╓xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx»wнere«xx xxxDivination Classroom xxxxxxxx»wιтн«xx xxxxxxxxxFourth Year Students xxxxxxxxxxxxxx»ғeelιng«xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxHappy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx╜
αи∂ ιи м у м ι и ∂ , ιи тнє fαяαωαу н є я є αи∂ и σ ωxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ι'νє вє¢σмє ι и ¢ σ и т я σ ℓ ѕσмєнσωxxxxxxxxxxx αи∂ ι и є ν є я ℓσѕє му ω α ℓ ℓ є тxxxxxxxxx вє¢αυѕє ι ωιℓℓ вє тнє ρ ι ¢ т υ я є σf ∂ ι ѕ ¢ ι ρ ℓ ι и єxxxxxx иєνєя f υ ¢ к ι и g υρ α и у т н ι и gxxx
════════════════════════════════════════════╗
spaceDrusilla had placed candles out on the four tables at the front of the class, ready for the lesson at hand. She couldn't help but wonder if any of the students taking this lesson had the aptitude to See anything in the flame and smoke. She waited for the students to arrive, and then smiled, her arms opening in a welcoming gesture. This lesson was a true test, not just to whether or not a student could See, but also if they took the lesson seriously."Welcome back, duckies. I'd like you all to read the notes on the board, and preferably write them down as well. Then, I will guide you through a meditative exercise to clear your mind, after which you will each gaze into the lit candle on your desk and take note of what you see, if anything."She sat on her desk, crossing her legs in a relaxed seated position, and waited patiently. When the quills had stopped and the eyes were on her, she smiled.
"Alright, now, I'd like you all to sit in your seat like so, or on the floor, if you like. Take a deep breathe through your nose, filling your lungs until you can take in no more air, and then slowly release the air through your mouth. Do this again, and again, relaxing your mind and body. Clear your mind of any images, any thoughts. Calm yourself, center your being. When you feel you are relaxed, a blank slate, open your eyes, gaze into the flame, and See."She watched carefully, eyeing their expressions. Waiting to see if anyone would truly See anything.
╚════════════════════════════════════════════
xxxαи∂ ιи м у м ι и ∂ , ι ιмαgιиє ѕ σ м α и у т н ι и g ѕ xxxxxxтнιиgѕ тнαт α я є и ' т яєαℓℓу н α ρ ρ є и ι и g xxxxxxxxxαи∂ ωнєи тнєу ρ υ т мє ι и т н є g я σ υ и ∂ xxxxxxxxxxxxι'ℓℓ ѕтαят ρ σ υ и ∂ ι и g тнє ℓ ι ∂ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxѕαуιиg ι н α ν є и ' т f ι и ι ѕ н є ∂ уєт
xx»╳♥╳«xx xx»oυт oғ cнaracтer«xx Please do not quote for replies! Questions will be answered later in the week, or when the lesson closes.
Divination Notes
Lesson 2 : Fire Omens
The Definition of Pyromancy:
Pyromancy (from Greek pyros, “fire,” and manteia, “divination”), or Fire Gazing, is the art of divination by means of fire.
The History of Pyromancy:
• Due to the importance of fire in society from the earliest of times, it is quite likely that pyromancy was one of the earlier forms of divination. It is said that in Greek society, virgins at the Temple of Athena in Athens regularly practiced pyromancy. It is also possible that followers of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and the forge, practiced pyromancy. • In Renaissance magic, pyromancy was classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts," along with necromancy, geomancy, aeromancy, hydromancy, chiromancy (palmistry), and spatulamancy (scapulimancy).
Forms of Pyromancy:
The most basic form of pyromancy is that in which the diviner observes flames, from a sacrificial fire, a candle, or another source of flame, and interprets the shapes that he or she sees within them. There are several variations on pyromancy, however, some of which are as follows: • Alomancy, divination by salt, one type of which involves casting salt into a fire • Botanomancy, divination by burning plants • Capnomancy, divination by smoke; light, thin smoke that rose straight up was a good omen; otherwise, a bad one. • Causinomancy, divination by burning (non-specific as to the object burned) • Daphnomancy (also, Empyromancy), divination by burning laurel leaves • Osteomancy, divination using bones, one type of which involves heating to produce cracks • Plastromancy, divination using turtle plastrons; in China, this was done by heating pits carved into them. • Scapulimancy, divination by scapulae; in Asia and North America, this was done pyromantically. • Sideromancy, divination by burning straw with an iron (Greek:Sideros)
Interpreting Pyromancy:
• Many of the methods of interpretation can be taken from what was learned when we studied Dream Divination. • It is important to note that, for all but the most experienced or attuned Seers, what is seen in the fire is seldom meant to be taken literally. • If one is properly attuned to the forces and to their own Sight, they may see a pure, unobstructed vision or what is to come. • However, most will only see symbols. • Details like emotions are hard to place and generally require another detail to throw the meaning into the light. • Details like themes can be very telling, but are very much open to interpretation. • Details like objects are usually tied to some sort of symbolism; how they are presented, or not presented in the example of the missing pants, is more important than the object itself. • People are a very interesting thing to note; their presence can mean many things. Just because a person is in your dream doesn't mean that they'll be present when the events being foretold take place, which is the general belief. Rather, it can mean that you would want them there, or that they represent something you will need. The presence of a brave friend can be because you'll need your courage; a wise friend could mean you'll need wisdom.
Homework:Spend some time Fire Gazing and attempt to interpret what you see. Make a record of it, and attempt to interpret anything of note.
xxxx× × ×xxxxSTUDENTSxxxx× × ×xxxx Any registered student who fails to post at least once this year will have their house docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:23 pm
╓xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx» wнere «xx xxxDivination Classroom xxxxxxxx» wιтн «xx xxxxxxxxxFourth Year Students xxxxxxxxxxxxxx» ғeelιng «xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAddled xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx╜
spaceDrusilla sat behind her desk, staring forward, waiting. She watched the clock on the opposite wall, her head bobbing back and forth, left and right, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock... her students should be arriving any minute now. As they filed in she sat up straight and gave a smile, her eyes bright. Today's lesson should be easy, particularly compared to some of the others."Hello, duckies, today's lesson is on Astrology, which I'm sure you're all at least a little familiar with, yes? It is the method of using the stars to divine the future. Now, there are several schools of thought on how to do this, of course. You can read about each of them on the board, and in more detail in your books. For now, though, I'd like you each to tell me what your Astrological sign is,"she inquired with a smile."As I'm sure you all know, your sign is supposed to tell a lot about you. It can be used to predict your future, or even to tell things about your personality. So, we'll go around the room and share our signs, and then you can tell me what, if anything, you know about your sign, using any of the zodiacs."She tapped her fingers on her desk, curious. What would she learn about each of them today? It could be interesting, to say the least.
space"I suppose I should start off, yes? My birthday is January 12, which makes me a Capricorn in the Western practice. I've never really found that I fit very well into the general traits associated with my sign, such as ambitious and responsible. However, they are also known for loyalty, which I do value highly, and patience. I find that I must be very patient, given how patient others have to be with me. It's only fair, after all. My approach to friendship is the one area in which I match my sign quite well; I am loyal and would do whatever I needed to in order to help someone I cared about in need... Hm. So, how about you? Does anyone wish to share? Have any questions?"She was quite curious, not just about their signs, but about how well they might match up with them. She'd never thought of herself as suiting her own very well. Sometimes, though, people's signs were almost uncannily well suited. That was always quite interesting to see.
Astrology comprises several systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world.
Western Astrology
• Western astrology is a form of divination based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment, such as a person's birth. It uses the tropical zodiac, which is aligned to the equinoctial points. • Western astrology is founded on the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon and planets, which are analyzed by their movement through signs of the zodiac (twelve spatial divisions of the ecliptic) and by their aspects (based on geometric angles) relative to one another. They are also considered by their placement in houses (twelve spatial divisions of the sky). Astrology's modern representation in western popular media is usually reduced to sun sign astrology, which considers only the zodiac sign of the Sun at an individual's date of birth, and represents only 1/12 of the total chart. • The horoscope visually expresses the set of relationships for the time and place of the chosen event. These relationships are between the seven 'planets', signifying tendencies such as war and love; the twelve signs of the zodiac; and the twelve houses. Each planet is in a particular sign and a particular house at the chosen time, when observed from the chosen place, creating two kinds of relationship. A third kind is the aspect of each planet to every other planet, where for example two planets 120° apart (in 'trine') are in a harmonious relationship, but two planets 90° apart ('square') are in a conflicted relationship. Together these relationships and their interpretations supposedly form "...the language of the heavens speaking to learned men."
Hindu Astrology:
• The earliest Vedic text on astronomy is the Vedanga Jyotisha; Vedic thought later came to include astrology as well. • Hindu natal astrology originated with Hellenistic astrology by the 3rd century BCE, though incorporating the Hindu lunar mansions. The names of the signs (e.g. Greek 'Kpios' for Aries, Hindi 'Kriya'), the planets (e.g. Greek 'Helios' for Sun, astrological Hindi 'Heli'), and astrological terms (e.g. Greek 'apoklima' and 'sunaphe' for declination and planetary conjunction, Hindi 'apoklima' and 'sunapha' respectively) in Varaha Mihira's texts are considered conclusive evidence of a Greek origin for Hindu astrology. The Indian techniques may also have been augmented with some of the Babylonian techniques.
Chinese and East-Asian Astrology:
• Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the three harmonies: heaven, earth and man) and uses concepts such as yin and yang, the Five phases, the 10 Celestial stems, the 12 Earthly Branches, and shichen (時辰 a form of timekeeping used for religious purposes). The early use of Chinese astrology was mainly confined to political astrology, the observation of unusual phenomena, identification of portents and the selection of auspicious days for events and decisions. • The constellations of the Zodiac of western Asia and Europe were not used; instead the sky is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次).[88] The Chinese zodiac of twelve animal signs is said to represent twelve different types of personality. It is based on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the day (the shichen). The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat, and the cycle proceeds through 11 other animals signs: the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.[89] Complex systems of predicting fate and destiny based on one's birthday, birth season, and birth hours, such as ziping and Zi Wei Dou Shu (simplified Chinese: 紫微斗数; traditional Chinese: 紫微斗數; pinyin: zǐwēidǒushù) are still used regularly in modern day Chinese astrology. They do not rely on direct observations of the stars. • The Korean zodiac is identical to the Chinese one. The Vietnamese zodiac is almost identical to Chinese zodiac except the second animal is the Water Buffalo instead of the Ox, and the fourth animal is the Cat instead of the Rabbit. The Japanese have since 1873 celebrated the beginning of the new year on 1 January as per the Gregorian Calendar. The Thai zodiac begins, not at Chinese New Year, but either on the first day of fifth month in the Thai lunar calendar, or during the Songkran festival (now celebrated every 13–15 April), depending on the purpose of the use.
Homework:Write a short essay about your own astrological sign, using any of the zodiac systems learned about in class.
xxxx× × ×xxxxSTUDENTSxxxx× × ×xxxx Any student who fails to post at least once this year will have their house docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
spaceDrusilla had placed candles out on the four tables at the front of the class, ready for the lesson at hand. She couldn't help but wonder if any of the students taking this lesson had the aptitude to See anything in the flame and smoke. She waited for the students to arrive, and then smiled, her arms opening in a welcoming gesture. This lesson was a true test, not just to whether or not a student could See, but also if they took the lesson seriously."Welcome back, duckies. I'd like you all to read the notes on the board, and preferably write them down as well. Then, I will guide you through a meditative exercise to clear your mind, after which you will each gaze into the lit candle on your desk and take note of what you see, if anything."She sat on her desk, crossing her legs in a relaxed seated position, and waited patiently. When the quills had stopped and the eyes were on her, she smiled.
"Alright, now, I'd like you all to sit in your seat like so, or on the floor, if you like. Take a deep breathe through your nose, filling your lungs until you can take in no more air, and then slowly release the air through your mouth. Do this again, and again, relaxing your mind and body. Clear your mind of any images, any thoughts. Calm yourself, center your being. When you feel you are relaxed, a blank slate, open your eyes, gaze into the flame, and See."She watched carefully, eyeing their expressions. Waiting to see if anyone would truly See anything. Drusilla
Pyromancy (from Greek pyros, “fire,” and manteia, “divination”), or Fire Gazing, is the art of divination by means of fire.
The History of Pyromancy:
• Due to the importance of fire in society from the earliest of times, it is quite likely that pyromancy was one of the earlier forms of divination. It is said that in Greek society, virgins at the Temple of Athena in Athens regularly practiced pyromancy. It is also possible that followers of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and the forge, practiced pyromancy. • In Renaissance magic, pyromancy was classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts," along with necromancy, geomancy, aeromancy, hydromancy, chiromancy (palmistry), and spatulamancy (scapulimancy).
Forms of Pyromancy:
The most basic form of pyromancy is that in which the diviner observes flames, from a sacrificial fire, a candle, or another source of flame, and interprets the shapes that he or she sees within them. There are several variations on pyromancy, however, some of which are as follows: • Alomancy, divination by salt, one type of which involves casting salt into a fire • Botanomancy, divination by burning plants • Capnomancy, divination by smoke; light, thin smoke that rose straight up was a good omen; otherwise, a bad one. • Causinomancy, divination by burning (non-specific as to the object burned) • Daphnomancy (also, Empyromancy), divination by burning laurel leaves • Osteomancy, divination using bones, one type of which involves heating to produce cracks • Plastromancy, divination using turtle plastrons; in China, this was done by heating pits carved into them. • Scapulimancy, divination by scapulae; in Asia and North America, this was done pyromantically. • Sideromancy, divination by burning straw with an iron (Greek:Sideros)
Interpreting Pyromancy:
• Many of the methods of interpretation can be taken from what was learned when we studied Dream Divination. • It is important to note that, for all but the most experienced or attuned Seers, what is seen in the fire is seldom meant to be taken literally. • If one is properly attuned to the forces and to their own Sight, they may see a pure, unobstructed vision or what is to come. • However, most will only see symbols. • Details like emotions are hard to place and generally require another detail to throw the meaning into the light. • Details like themes can be very telling, but are very much open to interpretation. • Details like objects are usually tied to some sort of symbolism; how they are presented, or not presented in the example of the missing pants, is more important than the object itself. • People are a very interesting thing to note; their presence can mean many things. Just because a person is in your dream doesn't mean that they'll be present when the events being foretold take place, which is the general belief. Rather, it can mean that you would want them there, or that they represent something you will need. The presence of a brave friend can be because you'll need your courage; a wise friend could mean you'll need wisdom.
Homework:Spend some time Fire Gazing and attempt to interpret what you see. Make a record of it, and attempt to interpret anything of note.
xxxx× × ×xxxxSTUDENTSxxxx× × ×xxxx Any registered student who fails to post at least once this year will have their house docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:41 pm
This class had proven, if nothing else, to be interesting. And that was in no small part because of the professor. She was the polar opposite of everything he had ever known. After quickly taking down his notes he sat square in his seat, relaxed his muscles and planted his feet firm on the ground. Listening to Professor Somerset's instructions, he breathed in through his nose and out his mouth. Breathing in and out, and in and out, until for a second there he thought he might've actually fallen asleep, then tried to stare into the fire. He saw yellow and red bouncing above blue, he saw smoke flitter helplessly in a stream. Then felt his eyes going cross for staring so long.
╔═══════════════════════╗ 【WHEN:: Tuesday, 11:00 – 11:45am 】 【WHERE:: Divinations Class 】 【WITH WHO:: Fourth Years 】 ╚═══════════════════════╝
spaceDrusilla sat behind her desk, staring forward, waiting. She watched the clock on the opposite wall, her head bobbing back and forth, left and right, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock... her students should be arriving any minute now. As they filed in she sat up straight and gave a smile, her eyes bright. Today's lesson should be easy, particularly compared to some of the others."Hello, duckies, today's lesson is on Astrology, which I'm sure you're all at least a little familiar with, yes? It is the method of using the stars to divine the future. Now, there are several schools of thought on how to do this, of course. You can read about each of them on the board, and in more detail in your books. For now, though, I'd like you each to tell me what your Astrological sign is,"she inquired with a smile."As I'm sure you all know, your sign is supposed to tell a lot about you. It can be used to predict your future, or even to tell things about your personality. So, we'll go around the room and share our signs, and then you can tell me what, if anything, you know about your sign, using any of the zodiacs."She tapped her fingers on her desk, curious. What would she learn about each of them today? It could be interesting, to say the least.
space"I suppose I should start off, yes? My birthday is January 12, which makes me a Capricorn in the Western practice. I've never really found that I fit very well into the general traits associated with my sign, such as ambitious and responsible. However, they are also known for loyalty, which I do value highly, and patience. I find that I must be very patient, given how patient others have to be with me. It's only fair, after all. My approach to friendship is the one area in which I match my sign quite well; I am loyal and would do whatever I needed to in order to help someone I cared about in need... Hm. So, how about you? Does anyone wish to share? Have any questions?"She was quite curious, not just about their signs, but about how well they might match up with them. She'd never thought of herself as suiting her own very well. Sometimes, though, people's signs were almost uncannily well suited. That was always quite interesting to see.
Astrology comprises several systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world.
Western Astrology
• Western astrology is a form of divination based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment, such as a person's birth. It uses the tropical zodiac, which is aligned to the equinoctial points. • Western astrology is founded on the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon and planets, which are analyzed by their movement through signs of the zodiac (twelve spatial divisions of the ecliptic) and by their aspects (based on geometric angles) relative to one another. They are also considered by their placement in houses (twelve spatial divisions of the sky). Astrology's modern representation in western popular media is usually reduced to sun sign astrology, which considers only the zodiac sign of the Sun at an individual's date of birth, and represents only 1/12 of the total chart. • The horoscope visually expresses the set of relationships for the time and place of the chosen event. These relationships are between the seven 'planets', signifying tendencies such as war and love; the twelve signs of the zodiac; and the twelve houses. Each planet is in a particular sign and a particular house at the chosen time, when observed from the chosen place, creating two kinds of relationship. A third kind is the aspect of each planet to every other planet, where for example two planets 120° apart (in 'trine') are in a harmonious relationship, but two planets 90° apart ('square') are in a conflicted relationship. Together these relationships and their interpretations supposedly form "...the language of the heavens speaking to learned men."
Hindu Astrology:
• The earliest Vedic text on astronomy is the Vedanga Jyotisha; Vedic thought later came to include astrology as well. • Hindu natal astrology originated with Hellenistic astrology by the 3rd century BCE, though incorporating the Hindu lunar mansions. The names of the signs (e.g. Greek 'Kpios' for Aries, Hindi 'Kriya'), the planets (e.g. Greek 'Helios' for Sun, astrological Hindi 'Heli'), and astrological terms (e.g. Greek 'apoklima' and 'sunaphe' for declination and planetary conjunction, Hindi 'apoklima' and 'sunapha' respectively) in Varaha Mihira's texts are considered conclusive evidence of a Greek origin for Hindu astrology. The Indian techniques may also have been augmented with some of the Babylonian techniques.
Chinese and East-Asian Astrology:
• Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the three harmonies: heaven, earth and man) and uses concepts such as yin and yang, the Five phases, the 10 Celestial stems, the 12 Earthly Branches, and shichen (時辰 a form of timekeeping used for religious purposes). The early use of Chinese astrology was mainly confined to political astrology, the observation of unusual phenomena, identification of portents and the selection of auspicious days for events and decisions. • The constellations of the Zodiac of western Asia and Europe were not used; instead the sky is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次).[88] The Chinese zodiac of twelve animal signs is said to represent twelve different types of personality. It is based on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the day (the shichen). The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat, and the cycle proceeds through 11 other animals signs: the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.[89] Complex systems of predicting fate and destiny based on one's birthday, birth season, and birth hours, such as ziping and Zi Wei Dou Shu (simplified Chinese: 紫微斗数; traditional Chinese: 紫微斗數; pinyin: zǐwēidǒushù) are still used regularly in modern day Chinese astrology. They do not rely on direct observations of the stars. • The Korean zodiac is identical to the Chinese one. The Vietnamese zodiac is almost identical to Chinese zodiac except the second animal is the Water Buffalo instead of the Ox, and the fourth animal is the Cat instead of the Rabbit. The Japanese have since 1873 celebrated the beginning of the new year on 1 January as per the Gregorian Calendar. The Thai zodiac begins, not at Chinese New Year, but either on the first day of fifth month in the Thai lunar calendar, or during the Songkran festival (now celebrated every 13–15 April), depending on the purpose of the use.
Homework:Write a short essay about your own astrological sign, using any of the zodiac systems learned about in class.
xxxx× × ×xxxxSTUDENTSxxxx× × ×xxxx Any student who fails to post at least once this year will have their house docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
Posted: Tue May 16, 2017 8:18 pm
╓xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx» wнere «xx xxxDivination Classroom xxxxxxxx» wιтн «xx xxxxxxxxxFourth Year Students xxxxxxxxxxxxxx» ғeelιng «xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAddled xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx╜
spaceDrusilla had placed candles out on the four tables at the front of the class, ready for the lesson at hand. She couldn't help but wonder if any of the students taking this lesson had the aptitude to See anything in the flame and smoke. She waited for the students to arrive, and then smiled, her arms opening in a welcoming gesture. This lesson was a true test, not just to whether or not a student could See, but also if they took the lesson seriously."Welcome back, duckies. I'd like you all to read the notes on the board, and preferably write them down as well. Then, I will guide you through a meditative exercise to clear your mind, after which you will each gaze into the lit candle on your desk and take note of what you see, if anything."She sat on her desk, crossing her legs in a relaxed seated position, and waited patiently. When the quills had stopped and the eyes were on her, she smiled.
"Alright, now, I'd like you all to sit in your seat like so, or on the floor, if you like. Take a deep breathe through your nose, filling your lungs until you can take in no more air, and then slowly release the air through your mouth. Do this again, and again, relaxing your mind and body. Clear your mind of any images, any thoughts. Calm yourself, center your being. When you feel you are relaxed, a blank slate, open your eyes, gaze into the flame, and See."She watched carefully, eyeing their expressions. Waiting to see if anyone would truly See anything.
Pyromancy (from Greek pyros, “fire,” and manteia, “divination”), or Fire Gazing, is the art of divination by means of fire.
The History of Pyromancy:
• Due to the importance of fire in society from the earliest of times, it is quite likely that pyromancy was one of the earlier forms of divination. It is said that in Greek society, virgins at the Temple of Athena in Athens regularly practiced pyromancy. It is also possible that followers of Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire and the forge, practiced pyromancy. • In Renaissance magic, pyromancy was classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts," along with necromancy, geomancy, aeromancy, hydromancy, chiromancy (palmistry), and spatulamancy (scapulimancy).
Forms of Pyromancy:
The most basic form of pyromancy is that in which the diviner observes flames, from a sacrificial fire, a candle, or another source of flame, and interprets the shapes that he or she sees within them. There are several variations on pyromancy, however, some of which are as follows: • Alomancy, divination by salt, one type of which involves casting salt into a fire • Botanomancy, divination by burning plants • Capnomancy, divination by smoke; light, thin smoke that rose straight up was a good omen; otherwise, a bad one. • Causinomancy, divination by burning (non-specific as to the object burned) • Daphnomancy (also, Empyromancy), divination by burning laurel leaves • Osteomancy, divination using bones, one type of which involves heating to produce cracks • Plastromancy, divination using turtle plastrons; in China, this was done by heating pits carved into them. • Scapulimancy, divination by scapulae; in Asia and North America, this was done pyromantically. • Sideromancy, divination by burning straw with an iron (Greek:Sideros)
Interpreting Pyromancy:
• Many of the methods of interpretation can be taken from what was learned when we studied Dream Divination. • It is important to note that, for all but the most experienced or attuned Seers, what is seen in the fire is seldom meant to be taken literally. • If one is properly attuned to the forces and to their own Sight, they may see a pure, unobstructed vision or what is to come. • However, most will only see symbols. • Details like emotions are hard to place and generally require another detail to throw the meaning into the light. • Details like themes can be very telling, but are very much open to interpretation. • Details like objects are usually tied to some sort of symbolism; how they are presented, or not presented in the example of the missing pants, is more important than the object itself. • People are a very interesting thing to note; their presence can mean many things. Just because a person is in your dream doesn't mean that they'll be present when the events being foretold take place, which is the general belief. Rather, it can mean that you would want them there, or that they represent something you will need. The presence of a brave friend can be because you'll need your courage; a wise friend could mean you'll need wisdom.
Homework:Spend some time Fire Gazing and attempt to interpret what you see. Make a record of it, and attempt to interpret anything of note.
xxxx× × ×xxxxSTUDENTSxxxx× × ×xxxx Any registered student who fails to post at least once this year will have their house docked ten points at the end of the term. Exceptions can be made provided you contact Cara MiaKitty and are able to provide a reasonable excuse.
spaceDrusilla sat behind her desk, staring forward, waiting. She watched the clock on the opposite wall, her head bobbing back and forth, left and right, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock... her students should be arriving any minute now. As they filed in she sat up straight and gave a smile, her eyes bright. Today's lesson should be easy, particularly compared to some of the others."Hello, duckies, today's lesson is on Astrology, which I'm sure you're all at least a little familiar with, yes? It is the method of using the stars to divine the future. Now, there are several schools of thought on how to do this, of course. You can read about each of them on the board, and in more detail in your books. For now, though, I'd like you each to tell me what your Astrological sign is,"she inquired with a smile."As I'm sure you all know, your sign is supposed to tell a lot about you. It can be used to predict your future, or even to tell things about your personality. So, we'll go around the room and share our signs, and then you can tell me what, if anything, you know about your sign, using any of the zodiacs."She tapped her fingers on her desk, curious. What would she learn about each of them today? It could be interesting, to say the least.
space"I suppose I should start off, yes? My birthday is January 12, which makes me a Capricorn in the Western practice. I've never really found that I fit very well into the general traits associated with my sign, such as ambitious and responsible. However, they are also known for loyalty, which I do value highly, and patience. I find that I must be very patient, given how patient others have to be with me. It's only fair, after all. My approach to friendship is the one area in which I match my sign quite well; I am loyal and would do whatever I needed to in order to help someone I cared about in need... Hm. So, how about you? Does anyone wish to share? Have any questions?"She was quite curious, not just about their signs, but about how well they might match up with them. She'd never thought of herself as suiting her own very well. Sometimes, though, people's signs were almost uncannily well suited. That was always quite interesting to see.
x Astrology comprises several systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world.
Western Astrology:
x Western astrology is a form of divination based on the construction of a horoscope for an exact moment, such as a person's birth. It uses the tropical zodiac, which is aligned to the equinoctial points. x Western astrology is founded on the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies such as the Sun, Moon and planets, which are analyzed by their movement through signs of the zodiac (twelve spatial divisions of the ecliptic) and by their aspects (based on geometric angles) relative to one another. They are also considered by their placement in houses (twelve spatial divisions of the sky). Astrology's modern representation in western popular media is usually reduced to sun sign astrology, which considers only the zodiac sign of the Sun at an individual's date of birth, and represents only 1/12 of the total chart. x The horoscope visually expresses the set of relationships for the time and place of the chosen event. These relationships are between the seven 'planets', signifying tendencies such as war and love; the twelve signs of the zodiac; and the twelve houses. Each planet is in a particular sign and a particular house at the chosen time, when observed from the chosen place, creating two kinds of relationship. A third kind is the aspect of each planet to every other planet, where for example two planets 120° apart (in 'trine') are in a harmonious relationship, but two planets 90° apart ('square') are in a conflicted relationship. Together these relationships and their interpretations supposedly form "...the language of the heavens speaking to learned men."
Hindu Astrology:
x The earliest Vedic text on astronomy is the Vedanga Jyotisha; Vedic thought later came to include astrology as well. x Hindu natal astrology originated with Hellenistic astrology by the 3rd century BCE, though incorporating the Hindu lunar mansions. The names of the signs (e.g. Greek 'Kpios' for Aries, Hindi 'Kriya'), the planets (e.g. Greek 'Helios' for Sun, astrological Hindi 'Heli'), and astrological terms (e.g. Greek 'apoklima' and 'sunaphe' for declination and planetary conjunction, Hindi 'apoklima' and 'sunapha' respectively) in Varaha Mihira's texts are considered conclusive evidence of a Greek origin for Hindu astrology. The Indian techniques may also have been augmented with some of the Babylonian techniques.
Chinese and East-Asian Astrology:
x Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the three harmonies: heaven, earth and man) and uses concepts such as yin and yang, the Five phases, the 10 Celestial stems, the 12 Earthly Branches, and shichen (時辰 a form of timekeeping used for religious purposes). The early use of Chinese astrology was mainly confined to political astrology, the observation of unusual phenomena, identification of portents and the selection of auspicious days for events and decisions. x The constellations of the Zodiac of western Asia and Europe were not used; instead the sky is divided into Three Enclosures (三垣 sān yuán), and Twenty-eight Mansions (二十八宿 èrshíbā xiù) in twelve Ci (十二次).[88] The Chinese zodiac of twelve animal signs is said to represent twelve different types of personality. It is based on cycles of years, lunar months, and two-hour periods of the day (the shichen). The zodiac traditionally begins with the sign of the Rat, and the cycle proceeds through 11 other animals signs: the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.[89] Complex systems of predicting fate and destiny based on one's birthday, birth season, and birth hours, such as ziping and Zi Wei Dou Shu (simplified Chinese: 紫微斗数; traditional Chinese: 紫微斗數; pinyin: zǐwēidǒushù) are still used regularly in modern day Chinese astrology. They do not rely on direct observations of the stars. x The Korean zodiac is identical to the Chinese one. The Vietnamese zodiac is almost identical to Chinese zodiac except the second animal is the Water Buffalo instead of the Ox, and the fourth animal is the Cat instead of the Rabbit. The Japanese have since 1873 celebrated the beginning of the new year on 1 January as per the Gregorian Calendar. The Thai zodiac begins, not at Chinese New Year, but either on the first day of fifth month in the Thai lunar calendar, or during the Songkran festival (now celebrated every 13–15 April), depending on the purpose of the use.
