Seeing The Future Part III: No Really, How Does It Work?

But how does the actual future-telling part work? Besides the fact that the diviner has studied the method and knows how to interpret the patterns, how do the objects go from being random to divinely inspired? The cards were thrown in a way that appears random, but (to the believer) is really a calculated response to a specific question. How did they get that way? How did the tea leaves come to form a special, insightful pattern, rather than just a wet glob at the bottom of my cup? Where does the power come from?

As with everything of a spiritual/religious nature, it's a matter of belief, so different people will give you different answers. My explanation is my personal opinion and belief, however, I will state that the majority of modern practitioners will more or less agree with the following description.

The cards, stones, leaves, etc. are simply objects with little to no power of their own. The diviner is a skilled spiritualist who is practiced in connecting with the supernatural. They may be psychic, intuitive, or an empath. They may have been born with their abilities, possibly with a family lineage of psychics, or they may have developed their abilities over time with years of practice. They may receive information visually or audibly, or they may feel it empathically. They may receive information from a familiar spirit, or from the querent's familiar spirits, ancestors, or other entities. They may not receive information from a specific source at all, simply tuning into the energy of the universe.

However, the majority of the power in the reading comes from the querent themselves. It's the personal energy of the person seeking the information that the diviner, and the divination tools, are picking up on. For example, when I read the Tarot for someone, I always have them handle the cards, shuffling them as they ruminate on their question or problem. In this way the cards are infused with that person's energy, so that when I throw the cards they fall in a pattern that's meaningful to that person's situation. In this way I am merely an intermediary, helping the querent connect with the supernatural and interpreting the information in a symbolic language (the cards) that I have studied for years. Using my own intuitive abilities, I'm able to judge the efficacy of the reading.

Many diviners do not have the querent handle the cards or other objects. Usually these practitioners use more psychic connections than I use, putting their own energy into the cards to read the answer. Basically the diviner picks up on the energy of the querent, then puts their own energy into the cards to get the information. Either way, the energy and power is coming from the person who is seeking the answers.

You're still reading?! Read the Conclusion.

Seeing The Future Part II: What is Fortune Telling and How Does It Work?

The practice of fortune telling is more properly termed divination; its practitioners are diviners. “To divine” means simply “to discover”; diviners discover hidden knowledge by intuitive techniques. The practice of divination is almost as old as human culture itself and is found in some form in virtually every culture; in modern Western society, many Neo-Pagans and New Agers practice divination or consult diviners. Some of the most common forms used today are Tarot cards, rune stones, I Ching coins, and tea leaves. Astrology and palmistry are useful practices but are not considered divination techniques, because while they may shed light on personality and/or destiny, they do not allow for the answering of specific questions.

With most divination techniques, information is gathered by asking a question and then “throwing” or “casting” the divinitory object, such as the cards or stones. The diviner interprets or “reads” the answer to the question based on the seemingly random pattern and position that the objects land in. Combinations of cards or stones have different meanings, including the absence of those not pulled during that session. When reading tea leaves, the diviner sees patterns in the leaves left in the bottom of the cup after the tea has been drunk by the questioner or “querent”.

Not enough info? Go to Part III

Seeing The Future

This is an essay I wrote recently, posted in four parts so as to not freak out our short attention spans. I think I'll post it in intervals to create a sense of anticipation. (Humor me ok?)

Seeing The Future

It seems to me that the majority of people who visit psychics or “fortune tellers” haven't really considered what they think is going on during the process. Some claim they have their fortunes told “just for fun”, but aren't really sure if they believe it or not. Can these people really predict future events? It seems that this would raise the question of free will. If the future is written, can we change it? If so, shouldn't the psychic have known we were going to change it? Even if only a few psychics actually possess some kind of ability, how do they do it? What is the source of their supposed power? The fact that there are so many practitioners out there, all with different methods and techniques, doesn't really help. Here I hope to define and clarify some terminology, but more importantly to start a dialogue to get us thinking logically about these practices, so we can decide individually what we believe about the universe and our place in it.

Still interested? Stay tuned for Part II

Intro post: Who are you and why am I reading?

Hi folks, and welcome to my blog!

The purpose of this blog is simply a venue for me to share some thoughts on matters of spirituality, religion, and life, etc. I'm a spiritual advisor and I'll occasionally run across information that might be of interest to my clients and other like-minded souls. I also like to share my own ideas and gathered knowledge, but I'll try to keep the dissertations to a minimum :)

If you haven't visited my website yet, go there now!

www.ColeLawlor.com

(no, I don't know how to make that a link. Sorry.)

Blessings,
Cole