Divination For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Intrigued by divination but have no idea how to get started? This Cheat Sheet can clarify what divination is and what it can offer you. Find out about some of the most common types of divination, debunk common misconceptions about the practice of divination itself, and learn how to set up your own divination space for clear divining, every time.  

What is divination, and what are some common types?  

So what really is divination, how is it defined, and what are some examples of the divinatory arts? Divination is the practice of using various tools and symbols to discern messages from a supernatural source to receive guidance about your deepest questions.  

Divination is present in the spiritual practices of every culture the world over. As a result, there are many different types of divination. This list is an introduction to the most common forms:  

• Astrology: The study of the motions of the planets in the heavens and their influence on earthly life events.  
• Automatic writing: Writing while in a meditative state so you can channel messages from the inner realms of the psyche.  
• Bibliomancy: Divining with books by holding a question in mind and opening a book to a random page. The chance encounter with the first phrase you see is read as an answer or an oracle.  
• Casting of charms: Throwing a set of sacred objects the diviner collects — stones, coins, keys, feathers — and observing the patterns the objects create as they fall.  
• Dream interpretation: Engaging with the scenes and symbols from your dream life to discern messages from your guides.  
• I Ching: An ancient Chinese oracle system that’s practiced by throwing coins or lots to find guidance on the path of life.
• Numerology: Observing numerical relationships to letters to discover the hidden vibratory meaning of names, dates, and phrases.  
• Working with Oracle cards: Using cards illustrated with archetypal symbols to discern answers to your questions. These cards differ from tarot cards in that tarot is built around a system of suits, like playing cards, but oracle cards are not.  
• Palmistry: Observing the patterns of lines in the palm of someone’s hand, as well as the shape of the palm and fingers, to discern elements of their life path.  
• Pendulums: A pendulum is a weighted object attached to a string or chain. To divine with a pendulum, you ask your question and then observe the pattern of movement the weighted object makes in response to your query.  
• Rune reading: A system of divination that uses the letters from the Elder Futhark, the ancient Norse alphabet. Each rune is carved on a piece of wood, cast before the querent, and then interpreted.  
• Scrying: Looking into a reflective surface, like water, fire, or mirrors, to find sacred symbols.
• Tarot: A deck of 78 cards popularized in the Renaissance, used in a shuffle-and-draw style of answering questions.  
• Tasseomancy: The art of reading tea leaves after they’ve been steeped in hot water, and the cup of tea the querent drinks.  

True or false? Debunking common misconceptions about divination

Divination is a mysterious thing that can be associated with some confusing or even misleading misconceptions. Check out the following myths about divination to clarify the purpose of this tool.  

Divination always tells you the future.

False. Divination’s highest purpose is to function as a tool for cultivating self-awareness, and connect you with a sense of purpose. Divination acts as a mirror for what you’re holding within your psyche. It allows you to recognize and then integrate those truths. So divination isn’t used for the sake of telling you what will happen, but what you’re carrying with you as you move through important moments in your life.  

Divined answers are always final, or set in stone.

False. When you consult your divinatory tools, the answers that you arrive at offer insight into what may transpire, if nothing else changes in your world. When you pull a card, throw runes, or consult the I Ching, the wisdom you receive isn’t for the sake of finality, but to help you discern what might be the next best step on your path. This, in turn, shifts your fate. No divined answer is final.  

Divination can invite bad luck.

False. While there are endless superstitions around divination, the highest use of any divinatory tool is to promote self-awareness and connect with deep wisdom. What could this have to do with bad luck? If you’re worried about attracting something negative while divining, please put that worry to rest. Divination is a tool to nourish and support your relationship with yourself and your guides.  

All diviners are psychic.  

False. While people have varied levels of intuitive capabilities, some being stronger than others, you don’t need to have “psychic experiences” to divine. A good diviner blends their intuitive capabilities with an understanding of the language of symbols relevant to their tool. You can strengthen and build up divinatory skills over time, and you can be a strong diviner without feeling overtly psychic.  

How to set up your divination space  

Ready to do some divination? Here’s what you need to set up your space, find your center, and set the stage for clear divining.  

• Claim a sense of focus: It may seem like a no-brainer, but remove all electronic distractions from your space. Your phone, tablet, or laptop will be right where you left them when your work is done. Silence your notifications to create a calm environment.  
• Grab a journal: Before divining, it can be helpful to do some free-writing to let the anxieties of the day go, as well as to get clear about the question you’d like to ask. Use your journal to draft your queries, and take your time arriving at your divination questions.  
• Connect with your breath: Breathwork is the perfect method for tuning into your center and relaxing your nervous system before divining. This can create more confidence in interpreting the answers you arrive at.  
• Use the four elements: In all ritual work, acknowledgement of the four elements — earth, air, fire, and water — can bring a sense of grounding before divining. Setting out items as simple as a crystal or stone for earth, a feather for air, a candle or tea light for fire, and a glass of water for water brings the magic of the elements together and sets the tone for magical work.  

After you’ve set all these pieces of the ritual space, you’re ready to divine! Grab your preferred divination tools, and get querying.