Mirror gazing

Rosemary Ellen Guiley Talks about Mirror Gazing:

FEATURE ARTICLE

http://www.visionaryliving.com/2010/08/02/rosemary-ellen-guiley-newsletter-august-2010/

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Psychomanteum: Mirror-Gazing for the Dead

By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

www.visionaryliving.com

Want to contact the dead? You can buy, invent and create high-tech gear said to do the job – or you can try one of most reliable tools since ancient times that hangs right in your home. A mirror.

Well, not just any mirror, but a black mirror that has been coated with black paint on the reverse side. Used in a certain way, the mirror becomes a “psychomanteum” – a Greek term for a place where one communicates with the dead.

Modern interest in the psychomanteum is credited to Dr. Raymond Moody, who pioneered research of near-death experiences. In the 1980s, Moody became interested in ancient techniques of scrying – gazing into shiny surfaces to see into the future, and to open portals to the realm of the dead. He thought that a psychomanteum could provide help in coming to terms with grief over loss of a loved one.

Moody turned a walk-in closet in his home into a psychomanteum. He covered the floor, walls and ceiling in black carpet. He propped a large mirror against one wall, with its bottom edge resting on the floor. Across from the mirror, he placed a comfortable armchair with its legs removed, so that the body of the chair rested directly on the floor. Behind the chair was a tiny lamp with a dim bulb. A person sitting in the chair could look into the mirror without seeing any reflection of himself, the chair or the lamp. In dim light, the mirror turned into a pool of infinite darkness. After gazing into it for a while, a person’s eyes became fatigued, and visions were likely to appear.

Moody called his psychomanteum the “Theater of the Mind.” He spent several years conducting research involving contacting the dead in this manner as a way of resolving grief. In his book Reunions, he describes a wide variety of experiences, from seeing visions of the dead to holding conversations with them. Today, many therapists and after-death communications researchers use the psychomanteum.

A closet or small room such as Moody designed is an ideal setting for a psychomanteum, for it minimizes distractions and creates an atmosphere that aids altered states of consciousness. However, even a small black-coated mirror can be used as a portable psychomanteum. You can set it anywhere in a dimly lit room.

Prop the mirror so that you can look into it without seeing any reflections. Prepare yourself for concentration. If you feel the need, you can invoke spiritual protection for a benevolent experience.

You can set your intention to contact a specific person who has passed over, or to contact whoever wishes to speak to you. Center yourself and gaze into the mirror. After a few minutes, images may arise in the mirror or in your mind’s eye, as well as thoughts. Allow them to surface. You may wish to keep a recorder running so that you can make verbal notes in order to remember everything. Ask for messages, or to be shown something of importance to you for your benefit.

A session may last just a few minutes or much longer, but eventually you will feel the energy wind down or suddenly “go.” Close the mirror session by visualizing a curtain drawn over the mirror. Thank any communicators, and be sure to instruct them to depart.

Spend some time reviewing your session and assessing your results.

Looking for the dead can be psychologically unsettling. If you have emotional issues involving the dead that are unresolved or that trigger sensitivities, it’s advisable to use a psychomanteum only with the support of a trained person who can guide the process. Some psychologists and counselors are familiar with the psychomanteum.

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