h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Art of Scrying - A9208659
Author: Serephina.... Front page author! - U191719

As requested by MJ

"a plesant smelling insence help your concentration"

a pleasant smelling incense to help your concentration


"imediately"

immediately


"This is because what you are seeing is the language of youbconcious ,"

This is because what you are seeing is the language of your subconcious,


"Used in thme way as you would a crystal ball"

Used in the same way as you would a crystal ball


you were quick making this!

Nice entry, short but infomative.

Only one quibble:

"glass of preferably natural water" - do you mean rain or spring water is preferred to tap water, filtered water etc? It just made me think of physicists scrying for the next big discovery with heavy water (v. bizzare image, I'll grant you )

If the images come from your subconscious and not from the object, why do you have to charge it by leaving it in the full moon?

I was a bit puzzled by the natural water too. All water is natural.


other practioners --> other practitioners
black backgroud --> black background
either on table --> either on a table
a plesant smelling insence --> a pleasant-smelling incense
help your concentration --> to help your concentration
imediately --> immediately
the language of youbconcious --> the language of your subconcious
similar to that experienced in dreams, some interpretation --> similar to that experienced in dreams; some interpretation
recommended by practioners --> recommended by practitioners
Used in thme way --> Used in the same way

with asphaltam -- what is asphaltam?

causing the glass to be opaque --> causing the glass to become opaque

It's a fascinating, well-written entry, but as someone said, a little short on detail. W***pedia has some pointers to further areas of interest, but I like your "how to do it" style. Is this something you have tried yourself?

It would help if you explained the derivation of the word (i.e. from "descry")

Neat. I don't believe in voodoo, hokuspokus and suchlike, however.

I would dispute that it is possible to see the future in any sensible way.

Maybe a disclaimer, would be in order? I was thinking about something in the lines of: "As with all 'supernatural' topics, it is disputable whether this actually works or not."

SAUSAGE

Perhaps we should extend that disclaimer idea for religious topics too? "Salvation may not occur as stated".

Or fiction/mythology? "It should be pointed out that the Three Bears did not actually exist in real life, nor would they have eaten porridge."

Or maybe a brief "Serving Suggestion" on the h2g2 front page would suffice?

This is the Edited Guide we're talking about here, Icy North. We already clearly point out if it is fiction we are talking about (see the entry on Aragorn) and I don't think any Edited Guide Entry ever assumed the existence of a God or the possibility of salvation.

As a curator, I'd have to change it if there was that blatant an error in the Guide.

Whatever you think you need, Gnomon. I'm fairly comfortable when I read entries on crystal ball gazing and other divination methods that I can cope without such a disclaimer.

I'm happy with it as it is. The mention of Pagans, Witches and magic in the first sentence should make it clear that if you don't believe in magic, you're not going to believe that this works.

asphaltam - asphalt?

Asphalt = a dark bituminous substance that is found in natural beds and is also obtained as a residue in petroleum refining and that consists chiefly of hydrocarbons

according to my dictionary

But is that what was meant?

Of course *I* know that it mentions Pagans and Witches and whatnot. And of course *I* do not believe this mumbo-jumbo. But hey - Vive la difference!

I was just thinking about other people who might be reading this... People who think this hokus-pokus might actually work beyond the level of - how do I call it - 'subjective perception'. For example:

"It involves using a reflective surface to enable the gazer to literally see the future." ???

In my opinion better would be: "People who practise scrying often use reflective..."

Then, under "Tools and Methods of Scrying"

"The crystal should be flawless[...]"

Why? Does that affect the magic? Says who?

"burn a plesant smelling insence help your concentration."

To me an incense distracts.

"After a while it may seem as though the ball is filling with a white mist or smoke."

Really?

"Symbols and images may soon begin to appear"

Right.

"It is recommended by practioners that you 'charge' your ball once a month by leaving it in the light of the full moon."

Recommended by whom? Can I charge my crystal balls with a laser beam instead?

You see? I don't want to go into all of this. Or that you weasel all passages out. I just think some kind of sentence in the beginning might clear all the matter up, namely that all of this is based on superstition (of find a better word, like 'individual subjective perceptions'). It would be nice to have that in the beginning rather than trying to be objective and balanced after every sentence in this Entry.

As I said: It's just a suggestion. A "disclaimer"-ish statement is clearly not aimed at people like me - but it might be useful for those who are in doubt whether this can be taken for real or not.

SAUSAGE

Asphaltum = Asphalt, according to dictionary.com

I request and tis done! I feel omnipotent

Nice Entry Sereph, but I agree it needs a little more meat around its bones

Great start though!

MJ

If Gnomon's happy without a disclaimer so am I
Hi Mj, Ive tried to keep it short n reasonably brief as more of a short how to guide than a full history of the subject..would a different title reflect this better?

I'll get on to the typos etc ASAP

Is it just me, or is post #14 aggressive and provocative ?

>>Of course *I* know that it mentions Pagans and Witches and whatnot. And of course *I* do not believe this mumbo-jumbo. But hey - Vive la difference!

I was just thinking about other people who might be reading this... People who think this hokus-pokus might actually work beyond the level of - how do I call it - 'subjective perception'.<< Meaning what ? That you are the only person who can read this and put it off as 'hokus-pokus', and every other reader is a potential victim ?
I guess I'll rather leave it at this, before I get too heated abbout this arrogance.
And I don't want to create a tense climate in this thread. I just want you to think abbout the way you worded your criticism.

Some changes and corrections made.

Corrections yet to make :

backgroud - background
on table - on a table
plesant -pleasant
imediately - immediately
subconcious - subconscious