,note3 ,in the original text1 the ,concise ,dictionary of ,astrological ,terms displayed a small astrological glyph illustration next to each term1 but ,i have not indicated these in this online text4 ,,how ,,to ,,read ,,the ,,crystal ,,or1 ,,crystal ,,and ,,seer ,,with ,a ,,concise ,,dictionary ,,of ,,astrological ,,terms ,,by ,,sepharial ,,author ,,of ,,book ,,of ,,cards1 ,,the ,,little ,,book ,,of ,,magic1 ,,etc4 ,,london ,,foulsham ,,co41 ,,ltd4 #aj #aa1 ,,red ,,lion ,,court1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,e4,c4 #aibb ,printed in ,great ,britain ,,contents ,chapter ,i4 ,a ,postulate #e ,chapter ,,ii4 ,qualifications #ac ,chapter ,,iii4 ,preliminaries #ag ,chapter ,,iv4 ,the ,vision #ba ,chapter ,v4 ,difficulties #be ,chapter ,,vi4 ,symbols #bi ,chapter ,,vii4 ,some ,experiences #ce ,chapter ,,viii4 ,directions for ,using the ,ovoids and ,spheres for ,crystal or ,mirror ,vision #ea ,chapter ,,ix4 ,consise ,dictionary of ,astrological ,terms #ec ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,postulate ,any attempt at a scientific explanation of the phenomenon of crystal seering1 to use an irregular but comprehensive term1 would perhaps fall short of completeness1 and certainly would depend largely upon the exercise of what ,professor ,huxley was wont to call the scientific imagination4 ,the reasons for this are obvious4 ,we know comparatively little about atomic structure in relation to nervous organism4 ,we are informed to a certain degree upon atomic ratios2 we know that all bodies are regarded by the physicist as a congeries of atoms1 and that these atoms are centres of force4 ,primarily1 the atomic theory would refer all heterogeneous bodies to one homogeneous substance1 from which substance1 by means of a process loosely referred to as differentiation1 all the elements are derived4 ,these elements are the result of atomic arrangement1 and the atoms of each are known to have various vibrations1 the extent of which is called the mean free path of vibration4 ,the indestructibility of matter1 the fact that all nature is convertible1 and the absolute association of matter and force1 lead to the conclusion that since every change in matter implies a change of force1 matter must be ever living and active1 and primarily of a spiritual nature4 ,the great ,swedenborg1 no less a scientist than a spiritual seer1 laid down his doctrine of ,correspondences upon the primary concept of the spiritual origin of all force and matter4 ,matter1 he argued1 was the ultimate expression of ,spirit1 as ,form was that of ,force4 ,spirit was to ,force what ,matter was to ,form--our ideas of ,matter and ,form being closely related4 ,hence1 for every ,spiritual ,force there is a corresponding ,material ,form1 and the material or natural world corresponds at all points with the world of spirit1 without being identical4 ,this1 in brief1 is the conclusion to which the scientific imagination of the present day1 extending as it does from the known into the unknown1 is slowly but surely leading up4 ,taking as our postulate the scientific statement of the atomic structure of bodies1 atomic vibration and molecular arrangement1 we turn to consider the action exerted by such bodies upon the nervous organism of man4 ,the function of the brain--which must be regarded as the bulbous root of a nervous plant whose branches grow downwards--is twofold2 to affect1 and to be affected4 ,in its active or positive condition it affects the whole of the vital and muscular processes in the man1 finding expression in vital action4 ,in its passive or negative state it is affected by impressions coming to it in different ways through the sense-organs1 resulting in nervous and mental action4 ,it is this latter phase of brain-function with which we are immediately concerned4 ,the range of our sense-perception puts us momentarily and continually in relation with the material world1 or rather with a certain portion of it4 ,we say a certain portion because we know from scientific experience that the scale or gamut of sense-perception is limited1 both as to its extent and as to its quality4 ,many insects1 birds1 and quadrupeds have keener perceptions in some respects than man4 ,the photographic plate can register impressions which are beyond the perception of our highest sense of sight4 ,the ,rntgen rays have put us into relations with a new order of impression--records quite beyond the range of our normal vision4 ,the animalcule and microbic life1 itself microscopic1 has yet its own order of sense-organs related to a world of vitality beyond our ken4 ,these1 and a host of other observations1 serve to show that our normal perceptions are extremely limited1 and1 further1 that nature does not cease to exist where we cease to perceive her4 ,the relation of our sense-organs to the several degrees of matter1 to solids1 fluids1 gases1 atmospheric and etheric motions1 vary in different individuals to such a wide extent that the average wool-sorter leaves many an artist behind in his perception of colour-shades4 ,the same odour is perceptible by one person and unrecognisable by another4 ,in the gradation of sound1 too1 the same differences of perception will be commonly noticed4 ,but quite apart from the scale or range of perception1 the quality of a sense-impression is found to vary with different persons4 ,by this we mean that the same body will affect different persons in dissimilar manner4 ,hence arises the variety of tastes in regard to forms1 colours1 flavours1 scents1 sounds1 fabrics1 etc41 what is agreeable to one being highly objectionable to another4 ,the experience is to common to need illustration2 but the conclusion to which we are led is that1 in relation to the nervous system of man1 every material body has a variable effect4 ,and this clears the ground for a statement of our views in regard to the ,crystal and its effects upon the seer4 ,the ,crystal itself is a clear pellucid piece of quartz or beryl1 sometimes oval in shape1 but more generally spheroidal4 ,it is accredited by ,reichenbach and other researchers with highly magnetic qualities capable of producing in a suitable subject a state analogous to the ordinary waking trance of the hypnotists4 ,it is believed that all bodies convey1 or are the vehicles of1 a certain universal magnetic property1 variously called ,od1 ,odyle1 etc41 which is regarded as an inert and passive substance underlying the more active forces familiar to us in kinetic1 calorific1 and electrical phenomena4 ,in this respect it bears a position analogous to the ,argon of the atmosphere4 ,it is capable of taking up1 sympathetically1 the vibrations of those bodies or elements to which it is temporarily related4 ,but of itself it has no activity1 although in its still1 well-like1 and calm depths it holds the potentiality of all magnetic forces4 ,this ,odyle1 then1 is particularly potent in the quartz or beryl1 when brought into activity by the intention of the seer4 ,it produces and retains more readily in that form the various images communicated to it from the soul of man4 ,and the soul1 in this connection1 must be regarded as the repository of all that complex mass of emotions1 thoughts1 impressions1 perceptions1 feelings1 etc41 included in the inner life of man2 for the soul of man is not the less a scientific fact because there are those who bandy words concerning its origin and nature4 ,reichenbach has shown by a series of experiments upon sensitive and hypnotised subjects that metals and other substances produce very marked effects in contact with the human body4 ,those experiments showed1 too1 that the same substance affected different patients in diverse manner4 ,the hypnotic experiments of ,dr4 ,charcot1 the well-known ,french biologist1 also demonstrate the rapport existing between the sensitive patient and foreign bodies when in proximity or contact2 as for example1 when a bottle containing a poison was taken at random from among a number of others of exactly similar appearance1 and applied to the back of the patient's neck1 the hypnotised subject would once develop all the symptoms of poisoning by arsenic1 strychnine1 prussic acid1 etc41 it being afterwards ascertained that the bottle thus applied actually contained the toxine whose effects had been portrayed by the subject4 ,it need not1 then1 be a matter of surprise to learn that the ,crystal exerts a very definite and sensible effect upon the nervous system of a certain order of subjects4 ,it does not affect all alike1 nor act in exactly the same way on those whom it does so affect4 ,where its action is more or less rapid and remarkable1 the quartz or beryl ,crystal may be taken as the most effective medium for producing the vision4 ,in other cases the concave mirror1 either of polished copper or black japan1 will be found serviceable for inducing the clairvoyant state4 ,in some other cases1 again1 a bowl of water is sufficient4 ,the ecstatic vision was first induced in the case of ,jacob ,boehme by the sun's rays falling upon a bowl of water which caught and dazzled his eyes while he was engaged in the humble task of cobbling a pair of shoes4 ,as a consequence of this exaltation of the sense of sight we have those remarkable works1 ,the ,aurora1 ,the ,four ,complexions1 ,the ,signatura ,rerum1 and many others1 together with a volume of letters and commentaries which1 in addition to being of a highly spiritual nature1 must also be regarded as scholarly when referred to their authorship4 ,in cases like the above it may be said that the clairvoyant faculty is constitutional and already fully developed1 waiting only the circumstances which shall serve to bring it into active play1 ,emanuel ,swedenborg1 if we remember rightly1 was #ed years of age before he awoke to the consciousness of his spiritual vision4 ,the medium employed for inducing the clairvoyant state cannot be definitely prescribed4 ,it must remain a matter of experiment for each investigator4 ,this1 however1 may be said3 ,every person whose life is not wholly sunk in selfish and material pleasures1 but in whom the aspiration to a nobler and purer life is a hunger the world cannot satisfy1 has within himself the power to see and know that which he seeks behind the veil of his earthly senses4 ,nature has never produced a desire she could not satisfy4 ,there is no hope1 however vague1 that the soul cannot define1 and no aspiration1 however high1 that the wings of the spirit cannot reach4 ,therefore be patient and strive4 ,that there are some in whom the psychic faculties are more prone to activity than in others is certain1 as also some in whom these powers are native1 by spiritual or hereditary succession2 all of which may be determined from their genitures by the astrological art4 ,in others1 the determination of the natural powers takes a more practical and mundane tendency1 making them more successful in the affairs of daily life than in aught of a spiritual nature ,st4 ,paul has spoken of a diversity of gifts4 ,one star differeth from another in glory1 he says1 in very truth4 ,this distribution of natural gifts proceeds from the celestial world1 and is so ordered that each person born on this earth may fulfil his part in the economy of life4 ,and because the spiritual needs of mankind are of primary importance1 there are those born in whom the power of spiritual interpretation is the dominant faculty1 such persons being the natural channels of intercourse between the superior and inferior worlds4 ,these are to mankind what a certain order of microbic life is to the body of man--organic interpreters1 translating the elements of food into blood1 nerve1 fibre1 tissue1 etc41 agreeably to the laws of their being4 ,for those who would aspire to the gift of pure vision1 and in whom the faculty is striving for expression1 the following pages are written4 ,to others we would say1 ,be content4 ,all birds are not eagles4 ,the nightingale has a song1 the humming-bird a plumage which the eagle will never possess4 ,the nightingale may sing to the stars1 humming-bird to the flowers1 but the eagle1 whose tireless eyes gaze into the heart of day1 is uncompanioned in its lofty loneliness in the barren mountain-tops4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,qualifications ,there are in existence certain magical works1 such as those of ,trithemius and ,barrett1 wherein the use of the ,crystal is accompanied by certain rites and invocations4 ,this ceremonial magic we are disposed to repudiate as highly dangerous4 ,it brings into play a number of forces which may well prove disastrous in inexperienced hands4 ,all action and reaction are equal and opposite4 ,a child might easily fire a cannon1 but could not possibly withstand its recoil4 ,so in the education of the spiritual faculties1 it is better to encourage their natural development by legitimate exercise than to invoke the action of stimulants which we may not afterwards be able to control4 ,the continual fretting of the water will wear away a rock1 though none doubts the water is softer than the rock4 ,if the barrier between this and the soul-world be like granite1 yet the patient and persistent action of a determined mind will sooner or later wear it away1 the last layer will break down1 and the light will stream through1 dazzling the unaccustomed eyes with its effulgence4 ,it is our desire to indicate by what means and by what persons the natural development of the clairvoyant faculty may be achieved4 ,first1 in regard to the subject1 medium or seer4 ,there are two distinct temperament in which the faculty is likely to be dominant1 and capable of high and rapid culture4 ,there is the nervous temperament associated1 with a high muscular development1 classified as the mental-motive temperament4 ,it is characterized by extreme activity of body and mind1 a certain nervous excitability1 prominent features1 full osseous development1 prominent brows1 intent gaze1 and generally a swarthy complexion4 ,this type represents the positive seers1 in whom the mind goes out towards the images of the soul4 ,the other1 in whom the passive temperament is present1 and to whom the soul-images come by passive reflection1 as things mirrored in a moveless lake1 are known by the following characteristics3 ,full and lymphatic habit1 pale or delicate complexion1 generally blue eyes1 straight fine hair2 small1 plump1 and cold hands2 a high1 piping or feeble voice1 and languid disposition4 ,these two types--of which there are many varieties--achieve their psychic development by quite opposite means4 ,the positive seer works with effort1 throwing out the soul-images by the power of his will1 perceiving them with more or less accuracy1 and thereafter turning them over in the mind1 reasoning and questioning concerning their import and meaning4 ,the passive seer1 on the contrary1 works not at all and makes no effort1 the visions coming slowly1 almost imperceptibly1 and in most cases having a literal interpretation4 ,the visions in this case are not allegorical1 emblematic1 or symbolic1 as in the case of the positive seer1 but are actual visions of facts just as they have happened1 or will transpire in the future4 ,of the two orders1 the passive is the more serviceable because the more perspicuous1 but it has the disadvantage of being largely under the control of external influences1 and hence is frequently incapable of seeing anything whatever4 ,the positive type of seer exercises an introspective vision1 searching inwardly towards the soul-world whence the revelations proceed4 ,of what nature these revelations are will appear in the following pages4 ,the passive type of seer1 on the contrary1 remains in statu quo1 open to impressions coming inwards towards the perceptive faculty1 but making no effort towards either outward or inward searching4 ,the success of each depends upon the observance of that method which is agreeable to their respective temperaments4 ,in regard to the qualifications which should supplement and sustain the natural aptitude of the seer or seeress1 the following remarks may be of general service4 ,self-possession and confidence in one's own soul-faculties must be the firm rock upon which all revelations should rest4 ,the purer the intention and motive of the seer1 the more lucid will be the visions accorded4 ,no reliable vision can be obtained by one whose nature is not inherently truthful4 ,any selfish desire dominanting the mind in regard to any thing or person will distort the visions and render them misleading1 while a persistent self-seeking spirit will effectually shut the doors upon all visions whatsoever4 ,therefore1 above all things it is essential for the investigator to have an unflinching love of truth1 to be resigned to the will of ,heaven1 to accept the revelations accorded in a spirit of grateful confidence1 and finally to dispel all doubt and controversy by appeal to the eyes of one's own immortal soul4 ,these are qualifications with which the seer or seeress should be invested1 and if with these the quest is unsuccessful after a period of earnest trial1 it must be taken as sufficient warrant that the faculty is not in the category of one's individual powers4 ,haply1 the same qualifications brought to bear upon some other psychic faculty will result in a rich recompense4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,preliminaries ,having obtained a good ,crystal1 as free as possible from blemish1 care must be taken to keep it is much as possible in a dark place when not in use4 ,the best covering therefore is a black one of soft material1 such as velvet1 which will not scratch the polished surface of the quartz499 ,exposure to the sun's rays not only scores the faces of the crystal1 but also puts the odylic substance into activity1 distributing and dissipating the magnetic force stored up therein4 ,it must not be understood that the visions are in the crystal itself4 ,they are in the soul of the seer4 ,but the odylic substance is acted upon by the nervo-vital emanations of the body of the seer1 and reacts upon the brain centres by means of the optic nerves4 ,that is why it is necessary to keep the crystal as free as possible from disturbing elements4 ,for the same reason1 when in use1 the crystal should be overshadowed by the seer1 and so placed that no direct rays of light from sun1 or lamp1 or gasalier may fall upon it4 ,the odyle1 as has been already stated1 rapidly responds to surrounding magnetic conditions1 and to the vibrations of surrounding ,bodies1 and to none more powerfully than the etheric perturbation caused by combustion--indeed1 to light of any kind4 99 ,it is bad policy to buy a cheap article4 ,a good crystal is more than worth the outlay4 ,our publishers supply crystals1 varying from #aes4 #f;d4 upward1 and from what we have seen of them we can safely recommend them as reliable articles4 ,for similar reasons the room in which the sitting is conducted should be only moderately warm and shady as possible1 provided it be not actually dark4 ,a light by which one can just see to read average print is sufficient for the purpose in view4 ,the crystal with which we have had the most satisfactory and surprising results is a cube of fine azure beryl1 the deep blue of its serene depths being peculiarly restful and inspiring4 ,but1 as we have said1 nothing is more effective than the white quartz crystal when found suitable4 ,it is important that all persons sitting in the same room as the seer should be at arm's length away from him--farther if possible4 ,silence should be uniformly observed by those present4 ,a recorder should be at hand to set down everything the seer may give voice to4 ,if any questions are addressed to the seer while the sitting is in progress1 they should be spoken in an undertone and as nearly a monotone as may be so that the seer is not suddenly surprised into consciousness of his surroundings1 and the psychic thread thereby broken4 ,at first the sittings should not be of longer duration than fifteen minutes1 but it is important they should take place regularly1 every day if possible1 and always at the same hour and in the same place4 ,by this method of procedure it will be found that a cumulative effect is produced and success more speedily ensured4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,all actions tend to repeat themselves1 to become automatic1 to pass from the purposive into the habitual1 and hence the psychic faculties will1 if actuated at any set time and place1 tend to bestir themselves towards the same end as that to which they were first moved by the conscious will and intention of the seer4 ,until definite and satisfactory results are obtained1 not more than two persons should be present at the sittings1 and these should be in sympathy with the seer and each other4 ,when the sitting is over1 it will be found agreeable and useful to discuss the results obtained2 or if none are elicited1 the seer can give an account of his or her impressions and feelings during the sitting4 ,it will be interesting to note these experiences and to compare them from time to time4 ,the seer or seeress must not be disheartened if at the first few sittings nothing of any moment takes place1 but must persevere1 with patience and self-control4 ,indeed1 when one comes to consider the fact that for hundreds of generations the psychic faculties inherent in mankind have lain in absolute neglect1 that perhaps the faculty of clear vision has never yet been brought into activity by any save the most remote of our ancestors1 it will not be thought remarkable that it should be at first difficult get any definite results4 ,rather should it be a matter of surprise that the power is still with us1 that it is not wholly irresponsive to the voice of the soul4 ,while1 in the course of physical evolution1 many important functions have undergone remarkable changes1 and organs1 once active and useful1 have become stunted1 impotent1 and in some cases extinct2 yet it is said that seeds have lain dormant in arid soil for hundreds of years1 to spring into leaf and flower as soon as the rains have fallen and the climate changed4 ,the faculty of pure vision is like the latent seed-life4 ,it waits only the conditions which favour its growth and development2 and though for hundreds of years it may have lain dormant1 yet in a few days1 weeks1 or months it may attain the proportions of a beautiful flower1 a thing of wonder and delight1 gracing the garden of the soul4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,vision ,visions seen in the crystal are of two kinds1 both of which may be conveyed to the perception of the seer in two ways4 ,the two kinds of visions are3 #a1 ,direct visions2 #b1 ,symbolic visions4 ,the first of these is a representation of scene or incident exactly as it will transpire1 or has already happened1 either in relation to the seer1 those sitting with him1 or yet in relation to public affairs4 ,the second order of vision is a representation1 by means of symbol1 ideograph1 or other indirect means1 of events similar to those conveyed by direct vision4 ,in most cases it will be found that answers1 to questions take the form of symbols4 ,but this is not always so1 as will appear from the following remarks concerning the manner in which these impressions or visions are conveyed to the perception of the seer4 ,the vision is conveyed in one of two ways--first1 as a vivid picture affecting the focus and retina of the eye1 perfect in its outline and colouring1 and giving the impression of being either distant or near or at moderate range1 ,secondly1 it may be conveyed as a vivid impression accompanied by a hazy and undefined formation in the crystal field4 ,in this form it becomes an apperception rather than a perception1 the consciousness receiving the impression of the vision to be conveyed before it has had time to form and define itself in the crystal4 ,the direct vision is more generally found in association with the passive type of seer4 ,it is not usually so regular and constant as the symbolic vision1 owing to the peculiarities of the negative temperament4 ,when it does appear however1 it is particularly lucid and actual1 and has its literal fulfilment in the world of experience and fact4 ,it is an actual representation of past or future event1 or yet of what is then presently happening at some place more or less distant4 ,the symbolical vision is more closely associated with the positive temperament4 ,it has the advantage of being more ready and constant in its manifestation than the direct vision1 while on the other hand it is frequently a matter of speculation as to what the symbolic vision may portend4 ,the positive temperament1 centripetal and forceful in its action1 appears to throw off the soul-images1 afterwards going out towards them in a mood of speculative inquiry4 ,the passive temperament1 however1 centrifugal and sensitive1 most frequently feels first and sees afterwards1 the visionary process being wholly devoid of speculation or mental activity4 ,the one sees and thinks1 the other feels and sees that1 in a word1 is the distinction between the two temperaments4 ,in the early stages of development the crystal will begin to cloud over1 first becoming dull1 then suffused with milky clouds1 among which sparkle a large number of little specks of light like gold dust in the sunlight4 ,the focus of the eyes is inconstant1 the pupil rapidly expanding and contracting1 the crystal at times disappearing entirely in a haze or film which seems to pass before the eyes4 ,then the haze will disappear1 and the crystal will loom up into full view again1 accompanied by a lapse of the seer into full consciousness4 ,this may be the only experience of the first few sittings1 it may be that of many2 but1 sooner or later1 there will come a moment when the milky clouds and dancing starlights will suddenly vanish--a bright azure expanse like an open summer sky will occupy the field of vision2 the brain will take up a spasmodic action1 as if opening and shutting in the superior coronal region2 there will be a tightening of the scalp on a level with the base of the brain1 as if the floor of the cerebrum were contracting2 the seer will catch his breath with a spasmodic sigh1 and the first vision will stand out1 clear and life-like1 against the azure screen of heaven4 ,the danger at this supreme moment is that the seer will be surprised into full waking consciousness4 ,during the process of abstraction which precedes every vision or series of visions1 the consciousness of the seer is gradually and imperceptibly withdrawn from his surroundings4 ,he forgets that he is seated in this or that room1 that such a person is at his right hand1 such another at his left4 ,he forgets that he is gazing into the crystal4 ,he hears nothing1 sees nothing1 save what is passing before the eyes of his soul4 ,he loses sight1 for the time1 even of his own identity4 ,therefore1 when his vision is suddenly arrested by an apparition1 startling in its reality and instantaneous production1 even though hoped for and expected1 the reaction is so violent and rapid that the seer is frequently carried back into the full consciousness of his physical conditions4 ,therefore1 the qualifications of self-possession and confidence in one's own soul-faculties have been stated as of primary importance in this domain of research4 ,excess of joy or fear at sight of the vision will be fatal to its continuance and to the condition of mind required for the process of development4 ,this fact must therefore be borne in mind4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,difficulties ,under this head we propose to cite a few of the obstacles to be met with in the process of inducing the psychic vision1 and some also which may be expected in connection with the faculty when induced4 ,putting aside the greatest of all obstacles--that of constitutional unfitness--as having been already discussed in preceding pages1 the first obstacle to be avoided is that of ill-health4 ,the importance of a moderate and sustaining diet in regard to psychic development cannot be too strongly urged4 ,all overloading of the stomach with indigestible food and addiction to alcoholic drinks tends to cloud the spiritual perception1 ,it depletes the brain-centres1 gives the heart too much work1 and overthrows the equilibrium of the system4 ,ill-health follows2 the mind is centred upon the suffering body1 spiritual aspiration ceases1 and the soul folds its wings and falls into the sleep of oblivion4 ,the consciousness of man works from a centre1 which co-ordinates and includes all the phenomena of thought1 feeling1 and volition4 ,this centre of consciousness is capable of rapid displacement1 alternating between the most external of our bodily functions and the most internal of our spiritual operations4 ,it cannot be active in all parts of our complex constitution at one and the same moment4 ,hence it follows that when one part of our nature is active another is dormant as happens in sleeping and waking1 dream-life being that wherein the centre of consciousness hovers between the body and the soul4 ,with these considerations in mind it will be obvious to every one that a condition in which the consciousness is held in bondage by the infirmities of the body is not one conducive to psychic development4 ,the constitution need not be robust1 but it should at all events be free from disorder and pain4 ,some of the most ethereal natures are associated with a delicate organism1 but while the balance is maintained the soul is free to develop its latent powers4 ,it is advisable not to sit for crystal reading1 or indeed for any order of psychic exercise1 immediately after or before a meal4 ,the body should be at rest1 and the mind contented and tranquil4 ,again1 the attitude of the seer should not be too expectant or over-anxious in regard to the production of the vision4 ,let the development take its natural course4 ,do not force the young plant in its growth or it will come to a premature end4 ,take time1 as ,nature does4 ,it is a great work1 and much patience is needed4 ,the acorn becomes the sturdy oak only because ,nature is contented with small results1 because she can afford to wait and is never in a hurry to see the result of her operations4 ,and because she is patient and careful in her beginnings1 her works are wonderfully great and complete in their issues4 ,above all1 they endure4 ,whoever breathes slowest will live the longest4 ,this is an ,eastern saying which voices a fundamental truth4 ,the vision is produced4 ,the faculty of clairvoyance has become more or less under the control of the mind4 ,new difficulties arise1 and1 of these1 two will be conspicuous4 ,the first is that of time-measure1 and the other is that of interpretation4 ,the former is peculiar to both orders of vision1 the direct and the symbolic4 ,the difficulty of interpretation is1 of course1 peculiar to the latter order of vision4 ,time-measure is1 perhaps1 the greatest difficulty encountered by the seer4 ,it is sometimes impossible to determine whether a vision relates to the past1 the present1 or the future4 ,in most cases1 however1 the seer learns by experience how to distinguish1 and frequently it will be found that an intuitive impression of the period involved comes with the vision itself4 ,in our own experience the foreground1 middle distance1 and background1 mark off the present1 the approximate1 and the distant future4 ,in tracing the succession of events1 we have found it convenient to think of time-measure at the outset1 bending the sight upon1 each month or year separately and in succession1 noting the visions that arise with each in order4 ,and as regards the past or future1 we distinguish between them by an intuitive sense rather than by any other means1 and very rarely is this sense deceived1 for it is part of the psychic faculty we had in training4 ,therefore1 if the vision appears in the foreground and1 as it were1 at the feet of the seer1 then it may be taken as relating to the present or a quite recent date4 ,in the same way1 the middle distance indicates the near past or future1 and the background denotes the more distant past or future4 ,the other difficulty we have mentioned is that of interpretation of such symbols as may arise4 ,the following pages will indicate some of the symbols and their meanings4 ,the rest must be left to the intuition of the seer4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,symbols ,symbols are thought-forms which convey1 by the association of ideas1 a definite meaning in regard to the mind that generates them4 ,they depend wholly upon the laws of thought1 and the correspondence that exists between the spiritual and material worlds1 between the subject and the object of our consciousness4 ,among the ancients symbols were the original form of record1 of communicating ideas1 and of writing4 ,the hieroglyphs of the ,egyptians1 the word-pictures of the aborigines of ,central ,america1 the ideographic writing of ancient ,mongolia1 are all forms of symbolic writing1 drawn from natural objects4 ,the ,hebrew alphabet1 the names of its #bb letters1 clearly indicate the nomadic and simple life of those dwellers in tents4 ,thus the names of the letters include such objects as ox1 tent1 tent-door1 tent-peg1 camel1 fish1 fish-hook1 an eye1 a hand1 a basket1 a rope-coil1 a head1 an ox-goad1 water1 etc4 ,from the combination of these simple forms the words are constructed4 ,thus the word used to signify knowledge is derived from three letters1 ,yod1 ,daleth1 ,oin1 which mean a hand1 a door1 an eye4 ,the hand denotes action1 power1 etc42 the door denotes entering1 initiation1 etc42 the eye denotes seeing1 vision4 ,therefore the three ideograph2 when combined1 denote opening the door to see1 which is a very graphic way of conveying the idea of acquiring knowledge4 ,one cannot help seeing the hand of the young ,hebrew drawing aside the canvas door of the tent and peeping in to see what secrets may be learned6 ,all symbols1 therefore1 may be translated by reference to the known nature1 quality1 and uses of the objects they represent4 ,thus a foot signifies a journey1 and also understanding2 a mouth denotes speech1 revelation2 an ear news1 information1 and1 if ugly and distorted1 scandal or abuse4 ,the sun1 shining brightly1 denotes prosperity1 honours4 ,the moon1 when crescent denotes success1 increase1 and improvement4 ,when gibbous1 it denotes sickness1 decadence1 losses1 and trouble4 ,the sun eclipsed shows death or ruin of a man2 the moon1 similarly afflicted1 denotes equal danger to a woman4 ,these are natural interpretations4 ,every symbol1 however1 has a threefold interpretation1 and the nature of the inquiry or the purpose for which the vision is sought must determine the meaning of the symbols4 ,if they refer to the spiritual world the interpretation must be agreeable to the nature of the spirit1 and similarly if they refer to the intellectual or physical worlds4 ,thus a pair of scales would denote ,divine ,justice in the spiritual sense1 judgment in the intellectual sense1 and obligation in the material sense4 ,if the scales were evenly balanced the augury would be good4 ,but if weighed down on one side it is ,mene1 mene1 tekel1 upharsin1 ,thou art weighed and found wanting2 it shows a corrupt judgment1 a wrong conclusion1 an unbalanced mind1 failure in one's obligations1 injustice1 etc4 ,and if a sword should lie across the scales or be seen overhead1 then a speedy judgment will be meted out4 ,a ship is a symbol of intercourse1 of trading1 of voyaging1 etc4 ,if in full sail it shows that the communication with the spiritual world is increasing1 that news from far-off lands will come to hand1 that trade will increase1 that a voyage will be taken4 ,if aught is written on the sails it will be an additional source of enlightenment4 ,if the symbol of death be written there1 it shows speedy translation to a far-off country in which the subject will die4 ,that far-off country may be the spiritual world itself in which case the death would be a natural one4 ,but if the ship's sails are drooping1 then it denotes a falling away of spiritual influx of intelligence1 and of trade4 ,expected news will not come4 ,black bread denotes a famine1 and if it be spotted with yellow blotches it shows a plague4 ,this symbol was seen1 with a goat butting at it1 in ,june1 #ahif4 ,there followed a famine and plague in ,india1 which country is said to be ruled by the zodiacal sign ,capricorn6 ,the symbol was not deciphered till the event came to throw light upon it4 ,in the same way a leaf of shamrock1 denoting the ,triple ,alliance1 has been seen split down the centre with a black line1 denoting the fracture of the treaty4 ,it would also seem to indicate that ,ireland1 whose symbol is the shamrock1 will be separated by an autonomous government from the existing ,united ,kingdom4 ,in similar manner all symbols arising in the crystal may be interpreted by reference to their known qualities and uses1 as well as the associations existing between them and other things1 persons1 and places1 in the mind of the seer4 ,as we have already said1 however1 the meanings of most of the symbols will be conveyed to the consciousness of the trained seer at the time of their appearance in the crystal4 ,experience will correct many errors1 and a symbol1 once known1 will assume a constant meaning with each seer1 so that after repeated occurrence it will hold a definite signification4 ,it should be mentioned1 however1 that the same symbol will have different meanings with different seers4 ,it is difficult to say why this is the case4 ,but it probably arises from the difference of individual temperament1 and the ,order to which the soul belongs in the spiritual world4 ,these dissimilarities exist between individuals down to the lowest of our sensations4 ,we have the same laws of thought and the same general constitution4 ,humanity holds us all within the bonds of a single nature4 ,yet1 despite this fact1 we have differences of opinion1 of emotion1 of sympathy and antipathy1 of taste1 and so forth1 ,therefore it would appear that the soul images projected by the magical power of the mind must have different significations with each of us1 their interpretation being in some peculiar way in agreement with the nature of the person who sees them4 ,necessarily no definite rule can be laid down as to interpretation1 but it is advisable that the seer or seeress should be his or her own interpreter4 ,thus1 although every symbol has some general signification in agreement with its natural qualities and uses1 yet it obtains a particular signification in regard to each person4 ,it is within common experience that this is the case in regard to dreams1 wherein the faculty of seership is acting in its normal plane4 ,every person is a seer in dream-life1 but few persons pay that attention to dreams that their origin and nature warrant4 ,the crystal is but a means of bringing this normal faculty of dreaming into activity in the waking life4 ,yet1 as stated above1 the differences of import or meaning1 even in the dream-world1 of any particular symbol is a common experience4 ,thus one person will dream to be wading in water whenever there is trouble ahead4 ,another will dream of a naked child when similar troubles are about to occur1 ,butcher's meat will signify financial troubles to one person1 to another a fortunate speculation4 ,the controlling factor in this matter is probably to be found in the constitution of the mental and psychic qualities conferred by the hereditary and psychic influences converging at the conception of an individual1 and expressed in the birth4 ,probably1 too1 an argument could be established in regard to the influence of the planets ruling at the nativity1 and also from the dominion of the signs of the zodiac in the horoscope of birth4 ,but this would be beyond the scope and intention of this short treatise4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,some ,,experiences ,the following facts1 in connection with predictions made from the ,crystal1 have come within the knowledge of the writer1 either as personal experiences or in association with others in which the faculty of clear vision is active4 ,a lady of title visited the seer in the month of ,june1 #ahif1 and was told that she would hear news from abroad in some hot country concerning the birth of a child1 a boy1 who would arrive in the following year in the month of ,february4 ,the lady did hear such news1 and in ,february1 #ahig1 a boy was born to the lady's sister in ,india4 ,the same lady was told that on a certain date1 while travelling1 she would meet with an accident to the right leg4 ,she fell between the platform and the footboard while getting into a train1 and suffered severe abrasion of the right leg1 together with a serious muscular strain which laid her up for several days4 ,previous to that the lady was to be surprised by some good fortune happening to her son in connection with papers and a contest4 ,this happened at the time specified4 ,her son passed his examination for the military college with honours4 ,mrs4 ,h4 was consulted by a lady of some ability in a special line of literature4 ,this fact was not1 however1 within the knowledge of the seeress4 ,she was told that she would go up a certain staircase into a dingy room with a roll of something under her arm4 ,she would see a dark man who was thick-set and of quiet demeanour4 ,the man would take the roll1 and it would be a source of good fortune to her at a later date4 ,the lady-consultant did so take a certain manuscript rolled up beneath her arm4 ,she went up the dingy staircase described by the seeress1 and saw the man whose description had been given4 ,the manuscript was transferred from her hand to that of the publisher1 for such was the man's occupation4 ,the manuscript was accepted1 and later on was published4 ,so the prediction was literally fulfilled4 ,in the first case cited the vision was symbolical1 and the interpretation was made by the seer himself4 ,in the second case the vision was literal1 and needed no interpretation4 ,these two cases will serve for an illustration of the two types of vision4 ,mrs4 ,a4 was consulted by a lady of the writer's acquaintance in #ahic4 ,she was told that she would not marry the person to whom she was then engaged1 but would have to wait till a certain person1 who was described1 should come from a foreign country and take her away4 ,this would happen1 it was said1 in the month of ,january1 three years later4 ,this event transpired in due course exactly as predicted1 though nothing was further from the probable course of events2 in fact1 the lady was not a little irate at the allusion to the breaking off of her then existing relations1 while the idea of marrying a person whom she had never seen1 and for whom she could have no sort of regard1 was naturally revolting to one so wholly absorbed as she was at the time4 ,mrs4 ,g4 consulted the seer on ,september #bgth1 #ahid4 ,she was told she would have sickness incidental to the loins and shooting pains in the knees4 ,a figure was seen with a black cloth around the loins1 the figure stooping and resting its hands upon its knees4 ,she would be the owner of a house in the month of ,december4 ,a house was seen covered with snow2 the trees were bare4 ,a removal would be made when the trees were without leaf4 ,a bird was seen on a branch without leaf2 the bird flies off4 ,the consultant would be engaged in a dispute concerning money4 ,several hands seen grabbing at a pile of money4 ,these events came to pass at the time predicted4 ,it is advisable to note that in the first instance the symbolical vision is seen2 in the second1 a literal vision supervenes2 and in the third and fourth cases the vision reverts to the symbolical4 ,here we have an instance of the overlapping of the two conditions of the temperament1 the active and the passive state alternating4 ,as an illustration of the extreme difficulty of interpretation in the normal state of consciousness a symbol may be cited which was seen in the crystal for ,miss ,x4 ,a shield1 and a lion rampant thereon1 in red4 ,now this might mean anything4 ,it suggests the armorial bearings of a princely family4 ,the lion rampant might mean the anger of a person in authority1 as the lion is the avowed king of beasts4 ,its colour1 red1 and its attitude are naturally expressive of anger4 ,the shield might be a protection1 though little needed by a lion1 especially if the assailant were the fragile ,miss ,x4 to whom the vision had reference4 ,now observe the interpretation of the seer4 ,you will hear news from a man of medium height and fair complexion concerning a foreign country4 ,a letter will come in reference to something written by you which will be the very best thing that could happen4 ,you will score a great success4 ,this interpretation1 which is quite in line with the fact and which afterwards transpired1 is probably as far removed from all that one might have expected as anything could well be4 ,but we have to remember that the condition in which the seer voices the interpretation of symbols seen by him is a psychological one1 and no doubt in that state natural symbols take on quite a different signification to that which they would hold in the normal state of waking consciousness4 ,how often do dreams have a marked influence upon the dreamer while still asleep2 how often do they assume proportions of magnitude and become pregnant with meaning to the dreamer1 only to dissolve into ridiculous triviality and nonsense as soon as the person awakes6 ,it would indeed appear that a complete hiatus exists between the visionary and the waking states of consciousness1 so that even the laws of thought undergo a change when the centre of consciousness is removed from the outer to the inner world of thought and feeling4 ,the writer has known cases of sickness predicted with remarkable accuracy1 the time and the nature of the sickness being foretold with more or less accuracy4 ,the reception of unexpected letters and telegrams2 their import and consequences2 the various changes1 voyages1 business negotiations and speculations occurring in the consultants' lives have been foretold by means of the crystal4 ,deaths have been foreseen1 and even changes in the religious views of the consultant or his associates4 ,in one case the writer saw a vision of a public square in which was the effigy of a lamb mounted upon a pedestal4 ,the lamb was made of solid silver and was mounted on marble4 ,a ,catholic priest came along and pointed at the lamb4 ,immediately a flash of lightning came from the sky and struck the effigy1 melting off one of its ears4 ,this was stated to signify that the community to which the consultant belonged would immediately lose a member by conversion to the ,roman ,church4 ,by the next mail the consultant learned that such was the case--an important member of the community having gone over to the ,roman ,catholics exactly as predicted4 ,in another case a man was seen dressed in black and wearing the habit of a judge4 ,he held some papers in his hands which he was endeavouring to conceal4 ,he appeared unsuccessful in his efforts4 ,a snake was seen at his feet4 ,it rose up against him4 ,a change took place in the field of the vision and the same man was seen lying on his death-bed4 ,from this it was predicted that the man designated by the vision would be guilty of misrepresentation1 and would be cut off by death three years from that time4 ,the prediction was in every respect verified4 ,not unfrequently the visionary state is induced by excessive emotion1 during which the prophetic faculty is considerably heightened4 ,some temperaments of a peculiarly sensitive order will fall into the clairvoyant condition while engaged in thought4 ,the thread of thought is broken1 and there appears a vision wholly unconnected with the subject but a moment ago in the mind4 ,it would appear that the soul of the sensitive1 while probing the depths of its inner consciousness1 suddenly comes into contact with the thin partition which may be said to divide the outer world of thought and doubt from the inner world of intuition and direct perception1 and1 breaking through1 emerges into the light beyond4 ,the same may be said of cases which manifest the faculty of clear visions while in the hypnotic state1 whether spontaneous or induced4 ,the trance condition frequently manifests this faculty in conjunction with others1 such as clairvoyance or clear-hearing and the sense of psychic touch4 ,the following instance1 which was reported in the ,morning ,leader of ,friday1 #adth ,august1 #ahif1 is remarkable for its extreme pertinence to the subject under consideration3 ,last month a man named ,david ,thomas1 who had for a short time been employed by ,lord ,windsor as his estate carpenter1 was found shot dead in a lonely spot on the roadside near ,fairwater1 a village not far from ,cardiff4 ,no trace of the murderer could be found1 and no motive has been supplied for the fell deed4 ,david ,thomas was1 from all accounts1 a quiet1 peaceable fellow1 well liked by his intimates1 and happy in his domestic relations4 ,he was a native of the little fishing village ,aberaeron1 in ,cardiganshire1 but he had lived in ,glamorganshire for some years1 and had married a respectable woman1 a native of the ,vale of ,glamorgan4 ,a few months ago he received the appointment of carpenter on ,lord ,windsor's estate4 ,he then removed with his family to live in the little village of ,st4 ,fagan's a few miles out of ,cardiff4 ,he had hardly settled down there when the tragedy took place4 ,it happened on a ,saturday night4 ,he had given up work early1 and had come home to cut the grass in the little green in front of his cottage1 and to tidy up his new home4 ,early in the afternoon he seems to have grown tired of the work and went indoors4 ,his wife asked him to take the children out for a stroll4 ,he made no reply1 and his wife1 busy in another part of the house1 did not pay much attention to his subsequent movements4 ,she knows1 however1 that he washed and went upstairs to put himself tidy1 and then went out--without the children4 ,he seems to have met a friend on the road1 and went for a walk with him4 ,they called at a public-house1 and had a glass or two of beer4 ,then1 about ten o'clock1 they parted4 ,thomas was quite cheerful1 and started for home at a brisk pace4 ,he came presently to a lonely part of the road4 ,a wayfarer heard a pistol shot and a scream1 and presently met a man who was hurrying away from the direction of the scream1 and who wished him a gruff good-night4 ,two hundred yards farther on the traveller saw in the dim night the body of a man stretched out on the side of the road4 ,he fetched assistance3 the body was that of ,david ,thomas4 ,he had been shot about a hundred yards behind1 but he had not been killed outright4 ,he had run in terror up the road1 spouting blood as he went1 and leaving a ghastly trail behind him4 ,but a weird story which is told in the ,western ,mail of ,cardiff serves to lend that touch of horror to the tale which renders it more thrilling than any story which the most daring novelist would venture to create4 ,a young girl1 who is not yet #bj1 has been in the habit for some time past of attending sances held by the ,cardiff ,psychological ,society4 ,one night at a sance1 while in a state of trance1 she was seized with a strange convulsion4 ,through her lips came the words3 ',i--,,will--have--my--revenge4' ',who are you1 friend8' asked the interlocutor4 ',david--,thomas4 ,i--was--shot4' ,this entirely unexpected answer was followed by sensational statements concerning the murder and the identity of the murderer4 ,some days after she was taken out to ,fairwater--which she had never before visited--and reenacted in a trance the scene of the murder4 ,the story leaked out1 and came to the ears of the ,western ,mail4 ,doubts were cast at once on the bna fides of the girl and the whole story4 ,an offer was made to repeat the experiment in the presence of two ,mail representatives4 ,the offer was accepted1 and one night this week1 at ten o'clock1 the little party met outside the ,railway ,inn1 where poor ,david ,thomas had had his last drink4 ,a start was made4 ,the medium walked at an easy pace between a male and female friend1 whose arms were linked4 ,the faint outline of the road ahead led always on towards a wall of blackness4 ,at last they came near ,fairwater4 ,suddenly the medium spoke3 ',i see a pistol right in front of me--held towards me--it is a shiny one--there it is1 held up--it has a large mouth4' ,forty yards farther on the medium spoke again3 ',hark6 ,i hear footsteps6 ,i see a man6' ',where8' ',right in front of us4 ,there he is1 creeping along the hedge4 ,he is keeping out of sight4' ',what is he like8 ,how is he dressed8' ,the medium described her vision very minutely4 ,her pace increased suddenly2 she dragged her linked companions on with a lurch forward4 ,the farmhouse where she first saw the phantom stranger was well passed4 ,she was following him1 eagerly now4 ,a piercing scream came from the girl4 ,a pressman sprang to her side and helped to prevent her body pitching headlong forward4 ,this was at the spot where ,david ,thomas fell at the first shot4 ',o--o--oh6' moaned the medium1 twisting her left arm round to the back1 to a spot immediately below the shoulder-blade1 as if in intense agony4 ,then1 supported on either side1 she staggered forward4 ,a light was struck to see her face4 ,it was the hue of death4 ,her eyes were turned until the whites only were visible4 ',let her go down6' ,moaning1 she was allowed to sink1 and lay there prone4 ,her moans expressed intense agony1 and were like those of a man dying1 blood gurgling in the sound2 it was scarce conceivable a woman actually lay there4 ',speak1 friend1' said her interlocutor1 and presently came the slow answer1 a whisper3 ',david--,t-,t-,thomas4' ',what do you want of us1 friend8' ',i--was--shot6' ,the tones of the voice were those of a man4 ',who shot you8' ,a name was given4 ',what do you want to do1 my friend8' ,slowly1 distinctly1 with relentless purpose came the answer3 ',i--will--have--my revenge4 ,he shot me4' ,then the medium told them where the pistol had been bought by the murderer a year ago under an assumed name1 and where the pistol would be found4 ,all this while the poor girl lay prone on the roadside under the thin sinister telegraphic pole4 ,gradually she revived4 ',look1 look6' she cried1 in a voice of horror1 ',look at the blood4' ',where8' ',here--look6 ,look here6' indicating spots not visible to any one else4 ',take me away1' she shuddered1 but before her frightened exclamation could be obeyed her body suddenly stiffened4' ,he is there6' she said1 with a pitiful horror in her tone1 but with her face expressionless and her eyes still white4 ',what do you see8' ',the ghost4' ,then the party returned1 shaken in mind and surfeited with horrors4 ,examples of a similar nature might be multiplied indefinitely1 and would but serve to show what has already been stated as a matter of personal experience among all those in whom the psychic faculties have attained any degree of development1 viz41 that the rapport existing between the human soul and the world of subjective consciousness is capable of being actively induced by recourse to appropriate means1 or cultivated1 where it exists to any degree1 by means of the crystal and other accessories1 such as the metal disc used in ,china1 or the ,shiva-lingam stones used in ,india4 ,the following example of the psychic sense of feeling will serve to show that all the senses1 not that of vision alone1 are capable of development under suitable conditions4 ,a contributor to the ,westminster ,budget1 in ,december1 #ahic1 sends the following account of the use of the divining rod for the purpose of spring-finding3 ,a few weeks ago took place some operations with the divining rod by ,mr4 ,stears1 of ,hull1 who was called to ,mr4 ,s4 ,campion's farm at ,east ,heslerton1 near ,malton1 to search for a water supply4 ,at that time he marked two places near the farmhouse where1 he said1 the presence of water was indicated by the rod4 ,since then ,mr4 ,e4 ,halliday1 plumber of ,malton1 has bored an artesian well at one of the places indicated1 and found a very copious supply of water at a depth of #hg feet1 after going through sand1 clay1 and a bed of what ,mr4 ,halliday says is quartz and lead ore4 ,mr4 ,campion1 who was previously without a supply of pure water1 is delighted with the results of the visit of the 'diviner1' and has faith in his power with the rod4 ,mr4 ,stears has since been called in to experiment on several farms on the ,birdsall estate of ,lord ,middleton1 the operations being conducted in the presence of ,julia1 ,lady ,middleton1 the ,hon4 ,geoffrey and ,mrs4 ,dawnay1 ,mr4 ,persons 7,lord ,middleton's agent71 and others4 ,other farms were visited1 and ,mr4 ,stears1 after employing the rod1 indicated the presence of water at each4 ,mr4 ,halliday has also received instructions to make tests at these places1 and operations are now in progress4 ,mr4 ,stears has successfully 'divined' for water on two of ,mr4 ,lett's farms in the ,east ,riding1 and also at ,amotherby1 near ,malton2 and his success is drawing fresh attention to the 'divining rod' and its capabilities in the hands of a duly 'inspired' professor4 ,mr4 ,stears claims that he can also discover metals as well as water1 and he alleges that not one person in #aj1jjj can use the rod successfully4 ,his explanation of the power he possesses beyond the ordinary run of his fellow-men is that it is what he would call 'animal electricity1' because at times1 after using the rod for a long period1 he loses his power with it1 and only recovers it after a short rest and refreshment4 ,in the presence of ,lady ,middleton and the rest of the company he made several interesting experiments--for instance1 standing on a china dish1 to show that china is a non-conducting agent 7the rod ceasing to oscillate even when over water72 finding metals hid in the ground1 etc4 ,mrs4 ,louise ,cotton1 writing of the operation itself1 says3 ,when a sensitive person who has the power of feeling the existence of water or mineral under the surface of the earth1 steps exactly over the course of a spring or running water1 or metallic vein1 etc41 the piece of wood or other medium used turns in the hands--in most cases upwards for water and downwards for minerals4 ,the motion varies according to individual temperaments3 in some hands the turning is slow and but slightly felt1 or scarcely perceptible by lookers-on2 with others it rotates rapidly1 and when held tightly by the thumb1 the bark of the branch or twig often peels off2 and1 with very susceptible operators4 ,i have seen the rod fly1 out of the hands1 or1 if very tightly held1 break4 ,as yet1 however1 the majority of people are wholly oblivious to the fact that such psychic faculties exist1 and even those who possess them1 i4e41 who have them in something like working efficiency1 are conscious of having but an imperfect control over them4 ,probably it is as suggested by ,mr4 ,f4 ,h4 ,myers1 these things are1 as yet1 imperfectly understood4 ,genius1 far from being a condition bordering on neurosis or other nervous ailments--as ,lombroso and ,nordau have erroneously taught--is an exaltation of faculty which brings its subject into relations with a plane of life possibly far in advance of one's normal experience2 so that while new centres of activity are as yet under imperfect control1 the normal functions of the brain and other centres of action are left in neglect4 ,hence1 to the casual observer1 the erratic nature of ,genius is not distinguishable from some incipent forms of insanity4 ,in just the same way the opening up of new centres of activity in the psychic nature of man is frequently attended by temporary loss of control over the normal brain functions4 ,loss of memory1 hysteria1 absentmindedness1 unconscious utterance of one's thoughts1 illusions and hallucinations1 irritability1 indifference to one's surroundings1 and similar perversions1 are among the products of the newly-evolved psychic faculty4 ,these1 however1 will pass away when the faculty has been brought under control of the mind4 ,nature is jealous of its offspring1 and concentrates the whole of its forces when in the act of generation4 ,that is the reason of its apparent neglect of powers and function already under its control while the evolution of a new faculty is in process4 ,the would-be seer1 therefore1 must be prepared to pay the price of any success which may attend his efforts in the direction of inducing clairvoyance by means of the crystal4 ,the universe is thine4 ,take what thou wilt1 but pay the price1 is the mandate of ,nature4 ,what shall be the price of this new faculty8 the reader may ask4 ,the answer is the same in regard to this or any other faculty of the soul3 ,what is it worth to yourself8 ,that is the price you must pay4 ,with this equation in mind the reader is asked to consider seriously the phenomena indicated in the foregoing pages4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,directions ,,for ,,using ,,the ,,ovoids ,,and ,,shperes ,,for ,,crystal ,,or ,,mirror ,,vision ,daylight and artificial light are both equally suitable4 ,a ,north light is the best suited to the human eye4 ,observer should sit back to the light1 holding the ,ovoid or ,sphere in the palm of the hand1 which may rest comfortably on the lap1 or it can be placed on a table with a stand under it1 and a back screen of black velvet or dark material4 ,the latter materially assists by cutting off side lights and reflections4 ,steady gazing in complete silence is absolutely necessary1 for unlike other occult phenomena1 the distraction the attention of primary 7ordinary7 consciousness is a great disadvantage4 ,success depends chiefly upon idiosyncrasy or faculty in the gazers1 for ,seers are very often men and women of imperfect education1 in fact they seem born rather than made but the faculty may be developed in many people1 seemingly at first insensitive1 by frequent short trials1 say fifteen to twenty minutes at a time1 or less if they get tired4 ,success is indicated when the ,sphere or ,ovoid1 ceasing to reflect1 becomes milky1 a clouded colour following 7generally red1 and its complementary green71 turning to blackness1 which seems to roll away like a curtain1 disclosing to the view of the student1 pictures1 scenes1 figures in action1 sentences of warnings1 advice1 etc41 etc4 ,revival of latent or lapsed memory is one of the leading features of this experiment4 ,a book of instructions1 carefully copied by ,raphael from the old astrological works1 is prepared specially for his crystals1 price #as4 #b;d4 post free4 ,,the ,,practice ,,of ,,crystal ,,vision ,magi ,spheres are considered the best4 ,the price a few years ago was #c #cs4 each1 but the sale having become larger and the process less expensive1 they are now sent packed with instructions for #aes4 #f;d41 in a velvet-lined specially made jewel case4 ,some persons see at once1 others after a time4 ,women see better than men visions of the past1 present1 and future1 on the subjects upon which the mind feels anxious4 ,it does not require a knowledge of astrology to be able to use the crystal4 ,no4 #a1 in case1 with instruction1 #aes4 #f;d4 #b1 #bas4 #c1 #ejs4 #d1 #fjs4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,concise ,,dictionary ,,of ,,astrological ,,terms ,,affliction4--,when a planet is on the cross 7square7 or in opposition1 it is said to afflict4 ,,airy ,,signs4--,gemini1 ,libra1 and ,aquarius4 ,these are the mental signs4 ,,angles4--,the cardinal points forming the cross or square2 the first1 fourth1 seventh1 and tenth houses4 ,,application4--,as its name implies1 when one planet applies to another4 ,the ,moon applies to all the planets1 being the quickest traveller4 ,,aquarius 7the ,water bearer74--,the eleventh sign of the zodiac1 or #cjj from the #j of ,aries4 ,the ,sun enters ,aquarius about the #bast of ,january each year4 ,,aries 7the ,ram74--,the first sign of the zodiac4 ,in making up the #cfj in the zodiac1 we count from #j of ,aries4 ,the ,sun enters ,aries on the #bast of ,march each year4 ,,ascendant4--,this is the first house1 or that point which rises at birth4 ,,ascending4--,when a planet is between the fourth and tenth house2 it is always the east4 ,,aspects4--,this means the relationship one planet1 or sign1 has to another in the zodiac4 ,the ,table of ,aspects should be well studied2 it is important4 ,,benefics4--,jupiter and ,venus are always good1 because they give ,hope and ,love1 and1 if we add the ,sun1 we have ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,charity4 ,,besieged4--,a term used when a planet is found between two others2 if between ,jupiter and ,venus1 it is good2 if between ,saturn and ,mars1 evil4 ,,bi-,,corporeal ,,signs4--,so-called because they are double4 ,it is rarely used4 ,the signs are ,gemini1 ,sagittarius1 and ,pisces4 ,,cadent4--,the third1 sixth1 ninth1 and twelfth houses are cadent4 ,it means falling from angles4 ,,cancer 7the ,crab74--,the fourth sign of the zodiac2 it is #ij from #j4 ,the ,sun enters ,cancer on #bast ,june4 ,,capricorn 7the ,goat74--,the tenth sign of the zodiac1 into which the ,sun enters on the #bast of ,december4 ,,cardinal ,,signs4--,aries1 ,cancer1 ,libra1 and1 ,capricorn4 ,these four signs form the ,s ,e ,w ,n they are important signs4 ,,common ,,signs4--,gemini1 ,virgo1 ,sagittarius and ,pisces4 ,,conjunction4--,when two planets are close together1 or within orbs of each other4 ,at ,new ,moon the ,moon is conjunction ,sun4 ,,culminate4--,when a planet is in the mid-heaven1 it is said to culminate2 it means being on the cusp of the tenth4 ,,cusp4--,the beginning of any house4 ,at noon the ,sun is on the cusp of the tenth house4 ,it means the first point of the houses4 ,,declination4--,the distance any planet is ,north or ,south of the ,equator4 ,,decreasing ,,in ,,light4--,when a planet is past the opposition of the ,sun1 it is then said to be weak4 ,,degree4--,the #cfjth part of the zodiac2 its mark is 2 #ij is a square2 #abj a trine of the zodiac4 ,,descendant4--,the seventh house1 or opposite to the ,ascendant2 the ,west4 ,,descending4--,when a planet is between the tenth and seventh houses4 ,,detriment4--,a planet in a sign opposite to its own house is in its detriment4 ,the house of the ,moon is ,cancer4 ,when the ,moon is in ,capricorn1 it is in its detriment4 ,,dignities4--,when a planet is in exaltation1 or in an angle1 increasing in light1 etc4 ,,direct4--,when the planets are moving in their true order through the zodiac4 ,,directions4--,the period after birth4 ,the position of the planets as life advances4 ,the ,sun moves about one degree per day1 and this is equivalent to one year4 ,the thirtieth day after birth would denote the thirtieth year of life1 and the ,directions would be taken out of the ephemeris for this day1 the ,sun's aspects forming the primary directions and the ,moon the secondary4 ,,dragon',s ,,head4--,the ,moon's ,north ,node1 or when she crosses the ecliptic into north latitude4 ,the ,moon's course is of serpentine form1 having a head and tail4 ,,dragon',s ,,tail4--,the ,moon's ,south ,node when she crosses into south latitude4 ,,earthly ,,signs4--,taurus1 ,virgo1 and ,capricorn4 ,,eclipse4--,an obscuration of a heavenly body1 owing to the interposition of another4 ,the ,moon in the shadow of the ,sun is eclipsed4 ,,ecliptic4--,the circle of the heavens which the ,sun appears to describe in the course of the year1 in consequence of the earth's motion round him4 ,,elevated4--,the planet nearest to the mid-heaven is elevated over any other4 ,,ephemeris4--,a ,table for each day1 giving the latitude and longitude of the planets4 ,raphael's ,ephemeris1 price #as41 is considered the best4 ,it is all that is needed to cast the horoscope4 ,,equinoctial ,,signs4--,aries and ,libra4 ,,exaltation4--,there are certain houses in which a planet is exalted1 as follows3 ,sun1 ,aries2 ,moon1 ,taurus2 ,mercury1 ,gemini2 ,jupiter1 ,cancer2 ,saturn1 ,libra2 ,mars1 ,capricorn2 ,venus1 ,pisces4 ,,fall4--,when a planet is in a sign opposite to its exaltation1 it is weak4 ,,feminine ,,signs4--,the odd signs1 as ,taurus1 ,cancer1 ,virgo1 ,scorpio1 ,capricorn1 ,pisces4 ,,fiery ,,signs4--,aries1 ,leo1 ,sagittarius4 ,,figure4--,a map of the heavens is called by astrologers a figure4 ,,fixed ,,signs4--,taurus1 ,leo1 ,scorpio1 ,aquarius4 ,,fortunes4--,jupiter1 ,venus1 and the ,sun when well placed4 ,,fruitful ,,signs4--,cancer1 ,scorpio1 ,pisces4 ,,gemini4--,the third sign1 or house of ,mercury4 ,the ,sun enters the sign about #bast ,may4 ,,genethliacal4--,that which applies to the geneture in nativity4 ,,geocentric4--,as viewed from the centre of the earth4 ,,geliocentric4--,as seen from or having reference to the centre of the ,sun4 ,,houses4--,one of the twelve divisions of the zodiac4 ,,imum ,,coele4--,the fourth house1 or lower meridian4 ,,increasing ,,in ,,light4--,when the ,moon or any planet is leaving the ,sun1 until the opposition is reached4 ,,infortunes4--,saturn1 ,mars1 and ,uranus when afflicted4 ,,intercepted4--,a sign lying between the cusp of two houses4 ,,latitude4--,the distance of any planet north or south of the ecliptic4 ,,leo4--,the fifth sign in the zodiac2 the house of the ,sun4 ,,libra4--,the seventh sign and house of ,venus4 ,,logarithms4--,of great use to astrologers4 ,a ,table of artificial numbers2 to be found at the back of ,raphael's ,ephemeris4 ,,longitude4--,the angular distance of a heavenly body from the first point of ,aries1 measured from the ecliptic as seen from the earth4 ,,lord4--,the ruler of a sign or house4 ,mars is the lord of ,aries1 and if ,aries was in ,ascendant1 it would be lord and ruler4 ,,luminaries4--,the ,sun and ,moon4 ,,lunation4--,a lunar period4 ,,malefics4--,see ,infortunes4 ,,masculine ,,signs4--,aries1 ,gemini1 ,leo1 ,libra1 ,sagittarius1 ,aquarius4 ,,masculine ,,planets4--,sun1 ,mars1 ,jupiter1 ,saturn4 ,,modern ,,astrology4--,a monthly magazine of interest to all thinkers4 ,,northern ,,signs4--,aries1 ,taurus1 ,gemini1 ,cancer1 ,leo1 ,virgo4 ,,occidental4--,the western portion of the map4 ,,opposition4--,when two planets are opposite each other1 or #ahj distant4 ,,orbs4--,the orbs of the planets are the number of degrees allowed to each in which their influence is felt4 ,five degrees all round is the safest number to give4 ,,oriental4--,when a planet is in the eastern part of the heavens4 ,,parallels4--,the declination north or south of the equator4 ,it is a position considered of the nature of a conjunction4 ,,part ,,of ,,fortune4--,a point in the horoscope where the rays of the ,sun and ,moon converge4 ,,pisces4--,the twelfth sign of the zodiac4 ,,querent4--,one who asks a horary question4 ,,quesited4--,the one enquired about4 ,,quintile4--,an aspect of #gb in longitude4 ,,radical4--,that which is connected with the radix1 or root1 dealing with the horoscope4 ,,reception4--,the planet that receives the aspect4 ,,rectification4--,a method by which the true ,ascendant is discovered4 ,,retrograde4--,an apparent motion of a planet that is not in the order of the signs4 ,,revolutions4--,a solar revolution is the return of the ,sun to its place at birth4 ,,sagittarus4--,the ninth sign of the zodiac4 ,,scheme4--,a map of the heavens4 ,,semi-,,sextile4--,a difference of #cjj in longitude2 a weak1 good aspect4 ,,semi-,,square4--,an aspect of #dej difference in longitude2 an evil aspect4 ,,separation4--,when a planet is separating from another4 ,,sesquiquadrate4--,an evil aspect being a difference of #acej in longitude4 ,,sextile4--,a good aspect1 a difference of #fj in longitude4 ,,signification4--,the ruling planet1 or word1 of the ,ascendant4 ,,southern ,,signs4--,libra1 ,scorpio1 ,sagittarius ,capricorn1 ,aquarius1 ,pisces4 ,,speculum4--,a ,table of the aspects in the horoscope4 ,,stationary4--,when a planet appears to have no motion1 it is said to be stationary4 ,,succedent4--,those houses which follow the angles4 ,the second1 fifth1 eighth1 and eleventh4 ,,table ,,of ,,houses4--,a ,table for calculating nativities4 ,,taurus4--,the second sign of the zodiac and the house of ,venus4 ,,transits4--,the passing of the planets over places or points in the horoscopes by daily motion1 as seen from the ,ephemeris4 ,,trine4--,a good aspect2 a difference of #abj in longitude4 ,,uranus4--,the name given to the planet ,uranus1 or ,herschel4 ,,virgo4--,the sixth sign in the zodiac2 the house of ,mercury4 ,,zenith4--,the point directly overhead4 ,the pole of the horizon4 ,,zodiac4--,the belt of the heavens containing the twelve signs1 divided into #cjj parts each1 making #cfjj4