Divining Your Way - Methods of Divination
Divination is a term used to apply to virtually any form and means of discovering the events of the future. It ascertains the will of the Gods in a specific matter and clarifies the circumstances and possible outcomes. Locating lost objects, discovering the fidelity of your partner and uncovering whether you will be healthy, wealthy and wise are also part of divinatory methods.
There are many traditional means of determining the future. Over the centuries, people have come up with some creative ways to discover what will happen. The actual origin of these methods is often in doubt. Who, for example, can state with absolute certainty when weather became part of a system for divination. Even today, we utilize weather to forecast certain events.
The same applies to animals. Groundhog Day on February 2 salutes the ability of a single animal – the groundhog, to prognosticate whether Spring will be early or Winter remain for another 6 weeks. Originally, Bears acted as the weather oracle. Other animals in the past have and still include moles, are called upon to determine weather changes and possible events. In times of uncertainty, the Romans sacrificed dogs to find out the will of the Gods.
The most common means of divination are Astrology, Runes, Cards, Tarot Cards, Palmistry, Tasseomancy, Crystal Balls and Dreams. Yet, as the following list shows, the means of uncovering and determining the future and the will of the Gods is wide, varied and related, frequently, to cultural aspects.
Divination Type Description
Aeromancy Through air and weather vanes
Alectromancy By the actions of Roosters and poultry
Aliphomancy By flour, meal and bran in a bowl
Antipomancy Using the entrails of a sacrifice
Arithmancy Numbers
Astraglaomancy Using dice or gaming tokens e.g. bones
Austromancy Using the wind e.g. pieces of paper placed in a Circle
Axinomancy Using saws and other cutting edges
Belomancy Through the directions of arrows or their Marks make
Botanomancy The growth, number, shape, colour, etc. of plants/herbs
Capnomancy Watching the patterns of smoke: how it rises/disperses
Carromancy Melting of candle wax and the patterns made; also wick burning
Catoxtromancy Using glasses – a form of scrying
Cattabomancy Vessels of brass and other metals
Chartomancy Handwriting, Writing in papers
Chiromancy Lines on the hand, a type of palmistry
Cleidomancy Using a book and a key
Cleromancy To draw lots
Coscinomancy Using sieves – the residue are examined
Crithomancy Examining the texture, colour, growth of corn and grain
Crystallmancy The divining of lees from drinking glasses
Demonomancy Through the suggestions of evil demons
Gastromancy Sounds, grumblings of the belly
Geoloscopy This is a laughing matter
Geomancy Using stones and soil
Gyromancy Circles or round shapes drawn on paper or the soil
Hydromancy Using water
Ichthyomancy Using fish
Lampadomancy Related to carromancy – candles and lamps
Lecanomancy Using a basin of water – Scrying
Lithomancy Using gems and precious stones
Livanomancy Burning incense
Logarithmancy Using logarithms – invented in the late 16th century
Macharomancy Using knives and swords
Moleoscopy Using moles on the body
Oinomancy Using wine
Omphilomancy Navel gazing
Oniromancy Using dreams
Onomatomancy Using names
Onychomancy Using nails of the fingers and toes
Ornithomancy Using birds
Podomancy Using the feet
Psychomancy Using human’s souls and moral disposition
Pyromancy Fire gazing
Rhapsodomancy Divining using a book of poetry
Roadomancy Using the stars
Sciomancy Only the shadow knows
Spatalomancy Using skin, bones, excrement
Stareomancy Elemental, my dear Watson
Sternomancy Examine the area from the breast to the belly
Sycomancy Those who use his method really do give a fig
Theomancy Spiritual revelation
Therimancy A bestial matter
Tuphramancy Using ashes from the fire, when everything has gone up in smoke e.g. Beltaine
Tyromancy The coagulation of cheese – if it does not pan out, at least, you can eat it
Xylomancy Using wooden sticks or blocks
Zoomancy This one is strictly for the animals
Conclusion
Divination is an ancient tool for discovering what lies ahead. It embraces all the elements of the universe. The diversity of methods and tools are truly amazing and inventive. Today, the most common means are cards, runes and hands. Yet, you can turn to the past to discover how extensive the tools to uncover the future actually were.
