Scrying

The image of a mystic staring into a crystal ball and telling someone's fortune is something that has permeated our popular culture.  The practice of scrying, or gazing into a reflective surface for insight, has been around for a lot longer than the pop culture fortune teller complete with carnival tent and turban.  The individual methods for scrying are myriad, but the basic principle remains the same.  You find a reflective surface and you gaze softly at it until you see something.  Some have applied this technique to candle flames and embers as well.

I am increasingly of the opinion that the focus for scrying only helps awaken dormant abilities, similar to how a ganzfeld setup can allow for clairvoyance to manifest when it would normally be overpowered by excess sensory noise.  Unlike a ganzfeld setup, scrying is something that just about anyone should be able to try with just a little bit of preparation.  The main requirements are a reflective surface to gaze into and a relaxed state of mind.

Your reflective surface can be anything from a pool or bowl of water, a piece of glass with one side painted black, a crystal ball, or you can even use a candle flame as I mentioned earlier.  When you set up your device you ideally want no reflections in your scrying surface.  This will probably require a low-light setting and to get the proper softly glowing reflective effect you'll want to try placing your light source (a candle or similar soft lighting) behind you.  Make sure that you can't see your own reflection or the reflection of your light source.

Softly gaze at your scrying surface and don't strain.  Just relax and look at the reflective surface.  After a while you may begin to see clouds or mist, specks of light, or other strange effects.  After a while, your visual field will begin to fill with darkness, clouding out the surroundings of the scrying device.  Don't be alarmed when this happens; it means you are right on track.  After this occurs you may begin to see images, either in the reflective surface or in your mind's eye (most likely in your mind's eye).  This is the effect that you're going for.

If you don't experience anything after fifteen minutes or so then stop and try again later.  It's important not to strain or force anything.  Just let it come naturally.

I haven't really gone further than this with my own scrying practice at present, but it is a very interesting activity if you're looking for a simple occult technique to pick up.  It can also be a launch pad for other occult practices as it helps develop your subtle senses.  Good luck and have fun with it.

Wikipedia on scrying.