Antique Vintage Large 8\" Crystal Ball on Brass Stand (Fortune Telling / Scrying) For Sale

• Antique
• Solid Brass Stand
• No chips or scratches.
• Large 8\" Diameter Ball
• Stand is 2.25\" T
• 10\" T overall
• I am always buying and trading crystal balls, please let me know if you have one or any leads.
• I package well and ship out daily!

Scrying, also referred to as \"seeing\" or \"peeping,\" is a practice rooted indivinationandfortune-telling. It involves gazing into a medium, hoping to receive significant messages or visions that could offer personal guidance,prophecy,revelation, or inspiration.[1]The practice lacks a definitive distinction from other forms ofclairvoyanceor divination but generally relies on visions within the chosen medium. Unlike augury, which interprets observable events, or divination, which follows standardized rituals, scrying\'s impressions arise within the medium itself.

The terminology and methods of scrying are diverse and lack a standardized structure. Practitioners coin terms such as \"crystallomancy,\" \"spheromancy,\" or \"catoptromancy,\" naming practices based on the medium or technique employed. These practices have been reinvented throughout history, spanning cultures and regions. Scrying media encompass reflective, refractive, or luminescent surfaces like crystals, mirrors, water, fire, or smoke. Some practitioners even close their eyes, engaging in \"eyelid scrying.\"

Methods of scrying often induce self-inducedtrances, using media likecrystal ballsor even modern technology likesmartphones. Practitioners enter a focused state that reduces mental clutter, enabling the emergence of visual images. These initial images, however trivial, are amplified during the trance. Some scryers claim to hear their voices affirming what they see, creating a mental response loop.

Throughout history, various traditions and cultures have practiced scrying as a means of revealing the past, present, or future. The practice involves diverse media, from reflective surfaces to shimmering mirages, and is often accompanied byritualsinducingaltered states of consciousness. Despite its popularity inoccultcircles and its portrayal in media, scrying lacks empirical support and is met with skepticism from the scientific community.

Definitions and terminology[edit]

There is no definitive distinction between scrying and other aids toclairvoyance,augury, ordivination, but roughly speaking, scrying depends on impressions of visions in the medium of choice. Ideally in this respect it differs from augury, which relies on interpretations of objectively observable objects or events (such as flight of birds); from divination, which depends on standardized processes or rituals; fromoneiromancy, which depends on the interpretation of dreams; from the physiological effects ofpsychoactive drugs; and from clairvoyance, which notionally does not depend on objective sensory stimuli. Clairvoyance in other words, is regarded as amounting in essence toextrasensory perception.

Scrying is neither a single, clearly defined, nor formal discipline and there is no uniformity in the procedures, which repeatedly and independently have been reinvented or elaborated in many ages and regions.[2][3]Furthermore, practitioners and authors coin terminology so arbitrarily, and often artificially, that no one system of nomenclature can be taken as authoritative and definitive. Commonly terms in use areLatinisationsorHellenisationsof descriptions of the media or activities. Examples of names coined for crystal gazing include \'crystallomancy\', \'spheromancy\', and \'catoptromancy\'. As an example of the looseness of such terms, catoptromancy should refer more specifically to scrying by use of mirrors or other reflective objects rather than by crystal gazing. Othernames that have been coinedfor the use of various scrying media includeanthracomancyfor glowing coals, turifumy for scrying into smoke, and hydromancy for scrying into water. There is no clear limit to the coining and application of such terms and media.[4]

Scrying has been practiced in many cultures in the belief that it can reveal the past, present, or future.[5][6]Some practitioners assert that visions that come when one stares into the media are from thesubconsciousorimagination, while others say that they come fromgods, spirits,devils, or thepsychicmind, depending on the culture and practice. There is neither any systematic body ofempirical supportfor any such views in general however, nor for their respective rival merits; individual preferences in such matters are arbitrary.[5]

Media[edit]

The media most commonly used in scrying are reflective, refractive, translucent, or luminescent surfaces or objects such ascrystals,stones, orglassin various shapes such as crystal balls,mirrors, reflective black surfaces such as obsidian, water surfaces,fire, orsmoke, but there is no special limitation on the preferences or prejudices of the scryer; some may stare into pitch dark, clear sky, clouds, shadows, or light patterns against walls, ceilings, or pond beds. Some prefer glowing coals or shimmeringmirages. Some simply close their eyes, notionally staring at the insides of their own eyelids, and speak of \"eyelid scrying\".

Scrying media generally either suggest images directly (such as figures in fire, fluid eddies or clouds), or else they distort or reflect the observers\' vision confusingly, in the manner to be seen in crystals or transparent balls. Such fancies have long been satirised by sceptics, for example inHamletIII.ii:[citation needed]

Do you see yonder cloud that\'s almost in shape of a camel?
By the mass, and \'tis like a camel, indeed.
Methinks it is like a weasel.
It is backed like a weasel.
Or like a whale?
Very like a whale.

Alternatively the medium might reduce visual stimuli to thresholds below which any clear impressions could interfere with fancied visions or free association. Examples include darkened reflections of night sky, or plain shadow or darkness.[7]

Methods[edit]Modern-day scrying experience

One class of methods of scrying involves a self-inducedtrance, with or without the aid of a medium such as a crystal ball or, even via modern technology such as asmartphoneamong other things. Some say that the sensation is drug-like, some that various drugs can potentiate the experience; others categorically exclude any connection with drug usage, claiming that it invalidates any images observed.

Many practitioners say that the scrying medium initially serves to focus attention, removing unwanted thoughts from the mind in much the same way as repetition of amantra, concentration on amandala, inducingthe relaxation response, or possibly byhypnosis. Once this stage is achieved, the scryer may begin free association with the perceived images. The technique of deliberately looking for and declaring these initial images aloud, however trivial or irrelevant they may seem to the conscious mind, attempts to deepen the trance state. In this state some scryers hear their own disassociated voices affirming what they see, in a mental response loop.

Practitioners apply the process until they achieve a satisfactory state of perception in which rich visual images and dramatic stories seem to be projected within the medium itself, or in the mind\'s eye of the scryer. They claim that the technique allows them to see relevant events or images within the chosen medium.

Nostradamuspracticed scrying; he would stare into a bowl of water or a \"magic mirror\" to see the future while he was in trance.[6]

Religion and mythology[edit]See also:Mirrors in Mesoamerican cultureHebrew Bible[edit]

Divination is briefly mentioned in chapter 44 of the Book of Genesis. A silver chalice or cup is deliberately planted in Benjamin\'s sack when he leaves Egypt, later to be used as evidence of theft. It is revealed the cup belongs to Joseph, the vizier of Egypt, whose steward claimed was used for drinking and divination during the course of his accusation. This is mentioned to reinforce his disguise as an Egyptian nobleman. Nothing in the book of Genesis indicates that Joseph actually used the cup for divination.

Ancient Persia[edit]Main article:Cup of Jamshid

TheShahnameh, a 10th-century epic work narrating historical and mythological past ofPersia, gives a description of what was called theCup of Jamshid(Jaam-e Jam), which was used by the ancient (mythological) Persian kings for observing all of the seven layers of the universe. The cup was said to contain an elixir of immortality, but without cogent explanation for any relevance of the elixir to the scrying function.

Latter Day Saint movement[edit]Main articles:Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)andUrim and Thummim (Latter Day Saints)

In the late 1820s,Joseph Smithfounded theLatter Day Saint movementbased in part on what was said to be information obtained miraculously from the reflections ofseer stones. Smith had at least three separate stones, including his favorite, a brown stone he found during excavation of a neighbor\'s well. He initially used these stones in various treasure-digging quests in the early 1820s, placing the stone inside the crown of his hat and putting his face in the hat to read what he believed were the miraculous reflections from the stone.[8]Smith also said that he had access to a separate set of spectacles composed of seer stones, which he called theUrim and Thummim. He said that, through these stones, he could translate thegolden platesthat are the stated source of theBook of Mormon.[9]

In folklore[edit]Divinationrituals such as the one depicted on this early 20th-centuryHalloweengreeting card, where a woman stares into a mirror in a darkened room to catch a glimpse of the face of her future husband while a witch lurks in the shadows, may be one origin of theBloody Mary legend.This Halloweengreeting cardfrom 1904 satirizesdivination: the young woman hoping to see her future husband sees the reflection of a nearby portrait instead.

Rituals that involve many acts similar to scrying inceremonial magicare retained in the form of folklore and superstition. A formerly widespread tradition held that young women gazing into a mirror in a darkened room (often onHalloween) could catch a glimpse of their future husband\'s face in the mirror — or askull personifying Deathif their fate was to die before they married.

Another form of the tale, involving the same actions of gazing into a mirror in a darkened room, is used as asupernatural darein the tale of \"Bloody Mary\". Here, the motive is usually to test the adolescent gazers\' mettle against a malevolentwitchorghost, in a ritual designed to allow the scryers\' easy escape if the visions summoned prove too frightening.[10]

Folklore superstitions such as those just mentioned, are not to be distinguished clearly from traditional tales, within which the reality of such media are taken for granted. In the fairytale ofSnow Whitefor example, the jealous queen consults amagic mirror, which she asks \"Magic mirror on the wall / Who is the fairest of them all?\", to which the mirror always replies \"You, my queen, are fairest of all.\" But when Snow White reaches the age of seven, she becomes as beautiful as the day, and when the queen asks her mirror, it responds: \"Queen, you are full fair, \'tis true, but Snow White is fairer than you.\"[11]There is no uniformity among believers, in how seriously they prefer to take such tales and superstitions.

In Western esotericism[edit]See also:Body of light

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn(1888-c.1902 in its original form) taught their own version of scrying that could be done individually or as a group. It emphasized three levels:[12]

1. \"Scrying in the Spirit Vision\" with an emphasis on inner seeing by focusing on a symbol or mirror,
2. \"Traveling in the Spirit Vision\" involves going to the place seen and interacting with what is found there,
3. \"Rising on the Planes\" focuses on a spiritual process (involving scrying via the Tree of Life) that has the potential to elevate consciousness to the level of the Divine.

Scientific reception[edit]

Scrying is not supported byscienceas a method of predicting the future or obtaining information unavailable to empirical investigation.[13]Some critics consider it to be apseudoscience.[5][14]Skeptics consider scrying to be the result ofdelusionorwishful thinking.[15]

PsychologistLeonard Zusnesuggested that scrying images style=\"margin: 0.5em 0px 1em; color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;\">A 2010 paper in the journalPerception[17]identified one specific method of reliably reproducing a scryingillusionin a mirror and hypothesized that it \"might be caused by low level fluctuations in the stability of edges, shading and outlines affecting the perceived definition of the face, which gets over-interpreted as ‘someone else’ by theface recognition system.\"[18]

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