Karl

I used to have terrible nightmares. I learned to "set" the dream, to create the dream while falling asleep, and then it was the dream. After I did that a while, the nightmares never came back. Never had them since then.

I think doing it yourself is very difficult, but you end up owning every step of your path. That means a lot down the road. Energetically, I think that's also very important. Being entangled with another for your spiritual path makes it very difficult to have clarity about where you are and where you are going. Certainly makes it challenging, though.

Yeah, that can happen because our energy can change, even from day to day. But with more self-healing work, I think our energy tends to stabilize and not shift around so easily. (For most people) There's always certain combinations that will just hit you a certain way, where it wouldn't hit most people that way. You learn it over time, as you take in knowledge about your own energy and other people's. It's a very complex dance.

There's locations where the energy tends to shift you, move you to a different perception - You can call them portals if you want to be fancy. I think we focus more on learning to shift our own perception, but it's still interesting to explore locations where there's some energy which does it.

Hi Michelle, Not that you need to use it this time, but I think I've fixed the issue with ordering classes. Thanks for reporting it! If anybody else has issues with it, please respond here, or use the Contact Us link at the top right of the website. -karl

I'll check into it

Not necessarily. For scrying mirrors, you want mirrors that are looked in very frequently, so they are kind of "broken in", or fluid. That's why things like bathroom and hallway mirrors tend to be the best. Just being old doesn't mean it will be fluid. It's possible, depending on how they used it. If it was just a regular mirror (in terms of use), it would be less likely but not impossible. People can 'imprint' the mirrors with their energy, or any objects, through their intent, like shaping it. Maybe, but then it won't feel fluid or easy to use. Which is a good reason not to use a mirror for scrying - you want ones which are pliable and easy, not pulling you already in particular directions. I think that mirror just altered your perception a bit, let you see things a bit differently, kind of like a wind blowing you in a particular direction somewhat. Maybe it was more than any altered perception might start showing you those particular things (being not normal) than the particular mirror and energy of it. However, it could also be that your perception was 'bending' in the same way hers does in using it or being around it, which kind of makes it a little more like a self-image thing for her. You might have just been seeing it that way because that's the way the information makes sense to you (even if it's crazy) -karl

It is! I love it..

If you can go more than one layer in, you might as well keep going. See what you find when you run out of layers I don't think there's any danger

I like the creepy eye photo

There should be some news coming up

Dark/black mirrors don't really work well, despite what "shops" will tell you (to make more money). You have to look at old mirrors, find one that feels "loose" or "fluid" to you, like the surface of it immediately starts to feel like water when you look at it. It may or may not actually ripple or wave or move visually, but it can feel like it. The best ones are ones which are old and had a lot of use, like bathroom and hallway mirrors. I prefer medium-sized ones, like a hand mirror or bigger, for convenience. Medium-sized hanging mirrors are usually the best. The very best ones for scrying are old silver mirrors, from before the 30s. They should not have any pieces missing, but they can be cracked

I would suggest avoiding anything which mentions a "virtual scrying mirror"

It's possible to use any tool in a way that makes you vulnerable - usually by doing them in an unsafe manner that's not been indicated by the teacher or instructor. Mirrors and scrying aren't any different in that it's certainly possible. Having said that, it's pretty unlikely, if you're doing scrying the right way. The way you use a mirror for scrying, your awareness moves using the energy of it in a generally safe manner. When you stop using the tool, it should just come back like normal. We teach in classes to work with scrying in small steps, so you get experience without pushing things too far, too quickly. As far as "negative forces" go, self-healing is really much more of a factor than anything scrying related, in my opinion -k

Hi billcu, For scrying purposes, if you're going to use a mirror, I would try to find a used one at a second hand or antique store. The older the better. Ones from the bathroom are great. You want ones which have seen a lot, been used a lot, if possible. If you can, try to go around and feel each mirror out. A good one will feel very pliable or liquid, easy to move into the energy of it. Dont buy them at a new age store or other new mirrors - the old ones are best. Very old ones, with silver rather than aluminum, are even better. Also, don't buy any with missing pieces or chunks in the actual mirror part. Cracks and scratches are fine, as long as there's no gap.

What is the nightmare like? It's often much easier to learn to dream *something else* rather than "getting rid of the nightmare". If you replay a scenario in your head as you go to sleep, you will start to dream that if you do it consistently. So you can imagine a movie in your head, that goes on for a bit, and think about it every night as you fall asleep.

Cool avatar picture, Julia

http://www.shamanscave.com/dreaming/dreaming-stones An excellent article on the topic, about using dreaming stones for shamanic dreaming practices -karl

What's your favorite article on the site? I'm going to list two of my favorites: Endings - an excellent read, and something that makes you think a lot.. http://www.shamanscave.com/contemporary-shamanism/endings The Emotional Poles - A very long and detailed article on the major emotional poles, from a shamanic viewpoint. http://www.shamanscave.com/self-healing/emotional-poles What about everybody else?