From our studies of tribal affairs throughout the world, we have discovered that the early peoples mixed mysticism and religion together and that, often, this combination governed the people. In our exploration of Halloween, we learned that the Paleopagans and the Celtic peoples used divination techniques to ascertain information for the good of the tribe on Samhain (summer’s end). Divination procedures continued to figure in Celtic-Christian practices, ceasing on a governmental level around 1300 c.e.; however, there we find numerous historical accounts of royalty and peasantry using divination tools in secret after that period. During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the prominence of the practice was such that she specifically instituted laws to stop people from divining the hour of her death. She felt that divinations on that subject would put her governmental affairs in jeopardy, but didn’t appear concerned over the religious ethical practice of fortunetelling.
During the Victorian era, Europe and America experienced a resurgent interest in divination techniques, though by then most of these activities had disintegrated into party games or were passed off as mere superstition. The Fox sisters began their foray into spiritualism and séances to talk to the dead in the 1930s, firing a fad that has undulated through American history since that time. By the 1960s in America, divination techniques sold as a service were outlawed by local ordinances in some areas, and on occasion state laws attempted to eradicate the practice, though in other, less biased areas such services continue to flourish. Virginia, a seat of colonial occult practices, gnawed viciously at its early roots, enacting stiff penalties for card readers and other types of occult practices. Although various local governments tried to eradicate divination-for-sale, the American appetite for such practices grew more ravenous with each passing year. Current sales on astrological techniques and divination practices remain a constant dollar maker as the American public searches for answers to age-old questions.
In this chapter we’ll cover some of the early divination practices of the Paleopagans as well as more recent techniques, including scrying and psychometry.
The Casting of Lots
Most tribal divination systems began with the use of “lots” made of bone, shell, or wood. The tribal system had a finite number of lots; for example, four to twenty-four pieces. Four lots could conceivably give you sixteen combinations, each combination relating to a specific message. Each pattern may have its own sponsoring divinity, future meaning, present advice, and spiritual plan. A second throw would include an additional finite number of messages. The more lots, the more patterns, the more throws, the more extensive the answers. The closest I’ve seen to this lot system is a Santerian technique called sortilege. The current popular rune system with twenty-four disks, each with its own design (depending on the system you use), began with the lot system.
Although we may think that a system of four lots would be easy to read and take little time to learn, this is not the case, especially when all possible patterns (including double throws) were committed to memory. At the minimum we are talking one full year of intense study, and three years of study for intermediate accomplishment. So if you think that Celts sat around throwing a few bones for a simple answer, you are sadly mistaken.
Through the survival of sortilege and the runic system,66 we see that several steps were taken by the magickal person before the lots were cast, including purification and prayer. The casting of lots was considered a very serious business, and the fun and games appearing in later Victorian practices at Halloween parties pale in comparison to these early divination techniques.
Yes/No Stones
For individuals who are not familiar with any divination technique, the yes/no stones are the easiest to master; however, the most difficult factors in using any divination techniques are not trusting your intuition and trying to second-guess the issue, and asking the proper question (wording your question in a clear and concise manner).
In any divination technique, the answer you receive indicates what will most likely happen if you continue on your chosen path. There are no demons, nasty critters, or bad old Satans moving the stones under your nose. Answers are culled from the collective human unconscious and tempered by divinity. Your fate is not fixed, nor is it carved in stone. Although I teach my children and students that there are no stupid questions in the world, stupid questions in divination will bring you stupid answers, and there are many questions that you could answer without a divination tool. For example, if someone sits down with me and asks for a reading, I usually ask them for a specific question. Focus, whether we are talking about divination or studying for an exam, should be your primary concern. If you ask me, “Will I ever lose weight?”—that is not a good question. I would then ask you, “Do you want to lose weight? If you want to, then you will; you don’t need a divination tool for that answer.” The same goes for “Will I ever get married?” Let’s face it: statistically, you probably will, therefore that’s not a good question either. Your marriage could be so far in the future that the present question truly isn’t valid. A very good rule of broomstick is: Read only for the next six months.
Sometimes you will get the right answer to the question, but not the answer that you need. For example, I cast a simple yes/no lot with the following question: “Did I bring the present situation upon myself?” What I really wanted to know was: Did I directly cause the problem I was currently experiencing—but I didn’t say that. The answer to my original question was “Yes.” This was a dilemma for me because I could not see how I caused the situation that I thought had nothing to do with me in the first place. Rather than scooping up the lots and dumping them in a drawer, I sat quietly and contemplated the answer to my question. I realized that, indirectly, I had caused the problem—simply by being who I am. This wasn’t a bad thing, just the honest answer. When I threw the lots again, rewording the question, I received the answer I needed to help me better understand the situation. I learned that I had not directly caused the situation, but the fact that I exist, and that I had been at a certain place at a certain time, brought the problem to my doorstep. From there, I could ask more questions and determine what would be best for me to do.
The final rule of broomstick when using any divination tool is not to depend on that tool for all your answers in life. A divination tool is just that—a tool, not God.
To make your own lots, choose three items of the same size: three small stones, three small pieces of wood, and so on. Paint one side solid or with a mark or a design. Leave the other side of the object blank. The painted side will mean a positive answer, the blank side will mean a negative answer. Hold the objects in your hands and ask your question in the manner that a yes or no answer would give you the information that you need. This isn’t always as easy as it sounds, but once you get used to wording your questions, your answers will be clearer.
Close your eyes and ask Spirit (or whatever you see as divinity) to aid you in this divination. Ask your question, then throw the objects. Use the key below:
Three yes objects = Yes
Three no objects = No
Two yes objects and one no object = A struggle, but the conclusion will be “Yes.” Throw again to determine the source of the struggle.
Two no objects and one yes object = Maybe, but the outcome has not been determined due to decisions that you, or someone else, will make. Throw again to learn more details.
Some individuals like to meditate first, and burn a candle while casting the yes/no lots. Try not to do your divination while you are rushed, as you won’t be able to concentrate properly. Keep a record of your answers.
If you would like to expand your lots to include a timing mechanism, paint a fourth stone with a full moon on one side and a new moon on the other. You can throw this with the other three lots, or separately.
Circle of Ashes and Stones
There are many practices followed on Halloween Eve that don’t fall into the lot system. These practices are “once and done” procedures that became superstition, but appear to be birthed by ritual or religious formulas. The earliest and most prevalent practices revolve around the bonfire and a white stone, and we can find records of this practice in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Britain. Each person takes a white stone, marks the stone, and buries it in the ashes of the bonfire. The person says a prayer and walks around the bonfire three times. In some areas, the young men of the family guard the stones, making a game out of protecting the “family jewels.” When the teens and young adults tire of jousting, the smaller children take over and the emotional content around the practice grows more serious. Just as children were used to “watch the hearthfires” in Germany67 and other Celtic regions to ensure warmth and cooking capabilities in the morning, here the little ones were responsible for the “lives” of each family member until dawn. If, the morning after the bonfire was reduced to cold ashes, any family member’s stone is discovered missing, the superstition prevailed that the person who belonged to the missing stone would be dead before the next Halloween. In North Wales, this fire was called Coel Coeth, where each family built a separate bonfire near their homes. In Scotland, the ashes were collected from all the bonfires in the area, then spread into a large circle. Each person would hide their stone in the ashes of the big circle. The next morning a Druid priest would rekindle the main bonfire to ensure the health and wealth of those whose stones remained.
Apple Divinations
Apples have figured prominently in Pagan religious and magickal lore, which is probably why the early Christians made it the fruit of evil. The apple’s history includes numerous accounts of sacred associations to goddess iconography, thus making it a perfect candidate for the Garden of Eden mythos. If we cut an apple in half, we find the five-pointed star (the pentacle), which is a positive magickal symbol meaning earth, air, water, fire, and the Spirit of the human. The people of Europe, however, were not about to give up their apples, despite the consternation of the early church, nor would they ignore the magickal folklore surrounding the fruit. In the British Isles, October 31 was known as Snap Apple Night, and a Cornish custom indicates that children were given a large apple on Halloween as a symbol of long life and happiness.
True love is the highest significance of the apple and we find numerous divinations throughout Halloween history that employ this forbidden fruit. Apples were thought to help you find a true love, or discover if your lover has been faithful (or not).
• If a girl stands before a mirror while eating an apple and combing her hair at midnight on Halloween, her future husband’s image will be reflected in the glass over her left shoulder.
• If a girl cuts an apple into nine pieces at midnight on Halloween in front of a mirror, then sticks each piece with the knife and holds each piece (one at a time) over her left shoulder, as the ninth piece hits the reflection in the mirror, she will see her future husband.
• If a girl peels an apple in one long piece at midnight on Halloween, and then tosses the peel over her left shoulder or into a bowl of water, she will be able to read the first initial of her future partner’s name in the shape assumed by the discarded peel.
• If a girl peels an apple at midnight on Halloween and hangs the peel on a nail by the front door, the initials of the first man to enter will be the same as those of her unknown lover.
• If a group of unmarried boys and girls each attach an apple to a string and twirl the apple over a fire, the order in which the apples fall off the string
indicates the order in which they will all be married. The owner of the last apple to drop will remain unmarried.
• In a group of unmarried boys and girls, each person marks an apple and places it in a large bucket of water, along with unmarked apples. Without using their hands, the teens attempt to take bites out of the apples floating in the water. The teen is fated to marry the person whose apple they bite. Another variation of this custom consists of hanging the apples from strings tied to a tree.
• The American custom of apple bobbing does not mark the apples. Whoever snags an apple first will be wed first, and if a boy or girl puts the apple they caught during the bobbing game under their pillow on Halloween Eve, they will dream of their intended lover.
• For the girl who has many suitors, the apple seed divination is a must. The young woman peels an apple and places a wet seed named for each boyfriend on her cheeks. The seed to fall off last will be her next lover. Variations include sticking the seeds on the eyelids or forehead. The girl can also put the seeds in a heavy pan on the stove. The first seed to pop declares who will be (or is) unfaithful.
• For a suitor to declare his bravery for his lady love at a party, the young woman’s apple is hung from a string on one side of a pole and a lit candle hung on a string on the other side of the pole. As the pole is spun amid cheers and laughter, the suitor must brave the flame to catch the apple in his teeth. If he fails to do so, the couple will not be a couple much longer.
As we can see, many of the practices slipped from the realm of divination and into the territory of party games—by the early 1900s no one really believed the divinations would work, but they presented such a delightful avenue for fun that the practices continued.
Water Divinations
Earth, air, water, and fire have always provided humans with access to the mystical realms involved in divination. Halloween Eve, as we’ve seen, was the night to delve into the unknown. Historically, water divinations appear popular during the harvest season. As with the apple divinations, water divinations began as a solo enterprise associated with Halloween, then eased into party games or activities to be done with group participation.
• If a young girl washes her undergarments on Halloween Eve and, without saying anything, hangs them over a chair to dry, she will (if she is awake long enough to see) watch the form of her future husband enter the room and turn the undergarments. One tale holds that a young girl in Scotland did this and instead of seeing her lover, saw a coffin. The next day she discovered that her lover had died.
• If a young woman goes to a lake at midnight on Halloween, and gazes at her image in the water, she shall see her lover’s face reflected before her.
• A young girl should take three pails of water and place them in her bedroom on Halloween Eve, then pin her nightdress opposite her heart with three leaves of green holly. If she is roused from a deep sleep by the call of three bears, the sounds will die away, followed by a hoarse laugh. After the laugh ceases, the form of her future husband will appear. If he is deeply attached to her, he will change the position of the pails. If not, he will pass from the room without touching them.
• A young girl, on Halloween Eve, should dribble hot wax (or hot lead) into a cauldron filled with water to find the circumstances of her intended. If the shape resembles a ship, he will be a sailor, while a coffin means widowhood, and so on. “In the unique and feisty Massachusetts community of Marblehead, unmarried women customarily hung a pot of tallow over the fire, then dropped iron hobnails into the fat, believing their husbands-to-be would appear.”68
• A surviving party game entails the use of three bowls and a blindfold. The first bowl is filled with clear water. The second bowl is filled with dirty water. The third bowl remains empty. The blindfolded person dips their hands into one of the bowls. If the bowl with the clear water is chosen, the blindfolded person will marry a virgin. If the bowl with dirty water is selected, then he or she will be widowed (or, depending on the game, will not marry a virgin). If the empty bowl is chosen, then the blindfolded person will not marry.
Another version of this game indicates that the clean water means the future partner will be attractive and a joy to be with; the dirty water means the prospective partner is married to someone else; and the empty bowl indicates no partner to be found at this time. An American variation of this game includes apples in the first bowl, nuts in the second, and soot in the third. If the apples are chosen, the individual will experience luck and love throughout the coming year (or throughout their life). If the nuts are chosen, the person will be quite fertile and have great strength and unchanging luck. If the blindfolded person chooses the bowl of soot, then they will experience loss of love or sickness in the coming year (or throughout their life).
Nut Divinations
The Celtic peoples believed that nuts held powerful magick, and in Britain October 31 was sometimes called Nut Crack Night. The early Celts gave offerings of hazel nuts and apples to the Samhain bonfires and hearthstone fires in hopes that the departed loved ones could eat the offerings on the Other Side. In America, chestnuts and walnuts were plentiful during harvest and figured prominently in popular divination games.
• A maiden gathers a handful of nuts and names each one for a potential suitor. On Halloween Eve she places all the nuts on a grate over the fire. If the nut burns true and does not move, the suitor will be faithful. If the nut moves or pops, the prospective lover will be unfaithful.
• A maiden gathers two nuts, one for herself and one for her suitor. On Halloween Eve she places them on a grate over the fire. If the nuts burn well together, then a long marriage and happiness is foretold. If, however, one nut darts sideways, the person the nut represents will stray and the other person is advised to seek a different mate.
Pumpkin Seed Divinations
for Solitaries or Parties
With all the pumpkins you’ll be carving this Halloween, be sure to set aside twenty-four large pumpkin seeds for this divination technique. The runes are a specific system of magickal writing and their age is about as old as the hills, meaning no one really knows how old they are. The cultures from which they sprang were wild, brazen, and strong, not refined like those of the Egyptians. Perhaps this is why the runes are so successful—they are uncorrupted by civilization.
There are twenty-four runes, and each has a corresponding phonetic sound, its own divinatory meaning, its own deity, and its own magickal use. In my personal opinion, the runes are far more powerful as a magickal vehicle than the tarot. They also mix exceedingly well with other tools.
The Germanic runes (those most familiar) are called the Elder Futhark. This is the entire sequence of the rune row in its fixed order, much like saying A B C D E, and so on. The Futhark is divided into three sections, called aettir or aett. Each section consists of eight runes in a fixed order.
The first tier deals with deities and their dominion, the second corresponds with necessary forces to bring about change, and the third deals with condition, usually human in nature.
To make your pumpkin runes, wash the seeds in a colander with cool water and allow them to dry thoroughly. With a fine-tipped black indelible felt marker, draw the rune signs shown below—one on each seed (on only one side). Hold the seeds over a dish of ice and ask for the blessings of water. Hold the seeds over a lit candle and ask for the blessings of fire. (Be careful—don’t burn yourself.) Draw a circle the size of a dinner plate on a piece of poster board. Put the seeds in a colorful dish or pouch.
Formulate your question carefully. You can pull one pumpkin rune to determine the answer, or you can shake all the pumpkin runes in your hands and drop them on the poster board. Here are the rules:
• Seeds with the rune pattern up should be read. Seeds with the rune pattern not showing are not to be read (or can be read as hidden influences, but this takes longer).
• Runes close to the center of the circle show what is happening now. Runes farther away from the center show situations moving in or moving out of your life.
• Runes close together tell a story, and can be read much like a sentence. Runes far apart may not relate to the same situation.
• Runes outside the circle show forces that circle your life at this time. You can use these forces or discard them—this is your choice.
Feoh, Fe (Abundance)
This rune stands for the creative aspects of fire and is female in nature. It is invoked for love, war, and WitchCraft. A good fortune rune, it allows you to draw wealth to you and maintain it. Feoh is a rune of new beginnings and expansive energy. Used with a healing rune, it acts as a catalyst/energy source. Feoh carries her own warning, one of the need to share the good fortune that comes to us, or else it will either destroy us or leave us worse off than we were before. Excellent in bind runes69 to bring in energy.
Ur (Strength)
The auroch is a now-extinct European bison that was considered extraordinarily ferocious. It is a masculine rune that corresponds to the fierce power of ice, as in the movement of the glaciers. Therefore, akin to a glacier, auroch moves with determination and purifies all it touches. Patience, courage, persistence, and strength are all qualities of this rune. It can be invoked for defense, crop fertility, good weather, strength, and healing. Excellent in bind runes for healing purposes.
Thuriasz, Thor (Opposition)
Thuriasz is seen as the force of opposition and chaos in the world and is the negative balance in the scales of nature. It is the shadow self of each person or positive deity. Thuriasz represents fire in its uncontrolled form and is the driving force behind a curse. Of all the runes, it is by far the most dangerous and can easily backfire. It was known as a war rune, one invoked to cause unmitigated fear and panic in the opponent. The rune Isa is used as a protective backdrop. But although extraordinarily destructive, it is also extremely protective. A ring of Thuriasz runes will keep out anything harmful or destructive.
Asa (Wisdom)
Asa is invoked for wisdom and occult knowledge from a higher, positive source. Its element is air and it is associated with the sacred breath. In Pow-Wow, Asa would be used during the faith healing process and is one of the runes that should be invoked by signing with the hand. It is often thought of as Odin’s rune and has the highest vibration of the twenty-four runes. Asa represents intelligence and reason and therefore corresponds well to the written word and all sorts of messages. It is used in invisibility spells, for healing, and for cursing.
Radio (Travel)
Radio literally makes things go. It represents the act of being in charge and of motion and allows you to control particular situations. Where Feoh makes things go, Radio represents the directed pathway on which it will travel. The primary element of this rune is fire. Radio is invoked as a conduit for taking control and beginning new projects. It is also good for legal matters and protecting any type of machinery on wheels.
Kenaz (Breakthroughs)
Kenaz may be seen as the divine torch, bearing clarity of thought and insight. Kenaz is invoked for protection, teaching, love, war, and WitchCraft. The element of fire in its beneficial form is shown here and is used in astral travel and to expose the hidden. Kenaz can be used as a weapon to get rid of unwanted influences.
Gebo (Gift)
The magickal connotation of Gebo is balance. It is the rune of partnership, whether you are speaking of two opposing or agreeing forces. Gebo is invoked to enhance exchange of data, ideas, or feelings. A rune of the element of air, it moves swiftly in many situations. It works well to bind two runes together and is used both in blessings and cursings. Gebo is the rune of honor and self-sacrifice.
Wunjo (Joy)
Wunjo is truly a happy rune, one of joy and happiness. It stands for blessings, fertility, gifts, light, and perfection. It is a fruitful rune and ensures proper payment for efforts extended. Wunjo is a harmonious rune. Combined with Radio, it will control and direct the will to a joyful conclusion. With Gebo, it brings one into harmony with divine will. The most beneficial aspect of Wunjo is the ability to exert one’s will to facilitate wishes coming true.
Hagalaz (Change)
Hagalaz stands for the seed of ice and liberation through drastic means. It is disruptive and affects change. Invoked, it can create confusion and disruption, but it is also excellent in staving off astral attack. It is used for protecting barns or homes from storms. Hagalaz indicates a need for change, a journey into the underworld of the subconscious to bring about positive transmutation. Hagalaz is an interesting rune, for it can turn someone’s past against them to hasten a positive change. This is the rune of Urd, the eldest sister of the Wyrd.
Nauthiz (Need)
Nauthiz is a good stress reliever as it allows you to reach deep inside yourself and bringing forth personal inspiration. Nauthiz is associated with Skuld, the third and youngest sister of the Wyrd. Runes that follow this one indicate what is needed in order to bring about the desired future. Nauthiz was considered a war rune, as its energies were used to stop and deflect incoming fire or magickal attack. To see Nauthiz in the world around you is an indication that a mistake has been made, a warning that there may be some unacknowledged needs to attend to.
Isa (Stop)
Isa is the rune of Verandi, the Wyrd sister who rules the present. She stops unrestrained growth and can freeze activity for a full three months, where the present situation is destined to remain the same for a short period of time. Isa is ice. Invoked, she is used to freeze another’s action and can negate disruptive influences, whether they are magickal or physical in nature. Isa can be destructive by not allowing needed movement.
Jera (Harvest)
Jera represents harvest and is a cyclical rune of reward. It represents a gentle flow of change rather than one of fast pace. It is a friendly, smooth-moving rune, used for timing in magickal operations. It can be used to speed things up or slow things down. Jera’s change is lasting and is effective for assisting those in great need.
Eihwaz (Endings)
Eihwaz stands for eternity and a world without time. It is a “go for it” rune but should not be used lightly due to its relationship to the Yew tree, the tree of death. Powerful in death spells, it is an excellent conduit for reaching ghostly realms and represents the Tree of Yggdrasil (the Tree of Life). Eihwaz is the rune of the hunter and can be invoked when searching for a person, place, or thing. It can also be used to find a job or a home. It is a good bind rune, providing it is used properly.
Perth (Secrets)
Perth is a rune of secrets and hidden knowledge and is the material used by the Norns to weave the tapestry of one’s fate. It often foretells an initiation experience, rebirth, or a discovery of great import. Invoked, it is useful for contacting the Norns, for past-life regression work, and for divination. It is a good rune to contact the collective unconscious of the folk soul. Perth is a rune of psychic powers, childbirth, and marital fidelity, and is often explained
as evolutionary process. Perth symbolism often appears when a great change is about to take place that has been hidden up to this point from the mind of its main participant.
Algiz (Protection)
Algiz is the main rune of protection. It acts as a powerful conductor and is said to represent the horns of a stag or elk. Invoked, Algiz is an excellent shield, from guarding letters through the postal system to protecting your home. It is also used when you fear a magickal working may have some unpleasant repercussions that you do not wish to deal with.
Sowilo (Success)
Sowilo is the sigil of the sun, navigation, and healing. Often its inspiration is from some type of divine source and the message that it brings is a needed one in order for you to reach your desired goals. Sowilo can be a slap in the face, indicating you were blinded by someone or something and now you need to wake up. Invoked, Sowilo is used in healing, to draw divine energy to the needed area or person.
Tiwaz (Justice)
Much like Maat in Egyptian symbology, Tiwaz is unperverted justice. Invoked for courage, honor, justice, dedication, and bravery in a difficult situation, Tiwaz lends justice to the deserving. Good when drawing up contracts and rules of play, and excellent in legal issues as a bind rune.
Birca (Beginnings)
Birca is the patron of mothers, children, and women’s mysteries. It provides both emotional and physical security and is the rune of the mysteries of the Wyrd. Birca is a soft and maternal rune. Invoke Birca for childbirth, problems involving children and marital affairs, women’s illnesses, and where things need to grow.
Ehwaz (Partnership)
Ehwaz is the symbol of the horseman or war horse. It is a rune that flows and adjusts to new issues or problems. Although often thought of as male in nature, it tends more to the female energies. Invoked, Ehwaz can bring people together or split them apart. It allows one to take control of a situation or issue and can create links for good or ill.
Mannaz (Destiny)
Mannaz is a people rune. It deals with the cooperation between people for a beneficial end and with the thought process of humanity, where it eventually falls to verbal, written, or legal form. Mannaz often deals with your life mission or your career. Invoked, it can provide an intellectual edge over an opponent. As a bind rune with Perth and Eihwaz, it is useful in contacting the dead.
Laguz (Flow)
Laguz is the rune of flow and sorcery and is used to gain access to someone’s mind, to send thoughts, and to facilitate mutual feelings. Its element is water and its gender is feminine. Invoked, it enables one to form things by visualizing with ease, attracting a love interest, and healing or visiting someone in dreamtime to talk seriously and honestly with them about a particular issue of mutual concern.
Inguz (Passion)
Inguz is a type of fertile, magick circle. It contains strong foundations and room to grow. As a bind rune, it is used as a vessel of gestation, whereas the other runes are placed inside the vehicle of Inguz. Invoked, Inguz is a doorway to the astral yet provides the necessary grounding for the journey. Inguz is a cyclical rune, where sowing, nurturing, and growth are evident.
Dagaz (Transformation)
Dagaz is a rune that indicates a breakthrough of exciting proportions. It marks the end of a cycle or era and the promise of something new and better. Dagaz is a catalyst rune in an uplifting and happy sense. Invoked, this rune brings light and transformation into a situation. It can also be used as a rune of protection and to hide things in the astral and the physical. Dagaz is mysterious and is said to render the wearer invisible. Placed at the four quarters of a magick circle, your work will go unnoticed by outside interference.
Othala (Roots)
Othala deals with ancestral property, both physical and nonphysical, as well as one’s heritage. Invoked, Othala brings ancestral power and supports values and traditions of the family. Othala gives access to the universal folk soul and provides a sense of togetherness. It is also used in centering either an issue or one’s self.
Blank Rune (Unknown)
Even a novice can use the runes for divination—just remember to stick to the key words (in parentheses after the rune) and you’ll be fine. Those who find the runic system intriguing, and wish to study this ancient technique fully, should check the suggested reading list at the back of this book.
Contemporary Halloween Party Lots
One doesn’t always have to be serious with a game of lots, and if you like you can make the questions up ahead of time or allow the participants to think up their own questions. Here’s a game to keep the laughter rolling at your next Halloween party!
1 bag dried beans
2 decorated boxes
A black marker
50 slips of paper
Divide the beans in half. On one half of the beans, use a black marker to make an X on both sides of the bean. Mix all the beans together in one of the decorated boxes. Now take fifty or more slips of paper and, in black marker, write a silly question on each paper. Fold each paper and place in the other decorated box.
Beans marked with an X are “yes” beans. Those not marked are “no” answers. Turn out all the lights and sit in a circle with a candle or two glowing in the darkness. Put both boxes in the center of the circle. Each person has to draw a question, ask it aloud, then draw a bean. They must tell the group their answer, and return the bean to the box. Throw the question away. Since this is a game, the questions can be as serious or as silly as you like. After you run out of questions, pass the box of beans around the circle. Each person is to ask a serious question of their own, and draw a bean to discover the answer. The serious question is to remind the participants of the legacy of drawing lots.
Making a Magick Mirror
Scrying (seeing into the future using a mirror, crystal ball, or other glass object) is such an old practice that no one knows when the tradition first began. Typically, the crystal ball or magick mirror remained the chosen favorite. In the past thirty years, with the new technologies in glass processing, many magickal practitioners have turned to artificially manufactured “crystal” balls. You can purchase a manmade scrying ball for a reasonable price. I think I spent eighteen dollars on the stand and twenty-eight dollars on the ball. Although some purists in the magickal community argue that manmade glass balls do not work well, the same number of individuals have experienced great success with these processed globes. Magick mirrors, on the other enchanted hand, are less expensive, requiring only the price of a convex glass, black enamel paint, and a selection of herbs. For you history buffs, forty years ago, the magick mirror was called a speculum.
1 convex piece of glass (an old clock face works well)
A wooden circle the size of the clock face
Black enamel paint
Mortar and pestle
Eyebright (herb)
Wormwood (herb)
1 glass jar
1 cup spring water
1 small black cloth (a black napkin will do)
Cheesecloth or a coffee filter
Glue
Clean the glass. Paint two coats of black enamel on the convex side of the glass. Paint both sides of the wooden circle with two coats of black enamel. (You can use spray paint—just be very careful you don’t create any drips.) Allow to dry thoroughly. Crush the wormwood and eyebright in the mortar with the pestle. Pour one cup of spring water into the glass jar. Add the herb mixture. Cover with black cloth. Let stand for twelve hours. Using cheesecloth, strain and dispose of the herbs. Paint over the enamel with the spring water mixture three times. Allow to dry thoroughly between applications. Glue the glass onto the wooden disk. Let dry.
Making a Scrying Vehicle
Whether you use a crystal or glass ball or employ a magick mirror on Halloween Eve for scrying, you need to collect some supplies and prepare the vehicle.
2 black tablecloths
A yellow placemat cut into a triangle, twelve inches each side
Morgana’s incense mixture or other clearing and purifying incense
1 white candle (for Spirit)
1 purple candle (for speaking to the dead)
Pencil and a pad of paper (for keeping record of your questions and answers; at a party, you may wish to use a tape recorder)
Place a black tablecloth on the table you intend to use for scrying. Set the yellow triangle in the middle of the table. Put your magick mirror or glass ball in the center of the triangle. This triangle represents spiritual protection. (If you want to be really snazzy, you can embroider a yellow triangle on the tablecloth and dispense with the plastic rendition.) Light the incense and pass the smoke over the candles and the divination tool, asking the energies of air to exorcise, consecrate, and bless your vehicles (tools) for divination.
To prepare a crystal or glass ball, wash thoroughly, then pass the ball over fire and ice, asking for the exorcism, consecration, and blessing of Spirit, then follow the directions below for either the ball or your magick mirror.
Hold the white candle tightly in your hands and ask Spirit to exorcise and bless the candle. Light the white candle, asking for the presence of divine Spirit. If you will be talking to the dead, perform the same technique with the purple candle, but do not light the candle at this time.
Hold your hands over the magick mirror or crystal ball and ask Spirit to exorcise and bless this vehicle of divination, this portal to the world of the unseen. Seal the blessing by drawing an equal-armed cross in the air over the divination tool, saying “So mote it be.” Snuff out the candle, remove the burning incense, and cover the table with the second black tablecloth, protecting the ball or mirror until you are ready to use the divination tool.
On Halloween Eve, remove the protective black tablecloth and set aside. There are a few rules in scrying:
• Scry in a quiet place, without threat of interruption.
• If you are doing this at a party, use a separate room so that the happy guests do not distract you.
• Do not ask silly questions.
• Do not ask to speak to someone you don’t know. Stick to Spirit or a deceased person who held only unconditional love for you.
• You can scry in a fully lit room, but some people require reduced lighting or only the light of the Spirit candle. I have found it easier to use only the candle light, as bright lights distract me.
• If you wish to speak to the dead, please read chapter 7 thoroughly first.
When you are ready to scry, light the incense and say:
In the name of Hecate
Great lady of the crossroads
I summon forth thy gift of far sight
From your lips to my ears
Bring forth the information I require
Blessings upon us this hour.
So mote it be.
If you wish to gain information from a specific loved one, call out his or her name three times, and then light the purple candle. Sit quietly, take a deep breath, and relax. If you wish to speak to a deceased loved one, you may find it helpful to have an article of clothing or a piece of jewelry that belonged to them. If you can’t find either of these articles you could place his or her favorite flower on the table.
Every time you ask a question, pass the incense over the ball or mirror in an equal-arm cross motion both before you ask the question and after you have received the answer. Begin by saying:
I call forth my guardian angel
to act as guide and protector this Halloween Eve
Blessings of the Spirit upon you
Speak to me (the person’s name, or just say Great Spirit—
magickal people may wish to intone the name of an archetype).
Then ask your question. Be honest and ask your questions from the heart (no fooling around!). Gaze into the ball or mirror. Your vision will begin to tunnel, and you may perceive a mist moving over the divination vehicle. Sometimes the mist clears and you will see flashing pictures in your mind. Very rarely does one see an actual “picture” in the glass. I warn you that scrying takes practice, so you might want to experiment first before you make scrying the main event for your Halloween party. Once you have received information, write it down. It doesn’t matter if the information doesn’t make sense. You can contemplate the meaning later, not now. If you engage your analytical mind, you may not get any answers at all. When you have finished, thank Spirit, your guardian angel and, if you called a deceased loved one, send blessings and love to him or her, giving the loved one license to depart. Cleanse the divination vehicle one last time with the incense, then pass it over the fire. Say:
This session is over.
Hail and farewell.
Snuff out both candles. You can use the candles again for the same purpose, but do not use these candles for any other magickal or mundane operation. Some magickal individuals sprinkle the vehicle with holy water that they have gotten from the Catholic Church or made themselves. Wrap the divination tool in both black tablecloths and store in a plastic bag in a safe place with the candles and the yellow triangle.
Psychometry
Psychometry is the art of holding an object and identifying what information you receive from that object. All material things pick up psychic impressions of the people or animals that have either held or touched the object. Practicing psychometry can be great fun at a Halloween party or Samhain ritual. Remind each guest to bring an item that has an unusual history attached to it. Suggest that the histories be pleasant if you are dealing with nonmagickal guests. Place the items on a black cloth where they will not be disturbed until you are ready to relate your psychic impressions. You can lower the lights to set a calm and peaceful mood. You may play soft music in the background. Here are the rules to give to your guests before you begin. Please read the instructions first before trying this exercise. Remember, everyone is to get a turn.
• Everyone must be quiet while an individual is practicing psychometry. No whispering, laughing, or cracking jokes. Anyone who is not serious about using psychometry can leave the room.
• Hold the item lightly in your hand. Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
• Relax and take your time. You may need several minutes to feel calm and lock into information. You may see flashes in your mind, or your imagination might take you on a journey. Go with it.
• Say whatever comes to mind. Don’t analyze. The other guests can do that later.
• When someone is practicing psychometry, say “That’s right” the first time they hit on a correct statement. This gives the holder a psychological assurance to continue. Say nothing further and allow the “holder” to finish. Some individuals will be hesitant and say only one or two things, where others might give numerous impressions. The number of impressions received is not important.
• When you are done, say, “I’m finished,” and pass the object to the next person.
• When the next person says something new that is correct, say, “That’s right” and allow them to continue.
• When everyone has given his or her impressions of the object, the owner stands up and gives the complete history of who the object belonged to, what that person was (or is) like, and any information surrounding a pertinent event that involved the object.
Summary
In this chapter we’ve explored several divination vehicles, covering simple techniques and some of the more complicated vehicles. We do have a few general rules for divination, which we should cover before you test your hand at foretelling the future.
• A divination tool is only a vehicle. The tool is not possessed by any odd, grotesque entity. The vehicle contains only what you put into the tool.
• A divination tool tells you only what will most likely happen if you continue on your present path. If you choose to take a different path, then the outcome of the situation will be different.
• Do not live solely on information given by the divination tool. Use your free will and common sense.
• Never, ever say bad things to another person about his or her future. Divining carries a great responsibility on your part. Do not abuse the tool. If you do, you will reap exactly what you sow.
• If you cannot answer the question posed, then tell the truth. It is far better to say, “I don’t know,” than to make something up, fearing that you will look foolish. The honest diviner will be truly blessed in the future. The dishonest diviner will pay dearly for his or her journey into a self-gratifying ego trip.
• Be especially careful when speaking to the dead. They are dead, they are not God; therefore, they don’t know everything. Do not contact individuals who were not truthful in life, even if they loved you more than life itself, and never try to contact anyone who had a history of abuse, criminal behavior, or mental dysfunction. The only exception here would be an Alzheimer’s patient, who will retain his or her original faculties after death.
• If you treat the process of divination with respect, you will reap great rewards. If you treat the technique as a joke, you will glean nothing of the truth.
• Do not analyze your answers until you have finished with the reading. If you are working alone, I suggest taping the reading so that you won’t have to interrupt yourself to write down the information you receive.
Divination can be a rewarding and useful process, assisting in goal planning, problem solving, and raising your self-esteem. I suggest that you work with several divination tools until you find the practice that works best for you. I also urge continual study on the subject, as there will always be opportunities to add to your education.
66. There are several other systems, but I’m using these two as examples only.
67. Wilhelmina Keefer, personal interview, 1992.
68. Marion L. Starkey, The Devil in Massachusetts, Doubleday/Anchor, 1969, pages 34-35.
69. Bind rune: Drawing several runes together, making a unique pattern for a particular magickal act.