READING THE SIGNS...
What's behind the symbolism found in formations?
PART EIGHT
Quite a number of crop circles that have appeared over the years have contained some extraordinary references to ancient Egypt. When compared to say Atlantis or Lemuria though, ancient Egypt was quite a “modern” civilisation, but right throughout its 3,000 year run it importantly became the guardian of all such inherited teachings that held spiritual values. Fortunately today we’re still able to view these revelations as they endlessly run round temple walls etc, and here we find ourselves marvelling at a purity of style that’s clearly expressed within a picture language of simplistic glyphs.
Through the discovery of the Rosseta Stone, French Egyptologist Jean-Francois Champollion was the first to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs. Thanks to him we learn that the ancient Egyptians were well aware that although we’re all convinced we’re acting as one person, there are actually three paths we relentlessly pursue in life…that of our mind, our physical journey and our spiritual path.
Three separately balanced pathways acting as one are perfectly symbolised by…
THE TRIANGLE
A triangle is a measure of three…Of three existing in perfect harmony as in mind, body and spirit, or as three in spiritual harmony as in Father, Son and Holy Ghost (The Trinity). In having three equal sides without breaks the equilateral triangle is the perfect symbol for equality and unity.
A triangle also represents unity through strength. This plain and simple fact is easily demonstrated by constructing a model of one out of cardboard. Note how difficult it is to try and collapse it down…you’ll have quite a job in pushing it in order to flatten it. Whereas if you have a cardboard square that’s just composed of four equal sides, give it an easy push and it’s flattened!
One of the biggest triangles in the world is the Great Pyramid (Fig.1) which in being earthquake proof just happens to be the strongest built structure on the planet.
The Great Pyramid - Fig.1
With a measured unit of eleven for its base, we find that seven units stretching from base to apex reveal the Great Pyramid’s unique slope angle of 51° 51'. Now whilst this angle might be regarded as being somewhat of a mathematical oddity, in esoteric circles it’s highly revered.
The 51° 51' slope angle of the Great Pyramid is known as “The Angle of Enlightenment”. Found by seven and eleven this is quite a relationship…Eleven the number of access to higher realms, finds itself in bed with seven, the number of spirit and revelation.
The Bishops Cannings Formation - Fig.2
The formation above that appeared on the 5th of August ’98 at Bishops Cannings in Wiltshire, was unfortunately destroyed by the farmer within a few hours of its arrival. Whilst an aerial photo isn’t known to exist, we do have a field survey drawing by researcher Rod Seaman that my sketch (which by comparison is probably a tad inaccurate) is based upon.
Rod gave quite a detailed report on this remarkable formation in “The Spiral”° issue 37 February ’99. He found quite importantly that within the upper circle that contained a hexagram, a triangular configuration was found that appeared to exactly match the proportion and slope angles of the Great Pyramid. Within the lay of the triangle Rod also found a ring of braided wheat that appeared to resemble a sort of whirlpool. Strangely enough it apparently occupied the same position as where the Queens Chamber would be…that’s to say if you were again thinking in terms of the Great Pyramid. The “Queens Chamber” according to “The Egyptian Book of the Dead” is known as the Chamber of Regeneration, or Re-birth, and that’s perfectly symbolised by a whirlpool on this occasion!
Of the few formations over the years that have referenced ancient Egypt at least more than half-a-dozen or so have drawn our attention to the Great Pyramid. Take for instance the formation that arrived in oil seed rape near Marlborough during April ’99 (Fig.3). Instantly recognised by its obvious missing capstone, were “The Circlemakers” suggesting there’s an undiscovered passage lying beneath it?
The Great Pyramid’s undiscovered passage? - Fig.3
Another pyramidal type formation arrived below the ancient Iron Age hill fort at Beacon Hill in Hampshire on the 21st of July 2002. Highly charged in hermetic symbolism it acknowledged a Masonic connection. Whilst a few were suspiciously uncomfortable with that, it simply has to be said that in common with other mystical traditions, the roots of Freemasonry lie back in ancient Egypt and Biblical Israel. Much of Masonic architecture and formal dress (notably the Masonic Apron) is indebted to ancient Egyptian precedents.
This Masonic “Eye of Providence” symbol that’s surrounded by rays of light within a triangle is often interpreted as being the “All-Seeing Eye” of God. Said to be forever keeping a watch over mankind, its origins can be traced back through ancient Egyptian mythology where it was known as the “Eye of Horus”…a symbol of power and protection.
The All Seeing Eye…Beacon Hill, Hampshire © Steve Alexander
As you can see this neatly executed pyramid was surrounded by three sets of eleven rays which totalled thirty three, a number that’s highly revered by Masons. More important though, eleven is a transitional number…the number of enlightenment, revelation and of visionary insight. Three elevens symbolically states, light of light…a burst of spiritual rays that emanate from pure harmony.
Another interesting pyramid formation arrived on the solstice at East Field during 2001…And as if to acknowledge the mid-summer sunrise, our nearest star is seen bursting behind it!
The East Field Pyramid…Alton Barnes, Wiltshire © Steve Alexander
If you were to stand in the middle of Stonehenge at sunrise on the morning of the summer solstice, you would see the Sun burst forth like a golden crown from the top of the Heelstone Monolith, which lies some sixty yards or so away. Although the Sun slightly moves its position each year, in the last four thousand years the Sun has never separated from the Heelstone at the solstice sunrise. The angle of the solstice rise (Fig.4) is permanently marked by the Heelstone’s position…which just happens to be 51° 51' from north…”The Angle of Enlightenment” created by the base and apex of the Great Pyramid.
The Stonehenge Solstice Angle of Enlightenment - Fig.4
At the very epicentre of where the UK crop circles appear lies a pyramid structure known as Silbury Hill. The largest Neolithic mound in Europe, six tiers created by chalk blocks formed a ziggurat step-pyramid not unlike the Sumerian temples in Mesopotamia. Silbury differs somewhat in that her steps were later infilled and covered over entirely by earth.
During late August of ’99 a large impressive fractal appeared high on the hillside that’s just opposite Silbury. Nicknamed by a few jokers as being a “Windproof Ashtray”, it was more commonly interpreted as being a four-pointed star. But what it really seemed to suggest was a step-pyramid, and this was particularly emphasised by its three dimensional lay.
The Step Pyramid…Silbury Hill, Wiltshire – July 24th ‘99 © Steve Alexander
Probably the most famous step-pyramid known today is Zoser’s Pyramid. Found to the south of Cairo at Saqqara this six-stepped mastaba or pyramid was built by Zoser a Third Dynasty Pharaoh who ruled between 2667 and 2648 BC. Coincidently Silbury which was acknowledged on this occasion by “The Circlemakers”, is also six-tiered and amazingly we discover that it’s related very closely time-wise, in that the first stages of its building began during Zoser’s reign – circa 2660-2650 BC.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
We’d paid several visits to Wiltshire that summer and early on that morning before the step-pyramid formation was discovered, we were heading back to our B&B in Devizes. We were returning from Honey Street after witnessing a truly mesmerising BOL display hovering above nearby fields. Apparently there was quite a bit of activity that particular night and one or two accounts appear in Linda Moulton Howe’s book, “Mysterious Lights and Crop Circles”.°°
Around 1.30 AM we were just approaching Silbury along the A 361 Marlborough – Devizes road, when suddenly from out of nowhere a low flying BOL swooped over the bonnet of our car! We were lit up by an intense light for a split second, just like something out of the “X Files” or a “Spielberg” movie, but perhaps one of the most interesting things to note here is that the direction in which the BOL was heading appeared to be exactly in the direction of the undiscovered formation.
THE FOUR-POINTED STAR
The symbol for four is a star and its colour is blue…the cleansing colour of spirit. The teachers of ancient wisdom declared the triangle as the “Godhead”…the triple personality of God as being three. Numerically man is symbolised as being number one, so therefore four is naturally regarded as God within man. The four-pointed star symbolises a transformation…an initiation perhaps that transcends the three-dimensional planes of our understanding as we enter the fourth-dimensional consciousness of the new Aquarian Age.
As a light shining through darkness a star announces a divine presence and becomes a symbol of spiritual conquest over the forces of darkness.
The Etchilhampton Star, Etchilhampton, Wiltshire – August 14th 2006 © Steve Alexander
Geometrically we can easily find a four-pointed star by joining two opposing triangles via their baselines (Fig.5). The triangle that points skyward is solar and a sign of the masculine principal. The downward-pointing triangular is lunar and as such symbolises the female principal…An element that represents the natural world, the physical form and the yoni…all of which becomes highly symbolic of the Great Earth Mother. Although she seeks out earthly truths by pointing earthwards and he seeks inspiration by pointing skyward, they are welded together by a common baseline that symbolises an eternal marriage…
Four-pointed star created by opposing triangles - Fig.5
Commonly this shape is also used for symbolising a diamond. Although so far it’s been rarely employed by “The Circlemakers”, a diamond is a symbol of eternal light and brilliance (yes folks it’s true - diamonds are forever!). And like all precious stones it generally symbolises hidden treasures and riches that are found in knowledge and truth. When a precious stone is cut and shaped from the rough into a gem it is said that this signifies the soul being shaped into its purest form in order to reflect the light of the divine.
THE SIX-POINTED STAR
Six-pointed star - Fig.6
When two opposing triangles pass through each other we find a beautiful star emerges at the halfway point. Whilst both triangles still retain their individuality, interlaced triangles are seen as a sacred marriage that geometrically produces half-a-dozen offspring. So in one sense we have to look upon the six-pointed star as a creation symbol. Offering a profound meaning for the consciousness of the planet this is a marriage that symbolises a perfect balance of truth. One triangle looks skyward whilst the other looks earthward…”as above, so below” – “as within, so without”.
Although generally recognised as a symbol of Judaism and the Jewish identity, what’s generally known as “The Star of David” or “Solomon’s Seal”, goes back a lot further. Found within Indian temples that are thousands of years old it was employed as a mandala, but if we look back through ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs it was a sacred symbol that read as “Land of the Spirit”.
Either directly or indirectly the six-pointed star has had a long association
with Kent’s formations. With so many of our circles based numerically upon three
or six, the six-pointed star often features as a major part of the underlying
geometry.
A very positive and sharp looking six-pointed starburst arrived alongside the Pilgrims Way at Burham during July of 2003.
Burham Starburst - Fig.7
The “Burham Starburst” seen
illustrated above, adds a bit of a twist to the “as above – so below” symbolism
in that the bold upright triangle (that represents the celestial spirit) sits in
a dominant position on top of the
pile!................................................Surely that’s like saying,
“Spirit Rules – OK?”
Triangles, diamonds and six-pointed stars were commonly employed by “The
Circlemakers” during the 2005 season. Take for instance the formation that
arrived during late July at Avebury Henge in Wilts. This featured a central
six-fold that was made up of twelve triangles surrounded by a jewelled necklace
strung with diamonds etc…And even the floor lays were swept in a triangular
fashion!
Avebury Henge, Wiltshire – July 24th 2005
© Steve
Alexander
G.T. © 2005-7
Text & Diagrams
* For more beautiful photographs of crop circles look no further than Steve Alexander’s website at…
° “The Spiral” is an informative monthly newsletter published by the Wiltshire C Circle Study Group. Subscription details from…
°° “Mysterious Lights and Crop Circles” by Linda Moulton Howe is published by Paper Chase Press…
ISBN 1-879706-91-1