What is Geomancy?
by
Ivan Mcbeth

Geomancy means literally "Divination through the medium of the Earth". When I use the word "geomancy", I mean something like "bringing into awareness and working with the invisible forces of Nature". The invisible forces of nature could also be described as "The spirit of the land".

I think of the relationship between "Geomancy" and "Geology" like that of an iceberg. The volume of ice below the surface of the sea (the hidden, unseen forces) are huge compared to the ice showing on the surface.

I am a pragmatist. Speculation and theorising about the nature of things will only turn me on if, by the conclusions reached by such ruminations, real and useful manifestations are the result. Much of my work involves harmonising myself to the energetic properties of particular sites on the surface of this beautiful planet, "listening" to guidance about what is to be done there, and doing it. My work involves simple actions such as visiting sites, considered either "sacred", or normal, and acting spontaneously such as playing my flute, meditating, or ripping my clothes off and screaming.

My other work includes working with the spirit of a particular place with large groups (up to 300 people), setting up gateways to different realms, and undertaking magical adventures together; I also build small, medium and large stone circles. I treat my interactions with the spirit of the land with great respect; I feel very honoured to be "chosen" as an agent of change. I am at the same time highly irreverent and spontaneous, causing at times disruption and uncomfortableness to those of a more conservative bent.

Another important aspect of geomancy is the recognition and interpretation of omens. This I take very seriously and although figuring out what the hell they actually mean is a bit dodgy, their existence alone makes me aware that Great Spirit is present and the sacred is blessing my way.

My interactions with the spirit of the land tend to follow a pattern:

1. A summons. This happens either by a dream, a strong gut feeling, or contact by the owner, or guardian of piece of land. Do I want to get involved with a particular piece of work on the land?

2. Tuning in. What does it feel like? A little bit of research here does a power of good. Who are the people involved? How serious are they? Three-quarters of potential projects turn out to be definite no-nos.

3. Spending time on the site. If it feels right and I need to follow it up, the site will quickly tell me what it is all about. Whether instructed verbally by the guardian, or brought to a site by intuition, it is important I stay at the place in question until I receive clear guidance of what I have to do.

4. Open communication. Frequent communication between all concerned is essential in order to keep ideas moving and maintaining contact with reality.

5. Decision. When all the major pieces of the jigsaw are in position, and all involved (i.e. owner of the land, the spirit of the land, and my feelings) are in concordance, a decision can be made as to course of action.

6. Action. The work manifests. If this results in large changes to the physical environment, the guardian of the land is usually involved. Mostly this is not necessary, if the action is playing the flute, or rearranging a fallen stone, etc.

Maybe it is time for an Ivan-eye view on life, the universe and everything, so brace yourselves…

I see the planet Earth spinning majestically through the heavens, mostly bright blue with areas of white, brown and green on her surface. An intense deep blue aura envelopes her with healing, evolving lifetides. Inside her I see blackness, the absence of light, until I move towards her centre.

As I glide through her body in my imagination, it becomes hotter and hotter and the rocks start to glow. Further in, the heat becomes intense, and the brightness climbs through reds, golds, whites, blues, and eventually to a transparent, blinding crystalline radiance. This is her crystal heart which is intimately connected through space and time to her sister planets across the universe, with which she shares a common destiny. This heart is also her connection to the stars, for our magical planet is actually a star that, due to her size and the conditions at her birth, didn't fully ignite.

This miracle of existence is no accident. Seen from an intuitive and 'hands on' perspective, it is plain to me that the Earth is an intelligent, sentient Being who is vital and alive in her own right. All that lives over, on and inside her is an integral part of her Being as are organs, bones and individual cells in the human body. Balanced in her motion around the sun in the optimum position for life, she dances with her siblings, the planets, around their great parent.

The sun is her guide and god, and he shines the life-giving rays of light into her heart. Although she seems hard and dense, she is made of light vibrating at a slower speed than that of the sun. Throughout the ages, the sun shines at the perfect vibration for the stage of evolution the Earth embodies, and changes whenever appropriate. It is said that recently, in 1992, the sun altered its rate of radiation preparing the Earth for a greater rate of change of consciousness, resulting in the "eye of the cyclone" effect in 2012.

I call our planet 'she', as only an abundant mother can provide such an unconditional and all-embracing, loving environment for her children, all living things, which are created from the substances of her body. Her body is in turn created from the bodies of exploding stars, her stellar ancestors which whisper their eternal stories of the dawn of existence through the vast reaches of the universe. Her offspring (us) are given the optimum conditions for life, with fair climates, abundant food, fresh waters, sweet air to breathe, and are integral parts in the workings of her nature. I recognise her not only as alive, but as having a personality and destiny of her own, understandable only in the context of the cosmic scheme of things.

These matters I cannot hope to grasp with my intellect, yet I know that the collective experiences and evolutionary journey of the human race have an important role to play in the fruition of her destiny. This influence has something to do with our roles as bridges, consciously connecting her crystal heart with planetary, stellar and interstellar forces which are flowing through us all of the time.

The human race has increased its knowledge of the material universe, the so-called 'apparent world', phenomenally during its brief span of existence on this planet. We are also technologically competent to implement changes which will improve the quality of life for all those at present incarnate on the Earth, and to prepare for all those who will come after.

Unfortunately this has not happened. In fact, so far we haven't done very well at all.

I know that the answer lies within ourselves, and that we have the power to change the world.

I used to believe, and now know through my own observations and experience, that the problems outside myself will fade as I heal myself, for my perception of the outside world is a consequence of my individual energy level and state of awareness. I can only trust that, in turn, everyone else on this wonderful planet comes to their senses and decides to change. For the secret of a happy, healthy individual is directly proportional to the internal health of that person. Internal health, both physical and psychic, depends on our relationship with life, the sacred, and with our Selves.

I believe that the way we can contact the sacred in ourselves is by taking responsibility for our own lives. When we search for and then follow the individual star which illuminates our life's path, we will find our own answers, or enlightenment. When enough people do this, it becomes just a little easier for those following. Eventually a critical point will be reached, the 'hundredth monkey point', when the momentum created by all those incarnated self-realised beings is enough to change the balance of awareness on the entire planet. Everyone will then have the opportunity to experience the Truth, and the Life, in their lifetime.

My task is to discover, enhance and refine my healing energies, and walk the highways and byways of my mother planet. I am in service, and wait in an appropriate manner until I am called. Whenever I feel I have something to contribute, I act in accordance with the spirit of the land using my geomantic skills and do my job without fuss or distraction. I give myself as much time as is needed, and am careful not to make it into a race. I trust that I will be at the right place at the right time for each stage of the healing journey, and that the appropriate guidance will appear. I knew that any pressure to complete within a rigid time scale will ruin everything.

If the planet is a living, integrated Being in her own right, there must be channels that act as conduits for her life-force, eventually touching and nourishing every last cell of her body. I have a detailed picture in my minds' eye of the acupuncture points on a human body connected by meridians and governed by the major chakras. I can see the same image in light surging across the planet's surface, glowing and pulsing in incandescent life. There in front of my eyes is the Earth, enveloped by a luminous aura, with light beams of varying intensity criss-crossing her surface. The intersections are her acupuncture points, which vary from the faintest glow to pulsing little stars shining brilliantly through her energy body.

Each intersection or nodal point corresponds to a specific physical spot on her surface, identifiable by a feeling of heightened energy, or a sense that something special is going on there. These places I call 'sacred spaces', or 'power points', and depending on what sort of meridians they are on, they radiate a certain quality of energy, or atmosphere. One would find there maybe open land, a special tree, a crossroads, a stone circle, a well, a spring, a cathedral, a castle, a military base or even a prison.

As specific acupuncture points on a human body are stimulated to balance the organism and to allow vital energy to flow more efficiently, I liken my healing energy and the crystals I sometimes use to needles that enter the earth's skin and cause changes in her flow of life-force. Again, when someone undergoes a course of acupuncture, the practitioner diagnoses a particular imbalance, plans the treatment, then stimulates certain points. Not every possible point on the body is manipulated, only those relevant for the return to health and harmony of the organism.

I feel like a magical child roaming the body of his Great Mother, on a wonderful adventure to learn the secrets of life itself with other like-minded beings. Along the way there are situations, places and people who are sick and in need of healing. I carry with me a collection of crystal and energetic acupuncture needles, and do my best to stay receptive to the whispered instructions of the Great Acupuncturist in the Sky. I travel from one acupuncture point to another along her meridians, inserting them as it feels right.

Theories and understandings aside, my task boils down to enjoying myself to the fullest, remaining receptive to the whispers of the geomantic spirit, and following its guidance. Ho!

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