Friday, March 7, 2014

Scrying

The art and practice of divination is a tradition that dates back to the ancient Druids. Halloween is probably the best time to perform this act so the following text uses Halloween as an example, it is not however restricted to it. On this night time and space are suspended, and our connection to the supernatural world is the strongest, allowing prophecy to take place. Halloween divination in various forms is still practiced today by a wide variety of cultures.

The most sacred of the Witches eight Sabbats has long been regarded as the ideal time for engaging in all manners of psychic work. It is a mysterious night when Witches throughout the world clairvoyantly peer into the past, the present and the future.

The traditional Halloween divination method favoured by those who belong to the Craft is that of scrying also known as gazing into crystal balls, magic mirrors, and the flames of candles, outdoor bonfire or cauldron fires. The term "scrying" derives from the old English word descry, means "to perceive from distance; to discover by the eye." The divinatory use of crystals is said to date back to circa 1,000 B.C. Undeniably, it is one of the oldest forms of divination that continues to be practiced in modern times.

The correct method of scrying into a crystal ball is as follows:
Before consulting the crystal, allow yourself to enter into a meditative state. Focus your mind on a particular question or issue, and then gaze into the surface of the crystal ball. (You will most likely find that the best results are achieved when your scrying is performed in a darkened room with the bright light of a full moon, the gentle glow of a candle's flame or some other light source that reflects off the crystal's surface.) In time, a vision should form. It may be an entire scenario or simply one or more symbols that will require interpretation on your part.

It is common for many crystal gazers to experience the formation of "clouds" within or around the crystal ball. The colours of the clouds and the directions in which they more are said to be highly significant. Traditionally, clouds that move to the right are considered to be a sign that a benign guiding spirit is present, but clouds that move to the left indicate that the spirit is unwilling or unable to offer guidance at the present time. Clouds that move in an upward direction indicate an affirmative answer to the scryer's question, while a negative reply is shown by clouds that move in a downward direction.

The colours of clouds also show meanings: White clouds are believed to be favorable omens. Black ones are viewed as unlucky. Red clouds, depending upon the scryer's personal interpretation, can either indicate a fiery, passionate love affair or serve as a warning of impending danger. Green clouds, a colour associated with money, generally indicate an increase in riches, unless the clouds are seen moving in a downward (negative) direction. Yellow clouds are said to indicate betrayal. Blue clouds are signs of peace and tranquility. Violet clouds indicate spiritual strength, psychic growth and enlightenment.

Sometimes a crystal ball's clouds - regardless of their colour - will gradually or suddenly yield to a clear vision of a future, present or even past event.

The art of crystal gazing (which is technically known as "crystallomancy" is one that requires a good deal of concentration and practice, and a novice scryer should not become discouraged if he or she does not achieve immediate results. As with any art, some people require more time to master the crystal ball, while others seem to be born with a natural gift for it.

Many crystal gazers ritually recharge their crystal balls once every month by placing them either on an outdoor altar or on a windowsill where they can absorb the rays of the full moon. Most keep their crystal balls covered by a black silk handkerchief when they are not in use, and don't allow anyone to handle them, for they believe that this action disturbs or diminishes it's occult vibrations, requiring it to be re-consecrated and recharged with the gazers own psychic energy.

In addition to gazing into crystal balls, many Witches utilize the steady flame of a candle, a water-filled cauldron, or what are known as magic mirrors as a focus for their Halloween scrying rituals. A magic mirror is also known as a Witch's looking glass, it can be an ordinary mirror, however typically they are made of dark polished stone, such as black obsidian, or fashioned from a slightly curved piece of glass with the concave side painted black. Many famous practitioners of the occult arts, such as John Dee, Agrippa, Albertus magnus, have been known to possess one. (John Dee who's astrological and psychic services were provided to clients of nobility, utilized a black obsidian mirror he called a "shew stone". It is currently on display at the British Museum. The divinatory use of the magic mirror is a very old one, dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. The ancient Greeks and Italians, as well as the Magi of Persia were said to have been highly adept in magic mirror divination, employing it religiously. To scry flames, cauldrons or magic mirrors, and other objects, follow the same method used as with the crystal ball.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Experimenting :-)

 Divination is more about what happens inside your head than the tools. Anything can be used as an oracle, symbol, message, sign. So, I deci...