Overheard at the Major Arcana Directors Meeting

The 22 tarot trumps were on the verge of rioting.

What seems to be the problem?
We’re tired of tarot divination. The ancient seers had imagination, fire, verve! Cards are great, but we demand a return to the old ways!

Ok. That makes sense. Do you have any suggestions?
Yes. We each have a favorite divination method. Please pass them on to your readers. If they want us to continue to give clear accurate readings, then they should be more than happy to accede to our demands. After all, we’re only asking for what’s due us.

Hmm.  Some of these may be a little controversial. Let us see what the readers say.

22 Major Arcana Divinations

As delivered to the secretary on 6 May 2011 at 10.45 am.

We, the 22 tarot trumps, also known by some as the major arcana, do hereby go on record as stating that (a) we each have a preferred method of divination and (b) they are all listed as follows. Any diviner who wishes to especially please us will have ears to hear and will take the following seriously. Thank you!

The Fool

Pessomancy – divination by the analysis of pebbles

1 The Magician

Arithmancy – divination by analyzing numbers

2 The Popess/High Priestess

Bibliomancy – divination through the interpretation of random passages in books

3 The Empress

Anthroposcopy - divination by observing facial features

4 The Emperor

Spodomancy - divination by the examination of ashes

5 The Pope/Hierophant

Sciomancy – divination through ghosts or shadows

6 The Lover

Belomancy – divination by examining arrows

7 The Chariot

Ornithomancy – divination by studying patterns in the flight of birds

8 Justice

Haruspicy – divination by studying the entrails of animals

9 The Hermit

Lampadomancy - divination by observing lights or candles

10 The Wheel of Fortune

Sortilege - divination by randomly drawing lots

11 Strength (Fortitude)

Sideromancy – divination by burning straw on hot iron

12 The Hanged Man

Augury – divination by watching the behavior of birds

13 Death

Osteomancy – divination through the study of bones

14 Temperance

Leconomancy - divination by interpreting oil poured on water

15 The Devil

Hieroscopia – divination by examining the entrails of sacrificial victims

16 The Tower

Capnomancy – divination by studying the movement of smoke

17 The Star

Pegomancy - divination by looking at fountains and springs

18 The Moon

Bletonism – divination by analyzing water currents

19 The Sun

Pyromancy - divination by looking into the fire

20 Judgment

Gyromancy – divination by spinning, becoming dizzy and falling down

21 The World

Gelascopy – divination by interpreting laughter

Conclusion

What do we make of this?  I’m not sure myself.  If you decide to act on this secret information, please don’t break any laws, harm any animals or kill any sacrificial victims!

If you’ve tried any of these divinations, or would be willing to try them, let us know in the comments or on Facebook.

Thanks to Ben Schott¹ for the idea for this post.

 

Originally posted 2011-05-06 11:25:33.

1. Schott, Ben. Schott’s Original Miscellany. New York: Bloomsbury, 2003. [↩]

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Tagged as: Arithmancy, Augury, Bibliomancy Sortige, Pessomancy, Pyromancy