History of scrying by Martin Cornell T/A wiccanwood

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Scrying can be described as the action of gazing into or upon a surface, be it a pool of water, a mirror or a crystal.
Scrying is one of the most ancient of divination techniques and was practiced by Arabs, Magi, Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. In fact it is reputed that the witches of Thessaly were supposed to have written their oracles in human blood on mirrors.

Problems, lost objects, People and questions have all had their answers sort by looking into mirrors or Scrying through out our history. Queen Elizabeth’s magician John Dee used a crystal egg and black obsidian mirror. Both can still be seen on display at the British museum in London.

Any shiny object can be used to scry, be it a bowl containing water, polished stones, or crystals. It is said that Nostradamus would use a large brass bowl, with the inside painted black full of water standing on a tripod. He would look into the water until a vision came to him.

Folk Lore

The mirror is found in the folk lore of many Countries, including England and Russia. However, all these folk stories all have something In common, they all agree, that mirrors, are something of which one should be weary.
It’s common for all the mirrors in the house of a dead person, to be turned around so the dead person doesn’t see themselves in the mirror. Should they do so, their soul will be trapped inside and will find no rest. This ability, for a mirror to suck out the soul, was once described in the story of Narcissus, who saw his reflection in the water and stood for so long, gazing and pining at his own reflection, that he died.

In many traditions if the living catches the reflection of the dead in a mirror, they run the risk of having their own soul sucked into the mirror and having it carried away by the dead. It is also though, that If you’re ill, you should remove all the mirrors from the room, as your soul is at its weakest when you’re unwell, and at risk of being pulled into the mirror. Not forgetting of course, that breaking a mirror is very bad luck, as once it holds the soul, breaking the mirror will break the soul.

When you receive your mirror you should always charge it before use. I was taught, that that would require the mirror to be put in the light of the three separate full moons. Some people consecrate their mirrors by putting a drop or two of their blood on the reverse, I personally do this to my mirror as this really helps with the psychic link with you to your mirror. However, if you do this, you should make sure that you never give, sell or trade your mirror with anyone, as they would have a direct link to you, and this could cause a lot of problems with psychic attacks. Your mirror would also benefit from a recharge now and again, but you would only need the light from a single full moon for this.

When you are using the mirror you should sit in a dimly lit room with the light only coming from a few candles or a single low watt bulb, you certainly don’t want bright sunlight or a blazing light bulb above you.

Try not to stare at the mirror or into it, just gaze through it and let your mind wander. Don’t try and force any kind of image, just wait and see what comes into your mind. On my first attempt, I saw a stream, but felt like it was a larger river, and the word Thames came to me. Of course, the start of the Thames is the river Isis. This was a clear message to me that I was getting things right, as the river Thames played an important role to me whilst living in London.

When you’re tuning into your mirror you must relax! Sit in front of your mirror keeping your feet on the floor. This will keep you grounded. Wait for your eyes to relax and just allow them to un-focus, try not to gaze at your image we don’t want to bring you into sharp focus, in fact you can if you wish, hold the mirror at a slight angle so that you cant see all of your features. After some time you may find your awareness shifts, and you may see visions in the mirror, your third eye or in your peripheral vision.

Don’t get upset if you don’t see next weeks lottery numbers, you may find that for the first few times that you use your mirror you don’t see any visions at all, but you might find that you have a flood of intuitive thoughts, if so, try and remember them at the end and to write them down.

You will know when you have had enough, because you may find yourself getting tired once bring yourself back to your conscious mind. When you have gathered your thoughts once again, write them down in your Book of Shadows, even if nothing has happened, you can still use this to gauge your progress.

Questions and answers

Once you have been practicing for a while you can start to ask your mirror questions. Start by tuning into your mirror In your usual way. Think of a question, and write it down in your Book of Shadows. Gaze into your mirror, and keep your question at the front of your mind, you can if you wish, repeat it several times.

What do you see?
What images and thoughts come into your mind?

Don’t worry if you don’t get any answers, it may be that your needing a bit more practice or your asking the question in the wrong way. You should think about re-wording your question and try again.

If at any time you feel uncomfortable, then stop. You may not be in the right frame of mind or just too tired. If you’re worried about what you might see then you should sit and ask yourself what worries you. Are you apprehensive about what or who may come through, or are you bothered about the answer to a question you want to ask? If your concern is about the answer then what is it about the answer that has you troubled?

You must try and remove any negative thoughts and fears from your mind before you start your session or any work that you do might not be prosperous.

Once you have mastered your Scrying abilities then you and your mirror can look forward to many happy and insightful years and who knows what answers and questions you may find!

Happy gazing! And Blessed Be.

Copyright © 2006 Martin Cornell T/A wiccanwood

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Seeing into Darkness
The black scrying mirror, or magick mirror, is a powerful psychic tool. It can bring the user hidden knowledge and clairvoyant ability and can act as a portal to other planes of existence.
Scrying is the ancient art of clairvoyance achieved by concentrating on an object-usually one with a reflective surface, until visions appear. The use of the black mirror is one of the best methods of achieving the state of mind required for entering trance and for scrying work. It not only acts as a focal point for visualization but can become a doorway into the astral plane. It allows communication with higher realms and the subconscious.
Ways in which the Scrying Mirror can be used:
To contact spirit guides
To access knowledge
For healing and self improvement
As a magickal transmitter and receiver
For divining the past, present and future
As a portal to the Astral Plane
For shamanic journeying
For ritual invocation and evocation
To improve visualization skills
Always keep the surface very clean using alcohol and a soft cloth, and never use it for anything but its intended magickal purpose. Do not let others look into its surface, except in ritual context. Keep it stored in a silk bag or black cloth when not in use.
Generally, scry using the mirror at night, preferably during the full or new moon, depending on the situation. The mirror can be used at any time, but tends to work better at these points.
The Rite of Scrying
Extinguish all light sources except the candle and/or moonlight.
Allow nothing to reflect in the mirror's surface. It should appear as a dark tunnel or window.
You can use one candle behind the mirror, or one of each side of it.
Before starting, always create a sacred space to work in. Cast a circle of protection or visualize the area surrounded by white light and protection from false of misleading influences-call you guides and guardians to protect the working.
Sit comfortably in front of the mirror.
Close your eyes, ground and center, clearing your mind of all thoughts but your purpose.
When you are ready, open your physical eyes and gaze into the mirror; remain relaxed and do not hesitate to blink when necessary. Relax the focus of your eyes but remain alert. After a while, the surface of the mirror will begin to change and fade; a dark mist will appear. Your inner eyes will now open, and the journey into the mirror begins. Remember that the inner eye sees inside the mind, through the magickal imagination. Most people when scrying do not see the images appear with the physical eyes on the mirror's surface but see within the mirror and in the mind's eye. The mirror acts as a focal point, a gateway within.
When you have completed your journey or work you set out to do, begin to the return of your body and ordinary senses. Breath fully and deeply, and remain still until you feel you have completely returned. Now close your eyes and remember all you saw and felt during the scrying or journey. Review your entire experience mentally.
Write it all down immediately in a journal or Book of Shadows kept for this purpose.
To Begin to See
This is a very important exercise to master if you are new to scrying or are having trouble receiving images. It will aid your "visual imagination" which allows your psychic and physical eyes to see clearly together. It gives clairvoyant strength.
Sit before your mirror and begin to imagine objects on its surface, one after another. You should try to see these images clearly in the mirror with your eyes open, just as if they were there in reality. Try simple shapes or colors first. Hold onto the image of each shape, object or color one minute before dissolving it and going on to the next. For example, use a red triangle, a yellow square, a blue circle and silver crescent; see them appear in the mirror using your firm imagination.
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