Labyrinths of the British Isles

If you are looking for a labyrinth to walk on World Labyrinth Day, here is my Google Earth placemark file of ‘Labyrinths of the British Isles’, recently updated and now including over 180 labyrinths in Scotland, England, Wales, N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The last time I worked on this was about five years ago, and it is quite impressive seeing the number of new labyrinths that have appeared in that time. Each placemark contains details about the labyrinth, and where appropriate access details and contact number so you can check availability. You can access the file using … Continue reading Labyrinths of the British Isles

Swinside and Sighthill in Stellarium

I’ve just made two new stone circle landscapes for Stellarium, the free planetarium software. It’s been quite a while since I created a Stellarium landscape, and I’d forgotten quite how much fiddling around was involved. It does become quite time-consuming, but it’s very satisfying when you do get it to work. This time round, I used two programs that I hadn’t used before, and I actually found the process much easier than previous attempts. There are two main parts to making a landscape – the first is to create a panoramic image from a series of photographs taken from the … Continue reading Swinside and Sighthill in Stellarium

A Basic Guide to Technopathic Stress

Book Review by Roy Riggs ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Many leading scientists today believe that the increasing amount of computers and other electronic devices within our homes could be making us ill. Research has now linked these higher levels of electromagnetic radiation and consequential dirty electricity to increases in autism, cancer, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. In his fascinating and well-researched book Grahame Gardner explains and guides readers through a tour of their domestic dwellings, exposing many hidden dangers you wouldn’t expect. Grahame’s complete command of the subject allows him to express in straightforward and accessible language how many of … Continue reading A Basic Guide to Technopathic Stress

Spring is coming – can you feel it?

Spring is coming – can you feel it? Although there is still snow on the ground and the prospect of more to come, the snowdrops are already up and in flower, the mornings are noticeably lighter, and the sluggish energy following New Year starts to gear up for the months ahead.The beginning of February marks the old festival of Imbolc – one of the four cross-quarter days of the eight-fold Celtic year. The cross-quarter days happen roughly mid-way between the solstices and equinoxes. Unlike those, the cross-quarters are not set astronomical events, so their timing is a slightly fluid affair. … Continue reading Spring is coming – can you feel it?

Space-Clear Your House for Hogmanay

With the end of the year upon us, it’s a good time to have a good clear out and tidy up in the home in readiness for the New Year. This is one of many Scottish traditions carried out at Hogmanay and it is known as ‘redding’ the house. The New Year should bring a completely fresh start, so the entire house is cleaned and the dirt swept out of the back door along with the ‘auld year’. At midnight on Hogmanay, the back door is left open to allow the stagnant energies of the Old Year out, and it … Continue reading Space-Clear Your House for Hogmanay

Hallowe’en Musings

Planting the seeds… The clocks in Britain have been turned back an hour, which in our modern life has become the marker for the end of summer and the onset of the dark winter nights. But it also marks the approach of Hallowe’en, the fire festival of Samhain to the Celtic peoples. Although these days people are more interested in dressing up the kids and creating a general air of spookiness and fun, we tend to forget the more serious side of Samhain. In the yearly cycle of the sun, Samhain is one of the cross-quarter days, those times that … Continue reading Hallowe’en Musings

The Farkas Files

I recently appeared as guest on the US internet radio show ‘The Farkas Files‘ from Empower Radio. I’d met the host David Franklin Farkas at the American Society of Dowers’ convention back in June, and finally we managed to find some time in both our schedules to make this interview happen. It went out live at 9pm EST (2am UK time), but it’s available to listen again by clicking below or can download it from the website. Dowsing & Geomancy? What are they? … GRAHAME GARDNER If you don’t know what Dowsing is, you should! And this week’s guest is … Continue reading The Farkas Files

Cochno – revealed?

Much in the news this week has been the suggestion, reported in The Scotsman, that one of Glasgow’s hidden archaeological treasures might be revealed for the first time in 50 years. The Cochno Stone is widely regarded as the finest example of Neolithic rock art in Europe. With its numerous cup-and-ring markings, spirals, footprints and other symbols, it was believed by maverick archaeologist Ludovic McLellan Mann to represent nothing less than a star map created by the Neolithic peoples inhabiting the area. He felt strongly that it was connected with the nearby ‘mortuary site’ at Knapper’s Farm (now lost under … Continue reading Cochno – revealed?