In order to understand this one, you have to first have a definition. “Scrying” means “to see,” thus any tool used to enhance your intuitive “sight” is one that is being used to scry. The Scrying Bowl is one such tool in the witch’s bag of goodies.
A Scrying Bowl can be made of pretty much anything. I have seen some made of pottery, some made of china, some made of bone, some made of wood, and some made of stone. The common trait with all of these is that the inside of the bowl is always black in color. That way, when one places water into the bowl, it creates a deeply reflective surface, which is what one needs in order to gaze and access what the third eye chakra is perceiving.
Scrying Bowls are used to access the visionary aspect of the psyche. One can receive visions of the past, the present, or the future, and one can also receive visions of other dimensional realities. An example of this would be scrying a past life experience, or scrying and finding one’s Spirit Guide or Guardian Angel and so on.
When I use my scrying bowl, I have a certain prayer that I use that invites the Spirit of the Water to assist me in going deep and finding what is below the surface of our common conscious reality. It also invites the helper spirits to assist me in the journey of scrying for whomever I am working with.
My particular Scrying Bowl is made of black onyx. The energy of onyx is both grounding and protective, but it is also one of deep insights. So, needless to say, when I found this gem I immediately scooped it up and yelled, “SOLD!” I also recently found a silver tray that serves as a stand for the onyx Scrying Bowl. Silver is my mineral totem, so I thought that it was extremely appropriate to marry the two.
When I use my Scrying Bowl I feel myself being gently drawn down, down, down into the depths of the ocean. This is a very cool and quiet place and from within that space of consciousness many images can emerge. Not all of the images are pleasant, but every one of them has something to offer in terms of insights and healing for the person for whom I am doing the scrying. When we allow ourselves to flow with the current of the scrying, we are able to bridge the gap between the Tonal and the Nogual (the known and the unknown), which then brings the two together to reveal hidden unconscious treasures that we carry within us. These treasures have been waiting patiently for us to awaken to their presence. Once these treasures are revealed, our life path is forever altered for the better.
I am actually doing a day of Water Readings, in which I will be using the Scrying Bowl, in mid-October. I enjoy those days of doing readings for people. So many things come to the surface and as they do, each person has their own epiphany.
Something that I should mention when talking about a Scrying Bowl, or any tool that is used to enhance our psychic sight, is that it is not going to be all fluffy clouds and rainbows and cotton candy. We will see the good, the bad, the ugly, the horrific, and the miraculous. So if you are a beginner, be prepared for this. I have seen many a beginner brought to tears and run away from the Scrying Bowl, hoping that they can outrun what they saw. But once something is seen, it can NEVER be unseen. The mature ones will find their way back to the Scrying Bowl. The immature ones who expect only rainbows and unicorns will think that it is a tool of the devil…not because of it being crafted by the devil but because they were expecting the rainbows and unicorns. Approaching the Scrying Bowl with the expectation that it will only show us what is wonderful and beautiful to see is disrespectful of the Scrying Bowl right from the get go. So put on your big kid undies and buckle up, Buttercup! This is going to be a RIDE!!!
When we look into a Scrying Bowl, the idea is not to gaze into the depths of the bowl, seeing only the bottom of the bowl. The idea is to gaze across the surface of the water, who’s reflective qualities are enhanced by the black Scrying Bowl. As you gaze across the surface of the water you are able to, through the glints of light coming off of the surface of the water, access a deeper inner sight through your third eye chakra.
Having said that, once you get really good at this technique, you will find that there are a few changes that occur along the way. First, you will find that you become more susceptible to having visions with any glint of light from any source. So a shiny Christmas Tree Ornament could trigger a vision. Second, you will find that there will be times that you may end up Scrying when hand washing dishes. The warm water will lull you into a visionary/meditative state. I have had many a vision while hand washing dishes! You may also find that you begin to sense things around any body of water, such as a pool, a pond, a lake, the ocean, a well and so on. This is because you have attuned to the receptive aspect of the element of water. There have been times that I have been having a swim and, as more people show up to also go for a swim, I have become overwhelmed by the visions and the energy vibes that are bombarding me from all the people in the water. So…I get out of the water and call it a day. Yes, I have many tools in the bag regarding filtering out energies and visions. Water, however, is a major conduit for energy, so I don’t mess with that. I just remove myself and go on my way. I have noticed that, when washing dishes, if someone else puts their hand into the sink of water along with my hands I will instantly get a vision. When this happens I tend to just draw my hands out of the water until they are done with the water, then proceed with washing the dishes. I also noticed that in public showers at the gym I can be minding my own business and then suddenly start getting a vision of something about someone and when I turn around I notice that person has stepped into the showers and, because the floor is basically wet and becoming a small puddle that everyone is standing in, I end up getting the visions instantly. It would be easy to feel like this gift is actually a curse in situations like that. But I don’t feel that way. It is simply a part of who I am. So I ended up setting up a home gym and don’t go into public showers anymore. After all, we are all allowed our privacy. And I don’t really like getting unwanted and unsolicited visions. So I avoid the circumstances wherein I am likely to get them.
Once you are done with your scrying session, remember to thank the Scrying Bowl and the spirit helpers for their assistance in receiving and discerning the visions. I personally prefer to give the water over to the earth. But there is nothing wrong with pouring it down the drain with a “thank you.” After all, as it goes down the drain it is actually going back to the earth anyway. As long as something is done respectfully, the style in which it is done is irrelevant. I know, there are a LOT of people who will get all up in arms over that statement. Traditionalists, especially, will get hot under the collar. But, no matter what tradition you come from, there are always numerous ways in which to do things and still have the utmost respect involved. It is when we become stuck in the “proper” ways of doing things that our tradition becomes nothing more than dogma. So have the deep understanding of what you are doing, and then do it in whatever way makes sense. And don’t worry about what others may judge to be correct or incorrect. They can check their judgement at the door.
So…are you ready for a ride? Then go out and find yourself a Scrying Bowl!