A Summary of 2014, looking ahead to 2015.

Healing Time for Wiltshire?

  You can almost hear the Circlemakers saying it can’t you?…”Enough is enough”! Perhaps it really is time for Wiltshire and it’s residents to receive a long overdue and prolonged period of healing in an arena that has been a chaotic, self-interest-led free-for-all for over 30 years now. No wonder the farmers are fuming!

The situation in Wiltshire has become undeniably and completely untenable that’s for sure. The love affair is absolutely over, no question…ask anyone who has been in the area over the last two years or so.  To continue a habit of ‘working against the grain’ brings only sorrow and rubs salt into the wounds of a very battle weary community; the farmers and locals there have had enough and that could be why  the Circlemakers  appear to be migrating to pastures anew. We collectively could pay attention to the writing on the wall and respect that. Banging our heads against this proverbial ‘brick wall’ will yield no joy. For those repeat visitors on auto-pilot accustomed to Wiltshire as the focus would be wise to review their position most probably. I imagine the Circlemakers work is not placed for our convenience. The nice and cosy arrangement of all within a few miles reach around the Vale of Pewsey is no longer and for those wishing to visit UK CCs in the future will need to be much more flexible and resourceful I suspect.

 On a slightly different note, it is quite clear to me, having now had six CCs in the county of Dorset this season, an area  previously CC void for at least 10 years, that a new focus of activity is starting to emerge. Two of these were  most impressive and curiously were both allowed by to be managed by CGI, the only CCs with regular visitation. You could be forgiven for thinking it was almost as if the Circlemakers had given their approval and facilitated same.

Another focus could be in Essex near Southend aerodrome where we had several impressive CCs this season. This is so important on the way to Ascension and harmony as these geographic areas are akin to clean canvas. The people down in Dorset for example are not CC tainted, twisted and ‘damaged’ through overexposure to the phenomenon as some in Wiltshire which has now become a conflict zone. Just more CC visitors in Wiltshire merely aggravates the situation there. The truth is things in Wiltshire are just not fun anymore unlike some new territories, in cases where permission has been given, utter joy; just recall Shapwick near Badbury Rings and Sixpenny Handley CCs. Dorset has no ‘baggage’ as we speak and it feels like a ‘starting over’…leaving all the negatives behind. Oh, that felt so good when I stayed at those places! It’s like the Makers have had enough of all the bad behaviour and disrespect and the dark energies that have evolved around a certain public house in The Vale of Pewsey for over 20 years will hopefully now start to dissipate. I’m certainly not that naïve as to think the negatives will not re-emerge over new territories in time, but for now all is love and light. I say, “Let’s keep it that way for as long as possible, indeed take all this to another level, keep to the ‘Code of Conduct”.

                    And as John Lennon said…”Give Peace a Chance”.

                                         Who can argue with that? 

 CGI has gained a good reputation by working actively with farmers down in Dorset this season which bodes well for 2015 and beyond I hope. With increased resources next season we shall do all we can to maintain goodwill and trust within this community enabling access and keeping the joy factor high. The joy/visit equation is paramount in facilitating a more spiritual and higher frequency pathway, I’m sure you’ll agree. Being able to help with the purchase of a defibrillator for the local community felt very good and made so much sense. This sort of thing just has to be the way forward.

 Undercurrents have been present for years as I’m sure you are aware. Whether they be of an angry farmer nature (not surprising), of those who knowingly tell untruths, especially to the newcomers (which I personally feel is quite wrong, to deny folks the opportunity for magic, joy and wonder in their lives) ; one unpleasant example being under the guise of  so called ‘researcher’, for self-promotional/status/to ‘keep the business up and running’ reasons. Another, something to do with a so called ‘Pass Scheme’ which was politically motivated/endorsed and has now been shown to be a complete and utter waste of time and effort. These are things that sadly distract from the main event subjugating the CC experience into a game of ‘cat and mouse’, tainting with unnecessary confusion and unhappiness…. all very ‘low frequency’ activity in my view. Until these elements dissolve there will be little harmony that’s for sure.

Whilst on that subject of ‘Passes’ etc…I would like to make this very clear once and for all so as to allay any confusion in the future.

GROUP LEADERS, COACH TOUR OPERATORS AND INDIVIDUAL VISITORS ALIKE, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR YOU TO EVEN THINK ABOUT BUYING CROPCIRCLE  PASSES, TICKETS, VOUCHERS, PERMITS OR OTHER BITS OF PAPER… THERE IS SIMPLY NO NEED IN OR OUTSIDE OF WILTSHIRE.

CGI COLLECT DONATIONS ‘AT THE GATE’ ON BEHALF OF THE FARMER UNLESS THE FARMER HAS MADE HIS OWN ARRANGEMENTS OR WISHES YOU NOT TO BE THERE!  

Again I say. Please do not be tempted to join a group (even if you’ve paid them money up front) whose leader has acquired no official permission to go into the CC. This is not a smart move in any way as it will only compound the already tense and delicate relationship with the farmer/community and encourage other sheeple to lamely follow you in. The tired old line…”Someone  said it was OK to go in”, as one Dutch group leader was heard to say this season no longer holds any credibility. This beggars the question…Is this responsible and helpful behaviour? 

So, for some, things will be turned upside down. For those who have previously been used to using the county of Wiltshire as a base, they may need to review their game plan. However, none of us should be under any illusions whatsoever that the biggest game plan is orchestrated by the Makers themselves and any attempts to manipulate within this transition period I suggest could be met with disappointment and will certainly not attract  grace from the Circle makers themselves most probably. I’ve seen several examples of such this season where things just didn’t go as intended but this thought is also based on the way things have evolved over the last two years and confirms my belief that the phenomenon really does appear to be interactive.

 Anybody thus far involved with the CC scene could do all in their power to encourage a positive process along, beyond self-interest, ego and misguided alliances and allegiances, looking for the bigger picture. All these things are challenging… but that’s not the point is it?  Would it be more honourable a task  attempting to maintain your own personal interests alive by any desperate means or to encourage/extend heartfelt opened arms to the Makers for the benefit of Humanity as a whole?

Up until now the CC scene has been overshadowed to some extent by a few prominent ‘players’ but now it seems this is gradually changing. For one, the depressing example of Black Vale Mannequin makes this point very clear. In this dark case I recognised the perfect metaphor.

But now I sense a new and more healthy culture emerging with new and innovative technologies now aiding the process. I speak of course the practice of utilising flying drones to take photos. Those precious and possessive contenders making such a fuss and noise about how and by whom this should be done (yes, you’ve guessed, once again, commerce and ego led), those egos bathed and hanging out of their magnificent flying machines seem to have become less relevant all of a sudden. The topic of CC photos has always been a contentious issue but now there is absolutely no need of costly flights or trespass to record the event. Both aerial and ground shots can now taken by the humble drone outside of the field if the farmer does not wish for visitation. The CCC/CGI team welcomes MrGyro esquire and thanks them for their help, all done in an absolutely selfless and philanthropic way as is our underlining  philosophy. Non of us makes money from CCs…indeed we are actually grossly out of pocket and CCC as I understand it at best only breaks even on running the site. It is an honour and a privilege to be of service to the Circle makers in this way.  

 I now like to think that in future the CC scene will be overwhelmed once again by the undiscouraged and truth-led goodwill and joy of the many visitors. The people in the new territories especially are often experiencing for the very first time with child-like wonder in their eyes as observed numerous times this season in Dorset.  Trends and habits of the past may become less and less relevant as Wiltshire, together with its ‘in-house‘ mis-informers /adoration seekers, no longer enjoy centre stage. Those who have been preoccupied with petty squabbling and disrespect will no doubt become marginalised as there will be less and less for them to squabble about within their shrinking ‘domain’…but no doubt they will try to continue using the internet. New and healthy blood is certainly the order of the day I would say. This whole crop circle business is really as much about the people as the fascinating designs in the fields.

I may just add here, just to reassure the public that CGI for one will strive to NEVER misinform or distort the truth with regards crop circles and it’s issues. You can always rely on what is published as fact as far as we know it to be. We strongly rely on cross referencing, trends, themes and evidence from multiple sources, reporting as we find it in a matter of fact way, shying away from personal opinion as much as possible…I will tell you sometimes how I feel no doubt though. Our motivation is to truthfully and openly bring education to all that are interested as opposed to impressing or converting… that is the prerogative of the seeker, to decide themselves.   

 I really do feel we should now try to get over the material aspect within the CC culture to a greater extent. Merchandising mentality seems to be becoming a little tired in this context. Perhaps we could try to be a bit more imaginative regards the future and potential that the CCs hold for us. My main point here is that if money is in your loop it’s difficult to avoid the conflict between commerce and personal integrity as ones loyalties will be challenged and changed by personal need as has been shown to me many a time out there in the field. Business decisions can often compromise better judgement. All that  really does feel a bit shallow. You could view  that as ‘the old paradigm’ina way. I feel this most definitely does not resonate with the Spirit of the Circles. If you wish to buy stuff or sell a book for instance a generic esoteric outlet such as The Henge Shop in Avebury  when visiting the Stones would seem appropriate as there is no agenda or vested interest associated within. Online is also another source for reading material.

If we pursue this phenomenon with honesty, respect and integrity who knows where it will lead. The potentials are staggering.

So to conclude, if we, the minority who are the CC enthusiasts, many  of whom actually visit CCs in person , cannot get this right there is little chance for the majority I would suggest. We bear a responsibility you could say, to think on a  higher plane and do the right thing as is most probably the will of the Makers themselves.  

Footnote:

You may not agree with everything I say herein but in the absence of (remarkably) literally no other sensible social commentator on this subject that I’m aware of apart from Mark Hayward’s ‘The Goose is Going’, I’m just attempting to do my best here.

Paul Jacobs (CGI)