REVIEWS

The Standing Stones of the Lothians by Adam McLean, Megalithic Research Publications, Address, Edinburgh 1, Scotland, price £1-50.

This booklet is a complete guide to the standing stones of the Lothian region of Scotland, and as such is essential reading for all with an interest in megaliths. The author has personally visited all the stones, and gives full directions for the would-be visitor. Many of the stones are illustrated by photographs. In the introduction, Adam McLean approaches the question of megaliths from an alternative standpoint from the conventional orthodoxy with which we are all too familiar. He deals with various theories as to their function, including religion, scientific instruments, funeral monuments, their connexion with ley lines, earth forces and dowsing etc. Unusual for today, the production is in letterpress. Thoroughly recommended to all students of geomancy and ancient stones.

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To Represent Our Saviour as “that great cock” Is Not Blasphemy but Eternal and Christian Orthodoxy by John Michell. Open Head Press, 2, Blenheim Crescent, London W11 1NN, price £1-00

When James Kirkup’s homosexual poem about Christ was published in the paper Gay News, it was immediately prosecuted for blasphemous libel – the first such case for half a century. Following this, John Michell has produced the fourth in his sporadical series of Radical-Traditionalist papers. Michell’s thesis, illustrated by many drawings and engravings of penises, penis-shaped stones, and, the supposed blasphemous part, crucified penises, is that Christ was originally portrayed as a “great cock”. “… to refer to Christ the world-saviour as “that great cock” is in accordance with the truth of things as well as with the most respectable precedents. To call nature and human nature blasphemous is an absurdity to which only the legal profession could descend, and only in times of such general ignorance of the true philosophy and its symbolism as the present”, writes Michell. Christ-as-penis is certainly the stuff of which blasphemous libel prosecutions are made. Get your copy now before the raids begin!

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Albion Awake! by Æthelred Eldridge. Golgonooza: The Church of William Blake, R.Rt.1, Millfield, Ohio, 45761, U.S.A.

Æthelred’s work and inimitable style is known to regular readers of this journal from his masterly exposition of rods and our very own Sprig of Ely. This well-produced book, illustrated by Æthelred’s drawings and photographs of Golgonooza itself, is a unique document of a unique man and a unique place.

“I am not in the business of making Blake available
To the world. If my tee shirt says “Awake Albion”, it
Is not my fault that people can read. And who should
Take the blame of getting me to answer the question I
Get most often, namely ‘Who is Albion?’ I, too , have
Suffered with Jesus speaking Greek to Gentiles. And
I have read of the Literacy Rate’s climbing. And I
Have watched the moon receive the softest of land-
Ings; and have heard the ice break, weeping for shame,
When Pidgin-English sowed its native clod all
Across the valley of Lunar Flowers.
– THE PARSON WEARS A TEE SHIRT

Upon his ancient mountain kings are crowned, and fall down.
The spirit of Blake is living in Ohio. He deserves your support.

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Cosmic Trigger by Robert Anton Wilson. And/Or Press, Berkeley, Calif. price $4-95.

Geomancy is a field which overlaps many disciplines – philosophy, history, art, geometry, mathematics, magic, religion and perception to mention just a few. Wilson, joint author of the famous Illuminatus trilogy, attempts to weave a cosmic connexion between the magic of Crowley, Gurdjieff, Nasrudin, Zen Buddhism etc. with the psychedelic psychology of Timothy Leary and the Fortean approach to reality with regard for Freemasonry, the Blessed Virgin Mary, President Nixon, the Mysteries of Egypt, sexual magic and space-travel. The number 23, dealt with in a recent issue of Fortean Times (and the height in feet of the dragon-slayer Piers Shonkes, J. Geomancy 2/1) features throughout as a feature of Discordian philosophy which rules the book. Discordianism is an anti-religion which has catmas instead of dogmas, being a Marx Brothers version of Zen. An illustration of a pentagonal arrangement of pebbles: “Do these 5 pebbles really form a pentagon? Those biased by the Aneristic illusion would say yes. Those biased by the Eristic illusion would say no. Criss-cross them and it is a star. An illuminated mind can see all of these, yet he does not insist that any one is really true, or that none at all is true. Stars, and pentagons and disorder are all his own creations and he may do with them as he wishes. Indeed, so is the concept of the number 5 …” Food for thought in the geomantic arts. Cosmic Trigger is written throughout in a similar vein, and requires a certain knowledge of both recent United States history and the events in the ‘underground’ culture of the 60‘s and 70‘s. A certain amount of Casteneda-like events interweave with world conspiracy theories and the intervention of cosmic (or perhaps not) entities travel forwards until the tragic death of the author’s psychic daughter, whose brain is subsequently preserved in liquid nitrogen for hoped-for future ‘resurrection’. All is presented as ‘fact’, which it is, depending on your view of reality. It is certainly an unusual book, and as such deserves a place in the libraries of all thinking people.

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PICWINNARD MAGAZINE edited by Vince Russett. Sub. £2·00 per annum. (address last page)

It is always heartening to review a new geomantically-orientated magazine, and Picwinnard is especially pleasant. We’ve seen the second and third issues and can thoroughly recommend the magazine. Essentially dedicated to the study and exposition of folklore and leys in that part of England which was formerly a country in its own right – Wessex, the latest issue (3) has the Legend of St. Congar (a new one on us) by Ferd le Vere, The Old Stones of Mendip by Vince Russett, Easter, Cornish: A language of Wessex, The City of Wells and much more. A thoroughly good read for devotees of the geomantic arts and sciences. (N. Caputmontis

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THE KINGSTON ZODIAC by Mary Caine, 75p+12p from the author at Address, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, England.

Mary Caine is amongst the best-known of zodiacal writers, having carried out much research at Glastonbury and Kingston on the terrestrial zodiacs which someone at some time put there. Her Glastonbury work was published in booklet form in 1977, and is now followed by an excellent sequel – the Kingston Zodiac. Written in Mrs. Caine’s inimitable style, it amply documents another of the burgeoning number of terrestrial zodiacs which are now being detected, though in a much more thorough and convincing manner than we usually encounter. It should act as yet another spur to zodiacal research, and as such is absolutely essential reading for students of this most enigmatic of regions of geomantic research. Since 1976, we have had Nuthampstead, Pendle, Glastonbury, Holderness, Ongar and Kingston dealt with in exhaustive manner by various researchers, which amply demonstrates the increase in interest in zodiacs. Maltwood’s original classic is soon to be reissued, so, apart from Edwards’s work, all the major material will soon again be available.

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A LITTLE HISTORY OF ASTRO-ARCHAEOLOGY. STAGES IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF A HERESY by John Michell. Thames & Hudson Paperback £1·50

This little book has recently been issued in paperback. It is a slim volume featuring Stonehenge on the cover. There is an annular eclipse behind Stonehenge on a blue background.

The book sets out to tell the story of the astro-archaeology theory, i.e. that ancient sites were built in relation to the stars for the purpose of their observation. It is the story of the explosion of the myth that ancient people were primitive and had low intelligence.

It tells how Stukeley rediscovered how ancient religious sites and temples are orientated towards sunrise on particular dates. It gives a potted history of most of the pioneers who researched ancient mysteries and were often scorned during their lifetimes. People like Sir Norman Lockyer who was a distinguished academic and an editor of Nature. He spent much of his spare time studying stones and ancient sites.

It also describes the influence that Alfred Watkins had and the Old Straight Track Club. In Britain the traditional opposition was the Church but over the years the academic establishment took over as the main obstacle to the ideas of astro-archaeology and geomancy.

The book also mentions how modern researchers like Professor Thom have done a great deal to bring the subject out into the open. It has a chapter on the German school of research which existed before the Second World War.

It is a pity that the book does not include South American examples, e.g. the Lines of Nazca, or examples from other parts of the world, e.g. Chinese Feng-Shui. However it is a good little book for the price and it is well illustrated. The layout is good, having illustrations on most pages. Hopefully this book will introduce new readers to the subject and encourage them to read more. Sheila Cann