Divination

Divination tools assist you in connecting with your inner self. Through their symbols, images, responses the tool guides you towards a deeper understanding of the issue or question at hand. Questions are key to seeking answers but in some cases when a person cannot pin point a specific issue to be addressed. When this happens, a person can use his or her own psychic energy to identify an issue and subsequent responses.

I have spent time working with divination tools, primarily tarot, and have seen others at work. I have noted down some information on a few of the more common tools here.

Tarot

Seventy-eight cards decorated with symbols and images. The person receiving the reading asks a question of the cards usually while holding them. When finished the person hands the cards to the reader and they lay the cards out in a spread for interpretation. The reader interprets the images and symbols on the cards along with the location of the card in the spread.

Once considered a game tarot has over time shifted into a tool for self-discovery and exploration. There are many different decks out there for one to choose from if they were interested I learning. There is a common perception out there that one must receive their deck as a gift. I have not found this to be true as what one person believes is a good deck may not resonate well with the receiver.

Pendulum

At the end of a string or chain a stone, wood, metal or other object with some weight to it dangles. After determining, the directions of yes or no by asking the pendulum the person, holding the pendulum very still, asks a question that will illicit a yes or no response. A lack of response from the pendulum could indicate indecision and may require the person to rephrase the question or ask later when an answer may become clear.

Runes

An alphabet used by the Northern European community from the first century that also was used in magic and divination. There are a couple different styles of runes but the most common form is the Elder Futhark, which had 24 letters. The letters began with F ending with O and each having a specific meaning. Runes had moved from a form of communication falling in and out of favor over the years to a divination system in the mid-eighties appealing to the New Age movement.

As a system of self-exploration and divination, the symbols of the runes are used to seek answers to questions or issues posed by the person who made them. The magic of rune occurrs in the carving of the symbols onto the stone or wood. With the magic inscribed in the stone or wood people can then interpret the meanings of the runes after learning them through readings. Readings are accomplished by drawing one to three runes or a nine rune cast where you look at those runes that show their letters to you.

Tea Leaves

Reading tea leaves has often been associated with those people consider Gypsies. There is information I have found that tea-leaf reading, or tasseography, was first used in China. The leaves create images of symbols in the cup and the reader then interprets these symbols to provide guidance on the issue or question.

The basic premise is to have the person seeking guidance drink a cup of tea made with loose leaves. While doing so they should think about the issue or question and leave a bit of tea a bit over the loose tea in the bottom of the cup. The reader then swirls the tea clockwise three times and turns the cup upside down in a sink or on a dish drainer to allow the left over fluid out of the cup. Guidance is provided by interpreting the symbols along with the location in the cup they appear.

There are many more forms of divination out there and it is a good idea to explore various forms to determine which one works best for you.