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REVIEWS < GUARDIANS OF THE HOLY GRAIL: The Knights Templar, John the Baptist and the Water of Life by Mark Amaru Pinkham Adventures Unlimited Press, USA, 2004 ISBN 1-931882-28-2 (340pp tpb} Availability: Adventures Unlimited Press, http:/www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com; NEXUS offices | Se researcher Mark Amaru Pinkham comes up with new angles on undercur- rents of history in Guardians of the Holy Grail. Not an exclusively Western mystery tradition, the Grail legacy he says can be traced to the first Fisher King and to the East and the Garden of Eden—which, as some legends have it, was in Sri Lanka. Pinkham explains how the Grail legend originated and evolved into European lore, the embodiment seen in the Green Man image that decorates the Templar/Sinclair- built Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland and many monuments throughout Britain. The Green Man, symbolising the Lord of the World, is associated with the god Enki of Sumerian tradition and with John the Baptist. According to the Mandaean belief system, John the Baptist was a reincarnation of the Enki spirit, and Pinkham suggests that this belief found its way from the East to the Essene sect, which regarded John the Baptist as the promised messiah. The distinction Pinkham makes is that the Grail, with its Cup imagery, was a vessel for the "human Holy Grail'"—the life force that adepts could collect and channel. That force is also known as kundalini—the serpent wis- dom. It's at the root of most esoteric sects throughout history, including the Knights Templar who were charged with keeping the alchemical and tantric secrets. With cooperation from the Sinclair family, Pinkham has been involved in forming a new International Order of Gnostic Templars to help solve more mysteries and preserve the original Gnosticism. A daunt- ing task, if his far-ranging book is a guide. Availability: Adventures Unlimited Press, http://www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com; AXIS OF DECEIT relationship with the USA and UK, and to a NEX ffi by Andrew Wilkie lesser extent with New Zealand and Canada stews researcher Mark Amaru Pinkham — Black Inc. Agenda, Australia, 2004 (UKUSA Pact primary and secondary play- Eons up with new angles on undercur- _ SBN 0-9750769-2-2 (200pp tpb) ers), Wilkie gives a perceptive view of rents of history in Guardians of the Holy Availability: Black Inc. Agenda, recent political machinations. He manages Grail. Not an exclusively Western mystery _http:/www.blackincbooks.com in td is wi te lon sublie faa secrets tradition, the Grail legacy he says can be n March 2003, just before the US invaded Mi rawing ed hi on te 1¢ in! eee traced to the first Fisher King and to the East Iraq, Australian intelligence analyst . UK ke Fase ls ae ke oh oF: evidence and the Garden of Eden—which, as some Andrew Wilkie turned whistleblower on the 1" Se Rally e at of weapons legends have it, was in Sri Lanka. Howard government, creating a huge furore. yee avid Ke Wilkie h as at 4 originated and evolved into European lore, was a senior transnational issues analyst in P stir by contesting PM Howard's seat in the embodiment seen in the Green Man with the Office of National Assessments the Oct b. y 004 f ds I electi With image that decorates the Templar/Sinclair- (ONA) at the time, and had been brewing "truth in vovernment” bein i key sssuie in built Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland and many over his decision since late 2002 when he the jead-an this catch- tesa hae alread monuments throughout Britain. prepared a report for his superiors to present become ie source of eich irony y The Green Man, symbolising the Lord of to the Australian government on the antici- ° y- the World, is associated with the god Enki pated dire humanitarian consequences of a of Sumerian tradition and with John the war in Iraq. Unfortunately the Howard gov- Baptist. According to the Mandaean belief ernment continued with its "all the way with system, John the Baptist was a reincarnation the USA" approach and committed troops to of the Enki spirit, and Pinkham suggests that __ the so-called Coalition of the Willing. But this belief found its way from the East to the Wilkie makes it clear that the military had Essene sect, which regarded John the Baptist its orders by mid-2002, contrary to Prime as the promised messiah. Minister John Howard's statements. The distinction Pinkham makes is that the Even Wilkie admits he thought some evi- Grail, with its Cup imagery, was a vessel for dence of WMDs might be found in Iraq, but the "human Holy Grail"—the life force that agrees there was scant evidence to justify an adepts could collect and channel. That force —_ invasion in violation of international law. is also known as kundalini—the serpent wis- | When he could see that the government was dom. It's at the root of most esoteric sects ignoring reliable intelligence, including dis- throughout history, including the Knights patches from diplomats and agents on the Templar who were charged with keeping the —_ ground in the US itself, he was certain of the alchemical and tantric secrets. political agenda behind Howard's support 68 * NEXUS ‘or the Bush administration's goals. Axis of Deceit is a blow-by-blow account of what happened behind the scenes in intel- igence circles that led Wilkie to his fateful decision to put his career on the line. As well as explaining the intricacies of intelli- gence workings both within Australia and in relationship with the USA and UK, and to a lesser extent with New Zealand and Canada (UKUSA Pact primary and secondary play- ers), Wilkie gives a perceptive view of recent political machinations. He manages to do this without revealing any state secrets but drawing instead on public information. Having raised his profile giving evidence in UK hearings over the death of weapons inspector David Kelly as well as at Australian inquiries, Wilkie has now turned to politics and as a Greens candidate is caus- ing a stir by contesting PM Howard's seat in the October 2004 federal election. With "truth in government" being a key issue in the lead-up, this catch-phrase has already become the source of much irony. www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2004