Fortune Telling

Techniques

There are several ways of casting the oracle. Although the techniques differ, a general principle of casual generation underlies them all and any fortuitous ways of obtaining the figures is equally valid. Two techniques are most widely used.

The Casting of the Coin

This system is the most widespread, for it does not need any equipment and it just uses a silver coin (although any coin will do). The two principles - moving and still - are assigned to the sides of the coin that is then cast on a board or a circle. The lines are drawn from top to bottom, and the coin recast if it falls outside the board, for the casting was not done in line with the cosmos. With four castings a figure is obtained.

The Drawing of the sticks

A bundle of sticks is held in one hand, or in a container. The bottom half of half of the sticks is painted evenly, while the other half of the sticks is painted in broken sections. Four sticks are drawn in order and a figure obtained.

Other Techniques

Any mean of obtaining the figures is equally valid is the principle of casual generation is respected. A deck of cards can be used, or the flight of birds observed. It is said that the trails of four snails on a board used to be adopted for the generation of the figures. The snails would be left on the board in the evening, and fresh grass left on two opposing sides of the board: the trails left would be observed at dawn.

The Figures

The Well

The Well, or the Abyss, is one of the two principal figures of the oracle, the other one being the road.

____________

____________

____________

____________

The Word

____________

       ___

____________

____________

The Passage

       ___

____________

____________

____________

Thunder

____________

       ___

____________

       ___

Reflection

       ___

____________

____________

       ___

The Swamp

       ___

       ___

____________

____________

Youth

       ___

       ___

____________

       ___

The Tower

       ___

       ___

       ___

____________

The Road

       ___

       ___

       ___

       ___

The Cave

____________

       ___

       ___

       ___

The Spouse

       ___

____________

       ___

       ___

The Knot

       ___

____________

       ___

____________

The Cage

____________

       ___

       ___

____________

The Firmament

____________

____________

       ___

       ___

The Beaker

____________

____________

       ___

____________

Exile

____________

____________

____________

       ___