Simple Magick: 9 Types of Divination with Water

There are many types of water divination, and some have been around for hundreds of years.

Lecanomancy is a form of divination using a dish, and usually involves water. Some practitioners add oil to the water and divine messages from the oily patterns and bubbles; others use the water ripples and movement to glean information. Another example of Lecanomancy is the indigenous people from the Catawba Indian Nation placing a bowl of water by a deceased person’s head. On the third day, the whereabouts of the deceased person would become apparent according to the ripples of water.

Hydromancy is a similar method of water divination to Lecanomancy whereby pebbles are dropped into a pool, and the resulting ripples, colour, ebb and flow, are read.

American folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland describes the practice of Scyphomancy in his 1891 book Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling:

“...it may be observed that gypsies in Eastern Europe, as in India, often tell fortunes or answer questions by taking a goblet or glass, tapping it, and pretending to hear a voice in the ring which speaks to them. This method of divination is one of the few which may have occurred sporadically, or independently in different places, as there is so much in a ringing, vibrating sound which resembles a voice. The custom is very ancient and almost universal...”

Different Types of Water Divination:

Bletonomancy - method of divination using water current.

Ceromancy - method of divination by dropping wax into water.

Cyclicomancy - method of divination by swirling water in a cup.

Hydromancy - method of divination using pebbles dropped into a pool.

Lecanomacy - method of divination using a bowl and usually water.

Pegomancy - method of divination using fountains.

Phyllorhodomancy - method of divination using roses and usually water.

Plumbomancy - method of divination observing molten lead poured into water.

Scyphomancy - method of divination using a cop or goblet and water.

Do you use water divination in your craft?

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