Learn divination meaning, and how to get started doing divination even when you have never done it before. Discover how to use different divination tools and how to find the best kind of divination for you.
After an especially helpful Tarot Reading, you might leave wondering how your reader is so good at divination. Would you believe that everybody can do divination, even you? It's true, and we're here to tell you how to do it. Join SpiritualBlossom As we learn about how to begin divination. Find out what divination is and some important things to keep in mind when you get started doing it. Then learn about different types of divination and how they work, and how to find the best kind of divination for you. By the time you finish this article, if you haven’t already done divination, you will have all the confidence you need to get started.
What is Divination?
Divination comes from the Latin word “divinare” which means to predict, foretell, prophesy. Divination is using rituals, magic, or psychic abilities to answer a question or discover hidden information. Different methods of divination have been written about as far back as ancient times like the oracles in places like Greece and ancient Egypt as recorded by Alexander the Great. Greek military commanders took special diviners with them known as Seers and would consult them before, during, and after battles for advice.
In Biblical times, something called the casting of lots was used. The book of Leviticus 16:8 speaks about God commanding Moses to have the priest Aaron cast lots to find out which goat would be used as a sacrificial offering. The book of Jonah 7 writes of sailors casting lots to find out which god produced a storm. Even in the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles 1:23-26 wrote about the 11 remaining apostles of Jesus casting lots to select a 12th apostle to replace Judas.
Some people will use divination to find out what the future holds, but that's not all it's good for. Divination can be used to discover what information is hidden. If you're concerned that someone is lying to you, a Tarot Reading can provide insight. Some people will use divination before they make big decisions. One woman was nervous about moving cross country to get married and she pulled out her bag of Runes and was comforted by the response, so she went ahead and got married. Some people use divination to find out what happened in the past. For example, a man took a ring that had belonged to his mother to a psychic. The psychic held the ring and absorbed the energy and told the story of how his mother had bought the ring. Read about what the Major Arcana of Tarot can tell you about heartbreak here Major Arcana Readings about Heartbreak
How to Do Divination
Everybody can do divination, believe it or not. It starts with the right mindset. Divination is a practice, and practice makes perfect. The more you do divination, the better you get at it. It also takes time to get comfortable doing it. Make sure to practice a lot, study a lot, and have a lot of patience. Don’t get started doing divination with big plans to get rich as a famous divination professional. You can make money doing divination, but the purpose of it is to give answers that help people with their lives, not to get rich or famous.
The tools you use for divination don’t give answers. Some answers come from the powers that be and other answers lie within you. The tools are just things that you use to unlock what the answers are. They can act as visual references, telling the story of what the answers are, and they are especially helpful when you explain the answers to other people. You will use your instincts and intuition to decode the images and movements the divination tools are showing you. You can find out about psychic gifts like clairvoyance here: What is Clairvoyant Psychic Reading?
Divination Types
There are countless different things to use to do divination, but some of the most popular ones include tarot cards, pendulums, receiving messages from signs, and doing Astrology. Read on to find out a little bit about several different kinds of divination and how you can get started practicing them.
Tarot Cards
Tarot cards are used to practice a form of divination called cartomancy. A deck of Tarot Cards has 78 cards. The Major Arcana has 22 cards and the Minor Arcana has 56. The major arcana discusses situations you will run into in your life, and the minor arcana discusses certain areas of your life like emotions and wealth. There are two ways to use Tarot Cards. One is an intuitive reading where you let the images on the cards give you answers. The second way is the traditional Tarot Reading where you memorize the meaning of all of the cards and the patterns that they form based on what they land next to when you lay them out for a reading.
To read Tarot, you should learn the traditional meaning of the cards, but you have to use your intuition to understand what the cards are trying to tell you. Each card could mean different things and each reading will be different. To do a Tarot Reading, relax, focus on the question and then lay the cards out based on how many cards you think you need. Then quietly listen and see what stories the pictures on the cards tell and what instincts you get about the answers. Some people say this is the most accurate way to read tarot.
Runes
Rune stones are individual letters that have been written or carved into a piece of wood or stone. They are from ancient Norse alphabets. Originally Runes were just used as writing. Today, some people attach a meaning to each individual Rune, and believe that each Rune has a deep sacred meaning. For example if you ask the Runes if it's a good idea to sell your house and move out of town, and you get the Rune for Isa, or ice, the answer is no. If, however you get the Rune Ehwaz, which stands for a horse, change, or trust, it sounds like the move is a good idea. To read about how to use Runes and their interpretations see here:The Magic and Meanings of Norse Runes
Pendulums
You may have noticed the beautiful gemstone pendulums hanging on the ends of shiny gold or silver chains, but a pendulum doesn't have to be exactly like that. A pendulum is a heavy object suspended from the end of a cord. It can be a key, a pendant, a rock, a bead, or anything you want suspended at the end of any type of string, chain, or rope. The technique for using pendulums is to sit or stand very still, holding the pendulum by the string and letting the crystal, or pendant hang freely. Once the pendulum is completely motionless ask it a yes or no question. If it swings forwards and backwards that's yes. If it swings from side to side the answer is no.
Omens and Signs
Omens and signs are things that suddenly appear to indicate future events and they can be seen anywhere. One woman was given the omen that her boyfriend was bad news when her deceased grandmother’s picture fell over in front of him. Indeed, the woman had to break up with him because he was controlling. Seeing your spirit animal as an omen that you are on the right path. Some people consider seeing a four-leaf clover to be a sign that they're about to get some good luck. Other people believe that seeing a red cardinal is a sign that the angels are watching over you or have messages for you. Omens and signs can appear anytime and anyplace, so make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for what you see and hear. It could be messages about what's going to come to pass. Read about red cardinals here:What is Red Cardinal Spiritual Meaning?
Scrying
Scrying is looking into something to get psychic messages. The ancient Aztecs gazed into bodies of water at night to see the reflections of the stars to get messages. Some people will gaze into a crystal ball to see what images appear. Other people will use a black scrying mirror to see what things appear on the surface. One good way to scry is to use water that has been blessed under the full moon. Set a bowl of water out on a full moon night, making sure that the moonlight reflects onto it. Then gaze into the surface of the water and see what images appear to you.
Spirit Boards
Spirit boards have writings on them to be used in divination. The Ouija Board is famous because it has letters, numbers, and the word yes and no written on it. It also has a planchette which is a small object used to indicate which letter, number, or word is being indicated. People believed that spirits will inspire where to move the planchette so that they can get answers. Specifically, people contact the dead to get answers on a spirit board, and it's one method of communicating with your ancestors. If you want to do this, buy a spirit board, and only involve people in the communication who know the ancestor that you want to contact. Each of you will put your hands on the planchette at a different spot, ask the spirit questions, and then relax and let your psychic abilities tell you where to guide the planchette. Write out the letters and numbers to form messages. Read more about communication with the dead at Samhain here:All About Samhain
Oracles
The word oracle comes from Latin and it means “ to speak”. This refers to the fact a person is believed to speak for gods or goddesses to provide insight to people. In ancient times, it took a lot of training to become an Oracle. Today, people still act as Oracles. Not everybody is chosen to do this. Each oracle is called by their deity to serve their people. An example of this is that Catholics believe their Pope speaks directly to their god. If you believe you have been called to communicate to people for a god or goddess, speak with your local Priest or Priestess and see what kind of training they offer.
Palm Readings
Palm reading, also known as palmistry, is the practice of looking at the lines of the hand, the shape of the hand, and the size and shape of the fingers to learn things about somebody's life. The way to practice this is to have a written guide to the palm lines, and consult that. Some people memorize what each of the lines mean, and other palmists will keep a picture guide next to them when they're speaking with clients. You're in luck today. We have articles about palm readings and you can get started with the first one to find out how to read palms right here:The Ultimate Beginners Guide of How to Read Palms
Astrology
Astrology is divination that interprets the positions of stars and planets to predict events and personality. Ancient Hindus, Chinese, and even Mesopotamians used astrology. Some people just pay attention to what their Sun Sign is based on their date of birth, but other people cast their entire birth chart to learn even more about their lives. The birth chart takes into account your place of birth, date of birth, and time of birth to tell you as much as possible about yourself and your life. Cast your birth chart here:Free Astrology Birth Chart Report (cafeastrology.com)
Tea Leaf Readings
Tea leaf reading, also called tasseomancy, is divination done by interpreting patterns in tea leaves after you drink tea. The way to do this is to brew a cup of tea with the grinds in the cup. Drink the tea and once all of the liquid is gone, flip the cup over and let it sit on a saucer for a few minutes. Then turn the cup over and look inside it and see what shapes or patterns appear in it. What do the patterns mean to you? Some people read tea leaves or every time they drink a cup of tea and they get a lot of answers.
The Best Kind of Divination for You
The only way to find out the best kind of divination for you is to experiment. Some people are lucky, and are immediately drawn to the best divination tools for them, but most of us have to try multiple different divination tools before we find the best one for us. What tools interest you most, and which ones seem to call you? Try those first. A lot of people use more than one divination tool and some people change divination tools over time. The perfect divination tool is waiting for you. You just have to find it. Just give yourself time. Don’t expect to be a seasoned professional the first year you buy your Tarot cards or pendulum and start using them. The more you use your divination tools, the more you develop a relationship with them.
Divination might seem like a mystery when you're a beginner, but after some practice it might become a way of life for you. Everybody can use some form of divination even if they don't use it professionally. Practicing with Tarot Cards, tea leaves, Astrology, and pendulums are easy ways to get started figuring out what form of divination works best for you. You might get lucky. Maybe the first time you do divination you'll find the tool that works perfectly for you. If not, don't give up. Practice makes perfect, and the more you use divination tools the better you'll get at it.
If you're having a tough time getting answers when you start practicing divination, that's OK. You can reach out to one of our psychics any time any day: Online Psychic Readings
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Mysticsense and SpiritualBlossom, and she writes for The Green Egg Magazine and PaganPages.Org emag.
