I was 11 years old when I first saw an image of a crop formation. It was a UK pictogram discovered in 1993 -- in contrast to the formations of today, certainly nothing special -- but the local news ran a small "puff piece" story on it that sticks out in my mind even now. Something within me just knew that there was something extraordinary about these images appearing in the fields. I never quite forgot about this impromptu introduction to cereology, although in my adolescent years my interest faded in favor of music and fashion, as many teenagers' interests do.

As I matured I began to study the phenomena seriously and to live vicariously through the "croppies" in the UK that were able to gain access to the formations to conduct research. Thanks to the web I was introduced to the works of the most prominent researchers in the field, such as Colin Andrews, Freddy Silva, Pat Delgado, and Paul Vigay himself. However, it wasn't until I read Freddy Silva's book, "Secrets in the Fields", that I was turned on to the notion that sound could play a role in making crop circles; a revelation that still brings a smile to my music-loving face whenever I think about it. In my quest for more information to this end, I referred to Paul's work on circular harmonics.

The extent to which Paul went to conduct solid, scientific research in this area is nearly unsurpassed. As I dove deeper into the wealth of information provided on his website, it became very clear to me that this was the work of a man whose passion extended beyond poking around wheat fields for anomalous findings -- Paul went so far as to personally write and develop a software program that could process and plot the complex mathematics often found hiding within the lay of a crop glyph. This yielded what I consider to be one of the most important contributions to the legacy of crop circle research: the ability to actually hear the formations.

In reviewing Paul's work, I began to develop questions that I knew only he could answer. By late 2007 I found myself unable to contain my curiosity any longer, and sent Paul a lengthy email through the contact form on his website. Admittedly, I didn't expect a response -- Paul was a busy man with a thriving software company to run and an international crop circle database to maintain -- so it should be easy to imagine my surprise when I received, only a few hours later, a detailed reply from the man himself, meticulously explaining the fine details of the areas I had inquired about. Not only was I overjoyed to receive this additional insight into the research, I was floored by the way that he made time to explain the intricacies of his findings in such a friendly and personable way. His enthusiasm fueled my enthusiasm, and this glimpse into the workings of such a giant in the field, strangely enough, gave me a sense of validation in pursuing my own research. Paul didn't consider himself to be a celebrity, but to me, he was a rock star.

He couldn't have realized that he had created a monster by acknowledging my requests for information -- in the weeks after our first email correspondence, I hammered out no less than 8 more emails to him asking for clarification of certain findings in his research. However, each one was met with a pleasant and informative reply, in words which seemed to convey his friendly smile through each and every keystroke. It was apparent that Paul was more than just a researcher, he was a tirelessly generous man; glad to be the boots on the ground doing the real work, and then to pass along the resulting information to anyone who sought his insight. It was these traits, coupled with a work ethic and healthy skepticism that any researcher should envy, that made Paul one of the most respected names in the field.

I think another one of my "rock stars", Colin Andrews, said it best in a kind email I received from him earlier today. Quote:

"What made one sit up and listen to Paul was more than his pleasant, friendly demeanor but his intelligence and his honesty. He was never afraid to be confrontational if he knew in his heart he was right and invariably was."

Truer words may never have been spoken about Paul Vigay. It takes a fair amount of courage to disagree with the findings of others in a research community as close-knit as that of cereology. However, Paul was never afraid to maintain the integrity of serious crop circle research if confronted with information that was too sensational or outright false. This sort of commitment to factual evidence is something that researchers into all areas of the unknown should strive to employ.

In the last email I ever received from Paul, he touched on his wish that people around the world would wake up to the wonders of their own existence. In his words:

"It's a pity that there is so much stress and warring in the world. If more people looked at the world around them and examined things from a holistic or spiritual point of view, I'm sure the world would be a much better place. Sadly, I find that far too many people are content just to sit in front of the TV and watch silly reality TV and soaps."

In his memory, I call upon all who read this article to try looking at the world with renewed eyes. Make time to cast aside some of the mundane daily distractions in your life in favor of something deeper; something extraordinary. It doesn't have to be crop circles, Ufology, or any "paranormal" field of study. All it takes is to realize that one person, YOU, have the power to inspire growth, incite progress, and instill passion in other people who are involved in whatever facet of life you feel drawn to the most.

Paul Vigay certainly did.



In Memory of Paul Vigay (October 24, 1964 – February 20, 2009)
Thank you for your passion, your humanity, and your insight. You are sorely missed, but will never be forgotten -- and I, for one, will always be watching for an extra ball of light dancing in the fields.

More on Paul Vigay:

Colin Andrews on Paul Vigay's Passing
Paul Vigay's Website and International Crop Circle Database
Paul Vigay Book of Condolence