The divinatory practitioner is known as the scryer while the practice is known as scrying. It is usually achieved by concentrating on or staring at an object having a shiny surface until a vision appears. Although the object used for scrying usually has a shiny surface, innumerable objects have been used for the practice over the centuries. The Egyptians used ink, blood and other dark liquids. The Romans used shiny objects and stones. Water has been used for gazing into. Mirrors are often used. Depending on the era the practice ranges from a simple to an elaborate form. However, the main purpose of the objects is always to induce in the clairvoyant a state of hypnosis so the seer can see visions in the crystal. There have been and are many purposes for the activity; to see into the future, to find lost objects or persons, and track criminals, among others.
Anyone can learn to scry. It is all a matter of practice. If you meditate it will be much easier. If you ask a question - and place lots of energy in the answer - it will manifest one way or the other.
Scrying works on the principles of the Ganzfeld effect.
he German word Ganzfeld means "whole field". Since the 1970s one of the most popular kinds of ESP experiment among parapsychologists has been the ganzfeld procedure. In these experiments subjects are placed in conditions of mild sensory deprivation, sitting in a comfortable reclining chair, listening to white noise played through headphones, and wearing translucent hemispheres over the eyes - halved ping-pong balls - while red light shines on the face. Meanwhile, a "sender" in another room looks at photos or video clips, and the subject speaks about any feelings or images that come to mind. At the end of the session the subject is shown four different stimuli, only one of which was shown to the "sender", and ranks them. There is a 1 in 4 or 25% chance of scoring a hit by chance, by ranking the actual image first.
In many such trials subjects have scored very significantly above chance levels, and several meta-analyses have shown a very significant overall effect. According to Bem and Honorton (1994) the term psi denotes anomalous processes of information or energy transfer that are currently unexplained in terms of known physical or biological mechanisms. However, they take care to add that the term neither implies that such anomalous phenomena (psi) are paranormal, nor does it connote anything about their underlying mechanisms.
They are considered as a tool to focus awareness and concentration in order to allow intuitive images to appear. Although some people can achieve visions from gazing into flames or even a shallow bowl of water or black ink, the clear quartz crystal ball is the most common method.
The crystal most favored by crystal gazers is a spherical or oval globe, about four inches in diameter, and preferably a genuine rock-crystal without a speck or flaw. It may be white, blue, violet, yellow, green, opalescent, or transparent traditionally based in a stand of highly polished ebony, ivory, or boxwood. The crystal and stand are inscribed with sacred characters as the floor in the room where the invocation is performed be inscribed with such characters.
Such a rock-crystal is very expensive and is many times substituted by a sphere of glass which renders good results.
In the practice, Hindus use cups of treacle or ink. Stones of pale sea green or reddish tints have been used.
The aim of crystal gazing, as previously said, is to induce a hypnotic state producing visionary hallucinations, the reflection of light in the crystal forming points de repere for such hallucinations. Thus, the value of elaborate ceremonials and impressive rituals lies in their potential to affect the mind and imagination of the seer.
It has been discovered that the images produced by scrying are often symbolic and the elements of choice are discernible which indicates the presentation is provided by an exterior intelligence. Usually, however, the pictures are either disconnected, vague images, or they are very clear. Also, in the visionary images have been detected thought pictures or forms, dreamlike visions, forgotten, reflected memories which may give way to representation of past, present or future events. The images can be about yourself or about another event that occurred near the crystal or object at any point in time. The interpretations are generally subjective. Two different people can look at the same image in a crystal and receive two different messages.
From the above is should be apparent the interpretation of images produced in scrying should be critically analyzed to determine whether they give valid information upon which to act, or contain some figments of the scryer's personal mental process which render the interpretation invalid. This is why it is recommended the scryer be in good physical and mental health in order to maintain objectivity in his interpretations.
Interpreting the Images (symbols)
Crystals have messages of their own. If you are gazing at an inanimate object and see images, they may be reflections of your own soul (past lives, future events, parallel lives, messages from the spirits around you, images from your subconscious mind).
Images are symbols. You can get interpretations for them from dream books, or other books with symbols.
Another form that visions come in are color clouds which may symbolize ….
Blue clouds symbolize success of career or business
Gold clouds symbolize prosperity, steady cash flow, and renewed romance Gray/Dark gray symbolize ill fortune
Black clouds symbolize some seriously bad stuff coming one's way
Green clouds symbolize health, happiness of the heart
Orange clouds symbolize hidden aggression and anger, troubled emotions
Red clouds symbolize danger to come. This person must watch themselves
Silver clouds symbolize troublesome times ahead followed by goodness
White clouds symbolize very good fortune to come
Yellow clouds symbolize upcoming obstacles
Many witches scry in a magic circle to prevent outside influences from distorting their visions. Also, this is why most scrying is done at night in order to receive better psychic vibrations. As a general rule most diviners work at night in order to avoid the excessive psychic vibrations that are generated in the day due to the confusion of everyday living. The methods of scrying differ but after a period of concentration on the speculum visions, mental images, or impressions appear. Frequently the visions are symbolic and the scryer must be trained and skillful in interpreting their meanings.
Though, there seems to be general agreement that the appearance is preceded by a milky clouding of the crystal. This clouding seems to be a picture itself. It is dependent on the operational conditions, and not a result of strain on the scryer's eyes, for the individual glances away for awhile the clouding still exits when his gaze returns to the crystal.
The first pictures act as a drop-scene, the nearest allegory is the cloud and of which, in materialization seances, phantasmal figures emerge. The pictures to which the could gives way to may be small or expand to the entire extent of the sphere in amazing size.
Sometimes the sphere completely disappears from the scryer's sight. The figures and/or scene assumes life-size proportions rendering the scryer a sense of bilocation as if he is part of the group or scene. This sense differs from clairvoyance.
The amount of time you use for scrying can vary from a few minutes to half hour.
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.
Light one or two candles in a darkened, quiet room. You can hold the crystal with the finger and thumb or place it on a stand, but it should have a blue or black cloth underneath it. If the divination is performed for someone else it is recommended that the person holds the crystal in his hands a few minute before it is passed to the medium.Make sure that there are no reflections from anything showing in the ball. You can also burn incense if you wish. 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. While you are gazing, breathe in and out slowly and deeply. 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. This is the focusing area where the vision will appear.
The clouds will develop and then clear until you begin to see precise patterns and pictures; these may appear as crude sketches, or occasionally with the clarity of a photograph. Once this happens, images may begin to form in your mind, no longer projected onto the scrying surface. When this happens, allow your attention to focus on these mental images. From this point forward, the scrying surface is irrelevant; do not be distracted by it. As the images become clearer, you will find that you know things about what you are seeing ? background information will come to the surface of your mind. Pay attention to what you know about the images you are seeing. 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.
Do this for at least 15 minutes, and increase your time by 5 minutes with each succeeding session. You may have three sessions before starting the whole thing. 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!
Water represents the collective unconscious - the continuum - the flow of all things in the universe back to one source. There is a close connection between water, the moon and the Goddess and the Celts as well as the Incas were familiar with the act of scrying into large bowls of water. In the witchcraft lore, there is an example of the interior of a cauldron being painted black, then filled with water at night, a silver coin was dropped into the water so to reflect moonlight. Such means have been employed to see visions and read mystical signs.
When scrying in a bowl of water - the bowl must be black or painted black.
You can add black India ink to the water to turn it black of you prefer.
Place the bowl on a table in front of you.
Feel relaxed - reduce noise level and bright lights. You may want to use soft music in the background.
Close your eyes and breath take two long slow breaths - breathing in through your nose - hold the breath for several seconds - then release it slowly through the mouth. Feel your mind and body relaxed and read to see with more than the normal sense.
Now open your eyes and gaze down into the bowl at the dark water.
You may ask a question in your head first, and wait for an answer. You may also just gaze into the bowl and watch for random images. They will appear - perhaps as shadows at first - but they will be there. You may see images that are larger - which means they will occur sooner. Smaller images in the background will take longer to manifest - if you are seeking personal information.
One other method of scrying in water is to place a dish of water in a darkened room, lit from the sides by two candles. The dish in this case should be a solid, neutral color.
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
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.
Egyptian dream scrying can be traced back thousands of years. In ancient Egypt priests and priestesses used scrying as part of their initiation ceremonies. Water or oil was placed in a darkened vessel. The Initiate would enter an altered state then gaze into the vessel. Images would appear with messages about the work and destiny of the Initiate.
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 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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