"A shoemaker makes shoes without leather,
With all the four elements together,
Fire, Water, Earth, Air
And every customer takes two pair."
--- ancient British riddle
This riddle refers to the work of the blacksmith, who heats the fire for the furnace by means of the bellows, who hammers the softened metal into shape with his hammer, and then plunges it into the water to cool and fix its shape. The blacksmith's customers are of course horses, who clop off with their two pair of shoes. The smith is a revered, almost magical figure among many traditional peoples worldwide because of the alchemy of his trade, which forges with the help of the elements. Those among the gods who are smiths play a prominent role in the defense of the land and the mysteries of the afterlife: the Welsh Gofannon and the Irish Goibniu ( Go-VANN'on and GUB'noo), for exampl, both make weapons of extraordinary power. The power to curtail life or to prolong it is part of the smith-god's skill. Goibniu - when he was not smithing - presided over the otherworldly feasting of heroes, supplying the food and drink that preserved the lives of all who partook of them.
Whoever forges with the help of the elements is seen as a worthy guardian, one whose luck will embrace all in his household. The Celtic mediator of otherworldly skills and healing, and as one who can lead the dead from this world to the other. As we draw nearer to the festival of Samhain and toward the dark half of the year, we approach the time of introspection when the elements of our own life's forging can be refined and appreciated. When they no longer hold the life within our body, when our soul goes free of this life, they will become available for the smith to reforge another.
"How are the elements part of your own life's forging?"
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
The Celts sited their temples carefully to exploit the energies of the earth. For example, a shrine to Manannan, the Lord of Waters, might be built near a river. Certain places held certain kinds of power, depending on factors such as the stone underlying them, the kinds of vegetation growing, and the positioning of nearby hills or waterways. Some places are healing, some energizing, some conducive to contemplation; while some have an uncomfortable or uncanny atmosphere.
The art of dowsing:
Dowsing is an ancient method of detecting subtle currents of earth energy, such as underground water. A common technique involves holding a forked rod, usually made of hazel, in both hands with the single end pointing toward the ground. You should feel a reaction when you walk across a channel of energy - it might be a tingle in your hands, a twitching of the rod or a light vibration.
It's important to feel relaxed, so prepare by stretching your muscles and breathing deeply. For practice, find a bridge over a river and familiarize yourself with the change in sensation when you move from bank to the bridge.
[From: "Celtic Inspirations" by Lyn Webster Wilde]
Hydromancy
Hydromancy is another ancient form of divination that goes back thousands of years and involves the use of water to bring messages. Water is a metaphor of creation linked to the flow of the collective unconsciousness, also known as the Hall of Records, Akashic Records, Grid Harmonics, matrix of experience within our reality.
Ancients would sit by a calm body of water and watch its flowing motion create patterns that they would interpret. Often a spirit would appear within the water and bring a telepathic message.
Great myths were created about sea creatures who live in the water.
The ancient Greeks believed that nature spirits dwelled in fresh water.
In ancient Initiation ceremonies one would spend hours gazing into a sacred pool of water, or large sacred urn filled with water, to receive messages from the gods. This generally involved time and focus, and the abilities of the initiate to focus within. This brought visions of gods and the future.
Many indigenous people use some form of water divination to receive messages. It was mostly subjective, but often more defining.
Nostradamus practiced Hydromancy as a means of receiving messages and predictions, through the movement of water in a bowl. He recorded what he saw, combined with psychic messages, with amazing accuracy. Unfortunatley most were too cryptic, as we still reference his quatrains to this very day, tyring to fiure them out as if encoded messages.
The more you learn to focus your mind while gazing into the water, the more quickly you open yourself up to receiving messages and understanding their meaning as most messages are cryptic.
Hydromancy Techniques
In Nature
Hydromancy is best done on a calm day alongside a body of water, such as a stream or lake, where you will gaze. Sit down. Relax and look within this natural body of water. Wait and observe. You can also drop a pebble in the water and read the ripples as they form. You might see an image appear in movement as water is always in transition, a metaphor for the flow of our reality. Some people prefer to gaze into water at night in the light of a full moon as lunar energies are linked to the goddess.
Indoors
Find a quiet area, free of distraction, as you will have to focus your mind.
Select a bowl in which you will place the water. It should not have a pattern on it.
Singing crystal bowls used for harmonics, may be used, but please be careful not to harm the bowl, as most are attuned for other purposes.
Otherwise, simple select a large, deep bowl made from glass, brass or silver. It must have a smooth and even rim. You may have to change bowls several times to find the right one for you. Remember, metal bowls carry harmonic frequencies.
Set the bowl in a dry level space, one in which you can easily observe.
The water used can be bottled, from a well, a tap, or a stream. It can also be stored an used at a future time to water scry again.
Water with great energy is often thought to be collected by the light of a full moon or the after standing in the sun.
Simple Observation Techniques
Place the bowl of water on a flat clear surface. Gaze into the still water and focus your mind until images appear.
Using a Wand
In some rituals people use a wand made from the branch of a bay tree, hazel tree or the laurel. The end of the wand should be covered in dry tree sap or resin. Dip the end of the wand into the water until it becomes wet. Wet the rims of the bowl. By gently drawing the rim of the wand around the bowl it will cause it to resonate. The action of the resonating basin will cause circular ripples to form in the basin. The water may seem to breathe with the sounds.
From: http://crystalinks.com/waterscrying.html
Great post, Sobeit. Thanks.
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