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Have you ever played 'He loves me, he loves me not...' , pulling flower petals off one by one? If so, you were technically consulting an oracle! Move over, Jeanne Dixon! I don't know of too many people who don't get a delicious sense of excitement in their stomachs or spooky shivers of delight up their spine when they think about 'having their fortune told'. Whether it's by a gnarled old gypsy woman with piercing eyes and a worn deck of cards on her table, a turbaned psychic in a dimmed room gazing into a crystal ball, or a shaman tossing strange and wonderful herbs into a small fire while he peers intently into the smoke - the mysteries of prediction fascinate almost all of us. Oracles have been used in probably every culture and every religion since the beginning of time. In the days of the nature religions, every element and every thing in our daily lives had a god or spirit attached to it, and these spirits communicated with humans through oracles. Technically, an oracle is a method of divination or prophecy where spirits speak to mankind through a human being in a trance-like state. The Oracle at Delphi in ancient Greece is one of the most well-known - where a priestess who dwelled with snakes in a cavern would take questions - for a fee - from the public. (A major component of this oracle however, was that all concerned were induced into a trance-like state through food and sleep deprivation as well as natural drugs, etc. - to get just that 'wonky' feeling of otherworldliness which gave real pizzazz to the pronouncements). Even Nostradamus, the most famous seer of the current era, would burn various herbs and smudge to enter a meditative, perhaps trance-like state before beginning his scrying. Although there are many who still rely on drug or meditation induced altered states to access the realm of prophecy, it is widely accepted that a 'psychic' can simply open up their inherent intuitive channels, and with the use of tools or magical systems, access a knowledge of the future. Our fascination with oracles shows no signs of dimming even as we enter the new millenium, with all the technology and scientific knowledge and advancements readily available to mankind. In fact, technology is increasingly being used to create new types of oracles, from on-line tarot readings, computerized astrology reports, and so on. Popular methods of predicition include everything from dream oracles, crystal balls, runes, tarot, pendulums, dowsing, I-Ching, palmistry, astrology, channelings, etc. There is
definitely an oracle, and there are probably many, for everyone, for every
possible question or situation. From the ever-popular pastime of
finding shapes in the clouds, to all manner of superstitions, to the
words of the prophets of many religions and cultures - we all
believe - at least just a little bit.
Any method we use to foretell the future, or to delve into worlds beyond our immediate five physical senses can be called an oracle. Here are brief descriptions of a few common methods of divination or oracles - each one having it's own merits and applications Crystal Gazing The general term for obtaining oracles or prophecies from a crystal ball is 'scrying'. Scrying can be accomplished with less sophisticated methods than the seemingly eerie process of gazing into a crystal centered on a black velvet covered table in a dimly-lit room. You can gaze into a still pond or lake, or even an inch or two of water in your soup bowl or coffee mug. In fact, any reflective surface will do. One of the more interesting items used is the wiccan magical tool of a black-painted mirror - or other shiny black surface. There are rituals that are usually performed in conjunction with this type of scrying, but the most important thing in scrying is to let the mind be still and to let your gaze gently unfocus until you can see into the depths of whatever surface your are using. A natural substance such as water or a crystal will usually provide the best results due to its inherent 'life' but the most important part of scrying is the ability to trust what you 'see' and then interpret it. Tarot The origins of Tarot cards are unclear, although the first tarot deck in existence has been traced back to 1392. They have links with ancient Egyptian culture, as well as East Indian and Hebrew. Tarot was likely spread throughout Europe by the Romany gypsies, and is now known universally. The 78 card tarot deck contains both major and minor 'arcana' cards, 'arcana ' meaning secrets or mysteries. The major arcana consists of 22 strongly symbolic pictorial images, which are said to be able to open your mind into the realms of higher consciousness. This psychic tool is often described as the gateway to the soul. Tarot certainly opens the intuition, and while mastering the Tarot often involves many years of dedicated study, even beginners are often surprised at the results they can obtain on their first try. Reading Tarot can be highly informative on three levels. Even novices who lay out the cards according to a prescribed 'spread' and then read the corresponding meanings from a book often gain amazing insights into a situation or subject. Individual cards and their relation to one another can bring another level of insight, and finally, Tarot can trigger an opening in the psyche where it simply becomes a background and the reader accesses their own higher consciousness to learn the 'secrets'. Pendulums Pendulums, as well as dowsing rods and other similar tools, are conduits for our own subconscious knowledge. A pendulum can be made out of just about any material or object as long as it has some weight and can be balanced. People use crystal, amulets, jewelry such as rings, wood, glass, beads, etc. These objects are glued, tied, or otherwise attached to a chain (or thread) a few inches long and are 'programmed' by the user to swing in certain directions to indicate yes, no, etc. Dowsing, which includes water divining, is similar in nature to using a pendulum and dates back to probably many thousands of years B.C.E. In both cases, the user's own inner response, intuition or knowledge is being magnified to make the tools move. An imperceptible physical impulse can create a wildly obvious movement in these tools - to give a clear yes or no answer, or to locate items and/or energy fields. Practice definitely improves the results that can be gained from pendulums and dowsing. There is no magic involved here - the ORACLE is within you and your intuition speaks through your tools, or alternatively, your higher consciousness accesses the realm of universal knowledge and you yourself bring the information forth in your session. Palmistry Palmistry is fascinating because it combines scientific, physical 'maps', those being the physical characteristics of the hands and the lines on the hands, with the opportunity to include energy work and psychic skills in the palm reading. Everything is taken into account by a skilled palm reader - not just the length and depth of the lines, but the size, shape, color, texture, and overall feel of the hand (warm, cold, sweaty, etc.). The empirical information can then be expanded by reading the person's aura (the reader is holding your hand, after all), and by interpreting ALL the information on an intuitive level. Palmistry has close associations with astrology, and also dates back at least 3,000 years and this intricate art was again spread by wandering gypsies. It is believed that the palm contains a person's past, present and future. In fact, the lines and markings on the palm can change somewhat throughout a person's life to reflect the changes that have occurred in his life. Where the right hand is the dominant one, the left hand shows the skills, traits and possibilities we were born with, and the right hand shows what we have done or manifested with these gifts. The opposite is true for left-handed people. Like any other psychic art, palmistry requires a good deal of study and practice. The length and quality of a person's life, for instance, cannot be neasured by a quick look at the length of a life line. There is a lot more involved, such as its depth, where and if it branches, markings that cross the line, etc. The great thing about palmistry is that you really need no tools, or any 'guinea pigs' to practise on. If you are interested in studying palmistry, it is as simple as taking a good photocopy of your palm prints, and sitting down with a detailed manual and a note pad to make notes. You'll probably be amazed by the oracles in your very own hands. Angel Oracles Angels are enjoying a tremendous surge of popularity these past few years. More power to them! Angel cards, which are now available in many different styles, are usually used to acknowledge our angels, to bring them more into our lives, and to hear their guidance. Since angels are beings of pure love, angel messages are ALWAYS encouraging, gentle and inspirational. Most angel cards contain affirmations which when incorporated into our lives, help strengthen the loving concepts and spiritual guidance we are being given. It is also, of course, possible to speak with the angels, simply by acknowledging them. In meditation, contemplation or prayer, the angels are said to speak to us through our inner voices - and can always be recognized by the incredibly loving sensation that accompanies their messages. Angels rarely interfere in our lives, but their oracles, when accessed through our higher selves, can bring much illumination and enlightenment. Try talking to your angels and your guides. Speak to them out loud if you wish, and always from the heart. Ask a question, and wait for the answer. Your angels will always find a way to answer.
Oracles are fascinating and I have found most oracles to be surprisingly accurate. Sometimes it may not seem so at first, but openness of mind and spirit can bring great knowledge to light. And, as I say in my Tarot columns, time is flexible in the cosmic realms, and oracles and predictions reflect this fluidity. Using oracles of any kind can help anyone expand their own psychic skills and general awareness. Most methods involve first LEARNING the system and then INTERPRETING the messages - equally important factors. But feel free to play - and if you don't like what your fortune cookie says, there's usually another one on the plate.
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