Seeing and foretelling
Divination, omens and oracles: asking what is hidden or still to come.
Divination is the attempt to learn what is hidden or still to come. It is found in nearly every culture, from the Chinese I Ching and Ifa in West Africa to the tarot, astrology, palm reading, the Roman augurs and the Greek oracle at Delphi. People consult diviners about marriage, trade, health, journeys and loss. This page covers who reads, what is read, and how the practice is regarded. It is among the oldest and most widely repeated forms of ritual.
What is read
Diviners read many things. Some read natural signs, such as birds, the entrails of animals, cracks in a heated shell or bone, and the stars. Some read objects thrown or drawn at random, such as bones, cowries, cards, runes, tea leaves or lots. Others receive answers in trance, dreams or possession. In China, oracle bones used in the Shang period are among the earliest written records. Many diviners say the reading is shaped by the question asked.
Who reads
The role can be a profession, a family inheritance, or a sign of calling. Ifa babalawo are men, while the Greek Pythia was a woman. Astrologers served courts in India, Persia and Europe, and card readers in cities serve poorer clients. Class and gender shape trust: a palace astrologer and a roadside parrot-reader may use the same texts and be judged very differently. Readers of the same system may disagree, and the best known diviners are expected to admit that signs can be read more than one way.
Law and religion
Responses vary. The Hebrew Bible forbids certain divination, medieval Christian authorities condemned it, and Islamic scholars largely reject claims to know the unseen, while still permitting dream interpretation and astrology in some schools. Modern states regulate fortune-telling under fraud laws, and some Indian states have passed laws against exploitative practices. Divination also persists inside religion, as in Ifa and Buddhist temple lots. Other traditions, such as Buddhism and Sikhism, reject much divination as a distraction from the path, while their followers may still visit astrologers for family matters.
Why it endures
Psychologists explain its appeal through the Barnum effect and confirmation bias, and a good reader also reads the client. Anthropologists add that divination can give a community a way to settle disputes and accept a choice. Practitioners often say their work is guidance, not prediction. A reading is not a substitute for medical, legal or financial advice. A reading is a performance of listening, and what a client takes from it often depends on what they already feel and on what they decide to do afterwards.
Seeing and foretelling on EveryJaadu
The entries written up so far, best known first.
馃嚠馃嚦 India and 2 morePalmistry
A divination method that interprets the lines and shapes of the hand to predict fate or reveal character.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 2 moreOnomancy
Divination based on the letters, numbers, or written strokes of a person's nameOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚥馃嚞 Madagascar and 4 moreGeomancy
A cross-cultural system of divination using earth, sand, and landforms to read the future or align spaces.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚥馃嚞 MadagascarSikidy
An algebraic geomancy practiced by Malagasy peoples using seeds to read fate and prescribe remediesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Protection Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 3 moreTang-ki绔ヤ供 (t贸ngj墨); 涔╃ (j墨t贸ng)
A Chinese folk-religion medium whose body a deity is held to take overTradition 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceDodona螖蠅未蠋谓畏
The oldest Greek oracle, where wind in oak leaves revealed the will of Zeus and DioneOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 5 moreChinese fortune telling绠楀懡 (Su脿nm矛ng)
Reading faces, palms, birth hours and places to map a person's luck through lifeTradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaNechung Oracle嘟傕綋嘟︵紜嘟嗋酱嘟勦紜嘟忇紜嘟栢境嗉嬥綐
The official prophetic medium and spiritual advisor to Tibet's Dalai LamaOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Protection Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 4 moreQimen Dunjia濂囬杸閬佺敳
An ancient Chinese divination system mapping time and space for strategic decision-makingOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Revived
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 1 moreMyomancy
A divination practice that reads omens in the actions of rats and miceOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 3 moreOracle
A person or site believed to channel divine insight and predict the future.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚠馃嚤 Israel and 3 moreCleromancy
A divination method that uses random chance to reveal divine willOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚫馃嚜 Sweden and 2 moreGermanic seeressv谦lva
Diviners and sorceresses of early Germanic and Norse societyTradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Revived
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 3 morePyromancy
Divination by reading flames, smoke, or fire-heated objectsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚡馃嚨 JapanOmikuji銇娿伩銇忋仒
Paper fortunes drawn at Japanese shrines and temples to reveal luck and life adviceOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 1 moreMoon blocks绛婃澂
Two crescent blocks thrown to a deity for a yes or noOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 5 moreKau chim姹傜堡
A divination practice using numbered bamboo sticks to seek answers from deitiesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceCoscinomancy
A divination method using a sieve and shears to reveal guilt or answer questions.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚦馃嚞 Nigeria and 5 moreIf谩
A Yoruba divination system using palm nuts to access spiritual guidanceTradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚝馃嚪 FranceCartomancy
Divination using playing cards or tarot decks to foresee the futureOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 5 moreSpodomancy
Divination by reading omens in ashes, soot, and cindersOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Healing Living
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 2 moreBibliomancy
Divination by opening a book at random and reading the first passage foundOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 3 moreZi Wei Dou Shu绱井鏂楁暩
A Chinese natal astrology system mapping stars across twelve life palacesTradition 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 2 moreAstragalomancy
Divination by casting marked bones, carved rods, or numbered diceOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 1 moreScapulimancy
Divination using animal shoulder blades, practiced across Asia and the Americas.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚠馃嚩 Iraq and 1 moreLibanomancy
Divination by reading the smoke and ash of burning frankincenseOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚫馃嚲 SyriaMetoposcopy
A divination method that reads personality and fate from forehead linesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreHydromancy
Divination using water to reveal the future or judge legitimacy.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 3 moreTasseography
A divination method that reads fortunes in the sediment of tea or coffee cupsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Living
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceAeromancy
Divination by reading the sky, wind, and cloudsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreCapnomancy
Divination by reading the shapes and movements of smoke from fires or incenseOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Protection Historical
馃嚫馃嚫 South Sudan and 1 moreAzande witchcraft
A Zande belief that certain people harm others by an inherited power, judged by oraclesBelief 路 Cursing and harm 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚜馃嚞 EgyptScrying
A divination practice of gazing into a medium to receive visions or guidance.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Historical
馃嚫馃嚲 SyriaAlectryomancy
Divination using a rooster to select letters from grainOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomRune casting (sample)
Carved signs drawn from a bag.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Revived
馃嚞馃嚙 United KingdomTarot (sample)
A deck of cards read for guidance.Oracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚦馃嚞 NigeriaIfa divination (sample)If谩
A system of verses and divining chains.Tradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Healing Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 4 moreFuji鎵朵供
Chinese planchette writing: gods and ancestors reply through a stylus on sandRite 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚠馃嚬 ItalySanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia
A vast Roman sanctuary complex in Palestrina that housed an oracle and a temple to the goddess of fate.Tradition 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Protection Historical
馃嚪馃嚭 RussiaCarromancy
A divination method that reads the future from molten wax or candle flamesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚚馃嚦 China and 1 moreJiaobei绛婃澂 (ji菐ob膿i)
Wooden crescent blocks thrown in pairs to ask temple deities yes or no questionsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead Living
馃嚚馃嚦 ChinaI Ching divination
A Chinese oracle using hexagrams derived from yarrow stalks or coinsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚞馃嚪 GreeceGreek divination
Ancient methods of consulting deities for prophecy and omens in Greek cultureOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚚馃嚦 ChinaPodomancy
A divination method that reads the lines and shapes of the soles to reveal character and fateOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Historical
馃嚜馃嚞 Egypt and 2 moreLecanomancy
Divination using a dish or bowl of water to read the futureOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚠馃嚪 Iran and 5 moreHippomancy
Divination through the movements, sounds, and tracks of horsesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚚馃嚥 Cameroon and 2 moreNggam
A divination practice in western Cameroon using spiders and crabs to answer questionsOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚞馃嚪 Greece and 1 moreOomancy
Divination by eggs, reading shapes and signs to foresee events or diagnose spiritual statesOracle 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Healing Living
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Greek divination: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia: MM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Divination: Amcaja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Oomancy: Rollcloud, CC BY 3.0, source
- Omikuji: C121749n, Public domain, source
- Moon blocks: Hsiung/d6478coke, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kau chim: No machine-readable author provided. 9old9 assumed (based on copyright, Public domain, source
- If谩: Toluaye, Public domain, source
- Carromancy: Peter Becker, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cartomancy: Alma Erdmann, Public domain, source
- Spodomancy: Tim1965, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- I Ching divination: A.Davey, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bibliomancy: Albert Robida, Public domain, source
- Jiaobei: Jnzl's Public Domain Photos, CC BY 2.0, source
- Lecanomancy: Author Robert Burns Translator Alexander Smith Illustrator C. A. Vande, Public domain, source
- Astragalomancy: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Scapulimancy: Albert Peter Low, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Libanomancy: 4174332, CC0, source
- Metoposcopy: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Hydromancy: Roger McLassus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tasseography: User:MochaSwirl, Public domain, source
- Aeromancy: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Capnomancy: Tigerzeng, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Podomancy: Eyefive45, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Scrying: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Alectryomancy: Konstantin Makovsky, Public domain, source
- Dodona: Marcus Cyron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chinese fortune telling: Lai Afong, Public domain, source
- Hippomancy: Wer?Du?!, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nechung Oracle: Christopher Michel, CC BY 2.0, source
- Myomancy: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Oracle: John William Waterhouse, Public domain, source
- Tang-ki: Bunkichi Chang, CC BY 2.0, source
- Germanic seeress: Emil Doepler, Public domain, source
- Cleromancy: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Public domain, source
- Fuji: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Azande witchcraft: Unknown author, CC BY 4.0, source
- Palmistry: Pietro della Vecchia, Public domain, source
- Coscinomancy: Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, Public domain, source
- Sikidy: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Geomancy: Jacopo188, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Onomancy: Unknown author, Public domain, source