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Scrying is a method of divination. It consists of gazing into a
crystal, a mirror or some water for example, anything shiny
really, in order to enter altered mind states...A good clich� that
best describes scrying is the gypsy fortune-teller and her large
crystal ball. :^) There are different scrying tools, like crystal,
water, ink, oil, even fire.
Scrying works on the principles of the Ganzfeld effect. If you
have ever had to stare at a blank wall until you began to feel
dizzy, to hallucinate and see patterns, then you know what the
Ganzfeld state is!
The degree of success with gazing depends on one�s ability to
concentrate. The effort taken in this enterprise will eventually
pay off, do not give up if you don�t �see� anything the first time
you attempt to scry!
USING A CRYSTAL BALL
There is no specific method to know which crystal ball suits you,
it will �call to you� when you see it. Once you decide on one,
choose a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. The lights
should be dim, it�s preferable that you only lit a couple of
candles only, placed low and behind you. Remember to sit in a
comfortable chair, you should be perfectly relaxed. Take a deep
breath, clear your mind from any thoughts, and gaze intensely into
the crystal. This might cause you to blink or bring tears to your
eyes, so try to relax them, closing them about half way. Now is
the perfect time to link your third eye to the crystal: visualize
a ray of light coming from between your eyes and entering the
crystal.
Now watch for the clouding of the crystal that will come from a
small light. The clouds will develop and then clear until you
begin to see precise patterns and pictures. Do not try to
interpret those visions immediately, you will see a whole sequence
that will lead you to the answer of your question. Don�t waste
your time writing everything down, it�s best to use a tape
recorder because sometimes the flow of pictures is too fast.
Remember, stay relaxed and try not to confuse real symbols with
what you want to see, i.e. psychologically induced patterns.
SHELL SCRYING
I find this modern scrying method quite odd and frankly hard to
believe. Perhaps you might want to try it. I�m sure you�re
familiar with the sounds of a shell when you place it over your
ear. It sounds like the ocean, but it�s in fact your blood flowing
through the vessels in your ear.
If you listen to this sound until you�re in some sort of trance
state, you might be able to pick up fragments of conversation. At
first you might only make out a few words, but in time you will
come to understand �conversations� that predict the future.
SMOKE SCRYINGM
Now that method is a bit more believable. :-) Smoke scrying is
best done while relaxing in front of a fire. Do not follow the
smoke up but rather allow the smoke to form patterns within your
gaze. You will see visions of future events. The Native Americans
practice a special type of smoke scrying. It's called a sweat
lodge; water is poured over hot rocks in a tent to create steam.
Then people sit naked around the rocks to inhale the steam. The
combination of temperature, humidity and elevated levels of carbon
dioxide produce a state in which visions can arise. Needless to
say, this method is dangerous.
WATER SCRYING
This is a very ancient scrying method. The Celts used it quite
often. What you need is a large, deep bowl made from glass, brass
or silver. You must set your base on (preferably) a tripod made of
laurel boughs for best results. Fill the bowl with clean, fresh
water from a stream. The water may be stored in a vessel and used
again. The important thing is not to collect the water during the
day, but rather during the night, and preferably on a full moon.
This is done because of the close connection between water, the
moon and the Goddess. You should also have a wand. Use either a
branch from a bay or hazel tree, or laurel. The end of the wand
should be covered in dry tree sap or resin. Dip the end of the
wand into the water until it becomes wet. Wet the borders of the
bowl. Gently drawing the rim of the wand around the bowl it will
cause it to resonate. The resonating bowl will cause circular
ripples to form in the basin. It is up to you t interpret the
visions.
MIRROR SCRYING
Mirror scrying is quite common, and it is an evolved form of water
scrying. The early mirrors were made of polished copper or silver,
brass, tin foil or mercury behind glass. John Dee used a black
mirror of obsidian.
Because mirrors are linked to the moon, they should be backed with
silver. The size of your scrying mirror doesn�t matter, but the
shape does, so use either a round or an oval mirror.
Most seers prefer using a black mirror. Simply take out the glass
and paint it black. When you put it back in the frame make sure
the glass part is to the front. When using the black mirror for
scrying you do not want to see your reflection. Thus you should
leave the mirror on a table and look at it from an angle. Look
into the depths of the mirror as though you were looking into a
bowl of water. At first it may appear grey than colors will come
and go. With time and practice you will be able to see images. The
visions may even exist outside the mirror, either surrounding it
or surrounding the scryer.
CLOUD SCRYING
Now that is an original scrying method! And it�s interesting to
note that the most famous example is of Christian origin. I�m sure
you�ve all read about the Roman Emperor Constantine, who had a
Christian mother. I remember watching a film called: �Constantine
and the Cross.� In 312 A.D., when that emperor was marching
against the army of Maxentius in Rome, he and his men saw a
shining cross of light amid the clouds. The cross bore the Greek
words: �By this you shall conquer.� Later that night, Christ
appeared to Constantine in his dreams holding a cross and asking
him to have a military standard shaped like a cross. Thanks to
this standard, the emperor�s army won the battle. From that day
on, several battles have been witnessed in the clouds. Symbols of
both political and religious significance have been seen in the
clouds. The Druids were renowned for using that scrying method.
Cloud scrying is essentially done on days when cloud conditions
are good. Having too few or too many clouds is no good for
scrying. The best is when the clouds are thick. Find a nice
location to lie down and relax. Try not to focus on one cloud but
rather allow the clouds to drift across your view. Visions will
come naturally to you. Personally, I think people who look up at
the sky and see �only clouds� without guessing what the shapes
might symbolize have no imagination whatsoever. :^)
EGYPTIAN DREAM SCRYING
Egyptian dream scrying can be traced back thousands of years. In
preparing to use this scrying method you must not speak to anyone
on the evening you plan to scry. Also, refrain from having sex and
consuming alcohol and eating. Take a long purifying bath, then
anoint your temples with olive oil. Prepare an oil lamp that bears
no inscription on it. It can be of any color except red. Red is
the color of the evil God Set. Write on a small strip of white
linen with ink mixed with myrrh the name of your dream God/dess
and the purpose of the dream scrying. Twist the linen strip and
insert it into the oil of the lamp. Place the lamp on a table
beside your bed. Using the ink draw the image of the dream
God/dess upon your left palm. You must decide which God or Goddess
you wish to use. Thoth was well used with the Egyptians. Light
your lamp. Kneel before it. Concentrating on the image on your
left hand recite the following invocation:
�(Thoth) I invoke, blessed power of dreams divine, Angel of future
fates, swift wings are thine, Great source of oracles to human
kind, When stealing soft, and whispering to the mind, Through
sleep's sweet silence and the gloom of night, Thy power awake the
sight, To silent souls the will of heaven relates, And silently
reveals their future fates.�
Concentrate on the question you wish to know the answer to. Around
your left hand wrap a piece of black linen. The cloth is known as
the "black" of Isis. Blow out the flame of the lamp. Now you can
go to sleep. Have a tape recorder beside your bed so that when you
awaken you may record your dreams while still fresh in your mind.
You will find that the dream will come to you in a voice that is
clear and powerful rather than in dream images. Sometimes the
message is sent in cryptic/symbolic form.
OIL SCRYING
Oil scrying is yet another ancient method of divination. It can be
traced back to the Babylonians. One of their techniques was called
the "Princess of the Thumb". A scryer anointed the forehead and
thumbnail of a subject. The shiny nail acted as a magic mirror in
which the scryer saw spirits. Another version was called the
"Princess of the Hand". Oil was mixed with black soot to make a
paste that was then smeared upon the hand. The scryer then used
the hand to see future events. A third type of oil scrying was
called the "Princess of the Cup". Sesame seed oil was used to coat
the inside of a cup that was rested on its side. The cup was used
to capture and magnify the light of a candle that was fixed on its
inner rim. From the Babylonians, oil scrying found its way to the
Egyptians and Hebrews. The latter used four kinds of water mixed
with oil. If you wish to use that method effectively: if you call
upon the heavenly Gods then use rainwater; if you invoke the
terrestrial Gods then use sea water; if you invoke the Osiris or
Serapis use river water; and if you call upon the souls of the
dead then use spring water.
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