Mirror, Mirror…

Catoptromancy (or the art of divination by scrying in a mirror) is a practice with a long standing fascination for those on the path.

The mirror is a tool to encourage a state of mind where conscious thought is repressed and intuition is allowed to speak, granting deep insights into our past, present and future. By achieving a state of deep peace and relaxation, we can let go of the everyday noise in our heads and tune in to deeper thoughts. It is believed that a scrying mirror should be kept covered when not in use.

Scrying is normally done in dim light – in a dark room with candles lit, or outside at night. The mirror should be positioned so that it only reflects ceiling or sky.

Begin with grounding and relaxation – the idea is to enter a meditative state. Let your eyes relax into a soft focus, breathe deeply and wait for images to form in your mind’s eye.

A useful practice for developing skills in this area is to record yourself as you scry – speak aloud any images/insights that come to you, without judgement or analysing, remaining in an observational state. Later you can listen to your revelations and interpret them. Keeping a journal of these insights can be useful to refer back to because over time, patterns often appear.

Witch tip! A handy way to DIY your own dark scrying mirror is to buy a picture frame with a glass cover, and paint one side of the glass with matte black paint (Bunnings will have it!). Once coated and dried enough, turn the glass over so the ‘paint side’ is facing IN to the picture frame, and secure it. The non-painted side should be facing OUT, which will create a fluid, obsidian-like effect against the black paint on the other side. You can decorate the frame however you like, but typically it’s good to keep a scrying mirror nice and simple, to avoid any distractions or unwanted reflections.