Geomancy is unique in that there is no one definitive way of obtaining the geomantic figures that start the process of the divination. There are no runes to throw or Tarot cards to shuffle, and thus there are many potential ways we can approach the formation of the four Mother figures in our geomantic readings. In this post I will highlight a few possibilities:
1. Stick & Sand
Poking holes in the sand or soil is probably the oldest and most traditional method, probably originally employed in Arabian deserts. A simple branch or stick and a patch of soil offers the easiest and most cost-effective approach for those who frequent the wilderness often. The connection with the earth that this affords makes this one of the more ideal options. For those who prefer something that can be employed at home then a Geomantic Box can be created to store some soil, and a Geomantic Wand (created from a thin wooden dowel) can be used to poke the holes. An example of this, with instructions to make one, can be found on page 281 of Creating Magical Tools (page numbers from the Llewellyn 1999 edition) by the Ciceros.
2. Pen & Paper
Pen and paper is the most common method used nowadays and was also quite popular in the Renaissance. This simply involves randomly forming dots or dashes on a piece of paper, in much the same way as randomly poking holes in the soil would be done. This process could also, through paper, be linked to earth. A con to both of these approaches is that they give the diviner too much control over how many dots can be formed, and thus it's possible to consciously choose the symbols one wants to see as opposed to what is accurate of the situation.
3. Bag of Stones
A suggestion from John Michael Greer is a bag or bowl of small stones or pebbles, a handful of which could be taken and scattered on the ground, and then counted to find the relevant number. This could be employed out in the wild with random stones (or other small objects), or a more permanent method could be practised at home. Indeed, they could potentially be painted in earthy or Malkuthian colours, or even in elemental ones in order to form the four lines of each geomantic figure in a single throw.
4. Double-sided Runes/Coins/Sticks
Another suggestion from Greer is a set of double-sided runes, with a single dot on one side and a double dot on the other. This is a fairly quick method of acquiring the geomantic figures, and could make a good gift for the magically inclined. These could be made from wood or stone (both of these preferable for their earthy link) and then painted in earthy/Malkuthian colours or elemental ones. Other alternatives include coins (heads for one dot, tails for two, for example) or specially-created throwing sticks, like the ones you can find here (linked by Scott+).
5. Dice
A final suggestion, recommended to me by a friend recently, is the simple use of dice. An odd number equals one dot, an even number two dots. While many dice you can buy nowadays are plastic there are some that are wooden, which would be more ideal. Indeed, I've seen coloured wooden dice, which could be excellent for an elemental set in order to procur a full geomantic figure in one throw.
Do you have any other methods you employ? Why not share them in a comment?
1. Stick & Sand
Poking holes in the sand or soil is probably the oldest and most traditional method, probably originally employed in Arabian deserts. A simple branch or stick and a patch of soil offers the easiest and most cost-effective approach for those who frequent the wilderness often. The connection with the earth that this affords makes this one of the more ideal options. For those who prefer something that can be employed at home then a Geomantic Box can be created to store some soil, and a Geomantic Wand (created from a thin wooden dowel) can be used to poke the holes. An example of this, with instructions to make one, can be found on page 281 of Creating Magical Tools (page numbers from the Llewellyn 1999 edition) by the Ciceros.
2. Pen & Paper
Pen and paper is the most common method used nowadays and was also quite popular in the Renaissance. This simply involves randomly forming dots or dashes on a piece of paper, in much the same way as randomly poking holes in the soil would be done. This process could also, through paper, be linked to earth. A con to both of these approaches is that they give the diviner too much control over how many dots can be formed, and thus it's possible to consciously choose the symbols one wants to see as opposed to what is accurate of the situation.
3. Bag of Stones
A suggestion from John Michael Greer is a bag or bowl of small stones or pebbles, a handful of which could be taken and scattered on the ground, and then counted to find the relevant number. This could be employed out in the wild with random stones (or other small objects), or a more permanent method could be practised at home. Indeed, they could potentially be painted in earthy or Malkuthian colours, or even in elemental ones in order to form the four lines of each geomantic figure in a single throw.
4. Double-sided Runes/Coins/Sticks
Another suggestion from Greer is a set of double-sided runes, with a single dot on one side and a double dot on the other. This is a fairly quick method of acquiring the geomantic figures, and could make a good gift for the magically inclined. These could be made from wood or stone (both of these preferable for their earthy link) and then painted in earthy/Malkuthian colours or elemental ones. Other alternatives include coins (heads for one dot, tails for two, for example) or specially-created throwing sticks, like the ones you can find here (linked by Scott+).
5. Dice
A final suggestion, recommended to me by a friend recently, is the simple use of dice. An odd number equals one dot, an even number two dots. While many dice you can buy nowadays are plastic there are some that are wooden, which would be more ideal. Indeed, I've seen coloured wooden dice, which could be excellent for an elemental set in order to procur a full geomantic figure in one throw.
Do you have any other methods you employ? Why not share them in a comment?
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2 comments:
I use a single onyx die. Using a pair of dice changes the odds on whether the answer of any throw is odd or even.
Excellent post!
I have a early (and sadly badly translated, but thankfully with it's original work in italics on the lower half of the page) version of “Geomancy – Voice of the Earth” by Vivian Hovpski that lists a good few methods of divination through the system of geomancy.
Off the top of my head (I may have to come back and change a few of these, but I'm sure there still valid techniques):
Cyclomancy – Turning wheel/ turn top – using a spinning top surrounded by a circle of single and double dots, recording the places where it rests.
Arithmancy – Numerical values of the letters of the first word spoken after an invocation to Bath Kol.
Bibliomancy – Value of the wood randomly chosen from a book. Sometimes you can also use the quality of the word – negitive-single, positive-double
Cartomancy – With the Tarot as well as specifically made cards
Dowsing rod – open-one, closed-two.
Aleuromancy – Fortune cookies, bake a selection of 32 with single and doubles, bless and crack.
Gyromancy – Spinning in a circle with single/double/fully formed goemantic symbols – marking the ones where you finally rest on.
Laculumancy – Using darts and a dart board – even and uneven numbers.
Nummusmancy – Like the above gather a random amount of coins, toss them in a bowl and shake, toss them onto the floor and count the faces for even numbers etc.
I usually employ the pen - or inked feather (which always adds a deeper sense of importance to the casting, plus a properly chossen feather for it's associative qualities seems to only deepen the readings insight).
Oein
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