|
The
following excerpt comes from a book-length work on scrying and
magick mirrors. Katlyn, a scrying expert, also runs Mermade
Magickal
Arts, manufacturing black scrying mirrors in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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. History
shows
its use in many of the traditional mystery schools and oracular
temples.
Today the
serious student of magickal arts can rediscover
the ancient rites of the magick mirror, for these techniques
are
again coming to light. Scrying can be defined as the mantic
art of
gazing into or upon a crystal or dark mirror, allowing the physical
eyes to relax, thus letting the inner psychic eyes begin to
open and
receive desired visions or information.
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 and access to Akashic records.
The traditional
crystal ball is also a wonderful tool, but it is more
difficult to scry with and is extremely expensive. The mirror
is a
more efficient way to begin to learn to scry and journey in
other
realms.
However,
all techniques in this article may be used with a crystal
ball as well as the black scrying mirror. Consider the reality
of
the Akashic records, in which all ideas, actions, influences
and
vibrations are stored. The practiced scryer has the ability
to
"read" these records and focus on this vast source
of timeless
knowledge with the aid of the mirror and a strongly directed
imagination.
Guides
from the world of spirit often lead the scryer in astral travel
and mental journeying through the black mirror or crystal sphere.
Scrying develops one's clairvoyant abilities and is especially
helpful
in strengthening the third eye.
The preparation
and construction of the mirror is extremely important.
The black scrying mirror must be created with the highest magickal
standards and traditions. At the full moon, specially cut glass
disks are
cleansed and magnetized. They are then anointed with a powerful
herbal fluid condenser to attract and hold energy, vital force
and
any charge given them. A tincture of gold and moonstone is then
applied to the surface, and they are ritually blessed under
the
light of the full moon. They remain for a night and a day within
a
circle of protection. The black coating is then applied to seal
in
the energy, and a felt backing is put on to protect the mirror
and
absorb later applications of fluid condenser. The mirror stand
is
carved rosewood, ebony or teak.
Ways in
which the black 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.
Preparing
to work with the black scrying mirror Always keep the
surface very clean using alcohol and a soft cloth.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 when not in use. Frequently recharge the mirror with vital
force
and fluid condenser, as explained following. Practice the visual
exercises described following until mastered. Keep the working
area
clean and free from any disturbance.
Generally,
scry using the mirror at night, preferably during the
full or new moon, depending on the operation. The mirror can
be used
at anytime, but tends to work better at these points. When indoors,
light two votive candles, one on each side of the mirror. Use
white
or colored candles appropriate to the work: blue for healing,
purple
for psychic work, orange for communication, and so on. (For
more
suggestions on candle colors, see any standard table of correspondences,
for example in Scott Cunningham's books or The Spiral Dance).
Burn a
lunar or psychic blend incense before working with the
mirror. Place the mirror on a wooden table or altar with a clean
cloth beneath it and be seated on a wooden chair in front of
it, or
if you prefer, assume a comfortable asana on the floor with
the
mirror before you. Extinguish all light sources except the candles
and/or moonlight.
Allow nothing
to reflect in the mirror's surface. It should appear
as a dark tunnel or window. 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 or misleading
influences - call your guides and guardians to protect the working.
Keep a
journal to record your experiences.
The rite
of scrying:
First, clearly decide what you seek or are trying to accomplish
in
the working and prepare appropriately. Then prepare the work
area
carefully as suggested previously.
Once you
are ready, close your eyes and begin to relax; feel every
part of your body releasing, relieved of all tension. Visualize
your
circle of protection and know you are safe and in control of
all
that happens within it. Begin to breath rhythmically and fully;
try
a count of four in, hold four, release four, four in, hold four,
release four and so on.
Feel yourself
entering a light trance surrounded by sacred space,
removed from time and the material world. Silently call your
guides
or guardians of the work, invoking the Goddess or calling angelic
presences, spirit guides, watchtowers, astral guardians or whatever
you prefer. Reaffirm your desire and the purpose of the work.
Now 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 the return to 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 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. For best results, do this exercise every
day
for 15 minutes until it is mastered. This exercise is well worth
the
effort; it gives magickal discipline and strengthens the inner
eye
so visions can come with clarity and ease.
Charging
the mirror with light:
To charge and empower the mirror with light force is a simple
but
powerful process. It should be done frequently, especially just
before using the mirror, so as to ensure you see correct visions,
connect with positive energy and do not experience interference.
First,
you must imagine that white light is collecting inside your
body, being channeled down from the crown chakra. The body
becomes a vessel filled with light. Remember to breathe fully,
deeply
and rhythmically. Now stand in front of the mirror and direct
the palms
of your hands toward one another. Imagine that the internal
light is
now moving into your hands, forming a ball of condensed white
light
between them. See and feel this clearly in your imagination.
When
ready, begin to project this ball of light into the surface
of the
mirror, purifying and enlivening the mirror, filling it with
magickal force. See the light "soak" into the mirror.
This process
needs to be repeated until the mirror feels "full."
This process
can also be used to give a special or programmed charge
to the mirror. Follow the steps preceding and create the ball
of
light between your hands, then mentally project your desire
into the
light before projecting the light into the mirror. This technique
can
be used for healing works and self-improvement. You can also
charge the light with a specific color or vibration - whatever
can
be felt or imagined can be put into the mirror to aid the magickal
energy. The empowering exercise can be used for other magickal
operations as well, such as charging other magickal tools and
the
giving of healing light to another person. All it takes is a
strong
desire and powerful imagination.
Locking
the charge into the mirror is accomplished by willpower.
When the light has been absorbed into the mirror, state in your
mind
and with all the faith you can muster that the charge will remain
as
long as you require it.
To release
or remove a special charge, simply reverse the procedure,
pulling the light out of the mirror into the space between your
hands.
Then disperse the energy into the atmosphere through the
imagination. Do not draw it back into the body - see it return
to
the universe.
Creation
and use of the fluid condenser:
A fluid condenser is an infusion of herbs with tinctures, essences
and gold added. It serves to hold the mirror's magickal charge
and
attract elemental force. The condenser can be used not only
on
mirrors but also on all other ritual tools you want to charge
for
ceremonial use. The use of certain herbs, stones and metals
in small
quantities attracts etheric energy of a like kind. These fluids
can
be made individually to represent each of the elements or to
enhance
a particular work.
I recommend
making a universal fluid condenser that will work for
all purposes, having all elements represented along with tincture
of
gold, representing solar and God energy, and essence of moonstone,
representing lunar and Goddess energy.
The fluid
is applied to recharge the mirror and to draw magickal
symbols upon it for use in ritual. When the mirror is not in
use, it
is wise to anoint its surface with the fluid before putting
it away.
The fluid
can be cleaned off with alcohol or distilled water later.
To make
the fluid, you must first gather the herbs you need. They
can be fresh or dried, but the more life force they contain,
the
better. The list of herbs following includes some suggestions,
but
you need not use all the herbs to make a good condenser. Use
the
ones you can find of good quality.
Once gathered,
the herbs are placed in a pot with distilled water or
rainwater. There should be about an ounce of each herb and enough
water in the pot to cover the contents completely. Bring this
mixture to a boil, and then turn down the flame and let it simmer
for an hour with the pot lid on.
When this
is done, let the mixture cool and strain it through a
muslin cloth. Put the liquid back into the pot and simmer without
the lid until only a quarter of the original amount is left.
When
this is cool, add the gold tincture, about 13 drops to each
pint of
liquid.
Then add
the essence of moonstone. If gold tincture and essence of
moonstone are not available, gold chloride or gold salts can
be used
and whole moonstones and crystals added to the mixture as a
vibrational additive. Gold tincture can also be made at home
with
fairly good results.
To make
gold tincture, take a pure piece of gold and holding it with
apair of pliers heat it over a flame until red hot. The red-hot
gold
is then dunked into a container of about half a quart of distilled
water or rainwater. The heat and rapid cooling causes gold molecules
to remain in the liquid. This process should be repeated nine
times
in the same water. Be careful of the rising steam, and try not
to
get the hot pliers into the water!
When you
have combined all the fluid condenser ingredients together
in a sterilized glass container, then add an equal amount of
wood or
isopropyl alcohol to act as a preservative. Store the condenser
in
an air-tight glass container in a dark place, and it will last
for
years.
For a very
powerful and personalized condenser, add a few drops of
your own blood to the mixture. Quartz crystals can be left in
the fluid
while it is stored to keep it clear.
Herbs for
the fluid condenser For the water element: elder flowers,
water lily, orris root, white rose, willow, cucumber seeds,
jasmine.
For the
fire element: red poppy, cinnamon bark, bay leaves, orange
peel, rosemary, marigold, galangal, damiana, tobacco, nutmeg.
For the
earth element: oak, ivy, cypress, mugwort, vervain, patchouli
herb, wheat, primrose.
For the
air element: mistletoe, acacia, clover, pine, sage, lavender,
verbena.
For spirit:
gold, blood, crystal.
For healing:
juniper, thyme, mandrake, tansy, elder, coriander,
lavender, life-everlasting, sage, cypress.
For universal
fluid condenser: chamomile, dittany of Crete, ivy, oak
leaves, bay leaves, almonds, cypress, clover, grape leaves,
rose petals,
mugwort, jasmine, vervain, mandrake root.
Incense
for psychic work:
The best incense to use when working with the mirror or any
scrying
device is lunar or psychic in nature, representing the sphere
of Yesod.
These types of blends may be purchased or created by yourself
and must be burned on self-igniting charcoal disks.
Here are
some excellent recipes for fine-quality magickal incense to
be
used for the rites of scrying.
Lunar blend
incense:
A base of white sandalwood powder Orris root and myrrh in equal
parts Oil of jasmine and jasmine flowers Oil of lotus and synthetic
ambergris. A small pinch of refined camphor Poppy and cucumber
seeds. Blend together sandalwood, myrrh, and orris root, and
crush them together into a powder. True refined camphor is hard
to come by, but if you should have some available, add a pinch
to the powdered base.
Also add
at this time the poppy and/or dried cucumber seeds. Put this
mixture
aside in an air-tight jar. Next, blend the jasmine, ambergris
and lotus oils together
in equal parts. Coat the dried jasmine flowers with the blended
oil and set them
aside in an air-tight jar. Let these sit until the next full
moon. On the evening of
the full moon, mix together (in a silver or crystal bowl if
possible) the oil-soaked
flowers and the powder base with your hands, meditating as you
mix on the beauty and wisdom of Mother Moon. Ask her to bless
this incense with Her magick.
Scrying
incense (psychic blend):
A base of mastic gum, myrrh, galangal powder and frankincense
Mugwort and wormwood herbs Rose petals and lavender buds
Green cardamom pods and star anise Bay leaves Oils of mimosa
and
lotus, and dark musk.
Blend together
mastic, myrrh, galangal and frankincense in equal
parts and grind to a powder base. Add a few cardamom and star
anise
seeds to the base and put aside in an air-tight jar. Now mix
equal
parts of ground mugwort, wormwood and bay, about half the amount
used in the powder base. Coat this mixture with dark musk oil,
and
put it aside in a sealed jar. Mix the lavender and rose petals
together,
coat them with mimosa and lotus oil and put them aside in a
sealed jar.
Let the
ingredients stand for nine days during the waxing of the moon.
Then blend all ingredients together by hand. As you mix, meditate
upon
your spirit guide and developing your psychic abilities. Know
that when
the incense is burned, your inner eyes will open and a link
will be formed
between you and world of spirit. (It is best to remove anise
and cardamom
seeds from the incense before burning; their scent will have
been absorbed
by the incense base.)
|
