A Sampling of Types of Divination
Divination is a great way to get some perspective on things. A reading can help you to get a peek at where things are currently headed, better understand your situation, or gain perspective to make a better decision. But, there are different tools for divination so I thought I’d talk about some of them. Which tool to use depends on what you resonate with and what type of reading you’re hoping to get.
Tarot Cards
Tarot is a set of 78 cards that have a structure. They are divided into the Major Arcana (numbered 0-21 with names like The Hermit, Temperance, Strength, and The Tower) and the Minor Arcana (which is divided into 4 suits each numbered Ace-10 along with 4 court cards per suit). Sometimes the suits are renamed to fit the theme of the deck, The Halloween Tarot by Kipling West being a good example with Pumpkins, Imps, Ghosts, and Bats rather than Pentacles (or coins), Wands, Cups, and Swords. Tarot has been used for divination for hundreds of years and there are many, many decks but all have the same structure. Some readers choose to read reversals (meaning when a card appears upside down) and some do not. Like with most divination tools, each tarot reader has her or his own style.
Oracle Cards
Another card-based divination system is oracle cards. Some confuse them with tarot but oracle cards don’t follow the same structure as tarot. They can be any number of cards, typically don’t have suits, and are often more specialized being better suited for readings in one particular area of life like romance for example. Many decks that are classified as oracle decks are better suited for a “good thought for the day” sort of readings, but others are well-rounded and suitable for all sorts of readings.
Runes - Norse or Witch
When you hear the word “runes” the 24 Elder Futhark runes from the ancient Norse peoples is probably what pops into your head. These runes are an ancient alphabet that have deep meaning ascribed to each one. Each rune has a saga associated with it along with other correspondences. Most often you’ll see some keywords but there is a lot more to it than that. Witch Runes on the other hand are a set of (typically 13) modern pictograms that are used in a similar way. Runes are “cast” or tossed and read in relation to each other.
Astrology Dice
This is a divination tool that isn’t quite as well-known but are an interesting way for a fairly quick, straight-forward reading. There are 3 dice, one for the zodiac, one for the planets, and one for the astrological houses that you roll. The results indicate information about the area of life, emotions, and actions around the situation. (My astrology dice sets include instructions and information so you don’t need to know anything about astrology to start using them. Any previous astrology knowledge can help flavor and fill out a reading though.)
Pendulums
Pendulums can be used for yes/no readings as well as energy testing. With pendulums, you hold the chain/string in one hand and ask a question. The answer is based on how it moves. You can also pendulum mats with your pendulum and depending on the style those can include things like: yes/no/maybe/restate like this one from Lady M’s Shoppe.
Ready for more?
See below for some options or feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about divination tools.
