Devin Hunter
Nicholas Pearson
CRY'STAL DIVINATION
The Multifaceted Art of 1 Reading Stones
Devin Hunter is the bestselling author of The Witch’s Book of Power, The Witch’s Book of Spirits, The Witch’s Book of Mysteries, the critically acclaimed Modern Witch, and Crystal Magic for the Modern Witch. Initiated into multiple occult orders, Devin is the founder of the Sacred Fires Tradition of Witchcraft and co-founder of the Black Rose Tradition of Witchcraft. He hosts the Modern Witch podcast, recommended by both the AV Club and Glamour, and he’s co-owner of Datura Trading Co. Visit him at ModernWitch.com/Devin.
Nicholas Pearson is one of today’s leading voices in crystal healing and gemstone magic. He offers a unique blend of science and spirituality alongside a grounded, practical approach to working with crystals. The author of several books, including Crystal Basics and Stones of the Goddess, he lives in Orlando, Florida. Find his work online at TheLuminousPearl.com.
Devin Hunter
Nicholas Pearson
CRYSTAL DIVINATION
The Multifaceted Art of Reading Stones
Crystal Divination: The Multifaceted Art of Reading Stones Copyright © 2026 by Devin Hunter and Nicholas Pearson. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner for the purpose of training artificial intelligence technologies or systems.
First Edition
First Printing, 2026
Book design by Rebecca Zins
Cover design by Kevin R. Brown
Llewellyn Publications is a registered trademark of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hunter, Devin, author | Pearson, Nicholas, author
Title: Crystal divination : the multifaceted art of reading stones / Devin Hunter, Nicholas Pearson.
Description: First edition. | Woodbury, Minnesota : Llewellyn, [2026] | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “This beginner-friendly guide provides deep discussions of all major forms of gemstone divination and psychic readings, including crystal gazing, casting lots, and pendulums. From the foundations, such as cleansing and charging crystals, to gemstone spreads for important themes like health, relationships, and career, Crystal Divination covers all the skills you need”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2026002723 (print) | LCCN 2026002724 (ebook) | ISBN 9780738779041 paperback | ISBN 9780738779164 ebook
Subjects: LCSH: Crystals—Psychic aspects | Magic | Mind and body
Classification: LCC BF1442.C78 H859 2026 (print) | LCC BF1442.C78 (ebook)
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2026002723
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2026002724
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Image Credits
Devin Hunter: i, ii, iv, viii, xvi, 3, 7, 8, 10, 17, 21, 22, 26, 33, 36, 42, 45, 52 (bowls), 61, 69, 72, 74, 76, 78 (moonstone), 79 (smoky quartz), 81, 83 (Dalmation stone), 85, 86, 88, 92, 95, 96, 97, 98, 101, 102, 107, 111, 114, 115, 116, 123, 128 (amethyst, citrine, moonstone), 130 (citrine), 132, 134, 136, 142 (flourite), 143 (pyrite), 144 (smoky quartz, sunstone), 163, 179, 180, 186 (nuummite, sardonyx), 187, 231, 232, 234, 256, 260, 267, 268, 270.
Getty Images: xi, xiii, xv, xviii, 4, 6, 12, 15, 35, 38, 41, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52 (geode), 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 67, 71, 78, 79, 82, 83, 88, 104, 106, 107, 112, 115, 116, 117, 119, 121, 122, 127, 128, 130, 134, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 182, 185, 186, 222.
Llewellyn Art Department: Gray watercolor stones in spreads from chapter 5 and 6.
The cards featured in photos on pages i and 17 are are from the Otherkin Tarot by Siolo Thompson ©2019 and are used with the permission of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
The cards on pages 156, 158, and 160 are from the Tarot Original 1909 Deck by Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith ©2021 and are used with the permission of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
The Ninety-Day Challenge 28
Ten-Minute Challenge Routine—Odd-Numbered Days 30
Ten-Minute Challenge Routine—Even-Numbered Days 30
Hour-Long Challenge Routine—Weekly 30
Companions in Readings 34
Chapter 1 Journal Prompts 37
‣Chapter 2: Scrying and Crystallomancy 39
The Art of Scrying 39
How Scrying Works 40
Crystals for Scrying 44
‣8 Stones for Scrying…45
Buyer Beware 48
‣9 Crystal Shapes for Scrying…50
Preparing to Scry 54
Preparing Yourself 54
‣7 Companion Stones for Scrying…55
Preparing the Space 57
Preparing the Crystal 58
Exercise : Speculum Attunement 59
Exercise: Magnetizing the Speculum 62
Scrying Techniques 62
Exercise: Scrying with an Obsidian Mirror or Other Opaque Stone 63
Exercise: Scrying with a Crystal Ball or Other Transparent Stone 64
Exercise: Flame Scrying 65
Exercise: Scrying with Crystal Elixirs 65
Interpreting Your Visions 66
Advancing Your Practice 67
Exercise: Scrying Grid 68
Exercise: Remote Viewing with a Speculum 70
Chapter 2 Journal Prompts 73
‣Chapter 3: Pendulums and Dowsing 75
‣7 Combination Stones for Dowsing…78
Finding the Right Fit 80
What to Look For 80
‣7 Crystal Pendulums…82
Calibrating the Pendulum 84
Exercise: Pendulum-Calibrating Grid 88
Yes/No, Not Maybe So 89
Exercise: Finding True North 90
Improving Accuracy 91
Working with Charts and Maps 91
Food Sensitivity Scale 94
Alpha Chart 95
Wheel of Fortune Chart 96
Energy Body Chart 97
Diagnostic Dowsing 99
Chapter 3 Journal Prompts 103
‣Chapter 4: Lots and Lithomancy 105
Drawing Lots 105
‣5 Crystal Combinations for Drawing Lots…107
Exercise: Preparing the Stones 108
Techniques for Drawing Lots 109
One-Stone Draw 109
Two-Stone Draw 109
Three-Stone Draw 109
Yes-or-No Casting 110
Yes-or-No Casting (Alternate Method) 112
Introducing Lithomancy 113
Choosing Crystals for Lithomancy 113
‣12 Essential Crystals for Lithomancy…115
The Querent Stone 118
The Casting Area 119
The Circle 120
Four Quarters 121
Twelve Houses 122
Circle Chart 123
Twelve Houses Chart 123
Four Quarters Chart 123
Other Designs 124
Casting the Stones 124
Choosing Which Stones to Cast 125
Interpreting the Stones 126
Patterns in the Stones 126
Sample Lithomancy Readings 128
Chapter 4 Journal Prompts 133
‣Chapter 5: Gemstone Readings 135
The Basics 135
Divinatory Themes and Meaning 137
‣13 More Stones for Lithomancy…141
Intuition and Psychism 145
Selection and Placement 146
Isolation Spread 149
Diamond Spread 151
Manifestation Spread 153
Life Path Spread 155
Adding Tarot 156
The Golden Road Spread 156
Elemental Insight Spread 159
Daily Draw Spread 161
Gemstone Mediumship 162
Ancestral Spread 165
Angel Spread 167
Cosmic Consciousness Spread 169
Dearly Departed Spread 171
Deva Spread 173
Land Spirit Spread 175
Spirit Guide Spread 177
Gemstone Spreads as Crystal Grids 178
Chapter 5 Journal Prompts 181
‣Chapter 6: Multifaceted Readings 183
Combining Divination Methods 184
‣7 Multifaceted Crystal Companions…185
The Four Most Common Subjects 187
Love 188
Past Relationship Spread 191
Relationship Spread 193
Potential Romantic Partner Spread 195
Happy Relationship Spread 197
Forgiveness Spread 199
Separation Spread 201
Health 202
Addiction Spread 205
Chronic Illness Spread 207
Fertility Spread 209
Stress Spread 211
Weight Management Spread 213
Career and Finance 214
Work-Life Balance Spread 217
Budget Spread 219
Large Purchase Spread 221
Security 222
Personal Security Spread 225
Risk Assessment Spread 227
Weather Alert Spread 229
Chapter 6 Journal Prompts 233
235
‣Appendix: Divinatory Meanings of 200 Crystals 237
Bibliography 257
Index 261
Introduction
Crystals are incredible tools whose energies offer boundless potential for transformation and healing. Their spiritual energies and profound symbolism have featured in the myth and magic of cultures all over the world and continue to fascinate people of every generation. It is this fascination that drew both authors to working with the mineral kingdom in their childhoods and continues to inspire their work today.
In 2023 we (Devin Hunter and Nicholas Pearson) were invited to speak at The International Divination Event (TIDE) in Dallas, Texas. We both gave talks on working with crystals for divination, and after one of those talks we found ourselves sitting together and comparing notes. By the end of that conversation, something had been made abundantly clear: It was time to write a book together. Devin, a professional psychic medium of over twenty years, and Nicholas, a crystal healer and geoscience nerd, may not appear to be the most likely pair to join forces, but the stones had other plans.
The first step in this process was to test the waters by teaching a series of workshops together online, and from those classes the material you see here was born. The original draft of this manuscript was forged over those years of joint practice and teaching, both of us pouring our best into its pages and reimagining the possibilities until the right balance between the spiritual, mineralogical, and divinatory was made. Ultimately, what you find here is the result of combined decades of research and experience, multiple rounds of our online Crystal Magick Bootcamp workshop series, and countless classes that we’ve taught individually throughout our careers.
Throughout the book we will explore the intersection of minerals and divination. Divination is the art of foretelling the future and uncovering otherwise hidden knowledge. Common definitions suggest that this power is supernatural, but it is a natural skill that anyone can cultivate. Divination is not strictly fortune-telling; it’s the art of forecasting likely trends by intuitively perceiving and interpreting patterns as well as invoking psychic insight.
The word divination comes from the root “divine,” ultimately related to words like Latin deus, meaning “god,” and Sanskrit deva, which carries the meaning of both “god” and “shining one.” These words can be traced to earlier roots that can sometimes be interpreted as meaning “to shine” or “to invoke.” Thus, divination is the process of invoking a higher power (often the diviner’s own higher self or psyche) to shine a light on the unseen world, like future events and the depths of the psyche.
Most divinatory techniques rely on a tool or other external medium through which the diviner receives messages, such as tarot cards, runes, crystal balls, and pendulums. Some diviners gaze into pools of water; others cast bones to unravel the threads of fate. These tools provide an outlet for the unseen world to speak. For some diviners, a pendulum’s movement is interpreted as the work of an unseen spirit, while for others a deck of cards becomes a vehicle for interpreting the patterns held in the subconscious. Different diviners may have different mechanisms and interpretations even when consulting the same tool.
Humans have also consulted with rocks and gems to forecast the future since prehistory. Stone Age humans collected unusual stones—fossils, quartz, amber, and jet—for divination, and many ancient sites include standing stones, rock altars, and earthworks that may have housed ancestors, gods, and other spirits whose wisdom was invoked through trance and divinatory ritual. Some sacred stones, like baetyls and omphaloi, marked places where oracles uttered prophecies.
Still more forms of divination are rooted in stone and soil alike. Geomancy evolved from interpreting natural cracks and patterns in the earth or by throwing a handful of sand or soil and divining in the pattern left where it landed. Stones inscribed with glyphs or letters, as well as rocks of different colors, have also been used for casting
lots and lithomancy—two divination practices that rely on the seemingly random selection of stones to generate a message or provide messages to the diviner.
Crystal gazing and scrying are also ancient practices found in many parts of the world. Though polished globes of quartz and other gems were not common until the medieval period, much older scrying tools were also made of stone. The oldest mirrors ever found are polished slabs of obsidian that were unearthed in the Anatolian Peninsula, and they date to roughly eight thousand years ago. Other cultures, particularly in the Americas, used obsidian mirrors for scrying. Even the more common mirrors of burnished copper, silver, and bronze are themselves derived from minerals, and they, too, served important divinatory functions.
Crystal gazing and scrying are ancient practices found in many parts of the world.
Oracular stones have appeared in the legend and lore of many cultures. Mesopotamian texts describe the use of certain stones by magicians for divination and prophecy. In Greek myth, the prince and seer Helenus practiced a form of either lithomancy or crystallomancy to predict the fall of Troy. Among the Maya, sacred stones called sastun are used by indigenous healers for diagnosis and guidance from the spirit realm. In the book of Genesis, Jacob rests his head on a stone and receives a prophetic vision; the Stone of Jacob is subsequently consecrated and regarded as the dwelling place of the divine. Irish myth records the Lia Fáil, or Stone of Destiny, upon which the kings of the land were traditionally crowned. It was said to roar or cry in the presence of the rightful king, serving as a tool for divining the true steward of the land. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, possessed several “seer stones” that he originally used for treasure hunting. Their special divinatory powers were also important in deciphering the central texts of the religion he would go on to found.
Divination by crystal and gemstone has persisted into the modern world. Any crystal shop you visit will likely have a selection of crystal balls, pendulums, and
other tools that you can use for personal reflection, spiritual guidance, and predicting outcomes of otherwise ordinary events. No matter the tool that you partner with, it becomes a sacred vehicle for communing with higher powers, revealing insight to help you unravel the mysteries of life.
For those who are already physically or spiritually sensitive, the mineral kingdom is loaded with potential partners who can help develop those abilities even further, both in and out of readings or sessions. While one’s psychic experiences aren’t expressly a form of divination, those abilities certainly do have an impact on the process of divination and can be made more impactful by training with mineral allies like those we discuss here.
This book will guide you through a variety of techniques for crystal divination, psychic enhancement, and the fusion of both. From scrying and dowsing to casting lots and other methods for gemstone readings, some ancient and others modern interpretations, we have distilled these techniques through our respective experiences— decades in total. Presented as they are in this book, each method is accessible for beginners and pros alike and will offer you meaningful results in your everyday practice.
Chapter 1 opens with the foundational techniques of working with crystals, including cleansing, programming, and making grids, followed by a survey of the core principles that make for proficient diviners. The end of this chapter lays out a ninety-day challenge to transform your practice and hone your skills; follow through on this and you’ll master all the techniques in this book. Chapter 2 offers a deep dive into the art of scrying and crystallomancy, or divination by gazing into a crystal ball or other similar medium. The gazing techniques are explored first, as they also help train the mind and open your psychic ability to better connect with and interpret the messages from other divinatory vehicles. Chapter 3 guides readers through the art of dowsing via pendulum, a wonderful technique for a quick yes or no, pinpointing one choice from many, and locating objects and people.
Chapter 4 explores two closely related types of crystal divination: drawing lots and lithomancy. Drawing lots may be one of the oldest forms of divination ever practiced, and it relies on the seemingly random choice of objects—in our case, black and white stones—to produce an answer. Lithomancy is the art of casting stones, usually over a circle or other design, and interpreting the patterns that form as the stones fall. It’s great for answering a wide array of queries, and the number of stones you use can determine the depth and breadth of the answers it provides. Chapter 5 takes the basic premise of lithomancy—choosing stones at random— and transforms it into a method not unlike reading with a deck of oracle cards. You’ll find a stunning array of gemstone spreads to answer questions from all walks of life. Finally, chapter 6 brings all these techniques together to demonstrate how a multifaceted approach provides the most well-rounded and enriching answers to life’s questions. Along the way, the book is peppered with lists of crystals related to each topic and every divination method. You can also peruse the appendix for short divinatory meanings of 200 different crystals.
Crystal readings are not a substitution for professional medical diagnosis or treatment.
Throughout this book you will find a myriad of exercises and a trove of invaluable information for the aspiring master crystal reader. To make the best use of the material, we highly recommend that you keep a journal or notebook handy where you can respond to the journaling prompts at the end of each chapter. You will also likely want to record your readings in this journal for easy comparison and accuracy checks later. While this isn’t necessary for all readers, those interested in serious home study should consider it an extension of what they find in these pages. By the end of this book, readers who follow along with the exercises will have gained a firm grasp of the concepts discussed therein as well as a plan of action for how to continue their growth in a meaningful way. Our goal is to provide you with the information you
need to perform the exercises in real time and set you up for continuous growth in the long term.
One final note to consider: Crystal readings are not a substitution for professional medical diagnosis or treatment, and we always recommend you work with a doctor at every step of your health journey. The layouts, spreads, and correspondences we present here are meant to support that journey, not map it.
Building the Foundation
Mastering the art of crystal divination first requires familiarity with crystals themselves, as well as with some basic techniques for grounding, centering, and otherwise preparing for your crystal readings. These foundational techniques are the bedrock on which all the other skills in this book are based.
Harnessing Crystal Energy
There are a few basic techniques you’ll need to know before diving into crystal divination. These consist mainly of cleansing and charging your crystals, though there are some more advanced practices in the book that will make use of crystal grids and elixirs, too. Let’s review the basics of harnessing crystal energy below.
Cleansing Crystals
Because crystals have an incredible ability to hold, amplify, and transmit energy, they require regular cleansing. This resets the energy back to its original state, thereby releasing anything they may be holding on to. This is an essential step in working with stones, especially when collaborating with crystals for divination and psychic readings. When reading for other people, the energy that they bring to the crystals can be stored in the crystals unless care is taken to clear them after each session. If cleansing isn’t done, it could result in murky or tainted readings in subsequent sessions. There are countless ways to cleanse crystals, many of which you can find in some of our previous works (like Crystal Magic for the Modern Witch and Crystal Basics). Let’s take a look at a few easy techniques.
CLEANSING BY SMOKE: Burning herbs, resins, and other botanicals for cleansing and clearing energy is a practice found worldwide. Different peoples have relied on the powers of the plants that they had access to, and in today’s globalized world we can find a wide variety of cleansing herbs and incense in stores and online. Try using clary sage, frankincense, juniper, lavender, or mugwort for cleansing crystals used in divination, as these herbs are both purifying and stimulating to psychic abilities.
CLEANSING WITH LIGHT: Sunlight and moonlight can be purifying when harnessed intentionally. Sunlight can cause fading in some gems, including amethyst, aquamarine, fluorite, kunzite, and many others. Moonlight is gentler and poses no threat to a gem’s color. Leave a crystal in a sunny location for at least fifteen minutes to a couple of hours for a quick cleanse. For a deeper cleansing, leave wherever it can receive direct moonlight overnight.
CLEANSING WITH SOUND: The sonic vibrations of drums, rattles, singing bowls, chimes, and other instruments—like clapping hands and the human voice—are perfect for dislodging stubborn energies with ease. Sound is also safe to use on all crystals, making it a wonderful option for cleansing your stones.
CLEANSING WITH WATER: Water is the universal solvent in both a chemical and alchemical sense. It can sweep away unwanted or harmful energies, but bear in mind that many crystals can be damaged by water. Avoid water for overly soft stones (a 4 or less on the Mohs hardness scale) as well as any that are soluble, fragile, friable, or otherwise likely to be harmed by water.1 You can bathe your crystals in an ocean, stream, or other natural body of water or give them a quick rinse under the faucet.
CLEANSING WITH SALT: Salt in all its forms is extremely purifying and grounding. A small dish or bowl of salt makes a perfect cleansing station for your crystals, but take care not to use it on soft, fragile, or water-bearing minerals as it can
1 For detailed examples of such stones, please refer to Nicholas Pearson’s Crystal Basics (Destiny Books, 2020), pages 102–3.
cause irreversible damage. Salt is a great way to cleanse durable stones that have accumulated a lot of energy. Bury your crystals in salt or place them atop a dish of salt for at least an hour to several days, depending on how intensive a cleansing your crystals need.
Whichever method of cleansing you use, just be sure it won’t damage the crystals you’re working with. Remember to cleanse your crystals regularly, particularly before and after divination for other people, to make sure they are ready to go for the next session. If need be, you can dowse with a pendulum (see chapter 2) to verify whether a crystal needs to be cleansed and check when it has finished cleansing.
Programming and Charging Crystals
Simply put, programming and charging crystals imprints them with your intentions. This is an essential step for preparing both the crystals and yourself for the work you will enact together. Programming is a collaborative act; it’s a way to extend an invitation for the stones to participate in your work. You can program crystals for healing, love, manifestation, or anything else—including divination.
To program a crystal, cleanse it beforehand and sit in silence for a moment as you ground and center yourself. Connect to the consciousness of the stone and ask it to connect with you in return. Now focus on your intention, possibly by formulating a short phrase or affirmation that encapsulates your goal. Hold the stone to your heart or brow and draw a deep breath; on the exhale, imagine that your breath carries the intention into the crystal. Repeat several times, if needed, until you feel the stone has synchronized with that intention.
You can program crystals for healing, love, or manifestation as well as divination.
Elixirs and Gem Waters
A crystal elixir (sometimes called a gem water) is made by infusing a crystal or gemstone in water for several hours or longer; the resulting liquid is imprinted with the stone’s energy and has myriad applications for
healing and personal growth. When made safely, elixirs can be used externally, added to spray bottles, or taken internally. Elixirs are great for cleansing and charging your divination crystals, and you can use them to anoint your third eye chakra to facilitate psychic vision. Minerals that are soluble, friable, soft (below a 4 on the Mohs hardness scale), toxic, radioactive, attached to an unidentified matrix, or potentially bearing unknown mineral inclusions or associations should never be placed in direct contact with water when making elixirs.2
Making a crystal elixir is very simple. Place a water-safe crystal directly in good quality water—such as filtered, purified, or spring water—and leave it in a sunny location for several hours. It’s a good idea to cover the vessel of water to prevent dust and other materials from settling in. When finished, remove the crystal and strain the liquid to remove small particles. To create an elixir via indirect method, place the crystal inside a small glass cup or jar and place that inside a larger glass bowl. Fill the bowl with water, taking care to ensure the water level is low enough not to flood the smaller vessel, thereby keeping the crystal away from the water while allowing its energy to permeate the liquid in the container around it. Wait several hours, then remove the smaller container and strain the liquid if needed. The resulting infusion, whether made via direct or indirect methods, can be used straightaway in its current state or mixed in a fifty-fifty blend with a preservative like vegetable glycerin, brandy, vodka, or apple cider vinegar to make it stable for long-term storage. Always label your elixirs so you know what it is and when it was made.
Crystal Grids
Crystal grids are intentional, symbolic layouts of stones aimed at fulfilling a special purpose. You can make grids for healing or manifestation or divination. They can be made of a mere handful of stones or they can be more complex and nuanced. Crystal grids invoke the power of sacred geometry and the language of symbolism through their shapes, and the energy of all the stones they are made from comes together synergistically to yield effects much larger than the sum of their parts. Grids can be placed
2 For a more detailed explanation and examples of crystals unfit for elixirs, please refer to Nicholas Pearson’s Crystal Basics (Destiny Books, 2020), page 129.
on altars, tables, and floors, and they can also be large enough to encompass rooms and buildings. Layouts are a special kind of grid that are mapped onto or around the body, and they are often used in crystal healing. Since you’ll find a few grids peppered throughout this book, here are some basic instructions for creating them.
Whether you’re re-creating a grid or crafting your own, the first steps involve sketching out your intention and selecting the crystals that go along with it. Build the grid by following the designs from your source (this book or elsewhere), or—if you’re creating your own from scratch—by arranging the crystals into a form whose shape and symbolism align with your intention.
Once all the crystals have found their places, you can activate the grid by taking a crystal point or wand (or your index finger) and tracing its overall shape. Trace the lines between each crystal and all its neighbors, imagining that you are imbuing each one with your intention and generating lines of energy that weave the grid into a cohesive unit. Nicholas suggests tracing the perimeter of the grid and spiralling in toward the center and back out again, picturing this action as generating a vortex of energy that radiates out into the world. Now that it’s activated, you can let your grid do its work and broadcast your intentions around the clock.
These are just a handful of the basic techniques for working with crystals. Additionally, you can meditate with stones, wear or carry them throughout your day, or place them under the pillow at night to enjoy their effects. The more time you invest in your crystals, the clearer their messages will be when you incorporate them into your divination practice. For more foundational techniques for working with crystals, check out Crystal Basics by Nicholas Pearson and Crystal Magic for the Modern Witch by Devin Hunter.
Divination Basics
In each chapter we will explore the specifics related to performing the various types of divination discussed therein, including best starting practices if there are any. This
way everyone will be on the same page when it comes to the foundational exercises that we will reference throughout the text.
Divination vs. Psychic Readings
Divination requires no psychic skills whatsoever to perform, even though we often associate the arts of divination with those skilled in psychism. In truth, they are separate roads along the same path, often complementing one another; however, one needn’t be psychic to perform divination. Divination is employed as a means of emulating the psychic and traditionally is approached more as a science, with hard limits and set meanings. A psychic reading, on the other hand, is usually guided by some form of spiritual awareness and is by its nature heavily nuanced and often nebulous.
Many psychics turn to divination to help clarify the messages they are otherwise receiving through spiritual means. Sometimes this is with tarot and oracle cards, but for thousands of years we have also turned to the mineral kingdom to help make sense of the spiritual messages we receive. While we aren’t going to spend much time discussing psychic ability, we will dive into the ways that we can work with our psychic abilities in a divinatory setting.
In short, you don’t have to be a psychic to perform divination with stones; the techniques we cover in this book will help you bridge the gap between the everyday and the psychic/spiritual even if you don’t consider yourself to be a psychic. If, on the other hand, you do, then you will find the topics discussed will help you make better sense of the messages that come through and the experiences you have. In both instances, effectiveness is entirely dependent on how observant you are and the type of code you uncover.
Your Divinatory Codes
The most important thing to remember as a diviner is that your divinations will be as unique as you are. Not only is there no one-size-fits-all approach to the work
You don’t have to be a psychic to perform divination with stones.
we will discuss here, but you will find that often trying to cram your experiences into a templated model will be futile. The templates and examples presented here, and truly anywhere, are jumping-off points for you. They should help get you going, but how you connect the pieces in a meaningful way will come from your own code, which is established over time.
Your code is the special language that you share as a diviner with the tools that you use in your craft. In our case, this will be the language that you develop with the tumbled stones, spheres, pendulums, and so forth that you employ as a gemstone diviner. Over the course of your practice, honing your skills will require you to understand this code and flesh it out as much as possible. You may notice that you have a propensity to discover certain types of information over others or that your stones have their own propensities to speak to certain matters over others. Just as you have your own way of doing most things in life, you will have your own way of divining.
Your code will consist of hunches, instinctive feelings, intuitive understanding, and impulses, but it should also consist of methodology, observation, and mindful practice. Your code exists to help you translate the spiritual into the observable so that you can, over time, learn to speak fluently with the unseen. Instead of allowing for this to be done through happenstance, we recommend that you keep a journal of your divinations and revisit that journal often. Once you have performed a divination and time has passed for that particular thing or event to play out, come back to the journal and compare your interpretation to the actual flow of events. Were you right? If so, what aspects of your divination led you to the correct conclusion? If not, what aspects of your divination led you to the wrong conclusion? As you do this, you will establish your code and learn about yourself as a diviner.
Pre-Divination Routine
Your pre-divination routine helps you get ready to interface with the spiritual. It is meant to clear spiritual energies that could get in the way of a smooth connection and to prepare you for the experience you are about to have. There are hundreds of ways to go about this, but generally we ground and align our spiritual energy body. However you choose to do those things is up to you. What matters is that you feel they are
effective and you do them. If you aren’t familiar or aren’t sure where to start, here is a quick and easy pre-divination routine that can be adopted by anyone at any level.
Step One: Alignment
Feel free to replace the following with your own model of the energy body if you have one. For our purposes, we are going to think of the energy or subtle body as a series of complex veins and arteries that move spiritual energy through our being. Under close inspection, you will find meridians, chakras, layers of the soul, and much, much more. When we take a step back, however, all of those things come together to form what can be called the mind, body, and spirit, or MBS. When we align our subtle energies, we essentially pull the MBS into proper sequence, like performing a chiropractic adjustment. When aligned, energies will move smoothly through those more complex centers that we find upon close inspection, and you are more able to release unwanted or meaningless energies that would otherwise be getting in the way of your divinatory experience.
Bringing the MBS into alignment can be done to different degrees; however, a simple and effective method like the one discussed here will be sufficient for most readers.
Close your eyes and allow yourself to breathe naturally until you feel at ease. Focus on the points of stillness and silence at the beginning and end of each breath, and continue to do so as you become fully present. When you feel ready, focus on the inner landscape of the mind and bring that sense of being fully present to the internal world. Allow the thoughts that are not in harmony with the present moment to wash over you as you exhale, with every inhale connect with those thoughts that support mindfulness.
Next, bring your awareness to your physical body and take a few moments to check in with it. Feel your aches and pains as well as the parts of your body that would otherwise go unnoticed, like your legs or your upper arm, and move your awareness to each part of your physical body starting from your head and moving down to your toes. Simply observe and honor the sensation.
Then bring your awareness to your spiritual self, the part of you that is connected to something bigger—the Divine. For a series of three or four breaths, bask in the awareness that you are in the right place at the right time, doing what you have been guided to do.
Allow the awareness of the spiritual self to wash over your physical body, taking a few breaths to honor the physicality of the moment. Then let that sensation wash over your mind, bringing intentionality. Take a few breaths to feel the MBS working in tandem. Open your eyes when you feel ready.
Step Two: Grounding
There are many ways to go about this process, and you can check out the bibliography for books that dive more deeply than we do here. The essential idea, however, is that you make a connection with the earth and then “ground” excess energy from your subtle body. The understanding is that excess energies (from you or other places/ people) can and will create interference during your intentional spiritual experience. This interference can cause confusion or even block messages altogether.
To perform a grounding, start at the end of step one, from a place of alignment. Visualize the flow of energy through your subtle body, moving from the head down to the toes, and push your awareness past your physical body into the ground below you. See it go deep into the earth until you hit bedrock. For sixty seconds, simply breathe slow and deep, releasing unwanted and excess energies on the exhale and allowing your energy body to recalibrate during each inhale.
Why sixty seconds? It takes about that long for the blood in the heart to circulate through the body, allowing us to synchronize our spiritual process with a physical one. When you are finished, simply open your eyes and continue with whatever task is next.
What to Expect During a Session
During an act of divination, there are many variables to consider. Which ones are most important during your work will depend on the type of divination you are performing at the time. Different methods will require different considerations; because
divination is experiential, those considerations may change over time. As we explore various methods in this book, we will do our best to prime you for what might happen; however, your experience will likely differ from ours.
As we mentioned earlier, keeping a journal and having an active journaling practice during your divination will help you establish and develop your divinatory code, which will be imperative if you want to master these skills. During a session you should be recording as much information as possible.
You should avoid distractions when possible, and you should always try to give yourself ample time to perform the session. Some days the process will be faster than others; however, you never want to feel rushed. Remember, staying in the present and being mindful are the two most important skills to bring to your sessions.
Quality Questions
Quality input yields quality output. Said another way, the questions you ask determine the depth, nuance, and accuracy of a reading. Whether you divine with crystals or any other tool, learning how to formulate effective queries opens the door to effective answers.
If you seek specific advice or insight, consider short, close-ended questions with yes-or-no answers; this is especially helpful with tools like casting lots and dowsing via pendulum. Open-ended questions are better suited to divination techniques like scrying, lithomancy, and other styles of gemstone readings. General insight can be gained from simple questions, such as What do I need to know about my meeting later today? or What kinds of energies or situations can I expect today?
Remember to frame questions in a way that isn’t leading or biased; otherwise, your results will be similarly skewed. While you can ask predictive questions like Will I get a raise? or Am I going to Europe next year?—it’s generally better to ask for insight to achieve the outcome you aspire toward: What do I need to do or know to get a raise? and If I go to Europe next year, what can I expect from the trip?
If you are reading for others, spend a bit of time talking about the motive behind the reading as this offers powerful insight into asking the right questions. Together you can reword their queries into high-quality questions that lend themselves to effective readings.
Body, Mind & Spirit / Crystals / Divination
“Pearson and Hunter have joined forces to share their combined wisdom from decades of work with the mineral kingdom. … Readers no doubt will find something in this book they will love.”
—Benjamin Stimpson, author of Ancestral Whispers
Crystals to Aid Your Scrying, Dowsing, Lithomancy, and Other Divination Techniques
Devin Hunter and Nicholas Pearson present a detailed, hands-on guide to divination with crystals. This beautiful book features color illustrations and photos as well as dozens of hands-on exercises, complementing the authors’ step-by-step methodology. Learn the properties and divinatory meanings of 200 crystals, making it easy to understand and incorporate new gems into your personal practice.
This beginner-friendly guide provides deep discussions of all major forms of divination and psychic readings, including crystal gazing, casting lots, and using pendulums. From the foundations, such as cleansing and charging crystals, to gemstone spreads for important themes like health, relationships, and career, Crystal Divination covers all the skills you need.
Devin Hunter is the bestselling author of numerous books, including The Witch’s Book of Power, Modern Witch, and Crystal Magic for the Modern Witch. Founder of the Sacred Fires Tradition and co-founder of the Black Rose Tradition, he hosts the Modern Witch podcast and is co-owner of Datura Trading Co.
Visit him at ModernWitch.com/Devin.
Nicholas Pearson is one of today’s leading voices in crystal healing and gemstone magic. He is the author of numerous books, including Crystal Basics, Stones of the Goddess, and The Witching Stones. Nicholas offers a unique blend of science and spirituality alongside a grounded, practical approach to working with crystals. Visit him at TheLuminousPearl.com.
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