Click the audio play button above to hear me talk about the influences of people and places.
AsaboythebooksofErnestThomsonSetonandJohnHargraveaboutNativeAmericanssuchas “TheBookofWoodcraftandIndianLore”createdinmeanawarenessofculturesolderthanand differentfromourownthatseemedadmirable,particularlyfortheircloseconnectiontoand respect for the natural world. OtherinfluencesfromthattimewerethestoriesofRobinHood,KingArthurandthebooksof ArthurRansomelike“SwallowsandAmazons”.IwasinterestedinAlfredWatkins’“OldStraight Track”andtheideaofleysstretchingacrossthelandscapeoftenpastthetumuliand“camps”ofthe ancient peoples of Britain. OfcoursethemostexcitingplacesofallweretheMegalithicstonecirclesofStonehengeand AveburywhichthefamilyvisitedthenandIvisitfrequentlynow.andAveburywhichthefamily visited then and I visit frequently now.
TwootherexperiencesinthoseearlyyearsbeforetheSecondWorldWarremaininmymemory. Oneoccurredwhilewalkingwithmyfatherinthefadinglightundertheyewtreesontherouteof StaneStreetnearBoxHillwhereI“saw”aRomansoldierstandingwithspearandshield,asifon guard, beside the path. Dad was surprised to be asked “who was that man?”. Theother,moresignificantone,wasduringawarmsummerafternoononWimbledonCommon whereIwaswalkingbarefootdownamuddypaththroughtheoakandhazelwoodsnearBeverly Brook.ThereI“encounteredPan”andmadeacommitmenttorespectNature,thelandandour ancientancestors.So,earlyinmylifeaseedwasplantedforthetreewithitsmanylimbs,branches and twigs that this website, in part, shares with you.Lookingbackatthechainofdevelopmentthroughtheyears,theotherevents,peopleandauthors thathavegivenmefoodforthought,Icanonlyhighlightsomeofthemostsignificantones. EncounteringRobertGraves’seminalbook“TheWhiteGoddess”in1950certainlystartedathread thathaspersistedsincemyfirstencounterwithhiswork.Alongwiththatcameanappreciationof theimportanceofmythologyandthenatureofpoeticinspirationandimagination.Hisinterestin OghamandancientsymbolicsystemsspoketomeandledontotheNorthernRunicalphabetand its associations. Later,twoyearswiththearmytookmetoSingaporeandHongKongwheretherewere opportunitiestoencounterChineseculture,TaoismandZenBuddhism.AninterestinHindu meditativetechniquesalsodevelopedataboutthistime.JohnBlofeldwasanauthorwhobrought anappreciationofmanyofthesematterstomethen.SoonaftermyreturntoEnglandthefirst incarnationoftheLeyhuntermagazinemadeitsappearanceandgotmysubscriptionfortherestof itsexistenceandmyattendanceattheannual“moot”.Atoneofthese,inHereford,Igottoknow both John Michell and Martin Brennan who were significant influences on me. FascinationwithArchaeology,Architecture,Geomancy,Gematria,Coloursymbolism,Tesselation andGeometrylednaturallytotheworkandpublicationsofKeithCritchlowwhowaschairmanof theResearchIntoLostKnowledgesocietyandtoattendanceattheirmeetingsinKensington.Books byTomLethbridgethearchaeologistanddowserand,ofcoursetheincomparableAlexanderThom joinedmanyothersonmyoverloadedshelves.HenryLincoln’s“HolyBloodHolyGrail”togetherwith ArthurGuirdham’sinvestigationintotheCathar/Gnosticheresieswereotherstrandsofthe tapestry. Fromanotherdirection,BuckminsterFullerandhisgeodesicconceptsappliedtobuildingstructures excitedmeaswell.MylargecollectionofOSmapsexpandedwithmysenseofthe interconnectednessoflandscapeandtheseasonalmovementoftheSun,MoonandStars.Carlos CastenedaandJohnLillyappearedontheintellectualhorizontogetherwiththewholefascination of the 60’s with matters of the mind and altered states of consciousness.
Click on the images below for more information about each topic.
AsaboythebooksofErnestThomsonSetonandJohnHargrave aboutNativeAmericanssuchas“TheBookofWoodcraftandIndian Lore”createdinmeanawarenessofculturesolderthanand differentfromourownthatseemedadmirable,particularlyfortheir close connection to and respect for the natural world. OtherinfluencesfromthattimewerethestoriesofRobinHood, KingArthurandthebooksofArthurRansomelike“Swallowsand Amazons”.IwasinterestedinAlfredWatkins’“OldStraightTrack” andtheideaofleysstretchingacrossthelandscapeoftenpastthe tumuli and “camps” of the ancient peoples of Britain. OfcoursethemostexcitingplacesofallweretheMegalithicstone circlesofStonehengeandAveburywhichthefamilyvisitedthen andIvisitfrequentlynow.andAveburywhichthefamilyvisited then and I visit frequently now.
Twootherexperiencesinthose earlyyearsbeforetheSecond WorldWarremaininmymemory. Oneoccurredwhilewalkingwith myfatherinthefadinglightunder theyewtreesontherouteof StaneStreetnearBoxHillwhereI “saw”aRomansoldierstanding withspearandshield,asifon guard,besidethepath.Dadwas surprisedtobeasked“whowas that man?”. Theother,moresignificantone, wasduringawarmsummer afternoononWimbledonCommon whereIwaswalkingbarefoot downamuddypaththroughthe oakandhazelwoodsnearBeverly Brook.ThereI“encounteredPan” andmadeacommitmentto respectNature,thelandandour ancientancestors.So,earlyinmy lifeaseedwasplantedforthetree withitsmanylimbs,branchesand twigsthatthiswebsite,inpart, shares with you.Lookingbackatthechainof developmentthroughtheyears, theotherevents,peopleand authorsthathavegivenmefood forthought,Icanonlyhighlight some of the most significant ones.EncounteringRobertGraves’ seminalbook“TheWhiteGoddess” in1950certainlystartedathread thathaspersistedsincemyfirst encounterwithhiswork.Along withthatcameanappreciationof theimportanceofmythologyand thenatureofpoeticinspiration andimagination.Hisinterestin Oghamandancientsymbolic systemsspoketomeandledonto theNorthernRunicalphabetand its associations.
TwoyearswiththearmytookmetoSingaporeandHongKong wheretherewereopportunitiestoencounterChineseculture, TaoismandZenBuddhism.AninterestinHindumeditative techniquesalsodevelopedataboutthistime.JohnBlofeldwasan authorwhobroughtanappreciationofmanyofthesemattersto methen.SoonaftermyreturntoEnglandthefirstincarnationof theLeyhuntermagazinemadeitsappearanceandgotmy subscriptionfortherestofitsexistenceandmyattendanceatthe annual“moot”.Atoneofthese,inHereford,Igottoknowboth JohnMichellandMartinBrennanwhoweresignificantinfluences on me. FascinationwithArchaeology,Architecture,Geomancy,Gematria, Coloursymbolism,TesselationandGeometrylednaturallytothe workandpublicationsofKeithCritchlowwhowaschairmanofthe ResearchIntoLostKnowledgesocietyandtoattendanceattheir meetingsinKensington.BooksbyTomLethbridgethe archaeologistanddowserand,ofcoursetheincomparable AlexanderThomjoinedmanyothersonmyoverloadedshelves. HenryLincoln’s“HolyBloodHolyGrail”togetherwithArthur Guirdham’sinvestigationintotheCathar/Gnosticheresieswere other strands of the tapestry. Fromanotherdirection,BuckminsterFullerandhisgeodesic conceptsappliedtobuildingstructuresexcitedmeaswell.My largecollectionofOSmapsexpandedwithmysenseofthe interconnectednessoflandscapeandtheseasonalmovementof theSun,MoonandStars.CarlosCastenedaandJohnLilly appearedontheintellectualhorizontogetherwiththewhole fascinationofthe60’swithmattersofthemindandalteredstates of consciousness.
Two year Moon Cycle
Yggdrasil Oracle
The Eightfold year
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