The first step in learning how to scry is to select your crystal. There are no rules for this process. Allow your imagination and feelings to guide you to your instrument. Some prefer crystals that are perfectly clear. Others enjoy inclusions and look for crystals with windows or doors.

Whatever you choose, take time to bond with it. Scrying tools become a direct extension of the scryer so it is best that you develop an understanding of the tool. Taking the time to meditate with your crystal is a good way to get to know it. The effort and time taken in this initial getting acquainted phase will pay off in the long run.

You are now ready to begin the actual process of scrying. Choose a place where you are not likely to be disturbed. The amount of light in the area should be no more than that of a single candle. An ideal source of light is a light box, the kind normally used to display crystals. When you place your crystal on a light box, no other light is necessary in the room. If you do not use a light box, the light source should be placed low and behind you. This positions your body between the crystal and the source of light, eliminating the chance of direct reflection of the light by the crystal. Dim light is suggested for the simple reason it enhances concentration and eliminates distractions. As you become more proficient at gazing, you will be able to do so in direct sun light if you wish.

Placement of the crystal in relationship to the scryer is also important. Keep in mind you will be looking intently into the crystal for at least twenty minutes at a time. Therefore, you do not want to position the crystal in a way that will cause physical discomfort. Remember, as your skill with scrying increases, so will the time you spend in front of the crystal. Physical discomfort will break your concentration and turn scrying into a chore. So pick a comfortable chair, get relaxed, place your crystal at the proper height and distance for best viewing, sit back and enjoy the experience.

Take a few deep breaths. As you do this, look intently into the crystal. Staring promotes tearing of the eyes causing you to blink. Instead, try to think of unfocusing your eyes. Just rest your gaze on the crystal and allow your eyes to relax. At this stage, you may find your eyelids wanting to close about half way. Allow this to happen. During this phase, develop a conscious link between your third eye and the crystal. An easy way of accomplishing this is to visualize a ray of light coming out from your third eye and entering the crystal. Some will experience a tightness in the forehead but don't be alarmed if this sensation doesn't happen to you.

The next thing to watch for is the clouding of the crystal. A small light will appear and from that light, clouds will form and spread. There may even appear a tiny light show within the clouds. You are well on your way. Eventually the clouds will clear and pictures will emerge.

In the beginning, try not to judge the pictures or control the flow. Trust you will be shown what you need to see in the sequence you need to see it. As time goes on, the ability to ask questions and receive answers will develop. You should keep a log to facilitate a better understanding of what you are seeing and experiencing. Just as with dreams, there is a symbology with scrying. The most difficult part of scrying is figuring out what you are seeing. At times you will see actual events happening now. Other times, you may see events from history. Spiritual teachings may come in the form of symbolic pictures. Future happenings can also come through in symbols or actual scenes. It is often difficult to distinguish reality from your own symbology. This is where your log comes in handy. It is also helpful to record the time of day and phase of moon. This will enable you to know when you are at your best and able to interpret the information being given. A tape recorder may be useful as your ability to know images develops.

Above all, relax, have fun, and enjoy the movies.

The only way to learn how to scry is to scry regularly. However, there are certain mental exercises that can prepare the mind for scrying and make it's achievment easier...

Imagine a simple physical object in your mind. The easiest way to do this is to gaze at an apple, a pencil, a key, or some other object close to you, then close your eyes and recreate it in your imagination. Try to make it as complete and life like as possible. Turn the object over in your mind and look at it from different angles, just as though you were turning it in your hand. Be aware of its color and texture, of the way the light gleams from its shiny surfaces. You may work with the same object several days in a row in order to visualize it with the greatest possible clarity, but before you become tired of it, change to some other object. Keep the objects simple. Remember, there is no success or failure here. It is an exercise, not a test.

Visualize the face and head of someone you know quite well. It may be the face of a family member or a relative or a friend. Stick with those individuals that you see on a regular basis. Examine the head from all angles, including the back. Study the ears, the way the hair hangs and curls, the lines above the eyes and around the mouth, the color of the eyes, the texture of the skin. After you have a firm visual construction of the face, animate it in your mind. Visualize the person talking to someone as though you were watching a silent movie. Cause the face to smile, laugh, purse its lips, frown, scowl, become angry, look sad, and weep. Focus only on the image.

Remember in rapid succession the sound of a breeze in the trees, the gurgle of a rocky stream, the whine of a mosquito next to your ear, the crack of a twig beneath your shoe, the splash of a frog jumping into a pond, the rustle of your feet as you walk through tall, dry grass, the chirp of birds in the trees around you, the breathless whir of a hovering dragonfly. You can vary these sounds from day to day if you wish, but try to connect them together into a single aural scene. You may want to recreate the sounds of a beach, or of a kitchen when dinner is being prepared, or of downtown traffic. Imagine the sounds alone as though you were present but blind, and forced to rely solely upon your ears to inform you about your surroundings.

Imagine in succession the smell of a rose, garlic, frying bacon, newly polished leather, a freshly cut orange, a cigarette, gasoline, vanilla, and burning hardwood. You may change and vary this list as much as you like when these same scents become too familiar. It is not necessary to spend more than a few seconds recreating each smell, but you must be certain that you have actually evoked it in your mind. With practice, each odor will become as distinct as it would be if it were in the room with you.