Report by Jane Knight.
Recordings are available to buy here: CLICK HERE
Welcome:
Mike Newton, Gatekeeper Trust Treasurer, opened the meeting with a welcome to the 5th Gatekeeper Trust annual online conference entitled Sacred Space. Six speakers would be sharing their insights into Sacred Space. Participants were invited to send in questions, and they would be answered either during the afternoon or if the talk was recorded, the answers would be uploaded along with the presentations.
Mike then handed over to Angela Shaw, Gatekeeper Trust Chair, who lit the Gatekeeper candle and opened up the virtual sacred space for the conference. She spoke the customary greeting written by Beinsa Douno to the gatekeeper or spirit of the space: ‘Kindly luminous beings, guardians of this place, please grant us your hospitality, and may love bless you. ’Angela provided a slideshow for during the breaks of the Gatekeeper Trust’s collaboration with the Portland Quarry and Sculpture Trust.
TOM BREE: As Above, So Below
Angela handed back to Mike to introduce the first speaker, Tom Bree, an internationally renowned geometer, who has been teaching and researching sacred geometry for over 25 years. His talk entitled ‘As Above, So Below’ focused on how sacred geometry is an expression of the relationship between Heaven and Earth. Through embodying the geometry, that which is hidden, the eternal unchanging truths of number, become visible. The start was the point with many options radiating out. Many paths lead from the source. When one is in a beautiful landscape, we feel peace and harmony and being at one, revealed through the hidden geometry.
Tom then showed examples of sacred geometry in Nature before demonstrating how these same patterns can be used to create beautiful spaces in manmade space. As a geometer, he was trained differently from standard mathematics. For him it was deeply contemplative to draw circles as each circle is a meditation and a reminder of the one, the one centre creates the circumference. So you have stillness and movement at the same time: another example of duality.
Through his slides Tom showed examples of sacred geometry and symbolism in Nature and the manmade environment, including the Cosmati pavement in Westminster Abbey. Tom concluded with his research into Wells Cathedral in Somerset, the first English Gothic cathedral.
In fascinating detail he demonstrated through a progression of slides the Venus Pentagram and Octogram and how they have been used in the Lady Chapel as well as the two chapels dedicated to St John the Baptist and St Stephen. He described further insights into the sacred geometry elsewhere in the cathedral which left me determined to visit Wells Cathedral next year.
PETER DAWKINS: Sacred Space Discussion
Next came a recorded discussion between Peter Dawkins, a founder member of the Gatekeeper Trust, and Mike about sacred space in the natural landscape. Peter described how his love of the natural environment had guided his work through his study and practice of architecture and beyond. He saw Nature as Divine Architecture so he wanted to bring that into his architecture practice. He realised that great architects used geometry to create stunning buildings.
An experience at a stone circle showed him the energies flowing everywhere and to describe this he invented the name ‘Landscape Temple’. Over time he expanded his awareness of energies being part of a chakra system throughout the world, that geometry in the natural environment affects us all.
Peter then took us on a journey through landscapes - nationally and internationally, ancient texts, stone circles, cathedrals, mythology, energy lines, dowsing, sacred geometry, archetypal patterns, zodiacs, pilgrimages, honouring the land, Jupiter Artland and the Dream.
There were many insights. A key moment for me with this being a Gatekeeper event was when Peter described seeing dedicated pilgrims leaving footprints of light and he realised that pilgrimages are one of the ways the whole planet can be turned to light.
CAROLINE HOARE: Bosley Cloud - Sacred Energy Centre Of Britain
Caroline is well known to Gatekeeper. She and Gary Biltcliffe have spoken at Gatekeeper events on a number of occasions. Today she shared their research into Bosley Cloud, a hill in North Staffordshire, an imposing and enigmatic ridge, and its surroundings. She poetically referred to it as a silent sentry guarding the secret path that connects it with other power places in the area. This is appropriate as it lies exactly on the Spine of Albion. Further research has shown that Bosley Cloud also represented the centre of an important sacred landscape going back thousands of years.
Caroline evoked ‘a hidden, enchanted realm’ through words and pictures of how the Cloud is aligned with interesting sites in the surrounding landscape and brought in information on the Deneb and Cygnus constellations.
She described sites along the Elen and Belinus Lines on their path to and beyond Bosley Cloud: Barr Beacon, associated with Pre-Raphaelites, Shakespeare, Tolkien and the mysterious Lunar Society, a group of philosophers and inventors who paved the way for the Industrial Revolution; Druid Mere, where a sacred pool with supernatural powers once existed; Cannock Chase, another magical and mysterious area; Shugborough Hall, shug’ is an ancient word for dragon, appropriate with the male and female dragon lines passing through; Caverswall Castle and Blythe Bridge, once set within a prehistoric forest next to a magical lake like a Camelot; Gawton’s Well, a renowned place of healing near Biddulph, said to be the spiritual source of the river Trent; Old Man of Mow, ‘like a silent giant bearing the weight of history on its shoulders’ abandoned by quarry workers centuries ago; the Bridestones near Congleton, a chambered tomb which was larger than West Kennet Long Barrow; up to the looming presence of Bosley Cloud with its fairy footprints; and further to Alderley Edge; Cock Low near Leek; and St Mary’s Church, Astbury.
Caroline wove mythology, legends and personal experience into information on the landscape, such as it could have been part of a huge prehistoric solar observatory, all centred on Bosley Cloud. It left many participants thinking they needed to visit Bosley Cloud and its associated sites. I count myself fortunate that I visited in a group with Caroline and Gary at the end of August 2025.
Caroline ended by saying, “As we walk these ancient paths around Bosley Cloud, we were always reminded to learn the old truths, speak the old words, and walk in the ancient ways.”
SARAH DAWKINS: Sacred Iona
Sarah shared her love of Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland in the Inner Hebrides, where she first went on her honeymoon in April 1973. She and Peter fell in love with the island and returned as often as they could over the years, both as individuals and with groups on retreat.
Despite only being three and a half miles long by one mile wide, apparently you can still get lost on it. Sarah took us on a magical journey which seemed like a meditation where she shared her experiences. When she described herself as being in ‘an altered state’ when she first arrived for her honeymoon, I went into that altered state too and stayed there throughout the wonderful presentation.
“How do you describe something you love deeply? An impossible task as there are so many levels. How do you convey this to somebody else? I can only use well used words, truly magical, transformative, challenging, blissful, an island of angels and fairies and elementals, mists and legends. Time out of time, liminal space, where the veil between the world is very thin. A place that holds you in a safe space, so that you can go deeply within. Does this describe sacred space?”
Sarah then shared maps, photos, stories, history, topography, sites, memories and Iona’s angels envisaged by Peter for each chakra, leaving me for one feeling I had just experienced an uplifting retreat to that sacred island.
CLAIRE HERON: Water - The Sacred Gift
Claire told her story about her love of water. Growing up on a small farm in Cumbria, their water was basically ‘wild’, coming from the fell into a tank. When the water tasted a bit strange, her father would come back with reports of fishing a mouse or frog out. She felt privileged to have experienced that nourishing water till she left home at 18. For her water was part of her play, in the streams and rivers, and brought a feeling of being alive and wellbeing. She lived then next to the River Lune and now at its source, St Helen’s Well.
Claire shared photos and her experiences with water. She likes to connect with water and whereas most people might start with the environment, she pointed out that the human body is largely composed of water. Breaking down the percentages of water in the different parts, the eyes are 95% water, and the lungs 90%. So we are connecting with the world through the filter of water. communication through water. She invited us to look within and pay attention.
Many people are now familiar with Dr Emoto’s work with water and how it is transformed by intention. So to greet our own bodies with love and gratitude is very healing. Claire then looked at water in our environment and how sending our love into the water allows it to be carried everywhere. She suggested finding a local water source nearby, using maps, and spending time in reflection there which is a great way of connecting with the land. Our blessings and thanks offered to water transforms it, the surroundings and us.
Claire shared her work with finding springs. She found a book by Robert Hope called The Legendary Lore of the Holy Wells of England. Using that, she discovered springs and wells, which she believed were rarely lost but rather were mislaid. She urged others to look for hidden wells and bring their energies back into circulation. She cautioned against leaving ‘clouties’ or offerings at sites, as they can clog waterways. She described treating wells and springs like your granny and asking what you could do to help.
Kahlil Gibran wrote: “in one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans.”
I could picture the area where Claire lives. I lived just north of Preston from 1959 till 1973. My father was the Lancashire County Land Agent. I would sometimes accompany him on visits to tenant farmers and forestry sites round the Lancashire part of the Lake District.
RICHARD CREIGHTMORE: Honouring The Earth Energies Of Sacred Space
Richard brought together the themes of the previous talks within his presentation and how to work with sacred space.
Following on from Claire’s talk about water, Richard spoke about how he specialised in water divining and earth energy dowsing. Underground streams carry and store information and know the knowledge of landscape trauma. So if a landscape doesn’t feel ‘sweet’, it can be assumed there has been some trauma somewhere along the path of that stream which leads to the realms of geopathic stress theory.
With reference to Caroline’s talk about sacred sites which have been destroyed, Richard’s observation was that the most powerful earth energy currents still feed the site and often pass through the remaining stones, for example, at Stenness and the three trilithons at Stonehenge.
Where stress is found, a landscape blessing can mitigate the problem such as with reiki, or putting up a standing stone or labyrinth. Richard works a lot with Earth acupuncture to get into the information field of underground streams that are carrying distressed energy and bring healing through. It can be observed how the site responds miraculously over time.
Richard interwove pictures with information, such as where underground streams cross, you find a spiral formation and that underground water is a prerequisite for a site feeling special. Amongst other sites, he showed a Native American sacred site where there was a clear spiral. There was a Gatekeeper Stone which was opened for ceremonial purposes then closed at the end to help contain the energy.
Richard helped us explore in fascinating detail Lincoln Cathedral so we could gain many insights, including pointing out spirals where there was water crossing. He explained about blind springs, which Guy Underwood believes are found under many stone circles, labyrinths and altars of ‘any churches worth their salt’. The other part of the altar siting is the leys. They feel like goddess energy and very nourishing. Richard pointed out the chakra system which Peter Dawkins first introduced us to with his vision.
Richard also shared stories of how he created a stone circle near the Ashdown Forest, how to maintain the hygiene of sacred space and potentially then spread the beneficial energies further afield. He did an excellent job of drawing all the themes together.
MIKE NEWTON AND ANGELA SHAW: Closing
Mike thanked the speakers, Angela for the Portland slideshow, Louise for her unwavering support bringing the conference together, Amelia behind the scenes who has been looking after the conference admin and the technical side and everyone who had bought tickets and joined us.
Angela thanked Mike for being the conference champion. For everyone inspired to go out into their own sacred space she reminded us to thank the spirit of the place once you had completed your quiet time there. She then closed the space saying three times, “Kindly luminous beings, guardians of this place, thank you for your hospitality, and may love bless you.” She then blew out the Gatekeeper candle and sent the love out into the world.
POSTSCRIPT:
Recordings have been sent out to everyone who booked.
If this report has whetted your appetite for experiencing the conference for yourself, a copy of the recordings can be bought HERE