Scrying

Scrying is a form of divination that uses a reflective object or surface to visualize an object, person, place, or event. The most famous example of scrying is gazing into a crystal ball.

Other surfaces used for scrying are black mirrors (simply called "scrying mirrors"), a regular mirror, water, flames, and nowadays phone screens.

I prefer to use fire when I perform scrying. Here is a breakdown of my process that you can adapt to your needs.


  1. Prepare yourself. I usually do this step by cleansing my area and getting my supplies ready. If I have an intent, I specify it now. I like to use a different candle every time, so I take this time to feel for which one will best suit my intent.
  2. Ground and Center. Once you're all set up, it's time to begin. I close my eyes and focus on my breath to bring me to the present moment. Meditate on your intent, let your mind exist in the present moment. Don't try to think of what you want to see, or even visualize anything related to your intent! Focus on the words of the topic, let all images, sounds, feelings, and thoughts on the intent be subconscious. Your awake mind should be aware, but that's it.
  3. Open your eyes. Open your eyes right onto your scrying object. Up until this point, my candle isn't lit yet, so I allow myself to focus on the unlit candle like I'm a runner focused on the track before me. If you open your eyes and don't immediately land on your scrying object, then close your eyes and take some more time to center yourself. Don't rush this process, it's okay if you have to try more than once. When I'm ready, I light the candle and close my eyes again. I make sure my mind is completely still, silent, and present before opening them on the candle flame.
  4. Gazing. Now is the actual scrying part. Gaze into your object or surface and allow anything to come to mind without judgement. Use your intuition to discern between what is important and what isn't. Sometime you'll see things that don't relate to your intent and should be ignored, and sometimes you'll see things that aren't related but should be noted. It will feel right to you, so don't just take note of everything you see. You'll get lost in the process if you do so and you'll have to start all over. Let your subconscious do the work for you here. Your awake mind shouldn't be doing any work when it comes to scrying.
  5. The Come Down. When it feels right, close your eyes again and focus on your breath. I like to take this time to mentally list everything I saw and have a "second look" at what should be considered and what should be ignored. Allow yourself to come back to the present moment as you left it. I use this time to extinguish the flame. If you're using a crystal ball, use this time to cover the ball with a cloth to protect your home from fires (yes, your crystal ball can cause a house fire! [link to news article]).
  6. The Results. Write down everything you saw that you deemed to be important to your intent. Next to each item, write down what you believe that means. Try not to look up the meanings of what you saw unless you're completely stumped on how it's relevent. The process is complete!