As my website and blog grow, I realize I’m gearing more and more toward not only the history of Magick and the Occult, but practical knowledge and information. I was having a conversation with Eddie this morning about crystal balls. You know, the clear and magickal orb that has captivated the imagination of people for centuries. Think: The Labyrinth. But, did you know that there is some danger to using these oracle spheres? And no, I do not mean finding out parts of your future we possibly didn’t want to know. I mean, real danger. Fire, to be exact.
Whether you keep a crystal ball as an ornamental treasure, or you practice scrying, they actually pose a bit of a fire hazard. Do you remember playing with magnifying glasses as a child? Holding the window over a leaf or stick and watching it begin to smoke as the sun’s rays penetrated and created almost a firefly laser beam was one of my favorite pastimes. I am actually not sure if kids really do this anymore, but in the 80s we didn’t have much else to do while we were cast outside from sun up to sunset.
Applying that practice to a crystal ball, imagine you go to work one morning. It’s a bright, sunny day so you leave the shades open for the cat to enjoy the view, only to come home to what’s left of all of your belongings because the sun caught your scrying ball just right and erupted your home into flames. Sound overdramatic? It’s actually happened several times in recent history. A good example would be back in 2021, when a scrying ball was the catalyst for a house fire in Wisconsin that caused $250,000 in damage!
On March 9th of 2021, the Delton Fire Department made this Facebook post:
“On Monday, March 8, 2021, at approximately 4:17 PM, the Delton Fire Department was notified of a structure fire on Fox Hill Road in the Town of Delton, Sauk County. Upon arrival of emergency services, there was visible smoke coming from the home. Firefighters entered the home and extinguished the fire, which was isolated to the living room area. There were no injuries to the occupants or first responders. The main level of the home sustained substantial heat damage; estimated damage is $250,000.
Shortly after 4:00 PM on the day of the fire, the owner arrived home, discovered thick smoke throughout the house, and immediately called 911. An investigation determined the fire started on a couch in the living room and the cause of the fire was determined to be from a glass 'crystal ball' ornament. The crystal ball had been located on a table near the couch and in direct sunlight. When sunshine came through a large set of windows and through the glass ball, it ignited the couch.”
This was accompanied by a rather ominous image of a barely damaged crystal ball surrounded by the destruction it had caused. They also issued a PSA, warning readers that glass bottles, jars, and any other clear ornamental item are dangerous to keep near windows or direct sunlight, as they can all cause similar fires. And, as you can see by this image, even innocently placing a glass item on a coffee table can have serious consequences.
Most of us who scry cover our mirrors or spheres with a cloth when not in use, but of course, we cannot expect someone to do this daily who keeps them for the aesthetic. So, it’s best to keep them in parts of the home not directly in the path of the glaring sun. Our home is particularly bad in the afternoon, as my front windows absorb all of the western sun blazing down and even raised our power bill quite a bit until we got a porch shade cover. If you insist on them being in a certain spot, consider keeping your windows covered when you are not home.
I understand that this is a bit random, but someone may find it quite useful! Share if you didn’t know this, and know someone who might be teetering on the edge of a house fire.
Be Blessed,
Dena