Reflections on an Extraordinary  Season
 

For me this season has highlighted and made clearer many things in our Crop circle world…perhaps it did for you too.

Firstly, on a fundamental level, it highlighted just how united the vast majority of the ordinary members of the public visitors to the Circles are. The strongest thing that came through from these visitors head and shoulders above other minority group opinion was the wish for true harmony as opposed to ‘control’. Pretty much all people wanted joy, love and harmony in our ‘fields of gold’. I guess there is so much unhappiness in the world at large that yearning such a primal need is not really that surprising. Crop circles hitherto have been regarded as something of a sanctuary, a retreat, so when the status quo shifts off balance, people miss it, are dismayed. It is also said that Crop circles mirror our condition and indeed have a way to amplify what we bring to them. I’m personally convinced of this…perhaps that’s why, despite the season’s challenges my heart has been continually singing a song!

But on the downside, although the vast majority of visitors respected the guidance and service being offered by the CGI which is essentially a ‘bottom up’ approach, evidently and astonishingly the ‘penny’ just hasn’t quite yet dropped for some. One well known long term ‘Crop circle enthusiast’ let’s say, got caught not just once but twice by the same farmer who was forbidding entry…this time at Cook’s Plantation near Yatesbury. On this the second occasion she was accompanied by another such well known male individual both not seeming to care one bit about the harm they were doing to farmer/visitor relationships despite CGI working all season attempting  to improve them. No permission to enter was attempted by these people whatsoever. Ironically, these people will talk openly in public/presentations etc. about how much they know on the subject! I leave that one with you. Now, this course of events not only resulted in a number of others following them in or lamely thinking it OK to be there but made things worse also by this action resulting in the farmer, who shared with me personally, that in future, if he gets a Circle on his land he will cut it immediately. I heard one person say…”Well done those people…very smart move!” This was meant as a sarcastic English joke (explained for the benefit of foreign readers.) The farmer was fuming as he recognised the said persons and declared he’d had enough of such disrespect, people just entering without permission as if they owned the land. I had to agree.

The big question here is of course, what chance have any of us got to save the Circles from the cutter if the very people that… SHOULD BE SETTING AN EXAMPLE… to less experienced visitors are blatantly disregarding the ‘Code of Conduct’, probably feeling they are exempt in some way or somehow entitled to act in this irresponsible way. Totally inexplicable! This sort of visitor behaviour really does need to change, don’t you think? I do hope the people concerned will learn from their mistakes or be advised accordingly for all of our sakes.   

It is often said there is far more joy gained from giving than of taking. The way in which this ‘giving’ took place this season in terms of CGI donation collection proved a point beyond all doubt. When people gave it was willingly and with a smile. That was my personal reward…not money. People were so happy to feel they were part of a potential process of healing towards the farming community having started the season on rather a gloomy note as some farmers expressed their frustrations that were fuelled by, for one thing, let’s say, unwise and inaccurate Press releases by others attempting to…yes, same old story I’m afraid, to self-promote. It backfired!  The farmers were outraged! However, the endorsements made by some other farmers towards the CGI though, were truly heartening, especially at Hackpen Hill where things were very different indeed.

 Also, a particularly prominent public personality, Jaime Maussan, a prime-time TV presenter in Mexico and well known in the Crop circle community who has been interviewing and researching the Circles (and the paranormal in general  much longer) for ten years now here in the UK and abroad for his TV shows and presentations worldwide, expressed his enthusiasm for CGI strategy. He said, amongst other points that it was… “Much needed” and added…”Congratulations”. (If you wish to see part of the interview, and part of a main show to be shown on the 25th August on Mexican mainstream TV, click on the green CGI banner or just ’CGI’ under my photos  on cropcircleconnector.com). The main show I shall link to our page later though, after the event. This endorsement only served to confirm things were going in the right direction…welcomed encouragement in a sometimes tiresome arena. An ‘EntreVista’ interview went out to 4.3m viewers so perhaps something good will come of it as Jaime will continue his interest in our quest feeling it could be a significant step forward. Let’s hope so.

In a way it’s not what we as individuals desire, attempt to assert or impose into the Circle arena, it is the genuine heartfelt wishes of the visitors (and enthusiasts from all around the world who are unable to come personally) and the farmers who are as fundamental a part of the CC experience as the CC’s themselves. From A. Lincoln’s  famous quote re. “You can please all of the people….”  comes to mind…I changed it to …” You can fool all of the people ….” I’m sure you know what I mean here. If I felt the CGI approach to be flawed I would not continue with it…I would merely go away and do something different, but I do not feel this way and our team will continue as long as needed.

Please, please, if you support this position let it be known to all, don’t just sit in the side lines…now is the time… we may only get one shot at this…for the sake of all.  We (CGI) cannot do this alone and it’s for the sake of our children and far beyond! Complacency does not have a role here! CGI are only facilitators, it’s YOU that in the end will decide what you want in all of this.

 I think we lose sight of the bigger picture here sometimes, often getting so involved in our own little squabbles, grievances and local personal and political issues, often not kindly spoken, that it’s possible we forget that this is not a game or some kind of business competition but more a potential world changing scenario that may unfold in ways we just cannot imagine at this time. I feel individual struggle to ‘make ends meet’ in a CC setting, to be inappropriate as I feel business and CC’s to be incompatible especially now as this evolution takes a step forward. Our CC decisions should never be compromised by self- interest in my view and most certainly not by individuals’ exaggerated EGO. This is just too important than maintaining an individuals’ precious and cherished status. This to me just demonstrates lack of insight and by now should be mind-registered in this evolving climate. Our collective consciousness/majority opinion will decide how much of that it wishes to hold on to. It’s possible we as a species are just not ready or mature enough for this change. Insecurities became obvious this season as is natural in times of change, perhaps just consequential as a part of a transitional period in Crop circle history. The very nature of change is that things cannot be the same today as they were yesterday. This will seem inconvenient to some but it is always wise to look at the bigger picture I feel. I really do sense the Circle makers to be interactive with us, monitoring our every move, guiding us perhaps and posing us with choices… that’s certainly how it’s felt this year with me anyway, working on the ‘front line’ and in the thick of it. How we manage and deal with those choices may determine our future. A very sobering thought.

Overall though, I have been impressed by the way group leaders and prominent CC people have fallen into the ‘Spirit of Compliance’ with the ‘Code of Conduct’ highlighting the need for RESPECT, the key issue… (this job has to be a team effort, which means ALL of us) …liaising with CGI for reliable information and help. But sadly there have been a few shocking exceptions, some as stated earlier of which to me was predictable in a way but none the less very disappointing to say the least. Just truthful observations sometimes hard to hear. (They know who they are…it would be indiscreet of me to be more specific).

 I won’t mince my words, there is too much at stake. If the Circle makers move their emphasis over to Italy or some such place, in a way I personally wouldn’t be surprised or blame them! Things here in the UK have got completely out of hand in the fields. You need to know the truth.

You may say… “Well, how can this guy speak with such confidence about a subject shrouded in so much mystery?” Well, I suppose it’s ‘subject exposure’ to a greater extent. For one instance, I personally spent three weeks at Silbury Hill and another  five weeks on Hackpen Hill (with the help from other CGI members ) with only a short break this year, spoke to hundreds and hundreds ( perhaps thousands) of people airing their views and sharing their experiences with me. (The sums of money raised for good causes and charities  this year by CGI were remarkable it has to be said! ) Being on the front line as it were, every year, all summer long (I’m still here!) countless hours literally spent in the CC’s themselves and camped by them gives one an advantage I suppose…this is the simple fact of the matter. I know of no other person who does this as we do, and I feel very humble and privileged to be part of this, to be of service in this way. This is the only way you will ever have of understanding this complex subject within the bounds of our limited human capacity. Be there, live it, breathe it! This is not a statement of self-promotion but more a statement of common sense and fact.

 We are evolving, something’s changing, hopefully for the better….that’s what all this turbulence has been about in my view, attempting change.  All the Circle makers do is utterly deliberate, no question. Let’s hope this process is not hindered too much by a persistent need to hang on to the old ways by a few ‘flies in the proverbial ointment!’. If you want change, embrace your heart and allow it to happen…it’s our choice! Discourage the ‘flies’.    

These words come from me directly, from my heart… not staged, recorded, edited or rehearsed,  just simply my truthful experiences and observations shared with sincerity. I’m sure there will be people out there that don’t agree or like with all that’s said here, but all I’d say is…

”It’s easy to sit there and criticise but harder to actually DO something that works!”  Working on a challenge/project like this is far from easy I can tell you. You try it!

So…last but not least, a BIG thank you to CGI team members…the ’Crop circle Angels’, for their wonderful efforts and hard work this season and all the many others that have shown and given much needed support and encouragement to us. Thank you.

Happy Circling. 

Paul Jacobs for CGI.



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Mark Fussell & Stuart Dike

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