Jonathan Cainer

John Michell, born John Frederick Carden Michell in 1933, was an English author and esotericist who became a significant figure in the Earth Mysteries movement. He authored over forty books on diverse subjects, promoting ideas aligned with the Traditionalist school of esoteric thought. Educated at Cheam School and Eton College, Michell served as a Russian translator in the Royal Navy before studying at Cambridge. He later entered his family's property business, where his interest in Ufology began.

During the 1960s counter-culture, Michell explored Earth Mysteries. His book 'The Flying Saucer Vision' expanded on ley line theories, suggesting they were prehistoric markers for extraterrestrial spacecraft. His 1969 work, 'The View Over Atlantis,' became highly influential, proposing an ancient spiritual tradition connected to earth energies that had been lost but would be revived, with Britain at its center. Michell's views often contrasted sharply with academic archaeology. He died in 2009, leaving a considerable impact on the Earth Mysteries and British Pagan movements, and his ideas later influenced far-right circles.

Born in London in 1933 into a well-off family, John Michell received his early education at Cheam School and Eton College. After national service as a Russian translator in the Royal Navy, he pursued studies in Russian and German at Cambridge University, though he did not complete a degree. He then qualified as a chartered surveyor and worked for his father's property firm in London. It was during this period, while involved in his father's business, that Michell's interest in Ufology began to develop. His early life was marked by a rejection of his Anglican upbringing in favor of later esoteric pursuits. He also fathered a son, Jason Goodwin, with Jocasta Innes.

Michell became a prominent voice in the Earth Mysteries movement, particularly after attending a lecture on 'Leys and Orthonies' in 1965. His first book on the subject, 'The Flying Saucer Vision' (1967), proposed that ley lines, previously theorized by Alfred Watkins, were ancient pathways designed for extraterrestrial craft. His most impactful work, 'The View Over Atlantis' (1969), argued for a lost ancient spiritual tradition linked to earth energies, suggesting these energies were harnessed by an ancient elite through megalithic structures. Michell believed this tradition would eventually be rediscovered, ushering in a Golden Age centered in Britain. His ideas, while controversial among academics, deeply resonated with the counter-culture and became foundational to the modern Earth Mysteries movement.

Beyond his core Earth Mysteries work, Michell explored a wide range of esoteric and controversial topics. His publications included discussions on the Shakespeare authorship question, a critique of Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses,' and a collection of Adolf Hitler's quotations. He was also deeply interested in crop circles, co-founding 'The Cereologist' magazine in 1990. From 1992 until his death, he wrote columns for 'The Oldie' magazine, often expressing anti-modernist sentiments, and also contributed esoteric commentary to the 'Daily Mirror.' Michell's influence extended to the British Pagan movement and, in the 2000s, to the 'Radical Traditionalist' far-right.