LG asks: “One of my friends is trying to convince me to see a person who can tell the future by scrying. I told her this is against my religion but she said this would just be for fun. Should I take her up on it?”
No you should not. Scrying is a form of divination which has been expressly forbidden of Christians in Scripture (see Deuteronomy 18 and No. 2116 in the Catechism). Dabbling in the occult is never something one should do “just for fun” unless your definition of fun includes things like demonic infestation and oppression.
For those of you who never heard of this, scrying (rhymes with frying) is a form of fortune telling that comes from gazing into a crystal ball, mirror, bowl of water, or other shiny metal object where the scryer claims to be able to see visions of the past, present, or future. Also known as crystallomancy, it is a technique commonly used by psychics and sorcerers.
Discerning future events by gazing into shiny objects is actually one of the oldest forms of divination and is believed to have originated with the Druids who used beryl stones to scry. In fact, early versions of the crystal ball were made out of beryl until they were eventually replaced by quartz crystal.
According to occultists, the way it works is the psychic or medium goes into a deep state of concentration or trance while gazing upon the object which supposedly enables them to connect with the dead because scrying allegedly clears out the consciousness and opens a direct line to the afterlife.
The Pocket Guide to Crystals and Gemstones recommends that a person who intends to scry should choose a stone that “feels physically and psychically comfortable.” Scryers all tend to have their own methods of “clearing” and then “charging” their stones of alleged energies that may or may not be conducive to their intentions. For instance, some believe that the stones can never be exposed to sunlight because this was thought to hinder its ability to connect with the psychic mind. However, moonlight is considered to be the perfect way to charge a stone with the “energy of the moon.”
Once the stone is prepared, the person engages in some kind of breathing and relaxation exercise, then takes the stone in their hands in order to connect their energy to that of the stone. The scryer then focuses on their intention for the session.
“As you gaze deeply into the crystal, move your mind beyond the physical structure of the stone, merging into the light within,” the Guide instructs. “The idea is not so much to see physical images, but instead to use the crystal and the light reflecting in it as a tool to connect to the divine energy within yourself and all things. When connected, you will begin getting impressions and insights. Practice this technique, particularly merging with the crystal, until everything flows and feels comfortable to you.”
Needless to say, all of this is against Church teaching and is wisely forbidden because it exposes both the scryer and the person who wishes to obtain a reading to dangerous occult powers.
I would not recommend attending such a session with your friend and suggest you do everything in your power to dissuade her from having any further contact with scrying. If your friend is Catholic, this involvement should be renounced and confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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