Here’s How You Can Use Clouds to Tell Your Fortune

Clouds can be gorgeous, captivating and awe-inspiring, but did you know that they can also be used to seek insight into your life?

The practice is called cloud scrying, and it's all about seeing imagery in the clouds that can help you process what's going on with you. Moody Moons is a blog focused on all things spiritual and connecting with your inner self, so we asked its author to fill us in on how cloud scrying works, and what we can learn from it.

Sweety High: What exactly is scrying, and how does it work?

Moody Moons: Scrying is the art of gazing into an object of focus in order to gain insight. It's a form of divination, and it's as old as recorded history. The ancient Persians practiced scrying in order to advise royalty on matters of the state. You've probably seen pop culture references to scrying. For example, when a fortune-teller looks into a crystal ball, she's scrying.

The second part of that question is harder to answer. It kind of depends on your perspective. Some people believe that scrying insights come from a spiritual or otherworldly source. Others think it's just an interesting psychological trick that helps you think outside the box or meditate more effectively. You should feel free to draw your own conclusions. Or better yet, don't draw any at all, and just let it be a mystery.

(via Unsplash)

 

SH: How can we best open our minds to any messages that might be waiting for us?

MM: Relax, set aside your preconceived notions and avoid placing demands on the experience. Expect that it will take a few (or five, or 10 or 30) tries before you really see something compelling. Think of it as a practice, rather than a means to an end. Just trying means you'll get somewhere with it, and the more you do it, the better you get.

 

SH: How is cloud scrying different from other types of scrying?

MM: Cloud scrying is special because it's entirely dependent on nature. Other forms of scrying might require special tools, which can be expensive or hard to find, but cloud scrying is free, natural and anyone can try it. It's also usually done outside, which forces you to spend time in the natural world.

What makes cloud scrying different from other types of scrying? Is there anything about the practice that you enjoy in particular?

 

SH: What's your step-by-step process for cloud scrying?

MM: First of all, I find a quiet outdoor space where I know no one will bother me. If I am in the country or a rural area, this is pretty easy, but even if I'm in New York City, solitude is possible. I love scrying from urban rooftops, for example.

I like to set aside a set amount of time anywhere from five minutes to an hour, but I think frequency is more important than duration. If you can give it five minutes a day a few times a week, that usually produces better results than an hour once a month.

I like scrying flat on my back. A yoga mat is great for this, but my favorite way is floating on my back in water, so try that at least once! Anyway, once I get comfortable, I kind of let my eyes lose focus. Then I wait.

Psychologists sometimes use these things called inkblots. They're basically exactly what they sound like: just big blobs of random paint. They ask what you see in these blobs, and it's supposed to give them insight into the way you think. Cloud scrying is kind of like that. What you see in the clouds says a lot about you, your life, and what's going on with you mentally or spiritually.

Sometimes, things jump out at me right away. Sometimes, I don't see anything. When that happens, I let it go and come back to it in a day or two. Even when I see nothing, I get up feeling relaxed.

(via Unsplash)

 

SH: What are the ideal conditions for cloud scrying? How about conditions you'd avoid?

MM: I love cloud scrying at sunrise or sunset. The clouds are really beautiful at that time. Of course, you want to look away from the sun. Also, try scrying during a full moon. The lunar light backlights the clouds. It has this surreal, painterly quality that's sort of hypnotic.

Avoid cloud scrying during heat lightning. It's tempting because the sky is just stunning to look at with all that drama, but it can be dangerous.

(via Unsplash)

 

SH: Any other words of advice?

MM: Just give it a try! Try not to put too much pressure on yourself and take the time to just be. You probably won't have a full-blown mystical experience right away—that comes with time and patience—but you'll definitely notice a sense of relaxation and peace. Sometimes it lasts for several hours. It's a nice way to unwind at the end of a day or to begin your day in a positive frame of mind.

 

Feel the need to snap a pic of that gorgeous cloud? Click HERE for our favorite Instagram captions for all of your photos of clouds.