rainwater scrying

What is Hydatoscopy? Also Known As Rainwater Scrying

Last Updated: April 25, 2022

As a witch, the majority of my time with divination is heavily based on cartomancy. But another area of practice I like to delve into is water divination. You’ve probably heard of water scrying, and if not please imagine this Instagram-worthy aesthetic born from too much Goosebumps as a kid; a dim-lit room, a mysterious crone figure hunched over in a chair, staring into a bowl of water by candlelight, eyebrows raised in question, lots of sighing and “ahhh”ing. I haven’t got the energy to go out and buy an epic shroud to pin down this look myself, but when I get the chance to have a long uninterrupted bath or rainy drive in the car it naturally seems to occur for me. I’d like to discuss with you hydatoscopy (which I’m pronouncing hi-dat-toe-skop-pee); the divination of rainwater, its patterns and its uses.

We’ve been spending a lot more time indoors in the UK, and you can never rely on the weather to have a bonfire for a sabbat in your backyard. Some of us aren’t even out of the broom closet, and I can confirm the majority of us are looking for a low key, low energy & low budget witchcraft in our daily practice. It’s a pleasure to discuss with you something that may help, especially when you’re in rainy England like myself. 

When I was in school I would walk and find hearts or feather shapes everywhere. In chewing gum stuck on the ground, to clouds in the sky, to swirls in my tea, but mainly and most often puddles. I’d often point them out to others who weren’t as excited by it, and I had no idea that it could be interpreted as a “sign from the universe” – I just thought it was really cute. Today I mainly see shapes in puddles and the rain streaks on my windows. I look for the patterns in the way the rain falls against the window in line with questions I’m putting out there, or thoughts expressed aloud. Slow or non-existent streaks of rain in an area mean no, and fast or explosive rain streaks mean yes. If the rain follows its previous droplets, I’m probably not asking the right questions. I look for shapes, signs and symbols and research them for later. Modern-day moon water hoarders like myself can use rainwater for divining the future or to receive messages.

Water as an element typically lies with emotions, communication, dreams, depth and healing. In tarot, we would align it with the suit of Cups. Rainwater is typically aligned with cleansing, growth, and emotional correspondences. I find that if there is something you need to heal from, this may be a great tool to help you.

If you are interested in trying this divination method, please check out my Hydatoscopy ritual.

LB

I love curating divination experiences for those invested in spiritual growth with secular honest vibes. I am that witch you come to for these honest, interesting and beneficial divination experiences!

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