qedavathegrey:Throwin’ the BonesOf the divinatory techniques with which I am familiar, bonesare my p
qedavathegrey:Throwin’ the BonesOf the divinatory techniques with which I am familiar, bonesare my personal favorite. Yes, they have that very witchy vibe – but it’s morethan that; the bones are honest. They don’t sugar coat, and while they have tobe interpreted, once you know how to read them – there’s little room for interpretation.They are very direct and are much better suited to answering yes or no questions than tarot. With alittle imaginative methodology, there few questions the bones can’t answer. Andeven fewer they won’t answer (as tarot cards can be known to do). A fewexamples of things I think the bones are better at answering than tarot:questions involving time, questions regarding health, sickness and maledictions;they present a broader grasp to any given situation – incorporating thingsoutside of the question presented and how these things relate to the questionor the reading, showing the interconnectedness of life – and how these thingsall relate back.Our countless cultures have countless methods for collectingand reading the Bones – and I can only rightly attest to my own methodology: onein which the Bones need not necessarily consist solely of bones, but acollection of gathered trinkets and curios, all with their own meaning, theirown story and their own energy. My collection consists of: bones (bare andpainted), coins, stones, shells, jewelry, twigs, buttons, animal teeth andother squabbles. The only rule I implement is that the item can be easilygathered and (safely) tossed without breakage or injury (save your razor-bladesand glass shards for witches’ bottles!). Collecting the Bones and BobblesMost any small bones will do, though its recommended thatyou use bones that haven’t been cooked, as cooked bones have a tendency to getvery brittle – especially in the case of chicken, which is quite common. In mycollection I have a number of different animal bones: most are chicken, but Ialso have some raccoon and possum bones, as well as teeth and claws. I built a “base”of bones, but am continuously adding or replacing as I see fit.A short list of “Bones” I like to include – most of whichserve as my “base” bones:Self Bone – used for the readerOther Bone – used to represent another person or the personyou are readingMagic Bone – represents the need for or use of magic“Evil” Bone – malicious or hateful acts, disadvantageousbehaviorLove Bone – represents romantic loveMale Bone – represents male fertility, masculinity,sexuality or a manFemale Bone – represents female fertility, femininity,sexuality or a womanHealth Bone – represents physical or mental healthWealth Bone – represents financial standing or monetaryissuesFamily Bone – represents familial connections or a familymemberFate Bone – represents destiny and your lifepath (I use ashell for this: open side up means an event can be altered, destiny is not setin stone; open side down, this path must be walked – prepare in lieu of fighting)“Key” Bone – (I actually use a small key) which representsthe key to any given situation, the remedy or problem at hand and its causeThis list is by no means comprehensive and I have many morebones in my collection with more menial meanings. This is simply a small listof options to be added to and adapted by whosoever casts the bones.Reading the BonesThere is no right or wrong way to read the bones, there issimply your way and their way. Below I will dictate how it is that I do ageneral reading – again, this is just an example of one way, take and adapt tofit your own unique style or tradition!Begin by collecting your bones into your hand. I keep minein a leather pouch, but don’t like to toss them directly from the bag as itdoesn’t allow for much control – i.e. the bones fall out either in a massive,unreadable pile or they fly out in such a scattered way nothing is close enoughto read. Throwing them from the hand allows for a rather contained casting, andone that can be read easily. I do not include the Self or Other bone, instead,the Self Bone is placed before the caster and the Other Bones is placed eitherin front of the person you’re reading for or simply in the middle of thecasting area. When reading for yourself,place the Self Bone in the center and discard the Other Bone.Throw the Bones. This can be done on a square of cloth onwhich a circle (or any number of complex shapes) has been drawn or simply upona flat table. If throwing in a circle, discard all bones that fall outside ofit. These bones are null for the reading, though they can also be read as “farfrom the person’s mind/current situation.”Interpret the Bones. This is done by noting the location andconnection of the bones present. For instance, note the Love Bones proximity tothe Other Bones and the Male Bone. This could be interpreted as being the malelove of the querent – but if the “Evil” bones is introduced, this could symbolulterior motives or a hostile or explosive relationship. Read based on boththeir proximity to the Other Bone – the closer, the higher priority the matteris – and their relation to one another. It’s very much like investigating a bigpuzzle, putting it together piece by piece to form a comprehensiveunderstanding of their life or situation. Also not their relation based on thethird dimension: x bone seems to be overlapping y bone – is the x issueeclipsing an underlying problem or truth represented by y? It depends. Onlythrough practice will you find clarity.Convey the message. I always like to spend a few momentsmaking a variety of “hmm” noises when reading for others – it builds up theiranticipation. Or you can throw in the occasional gasp or snarky smirk. Theirresponses are usually hilarious – even more so when yours are genuine! If youare reading on your own, it may be a good idea to sketch out a general map ofthe readings as opposed to taking a picture as often bones overlie others, whichmakes for a rather misleading photo representation. You might also find jottingdown notes rewarding, especially in synthesizing a cohesive read.Once you’ve garnered all the information you can from thatparticular toss, feel free to specify: take the bone/situation you wish toexamine and toss the rest again over it/them, reading the others through thatparticular lens. I.E. Who is this personmentioned? What are their qualities? What is the nature of this love? Whatmagic is being referenced here? Follow that rabbit hole as far as you wish,building your understanding.Do not be afraid to adjust your style! Want to narrow down atime frame? Make a sort of timeline with the bones. Wish to determine thesource of an ailment? Shape the bones into the form of a body. I find the bonesallow for far more creativity and ingenuity than cards. And above all – TRUSTYOUR GUT. Photos: These are photos of my “base” bones when I first started reading; since then they have probably doubled (if not tripled) in number and do not incorporate my other animal bones, claws or teeth. -- source link
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