Scrying

Scrying, also known by various names such as "seeing" or "peeping", is the practice of looking into a suitable medium in the hope of detecting significant messages or visions. The objective might be personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or inspiration, but down the ages, scrying in various forms also has been a prominent means of divination or fortune-telling. Traditionally, scrying has been portrayed through the popular image of the psychic gazing over her crystal ball. But scrying, like all esoteric practices, is not about “seeing the future.” The future can’t be seen, it can only be speculated based on present moment information.

Scrying helps us to get in touch with our unconscious minds: the realm of the soul. As such, it can be used as a powerful form of self-understanding and psychoanalysis. If you’re struggling to find direction, meaning or purpose in life, scrying could be a wonderful way to get in touch with your core needs, dreams, and goals.

Usually, scrying is performed with the use of a reflective surface, such as a mirror, water, or crystal globe. However, there are many other forms. Here are nine common types:

Wax – This is done by dripping wax onto a water surface. The scryer then interprets the images or words formed from the dried wax.
Cloud – Also called cloud gazing, this form of scrying involves observing clouds and the shapes they form. This is used to gather special information or knowledge.
Mirror – This is perhaps the most popular form of scrying. Also called catoptromancy, this involves relaxing your vision and staring into a mirror. After a while, images and scenes will begin to emerge.
Water – Staring into water, images can be perceived after a time. Objects such as pebbles can also be dropped into the water to create ripples. These ripples are then interpreted.
Oil – This form of scrying can involve pouring oil into a dish, rubbing it on the body, or coating a cup/plate. The scryer then observes the light reflected off the oil for information.
Fire – Possibly the most ancient form of scrying, this type of scrying involves gazing into fiery flames for visions. This can be done through the use of a simple candle or oil lamp. Bonus points if it’s a bonfire!
Smoke – As smoke rises from fire, its ethereal shapes present spiritual messages.
Crystal – This is the stereotypical form of scrying, but nonetheless highly effective. It involves the use of a crystal object (usually a ball or globe) to gather special meaning.
Eye – This is unusual! Also called soul gazing, this form of scrying involves looking deep within a person’s eyes and observing the reflections.

As we can see, we’ve practiced unknowingly many types of scrying in childhood and throughout our adult lives!