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The Encyclopedia Britannica (2008) describes Scrying as:
Divination of distant or future events based on visions
seen in a ball of rock crystal. Divination based on an analysis of
reflections in water, on polished metal, or on precious stones was practiced
by early humans, who probably interpreted these phenomena as a vision of the
spirit world. Scrying became widespread by the 5th century AD and was
condemned by the medieval Christian church as the work of the devil.
Etymology
Scrying comes from the Old English word descry meaning
"to make out dimly" or "to reveal." Adding the
prefix/suffix 'be' (often 'gye' in Germanic languages), gives us the modern
word 'describe'.
Descry: c.1300, probably from Old French descrier
"publish," from Latin describere
Alternative Names:
Crystal gazing · Oculomancy / Eye Viewing · Catoptromancy
/ Mirror gazing · Hydromancy / Water viewing · Fire gazing · Smoke scrying ·
Cloud scrying · Oil scrying
 The History Of Scrying
The history of scrying is a little murky. Many try to
connect the art of scrying with other methods of divination such as dowsing,
tea leaves or the Chinese methods of reading lines and faces. While these
methods are historical, they are not the precursors to traditional scrying.
In order for an object to be related to an older object it
must have some type of evolutionary connection that can be traced through
validated records. Scrying simply does not have this connection to these
other methods of divination. But that shouldn't lessen the historical value
of those methods, nor the value and historical uses of scrying.
We know scrying was used by ancient Celts, probably by way
of the Germanic invasions of the Norse. Scrying plates have been found in
several archeological sites around Celtic lands that are known to have been
Norse influenced settlements. Druids are one of the earliest known peoples to
have used crystals for divination in the form of scrying plates.
Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), according to his son,
would gaze into a bowl of water or dark ink and then quickly take notes about
what he saw. He would later compile these notes into his infamous quatrains.
One of the earliest written works of scrying comes from
The Shahnameh, a historical epic work written in the late 10th century. Used
in pre-Islamic Persia the epic gives a description of the Cup of Jamshid or
Jaam-e Jam, as a cup of divination which, according to mythology, was long
possessed by the rulers of ancient Greater Iran. The cup was filled with an
elixir of immortality and was used for scrying. Ali-Akbar Dehkhoda explains
that one could observe all the seven heavens of the universe by looking into
the elixir and the whole world was reflected in it. In popular stories such
as The Heroic Legend of Arslan, the cup is depicted as a crystal ball.
Helen Zimmern's English translation of the Shahnameh uses the term
"crystal globe".
In 1958, Classical Greek archaeologist, Sotiris Dakaris
discovered a scrying center near the Dodona oracle. This temple was described
by Homer and Herodotus, as a place where people would sit in complete
darkness while awaiting their turn in front of the oracle. An extensive maze
led to a long hallway where the 'gazing' would take place. Dakaris found the
remnants of a bronze cauldron ringed with a banister which made it appear
that people stand around the cauldron and gaze into it's contents for
enlightenment or visions.
Dakaris also describes psychomanteums (sometimes spelled
as psychomantium) used by ancient Greeks. These are mirrored rooms designed
to communicate with the spiritual realm. Also called "mirror
gazing", this is another form of scrying.
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd
century AD. He is famous for his Description of Greece is a ten book
series that is dedicated to some portion of Greece from firsthand
observations. This collection is a crucial link between classical literature
and modern archaeology. In his observations of Patras, he writes:
Before the Temple of Ceres at Patras, there was a
fountain, separated from the temple by a wall, and there was an oracle, very
truthful, not for all events, but for the sick only. The sick person let down
a mirror, suspended by a thread till its based touched the surface of the
water, having first prayed to the goddess and offered incense. Then looking
in the mirror, he saw the presage of death or recovery, according as the face
appeared fresh and healthy, or of a ghastly aspect.
In A.D. 312 when Emperor Constantine was marching against
the army of Maxentius at Rome, both he and his entire army saw a shining
cross of light amid the clouds. This form of cloud scrying has been used as a
form of divination around the world. Clouds are said to be the written
messages of the Heavens, foretelling the outcome of current events. This is
also the predecessor to the modern childs game of seeing objects in the
clouds.
We know scrying was used in early Egypt around 4BC from
paintings depicted on walls and tombs. Egyptian priests would use water
scrying before Egyptian Gods or Goddesses to gain wisdom or foresee future
events.
One
of the most detailed examples of oil scrying are written in the Greek Magical
Papyri written in Egypt between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500. This method of
scrying is traced back to ancient Babylonians and found its way to the
Egyptians and Hebrews.
Native Americans used a form of scrying by way of rising
smoke. This isn't just the stereotypical movie version where a blanket is
draped over a small fire and then lifted to release the smoke. Rather
watching the rising smoke from a flame and divining images held within the
smoke stream.
 In the early 20th century women practiced mirror scrying
to foretell the image of their future husband. This practice could be found
on turn of the century Halloween greeting card, as the one shown to the
right.
This superstition may have been born from the legendary
Bloody Mary tale. One version of this legend states Bloody Mary encourages
young women to walk up a flight of stairs backwards, holding a candle and a
hand mirror, in a darkened house. As they gazed into the mirror, they were
supposed to be able to catch a view of their future husband's face in the
reflection. There was a chance that they would see the skull-face of the Grim
Reaper instead, meaning they were destined to die before they married.
This period of the early 19th century popularized many
stage magicians use of crystal balls to foretell the future of members of
their audience. At this point the use of scrying became part of the world of
entertainment and stage magic and lost it's significance as a spiritual tool
for divination. This idea was carried into early films with gypsies using
crystal balls to con money from un-expecting clients, mediums who conducted
seances and opened the door for horror in the form of possession through
divination tools and correspondences with the devil or evil forces.
But for some spiritualists the practice of divine
divination remained and the use of tools such as scrying continued behind
closed doors. One prominent practioner of scrying was Madame Blavatsky who
taught Occult studies and divination. Thanks to Blavatsky and many like her,
the use of scrying tools survived the superstition and is widely used by
adept psychics around the world.
Scrying Methods
Catoptromancy is a form of scrying and divination using a
mirror. Also known as captromancy or enoptromancy. Mirror gazing is a popular
method of scrying and comes in two forms. The first requires an individual to
stand before a mirror and stare into their reflection. By relaxing their
vision images appear in the reflection and spiritual messages can be
interpreted or questions can be answered. The second method uses a mirror as
a scrying plate. A mirror is placed flat on a table or at a 90degree angle. A
flame or small light is placed near the mirror to allow the light to reflect
onto the mirror. The scryer would then interpret spiritual messages or
discern answers to questions from the lights reflection and perceived images.
Ceroscopy is a form of scrying that was very popular in
early Russia. A scryer would fully met the wax in a pot, most often made of
brass. The liquid wax was then dripped into cool water where tiny shapes were
formed. The scryer would then interpret spiritual messages from the molded
wax shapes floating in the water.
Cloud gazing is a method of scrying using clouds in the
sky. Discerning shapes in the clouds and witnessing their evolution foretells
current events and how they will change and come to pass.
Crystal gazing is a method of scrying where a scryer looks
into a crystal; typically a ball and reads the images that appear in the
reflection. It should be noted that lead crystal balls are not the best tools
for this method. Rather natural crystals with all their cracks and
imperfections are preferred.
Hydromancy is a method of divination scrying using water,
including the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in
a pool. The scryer would then interpret spiritual messages or discern answers
to questions from the images perceived in the water.
Lecanomancy is a form of water scrying where a stone is
thrown into a basin or body of still water. The scryer divines messages from
the sound the stone makes in the water and the images formed in the rippling
water.
Lychnomancy is a form of divination by flame. Also called
Lamp gazing (Lampadomancy) or Flame gazing. This is a method of scrying using
the light of an oil lamp or the flame from a candle or fire. Images are
perceived in the flame, or shadowy images are perceived close to the flames
that provide messages to the seer.
Another method of Candle gazing employs the use of 3
candles arranged in a triangle. A questioner or a scryer ask questions and
the answers are depicted in the action of the flames.
~ A positive answer to a question is indicated by one
flame burning higher than the other two.
~ A wavering flame would indicate a journey.
~ A spiral flame indicated plots by enemies.
~ An uneven flame danger.
~ Sparks indicate caution.
~ A sudden extinction of a flame indicates bad luck.
Molybdomancy is a method of scrying using melted metal and
water. Using tin or lead, the metal was melted to a liquid state and then
dripped into cold water where the metal would harden into varying shapes. A
scryer would then interpret the spiritual messages from the molded metal
shapes. Molybdomancy is similar to Ceroscopy which uses wax.
Oculomancy is a form of scrying where the diviner gazes
into the questioners' eyes and reads the reflections.
Oil gazing is a method of scrying using oil in various
forms. It can be placed in a dish, rubbed on the hand or forehead, coated
within a cup or plate to reflect light directed into the oil. Written
accounts from the Babylonians describe at least 3 forms or methods of oil
scrying.
~ "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.
~ "Princess of the Hand" - Oil was mixed with
black soot to make a black paste that was covered upon the hand. The scryer
then used the hand as a mirror to scry future events for the individual.
~ 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 as a
concave mirror to capture and magnify the light of a candle that was fixed on
its inner rim.
Scrying plates are often made of stone or crystal polished
to a very high gloss for reflection. A scryer would gaze into the reflection
or would coat the plate with water or oil and gaze into the reflective
service. The scryer would then interpret spiritual messages or discern
answers to questions from the images perceived in the reflection.
Smoke gazing is a method of scrying using smoke from a
flame or typically a fire. As the smoke rises, images are perceived in the
smoke that details spiritual messages for the seer.
http://www.paganspath.com/meta/scrying.htm
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