How To Use A Scrying Mirror

The ancient rite of scrying has been practiced for thousands of years and is a form of mediumship, that allows the practitioner to receive messages in the form of visual flashes of information from the spirit world, as well as seeing glimpses of the past or future.

It's been a part of many different cultures, including in Ancient Egyptian, Greeks and the Celts. The word scry comes from the old English meaning "to reveal," it's also the origin of the modern word "describe". It was originally practiced in the form of water scrying, even Nostradamus is said to have gazed into a bowl of water in order to see his images of future events.

Since the days of water scrying, the method has evolved to include other materials, most of which are either reflective or transparent. These include oil, beryl or polished quartz. When it became possible to make mirrors, they soon became the most common material for scrying. Early on mirrors were thought to be like water that was fixed into one place.

The early mirrors were made of polished metals like copper, brass or silver, by holding mercury behind glass, or by polishing obsidian. Famous alchemists, Edward Kelley and John Dee, used an object known as a shewstone, which was a piece of polished obsidian.

You probably don't think of it as scrying, but one of the best known forms of divination is actually a method of scrying and that's the use of a crystal ball. However, today when you think of scrying, you probably think of a black mirror. This is simply a mirror that is backed with black rather than silver. Black obsidian scrying mirrors are also very common.

Scrying has many uses, clairvoyants use it to contact spirits, it's used in divination to gain glimpses of the future and it's used by paranormal investigators in order to try to make contact with spirits. Some believe it can also be used for invocation and evocation rituals.

Whether using a mirror, stone, or crystal ball, the material being used isn't really important, its purposes is simply to focus the medium's attention, removing unwanted thoughts and clearing the mind in order to enhance the user's psychic abilities. Because scrying involves staring into the black surface, it's sometimes referred to as seeing into darkness.

Once the scryer reaches this achieved level of concentration, visions will start to appear. Some say that the scrying mirror is more than a powerful psychic tool and is actually a portal into the astral plane. Some mediums can achieve trance-like states by concentrating on a scrying mirror.

It's best to use a round or oval mirror, rather than a square one. Many scryers say that they have better results with vintage or handcrafted mirrors. You can use either a regular mirror or a black mirror and if you don't have a black mirror, you can make one easily and at little cost.

An old photo frame is a good starting point, you also need some matte black spray paint. Begin by taking out the glass, cleaning it and ensuring it is completely dry. Then, holding the paint can about 50cm away, lightly spray the glass, moving from side to side to ensure a thin and even covering of paint.

You'll then need to let the paint dry before applying more coats until you can no longer see anything through the glass when it is held up to a light source. Then put the glass back into the frame, ensuring that the unpainted side is facing forwards.

Make sure you keep your mirror clean and smudge free, as dirt and grime might act as a distraction while scrying. You should also ensure that the mirror is only used for scrying and not any other purpose. Do not let others look into the mirror, unless taking part in a ritual.

First, turn out all the lights in the room. It's best to perform the ritual at night in order to ensure the room is as dark as possible. You should have just one light source, this should either be moonlight or one candle placed behind the mirror.

Place the mirror in such away that no reflections are visible on its surface, it should look like a dark window. You shouldn't be able to see your own reflection in the mirror, placing it at an angle to you can help with this. Scrying can take a long time, sometimes hours, so make sure you are sitting comfortably in front of the mirror.

Then close your eyes and take a few minutes to clear your mind of all thoughts. When you are ready, open your eyes and begin to gaze into the glass. This step should be natural and comfortable, continue to breathe steadily, blink as normal and relax the focus of your eyes. You should be looking into the depths of the mirror, as if you are looking straight through it.

After a while, you should notice that the darkness of the mirror changes to a grey or dark mist, then colours will start to appear in the form of shapes, symbols or pictures. These maybe moving images or could even take the shape of letters, words or phrases. If you have difficulty seeing these shapes and colours, then start by imagining these artefacts on the mirror's surface. Start with clear geometric shapes in different, bright, primary colours. Focus on each shape for about a minute before moving on to the next. While doing this, keep your mind clear of conscious thoughts but be aware of anything that might pop in to your head.

Most people who practice scrying don't actually see these images through their physical sight, the images appear in their mind's eye.

Afterwards, immediately write down everything you experienced in a journal, including any spontaneous thoughts that popped into your head, even if they don't seem relevant at the time. Make sure you make a note of everything you saw, thought and felt during the ritual.

Another method is to set up your mirror in a similar way, again using either a regular or preferably black mirror. Make sure the room is completely dark, other than one candle placed directly in front of the mirror. In this method you should look straight into the mirror at a close distance so that you see a clear reflection of your face, lit by the candlelight.

Stare at your own face in the mirror for at least 10 to 15 minutes. After a while, you will see your facial features change. Your face may become distorted or morph into the face of someone else.

Some think that the face you see in the reflection is your own face as it appears in a past or parallel life. Others believe that you are being shown the face of spirits who are present at the location where you are scrying.

When using this method, you might find it helpful to call out to the spirits, simply speak aloud clearly and encourage them to show themselves to you.