Section IX

Divination

While predicting the future has little or nothing to do with witchcraft, some of the methods of divination can be used in your workings. However, if you are interested in divining the future, these are some good tools to use (though far too extensive a subject to explain here). Look in your local metaphysical shops, or on the internet, to buy books on these topics.

Tarot

Each card represents a different set of abstract concepts, many of which you can use in spellcasting. Contemplation of the proper card may cause the intent feeling to surface for you.

Runes

If you’d like to ask the runes a question, then one simple method is to have them all drawn onto stones, or carved into wood, etc., and spread them all out, face-up, on a cloth. Ask your question, eyes closed, and wave your hand slowly over them until one rune feels more attractive than the others. You can find additional methods similar to this one all across the internet.

Using runes in witchcraft uses the same method as tarot. In addition, the symbols are simple enough to cast in the air as sigils. Some like to carve appropriate runes into intent candles, or draw protective ones around their circle.

For a chart of the most common runes and their meanings, see http://www.omniglot.com/writing/runic.htm.

Pendulums

While this tool can be used to predict the future and similar divinatory tasks, it is an indispensable tool to use in astral-to-physical communication. The pendulum should be made from a weight of some sort suspended by a cord or chain — a pendant necklace, for example, would work well.

Plant your elbow firmly on a table and let the cord dangle from your fingers with the weight at the bottom. Since the pendulum operates upon the theory that your subconscious mind is in direct contact with your astral side, you use it without really trying to. Watch how it swings in response to your questions — but hold your hand still and don’t consciously try to make it swing.

First of all, you have to find out what the answers mean. Let the pendulum stop swaying; ask it to show you your “Yes”; then watch the response. It may take a few moments to answer, but then the swinging in that direction should become more and more pronounced. Repeat the process for “No,” “Unknown,” and “Rephrase,” and record the movements. From now on, this will be your key to interpreting your divinatory sessions.

You can ask the pendulum yes-no questions in this manner. Or, if you have a more complicated question (like figuring out where you lost your watch in your house) just run your other fingers over a list of answers (in this case, a map or blueprint) and wait for the cord to swing “Yes.” Of course, using a pendulum is by no means guaranteed to give you the right answers — your conscious mind or outside forces can interfere with the swinging. But this technique does come in handy sometimes (you’ll use it again in the next chapter).

Section IX Exercises

1. Find something you could use as a pendulum and ask it for your answers.
2. Ask a couple of questions that you know the answers to to make sure it’s working (if not, get another pendulum). Then ask some questions that you’d like answered.

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