My Obsidian Sphere ~ "Racheil"
Greetings, GodessoftheHunter & Co.!
It has been quite a while since I've checked into this thread, or written any posts on my Crystal [Ball] explorations ~ but I haven't fallen off the the face of the Earth completely, am still around and diligently working on my "esoteric" practices ~ especially now that the air has a bite to it, and the year is drawing to a close!
It seems like the perfect time to share my experiences with an intense, mysterious sort of crystal (quite the character!), the Obsidian Sphere I call "Racheil" (I pronounce it 'Rah-hee-yel')
Earlier in this thread, I introduced my (at that time) only Crystal Ball, a clear calcite sphere with a gradation in the occlusion, giving it the look of an eyeball or lunar phase.
Following StoneSatiety's suggestion, I'd inquired what to call that ball, when the word "Bethany" immediately popped into my mind.
The name I got was significant, among other associations, because "Bethany" turned out to be a Biblical Village ~ similarly, GoddessoftheHunter had received a "place" name for her 1st sphere, "WitchesDesert".
"Bethany" has a very mild, kind, gentle vibe which reminds me of my mom (who is no longer in our physical dimension).
Yet, although I thoroughly enjoy owning and working with Bethany, I was quite drawn to the idea of acquiring another sphere, this time in black ~ it just seemed like I needed both white & black Crystal Balls, as Yin & Yang, to balance each other out.
So I looked around online, but was wary of getting a ball that wasn't "natural" crystal, while the spheres I was attracted to seemed way out of my price range, so I gave up looking for a while.
Then, mid-summer I went to a Crystal Shop in search of a totally different item, when there in the window display I saw a gorgeous, inky, yet strangely opalescent sphere ~ and felt like I'd been struck by lightning (and in a way, I had!)
I didn't bring enough cash with me to the store, so the owner kindly held it for me.
As fellow Crystal aficionados probably know, a 3-inch in diameter, natural Obsidian ball is not the cheapest purchase, but I decided against my husband's approach of bargaining for it ~ don't know why, but it felt wrong for me to haggle over an item that I craved so much in a spiritual sense ~ so I raced back over to the store, first thing as my schedule permitted, practically threw the cash down on the counter, and flew right out of there with the ball clutched to my chest.
To say that I couldn't wait to get that sphere home would be a huge understatement!
In retrospect, it was "drive-by" ball acquisition
The 1st exercise that I did with the Obsidian Sphere (after cleansing it, and invoking Guidance/Protection) was a "Pathworking" visualization, in which I imagined the ball growing huge, so that I could "enter" it in my mind's eye.
One of the insights that struck me about this experience, was that it turned out to be the first time in all my work with stones that I ever felt INTIMIDATED by the prospect of "entering" a crystal; in the past I had always been consciously directing the interaction between myself and the stone (or so it seemed to me), but I sensed that feeling in control was not necessarily going to be the case with this Obsidian sphere.
(In my journal, I noted about the sphere's somewhat daunting energy: "it is beautiful, but intimidating, inky black liquid, a Black Hole of lead or liquid metal").
Yet, of course, I did end up "entering" the Obsidian Ball, as I've never been one to back out of a challenge (and perhaps that is what I sensed from this sphere in the beginning, a sort of challenge or dare, which I could never have passed up!)
Here is what I saw in my mind's eye that 1st time, as I pressed the ball against my forehead, again from my journal: "I see a fluidly changing kaleidoscope of images -- gritty streets, filthy apartments, death, a beautiful Biblical girl, a fortuneteller Gypsy woman, sex (as a concept that sprung to mind, not an actual image), a Raven/Crow."
Next, I asked the Ball's name, but there was silence ~ no name(s) came to mind, as one had immediately with my white sphere, Bethany.
Instead, I got an image of Tarot's High Priestes, mysterious and secretive, not willing to give up her secrets (is one of them her name?)
So I rephrased the question to "what is your name for today?"
A silent pause followed, and just as I was beginning to think that I should maybe back off for now, a reluctant answer came into my mid, like a memory of an echo: "Racheil".
After the session I felt compelled to look the name up in my 'Watkins Dictionary of Angels', and found it immediately: "An Ophanim, who is the ruler of the planet Venus, hence involved in human sexuality".
Once again, I was struck by the connection between the name I got, and a physical place (this time on another planet!)
I couldn't help but become aware of some connections between myself, and the things I was picking up on from Racheil.
For example, my description of the ball as "beautiful but intimidating" could relate to me in a sense ~ not that I would ever call myself 'beautiful', but I do have a preoccupation with harmony and aesthetics, have been known to be a fashionista with a flair for dressing up, meanwhile people often comment that I have an intimidating presence (despite being a very peaceful sort, I am self-confident & individualistic, in a low-key kind of way).
Yet another connection is that, having my astrological Ascendant in Libra, the planet Venus is technically my Chart Ruler!
Eventually, after doing some dreamwork with Racheil, I came to the conclusion that the Obsidian sphere has the ability to reflect "myself" back to me, specifically my "shadow" aspects ~ it is capable of surfacing my deepest flaws, insecurities and issues, in order for me to work on them and integrate the into a more harmonious whole.
Shortly after acquiring Racheil, my purse got stolen, in a very random incident.
I was at a local bar with my husband, listening to a weekly Blues jam session, which we frequent regularly; I'd set down my purse and was probably all of 3 feet away when it got nicked, from in between a pile of other people's gear & musical instrument cases.
The most upsetting losses (not counting the $100 bill, and $300 worth of makeup that I'd have to replace) were a pocket Journal I'd been keeping for the past 3 years, complete with poetry and random musings, and my mom's 5-year AA Sobriety Medallion, which she always had on her before she died (and I always had with me afterwards).
This obvious negativity, right after Racheil entered my life, made me wonder about the role of "shadow" in our lives -- and not just challenges created by ourselves, but actual 'bad' stuff that occurs unfortunately, seemingly at random.
So I decided to do a large "Multi-deck Conference" Spread, on 'how to best work with the black Obsidian Sphere?'
But first, I simply held the ball in my lap, entered a meditative state, and asked the question of Racheil directly ("How can I best work with you?").
And this time, I didn't have to wait for the bemused answer, which appeared immediately, loud and clear: "surrender!"
This ball might be intimidating, but it also has a sense of humor (don't they all?
)
The spread I did on working with Racheil involved 9 Decks, and took me an entire day to analyze. I can post it separately, if anyone is super curious.
For now, I will say the the spread was also a "first" for me, in that I didn't end up actually drawing any cards(!!!)
I was shocked to realize, as I was selecting the decks and working out the spread order/positions, that the bottom card of each UN-SHUFFLED deck was actually, in itself, an insight or answer to my question!
Some of these decks I hadn't used for months, and could not even have supposed when I last read with them, that I'd eventually purchase an Obsidian Ball; yet here were the Base/Shadow cards in each deck, speaking to me about my current question.
There was an apparent connection, or "continuity factor", between the last time I'd shuffled each deck before putting it away (sometimes for many months), and the next time I'd be using it.
Having already noted that one of Racheil's focuses is "shadow" work, the Obsidian Sphere had now shown me something new about working with the "Shadow Card" in a deck ~ Racheil strikes again!
From the actual spread, here is what I gathered about some of this balls strengths/specialties:
- Representation of
Dualities (such as Light/Shadow; Water/Fire ; Eternity/Immediacy)
- Connection to
Maternal/Ancesrtal energy, especially in working through inherited issues, as well as helping others to do so
- Facing
Maiden/Mother/Crone archetypal stages
-
Disease (causes, prevention, healing)
- Atonement for
Karmic misdeeds (breaking obsolete patterns, integrating the Shadow side); helping other to do so
-
Creative Inspiration (with a focus on wisdom & irony)
-
"Integrity Check" (separation of personal Ego from creative or pure intentions, also accepting the necessity of hard work and 'paying one's dues')
-
Restrictions (recognizing, overcoming, directing, and sometimes accepting them)
-
Shadow Work (transmuting possible ego-trips, phobias, or insecurities into Gifts)
-
Exorcising of "demons" as connected to Art (expressing one's Shadows at the highest creative vibration)
-
Dealing with painful relationships and situations (and the potential 'Blues' of depression, listlessness, inertia) such as the theft of my purse.
-
Understanding the part one plays in "random" negativity; protection and prevention
- Furthermore,
acknowledging the lessons offered by these situations (such as accepting responsibility, gaining empathy, sensitivity, integrity)
- Maintaining
proper doses of qualities that could be positive, if not taken overboard(humility vs. pride ; loyalty vs. independence)
-
Maximizing Earth-bound time (accomplishing one's full potential, dealing with challenges, recognizing patterns, seeing Karmic connections)
- Enhancing work with
Astrology, and other tools
- Accessing
Akashic info
- Stretching
boundaries, discovering new possibilities
-
Sharpened perception
Well, this has been a huge post, and I hope that it is of interest to someone other than myself
And if anyone has any tips on scrying with a super reflective, black shiny ball, please let me know!
Happy crystal gazing to you all
PS: taking a photo of Racheil is a daunting task on its own ~ please see the image attached, I did my best!
I thought WHOA why am I seeing such a thing in my ball at a glance? Well, very soon after that as I was walking into the gym when one of the muscle-heads who works out there was being a bit of a jerk due to roid rage perhaps? Anyway, I remember saying something under my breath about him being a BIG DICK as I walked past him. As I said that, I immediately remembered the image in my ball.
