Adam Gorightly In The Land of Enchantment

At first glance, New Mexico seems nothing more than a second sister to the Longhorn State, as big oil rules in the southern reaches of The Land of Enchantment where many of the towns one encounters along the way resemble greatly those rural landscapes stretching for hundreds of miles across the plains of Texas and Oklahoma.

However, New Mexico is rich not only in oil, but arcane lore, with its fabled history of crashed saucers, atomic bomb blast sites and, some would suggest, Freemasonic conspiracies. According to the late gonzo conspiracy researcher, James Shelby Downard, Freemasonry has long practiced a system known as mystical toponomy, which pertains to the magic and mystery of words. To quote Downard: “Mystical toponomy incorporates word wizardry (onomatology) and the modern science of symbolism.” These three alchemical elements imbue a locale with sorcerous significance -- Downard contended -- connecting ancient ley lines in conjunction with latitude and longitude, and the divisions of degrees in geography (minutes and seconds).

Continue reading -
'Adam Gorightly's 'Adam Gorightly In The Land of Enchantment.' 06/2009 Guest Editorial.