Make a Scrying Mirror

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Updated on January 25, 2019

Samhain is a time to do some serious divination—it's the time of year when the veil between our world and that of the spirits is at its thinnest, and that means it's the perfect season to look for messages from the metaphysical. Scrying is one of the best-known forms of divination and can be done in a variety of ways. Basically, it's the practice of looking into some sort of reflective surface—such as water, fire, glass, dark stones, etc.—to see what messages, symbols, or visions may appear. A scrying mirror is a simple black-backed mirror, and it's easy to make one yourself.

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Making Your Mirror

To make your scrying mirror, you'll need the following:

A clear glass plate
Matte black spray paint
Additional paints (acrylic) for embellishment

To prepare the mirror, first, you'll need to clean it. Use any glass cleaner, or for a more Earth-friendly method, use vinegar mixed with water. Once the glass is clean, flip it over so that the back side is facing up. Lightly spray with the matte black spray paint. For the best result, hold the can a couple of feet away, and spray from side to side. If you hold the can too close, the paint will pool, and you don't want this. As each coat dries, add another coat. After five to six coats, the paint should be dense enough that you can't see through the paint if you hold the glass up to a light.

Once the paint has dried, turn the glass right side up. Use your acrylic paint to add embellishments around the outer edge of the plate—you can add symbols of your tradition, magical sigils, or even your favorite saying. The one in the photo says, "Thee I invoke by the moonlit sea, the standing stone, and the twisted tree," but yours can say anything you like. Allow these to dry as well. Your mirror is ready for scrying, but before you use it, you may want to consecrate it as you would any other magical item.

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To Use Your Scrying Mirror

Soul mirror — You can use any darkened mirror or reflective surface for scrying. Michael Klippfeld / Getty Images

If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now. If you'd like to play some music, start your cd player. If you'd like to light a candle or two, go ahead, but be sure to place them so that they don't interfere with your line of vision. Sit or stand comfortably at your workspace. Begin by closing your eyes, and attuning your mind to the energy around you. Take some time to gather that energy.

Llewellyn author Marianna Boncek recommends that you don't "use music when... scrying. The reason for this is that music can often influence the visions and information you will receive. If you need to use some sort of sound to block out noise, I suggest using “white noise” such as a fan. A fan will block out background noise but will not interfere with the visions or information you are receiving."

When you are ready to begin scrying, open your eyes. Position yourself so that you can look in the mirror. Stare into the glass, looking for patterns, symbols or pictures—and don't worry about blinking, it's fine if you do. You may see images moving, or perhaps even words forming. You may have thoughts pop spontaneously into your head, that seem to have nothing at all to do with anything. Perhaps you'll suddenly think about someone you haven't seen in decades. Use your journal, and write everything down. Spend as much time as you like gazing into the mirror—it may be just a few minutes or even an hour. Stop when you begin to feel restless, or if you're getting distracted by mundane things.

When you are finished gazing into the mirror, make sure you have recorded everything you saw, thought and felt during your scrying session. Messages often come to us from other realms and yet we frequently don't recognize them for what they are. If a bit of information doesn't make sense, don't worry—sit on it for a few days and let your unconscious mind process it. Chances are, it will make sense eventually. It's also possible that you could receive a message that's meant for someone else—if something doesn't seem to apply to you, think about your circle of family friends, and who the message might be meant for.