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Waking up the Dead

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
This forum is pretty much deceased; but I had a question to wake it up a bit and that kinda goes in this category.

I practice witchcraft. I wouldn't call it folk magic or modern. In other words, I don't have a culture/religion that shapes my practice and I veer away from correspondences, mythology, deities, and things of that nature.

Besides the point, my grandmother passed two months ago. I have been trying years to contact her but my father wouldn't let me (long story). I also am helping trying to put together our family and its happening inch by inch. It made me appreciate so much connection and togetherness that I wish I had this most my childhood life if not all.

I'm still grieving and I've thought off and on about divination. I know in Santeria before they do their rituals they always speak to their ancestors. In thanksgiving I found out we have a family cemetery in South Carolina.. I'm further north. I'm praying and talking to my grandma and listening to see if she can help connect my family both living and passed. I would like to find or create a divination method to where my family can talk to me through. I have tried tarots but I'm not into astrology.. it's too complicated. I don't use too much symbolism in magic unless it has a literal connection in one way or the other. I've heard Runes, divining with rocks, even playing cards and dice (since my grandma liked going to the Casino a lot). Where do i start?
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I'd start by doing a survey of divination so you have an understanding of what it is and how diverse it is. Then, after you have a general understanding, select one method to focus on and master. There are hundreds upon hundreds of different forms divination takes, and people will take to some forms more than others.

I do not have access to my Book of Shadows right now, which has a pretty decent guide on learning divination. I will hold off on saying much until I have that on hand, because although the information is more or less in my head, I will probably get the wording wrong somewhere if I attempt to do it without a reference. :sweat:

I will say now, though, that divination is about gathering information by esoteric means. Divination is horribly misunderstood by mainstream society, which tends to conflate it with mere fortune telling or entertainment. Overcoming some of the cultural baggage is part of the process of learning divination. A form of divination that strikes me as appropriate for your goals is necromancy. Although I know a lot about divination, I know next to nothing about necromancy because I have zero interest in communicating with dead human blood relatives. Necromancy is rarely labeled as such anymore, so if you wanted to learn about those forms, you would want to look into the Spiritualism movement and seances.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I'm just getting your message. I'm not getting all of my alerts.

How I understand divination to be edit: methods of spiritual communication by asking for advice, fortune telling (which is in some cases), giving guidance (say knowing which Orisha has your head), and so forth. I'd use it to communicate with the deceased (among many reasons to communicate) things like advice, what my ancestors and family can help me on, things like that among others.

Since there are so many different tactics, I wouldn't know where to start--nonetheless put it together without the newagish things (abstractness) put to it.

What type of divination do you do? I'm sure that there are other techniques that divination can be used for other things and not just speaking with the deceased.

I'd start by doing a survey of divination so you have an understanding of what it is and how diverse it is. Then, after you have a general understanding, select one method to focus on and master. There are hundreds upon hundreds of different forms divination takes, and people will take to some forms more than others.

I do not have access to my Book of Shadows right now, which has a pretty decent guide on learning divination. I will hold off on saying much until I have that on hand, because although the information is more or less in my head, I will probably get the wording wrong somewhere if I attempt to do it without a reference. :sweat:

I will say now, though, that divination is about gathering information by esoteric means. Divination is horribly misunderstood by mainstream society, which tends to conflate it with mere fortune telling or entertainment. Overcoming some of the cultural baggage is part of the process of learning divination. A form of divination that strikes me as appropriate for your goals is necromancy. Although I know a lot about divination, I know next to nothing about necromancy because I have zero interest in communicating with dead human blood relatives. Necromancy is rarely labeled as such anymore, so if you wanted to learn about those forms, you would want to look into the Spiritualism movement and seances.
 
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Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Since there are so many different tactics, I wouldn't know where to start--nonetheless put it together without the newagish things (abstractiveness) put to it.


Mostly you just want to pick a system and start working with it. I classify divination into four basic types: oracular, scrying, omen, and otherworldly. Some folks take to certain forms more than others. Although I still might get my wording off as I don't have my BoS on me, the types are basically as follows (and are not necessarily mutually exclusive):

Oracles use pre-defined sets of symbols that are either cast or placed into a spread for interpretation. These pre-defined symbols also come with traditional meanings that guide interpretation. The most popular forms of divination are oracles (i.e., tarot, runes), perhaps because they appear easier to learn as they have a fairly set structure to get started from. It is true that you can basically take an oracle out of the box and use it, but mastery of these form isn't simple.

Scrying systems are very similar to oracles, except they do not use pre-defined sets of symbols. Symbols emerge spontaneously in whatever medium you are using for scrying. There can be traditional interpretations for various symbols, but on the whole it is much less structured. As such, it's typically regarded as more difficult. Things like tasseomancy and mirror scrying are examples.

Omens are events that happen out there in the world (or states that exist in the world) that are seen as portends by the diviner. Those who don't have a magical worldview will write off omens as "mere coincidence " but diviners and magical folk see meaningfulness all around them. Omens can be spontaneous (i.e., the appearance of a bird) or non-spontaneous (i.e., palmistry, astrology). Learning those two forms is very different - recognizing spontaneous omens is really about cultivating a magical mindset and paying attention, while learning non-spontaneous ones is more like learning an oracle.

Otherworldly forms of divination is a catch-all that I use for systems that heavily rely on more mystical aspects of reality for their operation. It would include things like dream work, divining by auras or energy, and by otherworldly spirits. Necromancy that I mentioned earlier would fall under this category. Learning these typically means learning some other mystical art. If you want to learn to divine by auras, you need to learn basic energy work, for example.


What type of divination do you do? I'm sure that there are other techniques that divination can be used for other things and not just speaking with the deceased.

I laid out all that stuff above because it's easier to frame what I do with the above in mind. :D

When I set about to do divination on purpose, I almost always use some sort of oracle. There are three that I like to use. I often default to cartomancy, either tarot or an oracle deck depending on the information or guidance I'm looking for. Second, I have a rune set I love to cast with. Third, there's a system I made myself that involves casting colored stones and interpreting them based on color symbolism.
Rarely, I will do scrying when I set about doing divination on purpose: either a generalized scrying technique or tasseomancy.

For omens, I pretty much only use spontaneous ones, and it happens when it happens. I don't have much interest in non-spontaneous omens, though I recognize their value and usefulness. For otherworldly divination, I work with the otherworlds pretty heavily and notice energy whether I want to or not, so in a sense, I probably do this more than any of the other forms. But I don't think of myself as doing divination when I'm doing these things, so... yeah, categories get fluid sometimes. XD
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Because I'm home now and thought of it, the official list from my BoS that is much better written because I edit things that go into my BoS to death:
  • Omens. Divination by interpreting natural events for their meaning. Omens are typically extraordinary events rather than everyday occurrences and presume a synchronistic world. Messages or signs can occur at any time and any place. The specific form the omen takes is highly varied.
    • appearance of nonhuman animals, such as birds (augury)
    • astronomical phenomena such as positions of the planets (astrology)
    • lines of the palm or the shapes of hands and fingers (chiromancy/palmistry)
  • Otherworldly. Divination that occurs through contact with or observation of otherworldly aspects. These practices are often restricted to mystics such as prophets, mediums, psychics, seers, shamans, or witches. Techniques vary, but may incorporate meditation, energy work, journeywork, trance, or psychedelics.
    • channeling the spirits of the dead (necromancy)
    • interpretation of dreams (oneiromancy)
    • sensing and discerning the nature of auras (auramancy)
  • Scrying. Divination by open-ended symbols, images, or visions that are revealed in a specific medium or object. Mediums vary widely, and may involve either physical or otherworldly visions. Methods involve focused concentration on the medium that brings about an altered state of consciousness.
    • gazing into a crystal ball, black scrying mirror, or rustling leaves
    • reading tea leaves (tasseomancy)
    • seeing patterns in air, fire, earth, or water (aeromancy, pyromancy, geomancy, aguamancy)
  • Oracle. Divination based on a set of fixed symbols or images. Symbols often have widely accepted meanings, or a prescribed symbolic language. Lots may be cast or the symbols may be drawn; interpretation is based on knowledge of the symbols and/or their arrangement on a surface.
    • drawing cards and laying them out in a spread (cartomancy)
    • selecting different kinds of minerals, each with a specific meaning (lithomancy)
    • casting lots, such as throwing dice or bones (cleromancy)
 

DanishCrow

Seeking Feeds
I would suggest asking over in Shamanism DIR. Talking to dead people is one of the things we do, after all.
 

Rishi

New Member
This forum is pretty much deceased; but I had a question to wake it up a bit and that kinda goes in this category.

I practice witchcraft. I wouldn't call it folk magic or modern. In other words, I don't have a culture/religion that shapes my practice and I veer away from correspondences, mythology, deities, and things of that nature.

Besides the point, my grandmother passed two months ago. I have been trying years to contact her but my father wouldn't let me (long story). I also am helping trying to put together our family and its happening inch by inch. It made me appreciate so much connection and togetherness that I wish I had this most my childhood life if not all.

I'm still grieving and I've thought off and on about divination. I know in Santeria before they do their rituals they always speak to their ancestors. In thanksgiving I found out we have a family cemetery in South Carolina.. I'm further north. I'm praying and talking to my grandma and listening to see if she can help connect my family both living and passed. I would like to find or create a divination method to where my family can talk to me through. I have tried tarots but I'm not into astrology.. it's too complicated. I don't use too much symbolism in magic unless it has a literal connection in one way or the other. I've heard Runes, divining with rocks, even playing cards and dice (since my grandma liked going to the Casino a lot). Where do i start?
It sounds like you may want to get a tarot or oracle reading on what your deceased loved one(s) wants you to know. Communicating with deities, spirits and deceased humans through the tarot/oracle card divination method is common and there are plenty of spreads for it.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
It sounds like you may want to get a tarot or oracle reading on what your deceased loved one(s) wants you to know. Communicating with deities, spirits and deceased humans through the tarot/oracle card divination method is common and there are plenty of spreads for it.

Gosh. I long forgot about this thread. I did try oracle cards but couldnt figure how to use them. I just really have conversations mostly. If I could figure how to use oracles and rocks that would be a plus. There isnt many resources here if not all expensive.


But, yeah, I may look back into that again.
 

Rishi

New Member
Gosh. I long forgot about this thread. I did try oracle cards but couldnt figure how to use them. I just really have conversations mostly. If I could figure how to use oracles and rocks that would be a plus. There isnt many resources here if not all expensive.


But, yeah, I may look back into that again.
In my opinion, the key to tarot and oracle reading is simply using your own intuition to decipher what the cards are trying to tell you. There are crystal and rock oracle decks. You may be one of those people who’d do best receiving a reading from someone else on this..
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
In my opinion, the key to tarot and oracle reading is simply using your own intuition to decipher what the cards are trying to tell you. There are crystal and rock oracle decks. You may be one of those people who’d do best receiving a reading from someone else on this..

I was thinking of using actual rocks. I think its called lithomacy. Im a nature hound; so, using that or things with my art for divination would be cool. I try not to make it too complicated.
 

DanishCrow

Seeking Feeds
Probably missed all you guys posts too....

A really REALLY belated Thanks

@Quintessence
@DanishCrow

@Rishi

Do you use tarot or other divination methods for communication?


Any time..

I would recommend that you contact an experienced shamanic practicioner (if you tell me where you live I may be able to help you look) for any urgent need to contact a specific individual.

For learning how to do so yourself, you need to learn how to create a sacred space and the associated ways of protecting yourself. Think of it as spiritual housekeeping: You don't want to get unwanted dirt or visitors when doing something that is supposed to bring help and clarity.
 
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