Points of Order

This year, more people than ever before have kindly sent me reports of their crop circle experiences; a total of 77 reports to date, 45 women and 32 men. I am extremely grateful to all those who take the time and trouble to complete the forms; you are contributing to this very important area of research and without your help, it would not be progressing and developing. When the reports were analysed more thoroughly, using the categories kindly drawn up by Anne Silk, we see a slightly different picture. This year the overall results reveal that physical effects, contrary to other years, are marginally beneficial, whereas the psychological effects are slightly less favourable. These categories are as follows: Oral (metallic/blood taste, tooth pain, unusual thirst) Cranial (headaches) Ocular (vision changes, hallucination) Auditory Gut (nausea, diarrhoea etc.) Dermal Systemic (dizziness, weak knees, shaky legs etc.) Cardiac Mental/brain (thought processes affected, short-term memory loss, feelings of panic, terror, evil, peace, love and light, camaraderie, disorientation, sense of a presence etc.) It is interesting to note that whereas many people are affected by the crop formations, some clearly are not. Why should this be? Our metabolic systems vary in the way they function and will therefore react in multi-differential ways; people will even experience varying effects within the same crop formation. Anne Silk suggests that the answer may lie in body weight, fat or thin, the mind set of the individual, metallic implants (such as amalgam metal root canals which will reflect incident external energy), shape of ventricles in the brain, immunocompetence and whether the individual is taking Rdx medication or drugs. We know that when a genuine formation appears, there is an enormous electrical discharge which creates an electromagnetic field resulting in low frequency microwave radiation such as is found in your microwave ovens and is also present in mobile telephones when in use.

Can we measure this `energy`?

This year I have been using two meters, one designed to measure electromagnetic fields in microtesla (0-19.99mT) and ELF (extremely low frequency) in volts per metre (0-1999V/m). Neither has revealed any anomalies, even though I have visited several formations within 12 hours of their appearance. The readings have consistently been between .01-03 mT and 001-003 V/m respectively. However I am not dismayed, as an electromagnetic field is an oscillator, producing induction, and therefore unlike static electricity, is not constant. I believe that in order to get any anomalous electromagnetic reading you would have to be present when the event was actually occurring. However what does appear to be happening is that the residual energy is absorbed by both the affected crop and soil and it is this residual energy that is affecting humans, animals, plants, soil and electrical and mechanical instruments. Clearly this will vary according not only to the amount of people who visit the formation, absorbing the energy but the original power density and exposure time.

The second meter was a Gem Radalert, measuring ionising radiation in micro-sieverts per hour. The meter has a display of 7 vertical lights, each denoting a rate of exposure from 0 to in excess of 7.5 micro-sieverts. The green light measures in-between .1 -.3 mSv/h, the yellow between .5- 2.5 mSv/h and the red from 7mSv/h upwards. All was quiet on this front until I visited the Lockeridge `Dragon` that appeared on 25th May. I visited the formation within 48 hours of it forming and as I was walking through the various elements suddenly all the lights on my ionising meter flashed as though I was in a discotheque. This is the alarm/danger signal and in order to catch one's attention and alert one to the danger, will not re-set itself automatically but will continue flashing until manually re-set. This was a significant reaction; also there were many reports of weak knees, shaky legs and heart palpitations from people visiting this formation.

Minerals and vitamins Many of you may recall the study started in 1996 in which my mineral and vitamin levels were tested by Anne Smithells of Biotech Health, Petersfield, to see if there was any physical variation after visiting crop formations over the summer period. To be able to compare my state of health, it required `before` and `after` season testing. The results from the previous year (1996) revealed a marked and worrying drop in both my mineral and vitamin levels. This was corrected over a period of 4 months as shown when Ann re-tested me in January 1997. In April 1997 Anne kindly agreed to test me yet again and the results showed that both levels had remained normal since January and I was fit and healthy. In order to conduct scientifically credible tests, that summer, I decided (against Anne's advice) not to take any precautions. When re-tested in September, the results confirmed Anne's fears; yet again the tests revealed a dramatic drop in mineral and vitamin levels. Anne reports that "Lucy Pringle was tested in this clinic in April 1997. At that time her vitamin and mineral levels were normal. "She was re-tested in mid September 1997. On this occasion her magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc mineral levels were below a healthy par and vitamin C and vitamin B5 were also very low. These results can indicate adrenal stress. "Exhausted adrenals show as fatigue, but can also affect the efficacy of other hormones such as the thyroid and the pancreas. This was beginning to happen with Lucy." This summer I decided to take precautions and when tested in September 1998, my levels were normal.

Drawing together the reports I had received on abnormal and post-menopausal bleeding and the results of Anne Smithells' tests, it would indicate that further research is necessary in this area of endocrinology. After I had given a talk in Sussex this autumn, a woman of 54 came up to me. She had been post-menopausal for at least a year, until... she took a couple of drops of homeopathic tincture made from the fallen crop in `The Queen` formation that appeared on the 6th August at Lockeridge. Since then her periods have restarted and she has suffered from severe headaches. Here we have a clear example of water interacting with the `energy`. Another player in this theatre is the pineal gland situated in the centre of our brain and connected to the hypothalamus, part of the limbic system. This gland was thought by Descartes to be `the seat of the soul`. It is also responsible for hormonal behaviour by secreting the hormone melatonin, which has a profound influence on our sleep patterns and sexual cycles.

Pituitary and pineal glands

'Exhausted adrenals' and the effects on my pancreas and thyroid, drew my attention once more to the workings of the pituitary gland. Endocrine glands produce hormones, which circulate in our blood system, controlling and adjusting certain processes. One of the most important endocrine glands is the pituitary, known as the `Master Gland`, a small gland linked to the hypothalamus region of our brain. This gland produces several hormones which are linked to other glands: amongst these hormones are thyroxine, produced by the thyroid gland; female hormones oestrogen and progesterone by the ovaries and the male hormone testosterone by the testes. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which controls the level of glucose in our blood and the adrenal glands just above our kidneys produce adrenaline, the `emergency` hormone.

Anne Smithells very kindly agreed to run hormone tests before and after entry to a crop circle if a local, fresh one could be found. Our luck was in for on Saturday 9 July, a woman telephoned me to report a formation below Windmill Hill, near Petersfield that had appeared overnight. Over the weekend, I found and received permission from the farmer to conduct tests in his field, I managed to reach Anne Smithells and to organise two people, a woman aged 72 and a man aged 54, to act as guinea pigs. They were tested at 12 noon and we went into the formation at 2.30pm. They were tested again at 4.30pm. In both the man and the woman, their melatonin levels had increased considerably, well beyond any normal expectancy (indicating pineal gland stimulation) and the man's thyroid that had been considerably below par prior to entry had received a boost bringing it into the normal range. This indicated stimulation of the pituitary gland. I must stress that these are preliminary results but they confirm my belief that both the pineal and pituitary glands are being affected. Another often reported effect worth considering is the relief of arthritic and rheumatic pain (1). I have received many such reports and indeed witnessed this easing of pain in people. Sometimes the benefit is short lasting, other times seemingly permanent. On this occasion , as we arrived at the Windmill Hill formation, Bunny Storror announced that she had two severely arthritic hips and a `crumbling` knee and that despite the formation only being a comparatively short walk, felt she might not be able to make it. I suggested that she should not make the attempt but she was determined and with her husband's help reached the formation at her own speed. They remained in for about 40 minutes. At Anne Smithells' clinic afterwards, Bunny told me that as she approached the formation she felt as though she had walked `into a field of well-being` and that coming back she found she was `walking buoyantly`.

What could be the reason for this? First we must look for the underlying effect of the condition. In both rheumatism and arthritis, the core effect is inflammation. In rheumatoid arthritis, it is thought to be brought about by a breakdown in communication between the immune system and healthy cells. Anti bodies, for reasons yet unknown, attack healthy cells, causing great pain and damage. There are many forms of rheumatism and arthritis but the fundamental effect remains inflammation. Could the crop circles be acting as anti-imflammatants? This is another area that needs in-depth research. We did a further hormone level test in another local formation at Chidden but this one was over two weeks old and the results showed none of the dramatic changes that had been found in the Windmill hill formation. Either the `force` had dissipated or this one was man-made?

Stepping Stones into other dimensions

It is interesting to note that the effects discussed in this article are not reserved for crop circles alone. Mrs Elizabeth Sulivan, an immensely bright and active 82 year old, living in a romantic Norman keep overlooking the Haven at Milford Haven, wrote to me telling me of strange happenings in her labyrinth that were identical to those I had been writing about over the years. The labyrinth was designed by Elizabeth on the same geometric principles as Chartres Cathedral. It is made up of railway sleepers and lies between two ancient stone circles. In February this year, I drove down to Milford Haven to visit Elizabeth and her labyrinth. Apart from being visually extraordinary beautiful, it was clear that here was something quite out of the ordinary. As I entered with my pendulum, (dowsing had revealed that Elizabeth should not enter that morning) I realised that each stone was alternatively either Yin or Yang and that each ring of the labyrinth followed the same principle. Clearly these were generators performing in the same manner as stone circles built by our ancestors. However it was not until I was almost at the centre, by then feeling quite nauseous and disorientated, that I understood that the entire construction was predominantly Yin. Being female, i.e. Yin, this told me why I was feeling so unwell(an overload of anything is not good for you.). I also realised that it was lunar aspected and that in addition to other properties, it was a rotating calendar. The two ancient stone circles either side of the labyrinth are acting as cog wheels connecting and interacting with the labyrinth situated in between, like interlocking wheels in a clock mechanism. A veritable power house!

Whereas I felt ill, men on the other hand would feel extremely well and as I was describing this to Elizabeth she said that explained the effects often reported by men, in particular one worker who had been fascinated by the labyrinth and had wandered in. About ten days later his wife had telephoned Elizabeth to ask what on earth she had done to her husband as ever since visiting the labyrinth he had become so energised, she had not been able to cope with him! Elizabeth herself is keenly aware that she is sitting on a structure of immense power and has been doing extensive investigations. She has dowsed a chakra in the centre with layers that contains every disease known to man going down in a clockwork helix.

You cannot fool us

For the sixth year running, Peter Staples and Isobel Maxwell-Cade kindly gave their time and expertise to investigating the psycho-physical changes invoked within a crop formation. This year I decided to use the man-made formation commissioned by the BBC Countryfile team (in an effort to debunk the phenomenon) to see if there was any noticeable difference between the control tests taken outside the formation and the one performed inside the formation.

Only Peter Staples knew of its origin, neither of the two guinea pigs were aware it was man-made nor was Isabel Maxwell-Cade. Control tests were performed in the morning in the garden of Polly Carson's house in Alton Barnes. After lunch we made our way to the complex Milk Hill formation, each of us carrying the various pieces of equipment, which were duly set up and the tests began. Whilst the first person (a woman) was being tested, Christopher Weeks, the other volunteer, was carefully scrutinising the lay of the crop as he does on entering every formation. Christopher is an astute researcher of long standing with whom I have done much work in the past. However recently he had become a father and has also had an extremely busy working year and had not been able to visit any formations. He is not keen on modern technology and is not connected to the Internet. He was therefore unaware that this was of human origin. After a few minutes he called me to help him examine the lay of the fallen crop. "This is a man-made formation", he announced. This clearly did not suit my plan, so I became evasive and said rather primly, that as we were not there when it formed clearly we would never know for certain. I then positioned myself at the perimeter as several people were advancing towards the formation and whispered to them not to divulge its origin as scientific tests were in process. . Christopher again called me, and showed me where in his opinion the first circle had been laid. He also pointed to other tell tale evidence. Again I procrastinated; his look of amazement clearly indicated all my intelligent powers of deduction had deserted me! After the tests had been completed I took Christopher to one side and confirmed his findings. "Thank goodness, I thought either you or I had gone mad!"

I have just received the results from Peter Staples, which read as follows:

"Following our investigations on the changes in psycho-physical responses experienced by people in crop formations during the last 5 summers (1993-1997) we joined a group with Lucy Pringle to take more measurements this summer 1998. The location of the crop formation was near Alton Barnes, very close to the sites in 194 and 1997. The approach adopted was the same; to use portable electronic biomonitoring instruments to monitor Electrical Skin Resistance (ESR), peripheral temperature and electrical brain rhythms via Electro-encephalograph (EEG), taking a set of reference measurements outdoors away from the crop formation and then taking equivalent measurements in it. The conclusions of a simple experiment of this type should be viewed as 'demonstrative' rather than 'proof' in strict scientific terms that crop circles can be an agent bringing about changes in states of consciousness.

Measurements and what they can show

The nature of these measurements and what they can show is summarised in the article "A test of the psycho-physical changes invoked within a crop circle" in The Circular, Vol 4:4, March 1994, pages 13-15, to which the reader is referred. In summary, measurements of changes and responses in the body are used to appraise the corresponding changes in mental/emotional state. The basis for this correspondence is empirical - derived from many hours of monitoring people and relating their subjective accounts and the observable responses with those taken objectively from the instruments. We attempt to interpret such changes in psycho-physical terminology e.g. 'shift from lethargic towards relaxed-and-alert' because these are more accessible than the physical readings from the meter scales. This obviously reflects a model of the psycho-physical responses with an objective consistency, and this was an important part of the work undertaken by Max Cade in the development of biomonitoring method and is implicit in these studies. Watching the display of the Mind Mirror EEG for even a short period shows how rapidly and frequently the spectrum of the brain wave activity can-and often does-change. The account given below is therefore a brief appraisal of the overall shift (or absence of such shifts) in the patterns of the subjects listed. Our interpretation of the EEG patterns reflects a "hierarchy! Of states of consciousness i.e. Where each state has a greater level of awareness and responsiveness than the one below. Whilst there are appropriate situations for all these states, we are looking for an increase in the level of awareness and in the balancing of the two sides of the brain. This way of interpreting EEG patterns is described in the book 'The awakened Mind' by C.Maxwell Cade and Nona Coxhead.

Location

The location was arranged by Lucy, which was at Alton Barnes in Wiltshire. The crop formation was known as Milk Hill (due to the location rather than the shape) the aerial photograph shows the shape. Our reference measurements were made on the lawn of a large garden at a house nearby. It was a warm day; the temperature in the crop formation in the sun was around 23 degrees C. Our subjects were Christopher Weeks, Joy Gove and Lucy Pringle. We had measurements from several sessions for Chris and Lucy.

Findings

The ESR and temperature are summarised as follows (higher ESR means lower autonomic nervous system activity):

Subject ESR(left hand) ESR(right hand) finger temp (left hand)
control in circle control in circle control in circle
Joy 100K 150k 50K 70K 29.5 degs 32.5 degs 
Chris 300K 500K 250K 350K 31 degs 32.5 degs 
Lucy 500K 250K 500K 350K 25 degs 27.5 degs

All three subjects showed a change between the control measurements in the garden and those in the crop circle. For Joy and Chris, the shift was to a more relaxed and alert state as for example one would typically show after an effective relaxation session. The ESR readings in both hands were higher by 40% to 50% (decrease in nervous activity) and the peripheral temperature increased by 1.5 to 2 degrees. Chris showed more balanced brain rhythms in the crop circle (i.e. balanced left/right hemispheres) and flashes of the balanced alpha/theta/beta 'lucid awareness' state, although not sustained. There was also more delta implying a more active subconscious - for example as a dowsing response. This, too, would be characteristic of an effective relaxation session. Joy also showed an improved left/right hand balance in the crop circle relative to the control but not such stark differences. Lucy showed an increase in peripheral temperature. The ESR readings were lower in the crop circle but we would regard this as a 'normalising' change as, for example, might be shown after relaxation because the control reading had a rather high ESR - which we regard as dissociation rather then relaxation, for example due to tiredness. Lucy appeared from the brain rhythms to be 'free-wheeling' in both the control and crop circle. There was mainly beta showing only external awareness and little theta or delta. Lucy occasionally went into 'lucid awareness' when prompted to focus on something for which she had enthusiasm. Isabel likened the overall effect to brain fatigue. The brain rhythms did not seem to be significantly different between the control and the crop circle.

Conclusions

The overall effect of being in this formation appears to have been beneficial in a relaxing way. The formation did not seem to have much 'character' in terms of evoking dramatic change in the way we have experienced in former years. There was not much sustained stimulation of delta activity - for example, associated with intuition. In addition, seed head samples were taken from both inside and outside this formation and tested in a laboratory for nitrate/nitrogen changes. There were no changes, yet results from other formations have shown a dramatic 2 to 1 variation. These simple government approved tests can be conducted for an outlay of less than £50. It also tells us yet again that these `energies` interact with living matter, the soil and crop on the one hand and human biology on the other. We now have tests for both which can be reproduced by any scientific investigator.

Earlier this year, crop circle hoaxers Wynken, Blynken and possibly Nod (apologies to Eugene Field 1850-1895), were paid considerable sums by National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) television to make a crop circle in New Zealand. No expenses were spared, all their costs were met. Certain criteria were apparently laid down, such as the number of elements to be included in the formation, the length of time they were allowed to make it and that it should be done in total darkness. Armed with `flattening` equipment and diagrams drawn to scale, they were flown to Dunearn in Central Southland, many miles from the eyes and ears of any `croppie` authorities. The shoot went ahead and the formation was made but...locals reported cranes being brought in to place and floodlights trained on the field where the hoaxers were working giving them the benefit of seeing exactly what they were doing. Why send hoaxers `Wynken, Blyken` and possibly `Nod`(apologies to Eugene Field 1850-1895), all the way to New Zealand at enormous expense when the truth can be found with an outlay from the petty cash?

Sorry boys, you have to face it, there are certain things you and your garden rollers cannot do; nature is considerably more sophisticated than man!

Not only are the man-made crop circles a hoax, but so are the BBC Country File documentaries when only one side is presented. I welcome the scientific investigation of crop circles. The BCC Country File documentary due to be shown in January 1999, will be a con if the scientific aspect is not covered and does nothing for the credibility of those who profess to know how crop circles are made.

Lock up your garden sheds!

Hot Water Bottles

I have continued to bury 20ml bottles of water in the fields. The protocol has remained the same in most respects. However this year, instead of leaving the bottles in the ground for up to two weeks, I bury and retrieve them on the same visit. I believe the water absorbs the frequencies instantly and that the imprint remains for an indefinite period of time as instanced by Cyril Smith's results when testing bottles several months old. The seed head taken from inside the formation had been stimulated to a resonance of 57M and the water samples also buried inside the formation had resonances of 59M and 58M, indicating that not only had they been stimulated to the same resonance as the seed head but that they had retained the resonance, thus proving Dr Jacques Benveniste's theory that water has a memory.

Dr Konstantin Korotkov, the Russian physicist who kindly tested water samples buried in the 1997 Winterbourne Bassett 'Florentine Tapestry', tells me that he is hoping to be able to test my water samples in situ next year. This would be an immense and most welcome step forward.

Dr Roger Taylor visited me recently to demonstrate an advanced piece of equipment he had recently received, using computerised Kirlianography, which sends a high voltage discharge from the finger to the electrode. We plan to test this machine on crop circle visitors, again conducting `on the spot` tests.

Conclusion

I believe the effects of electro-magnetic fields on living matter is an immensely important area of research; we have evidence that we are dealing with low frequency microwave radiation. This has far reaching implications, for whereas we know it disrupts our central nervous system, we still do not have any precise information as to the exact degree of disruption caused. That it can be beneficial in some instances is not in doubt but it is also the case that it can have quite severe adverse affects such are being discovered regarding the use of mobile telephones. Worrying medical reports, resulting from their frequent use, is currently being conducted at both Bristol Royal Infirmary and the government establishment at Porton. These microwaves penetrate certain areas of our brain, which suggest they could damage our immune systems with possibly serious results, such as brain tumours found in research conducted on rats. The results also suggest that there is a link between these microwave signals and disruption to memory and learning. The more we use electrical equipment the more we are polluting our atmosphere and risking our health, and the greater the need for research in this area. If the research resulting from the investigation of crop formations can play an active part in this scenario, they will not only continue to be forms of immense beauty and pleasure to the beholder but of great medical benefit to mankind. As always, I am enormously grateful to the people who have kindly sent me reports over the years. Without your help this research would not be possible and as always I would like to reassure you that everything you tell me is in total confidence unless you give me permission otherwise. Nothing is too small or insignificant and indeed something you deem unimportant may be a piece of the jig-saw puzzle that has been missing to date. So please include everything. I am also enormously indebted to the medical fraternity, who have gallantly come to my aid, especially Anne Silk and Anne Smithells. My enormous gratitude also to Jim Lyons, Roger Taylor and others.

1. Pringle. L. The Circular. Issue 30. `To Russia with Bottles`. p.35