Clairvoyant Crystal Gazing : Part 2

Clairvoyance and Occult Powers
By Swami Panchadasi

(Page 9 of 23)

As she glanced at the water-bottle, Madam C. saw a picture beginning to form, and, looking at it from curiosity, described with considerable detail an elderly gentleman whom she had never seen before, and whom I did not in the least recognize from her description at the moment. Three hours afterward, when the séance was over, Madam C., entered the room and recognized Mr. Elliott, of Messrs. Elliott & Fry, as the gentleman whom she had seen and described in the water-bottle at the restaurant. On another occasion the picture was less agreeable; it was an old man lying dead in bed with some one weeping at his feet; but who it was, or what it related to, no one knew."

Andrew Lang, another prominent investigator of psychic phenomena, gives the following interesting experiment in crystal-gazing: "I had given a glass ball to a young lady, Miss Baillie, who had scarcely any success with it. She lent it to Miss Leslie, who saw a large, square, old-fashioned red sofa covered with muslin (which she, afterward found in the next country-house she visited). Miss Baillie's brother, a young athlete, laughed at these experiments, took the ball into his study, and came back looking 'gey gash.' He admitted that he had seen a vision - somebody he knew, under a lamp. He said that he would discover during the week whether or not he had seen right.

This was at 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon. On Tuesday, Mr. Baillie was at a dance in a town forty miles from his home, and met a Miss Preston. 'On Sunday,' he said, 'about half-past-five, you were sitting under a standard lamp, in a dress I never saw you wear, a blue blouse with lace over the shoulders, pouring out tea for a man in blue serge, whose back was toward me, so that I only saw the tip of his mustache.' 'Why, the blinds must have been up,' said Miss Preston. 'I was at Dulby,' said Mr. Baillie, and he undeniably was."

Miss X., the well-known contributor to the English magazine, "Borderland," several years ago, made a somewhat extended inquiry into the phenomena of crystal-gazing. From her experiments, she made the following classification of the phenomena of crystal-vision, which I herewith reproduce for your benefit. Her classification is as follows:

1. Images of something unconsciously observed. New reproductions, voluntary or spontaneous, and bringing no fresh knowledge to the mind.

2. Images of ideas unconsciously acquired from others. Some memory or imaginative effect, which does not come from the gazer's ordinary self. Revivals of memory. Illustrations of thought.

3. Images, clairvoyant or prophetic. Pictures giving information as to something past, present, or future, which the gazer has no other chance of knowing.

As a matter of fact, each and every form or phase of clairvoyance possible under other methods of inducing clairvoyant vision, is possible in crystal-gazing. It is a mistake to consider crystal-gazing as a separate and distinct form of psychic phenomena. Crystal-gazing is merely one particular form or method of inducing psychic or clairvoyant vision. If you will keep this in mind, you will avoid many common errors and misunderstandings in the matter.

In order to give you the benefit of as many points of view as possible, I should now quote from an old English writer on the subject of the use of the crystal. I do this realizing that sometimes a particular student will get more from one point of view, than from another - some particular phrasing will seem to reach his understanding, where others fail. The directions of the English authority are as follows:

"What is desired through the regular use of the translucent sphere is to cultivate a personal degree of clairvoyant power, so that visions of things or events, past, present, and future, may appear clearly to the interior vision, or eye of the soul. In the pursuit of this effort only, the crystal becomes at once both a beautiful, interesting and harmless channel of pleasure and instruction, shorn of dangers, and rendered conducive to mental development.

"To the attainment of this desirable end, attention is asked to the following practical directions, which, if carefully followed, will lead to success:

"(1) Select a quiet room where you will be entirely undisturbed, taking care that it is as far as possible free from mirrors, ornaments, pictures, glaring colors, and the like, which may otherwise district the attention. The room should be of comfortable temperature, in accordance with the time of year, neither hot nor cold. About 60 to 65 deg. Fahr. is suitable in most cases, though allowance can be made where necessary for natural differences in the temperaments of various people. Therefore thin, nervous, delicately-organized individuals, and those of lymphatic and soft, easy-going, passive types, require a slightly warmer apartment than the more positive class who are known by their dark eyes, hair and complexion, combined with prominent joints. Should a fire, or any form of artificial light be necessary, it should be well screened off, so as to prevent the light rays from being reflected in, or in any manner directly reaching the crystal. The room should not be dark, but rather shadowed, or charged with a dull light, somewhat such as prevails on a cloudy or wet day.

"(2) The crystal should be placed on its stand on a table, or it may rest on a black velvet cushion, but in either case it should be partially surrounded by a black silk or similar wrap or screen, so adjusted as to cut off any undesirable reflection. Before beginning to experiment, remember that most frequently nothing will be seen on the first occasion, and possibly not for several sittings; though some sitters, if strongly gifted with psychic powers in a state of unconscious, and sometimes conscious degree of unfoldment, may be fortunate enough to obtain good results at the very first trial. If, therefore, nothing is perceived during the first few attempts, do not despair or become impatient, or imagine that you will never see anything. There is a royal road to crystal vision, but it is open only to the combined password of Calmness, Patience, and Perseverance. If at the first attempt to ride a bicycle, failure ensues, the only way to learn is to pay attention to the necessary rules, and to persevere daily until the ability to ride comes naturally. Therefore it is with the would-be seer. Persevere in accordance with these simple directions, and success will sooner or later crown your efforts.

"(3) Commence by sitting comfortably with the eyes fixed upon the crystal, not by a fierce stare, but with a steady, calm gaze, for ten minutes only, on the first occasion. In taking the time it is best to hang your watch at a distance, where, while the face is clearly visible, the ticking is rendered inaudible. When the time is up, carefully put the crystal away in its case, and keep it in a dark place, under lock and key, allowing no one but yourself to handle it. At the second sitting, which should be at the same place, in the same position, and at the same time, you may increase the length of the effort to fifteen minutes, and continue for this period during the next five or six sittings, after which the time may be gradually increased, but should in no case exceed one hour. The precise order of repetition is always to be followed until the experimenter has developed an almost automatic ability to readily obtain results, when it needs no longer to be adhered to.