What kind of divination do you do or are you good at? Or what kind has been successful for you?

I dabble a little in tarot cards, but only for myself.
I'm really just a beginner, and my understanding of the cards is sometimes a bit off.
but I suppose it is a matter of practice really.

I also tried I Ching, but that was at a time when I didn't have the peace of mind for it.
I might try it again now that I'm more balanced

I'm not sure if I need divination into the future. The reason being that I have a very good innate sense of whether or not I'm on the right path at any given moment. I can usually tell if I'm not on the right path. Owl sense it and just change directions.

I think where divination might come in handy for me is in revealing to me precisely what changes need to be made to pursue a particular path. I do find tarot cards quite interesting in that regard.

My very first tarot 'self-reading' was quite profound actually. I asked a very serious question that I very seriously wanted an answer to. I think this is paramount. I think it works best if you are seriously interested in knowing something and not merely casually curious about it.

I had also read a bit about tarot before I asked my question so I had a good idea of how to phrase the question first. I had a particular goal in mind that I wanted to achieve. Although, the goal was abstract. By that I mean, I wanted to know what I must do to achieve happiness in life and find a mate. I didn't have a specific mate in mind.

I had also studied various tarot spreads and I chose a spread that seem appropriate for my question. I know that a lot of psychics often use a particular four or five card spread or just the Celtic cross and rely mainly on their own psychic ability to do the bulk of the work. But not being a psychic I felt I needed to find a spread that was designed for the type of question I was asking. I found a 9-card spread called the "Cross and Triangle" which seemed to fit my question very well. In fact, there was also an intuitive draw to this spread, so I suppose you might call that a 'psychic' element.

Anyway, I mediated on my question and then dealt out the Cross and Triangle using a tarot deck that I also felt intuitively attracted to. The result was phenomenal.

In the significator position (which I did not manually choose) there sat the King of Swords. That was supposed to be my "current status". Well, that card suits me to a 'T'. Or at least it used to.

I used to be the King of Swords in my younger days. At least as I have come to know this card. It represents a command of the power of Air. And that represents logos and reason. It also represents a man of high moral standards, creativity, and verbal skills. But then it also represents a man who is true to his principles and lives by them.

Note: It's my understanding that when doing tarot the cards should be interpreted according to what sits right with the reader. This means of divination is supposedly a projection of my own psychic mind. And therefore it projects that cards according to how I think of them. Because of this, it would be totally meaningless for someone else to tell me what they might perceive the King of Swords to mean for them. This isn't there divination. It's mine. It's projection of my higher self attempting to communicate with me.

Anyway, I had to keep in mind the Big Picture.

I'm asking "What do I need to do to find a mate and be happy?"

I'm not asking what my future will be!

Therefore this reading is not like telling my fortune, but rather it's just answering my question.

What it's telling me with the significator card is that I need to BECOME the King of Swords again.

Why am I no longer the King of Swords? Because of the very last thing I described for that card, "it represents a man who is true to his principles and lives by them" Well, that's where I've fallen short. I have all these high ambitions and moral values, but I no longer live by them. I over indulge in the sins of the flesh. Mainly sloth, gluttony, and lust for material junk. I've become a pack rat and I've buried myself in a pile of earthy garbage, whist eating a diet of doughnuts and soda pop. And I don't exercise anymore.

I've become a slothy pig. I'm no longer the King of Swords. That may be my values, but I'm not living up to them.

Ok, so what's next? Well the card sitting just to the left of the King of Swords is the card that represent what's in my way. This is the card that is stopping me from achieving my dream.

What card is sitting there? The devil. The card that represents sloth, gluttony, and lust, as well as some other things that hopefully don't apply to me.

I'm not going to go through all 9 cards, but I can assure you that every card in the spread couldn't have been more perfect or more deeply meaningful in the position it occupied in this spread relative to my question.

The 10th card is the card that represents the final outcome was the 10 of cups. That card represents the epitome of happiness particularly with respect to a romantic relationships and family.

It couldn't have been a more perfectly laid-out spread if I had chosen the cards individually and laid them out myself.

It was basically just telling me that if I just get off my lazy ass and just do it, it'll happen!

And it even gave lots of hints along the way on how to make sure it happens!

It wasn't a divination into the future. It was a very precise answer to my question, "What must I do to find a mate and be happy"

And the answer was simple. Get off your lazy butt, live up to your true morals, and go get her!

An answer I already KNEW but didn't want to face.

But seriously, the accuracy of this spread to this question was profound. Almost scary. It's like the cards were saying to me, "This works! What else would you like to know?"

I have yet to ask another question. Um too scared of what the answer might be.

I have a pretty good track record for predicting the future when it comes to questions like "how will this trip turn out?" or "will this person get fired?". I have absolutely no luck predicting the future for questions like "when will I meet someone?" "will I meet someone?" "will I be rich?" etc.

I can read a lot about specific situations and have always been accurate. But, not in seeing what will or will not happen that is not already in motion. Does that make sense?

To me it makes perfect sense

I also have a hard time reading for myself. When I read for others I often get very specific images or words in my head to define the situation. When I read for myself I have a harder time. I'm not objective enough, I think. Not that I never can, I do all the time. But, the more emotional I am about a situation, the less likely I will do an accurate reading on it.

That's why I do meditation or breathing exercises before I start. Somehow it helps me to be more objective.

(Geez, I should have done them befor I started typing )

that's an excellent idea. (about doing them before the reading not before typing. )

The authors of several tarot books I've read have suggested meditating on the question at hand before doing self readings.

They've also suggested either holding the cards during the meditation, or at least having them sitting on an altar during meditation.

The meditation should be focused on the question at hand. Some authors even suggest placing a crystal on top of the deck during the meditation. Especially a crystal that the psychic uses often for their personal energy.

Of course, these are merely suggestions and everyone has their own way of doing things.

Some people pass the deck through incense smoke. And people often use a particular incense scent for specific types of questions, (i.e. romance, finance, family matters, etc.)

There are probably as many different ways of doing it as their are practicioners.

I have absolutely no desire to do readings for other people at all. So I focus on reading books that are aimed particularly at self-readers, and on how to improve my own psychic ability.

I'm in it solely for the self-improvement aspect.

If someone asked me to do a reading, I wouldn't do one. Instead what I would do is offer to help them do a self-reading.

First, I would explain how to best phrase their question (based on what I've learned from books I've read)

Second, I would offer them to choose the deck that calls to them the most. I have quite a few tarot decks, and I would have them look through them and pick the one that says something to them. Or better yet, if they are dead serious I would ask them to purchase their own deck.

Third, I would help them pick out the best spread that would be suited to their question. I could probably offer them several spreads to choose from and I would tell them to choose which ever one calls to them.

Then I would have them suffle the cards whilst concentrating on their question.

I would have them deal out the spread.

And then I would try to help them analzye it to the best of my ability. I would do that by simply telling them what each position means, and showing them what the meanings of the cards are.

I can actually show them because I have the meanings all printed out in a 3-ring binder.

I use Joan Bunning's interpretations as a basis.

http://www.learntarot.com/cards.htm

I like them because they are quite abstract and can be quite interesting to use.

I also believe that cards can have different meanings in different contexts, so I'm not inclined to accept it when people tell me that a particular card always means the same thing. I think the context of the question, the spread, and the position within the spread can often influence what the card is trying to convey.

I'm an abstract maniac.

So in other words, I don't do readings, but owl be glad to teach someone else how to do their own readings.

I personally feel that all of this stuff (witchcraft, shamanism, divination, or whatever) is a means to get in contact with my higher self.

Therefore I am no one else's psychic.

Maybe there are other people who can be psychic for other people. But I'm only interested in becoming psychic with my own higher self.

And I would be willing to teach these same techniques to other people.

I'm not about to try to read their subconscious. That's up to them to do that.

That's where I'm coming from.

I'm a very pragmatic self-psychic.

Or at least I'm trying to learn to become one.

This fits in line with what many people teach. I just watched Deepak Chopra's lectures on "The Way of the Wizard", and in those lectures he was saying that only we can do this for ourselves.

That's not to say that other people can't help us along. But ulimately we must be the ones to make contact with our own spirit. No one else can do that for us.

So that's pretty much the stance I take thoughout my entire journey into witchcraft, shamanism, diviniation, and all the rest of it.

I don't denounce the psychics who claim to be able to do divination for other people. It's just not something I'm interested in doing for others, nor having done for me by another.

I'm on a path of self-enlightenment only.

I would say that in-line with what Deepak Chopra teaches in "The Way of the Wizard", I'm in the 'seeker' stage of development. Hoping to soon become a 'seer' (a psychic).

Maybe when I actually become a seer owl feel differently about doing divination for other people.

Until then, I'm a seeker.

A tenderfoot shaman.

There's no sense in pretending otherwise. That would just be the ego raising its head saying, "I wanna be something more than I truly am".

But I can help other people become their own tenderfoot shaman as well.

If that's what they want.

Joan Bunning is a great author on tarot cards. After using many books I now use one regularly during my readins. Tarot Plain and Simple by Anthony Louis.

I learned that in reading Tarot you have to settle on a meaning or meanings that YOU believe the card to represent. It doesn't matter if someone else would interpret the card differently. When you are doing a reading the cards will come up to speak to you.

So, if you read the Lovers card to mean a relationship vs. making a choice about something, the card will come up to answer your question based on your belief of what the card means. does that make sense?

My deck was given to me by my mother.

the book I was reading suggested that you shouldn't use a deck that you bought yourself, but one that was given to you as a present.

I think it has more to do with how your brain reads the different uses of symbolism/artwork on the card. I went through so many beautiful decks with no luck. I finally went to the Rider Waite. Not so beautiful, but the symbolism works on my brain very well. I just "get" the cards.

Who uses reversals?

I don't, for a beginner it is far too complicated.
I might switch later on when I'm more experienced

and my deck is a Rider Waite, too. I have chosen it myself, it sort of called to me.

I haven't for a very long time. Quit using them as it was interfering with my really learning the cards. I was doing a very important reading for someone the other day and I realized if I wanted to see deeper I would have to use them. I guess it was just time for me to start. When you're ready to use them you'll just know it.

Then it's the right one for you.

I absolutely had to buy the Rider Waite deck if only because it's such a popular standard. And I also wanted to use it as a basis for understanding other tarot decks.

However, since that time I've learned quite a bit about the history of tarot and it's come to my attention that there is truly nothing special about the Rider Waite deck, other than the fact that it's very popular.

I personally don't like the way Swords were done in the Rider Waite Deck.

As I continued to learn about alchemy and witchcraft, and the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. I came to the relization that Swords represents Air. And Air is suppose to represent Logos and Reason.

I've done a LOT of reading on this particular topic. And I think there are two reasons that Swords became they way they are in most tarot decks. One is because Swords are associated with war and conflict, and the other is because people struggle a lot with trying to rationalize the world. (i.e. they have problems with logic and reason in a seemingly illogical world).

Well, if I had to pick one card in the entire tarot deck to be my significator card it would be the King of Swords. But not for the reasons of war, conflict, or having trouble with logic.

On the contrary, I would chose that card as my significator card because to me logic and reason (and the mind) are one of the most beautiful aspects of incarnation.

I have no conflict with logic and reason. I also view Air as being associated of communication.

In fact, I'm currently designing a tarot deck that replaces Swords with a suite I call Quills.

Quills are pens made of feathers. They represent WORDS, not SWORDS.

It is the suit of reason, to me.

Ironically I don't change the meanings of the cards so much as I change their perspective. Rather than viewing them as conflicts, I few them as opportunities of resolution and communication.

It's the same subject matter, just viewed from a positive perspective instead of a negative pespective.

I view it from the point of view of resolution, rather than of conflict.

And this is actually more in line with how I think of the element Air.

So I will go from being the King of Swords, to becoming the King of Quills.

I don't use the Rider Waite deck as my main deck though. I actually have two other decks that I perfer.

The Llewellyn tarot deck. This deck is based on a Welsh theme and is more in line with witchcraft than the Rider Waite deck. I might be drawn to this since I am part Welsh. This deck also uses the 'Horned God' in place of the Devil card. But there is a lengthy explanation in the book that comes with these cards. It acutally explains Herne as the God of nature and how to interpret this card in much the same way as the devil card (i.e. associated with material things, and obcessions), but it does it in a more positive light.

I like the Llewellyn tarot deck a lot.

Another deck I use is the Mystic Faerie Tarot. This is based on faeries of course. From reading the book and looking at the deck it appears to have been designed specifically for young girls.

It must by my inner child that is attracted to this deck. I like it a lot. All the faeries are depicted as fairly young people, Including a girl Preistess, and a boy priest who takes the place of the hierophant.

In fact, the deck I'm designing contains a lot of babies actually. I think my inner child is screaming to be set free.



I've decided to not use reversals at all. From what I can tell there is no standard, and I just see no need for it. That stardard meanings of the cards are diverse and full of enough meaning without getting crazy about it.

Besides there are so many different ways that people use reversals.

1. Same meaning but more pronounced.
2. Same meaning but subdued.
3. Opposite from what it would mean upright.
4. Has a totally different meaning altogether.

I just decided that reversals are nonsense that I don't need in my life.

Tarot is rich enough in meaning as it is. So I just use all cards upright.

The way I suffle I don't get any reversals anyway.

I pay attention to signs that reflect the energy that is present.

I pay particular attention to any deja'vu feelings I get. They signal that the process of an event is as it should be according to the manifestation that preceded it. They are like checkpoints in the implicate order.

I occasionally do tarot card readings when I need guidance and advice on something, but I am so convinced that I am in charge of my future that I am to stubborn to ask about my own future.

This is the way I feel about divination in general.

In some ways it's truly meant for people who have no clue what to do next.

Of course, a lot of people view it as a 'fortune telling' device.

It's my own personal opinion that this aspect of tarot and divination in general is really just a side show for a circus. It's hollywood stuff. Misguided hype.

I actually view tarot more as a pscyhological tool. If there is any 'divination' to it, it comes from our own subconscious.

Like the spread I described earlier. It was a perfect answer to my question. But it truly wasn't anything I didn't already know. It also wasn't a prediction of my future, it was merely a possible path I could take if I so choose.

In fact, most of the books I've read about tarot actually denounce question like, "What will the future be?" or "Who should I marry?", or "Will my sick mother die?".

Those questions are considered to be invalid questions by many authors of tarot books.

Better questions would be like the one I asked, "What I can do to create a certain future?".

That gives me specific ideas to ponder.

What good would it be to know what the future holds if you can't change it? That could be miserable.

Like instead of asking, "Will I get a raise?", ask, "What can I do to get a raise?"

The first question is asking for a prediction of the future. The second question is asking what action should be taken.

I see the value in asking what actions can be taken. I see no value in asking what the future has already been. As far as I'm concerned it hasn't been yet. So it's a moot question anyway.

So I don't look at diviniation as 'fortune telling'. I look at it more as food for thought on what options are available.

I'm a very pragmatic witch.

Knowing what options are available is useful information. Knowing what has already happened in the future is futile.

When speaking of the future, I have often pondered this question. There were times when I did sort of 'know' the future. I would say, "I know the what the future holds, I'm just trying to get through it."

Imagine your life was a holographic movie and you could go back and start living it at any point with your full memory in tact. Imagine that you also had the ability to change your choices and go down a different path and create a different outcome.

But the history of the world events would basically remained the same.

You could probably effect change in your own life and maybe you could effect change a little in the world but probably not anything that would be noticed.

Even if you could not effect change in major events, you can effect change in your own life and your own responses to events. Your own life is where you are most able to effect change.

People should stop trying so much to fix everybody else or change the world, they should start where they have the most power:... them self.

I agree JB. And, when I "see the future" I believe I am seeing the most probably future based on my current path. If I don't like the future I see, I change it. I find the most beneficial use of the cards is that I can read people's motives and see where they are coming from. Knowing if someone's intentions and motives are positive or negative can go a long way in understanding what is happening.