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acuto-manzia
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A method of divination using thirteen
pins (10 straight and 3 bent). They
are shaken in the hand and dropped on
a surface sprinkled with powder. The
patterns in the powder as well as the
pins are read.
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aeromancy
-
Air conditions, cloud formations and
other atmospheric phenomena are observed
for omens and prognostications. The
Star of Bethlehem that herald the birth
of Jesus is one such example and weather
forecasting is another. Today we have
machines to do the observations i.e.,
barometer and computers. austromancy
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- alectromancy
alectryomancy
- This
form of divination is similar to the
Ouija board where messages are spelt
out. In this form the cock is the planchette.
He pecks at grains that are placed on
a circle of letters and the message
is spelt out by the grains consumed.
As this is going on, the questioner
chants an incantation.
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aeluromancy
aleuromancy
-
A divination where answers to questions
are rolled into balls of dough and cooked.
The balls are mixed nine times then
chosen at random. A modern day version
would be the Chinese fortune cookie.
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alepouomancy*
- The
prediction of the future based on a
fox's paw prints.
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alomancy
- The
diviner interprets future events by
throwing salt crystals and analyzing
the patterns, either after it is thrown
or as it is airborne.
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alphitomancy
- This
form of divination is used in determining
guilt and innocence. Each "suspect"
eats a barley-cake and the one who gets
indigestion is the guilty party. To
ensure success, there was a special
recipe used to aid in the participants'
indigestion. aelurmancy
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amniomancy
- The
membrane that surrounds a newborn's
head (caul) was used to determine the
baby's future. If the color was red
this indicated then good fortunes ahead
but if the color was lead there was
misfortune instead. If the membrane
was whole and intact, the child would
not die by drowning. It is said that
even seafarers would try to buy cauls
to prevent against this fate.
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- anthropomancy
- An
ancient form divination where the internal
organs of sacrificed humans are interpreted.
There are many recorded cases through
out history and in most of these cases
the victims were women and children.
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- anthroposcopy
- This
is the art of discovering or evaluating
a person's character, desires and inclinations
from studying their visible features.
Similar to anthropometry, which is the
study of actual physical measurements
of the body's features. The Italian
criminologist, Cesare Lombroso claimed
that certain craniofacial features could
identify certain criminal types; i.e.,
murderers have prominent jaws. He based
this on numerous measurement analysis
of criminals. Later, a French police
officer named Eugene Vidocq took these
findings and started the documentation
of facial characteristics of criminals
for identification purposes, which are
still used today.
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- apantomancy
- Divination
is read from chance meetings with animals
or objects. It is considered to be a
bad omen for a black cat to cross your
path. While in ancient Rome, it was
a good omen for a she-goat to cross
your path.
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arithmancy
-
A divination using numerical values.
Letters are converted into numeric value
through various methods and then added.
In ancient Greece, the combatant whose
name had the greatest value was predicted
to win in a fight. The Kabbalah, which
is the basis of many occult philosophies,
is filled with numeric divination. numerology
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- armomancy
- Supposedly
divination by inspecting shoulders.
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ashagalomancy
- A
divination system of casting small bones
each with a particular meaning. This
method is considered the early form
of dice divination where the numbers
on the dice have corresponding letters.
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aspidomancy
- A
form of divination practiced in the
Indies. A diviner sits on a shield that
is in a designated circle and enters
a trance while in this state he conjures
the devil to reveal the answers.
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astragalomancy
astragyromancy
- Form
of divination that uses dice marked
with letters of the alphabet. The dice
can be any shape or form. See an earlier
form this called ashagalomancy.
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Astrampsychus
- The
Astrampsychus is a Greek handbook containing
charts and tables to aid in the translation
and understanding of the oracles, which
were messages from the Gods.
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astrology
- An
extremely popular form of divination
that uses the celestial bodies: the
sun, moon, planets, and stars. In the
Kabbalah this practice is called Monen.
horoscopy
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augury
- Augury
is used as a synonym for divination
but in ancient times it was a Greek-Roman
divination where birds' flight patterns
or singing were interpreted to foretell
future events. Some of these practices
are still used today; for example, birds'
migration patterns are good indicators
of seasonal changes.
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austromancy
- A
type of aeromancy divination where predictions
are made from wind's behavior. Many
of these prophecies still live in our
sayings today, "North winds blowing,
which means cold is coming".
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axinomancy
-
Divination is accomplished by means
of a hatchet or ax. There are two known
methods; both are for determining direction.
(1) Direction for an item: The ax head
was heated and held perpendicular in
the air. A round agate is place on the
rim of the ax. If the agate remained,
the item you were searching is lost
and cannot be found. In the case where
the agate rolled off the action was
then repeated three times. If the agate
rolled in the same direction every time
that was the direction where the item
lay but if it didn't you had to look
farther afield. (2) Direction for finding
a person: An ax is cast into the ground
so that the handle is perpendicular
in the air. Those involve in the search
would dance around the ax until the
handle fell to the ground. The handle
pointed to the direction that the person
took.
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belomancy
-
An ancient Babylonian practice where
arrows are tossed in the air and as
they fell the direction was determined.
rhabdomancy
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bibliomancy
-
A popular divinatory method that is
still used today. A book is chosen for
the purpose often related to your question.
The book is randomly opened and a finger
is arbitrarily placed on the page. The
sentence, passage or even picture is
the prophecy or answer. During the Middle
Ages, to find out if someone was guilty
of sorcery- they were weighed against
the Church Bible. If the person outweighed
the Bible (which was often the case)
the person was guilty. rhasodomancy,
stichomancy
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biorhythm*
-
This foretelling the future by observing
the body's natural rhythms evolving
the emotional, physical and intellectual
phases.
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bletonism
-
This is the ability to perceive subterranean
springs and currents by sensation and
is supposedly named after Bleton of
France. dowsing
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botanomancy
-
This is a general term for divination
using plants and herbs. One method is
to use the leaves from a particular
tree and throw them into the wind. alomancy
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bronchiomancy*
- This
is divination by interpreting the lungs
of sacrificed animals
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capnomancy
-
A term used for smoke and fume divination.
The smoke that read is specifically
produced for the purpose of the divination.
For example, branches of vervain and
briar, on which the questions have been
carved, are burned. The smoke produced
from this element indicates the answer.
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captromancy
enoptromancy
-
A form of divination that uses a mirror.
A mirror is placed so that it catches
a reflection of another substance. Usually
this is something that is hard to hold,
for example moonbeams or water reflections.
Then the reflections in the mirror are
interpreted. Mirror divination is similar
to crystal gazing.
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cartomancy
-
A method of telling someone's fortune
by using a deck of cards. Although many
decks can be used a specific one has
developed over time called tarot.
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cartopedy
-
A Persian divination using feet much
like palmistry uses the hands. The size,
shape and form of the entire foot are
taken into consideration in addition
to the lines. This is still a serious
science in India and Pakistan. Cartopedist
are sought in matters of marriage, jobs
and even solving crimes.
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causimomancy
-
Divination derived from an object's
behaviors when placed in fire. It is
a good omen when something combustible
doesn't ignite. Common items that have
been used in this method are animals,
humans, salt, leaves, sticks and incense.
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cephalomancy*
-
The skull or head of a donkey or goat
is used to perform divination. kephalonomancy
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ceraunoscopy
-
A sub-category of aeromancy divination
that pertains mainly to air and in particular
thunder and lightning. chaomancy
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ceromancy
ceremancy
ceroscopy
-
A divination using wax from candles.
Wax is melted into liquid form then
it was poured into a bowl containing
cold water. The resulting shapes, which
are usually circular, are then read.
molybdomancy
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chaomancy
-
A sub-category of aeromancy that interprets
clouds and their shapes or figments
in the air like comets.
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chirognomy
cheiromancy
-
All aspects of the hand are studied.
The shape, form, lines, palms, finger
and fingernails are interpreted. This
is commonly known as palmistry. It is
said that a hand with square fingers
and proportionately wide palm indicates
a logical, pragmatic person who can
be over-skeptical.
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clacking*
-
Divining by 'clacking' two stones together.
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clairaudience
-
Form of ESP (extra sensory perception)
where divinatory information is heard
audible only to the person with this
talent.
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clairvoyance
-
Form of ESP (extra sensory perception)
where the divinatory information is
seen. This is commonly known as second
sight.
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cledonomancy
cledonomantia
cledonism
-
This divination dates back to the Greek
and Roman days where omens of good and
evil were ascertained from chance remarks
that were spoken without premeditation.
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cleidomancy
clidomancy
-
A divination for interpreting guilt
that uses the movements of a suspended
key. There are various methods to this
practice. One method is to take a house
key and enclose it inside a Bible on
the 50th Psalm. The bible
is then sealed shut and suspended on
a nail. Guilt is established when Bible
turns as the suspect's name is mentioned.
dactyliomancy
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cleromancy
-
A very ancient technique of divination
of throwing lots using small objects
like beans, stones,sticks, shells, dice,
bones, or pottery shards. These objects
are read either by inscriptions the
may be on them or by the patterns they
make. pessomancy
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coscinomancy
coskiomancy
- A
Greek divination where a sieve, tong
or shears are balance or suspended to
determine guilt. The method was either
to balance the "tool" on the
thumb or middle fingernail of two individuals
facing each other or to tie the "tool"
on a thread and suspended it. The suspect's
names are spoken and when the guilty
person's name was mentioned the item
moved. It was also used to discover
secret admirers.
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critomancy
- This
form of divination determines omens
from food that has been offered in sacrificial
rituals.
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cromniomancy
- A
form of divination where omens are read
from onion sprouts. Besides omens, cromniomancy
was used to make decisions between two
alternatives. A person would write the
alternatives on two onions and plant
them at the same time and under the
same conditions. The first one to sprout
was the "correct" answer or
choice.
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crystalomancy
- A
mode of divination practiced since ancient
times that uses objects or substances
with a reflective surface such as crystals,
water, ink, treacle and mirrors. The
purpose of reflective surface is to
aid the diviner into a meditative state
where the visions are received. In ancient
times this practiced was aided by the
invocation of spirits. hydromancy,
captromancy, enoptromancy
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cyclomancy
- Practice
of divination where one consults a spinning
object like a wheel or bottle. One form
of consultation is direction. When at
a crossroad, take a bottle and lay it
horizontally on the ground and spin.
When it stops spinning, the neck of
the bottle will point to the road where
your destiny lies. The popular game,
"spin the bottle", is based
on this concept.
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dactyliomancy
dactylomancy
- This
is thought to be one of the earliest
forms of radiesthesia. This divination
uses a ring primarily as a pendulum.
In another method, the ring is dropped
into bowl of water and its position
at the bottom determines the outcome.
The inside bottom of the bowl may contain
a special pattern to aid in the prediction.
A variation to this would be to suspend
a ring by a thread in a vessel filled
with water and shake; the amount of
times it hits the vessel's wall determines
the prediction.
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daphnomancy
dappnomancy
- An
ancient form of divination where laurel
branches are burned. During the burning
of the laurel, if crackling is heard
this is a good sign but if it is absent
the opposite is true. empyromancy
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demonomancy
- A
divination that uses the aid of demons.
Oracles are received from demons however
this is considered unreliable because
of its source is not to be trusted.
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dendromancy*
- A
specific form of botanomancy where either
oak or mistletoe is used in the divination.
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Djemscheed
- It
is actually a mythical cup that existed
in ancient Persia. It was believed to
contain the elixir of immortality as
well as the universe. When one looked
inside it, the cup would reveal great
truths.
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dowsing
- An
ancient form divination that is stilled
used today. It uses a forked stick (or
divining rod) to locate water or precious
minerals; also known as water-witching.
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- emonomancy*
- Demon
divination.
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- empyromancy
- Smoke
divination from burning laurel leaves.
dappnomancy
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- enoptromancy
- Foretelling
the health of a person by use of a mirror
submerged in water.
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- epatosocomancy
- Divination
by examining the entrails of animals.
hepatomancy, haruspicy, extispicy
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eraomancy
- A
Persian divination that uses air and
water. A vessel, filled with water,
is exposed to the air (often by breath)
while the diviner with a low voice chants
his/her desire. If bubbles appeared
on the surface of the water, it is a
good sign that your desire will come
to fruition.
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extispicy
extispicium
-
It is a general term for the inspection
of entrails, for the purpose of divination.
It can be either animal or human. Disaster
was indicated if the entrails were excessively
bloody or they were a livid color. Should
the priest drop the entrails, disaster
was imminent.
The Romans would perform this divination
in a ritual that consisted of four stages;
first they would examine the sacrifice,
then they would open it up and examine
its entrails. The offering would then
be put into the fire where the flames
were examined as they burned the sacrifice
and finally the food offerings were
consumed.
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- fetomancy
- The
practice of observing birth defects
both in animals and humans.
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- feng-shui
- The
application practiced in China concerning
the placement of structures. The practice
is based upon the belief that a structure
should not be situated where it interferes
with the flow of the earth's energies
know as "dragon lines". This
is accomplished by keeping the structures
complementary.
For example, a (sharp) corner of one
house should not face the (smooth) side
of a neighboring house, if it does,
the occupant of the neighboring house
believes that a great misfortune will
befall him. However, to destroy and
rebuild a house is costly. The common
solution is to place a magical icon
of dragon or monster facing the threat
to protect against the evil influence.
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fractomancy*
-
A modern form of pattern divination:
in this case the structures of fractal
geometric patterns are interpreted.
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gastromancy
-
An ancient method of divination where
a low guttural voice is heard but does
not appear to come from the seer who
is making them. Some speculate that
the diviner throws his voice similar
to ventriloquism. Within these guttural
sounds the prophecy is revealed.
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geloscopy*
-
This divination analyzes a person's
laughter to determine their character.
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gematria
-
An ancient system where truths and meanings
are hidden within words. Each letter
of an alphabet corresponds to a number.
Numerical values of words are totaled
up and then these words are said to
correspond with other words sharing
the same numerical value.
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genethlialogy
-
This form of divination determines someone's
future from the position of the stars
and planets at the time of his/her birth.
astrology
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geomancy
-
A system of divination that uses the
earth's components to make patterns
that are then deciphered. An individual
will draw a vertical line intersected
by three horizontal lines in the dirt;
a set of 12 pebbles is then thrown on
this pictograph. The stones are then
read in relation to the lines in the
earth. The vertical line represents
you and the three horizontal lines represent
time.
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graphology
-
A person's handwriting is analyzed to
establish their character and personality
traits. This practice dates back to
ancient times, probably when writing
was in its infancy. Aristotle went as
far to say that he could define a person's
soul from his handwriting.
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gyromancy
-
A divination method that combines the
planchette and cyclomancy. A person
twirls around within a circle of letters
and as the individual stumbles about
and makes contact with the letters,
the omen is spelt out. The end of the
message comes when the person falls.
This method can be simplified further
by leaving out the letters and just
read the position that person fell in
relation to a the circle.
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halolmancy
-
A causimomancy method of fire divination
that involves throwing salt into the
flames. The resulting flames are then
interpreted.
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haruspicy
-
Haruspicy is the examination of the
livers and entrails of sacrificed animals.
See extispicy for details on the entrails'
method and hepatoscopy for the liver.
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hepatoscopy
hepatomancy
- A
specific form of haruspicy divination
where the liver of sacrificed animals
is examined. In Babylon this practice
was very popular, so much so, that they
had a specialized priest called a 'bara'
to perform the service. The Babylonians
thought the liver was a "vehicle"
by which the gods revealed their intentions.
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hieromancy
hierscopy
- It
is the overall term for divination involving
sacrificed animals.
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hippomancy*
-
A divination that observes horse's movements
and actions.
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horoscopy
-
Astrological forecast of a person's
future based on the aspect of the planet
and stars either at a given moment,
at birth or by his/her zodiac. genethlialogy
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hydatoscopy
-
A specific form of hydromancy where
rainwater is used.
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hydromancy
-
A general term for divination methods
that use water. The variations of hydromancy
are as prolific as the substance itself.
However they seem to fall into one of
three categories. The diviner will either
examine the effect of water on matter,
examine the water's action on it, or
he/she uses the water's properties for
scrying or gazing. crystalomancy,
eromancy
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I Ching
-
The I Ching or Book of Changes is an
ancient Chinese system of divination.
An oracle is cast by flipping coins
or more traditionally yarrow stalks.
The pattern is then compared to 64 hexagrams
found in the I Ching, each with a special
meaning.
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ichthyomancy
-
Specific form of haruspicy where a fish's
entrails and head are read for predications.
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