Divination

Different forms of divination have been used by humans for centuries. Whether it be scrying, tarot, numerology or reading animal entrails, divination has served as a window not just into the future, but into ourselves.
I'm going to give a rough overview about a few different ones, though there are probably thousands more. If you have been contemplating using divination this may help.

1) Tarot- Tarot is a deck of 78 cards, consisting of the major and minor arcana usually. This method requires shuffling the cards while asking a question or asking for guidance. The major arcana is 22 cards while the minor is divided into four suits, each suit consisting of 1-10 and 4 face cards (kind of like the royals in a playing card deck). This is the traditional tarot deck. You can find a huge variety of decks out there that have different suits, different major arcana cards, and sometimes a completely different card layout all together. Learning tarot takes time, patience, and a great memory. Try reading up on it or having a reading done for you before you decide its what you want to do.

2) Pendulums- Using a pendulum is a common and easy method for divination. You can even find answer boards for when you use a pendulum. The basic concept is, a string or chain with a weighted end, that moves in certain ways as an answer to a question. This can be in the form of a crystal on a chain, or a wedding ring tied to a piece of yarn. This is actually one of my favorite forms and i will add another post that goes into more detail later on.

3) Scrying- This is really a broader term that covers staring into fire, a crystal ball, water, etc. Basically you stare into something until a vision comes to you. Meditating and practice help. Some people use drugs to "help" induce visions but I personally think that is more of a hindrance. To each his own though.

4) Palmistry- Like the name suggests, it has to do with reading a persons palm. This is done by interpreting the lines in ones hand by their strength, length, and curves. I have had my palm read, and must say it is quite interesting.

5) Numerology- By replacing the letters in the alphabet with numbers, and then interpreting names and dates, one can learn a lot about themselves. This is also a common method used for choosing a craft name, as many believe the numbers should match.

6) Tea Leaves- Though I have never tried this method, it seems useful and simple enough. After you drink your tea, look at the "gunk" left at the bottom of your cup. The shape you find there is then interpreted.

7) Horoscopes- Yes, those things we find ourselves reading every day. The stars are extremely useful when it comes to predicting the future. Having a detailed horoscope reading done for you (one that gets into time of birth, place, and star and planetary alignment) can give you tremendous insight into characteristics about yourself you may not notice. You may find that you were born at a time where creative juices were really flowing, so you experiment and find you can play an instrument.

These are just a few techniques. Obviously nothing is 100% and I'm no expert so I may have left out key information. I apologize to you experts who I are probably laughing at me right now. This is just for a general overview and should in no way be your deciding factor to which form you should use. Do research, experiment, do what feels comfortable. If you have always felt connected to fire, perhaps reading smoke or flames is for you. Or if you are a math wiz, numerology may be what fits. Explore whats out there and learn what you can. Good luck to you!

~Lynx