is a dark concave surface of reflective material. You
can easily construct one for yourself by using the
curved glass face of a clock and painting the convex
(bulging) outer side with glossy black paint. Antique
stores are a good source for old clocks with rounded
glass faces. The traditional preparation of a speculum
begins on the night of the full Moon—preferably when
the Moon is in Pisces, Cancer, or Scorpio.
Once you have painted the glass and it has thor-
oughly dried, then bathe the mirror in an herbal brew
of rosemary, fennel, rue, vervain, ivy, and walnut leaves
or bark. While the glass is still bathing in the potion,
hold both your hands out over it, palms down, and
say:Awake, all ye slumbering spirits of old,
Whose eyes reveal what in darkness is told,
Give to me visions within this dark well,
And make this a portal of magickal spell.Visualize a silver mist forming around the
mirror. Take a deep breath and then
slowly exhale outward upon the po-
tion. Mentally envision that your
breath moves the silver mist into
the mirror. Repeat this three
times. Next, remove the mirror
from the potion and dry it off
thoroughly. You are now ready
to attune the mirror to your
aura. Hold the mirror out in
front of you with its convex
side resting on your right palm.
Then place your left palm above
it, about three inches away from
the glass surface, and begin making
a circular clockwise motion staying within the dimen-
sions of the mirror. Avoid touching the inside of the
mirrored surface, as you will leave fingerprints!
Once completed, take the mirror out beneath the
full Moon so that its light falls upon the concave side.
Slowly fill the glass to the brim with the herbal potion.
Hold it up towards the Moon, almost level with your
eyes. Don’t worry about any spillage. While looking
at the Moon allow your eyes to unfocus slightly. If
you are doing this correctly, you will see three lines of
light emanating from the Moon. Continue to squint
until the vertical line coming from the bottom of the
Moon seems to touch upon the mirror.
Once the moonbeam is touching the mirror, speak
these words:Three are the lights that now here are seen
But not to all the one in-between,
For now the Enchantress has come at last
To charge and empower this magick glass.Quickly close your eyes so that you break eye con-
tact. Open them again looking down towards the glass.
Pour out the potion upon the Earth in libation, then
rinse the mirror off with fresh clear water, and dry it
thoroughly. Wrap it in a silk cloth to protect its lunar
magnetism, and never allow sunlight to fall directly
upon the mirror. Your speculum is now ready to be
used for divination.Crystal Ball
Crystal balls—also known as scrying, seeing, or
show stones—have always been associated with Wiz-
ards. In the crystal ball, the Wizard could conjure
scenes far distant in space or time—sort of like live
video! To do this, you gaze deeply into the ball in the
same way as I instructed you in reading auras (1.V:
“Magickal Skills”), and images from your intuitive sub-
conscious will be projected into the depths of the ball
to reveal what you are seeking (more on this in a later
Class...).
In the past, such spheres were always
made of natural quartz, beryl, or calcite.
They range from clear through smoky to
opaque, and come in a variety of colors—
including pink and black. These are still
made today, and can be purchased at
magickal marketplaces at prices ranging
from $20 to thousands of dollars, depend-
ing on the size, material, and clarity. But
the development of high-quality optical
glass has provided less expensive alterna-
tives for many modern Wizards, and many
perfectly serviceable crystal balls are now
available of glass, leaded glass, or even acrylic
plastic. Various bases are also available, from simple
wooden rings to fancy three-legged brass stands.
The sphere is a symbolic form of the Goddess, as
are all circles and round things, and the icy coldness
of genuine rock crystal is symbolic of the depths of
the sea. The crystal ball is a magickal object touched
with the Divine, and
should be guarded
carefully. When not in
use, keep it wrapped
in a black cloth of silk
or velvet, to keep off
dust and oils in the
air. Exposure to the
light of the full
Moon will in-
crease its po-
tency, as will rub-
bing it with fresh
mugwort leaves,
or washing it in an in-
fusion of mugwort.Course Three: Practice 111
Corrected pages 3rd printing.1.p65 38 6/10/2004, 2:59 PM