The History of Divination

Divination, the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown through supernatural means, has a long and rich history spanning across diverse cultures and time periods. From ancient civilizations to modern-day practices, divination has served as a bridge between physical and spiritual realms, with various methods and interpretations evolving over millennia. 

Early Forms and Ancient Civilizations:

• Mesopotamia: Divination was deeply intertwined with religious rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly in Sumer, Akkad, and Babylonia. Extispicy, the practice of examining the entrails of sacrificial animals, was a prominent method to discern divine messages. Babylonian astrology, documented in texts like the Enuma Anu Enlil, also played a crucial role in predicting significant events. 

• Ancient Egypt Evidence of divination practices can be found in ancient Egypt, though details are less extensively documented. 

• Ancient Greece: Oracles like the one at Delphi were central to Greek divination, where individuals sought guidance from the gods through prophetic pronouncements. Other methods included interpreting the flight of birds (augury) and examining sacrificial smoke patterns. 

• Ancient Rome: Similar to the Greeks, the Romans also practiced augury and consulted oracles. They believed that the gods communicated through natural phenomena and omens. 

Medieval and Early Modern Era:

• Spread of Divination: Divination practices continued to evolve and spread during the medieval period and into the early modern era. 

• Islamic World:Geomancy, a system of divination using patterns traced in sand or other surfaces, was widely practiced in the Islamic world. 

• Medieval Europe: While divination was practiced, it also faced scrutiny and condemnation from religious authorities, particularly during the Inquisition. 

• Norse Traditions: Pagan traditions in Scandinavia involved practices like waking the dead at burial mounds to seek prophecies. 

Modern Era:

• Continued Relevance:
  Divination continues to be practiced today, with various forms such as tarot reading, astrology, palmistry, and others gaining popularity. 

• Cultural Variations:
  Divination practices vary across cultures, with some rooted in ancient traditions and others emerging from more recent developments. 

• Modern Interpretations:
  Divination is increasingly viewed as a way to gain insights into oneself and one's own intuition, rather than just a means of predicting the future. It's a tool for reflection, awareness and learning of ones self. 

• Criticism and Skepticism:
  Divination also faces criticism and skepticism, with some viewing it as pseudoscience or harmful superstition, as well as devil or satan worshipping which are untrue. The handful of biblical verse warnings are grossly misunderstood as the evil in the tools themselves but more warn of the evil inside man that would yield the tool to misguide and decive you. Trustworthy and Experienced guides are a must. Just as you wouldn't hire anyone with a hammer to fix your house, you shouldn't pay for any spiritual guide to offer your advice. This goes for all professionas, skills & trades.  I will go into how to choose a guide.