Page 7 - Kallima Spiritual Centre Newsletter - August / September 2021

What is Divination
Divination, in a nut shell is the practice of discovering the unknown, using tools that are recognized as possessing the ability to provide such information. It’s an ancient art that has never lost its popularity.
The practice of divination through the use of tools predates history therefore we have no written record of the first culture that used the tools.
In past cultures, divination was usually linked with religion. Diviners believed at that time that divination revealed the will of the deities and that the future was unchangeable. After many centuries it has become a belief that maybe the future could be changed, after all why did some events that were predicted never happen? It had been believed that the deities were in total control of human life?
Some cultures have over the years altered their definition of divination. Rather than stating that the future was already fully planned, they now say that, divination provides a glimpse of possible future events and that due to the human action of ‘free will’, the future can be changed. So divination messages are now considered to be useful warnings, not inescapable messages of the future.
The Major Types of Divination
By studying different techniques used throughout history, people practicing divination have divided it into two basic forms: ‘Operational and Natural’. ‘Operational’ consists of the specific manipulation of tools (used for the express purpose of divination) - smoke, oil in water, dice, pieces of paper, knives, stones, pendulums etc. to determine the future.
‘Natural’ divination consists of the observation of occurrences in the natural world. A specific time and place is set aside for the express purpose of asking that signs from natural physical phenomena present themselves to reveal the future. The casual observation of these signs that may unexpectedly occur at any time isn't true divination, they must be in response of a request for information in order to be considered as divination. These are known as ‘provoked omens’.
Such signs/omens are created by the world around us. It could be something as basic as a flight of birds, the behavior of animals, the wind's activity or a sudden appearance of meteors and lightning.
The Divinatory Response
Messages received during divination are known as responses. They usually take one of three forms. (Binary, Symbolic or Selective) The nature of the technique determines the message's form.
Binary Responses
These techniques are the easiest to perform and often produce the clearest answers. Questions are asked that can be answered with a yes or a no; hence the term ‘binary’. Occasionally, a third option, "maybe," "perhaps," or "no answer" is also included. The responses with the binary technique is good as there is little interpretation required, unlike symbolic and selective techniques.
Symbolic Responses
These consist of the creation of symbols or images. The divinatory tools (e.g. fire, smoke, and oil dropped into water) produce symbols that are interpreted in response to the diviner's question.
These responses are assisted with the diviner's powers of observation plus her/his ability to unlock the symbols meanings. Generally speaking, symbols familiar to the diviner will appear which help with this interpretation.
Selective Responses
This technique involves a number of likely future events that are written on pieces of paper, leaves, stones, or on other tools. These are then placed in a windy spot, chosen at random and then manipulated by the elements to provide the most likely prediction.
Divination Isn't Psychic Awareness
Many divination processes are not very well understood. But one thing is for sure, true divination doesn’t consist of using psychic abilities. It doesn’t require a person to be fully psychic or a medium. It is believed that higher beings manipulate the tools or, place symbols within them for us to see. Because of this, with the correct training, most people can successfully practice divination.
It can be argued that our psychic minds may work during some techniques, however, no such awareness is necessary when using binary or selective techniques. But what is true is that all three systems can produce insightful answers.
Why Is the Past of Importance?
When practicing divination it is common to examine the
past plus the future.
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