Westwoods : Global Village at the Crossroads by Michelle Jennings Evolution, growth, change are implicit in this innovated symbol, reported June 21 at Westwoods, Nr Lockeridge. It is not recognizable as a meaningful traditional artifact, but when it is analyzed in terms of its parts it can be seen as a statement of 'newness' for these times.  The basic parts of this symbol are: the circle, 'four', the Mantuan or Iron Cross, the Vesica Pisces in rudimentary form, and dots in specific patterns located at junction points. The contrast between the 'perfect' geometric form of the cross and the emerging asymmetric vesica pisces are factors to be considered in this message as well. Two other references that could help in the interpretation of this design might be: the snake crop circle at Wilton Windmill, and the Crass logo crop circle at Stonehenge, nr Winterbourne. The encompassing circle of this formation is the archetypal symbol for Divinity; it is all-encompassing and present within and without, as could be understood by the large holding circle of the design and the smaller circle dots of the same lay.  The circle is a primary feminine sign. The number four, represented by the cross, the 4 pairs of vesica pisces and the patterns of four dots found throughout the design, symbolizes: stability, organization, wholeness, Nature in the elements, the seasons, cardinal directions, phases of the moon, Earth.  The two illustrations below show the importance of 'four' in the understanding of our relationship with Nature.  Both carry some resemblance to this crop circle.  Diagrams explaining elemental dynamics The cross in this crop circle is the so-called 'Iron Cross' or 'Mantuan Cross' (please see http://www.faktoider.nu/kreuz_eng.html ). It is derivative of the cross that was worn by the medieval Teutonic Order of knight crusaders. Teutonic Knights and later Iron Cross To this day, the Iron Cross is given as an honour for military prowess and heroism in Germany.  It is essentially a symbol for authority, militarism, aggression, and defensiveness, in keeping with the characteristics of iron itself, it is: powerful, inflexible and durable.  To rule with an 'iron fist' implies the ruler is harsh and unyielding. In some cultures it represented male strength. This element of the design is geometric and regular in form.  Although the values represented by the Iron Cross served humanity in the past, perhaps it is time to acknowledge that the ideas that Crass proposes with its logo, found as a crop circle at Stonehenge, June 20th, are indeed appropriate for these times: "The aforementioned logo represented an amalgamation of several "icons of authority" including the Christian Cross, the swastika and the Union Flag combined with a two headed snake consuming itself (to symbolize the idea that power will eventually destroy itself)." [see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crass]  The fourth element of the design is the asymmetric version of the Vesica Pisces, which apparently was used in Egypt as the hieroglyph for the letter 'r' and 'l' as well as for the meaning 'mouth'.  It can be found in images for the Goddess Ma'at who stands for truth, justice and balance, and who weighs the souls of the dead with her ostrich feather. She speaks Truth. Ma’at, Goddess of Truth and Justice  This element also approximates the shape of a leaf, or even the shape of long ears of a rabbit or a donkey.  By these associations, an organic aspect can be implicated–one that is 'growing out of' the more abstract cross form.  When seen as donkey's ears, the symbolism has almost opposing meanings: humility and wisdom, versus the typhoon-like, but vital, energy of Seth, dark brother of Osiris. When seen as rabbit's ears, according to Ukrainian tradition, the symbol denotes the humility of humanity as it listens to the lessons offered by Nature.  These truths must be heeded. Two aspects of the Donkey/Ass symbol The resemblance of each 'vesica' in the design to the head of the snake in the formation of Wilton Windmill is unequivocal. Perhaps some common meaning can be derived that relates to the warning issue found in the snake.  If we do not allow the very definitive and inflexible ways of survival tactics, and material acquisition to soften into a more organic and life-supportive dynamic, then we could be in trouble.  As well, the 'seed' idea mentioned by Crop Circle Decoder: H.K.D. Translator: Lisa C. Kuo in the article at http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2011/Wilton/articles.html fits into this paradigm of change and growth. The final element of this formation is the most baffling to me.  Dots have been significant ideograms since the time of cave and rock carvings. Whether the dot is used separately or in conjunction with other forms, "it seems to denote something that is of short duration, or small, or focused. " (132 Liungman)  Although not exactly 'points', these dots are small enough to evoke some of the symbolism of the point: as the bindu, it is the seed of manifestation; it is the source of spatial expansion; it is the resolution of opposing tendencies; it is the still centre of the circle; it is the completely formless principle from which all beings and all matter originated. (305 - 306 Chevalier) So we have a very structured iron cross, from which flow pairs of organic vesica shapes, both contained by an all-encompassing circle, riddled within by smaller circles in regularly placed patterned groups, and repetitions of the number four in a variety of ways. Taking all of these together, we can get a sense that the overall picture is about the union of the great cosmic Divine Oneness with the four square Earth plane, which implies a growth in consciousness, a change of heart perhaps.  When further investigating the formation, we see that the rigid, well-defined cross gives way at eight points to a more organic, less easily described form.  That form in turn, is open to the outside perimeter of the great circle.  Somehow movement of consciousness from restrictive, dictatorial, imposing social and personal ideology (the cross) to a more open-ended, inclusive and nurturing attitude (vesica) implies access to the greater reaches of the cosmos and, with the eight vesica, to "regeneration; resurrection; a new man of grace; transformation of square to circle and vice versa ; completion; all possibilities in manifestation; splendour" (118 Cooper). The dots, being small focal points could perhaps be the actual human beings who serve as mini-centers of consciousness development and who exist in small groups around the globe.  This idea about the dots was just reinforced for me because, as I glanced at the formation image from a distance, I noticed the 'x' shape in the circle described by the elongated forms holding dots.  When I looked this shape up, it proved to be the symbol used as a determinative in the names of ancient Egyptian towns or cities, as in: Versions of ‘niwt’, hieroglyphic determinative for ‘town’ It stands for the intersection of a town's streets, a crossroads.  So in this simple added element, we have the depiction of a city–a Global Village–and the fact that it is at a crossroads, a time of choice-making, "but also the union of opposites; the meeting place of time and space" (46 Cooper). This element, plus the use of ideographic and symbolic elements that have been used since the dawn of human consciousness, through ancient and recent history, up to a present innovation, could mean that this formation is concerned with the evolution of human consciousness and its relationship to Nature and the Universe. Is this formation trying to say that we, tiny, inconsequential, short-lived individual human beings, could be seeds for a new way of life, a new species, a new understanding of Life the Universe and Everything? My hope is YES!!!  -         Michelle Jennings  Sources: Bruce-Mitford, Miranda. The Illustrated Book of Signs & Symbols.Reader’s Digest. Montreal. 1996. Chevalier, Jean & A.Gheerbrant. The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols. Penguin Books Ltd. London. 1996. Cooper, J.C. An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols. Thames & Hudson. London. 1978. Encyclopédie de symbols. F. Périgaut, traduction. Le Livre de Poche. 1996. Julien, Nadia. The Mammoth Dictionary of Symbols. Robinson Publishing. London. 1996. Liungman, C.G. Dictionary of Symbols. W.W.Norton & Co. New York.1991. Walker, B. The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols & Sacred Objects. Castle Books. Edison, NJ. 1988.  http://radicalgraphics.org/collection/search.php?searchstring=swastika   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crass   http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/Files/Sue-PysankySYMBOLISM.pdf   http://www.njdriftersmc.com/gallery.html   http://www.flickr.com/photos/quadralectics/4350465759/   http://www.crystalinks.com/teutonicknights.html http://www.faktoider.nu/kreuz_eng.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_(hieroglyph)