Experimenting :-)

 Divination is more about what happens inside your head than the tools. Anything can be used as an oracle, symbol, message, sign. So, I decided to utilize the hundreds of free divination sites and let them pick me the symbol to answer the questions :-D

I am going to use this Reincarnation layout.

1) Alana Fairchild's oracle decks, Sacred Rebels

My card was Heaven Sent 

2) Colette Baron Reid's oracle cards: The Dream Weaver's Oracle

Let your dreams be woven true

"you are in a partnership with your Higher Power"  - This could mean I was a nun or something like that, married to God, or my mission, or co-operating with my spouse. 

3) Heal Your Life's oracle cards; this time it was Angel Tarot Cards by Radleigh Valentine

Yes, I was happy.

4) This time I used the first card of The Darling Tree's Free Online 5-Card Spread. They use the Inner Star Oracle Deck, and my card was Trust the Journey.

Huh... I don't know what kind of work that would be. Adventurer? Wilderness guide? Author?

5) Eva Tarot's oracle cards. They use Oracle Belline. The first card in my reading was Beauty

So, yes, I was an honorable person. 

6) Steven Farmer's oracle card readings. I chose Earth Magic deck, and my card was Ancestors.

I suppose I had problems with my parents or family, the family expectations, ancestors, and such things.

7) Higgypop's oracle card reading

I picked the Sphinx... hmm...

Well... the Sphinx is famous, so I suppose I was, too. 

8) Cafe au Soul's tarot reading

My card was King of Cups.

King of Cups concerning health is generally read as being healthy but there could be something affecting the health negatively, like alcoholism. 

9) Next was Isha Lerner's cards. I chose the Triple Goddess tarot. I received Death :-D

Ok... so... I died? :-D Isha Lerner's Death is Black Madonna. Mary died a natural death, and this is the vibes I get from this card as well. Peacefully in my old age, I'd say.

10) Next deck was Free Tarot Readings. I don't know if this is a real tarot deck, but my card was Strength.

So, yes, I had a Soul Mate. But it feels like... not so equal relationship. 

11) Tarot Goddess' One Card Oracle, using the Goddess Tarot. My card was Three of Cups.

I absolutely knew my husband in my previous life. :-D

12) Next comes Llewellyn. I chose the Starman Tarot. It looked nice in the little picture. I don't like it after having seen it closer :-D. My card was 3 of Pentacles. 

I did know my parents, too.

13) For the next question, I chose Archangels Bless site.

I received Assertiveness, from Daily Guidance From Your Angels Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue

I would say "yes", I did know other of my family members, too.

(Apparently I knew both brothers, and sister 2, but I didn't know sister 1 or sister 3. I knew sister 1's and brother 2's children, but not brother 1's. I didn't know sister 1's husband, or brother 1's wife, but I knew sister 3's husband and brother 2's wife. I also knew my cousin-sister.)

14) Labyrinthos' card readings. One could choose a deck here, too. I chose Luminous Spirit. My card was Seven of Pentacles.

I need to learn to work and wait for the results? Tend my garden?

15) For this I chose Magizzle's Oracle of Love that uses Daniloff's Tarot

I'm a bit shocked right now. Because this card says very clearly I will not be reborn again. 

It feels so final.

Divination by cockroaches

 

Seriously. I have never in my life seen a cockroach, but you might have. If you have, then you can use them for divination.

This is supposed to be done between Christmas and New Year.

Find a cockroach, either in your own home or somewhere else.
Look at it. (Be kind, they are innocent animals and shouldn't be harmed. Just being captured is stressful enough.)

If it's vigorous and healthy, all is well

If it's black, you will be promoted
If it's red, a blonde or a redhead is in love with you
If it's green, it means a lot of money
If it's blue - go to bed and sleep

If it moves the antennae all the time, you will have an energetic year ahead of you
If it is still, you will spend a lot of time at home
If it looks surprised, people ignore you
If it is scared, you are an intimidating person

Measure the cockroach.
If it's less than 1 cm, you have a good family life
If it's more than 3 cm, you are an adventurer

Compare the length of the antennae to your nose. If they are shorter than your nose, you are quite content with your life. If they are longer, you are curious and want to know more

If one of the antennae is shorter than the other, you haven't yet realized your capacity.

If the total length of the antennae is equal to the length of its body multiplied by the square root of its diameter - you need to stop measuring the poor creature.

If the legs of the cockroach are evenly distributed throughout its body, you need to see a psychiatrist.

If the length of the cockroach is equal to its width, it's not a cockroach.

Now, let it go.
If it runs straight, you have a straight road ahead.
If it runs to the left, you are to meet an exciting person
If it runs to the right, take the job
If it runs to you, someone is on their way to your life
If it doesn't run, its dead.

Wishing Tree Tarot Layout

 

1 and 2: the trunk of the tree - what lead to the wish, background, the base

3 and 5: right branch: what contributes to the fulfillment of the wish

4 and 6: left branch of the tree: what hinders the fulfillment of the wish

7 and 8: the fruit: what will your wish lead to if fulfilled

9: the top: how to make the wish come true

A multiple front attack :-D

 My question is: 

I'm participating in NaNoWriMo. I have been dreaming of being an author for 40 years now, but haven't managed to actually write a book. I have participated in NaNo, and even won - once - with a hotchpotch of ramblings. I write a lot. I probably write more than 10.000 words every day. But I just can't get the stories from ideas and images into a coherent story.

So, my question is - will I manage to write a coherent first draft this November, and how?

I am fond of complicated things, and I love combining several divination methods. 

So, here's a multiple front approach :-) (Not attack, no-one is attacking anyone :-D)

Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards

Nothing fell in place right away.

On first row, the clover - This drawing means luck in general.
The clover is surrounded by empty, the knight, the apple, the stork (counted because it's a full image), the dog, and the fox
(I don't remember how it was laid down, because I completed the pictures... dang it. I should have noted that.)
(the unexpected; news; love and friendship; something new; friends and fidelity; cunning, deception, betrayal and lies)

On second, the stork (The apple would have formed, if not the stork had been there. It can be read: first stork happens, then the apple)
Represents the arrival of a baby. or a move to another place. In general it is something new or a big change.
The stork is surrounded by
- the branches (the rupture or reconciliation in the family environment)
- the birds (liberation, of joy, of fun, of overcoming obstacles)
- the apple (love and friendship)
- the money (money)
- the crayfish (our destiny, above all it refers to our ability to react to life circumstances)
- the scythe (the hand of destiny that alters some aspect of our life. It represents everything that is beyond our control and against which little or nothing we can do. It can also warn us that we are running out of time)

the apple (related to love or friendship) by
- the birds (liberation, of joy, of fun, of overcoming obstacles)
- the owl (intelligence. Applied to the projects that we have to carry out, it means that we will have to act wisely, patiently, meditating each step)
- empty
- the pig (earthly pleasures)
- the money (money)
- the stork (something new)

on fourth row we have the book (something secret that is finally revealed to us)
surrounded by rooster (awakening, for better or for worse)
the bridge (our ability to change circumstances)
the horse (emotions)
the black cat (unpredictable, occult, hidden danger)
the bear (good results as a result of effort and work)

On last row the lady, the heart and the scales

The lady (a woman, support, help, advice)
surrounded by
the palace (It is a symbol of safety and protection, but based on effort, not luck.)
the snake (the woman, vulnerability, betrayal, bad news, attack)
the lilies (happiness, beauty and love)
empty space

The heart (love)
- firewood (physical health)
- stars (destiny)
- moon (peace and also fertility)
- scales (justice and balance)
- empty

The scales (justice and balance)
- firewood (physical health)
- scythe (the hand of destiny that alters some aspect of our life. It represents everything that is beyond our control and against which little or nothing we can do. It can also warn us that we are running out of time)
- heart (love)
- empty

On fourth column we have the mice
This figure represents loss or theft
- the ring (the commitment, the union of two people)
- the fish (physical and spiritual abundance)
- the scythe (the hand of destiny that alters some aspect of our life. It represents everything that is beyond our control and against which little or nothing we can do. It can also warn us that we are running out of time)
- the owl (intelligence. Applied to the projects that we have to carry out, it means that we will have to act wisely, patiently, meditating each step)
- the dagger (a threat of grave danger)
- the horseshoe (luck in an unexpected way, that is, a stroke of luck, or deserved success thanks to effort)
I would count the stork and the apple there, too

On second row we have almost dog, almost ring, and almost sun
On third row almost money and almost letter
On second column we have almost devils
on third column almost stars
fourth row almost ship
last column almost fish and almost pig

These "almost" images are things that almost happened. Something happened that made it not happen. What that "something" was, is the cards in between the halves of the image. 

For example, here you have half of the dog on first tile, and the other half on the third. The tile separating them is the anchor (stability) - the birds (joy) - the scythe (unavoidable fate) - the ring (commitment). Hmm... My faithful writing is stopped by my stabile commitment to joy and gossip, which is unavoidable? :-D I spend too much time on the internet :-D
The ring on the second tile and the ring on the fourth tile are separated by stork-dog-lilies-handshake, but mostly handshake, because that image is on the same row with the ring halves. The handshake stands for union. So - my commitment to NaNoWriMo is stopped by the union... and beauty/loyalty/birth of something new. Er...?
Then we have the sun on first and last card. Now, some people actually count this as a full image, because if this layout was a cylinder, and not a square, they would be joined.

So... I would say that the co-operation between my husband and me is not going to happen.
I don't think I'll write my draft this time either, though if I start working, I'll get something. But right now it looks more "almost" to me :-D
I mean... everything becomes something if one works on it, and nothing if one doesn't. That's obvious. But I say the omens are good, and I really wish I would actually harken to this divination. (I know it sounds stupid, as if I wasn't in total control of myself! But I do, and I know myself and I know I'm a slob. I'm good at a lot of things, but extremely good at only one; procrastination...)

I am sorry, but I find it very hard to concentrate. I do hope this gives you at least something. I would appreciate it, if you shared your insights and ideas and what you learned from this.

For Tarot I'm going to use Amy Lamash's layout  with Jolanda den Tredjes Tarot 

1 What you are doing right
5 of cups

2. What you are doing wrong
9 of pentacles

3. Advice
King of wands

4. How things may go if you don't take the advice
4 of pentacles

5. How things may go if you do take the advice
4 of wands

6. What are you going to learn from all this?
Star R

Contemplating the cards
In Five of Cups there's a girl sitting and waiting, surrounded by cups of tears. The name of the card is "Disappointment". I think I'm that girl. Purely intuititiely, I'd say what I am doing right is not having high expectations. I am probably not going to manage to do this, with 40 years of experience.
Now, the meaning of five of cups is "regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism". So - sounds about right.

What I'm doing wrong? There is the sun throwing money down on the little angels, and the name of the card is "profit" (or "victory", or "winning" - it's the same word in Swedish) - So, what I am doing wrong is expecting any kind of economical gain from writing this book :-D
(It's going to be a huge hit, though, because it's really good ;-))
Meaning of 9 of Pentacles: "abundance, luxury, self-sufficiency, financial independence"
Again, sounds close enough

The advice is the King of Staffs.... In this picture there is a king sitting on a throne of horses with a sfinx kind of a woman on his breastplate and birning "skirt". It looks more like the Sfinx woman is the one sitting on the throne, and the king is a guard standing behind the throne.  He wears a crescent staff and a horse helmet - not a crown... which makes him look even more like a guard and not a king.
Advice...? Let passion burn? Just sit down and write? At night?

The meaning of the card is "natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honour"
It basically means, "take the control of your life, motivate people around you, lead the way, be the leader and role-model. Don't worry about what others think about you, dare to be different, be optimistic, fearless, action-orientated. Keep your freedom, don't follow rules too much."

If I don't take the advice - four of coins and stability. There are four golden sunflowers growing inside a castel, and there's a fish swimming in front of it. Looks like if I don't take the advice, I will succeed and create myself a steady income and security. Er... what? I am not supposed to write NaNos, I assume.
Meaning of 4 of pentacles: "saving money, security, conservatism, scarcity, control"

If I take the advice - four of staffs. There's four totem poles inside a jungle and fire burning them, and a dove is flying above them. It gives me a feeling of freedom, but wild, savage freedom. The totem poles are two eagles (or perhaps the other bird is an owl. It looks like Sam the Eagle from Muppets.) A goat buck. A person, looks like an Egyptian woman with a beard, Hatshepsut? The jungle looks like holly. What does holly symbolize? Christmas, protection, everlasting life, blood? Sounds very... belligerous, aggressive, passionate life of struggles... Uh... doesn't look nice to me.
Though it is. "Celebration, joy, harmony, relaxation, homecoming". Fulfillment. Satisfaction.

What I am going to learn from all this?
The Star... it's a woman wearing polar bear skin looking over a pond with waterlilies, frogs and stonepeople, behind her is the universe with multiple stars and glaxies. She is smiling and looks confident. Ebveryone looks happy. Except some of the stone people. It gives me Magician vibes. I suppose I am that woman, as an author, working my magic, making the stonepeople, the words do my bidding, controlling universes... Except that it's upside down.
Now, what does reversed cards means?
It could be that the energy of the card is diminished, obstructed, stopped, perhaps even reversed. Star card signifies hope, faith, feeling inspired and blessed. In reverse it might mean hopelessness, not having faith in the process, feeling uninspired and cursed. This "fate" is not in the stars for me.
It might mean that it's not really important. Like, in this case I'm not going to learn anything much about this.
It might mean troubles, challenges, problems, difficulties - in this case that I will find it hard to learn what I am learning, the teaching is going to be tough and painful.

Reversed meaning: Lack of faith, despair, self-trust, disconnection

Oracle card
Colette's Wisdom of the Oracle deck.
(Absolutely beautiful, btw.)

Peace reversed
(Freedom from attachments, radical acceptance)
Flexible
(open-mindedness, being adaptable, flexibility)
Clean It Up
(freedom from a burden, sweeping away what is no longer needed)

So - as far as I can see, there's no meaning given to the positions of the cards, but let's say, I'll manage NaNo if I just sit down and write, don't give a crap about expectations or anything, but just do it.

 

Another "free card reading" app online gave me Archangel Michael - The Emperor from Angel Tarot Cards by Radleigh Valentine. It is very similar to that King of Wands from tarot reading.

Anyway, the question is "will I manage to win NaNoWriMo, and if so, how?", and this card says "Organization and logic. Structure and discipline. Leadership." Basically, sit down and write. Plan and follow the plan. And, sure, that's the way to do it. 

I would need to know HOW I can do that, though :-D

The answer was

*sigh* "it’s important to go within and listen to your intuition as to what to do next"

Ha. 

Yes, yes, I know exactly what I need to do. Just write. It's not complicated, but it's not easy done for that. :-D

Then Geomancy

I used this online Geomancy reading generator. (I don't see any difference in letting computers do the randomizing thing, or you using coins or what ever else method you use.)

You will read the First Witness, Rubeus, The Second Witness (Albus) and The Judge (Conjunctia)
The First Witness talks about what lead to this situation, and Rubeus (red) stands for passion, rash decisions, wilful wants and hotheadedness. The Second Witness talks about where the situation leads, and Albus (white) stands for the exact opposite of Rubeus - success through patience and wise decisions, balance, thinking before acting, keeping head cool, strategies, planning and all this stuff.
The Judge is the Outcome. I will be able to win NaNoWriMo by combining red and white, passion with planning, harnessing the explosive energy through wise and patient work. I mean, come on, is there something surprising in any of this? :-D

The "Reconciler" is used if the Judge isn't clear. In this case it is, but Fortuna Minor is a good omen, "lesser fortune". It's not as clear as Fortuna Major, that is, the victory isn't as easy and grand, but it's a good, steady, reliable success. 

Some people think that if a figure appears more than 3 times, the reading is void - and I got Fortuna Minor five times :-D
Now, I don't agree with it. 

Also, the other figures also have meaning, and should be considered as clarifying details for a full reading, some read only the Mothers (upper right corner, here Amissio, Conjuntio, Rubeus and Fortuna Minor.
First Mother, Amissio (Loss) reflects influences at the beginning.
Second Mother, Conjuntio (Union) talks about the factors in early development.
Third Mother, Rubeus (Red), is about later development and
Fourth Mother (Fortuna Minor) gives further insight into the final outcome.

The Real Gypsy Guide to Fortune Telling by Deborah Durbin

 The Real Gypsy Guide to Fortune Telling by Deborah Durbin
 

Really nice book about several divination methods. I'm going to post the chapter about ribbon divination - something I have never even heard of before reading this book - as a sample of how she writes, but go find the book, there's much more than this in it. She talks about tea/coffee readings, runes, dominoes, dice, pendulums, angels, numerology, crystals, pyromancy, the moon, and also some traditional superstitions. 

Ribbons used in readings date back to Celtic times and folklore tales of traveling gypsies, offering their handmade crafts and bright-colored ribbons, reveal that when they sold a ribbon, usually for ladies to wear in their hair or to attach to their clothes, they would also give them a free ribbon reading, depending on the color ribbon they bought.

How to do your own Ribbon Readings

Ribbon Readings are a good way to not only predict the outcome of your future but also give you a good idea of who you really are. As with any form of divination, for a Ribbon Reading to be successful, it is essential to find a place where you can have five minutes of peace and quiet.

Prior to using your ribbons, leave them laid out on a window sill that catches the light of a full moon. This will cleanse and energize each individual ribbon.
What you will need

14 plain-colored ribbons (about 12 inches in length).
The colors should be light pink, dark pink, orange, green, peach, turquoise, navy blue, light blue, purple, silver, white, red, black, and yellow.
Three patterned ribbons (about 12 inches in length).
A silk or velvet purse or a small wooden box to keep the ribbons in.

How to read your ribbons

Place all the ribbons inside your silk purse or wooden box and give them a little mix around. Now you can begin your reading.
Think of a question or a situation you want answered or resolved, and without looking in the bag/box take out one ribbon and place it on a table in front of you. Repeat this six more times – be sure to remember the order of the ribbons you have taken out. You may find it’s easier to lay them so that the first is the top, the second below it, and so on.

Starting from the top, your ribbons relate to the following areas of your life:
Ribbon One: Your personality and who you are.
Ribbon Two: Any negative aspects in relation to your question/situation.
Ribbon Three: Any positive aspects in relation to your question/situation.
Ribbon Four: Suggested action to take.
Ribbon Five: Your strengths.
Ribbon Six: Your weaknesses.
Ribbon Seven: The outcome.

Read each ribbon in order.

Below is a list detailing the meaning of each ribbon:
Red – You are passionate and fiery but may find it difficult to maintain a steady relationship. Red ribbons also show someone who needs to become more spiritual in order to be happy. Remember, material things are not the be-all and end-all. Home and family are important to you. A marriage proposal could be on the way.
Black – Black is the sign of protection. You are very protective of yourself and your family. Black can signal that you have been through an emotional time lately. This color is also associated with someone who is drawn to all things of an occult nature, so you would be advised to listen to your intuition. Watch out for someone who is not all they seem.
Light Pink – You are open and tend to wear your heart on your sleeve, however, you are very positive and optimistic in life. Don’t take everything so personally and try not to take on other people’s emotions.
Dark Pink – As above, but you are much more open with your feelings and emotions, which is not always a good thing. Try to hold back a little and don’t reveal everything about yourself too soon.
Orange – You tend to take things to excess and have a bit of an addictive personality. The advice here is to try and calm down a bit. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. Listen to your inner voice, it’s always right.
Peach – Be your own best friend. You can be your own worst enemy sometimes. Don’t let other people influence you too much. Decisions might have to be made, so weigh up the pros and cons before coming to a decision.
Yellow – You have good prospects if you choose the yellow ribbon and will get to where you want to easily. Money, success, and prosperity are close by and this happy, sunny ribbon tells us that life is good.
Green – Passionate and loving about nature, this ribbon suggests that you are happier in the great outdoors. Don’t give too much to others. The message here is to find a balance between giving and receiving.
Turquoise – This shows that you are a strong character and often act as a support to others. You recover quickly from illness and can take huge amounts of stress. You are a natural advisor, but be careful that someone doesn’t take it for granted.
Navy Blue – Blues are associated with having a natural talent for mediumship, clairvoyance, and all things of a supernatural nature. Your talents in this area will soon grow and you should go with your gut instinct.
Light Blue – As with navy blue, but you are not yet aware of your talents. Find a spiritual circle or support where you can grow your talents and mix with like-minded people.
Purple – You are a natural carer and nurturer and have a real zest for life. Use this to your advantage. People are drawn to you like a magnet and you often play the role of the nurturer.
Silver – You are a young head on old shoulders. Wise beyond your years you would be wise to investigate past life regression. Looking back on your family tree will reveal many interesting secrets.
White – Like the simplicity of the color white, you like a simple life. Get rid of anything that is holding you back. Clear out the old clutter in your life, so that you can live in harmony.

Patterned Ribbons

If you choose a patterned ribbon, first look carefully at the colors within the patterns and read the relevant colors.

If the pattern is:
Stripy – This ribbon shows that you can be a bit prickly at times, but you are also a born organizer. Use this skill to get to the top of the ladder. You don’t have the best patience with people sometimes, so try to learn a little.
Spotty – This shows that you are well-balanced, but a little disorganized. You can be prone to overspending. Try to curb the overindulging too.
Zigzags – This shows that you have the ability to get on with people from all walks of life. Use this to your advantage. You would make a good counselor, mentor, or Samaritan.

Here's another version of this

Some more thoughts about ribbon reading

Some more 

Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards

 In my mind the best way of learning how to use the divination tools, is to follow with when someone else does it. So here comes a sample reading of the Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards.

I am going to assume you are familiar with using Lenormand cards and the symbolical meanings, so I will not talk much about the meaning of the symbols.

This is the layout. You mix the cards and then put them in 5 by 5 grid. It doesn't matter which way the cards are. There isn't really up and down with these cards.

First you look at the symbols that appear whole from beginning. In this layout there's the bread, the house and the ship. These symbols are very strong, the most important part of the message. 

The bread is a symbol of stability, prosperity, generosity, happiness and food. It is angled to right, which means happiness and prosperity.
Then there's the house or home. It stands for home or business, what provides us with security. It's upside down, which means failure of a project planned in advance.
On the last row is the ship. The ship means adventures. The ship is also upside down, and means material loss or unsuccessful work.
I suppose it means I won't be finishing my book this month either :-D

Next you turn the tiles so that you complete the pictures that can be completed. In this layout there's three pictures; the owl, angled to right, the clover, also angled to right, and at last the moon, upright.

the owl symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, planning, strategies. Angled to the right it means your plans will be discovered.
the clover stands for luck, of course. Angled to right it means that a misunderstanding endangers our happiness.
the moon represents peace and fertility. Upright it means simple, but happy life.

Now, the Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards care about which way around the symbols are, but the Russian patience tile reading doesn't. It's like with Lenormand. It is the symbols that matter, not which way around they are. What is next to the symbols matter also more.

Then you check the pictures that are in the same row or column but do not touch. These are "almosts" - something got in the way. 

On 3rd row, there's the scales and the ring. On column 3 there's the little devils and the sword/dagger

The demons are inner conflicts. The dagger is grave danger to my pride.
The ring symbolizes commitment, and the scales justice and balance.
So - these things won't happen, because of something else. They almost happened.

You can look at the pictures that are in between these, to find out more information about what stopped it. Basically, the dagger and demons stopped each other. The bread is somehow involved as well. The ring and the scales were cut by the house.

And while I was doing this, I noticed two pictures that touched, but I had missed - money on the last row, and coffin under the clover - I have to break the clover to make the coffin.
The money to the left means unexpected income. The coffin to the left means painful event that cannot be avoided. Now, because we formed the clover first, the coffin doesn't happen. A misunderstanding causes unhappiness, but I assume the coffin would have been worse.

I know I should have asked a question, it would be much easier to interpret than just rabble the meaning :-D Nevertheless, I think this is about my November and as the most important question right now is NaNoWriMo, then I am going to take this as that.

Next you check what cards are touching your completed picture. Ignore the images in the tile itself, because those are always the same, and don't matter. Only those that touch the tiles forming the image matter. For example, the bread is touched by the dog, the stork, the book, the heart and the snake - and nothing. Having the picture forming on the edge of the layout has meaning as well. That empty space is like 0 card, the Sacred Squirrel, the Fool.

You might find it easier to interpret if we "translate" it to Lenormand cards - after all, these Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards share quite a lot of the symbolism with Lenormand cards. (I am using the Malpertuis Lenormand deck (because of the squirrel), and because there is no "bread" in Lenormand, I made that card up.)

I would say that in this case the happiness and prosperity promised is governed by the happy go lucky squirrel thoughts, and will produce a book. (NaNoWriMo :-D) 

Snake and dog: To desire the success for loyalty, friends, maybe fans? 

Snake and heart could mean desire for love - I do want to write to get fans, even though I want to write because I want to write. I am full of stories, and have been telling them since I was a little girl.

Snake and stork means a very strong desire that has been going on for a long time. Oh, yeah. To me, the stork also stands for babies. So let's hope this means I will actually succeed writing my book :-D

Now, in the Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, the snake doesn't stand for longing, but a snakish person, infidelity, poisonous words. I don't think I'll use that, though. I think I like the desire reading more :-D
(This is divination, and all the symbols are personal, after all.)

The house is touched by sun, lilies, ring, clover, crayfish, and a child. The others are pretty much as in Lenormand, but the crayfish represents out destiny and our ability to react to life. This to me is very positive as well. (I have a project together with my husband, BTW.)

The ship is touched by a dog, a forest, and a fish, and three squirrels :-D The forest symbolizes people around us.

The formed figures:

owl: switches (whip), demons, stars, handshake and squirrels
In this the branches stand for family members, not switches. The handshake means union and co-operation. Demons are inner demons, negative thoughts, fears, conflicts.
clover: fish, bouquet, mice, bear, book, horseshoe. The horseshoe symbolizes luck in an unexpected way. I would say I should be afraid of the little mice nibbling my time away, but if I just put in the work, it will work out.
money: birds, squirrels, switches (whip) and child
moon: stars, bear, squirrels, letter - stars symbolize the destiny as end result, bear is hard work, letter is news. 

Frankly, I think this looks really good. If one doesn't care about which way they lay. I have to say that it looks pretty obvious - I am going to finish my novel if I just write. I need to look up for negative thoughts and frivolity, but basically the only thing that makes me fail is if I don't write :-D Duh! :-D

Do you have any questions?

P.S. One way of reading these is that if you have to break one picture to create a new one, it means that a new situation replaces the old one.

LeNormand, March 2020

Grand Tableau

 

The deck is Mystical Lenormand

 

garden - lady - fish - stork - book - ring - letter - cross
scythe - mice - crossroad - rider - child - lily - snake - whip
key - clover - anchor - dog - coffin  - heart - clouds - mountain
man - ship - bouquet - bear - house - sun - stars - tower
moon - fox - tree - owl

This is a reading about March, which means all of it is in the future.
The Significator card is the second, on first row, which also means I'm in control

The past that influences March:
- message about group decision, lottery - maybe the decision about housing
- I am in pain
- happy news about traveling, beneficial,
- personal growth concerning home
- end to long term stress and nervousness
- repeated key decisions about a friend
- sad or bad news cause quarrel and/or contemplation
- ambitions, stressful, job well done
- travel companion faces a decision
- long term problems: depressed man
- choice between new love and lack of love
- social, talkative man, father figure
- primary focus: home needs repairs
- work related to family successful
- creative ideas, positive change, honor, success

March:
My life is lonely life of books.
I am discontent with my working life.
My sex life has been deteriorating for a long time and this causes me stress.
I am seen as knowledgeable and respected.

The future:
- I will have a sexual encounter and get pregnant. (You bet I'm confused :-D)
- I will receive a message about work and finances, which can be false
- I will keep having health concerns, be in pain
- Apparently I'm appreciated because I cause end to arguments and gossip?
- problem with authority figures or parental figures - childish and long-lasting. Mother with Alzheimer's
- I dream about a physically fit man, troubling feedback hinder me from reaching him
- decision needs to be made about travel
- my friends are being bothered by worries gnawing their luck in life, but there's a happy outcome.
- major problems in love life
- commitment with a depressed, opinionated man
- important trip with a friend a major "education".
- I am going to receive message about long term happiness, achieving goals, joyful invitation
- I need to address the issue of daydreaming. Either I sleep my days away, or do something with my dreams
- positive news about work
- I am depressed, the home needs reparations
- burdens: difficult conversations with parental figure

Four corners:
Garden + Tower - society?
Cross + Man - depressed man
Garden + Man - popular man, public figure
Tower + Cross - The High and mighty is a problem

garden - scythe - key - man is the immediate past
lady - mice - clover - ship is the now
the rest is the future - owl (birds) is the last days of March

I would say that I will get an end to my worries and with help solve the home problems.

Find Love With These 18 Old Halloween Fortune-Telling Tricks

by Lucas Reilly

Before trick-or-treat, the sugar lobby, and mass-produced David S. Pumpkins costumes took over Halloween celebrations, fortune-telling games were one of the most popular ways to enjoy our spookiest holiday.

This was especially true in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Halloween is rooted in the festival of Samhain, the Celtic New Year, in which worshippers believed the gates between our present reality and the netherworld briefly shut down. It was a night for consulting the spirit realm for advice—especially on love and marriage. In fact, Halloween was just as romantic as our modern Valentine’s Day, if not more so.

With Lisa Morton’s exhaustive book The Halloween Encyclopedia as our guide, we’ve cobbled together some of the best romantic divination techniques from the Celtic New Year celebrations. Keep in mind that as far-fetched as some of these fortune-telling games may seem, they were largely viewed as playful parlor games—opportunities for friends to set potential suitors up, or for a bashful lad or lass to spark a courtship. When playing a game, “a clever hostess will send two unsuspecting lovers by different doors;” Martha Orne suggests in Hallowe’en And How to Celebrate It, “they are sure to meet, and not infrequently settle matters then and there.”

Perhaps it's time to bring a few of these back?

“If someone peels an apple in one piece and throws it over his or her shoulder or head, 

it will fall in the shape of a future love’s initial.”

1. Acquire a newborn baby. Encourage it to sip from a bowl. Afterward, return the baby. Retain the bowl and fill it with water, then cut all 26 letters of the alphabet from a newspaper or magazine—or write the letters on 26 slips of paper—and place the papers into the bowl. Leave it to sit overnight. The next morning blindfold yourself, dip your hand into the bowl, and pull out the same number of slips as letters that are in your name. Using those slips, you should be able to spell the name of your future spouse. (You can thank the people of Newfoundland for this custom.)

2. Eat an entire salted herring, bones and all, in three bites. Do not drink water. Go to bed. In your dreams, prophetic visions of your future spouse shall appear. (Also possible: indigestion.)

3. Find a blackberry bush. Crawl underneath the branches. In the moonlight, you may find the shadow of your future beloved. (Also possible: blackberries.)

4. Procure two apple seeds. Wet the seeds. Designate one seed for “Love Interest A,” and the second seed for “Love Interest B.” Press the seeds against your forehead or eyelids. Wait. The first apple seed to fall will indicate the least faithful of the two suitors.

5. Trespass on your neighbor’s garden. Strap on a blindfold, and began searching for kale. Upon finding the vegetable, attempt to pull the kale from the dirt. The shape of the kale's root shall foretell your future: “A straight stalk foretold a tall straight handsome mate, and dirt clinging to the kale promised money,” Morton writes. (Don’t snicker: This divination was once a popular matchmaking tool in Scotland, and, if you’re of Scottish descent, there’s a chance that you owe your entire existence to a stalk of kale.)

6. Step outside and pluck a hair from your head. (If balding, skip to the next divination.) At nightfall, toss the hair into the wind. The direction the hair flies will indicate the direction from which your future spouse will come. In 1714, the English dramatist John Gay mentioned this custom in this poem:

    I pluck this lock of hair from off my head
    to tell whence comes the one that I shall wed.
    Fly, silken hair, fly all the world around,
    Until you reach the spot where my true love is found.

7. Spread a fine layer of cornmeal near your bed. (People with carpet can probably skip this one.) Sleep. In the morning, the name of your future spouse will be scribbled in the powder. (This bit of divination was supposedly practiced by children in the American South.)

8. Grab an egg, prepare a glass of water, and school yourself in oomancy! Crack the egg and carefully drip the whites into the water three times: The goop will contort to form the initials of your future beloved. (But be careful: Morton writes of a young man who was so disturbed by his eggy divination, he “drank heavily and became a beggar who committed suicide by downing laudanum.” The girls of Salem also attempted to read egg whites, and, well, we know how that turned out.)

9. Book a ticket to the Scottish Highlands, specifically to Ross-shire where this trick supposedly originated. Find a field in which the furrows run north to south. Wait for dark. Enter the field from the west, and gently walk over 11 furrows. Stop at the 12th, wait, and listen for your fortune: If you hear sobbing, you may die early; if you hear music, your future will be joyful. (And if you hear a man or woman grumbling about getting off their lawn, your future likely holds a trespassing charge.)

10. Find a snail. Go to the hearth, scoop up ashes, and scatter them across a plate. (Hearthless? Use flour!) Place the snail on the plate and go to sleep. In the morning, check the snail’s slime trail: It will have spelled the initials of your true love.

11. Locate the nearest lime-kiln. Then locate the nearest arts and crafts store and buy blue yarn. Throw the ball of yarn into the kiln while grasping the opposite end. Reel in the yarn. When you feel a tug from the other end, ask for the name of your future beloved, and a disembodied voice will belch his or her name. (This tradition originates in lower Scotland, where it was believed that mythical household goblins called “Brownies” lived in the kilns—and, well, everywhere else.)

12. Buy a knife and find a field of leeks. At night, walk backwards through the field, and stab one of the leeks with the knife. Hide, then watch. According to Celtic lore, your future spouse will walk through the field, pick up the knife, and chuck it to the middle of the garden.

13. Visit a farm and pull up a stalk of oats. If the stalk is missing the tiny seeds at the top—what the Scots called the pickle—then you’ll lose your virginity before marriage. (For people who have already sowed their oats, pulling up a stalk of oats is probably unnecessary.) The Scottish poet Robert Burns refers to this custom, alluding to a woman’s virginity as the “tap-pickle":

    But her tap-pickle maist [nearly] was lost,
    What kiutlin [fondling] in the ‘fause-house’
    Wi’ him that night.

14. Attain a willow branch or wand. While holding it in the left or right hand, run around your house three times. Meanwhile, whisper, “He that is to be my goodman, come to grip the end of it.” During the third lap, the fetch—that is, the living spirit—of your future spouse will appear and grab it. (Willow is a interesting choice of wand, since it used to be a symbol of curmudgeonry. In the Scottish Highlands, placing a peeled willow wand on your door was a sign that you wished nobody to enter your house.)

 

15. At midnight, scoop up a heaping spoonful of salt and insert it into your mouth. Do not swallow. Then light a candle, grab a mirror, and, while holding both candle and mirror in your hands, begin walking backward into the cellar. Watch the mirror. As you reach the bottom, you’ll see the face of your future spouse staring back at you. (According to the aptly titled Book of Entertainments and Frolics for All Occasions, “This is most easily accomplished if there be a tacit agreement that some cavalier shall be in waiting for the inquiring maid.”)

16. Place two nuts on a fire and recite these words: If you hate me spit and fly; if you love me burn away. If the nuts roll apart, you may separate soon from your spouse. If both burn, your relationship is secure. A similar divination involves placing two peas on a red-hot shovel.

17. It’s time to break out the Luggie Bowls! Place three bowls side by side: Fill the first with clear water, the second with dirty water, and the third with no water at all. Blindfold yourself and ask a friend to rearrange the bowls. Dunk your left forefinger into one of the bowls. If you choose the clear bowl, you’ll enjoy a happy marriage. The dirty water, on the other hand, indicates an unhappy marriage, and the empty bowl means no marriage at all. Robert Burns describes Luggie Bowls in a poem:

    In order, on the clean hearth-stane
    The luggies three are ranged,
    And every time great care is ta’en
    To see them duly changed:
    Auld uncle John, wah wedlock’s joys
    Sin Mar’s year did desire,
    Because he gat the toom-dish [empty] thrice
    He heaved them on the fire
    In wrath that night.

18. Pour half a pint of high-proof brandy in a dish. Ignite it. Throw a handful of raisins, nuts, candied figs, and other tiny fruits into the blaze. Then gather a group of friends and attempt to remove as many items as possible, trying your best to toss them into your mouth without getting burnt. Whoever retrieves the most fruits and nuts is destined to meet their true love in one year. (In Britain, this game, known as Snap-Dragon, was mostly a Christmas Eve parlor game—Charles Dickens wrote about it in The Pickwick Papers—but, in the United States, it supposedly became a Halloween pastime.)

Fortune Telling Dolls

I love these things!

It's a doll with a skirt of fortunes.

 

The Sibyl Fortune Teller
 

If the truth you wish to learn
Give my base a quarter turn
Find your question in this book
On its number closely look
The color too just keep in mind
Then on the base your birth month find
On nearest fold of selfsame hue
Find your answer clear and true

The little booklet has all kinds of questions, set under a planet or deity, like Venus or Apollo, like "Shall I or shall I not" and "Ought I go to a lawyer about it". Typical questions from 20s oracles etc. All questions under a specific deity is on a different colored page. The skirt then has all possible answers to these questions, like a Magic 8 Ball.

This is Ullabenulla's Madame Crow - she shows how she made this.

My biggest problem with my oracle doll was to come up with fortunes :-D

 

I was thinking that one could take the daily horoscope from a newspaper or something like that; fortune cookie fortunes, and glue on the skirt.