Crystals to covet: Giant hawk's eye sphere

Oooohhh....look what's up on eBay right now--this sublime hawk's eye sphere measuring over 10 inches.  (Cheekbones not included, alas.)  Anybody have $13,000 they don't need?

Secret Window Mirrors on Etsy

That is, you don't need fancy tools if you possess the right skills and intent, and buying stuff won't make you successful if you don't.  This is the legacy of the postmodern Chaos Magick movement--which succeeded in shaking off some of the Victorian-era filigree from the Western esoteric tradition, but perhaps took things a step too far.  Yeah, you can make sigils on Post-its if you don't have an virgin parchment laying around.  And you can scry with day-old coffee in a Solo cup if that's all you have.  But it's equally true that magic begins in the imagination, and the imagination loves color, texture, and glamour.  Anyone who's the least bit romantically or artistically inclined will appreciate the boost they get from a beautiful, evocative piece of equipment.

That's why I'd like to endorse Secret Window Mirrors on Etsy.  Creator Michelle Christine offers goth-tastic black scrying mirrors in vintage frames, as well as decorative mirrors--all crafted from salvaged goods.  Her one-of-a-kind dark mirrors look like they belong on a fairy tale wizard's study, or a spinster witch's secret cabinet.  (Prices are very reasonable, too.)  If you're crafty, her work might inspire you to haunt some estate sales for your own scrying mirror, and put a little filigree back into your life.

Scrying with obsidian

Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass.  It is an ancient scrying tool with unique properties and sacred associations that make it a popular choice even today.   The stone, found primarily in North America, is black with a naturally glossy texture.  Large deposits of obsidian were formed when silica-rich lava or magma cooled rapidly, creating an igneous rock.  Obsidian often gets lumped into the crystal category by New Agers, but the stone is technically not crystalline--it's vitreous (or amorphous).  The metaphysical properties attributed to obsidian include grounding, blocking negative energy, spiritual protection, and enhancing psychic vision.  (Isn't every single gemstone credited with clearing negativity and enhancing psychic vision?  Just once, I'd like to walk into a crystal store and have someone say, "Here, check out the energy of this crappite--it shuts down all your chakras at once and gives you warts, besides!") 

Anyway, the largest veins of obsidian are found in North America, where for thousands of years it was used to make tools and ceremonial items.  Obsidian is fairly easy to shape with stone tools, and can be honed to an extremely sharp edge.  The knowledge of metallurgy, so important in the course of European civilization, did not develop in pre-Colombian Mesoamerica, perhaps because of the wide availability of obsidian for knives, axes, and awls.  To the Aztecs, obsidian was a divine stone, thought to be a form of blood originating from deep in the earth.  It was sacred to the god Tezcatlipoca ("Smoking Mirror"), who presided over magic, divination, the night sky, and ancestral memory.  Obsidian also has mythic significance in the Navajo and Maya cultures.  (For more obsidian facts and history, go here.)

Obsidian in its usual form is solid black and polished to a high shine.  But there are variations.  "Gold sheen" or "silver sheen" obsidian has phantom streaks of light-catching inclusions, which are caused by tiny gas bubbles trapped during the cooling process.  "Rainbow" obsidian has a multicolor effect caused in a similar way by trapped water.  There's also "snowflake" obsidian (or "Apache tears") that is sprinkled with grey, ash-like flecks.  (I can't imagine that this kind would be very good for scrying.)  Most obsidian goods come from Mexico.  You can buy obsidian in the usual assortment of shapes, including spheres, cabochons, skulls, pyramids and palmstones, and also in natural chunks which reflect the flow of the lava that formed it.

Among the most prized of scrying tools are black obsidian mirrors.  These are usually unframed round or ovoid slabs about a centimeter thick.  Broad pieces of obsidian that can be crafted into mirrors are rare, and it takes a lot of skill to cut the brittle stone this way.  That translates into serious coin.  I've seen 6-inch obsidian mirrors selling for $300 or more online, while most occult shops offer 12-inch beveled black glass mirrors for between $60 and $100.  If it's important to you to have the natural volcanic glass, you'll almost certainly have to content yourself with a smaller surface.

Now, from reading various internet forums (why, oh why?) I've learned that some people are reluctant to use a black surface for scrying, the same way some people have a fearful reaction to black candles, robes, and other ritual tools.  Of course my esteemed readers already know that there isn't anything evil or sinister about the color black and indeed it has a rich symbolic link to sleep, the powers of the North, the generative darkness of the Goddess, etc.  I think the black mirror's PR problem comes not only from negative associations with the color, but its use in ceremonial magic as a means of evoking spirits, such as in the Solomonic revival led by Carroll "Poke" Runyon.  But just because dark mirrors are useful for evocation work, doesn't mean you can't safely use them for general divinatory purposes, also.  If you're drawn to obsidian, you should use it.  If you're so superstitious and timid that just looking at a black surface gives you the creeps, you should probably just take up needlepoint--it's safer.

 While I'm dishing out the unsolicited advice, I'd also like to say, don't worry if you can't see anything in obsidian, because it really is different from other media.  Just try something else.  (Conversely, you might want to try obsidian if other scrying tools don't do it for you.)  For years, I thought that I couldn't scry a dark surface.  Despite some fleeting success with hematite and blank computer screens, I got much better results with water and later, quartz.  I found I relied on the subtle movements of light inside my specula, and obisidian just looked flat to me.  I also disliked the tendency of black surfaces to suddenly reflect my face back to me when I was trying to get a fix on a vision.  (That's right--my face is just too, too distracting.)

Recently, though, I've branched out and started playing with a small obsidian sphere that I picked up for around $10.  I was at a new (to me) crystal store that had a large display of obsidian at very reasonable prices.  There was another shopper nearby me, a Mexican man, who was in the process of reverently handling each and every stone one by one, sometimes muttering under his breath and holding the stone closer to his head as if waiting for an answer.  I watched him for a little while, then figured well, either he's fuckin' nuts or he knows what he's doing.  What the heck, maybe I'll go find me an obsidian, too.

So I go over to the display (there was plenty of room, and anyway, he didn't notice me) and start picking up rocks.  I didn't talk to them, though.  Eventually there was one I felt particularly drawn to, a ball about an inch and a half in diameter.  I held it up to the light.  And...I saw something!  Some clouds, some mountains.  I was so excited--I'd never seen anything (besides my nose) in an obsidian sphere before.  There was motion and light, a silvery streak with just the slightest warm tinge.  (I couldn't tell if it was silver or gold, so I just called it "sold.")  I took it home and began to work with it right away.  Turns out this was a "sheen" obsidian, which I had never heard of before.  When I turn it back an forth, it has a hypnotic effect that's similar to what I get from the light play in quartz.  I still find that clear depth works best for me, but I enjoy the challenge of trying something different.  I also get out obsidian during the dark moon, when my (very lunar) primary crystal seems to be hibernating.

Well, that's about all I know about scrying with obsidian.  I recommend trying this beautiful stone, especially if you have an affinity for volcanoes, Aztec and Mesoamerican culture, the color black, or the elements of Earth and Fire.  If you have any ideas or experiences that relate to the magical use of obsidian, please share them in the comments section--I'd love to learn more.

Related links on my blog:

Read about some basic scrying techniques.
Don't like black? Shop for a crystal instead.
See pictures of the most notorious obsidian mirror ever.

What's up with gazing balls?

Have you ever seen those mirrored or glass lawn ornaments known as gazing balls?  (Wikipedia redirects the search to an entry on "yard globes," but I've only ever heard them called gazing balls.)  They're sold in hardware and decor stores, and are a common sight where I live--along with birdbaths, garden gnomes, and fiberglass flamingos.

Gazing balls might be a throwback to the gardens of French aristocracy, or they may have their antecedent in colonial American "witch balls"--hanging glass orbs thought to trap evil spirits outside the house.  In any case, gazing balls are frequently placed on tripods (just like scrying balls) and, as the name implies, make excellent focal points for a lazy afternoon on the back porch.  To me, the ubiquity of gazing balls is just another example of how occult technology and imagery can slip almost unnoticed into the mainstream. I remember being fascinated with gazing balls as a kid, and thinking that anyone who displayed one in their yard must secretly be a witch.

While gazing balls are usually too reflective to be ideal as a scrying tool, I must admit I still get a little thrill imagining suburban housewives and grannies trancing out in their gazing balls while weeding the begonias!

Choosing a crystal ball

Although its popularity may have peaked in the early 20th century, the crystal ball is still the most quintessential of all scrying devices.  Some modern practitioners, especially professional psychics, shy away from them because of their gypsy/carnival reputation.  But many people cherish crystal balls for their romance, beauty, and unique properties.  If you're in the market for an orb of your own, here's a few things to consider:

Understand the different products that are available. Solid quartz crystals are cut from a single piece of natural stone, and almost always contain what jewelers call "inclusions," or flaws.  Most are less than two inches in diameter, and larger specimens are rare.  Fused or reconstituted quartz balls are made from quartz and sometimes other minerals that have been pulverized and reformed into a spherical shape.  These come in many sizes, and generally have greater clarity and a lower price tag than solid cut quartz.  Glass spheres contain no quartz, but are made of silica dioxide, and may be perfectly clear or display small air bubbles inside.  These are the cheapest scrying balls available, but they may lack the metaphysical properties attributed to genuine crystal.

Also, while clear quartz is the most traditional material, it's not the only option.  Smoky quartz, rutilated quartz, and colored stones like amethyst all have their fans.  Crystal pyramids, tetrahedrons, skulls, and natural shapes are all popular alternatives to spheres.

Spend only as much as you (comfortably) can.  Real quartz can be extravagantly expensive. Frater Achad makes a good point when he writes,

We should choose this crystal, I might almost say, lovingly; at least, if a selection is presented to us we should take the one to which, after a moment of silent consideration, we feel most attracted; and this -- if possible -- regardless of the material consideration of its cost. We should not, however, purchase a globe which is far beyond our material means, so that other obligations would suffer thereby; otherwise, lurking at the back of our consciousness whenever we use it, may be the feeling of having acted wrongly in that connection from the very start.  (Crystal Vision Through Crystal Gazing, 1923)

Realize that the true power of sight resides in the seer--buying the biggest and best tool you can find won't help you if you aren't willing to put in the work of learning to use it.  You can get very good results with a small crystal.  And remember that you aren't wedded to one crystal for life.  You can always upgrade later if your interest intensifies or your financial situation changes.

It's better to try before you buy.  If you're lucky enough to have a crystal supplier in your area, go there first.  The staff will usually be happy to let you grope all the crystals and answer any questions you might have.  In a store, you can hold a ball up to the light to check the clarity.  You can look at it from all angles and examine its inclusions.  (Some people find that the swirls, clouds, and streaks in natural crystal help to trigger visions, while others find them to be distracting.)

Try clearing your mind and see if there's any stone you feel particularly drawn to.  Do any seem to be humming, singing, or calling out to you?  Pick 'em up.  A tingling or warm feeling in your hands, forehead or gut is a good sign.  If you start to see images immediately, then that's even better.  If you can't get to any occult or crystal shops, some alternative sources include gemstone conventions, antique stores, Celtic festivals and Rennaisance faires.  (My first crystal ball came from a rural Rennaisance faire--in the South, these places are hotbeds of sublimated occultism.)  And it goes without saying that you can order one online, but caveat emptor--it's really hard to judge the quality and size of crystals from pictures.  Also, many rock crystals (especially the ones on eBay) are imported from Asia and the high shipping costs negate any savings.

Treat your new tool with respect.  No, you don't have to buy into every dogma and superstition ever created about crystals. Yours will work just fine, even if you don't bathe it in herb tea and swaddle it with silk and consecate it under the light of three consecutive full moons.  (Although you can do those things if you really want to.)  I think at the very least, though, you should cleanse a new crystal thoroughly, and perform a simple ritual dedicating it to its best and highest use.  You should also store it someplace safe where it won't be disturbed until you're ready to use it.  Personally, I've come to think of my favorite crystal as a trusted collaborator, and to regard it with a kind of grateful awe.  It's been in the Earth's crust for millions of years, after all, and now it's come along to help me do my work.  Whether or not the crystal actually possesses any properties of consciousness is beside the point--adopting an attitude of humility and patience will prove most helpful in any metaphysical pursuit.