READING THE SIGNS...
What's behind the symbolism found in formations?
PART ONE
The ancients revered wheat as a sacred plant symbolising fertility and renewal...a union struck between its creator and Gaia, that's continually maintained by a root system that penetrates the earth. Seeds from the "bread of life" were the offspring that offered new life in abundance, and symbolically "sheaves of corn" came to symbolise fertility, which traditionally became the emblem of the earth mother.
Because it was so highly revered the ancients believed that if you were to break a wheat stalk, symbolically it would be interpreted as the "breaking of spirit". Interestingly, the circles that appear in our fields also appear to demonstrate that self-same respect, for they gently lay the crop over and the wheat continues to grow.
In ancient Egyptian astrology, Isis emerges as a stellar goddess clutching corn sheaves...Intrinsically linked with wheat through her resurrection and renewal encounter with Osiris, she figures as the mythological corn goddess, credited with introducing wheat and barley to mankind. Continuing through the pre-Christian, Mithraic/Ceres imagery, this powerful symbol of a pagan goddess clutching wheat inevitably became Christianised and was symbolically adopted for the Virgin Mary.
Wheat stalks were essentially the symbol of Virgo, but still within the confines of astrological traditions, they were later transformed into five-petal flowers or roses.
For thousands of years agriculture has played a very large part in our culture. From a religious aspect there are numerous sowing and harvesting metaphors found within the Bible. "Separating the wheat from the chaff" is just one such metaphor that the Baptist spoke of regarding the forthcoming Messiah. For it would be he that would clear the threshing floor, gather his wheat (followers) into the barn and burn the remaining chaff with unquenchable fire!
Many were a bit surprised by a formation that arrived near Winchester on the 10th of July '05, for we were presented with a spiked ball...a gladiatorial weapon, or the head of a mace. Something that appeared to be quite out of character from what we've come to expect from "The Circlemakers". Were they now laying down graphic illustrations of a threatening nature? After all a mace is a symbol of absolute authority and being peppered by surrounding grapeshot didn't exactly help its case!
The Flail - Lane End Down nr. Winchester, Hampshire 2005 © Steve Alexander
But like many of the circles, it was open to interpretation in a number of ways. Long before it was used as mediaeval weapon, early crofters employed a spiked ball that was known as a flail, as a threshing implement. It was used to beat or thrash stalks of ripened grain in order to separate them from the straw. So were "The Circlemakers" on this occasion implying that someday soon, the wheat is about to be separated from the chaff? Now who knows if that's what they're really trying to say? But it's certainly my belief that each and every formation we receive be it simple or complex, does carry a unique message that's meant to transform, liberate and enlighten.
Behind this phenomenon there has to be an evident purpose and it's obvious they're here primarily to help us re-evaluate our way of thinking. These cryptic transmissions, whose real meaning is often buried within their outer layer of expression, are considerably more important for all that, rather than for any nut & bolt analysis as to how they're created.
Familiarity with symbolism opens up new levels of understanding. Symbolism is an instrument of knowledge and besides being one of the most ancient and fundamental methods of expression, it's an international language that transcends the normal limits of communication. It really doesn't matter if you're Chinese or Lebanese, for here we have a world-wide picture language that's duty bound to awaken and enlighten us with regard to the true nature of reality.
THE CIRCLE
The circle is the symbol of wholeness and perfection. The symbol of one - the "monad"...the seed and the essence. It symbolises perfect harmony, and in being the essence of form and consciousness, it's clearly spiritual in nature. The simple circle symbolises the creator...God with a capital "G"...who offers us life without end. And surely there's no better to express that than within a circle that's a continuous line without end. Obviously the line continually returns to where it first began so therefore we must look upon the circle as symbolising cyclic processes. The circle is also a unifying symbol, simply because every part of it's equidistant from the centre. This clearly demonstrates unity, and within crop formations we are in fact witnessing a continuing embellishment of cosmic unity.
The ancients gathered in circles, and as we're all well aware, the remains of stone circles are found world-wide. The ancients viewed their existence as cyclic, for they looked upon time in terms of a cycle, rather than linear. Through their division, circles can express annual cycles such as the Zodiac, and since antiquity "medicine wheels" have been employed for teaching about the cosmos.
The circle is the cyclic "wheel of life", or that which symbolises cycles. And many believe that crop circles are around at this particular time in order to let us know we're nearing the end of an age-old celestial cycle. And given the interpretation of meanings that we find in crop circles, it now seems likely that the dawn of a new age, a new beginning, and a time of renewal, are indeed what's on the agenda!
The circle is the most common of all shapes found in nature, and symbolically it just so happens to be the most common shape you'll find in crop circles (which in itself must be telling us something!) "The Circlemakers" could so easily transmit geometric shapes and symbols based on squares, but they're rarely found. It's a fact that at least ninety-nine percent of all formations are circle based. "The Circlemakers" employ circles at almost every opportunity...why? Well the answer’s so simple...It's because the circle is the most spiritually profound statement they could ever make!
Often in ancient symbolism we come across a circle that has a much smaller one placed at its centre. Whilst this is symbolic of a creator who's at the centre of all things, this central area is open to interpretation in another way. Referred to as the void, this is the non-manifest source from which all is derived, such as the seed of creation. This ancient interpretation of a circle symbolising a seed, gains more credibility when two circles are linked together to form a symbol that's known as the "Vesica Pisces", that we'll be discussing later.
The circle with a small circle at its centre as shown in the diagram, is a very common feature found in crop formations. Regardless of their overall design, the centre circle along with the outer containing circle are the basic underlying features...as the following overheads by Steve Alexander *clearly show.
All Cannings, Wilts 2000 © Steve Alexander
Picked Hill, Wilts 2001 © Steve Alexander
Woodborough Hill, Wilts 2001 © Steve Alexander
Waylands Smithy, Oxfordshire 2005 © Steve Alexander
Most formations are centre orientated...the focal point of attraction and usually the first place that visitors head for. And for those requiring a fast-track entry to it, "The Circlemakers" usually oblige by placing a tramline that leads you straight there! As you can see in the photos though, this central tramline is usually found off-centre, or towards one side. This is obviously a deliberate ploy, for it allows our stalk-twisting friends to show off their beautiful centrepieces, away from the disjointed awkwardness of crop that often overlays these tramlines.
Circles appearing together can have a special meaning. For instance, a small circle lying next to a larger one often indicates the physical (or lesser Earth) being compared to the spiritual (or greater Sun). Whereas two circles found linked by a pathway are known as dumbbells and are often regarded as unifying symbols...the physical tied to the spiritual. A single line, pathway or tail ending with a circle, commonly seen during the late '80's - '90, stands for the positive and creative power of spirit. Here we view the energy (being the line) that affects the realisation of an idea (the circle).
Three circles may place themselves to form a trinity, whilst four around one might form a quintuplet. Often these dice "five-spot" types employ an additional orbital ring and turn themselves into a Celtic Cross.
So as you can see the simple circle is employed in a variety of ways...We still see single circles appearing amongst the "jawdroppers", and I think in some respect that their continuing presence is somewhat reminding us of what it caught our attention with in the first place.
Crop circles are here to enhance and greatly accelerate our spiritual evolution. Their spiritual intention is so intense that this aspect can't possibly go unrecognised, and those like myself who are close to this phenomenon, clearly believe that the overwhelming majority of the crop circles are the product of a creative intelligence that's not of this plane. Sacred knowledge is transmitted through these encrypted designs, that have no end to the depth of their meaning because they are multi-layered and infinite. We're in fact witnessing a renewal of divine influence that through the beautiful thought transmissions of crop circles...speak of higher spiritual truths directly to the heart and spirit of man.
G.T.© 2004 & 2006
* For more beautiful photographs of crop circles look no further than Steve Alexander’s website at: