What is scrying?
The definition of scrying (Lucya Starza - British College Of Psychic Studies, Zoom Scrying Course)
”Looking into something in the hope to see visions”
It often can be a reflective surface like a crystal ball, mirror or water. It can also mean looking into flames, smoke, clouds and tea leaves. It can be done for personal guidance, to find answers to questons, for inspiration. It is a form of divination that taps into your psychic senses and our powers of intuition.
The practice of scrying is really ancient. People would look into pools of water or embers, clouds and observing the patterns and seeing a sign of what the future held or to learn secrets. The word scry comes from the Anglo Saxon word descry which means to see.
Crystollomancy is scrying with a crystal ball and differs from other forms of scrying as the impressions are formed from within your own psyche rather than from the medium itself (Cassandra Easson)
Mirrors made of obsidian were used by the Aztecs for divination purposes. These mirrors were called tezcatl and this translates to smoky mirror and comes from the Aztec deity Tezcatlipoca. He is often depicted with an obsidian mirror on his chest. Many centuries ago scrying was performed to ascertain the will of the gods. The ancient Egyptians believed that what was reflected in a mirror had a life of its own.
One of the most famous scryers was Sir John Dee 1527 to 1608. He was the astrologer to Queen Elizabeth 1st. Several of his artefacts can be found at the British museum in London. He called his crystal his “shew stone”. The crystal he used was a smoky quartz. He believed that he had the power to protect the queen. It is said that his crystal foretold a warning of the invasion of the Spanish Armada.
A 16th Century portrait of Sir John Dee by an unknown artist ( Credit - Wikipedia)
Dee was the astrologer to Queen Elizabeth the 1st of England
Crystal balls were used in medieval times to communicate with divine messengers. People in these times wanted to have conversations with angels. Crystal balls have been found in graves dating back to the 5th century and are believed to belong to women who practised magic. Later on crystal balls were put into childrens graves as they were believed to be protective.
Sir Edward Kelley 1555 to 1597 was another famous crystal ball reader who worked alongside John Dee.
Nostradamus 1503 to 1566 would gaze into water to forecast his predictions.
An 18th Century engraving of Sir Edward Kelley (Credit - Wikipedia)
He was an English occultist and scryer
A portrait of Nostradamus (Credit - Wikipedia)
Of course, crystals could only be afforded by well-off people back in history. The more ordinary enterprising scryer would use objects they could find easily, much as what we can use today to practise with. Items that have been used and still are use today are fishing floats, paperweights, crystals, clear glass, mirrors, bowls or water. It is possible to even use the black screen of your mobile phone or tablet when it is switched off.
A simple technique that requires no props at all is eyelid scrying. It is a matter of just closing your eyes and focusing your intention on inside your eyelids. Observe any shadow shapes, any thoughts and ideas that come to you. Scrying is about using all the senses available. It isn’t just about seeing. You may sense, hear, feel impressions. You may see images in your mind’s eye much like when you are devoping as a psychic medium.
The most common crystals used for scrying are quartz, amethyst, obsidian and beryl and they are favoured for the properties associated with them. Crystal balls are also used to aid meditation. Quartz is said to be grounding, amethyst is traditionally known as protective and to aid psychic powers, blue-green beryl was popular in the middle ages. Obsidian is protective but can also help with seeing past blockages. Some crystal balls are made of high quality glass and the sparkly glass can be viewed as beneficial by some practitioners for learning scrying as it can help the person get into the necessary trance-like state.
Dark mirrors have been used by famous practitioners such as Doreen Valiente (1922 to 1999) who was known as the ‘grandmother of wicca’ and Cecil Williamson. It is possible to make your own dark mirror by obtaining a piece of oval shaped glass and painting with high gloss black paint and securing in a suitable metal picture frame.
Cauldrons were also used for scrying filled with water. These days we can use an ordinary bowl of water. A black cereal bowl is ideal. You can scry into black coffee and wine glasses filled with wine.
Doreen Valiente (Credit - Wikipedia)
Known as the grandmother of Wicca
Method for a simple scrying session
Formulate the question in your mind
Set up your space
Cleanse yourself, your space and whatever tools you are working with. This can be by whatever method you prefer, perhaps by using sage or even sound
The use of incense is optional
Adjust the lighting (near darkness with just a bit of candlelight or a dim lamp)
Get into the right zone by meditating first
Allow a while for any impressions to build up. Keep a notebook handy for afterwards. It helps to go half close your eyes to soften your gaze. You can use your scrying tool as like a window so you are looking through it or you can move your focus around the edges to sense your perceptions from all different angles. Remember you may see directly, in your mind’s eye, hear or just sense. You are using your skills of clairvoyance, clairaudience but mostly clairsentience here.
Pyromancy is the practice of scrying with fire. Practitioners may gaze into the flames of a bonfire or a log fire and see pictures. It might be a good idea to keep a camera or your smartphone handy to capture an interesting image you think you have observed. People have observed smoke, ashes and also candle flames. Candle flames are probably the easiest and safest to start out with, perhaps using a tealight or a pillar candle.
It is best to use your own intuition when practising fire scrying but some traditional interpretations are as follows (Lucia Starza)
Burning brightly and evenly indicates a good outcome
A fire that struggles to stay alight means difficulties
If it suddenly goes out, that can indicate an ending
Sparks indicate bursts of energy and success, messages or possibly arguments
Flickering flames represent uncertainty
Twisting flames warn you to beware of unscrupulous people
Unexpectedly strong flames indicate something extraordinary might happen
Changes of direction mean upheaval
Smoke rising straight up is a positive sign
Things to the left indicate past influences, the centre is the present and the right is the future
Some people use candle wax for divination. Put your candle on to a suitable surface such as a tray and then observe the shapes that have formed.
Ink scrying involves a bowl of water and dropping coloured ink into the bowl.
Flower petal scrying was practised by the ancient Romans. Gather your flower petals and heads of flowers, leaves etc and drop them into a large bowl of water and observe.
Tea leaf scrying is of course very popular again these days but did you know a quick and inexpensive way of doing this is to scatter loose leaf tea, break open a tea bag or dried herbs on to a sheet of white paper? You could use, for instance rose petals for a love reading and mugwort for a psychic or mediumship connection.
You can also try divining with coffee grounds and wine sediment.
Finally and by no means last, get out in nature and observe the patterns in clouds, sand and trees.
Tree scrying involves listening to the sounds that living trees make as well as observing them visually. The ancient Greeks used phyllomancy which means divination with leaves using specifically oak trees. They would sit between the oak trees and listen to the messages contained therein.
