Caloptromancy
Alternatively Catoptromancy, Enoptromancy, Catoxtromancy and Mirror Gazing.
The art and practice of divining the past, the present and the future by looking into the surface of a mirror, usually positioned to reflect the moonlight.
According to Caloptromancers, the sought after answers usually appeared in characters of blood on the face of the moon, or rather, in its reflection in the mirror.
Caloptromancy is a very ancient form of crystal gazing, practiced extensively by the Greeks and Romans, but even today, it is used by a woman at midnight on Halloween to see her future husband over her left shoulder.
In another technique, used for 'medical' prognostications, a mirror or special lens, was hung by a thread over a fountain or pool of water, and then slowly lowered until its base barely touched the surface of the water. Incense was burnt and prayers were recited. The presage of death or recovery was arrived according as the to the face that appeared in the mirror. If it was a fresh and healthy image, recovery was imminent; but if instead a ghastly aspect was represented, death was sure to come swiftly.
In another method, considered by many to be one of the more reliable forms of Caloptromancy, a woman gazes at the reflection of the moon in a mirror to determine when she will get married, by timing the minutes it takes before a bird or cloud crosses over the reflection. The minutes represent the number of years the woman has to wait for matrimony.
In ancient Rome, special diviners known as "blindfolded boys" were known to gaze into looking glasses in order to experience visions of the future or of the unknown, and according to the 4th century 'Scriptores Historiae Augustae', the death of Julian the Apostate was accurately predicted by Catoptromancers.
See Diviner, Radiesthesia, Astrology, Acutomancy, Agalmatomancy, Divination, Coscinomancy, Cleidomancy, Augur, Stoichomancy, Dowsing, Tarot, Heptameron, Demonology, Sortilege, Idolomancy, Demonomancy, Tephramancy, Anemoscopy, Eromancy, Austromancy, Chaomancy, Roadomancy, Capnomancy, Pyromancy, Meteormancy, Ceraunoscopy, Zoomancy, Felidomancy, Horoscope, Horary Astrology, Zodiac, Numerology, Bibliomancy, Mystic Gifts and Charms - New Age Gift Shop & Wicca and Pagan Supplies, Love Spells -- Use these powerful love spells to help you find and keep your true love, The Tarot Store, Divination & Scrying Tools and Supplies, Unique Amulets, Talismans, Good Luck Charms, and Love Tokens, Powerful Witch Doctor Spell Kits, Powerful Spells - Cast by Andreika the Witch, Webmasters Make $$$, AzureGreen - Celebrating All Paths to the Divine, ISIS - Tools for Your Soul's Journey, and The Pyramid Collection - Myth, Magick, Fantasy and Romance.
Sources: (1) Walker, Charles, The Encyclopedia of the Occult, Random House Value; (2) Spence, Lewis, An Encyclopedia of Occultism, Carol Publishing Group; (3) Dictionary of the Occult, Caxton Publishing; (4) Pickover, Clifford A., Dreaming the Future: The Fantastic Story of Prediction, Prometheus Books; (5) Dunwich, Gerina, A Wiccan's Guide to Prophecy and Divination, Carol Publishing Group.
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