Tour of Standing Stones After the 2004 Conference Lucy Pringle, Dave Gillham, Elaine Gillham, Storm Alteryus.
Well, the 8th CUFORG Annual Conference has been and gone, and I can only say what an enjoyable day it was. From writing a report as a sceptical bystander last year, I am happy to say I felt much happier to engage with this year’s speakers and not be so quick to look for other explanations. So here I am back again to give an overview which can only hint at the intrigue and inspiration of the Conference.
The day started with a very visual and thought-provoking presentation from Matt Hurley, who has been researching and writing about UFOs for over 10 years. Having his interest sparked as a child means Matt has over the years built up an interesting archive of ideas and images. Focusing on UFOs in history, Matt started off by assuring us that 95% of UFO sightings are explainable. But 5% are not, and he went on to thrill us with a pictorial account of UFOs throughout history. For example, a piece of 22,000 year-old Tanzanian art with bizarre hat-shaped objects in it, or ancient cave paintings with similar shaped objects, through to later religious art. Ever rational and calm, Matt also introduced the idea that hallucinogenic substances may have been involved both in the art and other sightings, before going on to talk about the theme of beings who visit from the sky, found in more than one ancient civilisation. For example, the Sumerian reference to ‘those who came from above’, or the Dogen Tribe’s belief in beings from Sirius who came to impart wisdom. Battles in the sky are also a common motif, with crosses, tubes and other strange objects seen flaming across the heavens. Something which is worth bearing in mind is that these images have appeared in Eastern and Western art, across time and continents, at a point in history when global communications hadn’t been invented. Whether they are UFOs, images from the collective unconscious, or motifs for something else, these strange sights have been with us for thousands of years.
Hot on Matt Hurleys’ heels came a fascinating talk by crop circle expert, Lucy Pringle. Lucy has photographed, catalogued, studied and written about many crop circles, and shared some of her knowledge and experience with us in a fascinating presentation on the effects of crop circles on those who visit them. As in the previous presentation, Lucy was quick to reassure us that crop circles are not a modern phenomena, with petroglyphs of apparent crop circles dating back to 800 AD. The circles have been seen in at least 64 countries. It seems that they have a range of effects on those who have contact with them, a small sample being strange tastes, headaches, sickness, dizziness and other pains, right through to total terror, and, on the opposite end of the scale, profound healing, peace and calm. Many of these effects end upon leaving the circle or moving to another part of it, although healing effects can linger. Even images of circles can have profound effects, and one or two of Lucy’s beautiful photographs drew gasps from the assembled audience. Certainly, I found one or two a little disturbing, while others had an uplifting effect. Lucy and her team do more than just photograph and catalogue these phenomena. They study the circles in depth, and have built up a lot of knowledge about circles, and how to distinguish their perfect, gentle sweep from the rough-trodden hoaxes. Many circles can be studied to show perfect fractals and geometry inherent in their shape. Lucy believes these mysterious circles and the effects they have on us are at the cutting edge of modern science, and may in the future help us with problems as diverse as human ailments and third world hunger. For example, seeds from within a circle may have as much as 50% more protein than those outside, while Aura photography has shown an improvement in the aura of some subjects following exposure to a circle. These implications may one day be of great help to us in understanding our own bodies and the world around us. Are these strange symbols a form of communication from another intelligence? We can only guess.
Next on the agenda was lunch, and a chance to relax, mill around the stalls, do a little paranormal shopping and mingle with the assembled crowd. The atmosphere was good, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and after a leisurely break we all made our way back into the lecture theatre to settle down for an intriguing afternoon.
Our first speaker after lunch was Ann Andrews, a lady of conviction and courage who had our rapt attention. Her story is that of an ordinary family subjected to extraordinary events: the abduction of their youngest son, Jason. The word itself, ‘abduction’, has many connotations, but Ann’s presentation was of a compelling and sensitive nature, that was both moving and fascinating. The Andrews are a normal down-to-earth family who sought for any rational explanation for what was happening to them, even when Jason was moved from his cot as a baby, and his younger brother wasn’t in the house to have played such a trick. Paranormal activity was annoying rather than frightening, and Jason was considered a clingy child besieged by nightmares. But eventually events became so strange that other explanations became less and less likely. Not only was Jason subject to odd marks, scars, and talking in unknown languages, expressing complex binary and mathematical equations, but the family as a whole were treated strangely. Animals on their farm died under unexplained circumstances and they were forced to leave their smallholding, a place where they were often watched from the woods by strange figures, where odd ‘officials’ would turn up to remove animal carcasses or ask questions. Finally, they were able to accept the reality of what was happening to Jason, and subsequently were able to get the help they needed from other experts in the field. Slowly, Jason has come to terms with his night time experiences, and has even appeared to other abductees to help them and allay their fears. Jason now knows when he is going to be taken, and his relationship to the beings who come to him has shifted to one of learning rather than fear. Ann’s honesty and courage in sharing this difficult story with us was deeply moving. It is a stirring and emotional story, and I think I can safely say we all wish Jason the very best for the future.
Next on the agenda was our very own Dave Gillham, CUFORG chairman and UFO investigator. Dave has investigated, witnessed, recorded and catalogued so many events over the years that to condense it all into a half hour slot would be impossible. Orbs, objects, odd figures and other weird things; Dave has seen them all. He entertained us with several interesting slides, including a photograph taken in Ann Andrews’ back garden which clearly showed a pale shadowy figure standing by the fence. After talking about the photos and reports he receives from all over the world, Dave treated us to a private viewing of ‘Close Encounters of the Cornish Kind’, a video made by students from Falmouth College of Arts, and starring Dave as himself. One moment Dave is in his shed, the nerve-centre of his files and activities, and the next he finds himself being interrogated in RNAS Culdrose! One question on everybody’s lips by the end of the video was ‘where is Gillham’, which I’m sure will be a catchphrase for times to come! The show ends with Dave’s assertion that ‘the truth is somewhere out there in the night skies’. Dave ended his talk with a rallying speech about the interesting times we live in, the increase in UFO and paranormal activity, the corroboration of evidence. Things are, he believes, about to get more interesting yet.
Our final speaker of the day was David Phillips, of T.I.P, the Torbay Investigators of the Paranormal. T.I.P started in 1995 with just three members, and began its life as a typical lads’ night out which metamorphosed into a lads’ night out with a healthy dose of paranormal activity mixed in. Even the pub in which the group meet is reputedly haunted! For an hour we all got to be investigators as we watched videos and listed to strange tapes. From an unearthly cry hooting and ghostly figures photographs, to hoaxed chain rattles and the comical sight of a T.I.P member getting the fright of her life as a normal human being stumbled his way upstairs behind her, this truly was T.I.P – warts and all. T.I.P has been subjected to it’s share of hoaxes, a fact which the press have been quick to pick up on, but has carried gamely on, and been rewarded by stories and experiences which aren’t so quickly explained away. The presentation was fresh and original, with David presenting some original theories regarding orbs and the presence of natural powers, and the videos, even the hoaxes, were creepy, perhaps more so because we were kept guessing. David regaled us with his stories of hours spent on night time vigils, of unearthly presences and traps set to catch hoaxers, mixing in a good sense of the personalities of the main members of T.I.P and giving us a real feel for a friendly, dedicated, down-to-earth society. David ended his presentation with another private screening, this time for a video which was, in his own words, made for Korea’s equivalent of ‘Eurotrash’! Who could resist the sight of Dave and his cronies striding purposely through a street somewhere in Devon, the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme blaring lustily on the soundtrack? An amusing and light-hearted end to a fantastic day.
© C.U.F.O.R.G 2004 not to be reproduced in whole or in part.
All information and concepts taken from the presentations given by Matt Hurley, Lucy Pringle, Ann Andrews, Dave Gillham and David Phillips. Copyright remains with the speakers. Information given here is intended to provide an overview of the conference only: not to be reproduced or quoted without express permission of the speaker concerned.
The day started with a very visual and thought-provoking presentation from Matt Hurley, who has been researching and writing about UFOs for over 10 years. Having his interest sparked as a child means Matt has over the years built up an interesting archive of ideas and images. Focusing on UFOs in history, Matt started off by assuring us that 95% of UFO sightings are explainable. But 5% are not, and he went on to thrill us with a pictorial account of UFOs throughout history. For example, a piece of 22,000 year-old Tanzanian art with bizarre hat-shaped objects in it, or ancient cave paintings with similar shaped objects, through to later religious art. Ever rational and calm, Matt also introduced the idea that hallucinogenic substances may have been involved both in the art and other sightings, before going on to talk about the theme of beings who visit from the sky, found in more than one ancient civilisation. For example, the Sumerian reference to ‘those who came from above’, or the Dogen Tribe’s belief in beings from Sirius who came to impart wisdom. Battles in the sky are also a common motif, with crosses, tubes and other strange objects seen flaming across the heavens. Something which is worth bearing in mind is that these images have appeared in Eastern and Western art, across time and continents, at a point in history when global communications hadn’t been invented. Whether they are UFOs, images from the collective unconscious, or motifs for something else, these strange sights have been with us for thousands of years.
Hot on Matt Hurleys’ heels came a fascinating talk by crop circle expert, Lucy Pringle. Lucy has photographed, catalogued, studied and written about many crop circles, and shared some of her knowledge and experience with us in a fascinating presentation on the effects of crop circles on those who visit them. As in the previous presentation, Lucy was quick to reassure us that crop circles are not a modern phenomena, with petroglyphs of apparent crop circles dating back to 800 AD. The circles have been seen in at least 64 countries. It seems that they have a range of effects on those who have contact with them, a small sample being strange tastes, headaches, sickness, dizziness and other pains, right through to total terror, and, on the opposite end of the scale, profound healing, peace and calm. Many of these effects end upon leaving the circle or moving to another part of it, although healing effects can linger. Even images of circles can have profound effects, and one or two of Lucy’s beautiful photographs drew gasps from the assembled audience. Certainly, I found one or two a little disturbing, while others had an uplifting effect. Lucy and her team do more than just photograph and catalogue these phenomena. They study the circles in depth, and have built up a lot of knowledge about circles, and how to distinguish their perfect, gentle sweep from the rough-trodden hoaxes. Many circles can be studied to show perfect fractals and geometry inherent in their shape. Lucy believes these mysterious circles and the effects they have on us are at the cutting edge of modern science, and may in the future help us with problems as diverse as human ailments and third world hunger. For example, seeds from within a circle may have as much as 50% more protein than those outside, while Aura photography has shown an improvement in the aura of some subjects following exposure to a circle. These implications may one day be of great help to us in understanding our own bodies and the world around us. Are these strange symbols a form of communication from another intelligence? We can only guess.
Next on the agenda was lunch, and a chance to relax, mill around the stalls, do a little paranormal shopping and mingle with the assembled crowd. The atmosphere was good, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and after a leisurely break we all made our way back into the lecture theatre to settle down for an intriguing afternoon.
Our first speaker after lunch was Ann Andrews, a lady of conviction and courage who had our rapt attention. Her story is that of an ordinary family subjected to extraordinary events: the abduction of their youngest son, Jason. The word itself, ‘abduction’, has many connotations, but Ann’s presentation was of a compelling and sensitive nature, that was both moving and fascinating. The Andrews are a normal down-to-earth family who sought for any rational explanation for what was happening to them, even when Jason was moved from his cot as a baby, and his younger brother wasn’t in the house to have played such a trick. Paranormal activity was annoying rather than frightening, and Jason was considered a clingy child besieged by nightmares. But eventually events became so strange that other explanations became less and less likely. Not only was Jason subject to odd marks, scars, and talking in unknown languages, expressing complex binary and mathematical equations, but the family as a whole were treated strangely. Animals on their farm died under unexplained circumstances and they were forced to leave their smallholding, a place where they were often watched from the woods by strange figures, where odd ‘officials’ would turn up to remove animal carcasses or ask questions. Finally, they were able to accept the reality of what was happening to Jason, and subsequently were able to get the help they needed from other experts in the field. Slowly, Jason has come to terms with his night time experiences, and has even appeared to other abductees to help them and allay their fears. Jason now knows when he is going to be taken, and his relationship to the beings who come to him has shifted to one of learning rather than fear. Ann’s honesty and courage in sharing this difficult story with us was deeply moving. It is a stirring and emotional story, and I think I can safely say we all wish Jason the very best for the future.
Next on the agenda was our very own Dave Gillham, CUFORG chairman and UFO investigator. Dave has investigated, witnessed, recorded and catalogued so many events over the years that to condense it all into a half hour slot would be impossible. Orbs, objects, odd figures and other weird things; Dave has seen them all. He entertained us with several interesting slides, including a photograph taken in Ann Andrews’ back garden which clearly showed a pale shadowy figure standing by the fence. After talking about the photos and reports he receives from all over the world, Dave treated us to a private viewing of ‘Close Encounters of the Cornish Kind’, a video made by students from Falmouth College of Arts, and starring Dave as himself. One moment Dave is in his shed, the nerve-centre of his files and activities, and the next he finds himself being interrogated in RNAS Culdrose! One question on everybody’s lips by the end of the video was ‘where is Gillham’, which I’m sure will be a catchphrase for times to come! The show ends with Dave’s assertion that ‘the truth is somewhere out there in the night skies’. Dave ended his talk with a rallying speech about the interesting times we live in, the increase in UFO and paranormal activity, the corroboration of evidence. Things are, he believes, about to get more interesting yet.
Our final speaker of the day was David Phillips, of T.I.P, the Torbay Investigators of the Paranormal. T.I.P started in 1995 with just three members, and began its life as a typical lads’ night out which metamorphosed into a lads’ night out with a healthy dose of paranormal activity mixed in. Even the pub in which the group meet is reputedly haunted! For an hour we all got to be investigators as we watched videos and listed to strange tapes. From an unearthly cry hooting and ghostly figures photographs, to hoaxed chain rattles and the comical sight of a T.I.P member getting the fright of her life as a normal human being stumbled his way upstairs behind her, this truly was T.I.P – warts and all. T.I.P has been subjected to it’s share of hoaxes, a fact which the press have been quick to pick up on, but has carried gamely on, and been rewarded by stories and experiences which aren’t so quickly explained away. The presentation was fresh and original, with David presenting some original theories regarding orbs and the presence of natural powers, and the videos, even the hoaxes, were creepy, perhaps more so because we were kept guessing. David regaled us with his stories of hours spent on night time vigils, of unearthly presences and traps set to catch hoaxers, mixing in a good sense of the personalities of the main members of T.I.P and giving us a real feel for a friendly, dedicated, down-to-earth society. David ended his presentation with another private screening, this time for a video which was, in his own words, made for Korea’s equivalent of ‘Eurotrash’! Who could resist the sight of Dave and his cronies striding purposely through a street somewhere in Devon, the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme blaring lustily on the soundtrack? An amusing and light-hearted end to a fantastic day.
© C.U.F.O.R.G 2004 not to be reproduced in whole or in part.
All information and concepts taken from the presentations given by Matt Hurley, Lucy Pringle, Ann Andrews, Dave Gillham and David Phillips. Copyright remains with the speakers. Information given here is intended to provide an overview of the conference only: not to be reproduced or quoted without express permission of the speaker concerned.