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[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/WaywardSons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wayward_sons_oracle.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"It's a skinny divining pool."]]
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There's more than one way for oracles to divine the future, and this one involves bath salts.[[note]]The fragrant, relaxing kind; not the drug. [[JunkieProphet Although...]][[/note]]

An oracle immerses herself nearly or completely in water, and through contact with the liquid is gifted with visions of the future. Why water? Perhaps because of its mystic connotations as the element of change, associations with dreams, the subconscious, and the primordial. Perhaps the reflective surface of the water will be used like a MagicMirror. Perhaps because it is reminiscent of a sensory deprivation tank... ''or'' because a [[SexySoakedShirt busty, dripping wet oracle]] [[{{Fanservice}} is sure to appeal to some]]. Back in the day, Greek oracles huffed volcanic fumes to get visions. The bathtub thing is probably there to help differentiate her from "normal" [[UsefulNotes/TarotCards tarot-reading mystics]], this also keeps you focused on her head and face rather than her boo-- [[LastSecondWordSwap *ahem*]] [[CrystalBall crystal orbs]].

Whatever the case, this well-moisturized sister to the WaifProphet, OracularUrchin, and BlindSeer plies her trade while lying in a pool of water. ProphetEyes and seizures involving flopping like a landed fish can be expected.

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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* During Creator/PeterDavid's run of ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'', the Hulk ran around with the Pantheon, a group of heroes based on Greek mythology. Delphi was a member who could see the future when she gazed into water.
* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', Destruction has a small pool of water which he uses for scrying and divination.
* The ''ComicBook/Marvel2099'' version of the Vision is a precognitive woman who floats in a pool of water in the basement of the Alchemax building.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/DCShowcaseConstantineTheHouseOfMystery''. John Contantine tries to use a pool of water for a PensieveFlashback, but is [[TheManyDeathsOfYou killed and brought back to life]] before seeing anything. So the next time [[BathroomBreakout he pretends to be going to take a leak]], locks himself in the toilet and sticks his head in the toilet bowl. He's not very happy about this, of course.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ThreeHundred'' is something of a meta example -- the effect of the oracle levitating in mid-air with her toga floating about was achieved by having the actress filmed in a pool.
* ''Film/AlteredStates'' does this with a maverick scientist floating in a sensory deprivation tank and taking Mexican mushrooms.
* A variation occurrs in ''Film/Constantine2005''. Angela used to have [[PsychicPowers extrasensory powers]], but she consciously suppressed them so that people wouldn't think that she was crazy. When she needs to get them back, Constantine submerges her in a tub fully clothed and sends her to Hell. When she returns, she has her powers back and immediately starts using them. Apparently, it's because "[[PortalPool water is the universal conduit between dimensions]]."[[note]]Constantine himself contacts hell using water, but he only needs to get his feet wet. The trick was bringing a vial of holy water with him to get back with.[[/note]]
* ''Film/MinorityReport'', in a reference to the Well of Mímir, from of Myth/NorseMythology, a well situated at one of the roots of the WorldTree Yggdrasill, where the decapitated head of Mímir the deity of wisdom was kept alive by the waters of the well. The reference may also be to Urðarbrunnur, the Well of Urður, that was situated at one of the other roots of Yggrasill. Three sisters, the Witches of Fate; Urður, Verðandi, and Skuld, reside at Urðarbrunnur, where they nourish Yggdrasill with the waters from the well, and weave the fortunes and destiny of mortal men on their looms.
* In ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Thor goes to the "Norn Cave" and enters the pool containing "the Water of Sight" to get visions of [[Film/ThorRagnarok the future destruction of Asgard]], of [[Film/AvengersInfinityWar the Infinity Stones]], and the birth of Vision. This is a direct reference to the Well of Urður described above.
* ''Film/TheTragedyOfMacbeth'': Macbeth's second scene with the Weird Sisters see them flood his bedchamber from the rafters and throw ingredients in the water like it's a giant cauldron. After some bubbling, the reflection of a child appears in the water and tells Macbeth three prophesies. The Weird Sisters disappear and the just drains out of the room.
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[[folder:Literature]]
* The Guild Navigators in ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' are a similar concept (and inspired ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'''s Hybrids), adapted to life in a [[SuperSerum spice]]-filled environment which granted them precognition and the ability to navigate at FTL speeds. They spend most of their lives inside of zero gravity tubes filled with spice-laden air rather than a tub of water, but same concept.
* According to ''Literature/MoreInformationThanYouRequire'', the Electoral College determines the winner of the American presidential election while suspended in tanks of nutrient-enriched slime. Rutherford B. Hayes successfully rigged the election of 1872 by offering them higher quality nutrient slime.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
** Aeron Greyjoy apparently experiences prophetic visions after having nearly drowned. He worships an aquatic god.
** The fool Patchface nearly drowned and has lost his sanity. He regularly speaks in prophetic riddles and rhymes.
* One of the primary methods of prophecy in the ''Literature/MemoryOfTheEarth'' series is floating thermal springs at the heart of [[LadyLand Basilica]].
* In the second series and onward of ''Literature/WarriorCats'', the medicine cats must travel to the Moonpool and drink from the pool in order to have prophetic dreams and speak with their ancestors.
* ''Literature/SeptimusHeap'': While not being properly an oracle, Scrying into times past works by seeing the reflection of the moon in a pool of water.
* ''Literature/TalesOfTheBranionRealm'': In ''The Granite Shield'', Seeing is done by drinking special potions, but in one location is traditionally done by slipping into hot springs, in the caves where their God (of fire) is said to have once resided.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* The Cylon Hybrids in ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' are [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots humanoids]] that lie in a tub of water. In addition to serving as the Basestar's WetwareCPU, their [[MadOracle rambling dialogue]] often includes hints at the greater mysteries of the series. Concept art reveals that their humanoid appearance only applies to their upper bodies, and below the water their torsos extends into slug-like lumps instead of legs.
* PlayedForLaughs and {{subverted|Trope}} in an episode of ''Series/{{Community}}'' where Annie finds Chang has put Garret in a pool of water to try to invoke precognition, in a setup similar to ''Film/MinorityReport''. All that happens is that Garret gets sick... which Chang is convinced is a success, because Garret warned him that would happen.
* In ''Series/MinorityReport2015'', as in [[Film/MinorityReport the movie to which it is a sequel]], Adam, Dash, and Agatha are submerged in a "milk bath" that allows their powers to be exploited by [=PreCrime=].
* ''Series/TheLibrarians2014'':
** The Lake Foundation, being the successors to the Lady of the Lake from Arthurian legend, have the ability to see through time and space (among other powers) thanks to being submerged in water.
** A later episode introduces the Oracle of Delphi, who takes the trope quite literally. She turns a Nevada high school swimming pool into Delphi water, which enchants every pair of swim goggles dipped in it to show their wearers visions of the future.
* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'': Walter finds that submerging Olivia is a good way of triggering her Cortexiphan-related powers.
* Played with in the ''Series/StrangerThings'' episode "[[Recap/StrangerThingsS1E7ChapterSevenTheBathtub The Bathtub]]", where the sensory deprivation tank magnifies Eleven's powers and allows her to explore the Upside-Down more freely. The kids manage to {{MacGyver|ing}} one out of a kiddie pool, 1500 pounds of de-icing salt, and a set of taped-over chemistry goggles. Eleven floating in the jerry-rigged sensory deprivation tank while searching for Will and Barb certainly calls to mind the image of a submerged oracle.
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[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
* Myth/TheLadyOfTheLake from Myth/ArthurianLegend. She may not have been an oracle, though...
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'', Shirley Fennes (and probably every other Merines) is able to restore her vitality and magical powers through being submerged in water. [[spoiler:These powers ultimately allow her to become the vessel of the game's all-seeing Ocean God.]]
* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'', there are two FortuneTeller sisters living in Harapa. One sees the long-term future in a crystal ball, the other sees the short-term future in a bowl of water. The latter remains upbeat and helpful to the player characters, even in the middle of a continent-wide disaster.
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[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Given a LampshadeHanging in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. An oracle (who is also [[spoiler:a kobold]]) laments that he always has people come to him with questions while he's in the bath. You would think, as an oracle, he would know better...
* {{Justified|Trope}} in ''Webcomic/WaywardSons''. Cassandra has the power to invoke prophetic holograms, which generate huge amounts of heat. Thus, she does her prophecy stuff [[http://waywardsons.keenspot.com/d/20100713.html in the water, naked]].
* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'':
** Rose Lalonde, later confirmed as a Seer of Light, is elementally associated with water. Her house is on water and her planet is a vast, technicolor ocean with a chalk beach with a built-in CharacterArc of her developing her powers to restore life to it.
** Light in general, an Aspect associated with knowledge, clarity, and divination, is associated with water; Vriska is a light player and her planet is also mostly ocean, themed around cartography and treasure hunting like a pirate. It is presumed [[InvertedTrope inverse]], Void, is associated with water as well, but in the sense of an impenetrably dark ocean.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' featured Lisa gaining new insights into other people while submerged in a sensory-deprivation tank.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* There's quite a few prophecy "games" involving mirrors and bowls of water. There's a Chinese game played during the moon festival in which a girl looks into a bowl of water to find her husband.
[[/folder]]
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