An Overview
of Different Types of Scrying
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 cliché 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 SCRYING
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.
| Authors Details: Muadhnait |
More Articles On Scrying
(The
Different Types Of Scrying)
(Scrying)
(Black
Mirror Scrying)
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