Season 13 of Every Day Tarot is all about divination, and today, we dive into the art of crystal gazing, also known as scrying.
This practice has roots in cultures around the world and is often depicted in pop culture with the classic crystal ball. In the Harry Potter series, Professor Trelawney uses crystal gazing as part of her Divination lessons.
What we explore in this episode:
The ancient history of crystal gazing across cultures and traditions
Methods of scrying with a crystal ball
Crystal gazing as it appears in the Harry Potter books and films
Tarot cards that echo the symbolism of orbs and crystal spheres
The History & Practice of Crystal GazingCrystal gazing (scrying) has roots stretching back to 3000 BCE, with Babylonians, Egyptians, Celts, Mayans, and many others using reflective surfaces—water, mirrors, or crystal—to divine the future and seek guidance.
Practitioners are known to see shapes, smoke, colors, or even images within the ball that act as symbolic messages. Much like candle gazing, the practice blends meditation with vision, guiding the seeker into intuitive awareness.
Scrying at HogwartsCrystal balls appear several times throughout the books, mostly in Professor Trelawney’s classroom. She describes the practice as subtle and difficult, often leaving students frustrated when all they can see is swirling fog. Harry and Ron famously fumble their way through Divination exams, with Ron describing his examiner’s face reflected in the orb as a “vision.” Trelawney, meanwhile, sees ominous signs of death—echoing her pattern of foreboding predictions.
Later, during the Battle of Hogwarts, she even uses her crystal balls as weapons, hurling them from the tower. The practice, though ridiculed, reflects the deeper theme of divination as an art that requires patience, openness, and trust in the “inner eye.”
To explore the energy of this episode, I pulled cards from:
The Acolyte (Citadel Oracle) - new learning, apprenticeship, and curiosity
Six of Wands (Sasuraibito Tarot) - success, recognition, and clarity
Eight of Cactus / Eight of Pentacles (Desert Illuminations Tarot) - mastery, dedication, and humility in practice
If you haven't listened to my other seasons yet, go check them out!
💭 Today's Tarot Pull:
From The Herbcrafter’s Tarot, I pulled the Hermit Usnea (Upright).
Clarity doesn’t come from rushing forward but from pausing long enough to let the fog settle. Soften your gaze and allow what needs to be revealed to rise naturally.
Reflective prompts on this card:
What fog or uncertainty are you being invited to look into more softly?
Where do you need solitude to connect with your own inner vision?
How can you carry the insights you find in stillness back into your community?
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