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
shall 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,
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