LITMIR.BIZ

       Tarot This is a special deck of cards which has five suits instead of the four found in playing cards. There are over 200 tarot decks on the market at present of varying shapes, sizes, themes and even number of cards, although 78 is most common. For a reading a number of cards are laid out in a pattern, called a spread, and their the combination and progression are interpreted. The tarot is especially useful for readings where a high level of counselling is needed.

       Runes Runes can be made from wood, stone, pottery or other materials. Each rune has a different symbol on it and it is the interpretation of the combinations of symbols which gives the starting-point for the reading. Most rune sets are Norse in origin and their meaning can seem somewhat obscure unless you are familiar with Nordic traditions and their historic context.

       Crystal ball In this form of divination a sphere or rounded shape of glass, crystal or other gemstone is used. The reader does not see images as such in the ball, but uses it to focus their inner mind on the person or question in front of them.

       Palmistry Palm readers interpret the lines on both hands to determine the character and/or future of the person who seeks the reading. Palmistry is particularly good for identifying skills and talents, whether inborn or acquired.

       Dowsing For dowsing, various tools, including sticks, metal rods and pendulums, are used, usually to locate something, either in the ground or sometimes on a map. The most frequent use of dowsing is to locate water and many dowsers are employed by local water companies or farmers for this purpose.

       Tea-leaves Reading tea-leaves is a very old skill, which has largely died out since the tea bag has become popular. For a reading, tea is made in a pot. It is not strained and once a cup of it has been drunk, the residue left in the cup is used to make an interpretation of events, usually forthcoming. Tea-leaf readings are still as valid a method today as they have ever been, even if the skill of drinking unstrained tea has been largely lost!

       Astrology Astrology is not simply another method of divination or scrying, although it can be used to predict events. True astrology, rather than the horoscopes you see in the papers, which deal only with generalizations regarding Sun signs, is both a science and an art. The science lies in calculating the positions of all of the planets at the time of birth. The information thus gathered is put together in what is known as a natal chart. The art lies in interpreting the chart to give an accurate picture of the personality, skills and abilities of the person concerned. When done skilfully, this enables the subject to gain self-understanding and the ability to maximize their potential. Like other methods of divination, the practice of astrology is not limited to Witches – people from many belief systems use such techniques.

       Psychic readings All those who divine, or ‘read’, are to a greater or lesser extent psychic, but a psychic reader generally does not use any of the tools of divination to aid them in their reading. A clairvoyant is another term for a psychic reader. The word ‘clairvoyant’ simply means ‘to see clearly’. Psychics should not be confused with mediums, who are those who use contacts in the spirit world to obtain their information. This is not a form of scrying or divination. Whilst a person may be both a psychic and a medium, the two skills are different. Witches do not believe that it is right to summon back the spirits of those who have gone before, whether to tell the future or for any other reason.

       The Dark Mirror This can be either a watch glass coated with soot (although many Witches prefer to use the rather less messy medium of paint) or a bowl of water into which black dye or ink has been added. In both cases the resulting black reflective surface is used in much the same way as a crystal ball.

       Fire Here either the flames themselves are consulted or in some cases the hot embers are used. In the days when living fires (and large fireplaces) were common, many Witches would leave a piece of wood or corn from the harvest in the fireplace close to the flames. This would burn slowly overnight and the ashes would be interpreted next morning.

       The Witches’ runes Unlike the runes themselves, which are comprised of 20 or so pieces, the Witches’ runes have only eight pieces and the symbols on them are more pictorial. Their interpretation, whilst initially simpler, requires a greater study of the Craft.