The Basics of Water Scrying
I’ve discussed scrying in several articles on this site, including this basic one explaining the concept and how it differs from other forms of divination. There’s also this article on using the open sky as an airy scrying medium, and a general article on fire scrying. Since publishing the last two, I’ve gotten several specific requests from readers to write about water scrying, though I already had plans to do so anyways. Perhaps because we humans are made most of water ourselves, or perhaps simply because it’s so freely available, water scrying is extremely popular among witches and diviners these days. I’ve experimented with the technique (in different forms) many times over the years and experienced a wide array of interesting results.
Water scrying was a favorite activity of mine during the summer prior to my going off to college back in the mid-2000s, as well as throughout my freshman year at that school. In my high school art class, just before graduating, I made my own “cereal bowl.” At least, I told the teacher that was what I’d made, but in reality, it was meant to be a scrying bowl. Remembering it, the outside was painted a deep blue color that I associated with psychism at the time, and the inside covered in jet-black enamel.
At the time, I was very freeform in my methods, and would merely dim the lights in my room and peer into the bowl after filling it with plain tap water. Though I’d already received interesting results with Tarot, water scrying opened up a whole new world of vague impressions that soon resolved into concrete information. I got better results with water than I ever did with fire at that point (though things have changed over the years), but I’m unsure why. I do recommend anyone wanting to scry consider making water their first scrying medium, since I had such good luck with it.
Many books give details on the history of water scrying. There are unconfirmed stories suggesting that the famous Nostradamus employed this technique. In his text, Oracles of Nostradamus, Charles A. Ward quote Psellus, speaking of magicians during the time of Nostradamus:
“(T)hose about to prophesy take a basin full of water, which attracts the spirits moving stealthily in the depths (dæmonibus congruentem in profunda repentibus.) Le Pelletier translates this, (appropié à l'usage des démons cachés au fond des eaux). The basin then, full of water, seems in sort to breathe (or move) as with sounds (s'il allait émettre des sons); it seems to me that the water was agitated with circular ripples, as from some sound emitted below. Now, this water diffused through the basin differs but little in kind from water out of the basin, but yet it much excels it from a virtue imparted to it by the charms [that have been droned over it], and which have rendered it more apt to receive the spirit of prophecy. For this description of spirit is tetchy and terrene, and much under the influence of composite spells. When the water begins to lend itself as the vehicle of sound, he [the spirit] also presently gives out a thin reedy note [of satisfaction], but devoid of meaning; and close upon that, whilst the water is undulating, certain weak and peeping sounds whisper forth predictions of the future. A spirit of this kind is vagrant everywhere, for he is endowed with the solar pass [so that our terrestrial atmosphere lies everywhere open to him], and that order of spirits, in the work appointed to it, speaks at all times with a subdued voice, that by its indistinct obscurity it may be less easy to seize the falsehoods that it utters"
In this same text, Ward also describes the highly Christian-influenced traditions of these prophets, who may have included Nostradamus and regularly involved prayer, saints, and Christian Holy Days. Many modern readers may find this surprising, and may also be surprised to learn that, as referenced in the above Psellus quotation, water scrying during this period often purposefully engaged more than just the eyes - the creation of ambient noise with water inside a vessel or basin allowed an auditory element of the experience to develop.
While most scryers today do not employ those particular techniques, many still receive auditory impressions, albeit in a different, less tangible fashion. I personally feel that most scrying has the potential to engage all of the senses, but everyone is different, and some may get impressions visually, while others might experience them in an auditory fashion. For me, elements such as water and air, when used in scrying, tend to engage the senses more than fixed elements such as fire and earth, but, as usual, your mileage may vary.
Previously, I described a method of air scrying requiring no materials that you’d need to purchase or make - it uses the sky itself. With water, you can likely achieve a similar result just gazing into a still pond, as many ancient peoples did, and allowing impressions to form for you. The problem, though, is that, given human’s diffuse existence on this planet, not everyone is going to have access to a pool of water that’s calm, private, and conducive to scrying. Thus, for those wishing to scry with water, I’m afraid I must recommend at least some equipment.
Most water scryers use bowls. When choosing one, it’s important to pick a vessel large enough to give you a good amount of space on which to scry. A large teacup may work for impromptu scrying, but to get the most out of the experience, I recommend something large enough to fill your field of vision at a reasonable distance. Also, while bowls that have patterns carved or painted into their depths may look visually appealing, they aren’t as useful for scrying. Many people find patterns distracting, and it’s best to scry with a vessel that is a solid color.
Cassandra Eason notes that a simple dark cereal or fruit bowl of sufficient depth works well, and many of us have these available to use. I myself made my own water scrying bowl from clay in a high school art class, as noted, though that was many years ago and I’ve since left that behind. If you can make your own scrying bowl, go for it! It’s a great project and can help you connect to the element.
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with another method entirely for scrying with water, though, and I’ve found it quite effective, useful, and it creates a scrying surface or medium significantly larger than that offered by your average bowl. I call this method the Scrying Jar. Below you’ll find instructions for finding your own and using it!
A scrying jar uses the same principle as a scrying bowl, but instead of gazing into the depths of a shallow bowl of water, the scryer stares through the transparent glass of a jar.
The ideal scrying jar should be clear glass, and relatively large. Look for the sort that you can easily find a craft and hobby stores, and have no imprint or logo on the glass surface. Many jars say “BALL” or have another manufacturer’s logo sunken into the glass - when choosing a scrying jar, avoid those if at all possible, because the logo both looks tacky and makes it difficult to concentrate on the water within the jar when you’re scrying. Most jars will have a crafter or manufacturer imprint on them somewhere, but I’d recommend choosing one where it’s located out of sight near the bottom of the jar. I’d also avoid those with patterns, because as was the case with a scrying bowl, a scrying jar works best if the surface is fairly uniform.
In practice, a scrying jar works very much like a crystal ball, except the element you’re working with is water. One could argue that, since you’re viewing the water through the solid glass of the jar, a modicum of the element of earth will be present. Regardless, it’s an easy and fun way to start scrying with water. Before beginning, though, you must fill your jar with liquid. There are various ways to go about this - some will want to use the purest, clearest water they can find, and might get good results from filtered or spring water. Others might try ordinary tapwater, out of necessity or preference, and that can work, too. The effect with any kind of clear, pure water will be a little different than if you decide to darken it by using a herbal infusion, oil, or something else. I honestly have had the best luck with water that is slightly opaque, and I achieve this effect by filling the jar with the following recipe rather than clear water.
I begin by making a very strong infusion of herbs - a sort of herbal tea. Generally, mugwort is part of this, because it’s the plant I most associate with divination - you might have different associations you’d like to use, but mugwort works for me! It’s traditionally considered Lunar, and the Moon is the celestial sphere of all things psychic and divinatory. I start with a large amount of mugwort, roughly twice as much as I’d use for a normal tea, and add similar quantities of two more herbs - one associated with Mercury (usually lavender or some sort of mint) and one associated with whatever sphere governs the subject I’ll be scrying about. Whatever you do, don’t grind the herbs prior to putting them into boiling water, because you need to strain this brew very well, and ground herbs have a way of slipping through even the finest mesh - I just gently mix them with my hands. You might want to add a bit of salt, as well, for added Lunar association, and also because it makes the liquid last slightly longer in the jar - you’ll need to clean your jar regularly, but adding salt can stretch it to last a day or two.
Lately, I’ve been working with an infusion of mugwort, lavender, pink sea salt, and rose petals, the latter chosen because the subject of my scrying lately is almost always my upcoming marriage, and rose is associated with love. You yourself might choose something different based on your own needs, perhaps throwing in some basil if you’re scrying about business or money matters, for example. I infuse these herbs in boiling water for as long as possible, usually leaving them in the pot until the entire concoction has cooled to room temperature. Then, I strain the brew into the jar, very, very carefully. You want a relatively uniform appearance to the brew, and thus don’t want big (or even small) chunks of herbs slipping through. Please wait until it is quite cool to do this - pouring boiling water into most jars will likely break them! This results in an infusion that is incredibly strong and decidedly undrinkable, but perfect for pouring into my scrying jar to create a nice, dark medium where I can scry. Once the brew is in the jar, you might want to bathe it in the full moon’s light for a night, if possible, but I personally haven’t tried this.
When you feel ready to scry, take the jar into a dimly-lit room. Candlelight works well for this, and what I’ve been doing is lighting three tealights in a triangular formation around the jar. You might burn incense as well, but I personally find it distracting from my water scrying for some reason, and the faint scent of the herbal infusion works just fine for me. Sit comfortably, and gaze through the glass jar at the water within. If you’ve scryed with fire before, you may find it odd at first just how easy it is to fix your gaze deep into the water and persist with it. Visions come gradually, and usually they begin with the appearance of mist filling your vision, which often takes on a particular significant color. This mist tends to presage the appearance of more complex visions within the water.
Sometimes, you can control the subject of your scrying, projecting images into the jar and then watching how they evolve within it. I do this. For example, if you’re wanting to scry on the subject of where you’ll be physically in six months, keep the notion of “six months from now” fixed in your mind, and imagine your own familiar form within the jar itself. Then, watch as it changes and evolves. The images you see may indeed sometimes be literal, but often they’re metaphors, so keep that in mind if you happen to see something unpleasant.
When you are finished scrying, keep in mind that your jar must be cleaned regularly, regardless of its contents. I don’t typically clean my jar after every single use, but I do so quite regularly anyways. It’s also useful to empty and refill it dependent on what you’re scrying about or your general goal for a scrying session, and while some of the herbal suggestions I made above might be useful for many witches and diviners, creativity is key. You should definitely try all kinds of different things in terms of what sort of water to use, what to infuse in it (if anything), and just how to scry in general.
I hope my ideas in this article help to get you started, though. Thanks for reading, as always. You’re all wonderful! If there’s a topic you would like me to write about, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to send me a message or ask, but do please read my FAQ and master page beforehand to see if I’ve already addressed your question. And finally, if you enjoy the content I produce, please consider donating to fund further endeavors. Thanks for reading!
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