Variations of Scrying

The Different Types Of Scrying

An Overview of Different Types of Scrying

Scrying is a method of divination. It consists of gazing into a crystal, a mirror or some water for example, anything shiny really, in order to enter altered mind states...A good cliché that best describes scrying is the gypsy fortune-teller and her large crystal ball. There are different scrying tools, like crystal, water, ink, oil, even fire.

Scrying works on the principles of the Ganzfeld effect. If you have ever had to stare at a blank wall until you began to feel dizzy, to hallucinate and see patterns, then you know what the Ganzfeld state is!

The degree of success with gazing depends on one’s ability to concentrate. The effort taken in this enterprise will eventually pay off, do not give up if you don’t “see” anything the first time you attempt to scry!


USING A CRYSTAL BALL
There is no specific method to know which crystal ball suits you, it will “call to you” when you see it. Once you decide on one, choose a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. The lights should be dim, it’s preferable that you only lit a couple of candles only, placed low and behind you. Remember to sit in a comfortable chair, you should be perfectly relaxed. Take a deep breath, clear your mind from any thoughts, and gaze intensely into the crystal. This might cause you to blink or bring tears to your eyes, so try to relax them, closing them about half way. Now is the perfect time to link your third eye to the crystal: visualize a ray of light coming from between your eyes and entering the crystal.

Now watch for the clouding of the crystal that will come from a small light. The clouds will develop and then clear until you begin to see precise patterns and pictures. Do not try to interpret those visions immediately, you will see a whole sequence that will lead you to the answer of your question. Don’t waste your time writing everything down, it’s best to use a tape recorder because sometimes the flow of pictures is too fast.

Remember, stay relaxed and try not to confuse real symbols with what you want to see, i.e. psychologically induced patterns.


SHELL SCRYING
I find this modern scrying method quite odd and frankly hard to believe. Perhaps you might want to try it. I’m sure you’re familiar with the sounds of a shell when you place it over your ear. It sounds like the ocean, but it’s in fact your blood flowing through the vessels in your ear.

If you listen to this sound until you’re in some sort of trance state, you might be able to pick up fragments of conversation. At first you might only make out a few words, but in time you will come to understand “conversations” that predict the future.


SMOKE SCRYING
Now that method is a bit more believable. :-) Smoke scrying is best done while relaxing in front of a fire. Do not follow the smoke up but rather allow the smoke to form patterns within your gaze. You will see visions of future events. The Native Americans practice a special type of smoke scrying. It's called a sweat lodge; water is poured over hot rocks in a tent to create steam. Then people sit naked around the rocks to inhale the steam. The combination of temperature, humidity and elevated levels of carbon dioxide produce a state in which visions can arise. Needless to say, this method is dangerous.

WATER SCRYING
This is a very ancient scrying method. The Celts used it quite often. What you need is a large, deep bowl made from glass, brass or silver. You must set your base on (preferably) a tripod made of laurel boughs for best results. Fill the bowl with clean, fresh water from a stream. The water may be stored in a vessel and used again. The important thing is not to collect the water during the day, but rather during the night, and preferably on a full moon. This is done because of the close connection between water, the moon and the Goddess. You should also have a wand. Use either a branch from a bay or hazel tree, or laurel. The end of the wand should be covered in dry tree sap or resin. Dip the end of the wand into the water until it becomes wet. Wet the borders of the bowl. Gently drawing the rim of the wand around the bowl it will cause it to resonate. The resonating bowl will cause circular ripples to form in the basin. It is up to you t interpret the visions.


MIRROR SCRYING
Mirror scrying is quite common, and it is an evolved form of water scrying. The early mirrors were made of polished copper or silver, brass, tin foil or mercury behind glass. John Dee used a black mirror of obsidian.

Because mirrors are linked to the moon, they should be backed with silver. The size of your scrying mirror doesn’t matter, but the shape does, so use either a round or an oval mirror.

Most seers prefer using a black mirror. Simply take out the glass and paint it black. When you put it back in the frame make sure the glass part is to the front. When using the black mirror for scrying you do not want to see your reflection. Thus you should leave the mirror on a table and look at it from an angle. Look into the depths of the mirror as though you were looking into a bowl of water. At first it may appear grey than colors will come and go. With time and practice you will be able to see images. The visions may even exist outside the mirror, either surrounding it or surrounding the scryer.


CLOUD SCRYING
Now that is an original scrying method! And it’s interesting to note that the most famous example is of Christian origin. I’m sure you’ve all read about the Roman Emperor Constantine, who had a Christian mother. I remember watching a film called: “Constantine and the Cross.” In 312 A.D., when that emperor was marching against the army of Maxentius in Rome, he and his men saw a shining cross of light amid the clouds. The cross bore the Greek words: “By this you shall conquer.” Later that night, Christ appeared to Constantine in his dreams holding a cross and asking him to have a military standard shaped like a cross. Thanks to this standard, the emperor’s army won the battle. From that day on, several battles have been witnessed in the clouds. Symbols of both political and religious significance have been seen in the clouds. The Druids were renowned for using that scrying method. Cloud scrying is essentially done on days when cloud conditions are good. Having too few or too many clouds is no good for scrying. The best is when the clouds are thick. Find a nice location to lie down and relax. Try not to focus on one cloud but rather allow the clouds to drift across your view. Visions will come naturally to you. Personally, I think people who look up at the sky and see “only clouds” without guessing what the shapes might symbolize have no imagination whatsoever. :^)


EGYPTIAN DREAM SCRYING
Egyptian dream scrying can be traced back thousands of years. In preparing to use this scrying method you must not speak to anyone on the evening you plan to scry. Also, refrain from having sex and consuming alcohol and eating. Take a long purifying bath, then anoint your temples with olive oil. Prepare an oil lamp that bears no inscription on it. It can be of any color except red. Red is the color of the evil God Set. Write on a small strip of white linen with ink mixed with myrrh the name of your dream God/dess and the purpose of the dream scrying. Twist the linen strip and insert it into the oil of the lamp. Place the lamp on a table beside your bed. Using the ink draw the image of the dream God/dess upon your left palm. You must decide which God or Goddess you wish to use. Thoth was well used with the Egyptians. Light your lamp. Kneel before it. Concentrating on the image on your left hand recite the following invocation:

“(Thoth) I invoke, blessed power of dreams divine, Angel of future fates, swift wings are thine, Great source of oracles to human kind, When stealing soft, and whispering to the mind, Through sleep's sweet silence and the gloom of night, Thy power awake the sight, To silent souls the will of heaven relates, And silently reveals their future fates.”

Concentrate on the question you wish to know the answer to. Around your left hand wrap a piece of black linen. The cloth is known as the "black" of Isis. Blow out the flame of the lamp. Now you can go to sleep. Have a tape recorder beside your bed so that when you awaken you may record your dreams while still fresh in your mind. You will find that the dream will come to you in a voice that is clear and powerful rather than in dream images. Sometimes the message is sent in cryptic/symbolic form.


OIL SCRYING
Oil scrying is yet another ancient method of divination. It can be traced back to the Babylonians. One of their techniques was called the "Princess of the Thumb". A scryer anointed the forehead and thumbnail of a subject. The shiny nail acted as a magic mirror in which the scryer saw spirits. Another version was called the "Princess of the Hand". Oil was mixed with black soot to make a paste that was then smeared upon the hand. The scryer then used the hand to see future events. A third type of oil scrying was called the "Princess of the Cup". Sesame seed oil was used to coat the inside of a cup that was rested on its side. The cup was used to capture and magnify the light of a candle that was fixed on its inner rim. From the Babylonians, oil scrying found its way to the Egyptians and Hebrews. The latter used four kinds of water mixed with oil. If you wish to use that method effectively: if you call upon the heavenly Gods then use rainwater; if you invoke the terrestrial Gods then use sea water; if you invoke the Osiris or Serapis use river water; and if you call upon the souls of the dead then use spring water.

Tree scrying

Tree divination to be performed on any windy spring or summer day in which leaves still dangle from the trees . . .
Go to a safe lonely place where there's little chance of being disturbed.

Sit or lie comfortably beneath a tree bearing large leaves. Close your eyes for a few moments, breathing deeply, calming yourself for the coming rite. Blank your mind.

When ready, open your eyes. Look up into the moving leaves, or at the ever-changing shadow patterns created by the sunlight shining through them.

Lose yourself in the ever-moving spectacle of twisting leaves or shadows. Don't study them, simply be with it. Allow the wind's movement to lull your conscious mind and to awaken your psychic consciousness.

As you feel your consciousness slipping away, ask your question, or simply open yourself to the answer.

Unbidden thoughts will arise from your subconscious mind. Among them may be that which you seek. Listen to them - and remember.

After your rite, jot down the important images that you received during your meditation. Think upon them and determine if any are applicable.


Wind scrying

Ancient Greeks practised wind scrying in the sacred grove of Dodona, which was dedicated to Zues. Psellus refered to this technique writing "there is a mode of predicting by means of the air and the leaves of the trees.
The method seemed to involve the hanging of striking wands from branches of sacred oak tress in a way that they struck resounding brass basins when the wind blew. Interpretations were made of these sounds and that of the wind.

The wind gives itself naturally to scrying because it talks the same as you or me. Find a quite place in the bush where there is no noise of cars, music, etc.

A place among the trees is the best. Find a tree and sit under it.

Casually focus your attention on the wind, blocking out all other thoughts. In time the wind will talk to you.

In order for you to scry the wind, you must, for a time, become the wind.