inner vision
The Ancient Art Of Scrying
When the evil queen in Walt Disney’s animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), says, “Magic mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” she is not merely admiring the beauty of her own reflection. Instead, she is practicing an ancient divination technique known as scrying. In this case ‘mirror scrying,’ also known as catoptromancy.
Scrying is the metaphysical practice of gazing into a reflective surface, such as a crystal ball, mirror or water, in order to perceive spiritual insights, spirit messages or clairvoyant visions of the future.
In most societies, since time began, people used different tools in attempts to scry for answers about the present and future. It seems to be human nature to want to know what is in store for us in the future. Often scrying was done in the confines of royalty or religion – reserved only for the privileged few deemed worthy to do it.
Scrying was often a practice learned and applied within a family, as children often watched their elders scry. People did not write down how to do such things in the early days. The secrets of scrying was handed down from one family member to another. However, this metaphysical practice can be learned by almost all people with some dedication, concentration and patience.
Many objects can be used to scry. Apart from the traditional crystal ball or mirror, one can also make use of a candle, water, ink, smoke, tea leaves, or even a glass of dark wine. In ancient Egypt there were sacred lotus pools used by priests for scrying. Shallow scrying bowls, carved from dark stone, have been found in many parts of the world. When filled with water, ink or dark red wine they too became ‘mirrors’ for scrying. The crystal sphere that many modern practitioners use is a more recent innovation. The earliest examples, used primarily for divination date, from about 1500 AD.
Envisioning A Better World For All
More than a century ago, the great Indian sage Paramahansa Yogananda spoke in his teachings and writings about envisioning a better world for all. He believed in the transformative power of individual and collective consciousness and emphasized the importance of spiritual practices such as meditation and self-realization in creating a more harmonious and compassionate world.
Yogananda stressed that true change begins within each individual. He believed that by working on our own spiritual growth and self-realization, we radiate positive energy and higher consciousness that contributes to a more peaceful and loving world.
He encouraged individuals to envision a new world of peace, harmony, and unity. By holding this vision in our minds and hearts, he believed, we could collectively bring it into being. Yogananda promoted the concept of universal brotherhood, which recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings. He encouraged people to look beyond differences of race, religion, and nationality and to treat one another with love, respect, and understanding.
Yogananda also spoke of the power of visualization and positive thinking. He saw prayer and meditation as powerful tools for individual and collective transformation. He encouraged individuals to live with a sense of purpose and to align their actions with higher ideals.
In a modern world filled with challenges and uncertainties, it is indeed essential that we hold on to a common vision of a better future. We must strive to create a world in which every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, can thrive.
An End-Of-Life Mediumship Experience
I have been doing mediumship work for over 40 years, but recently I received an unusual request I have never had before. I was asked to do a phone reading for a long-time client whose mom who was terminally ill and in hospice intensive care. My client said her mom could no longer speak, and she felt the need to communicate with her before she passed.
I have never done a mediumship reading under these circumstances, but I could hardly refuse my client’s plea. So, I agreed, despite not being entirely confident about how it would unfold.
As soon as I started to tune in, I saw a vision in my mind’s eye of a man holding both her mother’s hands. I described the physical appearance of the two people I was seeing, and the daughter then confirmed that it was definitely her mom and her mom’s brother.
The mother was very relieved to be able to reassure her daughter, as well as her life-long best friend, who was also present in the hospice room at the time, that she was finally ready to transition and return to her spiritual home.
Then I saw three angels standing behind the mother. They wanted to reassure those present that her crossing would be safe and easy, and that she would no longer be in so much pain.
When I perceive angels during readings, they appear to me exactly how one might expect them to look in the traditional Christian art sense, complete with wings and a glowing aura. However, I never see them with recognizable facial features and I always feel their presence first, before I see them.
Intuitive Breathwork For Inner Guidance
Our angels and spirit guides never want to see us feeling down or suffering, whether it is emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually. They are always there to celebrate the good times with us, but they are also there to support and guide in our worst times. Spirit simply loves us unconditionally, no matter what is going on.
I strongly recommend taking a few minutes tevery day to shut out the noise of the world, as well as your own negative self-talk, to be still and open yourself to inner guidance from spirit. Go within to listen to spirit. Shift your awareness out of your heart and mind and into your gut to find your inner spiritual truth.
I speak to my guides daily as part of my spiritual practice. I usually ask them what they recommend I accomplish today, or what direction would be most beneficial for my highest good. I always receive an answer.
Mostly it comes through as a clear inner knowing or gut feeling. At times I receive it as a vivid thought, or an inspired idea, or a clairvoyant glimpse of something or someone significant that will cross my path.
I find get the best results with the answers I get from spirit after a few minutes of my tried and trusted breathwork exercise. I do the same preparation when reading for others and I also use it at times to clear energy blockages from my chakras.
It only takes about five minutes and is something that anyone can do daily to increase spiritual awareness and decrease inner noise and mental clutter. I have seen many of my clients thrive once they included this technique in their daily practice.
We Should Be More Like The Turtle
Most people seldom give themselves permission to take a breather and just relax. As a hypnotherapist, I often see clients for stress relief sessions. In this case, they usually feel it is more justified for them to take some time out, because they are paying for a form of professional healthcare. After all, they made an appointment for the session and their doctor referred them. So, it must be okay.
Many people cannot even relax on a vacation! They feel they absolutely must do all the tourist things, even if they are tired, or the money they spent of the trip will be wasted. Or they feel compelled to spring clean the hotel room, instead of lying on the beach. Only to feel they need a second vacation to recover from the first vacation once they return home.
In the good old days, folks used to simply take a ‘joy ride’ somewhere with no real purpose or destination in mind. They did it purely for the enjoyment and the adventure. It was a standing joke in my family that if you chose to get in a car with my dad, you had better have the entire day off, because you never knew where you would wind up or what time you would get back home.
My kids still reminisce about our family taking a ride during the holidays to see all the Christmas lights and decorated homes. We used to stop for hot chocolate with marshmallows and everyone received a homemade cinnamon candy cane. It was the tradition.
Today, we live in such a busy, fast-paced world in which we feel guilty for taking time to take care of ourselves. But what is more important: the journey or destination? We all need to rest and restore our body, mind, and spirit on a regular basis. Neglecting one’s self-care is a prescription for poor long-term health, and making bad life choices.
Take Some Time To Envision A Better Life
The most valuable thing we can do for ourselves is to envision a better life and future for ourselves. We are the creators of our own reality and the masters of our own destiny. If your life is not the way you wish it to be, then you can begin to change it for the better starting today.
The best way to begin is to take honest inventory of your life – focusing on those things that are within your control – to determine what achievements and successes you are proud of. At the same time, also take careful look at what you might want to do differently or accomplish going forward.
If you are unhappy with your life as it currently is, know that your circumstances do not need to remain the same for the rest of your life
If we look at our current lifestyle, prosperity and well-being and do not like what we see, it is usually a sign that our level of self-worth or our sense of feeling deserving has been very low and that we have most likely succumbed to negative thinking and beliefs in recent times.
To transform our lives for the better, we must then change our thinking and visualization habits, in order to start attracting the superior conditions and improved quality of life that we would prefer to have in our lives.
It’s perfectly okay to dream of greater glories, whether that means more money, a new home, a loving partner, or something all-encompassing such as delightful happiness, superior health, and true abundance.
The Intuitive Benefits Of Meditation
Meditation led me to a major spiritual awakening and increased psychic awareness. Meditation allows us to become more spiritually aware, enlightened, and more open to the spirit realm.
When I first started meditating, I would often become distracted or even fall asleep. It used to frustrate me, because I feared I might ever be able to achieve a proper state of meditation. But I persevered and kept trying for a few minutes every night. Eventually, I found that I could get into a meditative state more easily, without losing focus or drifting off. So, be patient and give yourself time in the beginning to get used this different state of consciousness.
Once you become more skilled and meditate frequently, you will soon notice that you are becoming much more intuitive. You will feel more tuned in to other people and your surroundings, and may begin to pick up on more energetic information.
A powerful way to increase your psychic awareness using a meditative state is focus on any point of light or object and then ‘zone out’ as if you are daydreaming. I like to practice by focusing on a silver picture frame in my bedroom. A crystal or candle flame are also good options.
Once you have become good at entering the meditative state by focusing on something, try to do it when you are out and about. You may begin to notice that people and objects look somewhat ‘hazy,’ as if they have a glare around them. This is actually the aura or energy field of the object or person.
With frequent mindful meditation your metaphysical awareness will become more heightened over time. In a state of daily meditative awareness, it feels as if God, Source, Spirit, the Universe begins to speak to you in secret.