I used to have a crystal that I had enchanted and I would chant and gaze into it. I enchanted the crystal before I started studying magic, but I didn't start scrying with it until afterwards. It worked pretty well.

I also like using a pot of boiling water.

Just for clarity's sake I'm using enchantment to describe a specific spell tied to a specific object.

For preparation, I try to make my self a comfortable as possible. I eat a good meal before hand, take a vigorous walk, wash off my make up, strip down and wrap my self in my cream colored cotton blanket. Appropriate incense, dim lights and white noise help a lot. I skip the mugwort in favor of water, port, or decaf tea. A long hot bath is good too. hmmm maybe I should try scrying in the tub.

One of my favorite tools is a glass crystal ball, it's the size of a small apple and it has a swirl of bubbles in the middle (it reminds me of a galaxy) this really doesn't matter though, because the glass is a very dark red and it appears black when the lights are turned down. So when I use it or my bowl with water, I scry off of the reflection and the space under the reflection.

I have a large marble, the kind with a twisted ribbion of colored, opaque glass in a sphere of clear glass. That is a whole different trip, I "travel" inside the marble, floating on the swirls of glass, turning and spinning around. Instead of seeing things in my mind's eye, thoughts and concepts pop in to my head. Ideas with or without words or pictures, sounds, all kinds of things, but allways from *inside* my brain. This is hard for me to explain,

and I apologize for making this convoluted, but when I scry with a reflection my brain interprets what I see in my minds eye. When I use the marble there is no interpretation, it's like things are implanted in to my mind without me doing any analysis. To me, this being in the moment. Not thinking about what is going on, or what anything means- this is about shutting up and getting information AND being alive but not "living".

I prefer smoke scrying. The natural movement and drifting of the smoke seems to enhance the development of forms and figures.

Although I rarely use the scrying tools I have (which are a few balls and a mirror) It's a matter of convenience for me. Usually the time I NEED a good answer is immediate and I don't have the tools with me. It's silly because no one and no book has ever mentioned it, but I have used whatever is near to channel and it was a birch tree. I focus on the movement of the leaves.

One matter of prime importance to me is asking the RIGHT question. Vague unspecific questions don't usually get useful answers. A point to illustrate this is the Oracle at Delphi story. Croesus, King of Lydia wanted to know if it was favorable to invade the nearby kingdom, By asking "Will a great battle be won?" the answer was affirmative--only he lost the battle. The oracle was correct by agreeing victory would be won. Only one problem. The question should have been "Will MY army succeed in the battle tomorrow?"

That's probably a real simplistic way of getting my point across, but the importance or art of phrasing the question is key. This is why if I'm doing spellwork, scrying or divining, I tend to fine tune my wording.

I like to do a minor form of astral projection. Once in trance I look specifically for a "link" and let the rest of the vision fill in around it. For example, if I know someone wears a particular necklace I'll look for that necklace, visualize it until I can see every detail in my mind.

Then I'll sort of "zoom out" and let the rest of the image fill in by itself. To a certain extent I can actually interact with the vision telepathically and sometimes even touch someone if I try really hard. I used to "visit" my current wife this way when she was in the Navy and stuck on the ship.

>Or is it more important to first develop a mindset, or state of mind, and

>possibly 'open a window' without a stated purpose.

A) Trance

B) Gate optional

>Is there any type of danger in any of this?

Oh, yes.