Samhain Spells, Blessings, and POWERFUL Forms of Divination

Every year, when Samhain rolls around, my urge to create, craft, and communicate with the spirits becomes almost too much to bear. So what do I do? I give in to the urge, of course! I cast Samhain spells for purification and prosperity. Also offering Samhain blessings to my witchy family members and friends. And I engage in Samhain divination that allows me to easily communicate with my ancestors, gods, and elementals. Come with me, and you’ll be prepared to make your own POTENT magick this Samhain too.

First, What is Samhain?
Samhain, pronounced Sow-en, is an ancient Celtic harvest festival that occurs annually beginning the night of October 31st through November 1st. The name of this holiday, Samhain, actually means “Summer’s End” and was also once considered the new year to the ancient Celts. It was a time when the last crops were harvested and Winter preparations began. In addition, they believed spirits of the dead and the fairy folk wandered the earth on this night. The “veil” between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, making visitations from the spirit world commonplace.

Today, modern pagans celebrate Samhain by honoring their ancestors, feasting with other pagans, friends and family members, lighting bonfires, and more. Since Halloween is the modern holiday with its roots in Samhain, many pagans will also throw Halloween parties, go trick-or-treating, and engage in Halloween activities. They may even cast Samhain spells and divine for messages from the gods and ancestors. If you’d like to learn more about the history and traditions of Samhain, please review our guide section.

Samhain was considered the end of Summer in older Celtic times. Which also meant it was the end of the old year and new one was starting. Our Celtic ancestors believed performing ritual and casting Samhain spells for purification and prosperity was appropriate for this time of year. It was tradition to symbolically purify their cattle by walking them between two great bonfires on Samhain Eve.

People would also walk between the fires, or (more dangerously), jump over a smaller bonfire. The fire was believed to purge the soul and the physical body of negative spirits and bad luck. So that everyone and every animal was purified and healthy for a new year. You don’t have to jump a fire (and please don’t hurt yourself), so here’s our Samhain spell instead:

Bonfire Release Spell for Purification
This is a simple Samhain spell that utilizes the traditional sabbat bonfire. If you have a firepit or fireplace, this spell for purification is a powerful symbol to the universe. You tell the universe and the gods that you are finished with a toxic habit or person in your life, and release it in the flames.

Here’s what you’ll need for this Samhain Spell:
Paper
Pen
Source of fire (bonfire, fireplace, candleflame)

Gather your materials and sit by the fire. Take a few minutes to just listen to the fire crackling. Gaze into the flames and connect with this powerful element. Next begin to think about what habit or person you are releasing this Samhain. Think about why you’re purifying your life from this thing or person. Then write the habit or person down on the piece of paper. Fold it away from you 3 times. Hold it in your hands and allow all of the negative thoughts and energies inside of you to “drain” out of you and into the paper. Then throw it in the fire and say, “after this Samhain, never again. Never again. I release _________ from my life by the power of the Samhain fire. So mote it be.”

A PUMPKIN Spell for Prosperity
One of my favorite Samhain spells for prosperity utilizes an inherent symbol of the season – a pumpkin. And a little paint. Go to the pumpkin patch (or local store) and select a pumpkin. Or let the pumpkin choose you. Bring it home and paint prosperity symbols on it – money signs, runes for prosperity (Fehu, for example), or harvest glyphs (whatever means prosperity to you). Then place by your front door to invite prosperous vibes into your home this Samhain season.

DRESS for the Job: A Costume Spell to Increase Your Personal Power
You’ve heard people say dress for the job you want, not the job you have? This Samhain spell is FUN and no one will even know you’re casting a spell. In this spell, you’ll be wearing your magick. The first step is to decide on your intention. For example, let’s say I want to increase my witchy abilities and personal power. Then I put together a costume in which exudes witchy power and ability: i.e. a witch, sorceress, fairy queen, goddess, etc. Another example, if you’d like to draw prosperity or fertility to you, dress as an earth goddess or the Green Man/Woman.

Yes, you can buy a costume for this spell but I feel the more effort you put into creating it yourself, the better the outcome of the spell. For example, I might go to the thrift store and find a black dress. I bring it home and alter it just a bit by cutting the sleeves into strips at the end. Then I find a witch’s hat at my local craft store and add cobwebs, feathers and charms. Add accessories like my own personal amulets, ripped fishnets, and my favorite pair of black boots. The entire time I’m piecing my costume together, I’m visualizing or saying out loud my intentions. Then when I wear my costume on Samhain, I’m telling the gods who I aspire to be in the coming year.

Samhain Blessings for Your Friends and Family
For me, one of the best things about Samhain is being with my family and honoring my ancestors in the process. But, unfortunately, not all of my family lives near me. Some are hundreds of miles away. So, in these cases, I always try to send them a card or a note saying that I miss them and giving them Samhain blessings. Feel free to use my Samhain poems provided here as your own:

“Carve the pumpkin, light the candles, invite the ancestors in. May you be blessed with love and peace this Samhain.”

“Summer has come to an end. The ancestors knock on the door, May they bring Prosperity and Health to you and yours ever more.”

“May the old year die away peacefully. May your new year bring peace and prosperity. Samhain is the end and also an open door. To a loving, serene life anew, now and forever more.”

“It’s nearly Samhain and the ancestors have pierced the veil. Listen to the hounds bark and beware the banshee’s wail. May All Hallows’ Eve bring blessings to your door. And may you stay in the ancestors’ favor ‘ere more.“

Samhain Divination: Speaking to the Ancestors
Traditionally, witches have divined on Samhain for centuries. Samhain is the night when the dead return to visit the living. Communicating with our ancestors, ghosts, and even the elementals becomes easier than ever because the “veil” between this world and theirs is at its thinnest. My one big reminder if you decide to divine on Samhain: don’t forget to cleanse your space AND shield yourself. Otherwise, some of the spirits you speak to may not want to leave and could wreak havoc on Samhain.

Mirror Scrying
Mirror scrying is a practice that’s as old as time. Scrying on Samhain isn’t a new concept either. We literally have Victorian Halloween greeting cards showing young women scrying their future in the mirror. I doubt the Victorian era came up with the idea. When the first human peered into a pond and realized he could see his reflection staring back at him, witches realized they could use the water to divine messages from the spirit world. Obsidian mirrors were some of the first mirrors, so if you have an obsidian mirror or even just a black scrying mirror, that is perfect for this Samhain ritual.

Here’s what you’ll need: a mirror, a dark, quiet room, a bell and a few candles. A warning though: sometimes the mirror shows us things that might be unexpected. Sometimes if we stare at ourselves long enough in the mirror, our image may morph and take on an entirely different persona. Be aware that sometimes mirrors lie. Sometimes mirrors are even haunted and are a portal to another realm. My advice is to cleanse the mirror beforehand and ward with an amulet or a drawn symbol over the mirror before scrying.

Once you have everything prepared and you’re ready to scry on Samhain, it’s best to turn the lights low and light a few candles. Have a bell nearby, as well. Start by gazing softly at your reflection in the mirror. Then allow your gaze to shift towards the candlelight reflecting in the mirror. At this point, if you have a specific person, spirit or intention you’re scrying for, speak it or visualize it. Your answer will come. You may see it in the mirror physically or you may see it in your mind’s eye. Be sure to thank the spirits present and release them when you’re done. Ring the bell as a sign every spirit must leave and cleanse your space.

Who’s Your Future Husband? Apple Peel Initials
Another old school form of Samhain divination involves an apple, a pairing knife, and your desire to find out who your next partner or lover will be. Young girls in the Victorian era would play this as a Halloween parlor game, but it is essentially an old form of divination dating back centuries. The apple in and of itself is a powerful fruit connected to the spirit world. And it’s no wonder it’s also a symbol of the Samhain season.

To divine your future partner’s identity, take your pairing knife and gently, slowly peel the skin off your apple. Try to make the peel stay as one whole piece, if possible. Then toss the peel over your shoulder. The peel will curl up or lay in the shape of a letter. This letter is the initial of your next partner or lover’s name. You may already even know them.

Samhain Divination Tradition: Colcannon with Charms
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made and served on Samhain. To sum it up, it’s mashed potatoes with cabbage and sometimes leeks or bacon mixed in. With a hefty serving of butter. As a Samhain form of divination, some Irish families add charms to the Colcannon. These charms, when found by the person eating the dish, foretell that person’s future. A thimble means the person will be single in old age, a ring means a future wedding is near, and a coin means a prosperous year. You can add any charms you’d like, but just warn the people eating the colcannon so they A. don’t chip a tooth if they bite down and B. don’t choke on a coin! 

Candle Flame Love Divination

You will need the following items for this spell:

candle of any colour
match/lighter
Light the candle and meditate. once you feel ready, open your eyes and study the flame:

a rising flame means you burn in someones heart
long and narrow is a new love
flickering from side to side is a long journey in love
a really bright flame denotes someone will brighten your life with a happy surprise
a luminous glowing tip means someone is in love with you, or thinks of you in a loving manner
sparks from the candle is trouble in a match
falling flames foretells someone has mix feelings
sputtering flames foretells your love won’t run smoothly
if the flame burns out before the candle is gone warns the end of a bond. Not necessarily with the one you love, but it is warning you of a shocking discovery from someone you trust. 

Divination Techniques for a Solitary Pagan Practitioner

Divination is a practice that has been used for centuries by people of different cultures and religions to gain insight into the unknown. For Solitary Pagans, divination is a powerful tool that can be used to connect with the divine and gain guidance on their spiritual path. There are many different forms of divination, ranging from tarot readings to scrying, and each has its own unique benefits and challenges.

One of the main benefits of divination for Solitary Pagans is that it can help them to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their spiritual journey. By using divination tools, they can gain insight into their subconscious mind and the hidden forces that influence their lives. This can help them to identify patterns and obstacles that may be holding them back and find ways to overcome them. Additionally, divination can provide guidance and support during times of uncertainty or difficulty, helping them to stay focused and motivated on their path.

Techniques

For a solitary pagan, divination can be a powerful tool for gaining insight and guidance. There are many different techniques that can be used for divination, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Some popular techniques include:

Tarot Cards

Tarot cards are a popular divination tool that can provide insight into a variety of different areas of life. They consist of a deck of 78 cards, each with its own unique meaning. To use tarot cards for divination, the practitioner shuffles the deck and then draws cards at random, interpreting their meaning based on the position they fall in and the other cards in the spread.

Runes

Runes are a set of ancient symbols that were used by the Germanic and Norse peoples for divination. They consist of 24 or 25 small stones or tiles, each with a different symbol carved into it. To use runes for divination, the practitioner draws a set number of runes from a bag or other container, interpreting their meaning based on the symbols and their position.

Scrying

Scrying is a technique that involves gazing into a reflective surface, such as a crystal ball or a mirror, in order to gain insight and guidance. The practitioner may see images, symbols, or other visual cues that can be interpreted as messages from the divine.

Pendulum

A pendulum is a small weight that is suspended from a string or chain. To use a pendulum for divination, the practitioner holds the weight steady and then asks a yes or no question. The pendulum will then swing in a certain direction, indicating the answer.

Numerology

Numerology is a technique that involves using numbers to gain insight into different areas of life. Practitioners may use techniques such as calculating a person’s life path number or using the letters of their name to derive a numerical value, which can then be interpreted based on its meaning.

Overall, there are many different techniques that can be used for divination, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. By experimenting with different techniques, a solitary pagan can find the one that works best for them and use it to gain insight and guidance in their spiritual journey.

An Explanation of Divination

Among other things, Divination can be termed as foretelling the future, finding objects and people, and determining guilt by means of information obtained from signs, omens, dreams, visions, and divinatory tools.

Divination traditionally is an important skill of the folk witch.

In some magickal societies, divination is performed only by special classes of trained priests or priestesses.

However, Divination techniques are open to all as an important skill for many Witches and Pagans.

Since the earliest times in all known civilizations, people have looked to supernatural sources for help and advice, in personal affairs, and particularly in matters of state.

Methods of divination involve either interpretation of natural patterns in the environment or patterns that are formed by the tossing of objects such as sticks, stones, or bones.

Information is obtained from the way smoke curls from a fire, the shape of an animal bone, the formation of clouds, and the markings on organs and entrails of sacrificed animals.

The ancient Romans favored augury, the interpretation of the flight pattern of birds, and haruspicy, the examination of the livers and entrails of sacrificed animals. The augurs were a special caste of priests who read the signs to deter lines,

Dreams have always been an important medium for divining answers to questions, as has scrying. Oracles are persons who enter trance states.

Popular in the Middle Ages was the tossing of grain, sand, or peas onto the earth to see what could be read from the patterns.

Similarly, the Japanese set out characters of the syllabary in a circle, then scatter rice around them and let a cock pick at the rice.

Whatever syllables are nearest the grain picked up by the cock is used to puzzle out messages.

As far back as 1000 b.c.e., the Chinese have used the I Ching, an oracle that involves tossing and reading long and short yarrow sticks.

Another ancient Chinese divinatory method, which is still in use, is feng-shui, or geomancy, the siting of buildings, tombs, and other physical structures by determining the invisible currents of energy coursing through the earth.

Finding the guilty. Throughout history, divination has been used to identify parties guilty of crimes.

Despite the true psychic ability no doubt employed by many diviners, it is certain that many innocent people have been punished along with the guilty.

In the Pacific Islands, murderers have been identified by examining the marks of a beetle crawling over the grave of a victim.

The Lugbara of western Uganda fills small pots with medicines that represent the suspects.

The pot that does not boil over when heated reveals the culprit.

In other methods, suspects are forced to eat or drink various substances and concoctions, such as the gruesome stew made from the boiled head of an ass.

Whoever is unfortunate enough to choke or suffer indigestion—even a rumbling stomach—is guilty by divination.

During the witch hunts, witch suspects were bound and thrown in lakes and rivers to see if they would float (guilty) or sink (innocent).

If the sinking innocent drowned, that was simply an unfortunate consequence

Contemporary divinatory methods. Most Witches have a favored tool in divining that acts as a prompt to intuition and the tuning into psychic forces and vibrations.

The divined information comes in a variety of ways, depending on the individual.

Some persons “hear” it with the inner ear; others see visual images on their mental screens.

Divinatory information also comes through other senses, including taste, smell, and tactile sensations.

Popular tools include the Tarot; rune stones; crystals, mirrors, or bowls for scrying; dowsing; and the I Ching.

Many Witches also use psychometry, which is the reading of objects or photographs by handling them.

Astrology and numerology are often used in conjunction with divination.

Some Witches divine by reading auras, the layers of invisible energy that surround all living things.

Palmistry, the reading of lines on the hand, and tasseomancy, the reading of tea leaves, are used by some Witches.

Divination is both art and skill, and one’s proficiency depends on natural psychic gifts and regular practice.

For some, divination comes fairly easily, while others must work harder and longer to attune their psychic faculties.

Many Witches feel that the best time to the divine is between midnight and dawn when the psychic currents are supposed to be at their strongest.

Cauldron Divination

Divination is an art that has been practiced in one form or another since ancient times and in all levels of culture.

There are a number of ways in which a cauldron can be used for divining.

One method is to fill the cauldron with water or wine and place it between two burning candles or under the bright silver rays of the Full Moon.

Relax, clear your mind of all distracting thoughts, and then gaze into the cauldron as you would a crystal ball.

As with other forms of scrying, your vision will begin to blur after a while and a slight haze will begin to materialize.

Keep your gaze focused and eventually a vision, either of actual or symbolic nature, may be revealed to you.

To determine good or bad omens, according to an old Pagan method, place a cauldron on the ground and burn some incense (traditionally frankincense) or a handful of dried herbs in it.

Mugwort, rose petals, vervain, and yarrow are popular herbs of divination among Witches.

If the smoke rises straight up to the heavens, this indicates a good omen. If it does not rise or if it touched the ground, this indicates a bad one.

OUIJA

Today, most people look at Ouija boards and think, “Why would you want to open the gates of Hell?” It wasn’t always that way, however. The Ouija board came straight out of the “Spiritualism” movement, which was the belief that the dead were able to communicate with the living. Spiritualism had been popular for years in Europe, but it hit America in 1848 with the Fox sisters from upstate New York. The Foxes claimed to receive messages from spirits who would rap on walls to answer questions. Séance parties were all the rage in a time when people were desperate to connect with loved ones. Spiritualism offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was less than fifty years. Women died in childbirth, children died of disease, and men died in war. Spiritualism hit a fevered pitch during the Civil War with people desperate to connect with loved ones who had gone away to war and had never come home.   Communicating with the dead was common then. It wasn’t seen as weird or strange. The Ouija board was not unlike a telegraph for the dead! After all, reciting the alphabet and waiting for a rap on a wall was boring and time-consuming. The Ouija board was fast as lightening compared to previous methods. The Kennard Novelty Company saw this and capitalized on it! In Ohio, the Spiritualists were using talking boards, or spirt boards. Kennard brought together investors and began to mass-produce Ouija boards after gaining a patent.   Strangely enough, Kennard couldn’t gain a patent unless they could prove the board worked. The chief patent officer demanded a demonstration. If the board couldn’t accurately spell out his name, which was supposed to be unknown to the two patent seekers, he would allow the patent application to proceed. They all sat down together and the board accurately spelled out the patent officer’s name. On February 10, 1891, a white-faced and visibly shaken patent officer awarded Kennard a patent for his new game.   Yes, I said “game” because that is how it was marketed. The first patent offers no explanation as to how the board worked, only that it did. This of course, made the board seem mysterious, and the more mysterious it seemed, the more people wanted to buy it. It made money, they really didn’t care why people thought it worked—they were in it for the money! They had found a niche and filled it with Ouija! It was marketed as both a mystical oracle and family entertainment!   The only people who didn’t like the Ouija board were spirit mediums because their job as the middleman between the living and the dead was suddenly obsolete. The Ouija board offered a fun way for people to believe in something. People want to believe. Ouija is one of those things that lets them express that belief.   The board found its greatest popularity in uncertain times when people look for answers from nearly anywhere, especially cheap, manufactured oracles. During WWI it had a surge in popularity, and again during prohibition. It was so “normal” that in May of 1920 Norman Rockwell painted a Saturday Evening Post cover of a man and women with an Ouija board on their knees, blissfully communing with the other side. During the Great Depression, there was another surge in popularity and the production company opened new factories. This is outstanding because during that time most other factories were shutting their doors. In 1944, a single New York department store sold 50,000 Ouija boards! Parker Brothers bought the game in 1966, and in 1967 there was another surge in popularity – over 2 million boards were sold with American troops in Viet Nam, and race riots in Newark, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee. Not just historical events prompted these amazing sales, but strange tales connected with the boards also made them more mysterious and more desirable. It was always popular, mysterious, and interesting…. until 1973 when The Exorcist debuted in theaters.   Almost overnight, Ouija became a tool of the devil, a tool of horror writers and moviemakers. During the time The Exorcist rode the theater marquees, religious groups denounced Ouija as being Satan’s preferred method of communication! Even with the paranormal community, Ouija gained a rather dodgy reputation. In recent years, Ouija is popular again, in part by the crappy economy and its popping up as a plot device in multiple paranormal reality television shows.   So how DOES the Ouija board work? Experiments have been conducted, and the answer is disappointing. WE ourselves make it work. If Ouija can’t give us answers from the great beyond, what CAN it tell us? Apparently, Ouija can tell us quite a bit! In the experiments, people answered better with Ouija on questions they really didn’t think they knew, but something inside them DID know, and the Ouija board can help the person answer correctly above that of mere chance. These types of questions include what the subconscious mind knows, how fast it can learn, how it remembers, even how the brain amuses itself! As it turns out, Ouija does offer a link between the known and unknown, just not the unknown everyone wanted to believe, according to scientifically conducted experimentation.

A Glossary of Divination

AEROMANCY divination from the air and sky, particularly concentrating on cloud shapes, comets, and other phenomena not normally visible in the heavens.

ALCHEMY is the practice of transmutation of base metals into precious metals (e.g., gold or silver) with the aid of an esoteric substance called the “philosopher’s stone”.

ALECTRYOMANCY is divination whereby a bird is allowed to pick corn grains from a circle of letters. A variation is to recite letters of the alphabet noting those at which a cock crows.

ALEUROMANCY is divination using “fortune cookies”; answers to questions are rolled into balls of dough and once baked are chosen at random.

ALOMANCY is divination by table salt.

ALPHITOMANCY uses special cakes that are digestible by persons with a clear conscience but are unpleasant to others.

ANTHROPOMANCY is the long-outlawed means of divination by human sacrifice.

APANTOMANCY is divination through chance meetings with animals (e.g., a black cat), birds, and other creatures. Mexico City is said to have been founded where Aztec soothsayers saw an eagle flying from a cactus carrying a live snake.

ARITHMANCY or ARITHMOMANCY is an earlier form of NUMEROLOGY where divination is made through numbers and the number value of letters.ASTRAGLOMANCY or ASTRAGYROMANCY is a form of divination by dice where the faces of the dice bear numbers and letters.

ASTROLOGY is divination using celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

AUGURY is the general term for the art of divination and is chiefly applied to interpretations of signs and omens.

AUSTROMANCY is divination by the study of the winds.

AXIOMANCY is divination through the observation of how an ax or hatchet quivers or points when driven into post.

BELOMANCY is an ancient form of divination performed by tossing or balancing arrows.

BIBLIOMANCY involves divination by books.

BOTANOMANCY is divination from burning tree branches and leaves.

BUMPOLOGY strictly a modern term, a popular nickname for PHRENOLOGY

CAPNOMANCY is the study of smoke rising from a fire.

CARTOMANCY is fortune telling using cards such as the Tarot.

CATOPTROMANCY is an early form of crystal gazing that utilizes a mirror turned to the moon to catch moonbeams.

CAUSIMOMANCY is divination from behavior of objects placed in a fire.

CEPHALOMANCY refers to divination with the skull or head of a donkey or goat.

CERAUNOSCOPY seeks to draw omens from the study of thunder and lightning.

CEROSCOPY, CEROMANCY is a form of fortune telling in which melted was is poured into cold water.

CHIROMANCY is divination from the lines on people’s hands.

CHIROGNOMY is the study of the general hand formation.

CLAIRAUDIENCE is “clear hearing” of divinatory information. Parapsychologist generally regard as a form of extrasensory perception.

CLAIRVOYANCE is “clear seeing” of divinatory information. Parapsychologist generally regard as a form of extrasensory perception.

CLEROMANCY is divination by “casting lots”, similar to dice but with objects such as pebbles or sea shells.

CLIDOMANCY or CLEIDOMANCY is divination using a dangling key. seeRADIESTHESIA.

COSCINOMANCY is divination using a hanging sieve. see RADIESTHESIA.

CRITOMANCY is the study of barley cakes.

CROMNIOMANCY is divination using onion sprouts.

CRYSTALLOMANCY is divination through crystal gazing.

CYCLOMANCY is the practice of divination from a turning wheel.

DACTYLOMANCY is an early form of RADIESTHESIA using a dangling ring.

DAPHNOMANCY requires one to listen to laurel branches crackling in an open fire.

DEMONOMANCY is divination with the aid of demons.

DENDROMANCY is divination with either oak or mistletoe.

DOWSING or DIVINING RODS are methods of divination where a forked stick is used to locate water or precious minerals.

GASTROMANCY is an ancient form of ventriloquism whereby the voice is lowered to a sepulchral tone and prophetic utterances are delivered in a trance state.

GELOSCOPY is the divination from the tone of someone’s laughter.

GENETHLIALOGY is divination by the influence of the stars at birth.

GEOMANCY is the study of figures on the ground and the influence of the Earth’s “currents”.

GRAPHOLOGY is the analysis of character through handwriting.

GYROMANCY is a divination procedure where a person walks in a circle marked with letters until they become dizzy and stumble at different points, thus spelling out a prophesy.

HALOLMANCY see ALOMANCY

HARUSPICATION IS fortune-telling by means of inspecting the entrails of animals, as practiced by priests in ancient Rome.

HIEROMANCY or HIERSCOPY is divination by observing object of ancient sacrifice.

HIPPOMANCY is a form of divination from the stamping and neighing of horses.

HOROSCOPY is the practice of casting of astrological horoscopes.

HYDROMANCY is divination by water including the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool.

ICHTHYOMANCY is divination using fish.

LAMPADOMANCY is divination using lights or torches.

LECANOMANCY uses a basin of water for divination.

LIBANOMANCY is the study of incense and its smoke.

LITHOMANCY is divination using precious stones of various colors.

MARGARITOMANCY is the procedure of using bouncing pearls.

METAGNOMY is the divination using “visions” received in a trance state.

METEOROMANCY is divination from meteors.

METOPOSCOPY is the reading of character using the lines if the forehead.

MOLEOSOPHY is the study of moles and indicators of a person’s character and future indications.

MOLYBDOMANCY draws mystic inferences from the hissing of molten lead.

MYOMANCY is the study of the prophetic meaning of behavior of rats and mice.

NUMEROLOGY is the numerical interpretation of numbers, dates, and the number value of letters.

OCULOMANCY is divination from a person’s eye.

OINOMANCY is divination using wine.

OMPHALOMANCY IS counting the number of knots in the umbilical cord to predict how many more children the mother will have

ONEIROMANCY is the interpretation of dreams and their prophetic nature.

ONOMANCY is the study of the meaning of names.

ONOMANTICS is the application of ONOMANCY applied to personal names, particularly in the sense of occult interpretation.

ONYCHOMANCY is the study of fingernails.

OOMANTIA and OOSCOPY is the method of divination by eggs.

OPHIOMANCY is divination from serpents.

ORNISCOPY and ORINITHOMANCY is the study of omens associated with birds, particularly birds in flight. see APANTOMANCY

OVOMANCY is another type of egg divination.

PALMISTRY is the broad field of divination and interpretation of the lines and structure of the hand.

PEGOMANCY concerns itself with spring water and bubbling fountains and the omens contained therein.

PHRENOLOGY is the long practiced study of head formations.

PHYLLORHODOMANCY is a means of divination whereby one slaps a rose petal against the hand and judges the favorability of the omen by the loudness of the sound.

PHYSIOGNOMY is the study of character analysis through physical features.

PRECOGNITION in an inner knowledge or sense of future events.

PSYCHOGRAPHY is a form of mysterious writing having a divinatory nature.

PSYCHOMETRY is the faculty of gaining impressions from a physical object and its history.

PYROMANCY and PYROSCOPY are forms of divination by fire or flame, often assisted by substances thrown onto the flames.

RADIESTHESIA is the general term for divination using a device such as a divining rod or pendulum. Other forms include “table tipping” which was practiced at the White House in the 19th century, the Ouija board, automatic writing (or superconscious writing), and scrying.

RHABDOMANCY is divination using a stick or wand. These methods were forerunners of the divining rod.

RHAPSODOMANCY is a means of divination using a book of poetry whereby the book is opened at random and a passage read.

SCIOMANCY is divination using a spirit guide, a method generally employed by channelers.

SCRYING is a general term for divination using a crystal, mirrors, bowls of water, ink, or flames to induce visions.

SIDEROMANCY is the burning of straws with a hot iron, the resulting figures having divinatory properties.

SORTILEGE is the casting of lots and the assessment of omens indicated.

SPODOMANCY is divination using cinders or soot.

STICHOMANCY is another form of throwing open a book and selecting a random passage for the purpose of divination.

STOLISOMANCY draws omens from the way people dress.

SYCOMANCY is performed by writing messages on tree leaves; the slower they dry, the more favorable the omen. A modern variation is to write on slips of paper (always including one blank) and rolling them up. They are then held in a strainer over a boiling pot; the first to unroll will be answered.

TASSEOGRAPHY is the reading of tea leaves that remain in a tea cup once the beverage has been drunk.

TEPHRAMANCY is divination by ashes obtained from the burning of tree bark.

TIROMANCY is a type of divination using cheese.

XYLOMANCY is divination from pieces of wood, either from their shape when collected or their appearance while burning.

Symbolism for Divination

● Acorn- youth, strength, man, small start for large accomplishment
● Airplane- travel, new projects
● Anchor- voyage, rest, problem solved, security
● Arrow- news, disagreements, direct action
● Basket- gift, security, comfort
● Baby- new interests, security, new beginnings
● Bees (hive, comb)- fertility, industry, community, self-sacrifice
● Bell- celebrations, news (good or bad, depending on other indicators)
● Bird- psychic power, flight, luck, friendship end, communication
● Boat- discoveries, travel, companionship
● Book- wisdom, learning
● Bottle- celebration, success
● Broom- Goddess, purification, healing, end of a problem, changes
● Bridge- crossing to new endeavors, transition, partnership, travel
● Butterfly- the soul, spiritual contact, frivolity, insincerity
● Castle- financial gain, security, inheritance, life of bounty
● Cage- isolation, restriction, imprisonment, containment
● Cat- wisdom, spiritual access, female friend, domestic strife
● Car- local travel, movement in business affairs
● Cauldron- Goddess, transformation, endings/new beginnings, vitality
● Candle- illumination, innovation, inspiration
● Clock- time indicated for a spell’s completion, change
● Chair- relaxation, pause, comfort, entertainment
● Clouds- mental activity, thoughtfulness, problems, hidden obstacles
● Coffin- end of a matter, lengthy but not serious illness
● Clover- good fortune, success, rural location
● Cow- money, property, comfort, tranquility
● Cradle- newcomers, beginning of a new idea or project
● Crescent- Goddess, wish granted, newness, freshness
● Cornucopia- Goddess, abundance, fertility, prosperity protection
● Cross- solar (+): God, nature works with power; Roman (Christian cross symbol):
suffering, conflict
● Cup- love, harmony, close friendship, gift
● Dagger- complications, dangers, power, skill
● Distaff- creativity, changes, sexuality
● Dog- fidelity, friendship, companionship, faithfulness
● Duck- plenty, wealth, success
● Elephant- advice needed, obstacles overcome, good luck
● Egg- increase, fertility, luck, creativity, new start, hoarding
● Eye- introspection, awareness, evaluation, spirit
● Fan- indiscretion, disloyalty, things hidden, inflammations
● Fence- retention of possessions, defense, isolation
● Fish- riches, luck, sexuality, productivity
● Flag- warning, defensiveness, identification with group/ideals
● Flame, fire- purification, change, domination of the will
● Flower- marriage, unhappy love affair, passing joy
● Glove- protection, luck, aloofness, nobility, challenge
● Gate- opportunity, advancement, change, new directions
● Gun (any type)- power to gain goals, discord, slander, infidelity
● Hammer- hard work rewarded, building, creativity, fortitude
● Hat- honors, rivalry, independence, self-assertion
● Hound- advice, help given, companionship, trust
● Heart- love, pleasure, confidence, strength of will
● Harp- contentment, spirituality
● Horns- God, fertility, spirituality, forces of nature
● Horse- travel, strength, work, grace, power
● Horseshoe- protection, luck, start of a new enterprise
● Hourglass- caution, passage of time
● House- security, authority, success, comfort
● Key- understanding, mysteries, opportunity, gain, security
● Kite- warning for caution, new ideas
● Knot- restrictions, marriage, bindings
● Knife- duplicity, misunderstanding, direct action
● Ladder- initiation, rise or fall in status, connections
● Lion- power, strength, influence, ferocity, pride, domination
● Lock- protection, concealment, security, obstacles, sealed
● Man- visitor, helpful stranger
● Mirror- reversal, knowledge, karma
● Moon- the Goddess, intuitive wisdom, guidance
● Mountain- hindrance, challenge, obstacle, journey, steadfastness
● Mouse- poverty, theft, frugality, inconspicuousness
● Mushroom- shelter, food, business complications, fairy contact
● Nail- labor, construction, unity
● Owl- wisdom, spiritual communication
● Palm Tree- respite, relief, security, protection, blessings
● Parrot- gossip, flamboyance
● Peacock- luxury, vanity, baseless pride
● Pineapple- hospitality, good things hidden by harsh exterior
● Pipe- truth obscured, concentration, comfort, ease
● Purse- monetary gain, possessions kept close
● Ring- eternity, containment, wheel of life/year, wedding
● Rose- love, lost or past love, fullness of life, healing, caring
● Salt- purity, stability, cleansing, grounding
● Scales- balance, justice, careful evaluation
● Scissors- duplicity, arguments, separation, division, strife
● Shell- Goddess, emotional stability, luck, artistic ability
● Ship- travel, news, material gains, romance
● Skull- consolation, comfort, personal hurts, endings and a new life
● Snake- God and Goddess, wisdom, immortality, knowledge, prophecy
● Spider- good luck, industry, entrapments, secrecy, cunning
● Spoon- luck, sustenance, the basic needs of life secured
● Sun- the God, success, energy, power
● Star- good luck, divine protection, opportunity, success, destiny
● Swan- good luck, love, evolving beauty, noble spirit
● Sword- power, strife, conflict, overcoming adversity
● Tree- blessings of nature, good fortune, stability, power, security
● Turtle- fertility, security, defense against obstacles, slow gains
● Umbrella- temporary shelter, limited protection
● Unicorn- purity, nature, fairy blessings, Otherworld intervention
● Well- blessing from the Goddess, inspiration, spirituality, health
● Wheel- completion, eternity, season/life cycles, rebirth, gains
● Windmill- business dealings, factors working together for one goal

Mirror Divination

One of the most ancient forms of divination is crystallomancy or catoptromancy, performed with a magic mirror.

The Magi of Persia are said to have used mirrors, as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In ancient Greece, the witches of Thessaly wrote their oracles in human blood upon mirrors.

The Thessalian witches are supposed to have taught Pythagoras how to divine by holding a magic mirror up to the Moon.

Romans who were skilled in mirror reading were called specularii.

In lore, mirrors are believed to reflect the soul and must be guarded against lest the soul be lost.

These fears carry over into superstitious customs, such as covering the mirrors in a house after death to prevent the souls of the living from being carried off by the ghost of the newly
departed; and removing mirrors from a sick room because the soul is more vulnerable in times of illness .

According to another superstition, if one looks into a mirror at night, one will see the Devil. In Russian folklore, mirrors are the invention of the Devil, having the power to draw souls out of bodies.

The Aztecs used mirrorlike surfaces to keep witches away.

A bowl of water with a knife in it was placed in the entrances of homes.

A witch looking into it would see her soul pierced by the knife, and flee.

According to another belief, witches have no souls, and therefore, like vampires, have no reflections in mirrors.

Medieval and Renaissance magicians often used mirrors, bowls of water, polished stones and crystals for divination, to see the past, present and future.

Village wizards frequently employed mirrors to detect thieves.

Whatever the purpose, the magicians would stare into the polished surface until they hypnotized themselves into light trances and saw visions that answered the questions that were put to them.

John Dee, England’s royal court magician in the 16th century, employed both a crystal egg and a mirror made of polished black obsidian, reportedly taken from Mexico by Cortés. Cagliostro used mirrors, as did the famous 16th-century occultist Agrippa.

According to one legend, Cartaphilus, the Wandering Jew, asked Agrippa in 1525 to produce a vision of his dead childhood sweetheart in his mirror.

Agrippa asked the man to count off the decades since the girl had died, and waved his magic wand at each count. Cartaphilus kept counting far beyond the girl’s death.

At 149, Agrippa felt dizzy but told him to keep counting.

Finally, at 1,150, a vision appeared of the girl in ancient Palestine. Cartaphilus called out to her—in disobedience to Agrippa’s admonitions—and the vision dissolved. Cartaphilus fainted.

Later, he told Agrippa he was the Jew who had struck Christ as he carried the cross and was condemned to wander the earth.

European royalty believed in and used magic mirrors.

Catherine de’ Medici, a devout believer in the occult arts, had a mirror that revealed to her the future of France.

Henri IV also relied on a magic mirror to discover political plots against him.

The medieval magician Albertus Magnus recorded formula for making a magic mirror: Buy a looking glass and inscribe upon it “S. Solam S. Tattler S. Echogordner Gematur.”

Bury it at a crossroads during an uneven hour.

On the third day, go to the spot at the same hour and dig it up—but do not be the first person to gaze into the mirror.

In fact, said Magnus, it is best to let a dog or a cat take the first look.

Pendulum

A pendulum can be made of any weighted object on a string. It can be a stone
weight, crystal, metal, or even just a button on some thread. You don’t need to go spend
money at all, just use what you have on hand at home already!
Hold the thread between the thumb and forefinger on your power hand
(dominant hand), rest your elbow on some hard/solid surface (like a table), and allow
the string/weight to dangle without touching the surface of the tabe or your arm.
Relax and focus your sight into the center of the pendulum. If the pendulum is
moving, say/think: “Be still,” and focus that thought into the center of the pendulum. It
will stop moving, then you can begin. First, you need to find out what means yes and
what means no. You can simply say, “Show me, ‘yes’” and then, “Show me, ‘no,’” or ask
questions you know the answers to already to determine this. Did I have coffee today?
Do I have red hair? Etc. The pendulum may swing left to right for no and forward and
back for yes… or circle for yes and be linear for no, or vice versa. This will vary person
to person, so figure this out first, then move on to the questions you are here for.
For your answers, if the pendulum is swinging slowly/weakly, it is not a definite
response. This answer, if not to your liking, is open to changing, just needing a bit of a
nudge in the right direction. A strongly swinging pendulum is a stronger answer (firm
yes/no). The stage is well set already and the energies are predisposed to this response.
To change this kind of strong response is more difficult than the nudge needed to
change a weaker response. It may be a situation where you choose to prepare yourself
for what is coming, or try to blunt the impact, rather than throwing a lot of energy into
attempting a total change of such a future.
If you do wish to make a change, think about alternatives. This may require
meditation to come up with new solutions/directions you would like to take. Once you
have several ideas, return to the pendulum and address each idea as a possible means of
making changes. If the pendulum responds enthusiastically to one of these ideas, it
would be the direction to take. If it’s sluggish toward all ideas, perhaps consider internal
changes rather than external ones. Remember, Divination is a guide, to advise. What
you do with the information is up to you.
If you are working the pendulum for others, it’s best to ask the question for the
other person. Ask them what they want to know, then ask the pendulum. Otherwise
you must go through the steps of establishing what is yes and no again, since it may vary
for that other person.
Becca’s note: In a similar way to this, you can use dowsing rods to
communicate with spirits or your guides. They’re limited to yes or no questions, for
the most part, just like a pendulum. Copper is ideal if you can find it, especially when
the handles are hollow copper tubes that the rods rest in- with the hollow handle, it is
not easy to tell the rods what to do- and the copper allows the spirits to channel a bit
of your energy through the rods, making it easier for them to work with.
When I’m working with these, I start by asking to see yes and no. Yes is
typically an X of sorts with the rods, and No typically points them away from each
other. Small yes barely crosses the rods. Big yes makes them spin around and touch
me or they may go straight and simply face each other.
For bigger confirmation of things, I hold them out and ask them to do specific
things to confirm what I said/heard/felt. “Spin the left one 3x clockwise.” “Spin the
right one 3x counter-clockwise.” “Spin them both together.” Etc.

The Sigillum Aemeth

The Sigillum Aemeth, or Seal of Truth, illustrated above, was inscribed by John Dee upon a disk of “perfect wax” that was nine inches in diameter (nine is the number of the moon) and one inch thick.

It was placed directly beneath Dee’s crystal ball during scrying sessions with the Enochian angels.

Similar designs were marked by Dee upon four smaller wax disks that he placed under the legs of the table that supported the shewstone.

All this was done in obedience to the explicit directions of the angels.

Tea Leaves

Anything from clouds, crystals, incense smoke, or tarot, oracle, or playing cards can be read for divining purposes.

All you need is to feel attuned to interpreting what you see.

Images may appear to you unbidden with a voice within you, telling you the meaning of what you see.

The image you see may even change upon acknowledging it, to confirm your thoughts/feelings on the matter.

As always, listen to that inner voice.

Divination is not necessarily to predict the future but to see the energies affecting future events to see how they’re aligned.

From there you can allow things to flow as they were, or make changes to alter that alignment, to change that future possibility.

Nothing is predestined in witchcraft because The Power of the Craft comes from the ability of the witch to create changes.

If you see something you don’t like, you can perform magic and call upon The Power to shift that thing you don’t like to something better.

There are a number of tools you can use for Divination, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money on them.

Crystal ball scrying is typically thought of in connection with witchcraft, but a pan or bowl of water works equally well for scrying.

Divination can be done with fire, smoke, cloud shapes & movement, bird flight, and the patterns of the falling leaves.

Anything that is connected with nature that inspires a feeling of meaningfulness within you is a possible source of Divination.

If the Lord and Lady (etc) want to show you something, they can use anything to do this.

Even the bowl of cereal you’re eating for breakfast.

Visions can be found anywhere.

You just need to be open to them to start seeing them.

Scrying the clouds works on different levels of divination. Sometimes they show events to come, but usually, the things you see will resonate on a personal level.

If you see a wild and reckless “rade” of horses and riders flying across the sky, you’re getting a a glimpse of the Wild Hunt, warning of turmoil in the place where the clouds are heading.

If you see white unicorns, you have good fortune and success with you.

If you see black unicorns, call upon the white unicorns to chase them away from where you are, for they are emotional storms and portents of disruptions in your life.

Watch the clouds around the moon during Esbat. Look for cloud formations during unusual planetary events like eclipses.

Check the clouds for replies to your spell workings and invocations.

For divination in cards, you can use tarot cards that speak to you in the store that you purchase yourself, or are gifted by a friend (never steal!), or a basic playing cards deck can be used with just as much success.

The point of the divination tools is that they offer a tool to focus on, not that they hold the power themselves.

You can use a variety of small stones as cards if you pick up ones that provide you with distinct impressions.

When you gather stones, meditate on each one in a quiet time with a white candle, and a gentle incense to open your reception to the meaning of the stone.

Once you see what the stone represents for you, name the stone and write down its meaning.

Keep them in a bag and when doing divination, reach in and pull them out the same way you would draw your cards.