Crystal Ball~ need help

[Dragonfly]

Can anyone tell me how to cleanse my crystal ball?:confused: Also when is the best time to use it? Do you actually see images in the ball?:help: I've only got impressions(feelings)._witchball

[Jenne]

Cleansing, I'd use sage smoke.

As in how/when to use it, have your mind slightly "off" focus, and stare into the thing. Images then can form. That's what works for me, anyway.

Good luck, hth!

[Hope]

depends what you ball is made from, depends on who you are and what you do, how far you are on your path

one way to cleanse it is to hold it and not try and take anything from it, just infuse it with your own energy thru your hands

one way is to cleanse it with incense sage, sweetgrass, lemon,

one way is a wash made from say rosemary

one way is to leave it in the moonlight of the dark or the full moon

one way is to put it on your alter and a circle of sea salt around it, do a cleanse spell

as you can see there is no ONE CORRECT WAY, that is the stuff of movies and nonsense

as to the how to, well again it depends on YOU, you need to invest your energy and time into it

how do you receive messages?

do you smell scents?
do you hear things?
do you see them?
do you get a gut feeling knowing?
do you see it in your head like a movie?

basically it all comes down to you investing in your tools

love
t

[MoonDragn]

For cleansing, I was told to leave it in the light of the full moon for 3 days.

Crystal balls are a divination tool. The images you see are actually in your mind protected as an image in your subconcious upon the crystal ball. So you don't actually see anything in the crystal, but it can reflect what you are seeing in your mind.

[mtpathy]

Imo you sound like you haven't even begun seriously working
with your crystal ball yet, don't worry about cleansing the
crystal ball till you've actually worked with it and have had
some experiences.
Don't ask questions of how do you work with it,till you have
tried many different methods and found your own that works
for you.
The very basic information one needs to know in scrying is to
simply look into the center of the mirror,ball,water.
don't stare,but observe passively at it,and to never approach
scrying with expectations in mind, as this will taint the experience
and you won't see anything of "objective" truth,but you will only
see what you expect.
And imo one of the most important rule never believe anything you
read in books from so called pagan or psychic authors,learn by you'r
own experiences in using it.

[Dragonfly]

[quote=mtpathy]Imo you sound like you haven't even begun seriously working
with your crystal ball yet, don't worry about cleansing the
crystal ball till you've actually worked with it and have had
some experiences.

I actually have used my crystal ball. As I said I've had impressions/feelings when I use it. The reason I want to cleanse it, is because my Hubby was messing around w/ it. He picked it up and was making jokes about it (I wasn't home at the time).Our kids ratted him out when I got home.:(

[mtpathy]

[quote=mtpathy]Imo you sound like you haven't even begun seriously working
with your crystal ball yet, don't worry about cleansing the
crystal ball till you've actually worked with it and have had
some experiences.
I actually have used my crystal ball. As I said I've had impressions/feelings when I use it. The reason I want to cleanse it, is because my Hubby was messing around w/ it. He picked it up and was making jokes about it (I wasn't home at the time).Our kids ratted him out when I got home.:(

and this made you feel bad because?
your crystal ball doesn't hold any kind
of power it is just a glass ball.
its simply a medium for you to project or
reflect your conciousness upon.
it sounds like he made fun of something you
take seriously and inadvertently,or intentionaly
hurt your feelings,not your crystal balls.

[Dragonfly]

Yeah, he did hurt my feelings. He feels my interest in Wicca/Witchcraft is a "hobby". Maybe it's just me but I don't seem to be able to use the crystal ball like I used to.

[somnium]

Your crystal ball can be used for any purpose you program it for. If you believe the images you see are merely projections from your own mind, than that is what they will be. We are all connected through a link in consciousness. You can stop your mind and allow the images, or answers, or vision, you are seeking to manifest within. To stop the mind is to allow the images form, without stopping, or altering the manifestation. However the images can be altered as well, by choice, creation.

[Crimson Mage]

As far as cleansing it goes, I see you live in Philly - you can cleanse it like you'd cleanse any crystal or gemstone. I live on the coast as well, and routinely take my stuff to the seashore and dip it in the ocean. you might be close enough to do it as well, and also cleanse yourself in the waters as part of the process.

Insofar as what you "should see". That is different for every individual. It could be possible that "feelings" are what you get from it and thats fine. Sort of like seeing in your mind's eye. Others would describe it as seeing fast moving "flashes" in the center of the ball. Sort of like those pictures you see when you flip a book's pages. Very fast, and difficult to pick out in detail without practice. for others they simply dont work. Its very subjective, but if you think you are getting something from it, you most likely are. Do it in your own way, only we know what is best for ourselves.

[Dragonfly]

I have gotten it to change color several times before,while I was meditating. I usually hold my smaller sphere when I meditate-it helps me focus._witchball

I was told that I should have cleansed it before I started to use it. Because other people had handled it before I bought it.

I found a cleansing ritual in a Wicca book, I used that . It seems to work better for me. Yes,it maybe that it was just 90% mental on my part. But atleast I feel better using it now.

~~~~~~~~~~Dragonfly

[mtpathy]

If you have gone the road of meditating while having your eyes open,and having your eyes focused on a object,then please take a few moments and do a little bit of research on zazen.

however if you are going the road of meditation with your eyes closed,focusing on ideas or spacific thoughts,then suggestions that have to do with traditional meditation techniques should work well for you.

Keep in mind that there is a pretty big difference between the two,and trying to use one meditation style,while trying to hold onto another meditation technique might create more obstacles,atlest at the beginning.

The traditional method of zazen is to sit facing a wall,with legs in half/full lotus or other posture,spine being straight is a must though.

in this technique you sit no less then a foot facing a wall,looking through the wall not at it.

However i have changed this around to looking into my scrying mirror not at a wall,the other techniques of zazen i do however follow.

Ive personaly found the practice of zazen to work amazingly well with my scrying practices,if intrested in information on zazen i have some txt files i can send you that should answer alot of questions.

[Hope]

to add to what mtpathy said, another option is to place the ball in a doorway (also works with candles) sit on one side gazing thru the doorway and the ball

letting your sight relax, using the doorway as a symbol of the doorway between the otherside and here...


love
t

[Dragonfly]

Thanx for the advice.:)
I'll try the zazen method that you suggested, mtpathy. It sounds like it might help me with my scrying.:fpraiseyo
:bouncysmi

Hope, I never thought of using a candle behind it, I'll try that and see what happens._witchball



Thanx, again.

~~~Dragonfly:sunny:

[mtpathy]

heres some good basic information that will help you in the exploration of
zazen practice,keep in mind zazen is the sitting practice of zen.
this isn't something that should be studied,this is something that should be
practiced,only read it once or twice to get the basic idea then simply use it
as a guildline to follow,not a hard rule.
salutation

Basic Knowledge:

To go into proper sitting, some fundamental points have to be cleared:



Body (posture): The traditional cross-legged position is strongly recommended. The most important point lies in the straightening of the back. By placing the body in its original state, meditation natural occurs.

Eye (gaze): do not close your eyes, blink or glare sideways. Look directly and unwaveringly ahead. Since the eyesight and the consciousness share a single nature, meditation occurs naturally.

Mind (the way of resting): do not let the natural state of your ordinary mind purse past habitual patterns, or look into future activities of disturbing emotions and do not fabricate the present state by conceptualising. By resting the consciousness in this natural mode, meditation occurs naturally.





The Secret of the Golden Flower -
The Chinese Classic book of Life
Lu Yan






Turning the Light Around and Tuning the Breath


This doctrine just requires single-minded practice. One does not need to seek experiential proof, but experiential proof comes of itself. On the whole, beginners suffer from two kinds of problems: oblivion and distraction. There is a device to get rid of them, which is simply to rest the mind on the breath.

The breath is one’s own mind; one’s own mind does the breathing. Once the mind stirs, then there is energy. Energy is basically an emanation of mind. Our thoughts are very rapid; a single random thought takes place in a moment. Inward breathing and outward breathing accompany each other like sound and echo. In a single day one breathes countless times and has countless random thoughts.


So should one have no thoughts? It is impossible to have no thoughts. Should one not breathe? It is impossible not to breathe. Nothing compares to making the affliction the medicine, which means to have mind and breath rest on each other. Therefore turning the breath should be included in turning the light around.

When you sit, lower your eyelids and then establish a point of reference. Now let go. But if you let go absolutely, you may not be able to simultaneously keep your mind on listening to your breathing. You should not allow your breathing to actually be audible; just listen to its soundlessness. Once there is sound, you are buoyed by the coarse and do not enter the fine. Then be patient and lighten up a little. The more you let go, the greater the subtlety; and the greater the subtlety, the deeper the quietude.

Eventually, even the subtle will be interrupted, and the true breathing will appear whereupon the substance of mind will become perceptible. This is because when the mind is subtle, breath is subtle; when mind is unified, it moves energy. When breath is subtle, mind is subtle; when energy is unified, it moves mind. Stabilization of mind must be preceded by development of energy, because the mind has no place to set to work on; so focus on energy is used as a starting point. This is what is called the preservation of pure energy.

Buddha said, “Place the mind on one point, and everything can be done.”

If the mind tends to run off, then unify it by means of the breath; if the breath tends to become rough, then use the mind to make it fine. If you do this, how can the mind fail to stabilize?

Generally speaking, the two afflictions of oblivion and distraction just require quieting practice to continue unbroken day after day until complete cessation and rest occur spontaneously. When you are not sitting quietly, you may be distracted without knowing it; but once you are aware of it, distraction itself becomes a mechanism for getting rid of distraction.

As for unaware oblivion and oblivion of which you become aware, there is an inconceivable distance between them. Unaware oblivion is real oblivion; oblivion that you notice is not completely oblivious. Clear light is in this.



Distraction means the spirit if racing; oblivion means the spirit is unclear. Distraction is easy to cure; oblivion is hard to heal. Using the metaphor of illness, one that involved pain or itch can be treated with medicine, but oblivion is a symptom of paralysis, where there is no feeling.

A distracted mind can be concentrated, and a confused mind can be set in order; but oblivion is unformed darkness, in contrast to distraction, which still has some direction.

Oblivion means the lower energies are in complete control, ruling in negativity and darkness. When you are sitting quietly, if you become drowsy, this is oblivion. Repelling oblivion is simply a matter of tuning the breath. The “breath” in this case is respiration, not the “true breathing.” Nevertheless the true breathing is present within it.



Whenever you sit, you should quiet the mind and unify your energy. How is the mind quieted? The mechanism is in the breathing, but the mind alone knows you are breathing out and in; do not let the ears hear. When you don’t hear it, the breathing is fine; and when breathing is fine, the mind is clear. If you can hear it, the breathing is rough, which means the mind is cloudy. Cloudiness means oblivion, so it is natural to feel sleepy. Even so, the mind should be kept on the breathing.

Just maintain a subtle looking and listening. What is “looking”? It is the light of the eyes spontaneously shining, the eyes only looking inward and not outward. Not looking outward yet being alert is inward looking; it is not that there really is such a thing as looking inward.

What is “listening”? It is the light of the ears spontaneously listening, the ears only listening inward and not outward. Not listening outward yet being alert is inward listening; it is not that there really is such a thing as listening inward.

Listening means listening to the soundless; looking means looking at the formless.



When the eyes do not look outside and the ear do not listen outside, they are closed in and have a tendency to race around inside. Only by looking inward and listening can you prevent this inner racing as well as oblivion in between.



When you sink into oblivion and become drowsy, get up and take a walk. When your spirit has cleared, sit again. It’s best to sit for a while in the early morning when you have free time. After noontime, when there are many things to do, it’s easy to fall into oblivion. Also there’s the need to fix the length of time of meditation; it is only essential to set aside all involvements and sit quietly for a while. Eventually you will attain absorption and not become oblivious or sleepy.

[Dragonfly]

mtpathy,thank you for the information.

I'm thinking that it would be best to dothe meditation in the morning. Before my kids get up.

~~Dragonfly:)