by applying one to one healing principles on a group-to-group basis, what may be termed “collective” diseases could be “healed”, violence, stress and vandalism being considered as some typical collective illnesses.

Visualisation is a key technique in the healing process, or in any other magical technique – even spoon bending – although the term “Spiritual Science” of Steiner’s conveys a more acceptable notion and just as a healer visualises, in an altered brain rhythm, the improvement he desires for the sick person, so a Fountain International group will visualise the desired effect for its community in an appropriate meditative state.

Central to Fountain International work is the determination of where the “focal point”, or epicentre of a community may be. In a human being it is just below the solar plexus and is where a healer will apply vital energy. Fountain International groups direct their energy to the focal point of the community. In the case of Brighton, the obvious epicentre was the fountain in the centre of the Old Steine, thus the group took its’ name.

Fountain International work increases the intensity or number of parallels in existing lines, which connect the key node points of communities, be they ancient or modern, but also creates a continuous pattern of geometrical forms, called geometrical field effects, in the gaps between the lines, usually a chequerboard pattern about three yards square, and this may evolve into a series of triangular forms. Which along with the Greek cross +, were three of the crosses used by the Knights Templar, as was the chequerboard motif on their flag, Beauceant. The close association between the Templars and geomancy is argued in many other books and articles, but our experience underlines this in many, many ways which space does not permit us to develop here.

The input of spiritual energy thus creates fields that appear to raise the consciousness of the community and may account for the reduction of gut-based violence, which resides in the base chakra or gonads, moving collective consciousness a notch up the ladder.

It has become possible to conceive of communities as “beings”, also nations and the planet itself – the veins and arteries of that being connecting the nodes which are its monuments and centres, both ancient and modern.

There is reason to believe that the main lines which link the powerful sites of nations link them to their pilgrim routes and coincide with the great energy lines. The routes to Santiago may be likened to the nervous system of the being Europa.

There are places usually, but not always natural where these energies spiral out of the earth and join the existing system, the coils of the dragon straightening out to enter into some sort of potential harmony with man and his works. In the South Downs, particularly, clear evidence exists of man arranging earth works to stimulate this process. Other sources are tree circles, heads of valleys, geological faults etc.

I am in no doubt that this is the origin of the mythology of the Dragon in both East and West, and during a recent trip to China and Hong Kong, discussions with Feng Shui practitioners took place which showed that what they have described in their traditional symbolism is the same as the energies described above. Their dragon is our dragon and is “raw” energy spiralling out of specific points in the earth – the vital force of the planet, yet which has to be transmuted in higher forms.

Briefly, it may be stated that dragon energy is ideally transformed through the structure of consciousness into the crown chakra to meet the cosmic energy coming down – this creates ultimate harmony. Not very scientific, but we are well beyond the confines of Cartesian/Newtonian science in this study.

It may also be observed that the so called “node points” may be explained as points of focus of the collective consciousness and the question is often asked as to which came first, the ley alignment or the energy line. My answer is that this is an unknowable.

However, at the risk of committing heresy in the eyes of Watkins supporters, of which I am one – thank the Lord the stake no longer exists – may I offer a possible and generalised explanation of the phenomenon. Ley alignments are initially the product of the emerging desire of man to stabilise himself into communities with roots.

The essential pre-condition for a permanent community is a dependable source of water. Thus, a community has to locate one in order to settle. As it is vital, it becomes a focus for the collective consciousness. Indeed, those visited on migrations would be so, too, but more so when permanence is the objective.

When, at whatever distance, another community does the same, and energy line springs between the two points. Certain crude but possibly indicative experiments have been carried out on these lines and certainly an energy line occurs when two groups create a centre. As the energy in question behaves in certain respects like (A) light, and (B) electro-magnetic energy, from an amorphous state it will create fields of tension as specific points develop.

When two or three communities are stabilised, they will clearly seek to have intercourse with each other, and just as the energy seeks the straight line, so do travellers between the two, and thus the trackway and energy line will frequently coincide, and will form growth lines for civilisation – staging points, further communities, standing stones, etc, etc. Well, it’s a thought.

Furthermore, the source of water is the source of life, and the tendency to associate divinity with the source of life may well account for the frequent association of Holy Wells and Springs with religious monuments and manifestations, and an intelligent shaman would certainly have set up his stall next to a well or spring.

That having been said, I am equally in no doubt that underground water is intimately associated with collective consciousness, and the water dragon as significant as the earth dragon.

Now the question arises as to whether this phenomenon was known about consciously or even intuitively and manipulated in some way. I have no basis to speculate on that as far as primeval times are concerned, other than to work backwards in history and say that circumstantial evidence from the present day backwards is affirmative – Nigel Pennick himself has produced enough evidence for that – the general gnostic tradition can be traced way back B.C.

It’s curious that the energies work by form and number, as does sacred architecture, geomancy generally and the cosmos as a whole. Certain modern architects I have met, who have produced obviously geomantic constructions, have denied all formal knowledge of the canon, and when challenged further have replied, “but I wouldn’t have done it any other way,” which may make some architects a form of medium – and why not?

But as Nigel Pennick said in a recent interview in, Quicksilver Messenger No 11, geomancy is defined as the placement of human artifacts, the placement of human building, human construction in harmony with the natural order and cosmic events.

Given that earth energies are numerical or geometrical, and so, I believe, are cosmic (at least Pythagoras was in favour) if you are in tune, you don’t necessarily have to be rationally applying the cannon, merely conforming in Love.

Someone once wisely said in describing Feng Shui. “Most of it is common sense”, and that contemporary “with it” architects do things intuitively, are we not perhaps pursuing things to the bitter end and assume that the canon was born with man or that he gradually grew into it as he evolved and took it from the intuitive to the rational a long time after his arrival on earth as a sentient being.

Recently a book came into my possession called “Le Nombre d’Or” – the Golden Number – written in 1931 by Matila G Ghyka, with a preface by Paul Valery. Its subtitle is “Rites and Rhythms of Pythagoras in the development of Western Civilisation”. The whole Templar – Masonic – Gnostic tradition is resumed in this book.

In Pythagoras tradition, the divine proposition – 1.618, which is expressed in a particular rectangle – from which many things depend – is also the symbol of LOVE. When love is truly understood in its highest form, and those who practise it in their daily lives, their intuitive and rational being, then the divine proportion will come out in their works whatever they are. The canon is primordial.

Thus, geomantic forms are instinctive for those who aspire to that form of consciousness. Those who rationalise it will do it deliberately. Love is all, as stated in the prophecy of the Cathars. Unsentimental, objective, unconditional, love when applied to energy or material form will inevitably conform to the canon.

Thus, we must look for a cohesive thread in inverse proportion to emerging consciousness as man as the conscious being has evolved. However, evolving man may rationally seek to apply the canon more effectively both in terms of energy and his constructions. It’s holistic.