Augury
Augury is an ancient form of divination
usually
associated with birds. I
use augury as a form of geomancy; reading of
portents
and omens
(earth/nature signs). It was
especially
used and developed by seers in
Italy and Scotland. I don’t personally
recommend
the killing of little,
furry critters in order to examine their
organs
and bowels. I prefer more
of a look but don’t touch approach to augury.
Walk into a field, woods, etc... (best
done outside
your home and yards)
You can turn around a few times (or
dance) with
eyes closed, or pick a
direction to use as inspiration and for
question
(ie, North - money,
material possessions, home, career,
education;
East - new beginnings,
inspiration, ideas, methods, moves, new
relationships;
South - changes,
inter-communications, challenges, answers to
long
term problems, business
terminations, anger/aggression; West - love,
relationships,
ending
relationships, travel, depression).
When you open your eyes (like a camera
snap shutter),
notice first thing you
see and DON'T look around. Write them
down
as you go. Interpretation takes
awhile as you have to ask yourself what does
this
mean to me based on your
life, experiences, current events,
situations,
etc... Many people like to
write a poem or chant of their
experience.
I do recommend dating and
keeping. You move to the right,
clockwise.
If you move counter clock wise,
what is shown would denote more of things
from
the past or present to rid
yourself of in life (in other words, let go
and
move forward). I like to
pick up 'signs' during augury and keep them
as
reminders to myself.
Open your eyes see and close your eyes-
In front of you...this lies before you to
experience
With eyes closed turn to your right -
open and
close again
This is a strength you possess
Turn behind you (repeat process)
This is a past experience and is relevant to
the
question and/or the other
directional sights
Turn again to the right again, repeat
process
This is a weakness or challenge for you to
handle
or incorporate into your
life
Return to starting direction...tilt head
up and
look up
This is above you and coming into your life
and/or
follows you through life
Tilt your head down and look at the
ground.
This is beneath you…over and done and/or
overcome
or accomplished. If you
feel whatever is shown is NOT over in your
life,
then this is becoming your
foundation for yourself of your own shaping
and
doing.
There is no 'good' or 'bad'.
Changes and
such are completely at the whim
and will of the self. For
interpretations,
the sign/item needs to be
closely examined. Consider color (lack
of
color), alive or dead, animal,
vegetable, mineral, textures, type of
material,
shapes, positioning, etc.
For an example, here was my first attempt
at augury.
I deliberately walked
into an open field that at a quick glance
appeared
to have nothing around (I
’m a skeptic by nature). I
closed
my eyes. When I looked in front of me,
I saw 2 pine trees with saplings growing in
front
of them. I closed to my
eyes and turned to my right. I saw a
fence
with 2 wires acting as rails.
One was broken and hanging down to the
ground.
I closed my eyes and turned
again. I saw a road that wound around
a
small hill and out of sight. I
closed my eyes and turned again. I saw
a
small, white building and a closed
door. It all looked very secure and
impenetrable.
I turned again and
looked up. I saw a small, dot of a
cloud,
surround by the expanse of a
blue, southwestern sky. I looked
down
and was amazed to find a bit of
black leather with white stitching. I
picked
up the leather. It was hard
and would not bend. To this day it
sits
on my personal altar.
My interpretation (though not in prose)
was:
In front of me, what lies ahead?
The 2 pine trees represent my husband and
children.
The other saplings I
believe represent the people who have come
and
joined what would become
Hekate’s Torch (there was no temple/coven at
the
time). Another meaning of
the trees, planting, growth and lasting.
To my right, a Strength…
The fence can be my own barriers of
protection;
which I can tear down or
mend as I need.
Behind me, the past…
A road that ran out of sight meaning so many
options,
choices; wide open and
ready.
To my left, weaknesses or challenges…
A building secured. It was the door
that
truly stayed with me. Once the
door is closed, it is time to move one and
not
try to reopen it. White also
symbolizes death to me. I lost my
beloved
mother the following year. I
could not pass through the doorway (or
gateway)
as she did.
Above me, coming into or follows my life
(like
a self characterization)…
A cloud dot island surrounded by a vast sea
of
sky. I am a small part of a
much larger whole, a piece of the fabric of
the
infinite -- connected. It
made me feel important and a member of a
plan.
Below me, baggage and such for me.
The hard
piece of black leather with
broken stitching. Many aspects of my
life
have been hard and unbending.
Black absorbs around itself. I can
truly
say my life is an adventure. I
must not be like this piece of leather…hard,
brittle
and broken. Rather, I
will absorb and remain subtle and pliable
(reads
like a hand lotion
advertisement doesn't it?).
Mushy as it may read, that is how I took
the experience.
I came away
terribly impressed. I recommend the
use
of this form of divination to
others especially for
self-examination.
And, perhaps, to be reminded we are
not alone in the universe.
Good fortune and clear sight to you!
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