Hydromancy or Water Scrying

(c) Cheryl Lynne Bradley 2007



Scrying is a practice that dates back to the ancient Arabs and Egyptians which makes it one of the oldest forms of divination. Scrying using a Crystal Ball is one of the best known forms of fortune telling and often one of the first images stereotypically used regarding Divinatory practices. We are not restricted to the Crystal Ball as a tool for scrying: shiny stones, mirrors and any reflective object or surface can be utilized. Nostradamus used a brass bowl of water on a tripod and this method is called Hydromancy. The tool utilized to scry is called a Speculum. Scrying is used to answer questions, resolve problems, find what is lost or to solve criminal acts.

Water scrying was very popular with the Celts and other Shamanistic traditions. The Cup of Jamshid was used in Ancient Persia to divine. The liquid in the cup was said to be an elixir of immortality and looking into the cup allowed you to view the seven layers of the universe and deep truths were revealed. The Mirror of Galadriel in J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" was used to see past, present and future: the mirror was a pool of water.

If you would like to try your hand, or your eye, at Water Scrying, it is relatively simple to set up, getting results is somewhat more complicated. You need a bowl of water. A brass, silver or glass bowl would be nice but you have to use what you have on hand, so your favourite cereal bowl or tea cup is also a nice option here. I think a Tibetan Singing Bowl would work well for scrying as well. It is preferable to use water collected under a Full Moon from a stream or river. I am not a purist, tap water while the moon is full would certainly be adequate. If you are able to construct a tripod to set your chosen bowl on, please do. If you have access to laurel, bay or hazel branches use them to construct your base. If you aren't construction oriented, don't worry about it, a nice flat spot on your table or altar will do - like I said, I'm not a purist. A couple of candles appropriately coloured or charged for the issue you are scrying on should be placed about a foot from your scrying bowl.

Colour the water with dark green or dark blue food colouring - or whatever colour or combination of colours has appeal for you. It has to be dark enough that you can't see the bottom of the bowl. If you have a magic wand or a favourite crystal, you can wet the edge of the bowl and use your wand or crystal to rub the edge of the bowl - following the edge of the bowl all the way around. You can even just use the index finger of each hand and do alternating circles around the edge of the bowl. Each of these methods will create ripples in the water and energize it. You can use your hands to energize the bowl if you prefer. Using your left hand first, then your right, pass your hands, palm down, in a clockwise circular motion over the water an inch or two above to the surface - do three passes with each hand before switching (a bit of an upper body cardio workout, you always have to look for the hidden benefits). Pay attention to your breathing, breath slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on your intuition and your issue while watching for any images reflected in the water. You will have to trust your own intuition for interpretation. Keep it as simple as possible.

Don't be discouraged because it may take time to actually see anything. View it as a form of deep meditation and relaxation. Make sure you have grounded and protected yourself properly as you would before undertaking any type of divination. A nice cup of tea before and eating something of the earth after to return you to ground will round out the divination. 

Belarussian traditional divination

From 7 to 19 January magical time comes for Belarusian girls. These days one can learn about the future, and the girls gladly take this opportunity. In Belarus people believe that all the results of divination from 7 to 19 January necessarily true. That is why so many people put a candle near the mirror and make wishes before bedtime. Divination held in the evening or at night.

Divination with mirrors and candles.
You have to take two small mirrors and one candle. Light a candle and place it on the table. On both sides of the candle, put two mirrors so that they are placed opposite each other.
Mirrors  create an endless corridor. You should look into this corridor. During guessing you can not talk. After the end of divination lower mirror glass down on the table. You can not look in the mirror on these three days.

Divination with water
This is one of the easiest ways of divination. Comb your hair. Put the comb in a glass of water.  Place a glass in your bed and go to sleep. Before going to bed, say the phrase: "My destiny, come to me and move across the bridge." You have had a dream. He will tell you about your life.

Divination on name of the guy (girl)
Cut the paper into 12 equal strips. For 11 strips write different male (female) names. One strip should stay clean. Fold the strips, mix them up and put under the pillow. In the morning pull one strip from under the pillow. The name on the paper will be the name of your guy (girl). If you got a clean strip, this year you will be one.

Divination on wax
Take a cup of water and a candle. Light a candle and wait. When the candle builds up a bit of melted wax, tilt the candle wax and carefully pour in a cup of water.
You should carefully examine the shape of solidified wax.

Divination on the fence
This is a very simple divination (if you can find a wooden fence, of course). Go out to the street, go up to the fence. Stretch your arms wide apart, close your eyes. You have to touch the fence boards. Remember which the board were last. After that, everything is very simple: count the number of boards that you managed to capture. Even number: you will not be alone, odd number: this year you're not lucky in love.

Divination on shoes
Take your shoe. Walk up to the threshold and stay a back to it. You have to throw a shoe at the back. Toe shoes will show you the direction from which you will come to the fate (or love). If toe shoes points to the threshold, you'll be in this year alone.

From My Native Belarus

Mirror scrying 2

The Scrying Glass

The scrying glass is a dark concave surface of reflective material. One can easily be constructed by using the curved glass face of a clock and painting the convex side with glossy black paint.

Once the paint has thoroughly dried, bath the mirror in an herbal brew of rosemary, fennel, rue, vervain, ivy and walnut leaves (or bark). If you want to be truly traditional, pour some sea foam into the mixture.To charge the glass, take a deep breath and then slowly exhale outward upon the potion. Repeat this three times. Remove the mirror from the potion and dry it off thoroughly.

Prop the mirror up vertically, supported by two sturdy books or book ends to hold it in place. Hold your right hand out in front of you so that your palm is facing the convex side of the mirror. Then place the left palm facing the concave side, about three inches away from the glass surface. You are now ready to magnetize the mirror.

With the left hand begin making a circular clockwise motion across the surface of the mirror. Do this for a few minutes and then repeat this on the convex side of the mirror with the right hand. The opposite hand is always held still while the moving hand circulates.

Divination

Scrying is a very ancient technique common among shamanistic traditions. Divination itself is the ability to discern patterns that are forming, moving toward manifestation. What you "see" is actually what is likely to occur if nothing changes the divinatory images one perceives.

The use of a scrying bowl is one of the traditional methods of fortune-telling. This very basic method employs a dark liquid formula.

Pour some bottled water into a medium-sized bowl such as a soup bowl.
Add a few drops of blue or green food coloring to the water, enough to ensure that the liquid is dark and obscures the bottom of the bowl. At this point you should have a dark reflective surface to gaze into.
Place two candles as your source of light, making sure that the light does not reflect upon the liquid.
Setting them a foot or two in front of you, one candle off to each side should work.
Next perform a series of hand passes over the liquid in the bowl, slowly and deliberately.
In the magical arts, the right hand generates an electrical charge and the left hand a magnetic charge. Left-handed passes attract and draw images, forming them in the dark liquid. Right handed passes will strengthen the images appearing there, and focus them more clearly.
Begin scrying by making left-handed passes over the bowl, in a clockwise circle, just a few inches above the water (palms open and facing down).
Stop and gaze into the dark liquid, not at its surface but deep into the bowl.
Usually several repeated passes of the hands are required during the scrying process. Alternate between the left hand and the right hand.
This requires patience and time.
Use your intuition as you sit before the bowl.
Make sure the area is quiet and there are no distractions. With practice, images will begin to form within the liquid. Sometimes they will be symbolic or suggestive images. At other times they may form as faces, objects, or places you are already familiar with. It is important to simply allow the images to form. Do not rush them, or become anxious when they begin to appear.
Try to remain calm and receptive. Watch the images until they fade away.
At first, interpreting the meaning of what you see is like trying to find meaning within a dream but with time you will begin to understand the symbols, their meaning and the importance of their appearance.