Scrying is the practice of gazing steadily into a reflective or shifting surface, such as water, a dark mirror, or a flame, and attending to the images and impressions that arise. It is one of the oldest forms of divination and one of the most personal.
A long tradition
People have looked for visions in still water, polished metal, and firelight for thousands of years, in cultures all over the world. In sixteenth-century England a famous court astrologer used a polished black stone mirror and a crystal ball in his attempts to speak with spirits. The word scry is related to the old word descry, which means to catch sight of.
What to expect
Scrying is not like watching a film. Very few people see sharp moving pictures in the glass. What most people experience is subtler.
- The surface seems to cloud over or to darken.
- Shapes, colors, or flickers of light appear in the surface or at the edge of vision.
- Pictures, words, or memories form in the mind's eye while the gaze rests on the surface.
- A feeling or a sudden understanding arrives without any image at all.
All of these count. The surface gives the eyes something neutral to rest on, so that the deeper mind can speak. Many people see nothing in their first few sessions. This is a skill that develops slowly.
Choosing a surface
| Surface | How to prepare it |
|---|---|
| Water | Fill a dark bowl with water. If your bowl is pale, add a drop of black ink to the water. Moon water is traditional. |
| Black mirror | Take the glass from a small picture frame, paint the back of it with black paint, and put it back in the frame. |
| Flame | Gaze at a candle flame, or into the embers of a fire, from a safe distance. |
| Crystal ball | A sphere of glass or quartz on a stand. Keep it covered in daylight, since a sphere can focus sunlight and start a fire. |
| Clouds and smoke | Lie on your back and watch the sky, or watch incense smoke rise. |
Water in a dark bowl is the best place to begin. It costs nothing, and the faint movement of the surface helps.
Setting up
- Choose a quiet time when you will not be disturbed. Evening is traditional.
- Dim the room. Place one candle in a stable holder behind you or to the side, well clear of your hair and clothing, so that its flame is not reflected directly in the surface.
- Sit comfortably, with the surface at a relaxed distance, a little below eye level.
- Keep your journal within reach.
A first session
Scrying with a bowl of water
- Ground and center. Take your time over this.
- Hold a question in mind, or simply ask to be shown what you need to see.
- Let your gaze rest on the surface of the water. Do not stare. Let your eyes soften and go slightly out of focus, as they do when you daydream. Blink whenever you need to.
- Breathe slowly. Thoughts will come. Let them pass.
- Notice whatever arises: a change in the surface, a shape, a color, an image in your mind, a feeling. Do not chase it or try to interpret it yet. Just watch.
- After ten or fifteen minutes, or when your attention fades, close your eyes and take a deep breath.
- Write down everything that you saw, thought, and felt, even if it seems trivial.
- Ground again. Eat or drink something. Pour the water onto the earth, or down the drain if you added ink.
Making sense of what you see
Write first and interpret later. The images of scrying are like the images of dreams. They are personal, and they often make sense only after a day or two. Ask what each image means to you before you look it up anywhere. A crow may mean one thing in a book of symbols and something quite different to a person whose grandmother fed crows.
Read back over your notes after a week, and again after a month. Patterns appear over time that no single session will show.
If it becomes uncomfortable
Scrying involves a light trance, and that does not suit everyone. If you feel anxious or see something that disturbs you, stop. Turn on the lights, press your hands to the floor, eat something, and do something ordinary. Keep sessions short, and do not practice when you are exhausted or distressed. If the practice regularly leaves you unsettled, choose another method. Tarot offers a similar kind of insight with more structure.