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What
is Divination?
Divination
is a supernatural technique for obtaining information about things that are
unknown, including events that will occur in the future. Divination can be
either inspirational, noninspirational, fortuitous, or
deliberate.
-> Inspirational
divination—a type of
divination that involves a spiritual experience, such as a direct
contact with a supernatural being (whether it be an ancestor, ghost, spirit, or
god) through an altered state of consciousness. (Also known as emotive or
natural divination)
-> Noninspirational
divination—a form of
divination that is performed without direct involvement of a supernatural being.
(Also known as artificial divination). This includes the use of magic,
oracles, or the reading of natural events.
-> Fortuitous divination—divination
that simply occurs without any conscious effort.
This includes a sudden, unexpected vision or omen.
-> Deliberate divination—divination
that someone intentionally sets out to do.
(e.g. aleuromancy, prophecy, medium, dowsing, astrology, palmisty, tarot cards,
etc.)
Forms of Divination:
Aleuromancy—divination
by the use of flour, as in fortune cookies.
Apantomancy—divination
by a chance meeting with an animal. For instance, the Nandi of East Africa
believe that if a rat crosses one’s path that is a good thing, but if a snake
does, that is bad.
Astrology—the
belief that all stars and planets, as well as the sun and moon, influence the
destiny of people and that reading the sky can be used as a divination
technique.
Cleromancy—divination
by the casting of the lots such as the rolling of dice or the drawing of straws.
Dowsing—method
of divination whereby water and other underground resources are located by use
of forked stick.
Graphology—divination
through handwriting analysis.
Haruspication—divination
by the examination of the entrails of animals. Sometimes the animal is
sacrificed or parts of it are examined to find answers. (Used in ancient Rome)
Mechanical
divination—manipulating
objects to find answers. (i.e. tarot cards, ouiji board, rune casting, etc.)
Medium—A
practitioner who intentionally communicates with the supernatural to find
information.
Necromancy—divination
through contact with ancestors from the dead. Usually the diviner will enter a
trance to communicate with the dead. However, in ancient Greece, when one died
in a mysterious way, they believed that the spirits of the dead could show signs
on the deceased one's body in order to communicate how he or she died or who
killed them.
Oneiromancy—divination
by the interpretation of dreams. Some believe that when we sleep, our souls
leave our bodies. In dreams, the soul establishes a connection with the
spiritual domain. One may be visited by another spirit or one may experience
visions while his or her soul travels. All we must do is interpret our visions
once our soul returns to our body.
Omen—a
fortuitous happening or condition that provides information. For example, one
can attain information by observing living or dead animals.
Oracle—a
specific device that is used for divination
Ordeal—A
trial by divination that is performed on the body of the accused person to
determine guilt or innocence.
Ornithomancy—divination
from reading the path and form of a flight of birds.
Palmistry—divination
through reading the lines of the palm of the hand
Phrenology—divination
through the study of the shape and structure of the head.
Presentiment—a
feeling in an individual that something is about to occur.
Prophecy—divination
through the communication of a prophet. Often the prophet receives information
through a vision unexpectedly without any conscious intention.
Scapulamancy—a
divination technique in which a dried scapula, or shoulder blade, is placed in a
fire and the pattern of cracks and burns is interpreted.
Tasseography—divination
through the reading of tea leaves.
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