With such a varied array of divination methods I was wondering if members of the forum had preferred methods? Or maybe interesting experiences from experimenting?

For myself personally I have found that I have a predisposition towards clairsentience and prophetic dreams through the father's side. Like most burgeoning witches I have also engaged in tasseomancy to shocking results, skrying through reflective surface but I grew tired very quickly and gave up (I know wuss). Tarot cards are the one constant thus far. I'd be open to tips and suggestions on the others?

I'm not certain that I have a favorite personally. When I feel called to divine in a given situation I use what feels right for me at the time. Sometimes that might be the Tarot, while others I may feel more pulled to use the Runes. I'm fortunate enough to have had a set of runes carved from deer antler by a friend of mine several years back, who's an incredible craftsman. Another set I have is quartz with the gold inlay where the runes are carved.

My favorite Tarot decks thus far are The Dragon Tarot & The Celtic Dragon Tarot. I enjoy the imagery of both & they 'speak' to me more than some other Decks which seem as if they don't interact as well in a reading for me personally. I'm also fond of scrying by fire on occasion.

I too have had experienced from as far back as I can recall with precognitive dreams, & other for lack of a better word 'extra sensory' senses like empathy. I think that everyone is open to these 'abilities' rather some are more open or closed than others. So from an early age magick & 'the unknown' has interested me.

Likewise dreams and other forms of "extrasensory" gifts are something natural to me. I think the most well rounded description for me to use is as a "natural sensitive". Like yourself I tend to be very much with the empathic flows as well as precognitive dreams and feelings (clairsentience). I can trace most of the influence to familial traits. My mother's people are all empathic, with the exception of her father who I believe was sensitive to spirit visitations but I'm not sure, while my father's mother had what most in the area call "far-sight". To be honest its hard to become overly excited because for me its all who I am (or a part thereof) but as well as that most of it is generally just accepted in Irish culture.

It has been through the encouragement of my best friend that I have started to look into cultivating the gifts through practice and development of the arts. With Tarot I have found that the decks I have bought myself at best I can read for myself with a little clearer, but generally for others a gifted deck works wonders. I attempted to work with Runes and I could see how they would work but recently I have felt stirred to work more closely with the Ogham. A friend of mine in the area is a witch and a linguist so together we're working to cut through the misnomer that its a "Celtic Tree Alphabet as used by the Druidic Priesthood". Since I owe a lot to my family in terms of gifts I'd like to honour their flow and how the "became more Irish than the Irish themselves" (I'm from a Norman Invasion family who married into the native peoples).

I rarely do tarot, but the readings I've done for others were very well received. My favorite deck is the World Spirit Tarot, but I have a small collection of both decks and books (and am shopping for fabric to make wraps that double as reading mats when opened). As with so many things, I haven't had the time to really explore this stuff and am figuring out what to let slide in order to pursue this stuff more.

The other technique I used, and it was a big hit at a divination party last year, is one I learned in a shamanic course. You journey to your divination guide (or general spirit guide if you only have the one), and ask it to be with you when you go out for a walk in nature. Along the way, you just pick up any object that catches your attention, until you have a dozen or so items. Ask for permission to collect each item, and/or offer something in return when you take it. Once you have them, you journey again to your guide, and ask them what each object represents. It may feel like simple free-association, but it's really cool nonetheless.

Then, to do a reading for somebody, you ask them to present a question in the form of "what are the circumstances surrounding X?"...no yes/no questions, no "what should I do?", just general picture type stuff. Then you call your divination guide to be present, and you roll the objects around in a bowl or overturned drum, and spill them on the ground between you and the querent. You take where each object falls relative to the querent, its position/facing, alone and relative to other objects, and so on, and intuit a picture from that. Your guide will probably point out things to you as well.

Wow some really cool ideas there Niklinna! I love the idea of using a soul-walk to pick out items to use as tools. Kind of kicking myself that I didn't think of it before! lol I have heard of a similar technique for gathering herbs albeit not speaking to guides directly but I suppose its supposed that the spirits will guide the seeker as they go along.

Speaking to guides is kinda trippy. It's one thing to be in a trance lying on the floor in a darkened room, and experiencing it as a dream or what have you, when it's easy to feel like you're talking to somebody else. Doing a dialogue with eyes open in daylight, on the other hand...it's really hard not to feel like you're just making it up. And then on the third hand, to be walking along or talking with somebody or sitting on a plane and have a guide suddenly buzzing around or pecking you on the head, demanding attention...well!

I really like the concept of the Shamanic journey readings. They sound like they're a lot of fun. I'll have to try that some time. I'm not familiar with the World Spirit Tarot. I like the title though! I'll have to give it a glance the next time I go shopping for new reads. Thanks for sharing the awesome ideas! I'm sure I'll enjoy employing them. Perhaps around my birthday I'll have a nature hike. XD

I'm sure that it can be an interesting experience, & I can see where one might feel as if they were just making it up, but then again 'thoughts are things'. In any event, whether it's a spirit guide or you're making it up (your higher self) I'm sure that it's a helpful tool.

after being at that party with Nik - I have to say that a lot of what he was getting for people was pretty damn on target. he has a real gift for this work (even if he does not want to think he does!)

I am back into the Tarot these days - too many decks to go into, but the one i am using for my card-of-the-day is the Druidcraft. amazing images and it calls me on a really nice level. I have not done a lot of reading for others, but i know that i will be doing that in time more and more. i just need the practice and the confidence to do so. At the party Nik mentioned i was helping a friend using the Thoth deck (which i have always disliked) do a reading for another friend and was pulling some very distinct and (for the person being read for) jaw-dropping results. it was hella fun. sometime i plug right in, sometimes i second guess myself far too much and get nothing.

i need to do a journey like Nik has done and really talk to my guides. i get a lot of information from them all the time for work and such, but don't quite know how to listen when i am reading cards. but for me journey work is so freakin' hard.

I'd say I'm more afraid I have a gift for this work than that I doubt it.... :-) Every time I came back from a journey in the shamanic classes I'd say "Well, I only got a quick impression of X but it came right away" and the person would freak out and say "I've been working with that spirit" or "I've been seeing X all over the place lately!" I've no idea what to do with such a gift just yet, although after this year I should have plenty of time to explore it.

You could do readings for me! I never hear from you directly, you're so busy lately. :-(

In fact, we should have regular divination circles outside of the annual one hosted by our mutual friend. When could we fit them in, though, hm?

This is one my favorite topics! I love to use the Oracle of Avalon deck...the images and ideas there really resonate with me. I don't use them for others, but I use often for myself. I do enjoy the Tarot, but I haven't spent enough time with it to be proficient by any stretch of the imagination! When I work with Tarot I use the Archeon deck (its dangerous though bc sometimes I get distracted by the hot guys on the cards *blush*. haha). I have another deck, but I don't feel very comforatable with it. It just doesn't feel good in my hands...does that make sense? I'm actually considering making my own deck. I know its a lot of hard work, but I think having something with that much of my own energy in it would be worth the labor.

Also, I need some terminology help with something along these lines. Is there a technical term for when you have a sudden knowledge of something? For instance, when I was in High School, I was in the commons area one day, and I just suddenly just "knew" that a woman I knew had died. It was a very unexpected death, and it was just like it was downloaded to my brain from out of no where it seems! Any thoughts?

Nik, & Greywolf, You guys sound like you have so much fun together. I've been saying for years that I want to attend Between The Worlds. Gumbo boy recently posted that registration is now open for the next one. If my finances are in order I'm hoping to finally make it this year. When I do finally register I'll be sure to put a post on the forums & I look forward to meeting you two, as well as anyone else who attends. I'd love to get readings from the both of you!

WanderingSeeker, The Oracle of Avalon deck sounds really familiar, though I must say that you've certainly caught my interest with the menton of this Archeon deck! I need to work with my own cards more in the coming days & months. I've been spiritually reawakened so to speak after what seems like an eternity. It's good to be back on track!

Some decks just don't resonate with people as well as others do. Perhaps the one that doesn't feel good in your hands has imagery that doesn't settle well with your subconscious? By all means, if you're feeling called to create your own Tarot deck, listen to your muse! I'm sure that would be quite a fulfilling, & enlightening experience!

My terminology regarding a sudden burst of information (which usually happens to me when I'm really feeling the cards whilst reading for someone else is very much my own term. I call them 'Gushes' because it's like a gush of energy & information. Does extrasensory perception (ESP) seem fitting, or precognition?

hmmmm...maybe ESP is a good term. I wouldn't say precognition bc its usually not 'pre' anything. When I get the "gush" (a term I like and will be using ... thanks for that ) it's almost always pertinent to that moment or the present. Sometimes, every great once in a while it while pertain to the past, but only once has it touched the "future". I can't even be sure of that one because it hasn't come to pass yet.

I'm sure that I will one day make my own deck, but first I need to take some art classes lol. I have some GREAT images in my head, but I'm not good at getting images from my head to paper at all. lol

Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm glad to know you're back on track so to speak. I'm kind of in that place myself!

Im glad to know that I'm in such good company! If I had an artistic hand – the things that I would do! Good luck, with the art classes. I'm sure that with a little bit of help from practicing that you'll have the life long enjoyment of creating pieces, such as your deck that others are sure to enjoy. If you love it, I'm sure others will also. People tend to sense those sort of things.

Hey WanderingSeeker, it sounds like you're describing the same thing that happens me. Its like a sense of "knowing" beyond physical suggestion. The term that I've heard used from a technical perspective is claircognizance. Wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of intrinsic knowledge. It is the ability to know something without a physical explanation why you know it, like the concept of mediums.

Best of luck with working with Tarot creation. We actually had a member on here before that was great for creating Tarot based on experiences in his life.

Yep that's how I wourk most of the time, pure spur of the moment inspiration. I can use tarot cards and runes, but I tend to use them to cast spells more often, building energy circits of cards - runes - and gem stones with the right blends of home made insence...

Oh right this topic is about divination...

Well I also sit in a deep-trance circle and work closely with my guide, though divining things and ginving messages has never meen ny stron suit... I'd have to say I'm more Clairsentient.

Posted By Níall MacShiúrtáin on 20 Mar 2010 12:45 PM
Hey WanderingSeeker, it sounds like you're describing the same thing that happens me. Its like a sense of "knowing" beyond physical suggestion. The term that I've heard used from a technical perspective is claircognizance. Wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of intrinsic knowledge. It is the ability to know something without a physical explanation why you know it, like the concept of mediums.

Best of luck with working with Tarot creation. We actually had a member on here before that was great for creating Tarot based on experiences in his life.

Claircognizance...that sounds pretty accurate too. Glad to know that someone else operates this way too! haha

I bet a Tarot deck made from someone life experiences would be very interesting! Well, I guess they're ALL a product of someone's life experience now that I think of it.

Tarot is my favourite practice. Well, I mean "when I read for other people" and it often happens. I 've had an old american deck I used for 20 years. Now it's become too old. I now use "le tarot des vickings" inspired by the Edda and so on.

For myself, I sometimes pick up one card and see. I also use tea leaves. I like it. Sometimes I get interesting informations from my shamanic journeys. From animal guides, or spirit guides. Their advises come to me by the way of symbols, pictures, or just one phrase.

It took me about 4 years to agree that it is possible to receive information from vegetal spirits, essentially about what they are used for, 4 years to experience it, and later to confirm it by comparing with stuff found in books. I have a great contact with plants and trees. Happily, my companion shares my love for the trees.

I am not a natural sensitive. Even meditation is a blood, sweat and tears affair with me. I am getting better, but it has been tough! I have a few tarot decks, mostly gifted to me. The Thoth deck...just doesn't feel right. Th Witch deck just looks goofy. But I also have a very pretty Gilded deck. And I just bought a waite deck that really feels good! I'm still bonding with it.
What really DOES work for me is the Elder Futhark Runes. I crafted a set from Oak blanks and it has been very very accurate. For myself and my friends it has really been right on the money. And yes, I realize that it's me, that Runes are an Oracle and that the God/dess speaks through them (or the Fates, or Norns, whomever you believe), but it continues to amAze me. I mean I've known for some time that "magic works if you work it", but the accuracy of my Runecasts still wierds me out at times!
Someday I may find out what I'm really good at. I think most people have some psi strength, but most of us never learn what it is.
Your thoughts?

I started out working with Tarot, Runes and doing Natal Charts and after 6 years have found that a combination of intuition and Tarot work well for me.

I also do Obi (african coconut or shell divination) and I am learning Merindillogun (cowrie shell divination). I also use oracle cards....

Tarot is best for day-to-day questions. Obi is best for bigger issues in my life. I go to my godparents for Dafa with Ikin and Opele (african nut divination) when I have a serious huge crisis and I use a combo of tarot and oracle cards when I read professionally (keen.com and clickforadvisor.com for 3+ years).