The Magpie

A simple way of divining with water is by using drops of wax from a burning candle in a bowl of charged water.

Preparation
Prepare yourself by suitable meditation, it’s pointless trying to practice magical divination or any other form of magic if you haven’t cleared your mind and opened yourself to focus on your intention. As always, it is the intention that is the key. If you have a particular question about outcomes, now is the time to sharpen that question so that it asks clearly what you want. After you have reached an appropriate state to practice this divination you can proceed.

Tools
You will need your cauldron, or a bowl, and a white candle

Method
Take one of your white candles. Focus on the candle flame and state your intentions clearly. If you have a question, ask now.

Hold the candle slightly tilted over the bowl of water so that when the wax begins to melt it will drip into the bowl. Watch the wax drip. As it falls onto the surface of the water, look for symbols in the shapes that are formed. When you see a wax drip hit the water and form into something which you recognise - stop.

Hold the candle upright while you think about the shape that the wax has formed. Sometimes the shape of a wax drip will appear to be that of an animal, or symbols such as arrows, hearts, triangles, horseshoes etc. Sometimes the shapes are more clearly seen as objects like houses or vehicles.

The wax drips may even clearly spell out your answer with letters or numbers. If you see these in the water, keep going until the letters or numbers have stopped forming.

Interpretation
When you see the symbols or signs in the water, it’s up to you to see the meaning in them. The meaning is personal, it is your visualisation, your divination and your personal interpretation.

Consider the symbol carefully and think about what it means to you. (If it spells out letters or numbers, there may not be much to interpret).

Once you have absorbed the personal meaning, close the divination in a suitable manner.

Give thanks for the experience. Allow the candle to burn down. (Never re-use a candle which has been lit in any magical ritual, it is for use in that one ritual and then allowed to burn away or be disposed of afterwards.) The water may be poured into a garden with a blessing. Pack your bowl away carefully with your magical tools.

The more you practice reading the wax in the water, the more effective it will be.