Scrying is the occult practice of using a medium, most commonly a reflective surface or translucent body, to aid perceived psychic abilities such as clairvoyance. The media often used to "see" are water, polished precious stones, crystal balls, or mirrors. Scrying, in this context, uses a "visual" process. There are some who believe the art of scrying is not limited to the use of "reflective" or "translucent" bodies only, but includes other media (see "Other forms of scrying"). Scrying has been used in many cultures as a means of seeing the past, present, or future; in this sense scrying constitutes a form of divination.

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'.

Art of scrying
Scrying is an auto-deepening trance process that progresses in stages using a crystal ball, or other medium. Initially, the medium serves as a focus for the attention, removing unwanted thoughts from the mind in the same way as a mantra. Once this stage is achieved, the scryer begins a free association with the perceived images suggested, for instance in a crystal ball, by the tiny inclusions, web-like faults and/or the cloudy glow within the ball under low light (i.e. candlelight). The technique of deliberately looking for and declaring these initial images aloud, however trivial or irrelevant they may seem to the conscious mind, is done with the intent of deepening the trance state, wherein the scryer hears their own disassociated voice affirming what is seen within the concentrated state in a kind of feedback loop. This process culminates in the achievement of a final and desired end stage in which rich visual images and dramatic stories seem to be projected within the medium itself, or directly within the mind's eye of the scryer, like an inner movie. This overall process reputedly allows the scryer to "see" relevant events or images within the chosen medium.

Scrying can also be practiced with a crystal medium, pointed in a votive shape. Similar to the clairovoyant method of penduilistic scrying, or using the swinging of the pendulum to get answers to the question asked, this involves much patience, as the scryer must go through the entire alphabet verbally many times for the answer. The votive crystal method is the process of using a crystal suspended above a map to find some object. The scryer swings the crystal over the map and "follows the pull." This method was made popular in the drama television series Charmed.

History of "visual" scrying

Ancient Egypt:

There is archeological evidence that people have inhabited Egypt since the 10th millennium, though the official "unified" Egypt is considered to have begun around 3000 BC. By the late 4th century, the "Late Period," one of many goddesses worshipped in Eqypt was Hathor, the Egyptian Sky Goddess of joy and love. The Egyptian priest and priestesses believed that Hathor carried a shield that could reflect back all things in their true light. From this shield she allegedly fashioned the first magic mirror to "see." Throughout Egyptian history, many forms of scrying have been used. Mirror scrying, dream scrying, and oil scrying are among the few.

Ancient Europe:

Around 2,000 BC, Greece, as well as "early" Britain and its subsequent Celtic population, was practising many forms of scrying. The mediums often used were beryl, crystal, black glass, polished quartz, water, and other transparent or light catching bodies.

Other forms of scrying

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