Divination

Divination is not just a Wiccan concept. Many people of many different religions and spiritual paths use divination as a way to seek guidance and comfort in life's problems.

There are many different forms of divination-dowsing, crystal gazing, runes, tarot cards, palm reading, dream interpretation, I Ching-to name a few. All of these methods can be learned by anyone, with the right amount of time and practise. However, some seek the help of more "experienced" practitioners, hoping that their interpretations would be more accurate than ones personal interpretation.

Contrary to what is believed, divination, for the most part, is not a way to know what the future holds for you. Your palm cannot tell you that there is a tall dark man in your future, for example. Divination is a way to seek possible outcomes and solutions to a problem. What you learn through divination is not set in stone, because the future has not yet happened, therefore you can change it. If you don't like something in your reading, consider it a warning, and take a different course in your life. This is one thing that is important to remember in any type of divination- the future can be changed.

Personally, I use divination when I am faced with a problem, choice or change in my life. It helps me to clear the situation, and to see deeper into what I want. Most methods of divining tap into your deep sub-concious, and you may learn things about yourself you were not aware of. For example, if I were having doubts about a relationship in my life, I would turn to one of my choice methods of divination, to find out what is really best for me. You can learn alot about yourself this way.

The talent for divination is rarely something that a person is born with. Most people feel drawn to a particular method, and learn and practise it until they have perfected it. Don't let someone tell you that you cannot do a "reading" yourself, because you are not born a psychic. Everyone is born psychic, its how you nuture it and help it to grow that matters. These next few sections are on the three methods I am most familiar with, I hope its as helpful for you as it is for me.

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The Tarot

The Tarot is a very old method of divination, and possibly one of the most popular. The deck is usually comprise of 78 cards, which is divided into 22 cards in the Major Arcana, and 56 cards in the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana's cards, to me, tell a story of a journey, and contains cards with names like "The Fool", "The Magician", "The Empress" etc. The Minor Arcana is more like a regular deck of cards, and contains 4 suits; the Wands, the Swords, the Cups, and the Pentacles. Each suit has cards that go from the Ace to the King. The "court cards" go in this order; Page, Knight, Queen and King.

The deck I use, and the deck I feel is best to begin learning with, is the Rider-Waite deck. This is very popular, and many other decks are based on the symbolism in the Rider-Waite deck. These cards are rich in symbolism, and although they are not the most attractive or mystical looking cards, they are very easy to learn. If you want something a bit "prettier", you could look for the Universal-Waite deck, which is the same, but with nicer colours and "cleaner" lines. Many people will tell you to throw out the instructions the moment you open your cards, however I find them handy. It is true, you will have an easier time (in the long run) if you "make up" your own interpretation for each card, but I like the little "push" that reading a book can give you.

Once you get your deck, study each card carefully, spend time with it. Write down your initial impressions of the card, study every element in the card. If you choose to, look at a book after you've made your initial impressions. Use your imagination, and look a little deeper than (for example) that guy is about to step off a cliff, so this card means suicide. Instead, look at it as someone who is about to make a huge new start, to begin a journey, to take the proverbial plunge into the unknown. Remember that there are alot of cards here, so you're not going to become a pro overnight. It takes time and practise to truly know your cards.

As far as readings go, there are many different layouts you can use (the Celtic Cross, the Star, the Tree of Life, to name a few) if one of these methods speaks to you, than by all means use it. I, however, prefer to draw one card at a time, with a question in my mind. Often, you'll be suprised with what you find. What you may be expecting may not be what you'll get. Be prepared.

Tarot cards can fill you with inspiration, hope, and direction. They can give you a glimpse into yourself, they can aid in solving problems, they can even offer a look into the past. Get to know your cards, use them often, and take care of them.

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The Pendulum

The Pendulum was one of the first methods of divination that I learned, and is quite possibly the easiest. I myself use a sewing needle strung from a peice of thread, however I have seen beautifully shaped silver pendulums on black silk cords. But I say whatever you can afford, you go for. A needle and thread work just as well, I assure you!

A Pendulum works only with yes/no questions, and some may feel limited by this. However, it is very useful and is also an excellent way to get started (as it can be inexpensive) To begin, get yourself into a calm, meditative state of mind. Allow thoughts to drift in, and then drift out. When your mind is clear, pick up your pendulum, holding it suspended from your thumb and forefinger. You first have to establish which direction is yes, and which is no, so ask it two questions-one that has to be yes (Is my name .....?) and one that has to be no (Am I a purple elephant?) Once you have established this, ask away. After each question, will your pendulum to be still, or even say "Still".

This method is excellent when you're just learning the Tarot or other more complicated forms of divination. If you are confused over a meaning, go to the pendulum. If you have a fairly simple problem that requires only yes/no answers, go to the pendulum. You will soon see that the pendulum can be a very valuable divining tool in your practise. Its simple, its cheap, and anyone can do it!

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Dreams

Dreams. We all have them, most of us remember them in the mornings. Interpreting your dreams is perhaps the easiest, most inexpensive methods of divination. Dreams are not the meaningless symbols and fantasies we perceive them to be. They are filled with meaning. Dreams are how our sub-concious minds deal with the events in our lives. Its a way for Deity to communicate with us, its a way for us to communicate with ourselves. Looking into the symbology of dreams shows us messages from many different sources, and can tell us important things about ourselves and our lives.

Although there are hundreds of dream interpretation books out there, the best and most accurate way to interpret your dreams is to do it yourself. Each morning, when you wake up, jot down any dreams you remember from that night. If there are blank spots, don't try to fill them in, just leave them. Write down everything, every detail, that you remember. Afterwards, go back with a highlighter and highlight anything you feel will be an important symbol. The meanings may be very apparent right away, or they may take awhile to figure out. I find that after I write my dreams out, if I leave them, the meaning will come to me at the oddest times. Its best to jot this down as quickly as possible. The messages and interpretations you come up with may not make sense to you, or they may be something totally obvious, something that seems as far from "mystical" as you can get. For example, I've been dreaming about school starting and I don't have a schedual. I arrive late to all of my classes, and usually loose my backpack. This is simply because in waking life, I'm worried about my schedual not being here. These dreams are telling me to lighten up.

You may never figure out your dreams, but just by writing them down each morning, you're taking an important step into understanding yourself. If you have trouble remembering them, however, that is a different story. Although I've never been able to force myself to remember, I feel that if we are meant to, we will. Try affirming, before you go to sleep, that you will remember your dreams. Also, try to wake up naturally (as opposed to an alarm clock. This can be difficult during the school year) I find that being jolted awake sends those memories running. I also ask, in my prayers, that I be able to remember and understand my dreams each night. Books and websites on the subject may also offer suggestions on remembering dreams.

Once you get the hang of it, dreams as a method of divination can prove to be very accurate, and very revealing. Remember to keep a dream journal, and you'll soon find you have your own book of dream symbols!