From the village shaman to the Wall Street analyst, human beings have always searched for a glimpse of the future. Any good country fair has its fortune teller, modeled on the image of a mysterious gypsy woman swathed in colorful scarves and dripping with earrings. In the candlelit tent, shadows flicker and her bracelets softly jingle as she shuffles the cards. "Concentrate," she whispers, as you stare at the colorful pictures, the Empress, the Knight of Cups, the Lovers, the Ace of Swords. What do they mean? Can they really predict the future? 

 There are hundreds of techniques for divination (fortune telling), many dating back to before recorded history. Every human culture has developed its own forms of soothsaying. The oracles of ancient Greece predicted the birth of heroes and triumph on the battlefield. Medieval kings had their court astrologers and wizards, who were consulted about political matters and marriage choices. Today, many businessmen in Hong Kong and Los Angeles apply the principles of Feng-Shui to their real estate investments and household decor. Personal computers now bring even the most complex techniques to our fingertips. 

Having decided on a particular method, how does one proceed? Usually you will have a question in mind, sometimes a very specific query, often a more general desire to explore a particular area of your life. A peaceful atmosphere with few distractions is best; you should be relaxed and able to concentrate clearly. The phrasing of the question is important, as is the interpretation of the answer, since the mind loves to play tricks, oracles are known for their sly humor, and the answer may not be what it seems. For example, the message in a friend's horoscope may seem very clear: "Signing a contract leads to favorable results." What isn't said is that the results are favorable for the other party, not for your friend! And, as any devotee of the Tarot or I Ching knows, the answer is often cryptic; or, the oracle may stubbornly refuse to answer at all. 

It is generally considered wiser to avoid questions requiring very specific answers and concentrate instead on more general investigations. A query for a similar or related question should not be attempted within 24 hours of the first; to do so invalidates both readings. 

Can cards and crystals really predict the future? We don't know for sure. The modern soothsayer will explain that we are not trapped by a predetermined fate. What we seek is a greater understanding of the influences at work in our lives, the trends that lead us in one direction or another. We may not be able to change the world, but we can change what we do with it. We want information that will enable us to make more powerful choices. The instrument of divination, whether a crystal ball, a deck of cards, or the interpretation of a dream, allows us to tap unconscious resources within ourselves, often making an intuitive leap which allows us to perceive patterns or discover truths not previously noticed. The final choice lies, not in the stars, but in our hearts. 

Tarot 

The traditional Tarot deck consists of 78 cards. Fifty-six of these are divided into four suits: Cups, Wands, Swords and Pentacles. Each suit has fourteen cards: Ace through Ten, Page, Knight, Queen, King. This group of 56 is also referred to as the Minor Arcana. The remaining 22 cards are known as the Major Arcana, and each one portrays a scene or character symbolizing important truths about the world and human behavior. 

 For example, the first card in the deck is the Fool. Usually portrayed as a young man in jester's garb, carrying a backpack, the Fool represents the spirit of adventure that propels each person on the journey through life. At its best, this spirit makes us creative, independent, and adaptable. At its worst, it leads to impatient, impulsive or rebellious behavior. The card's underlying message is the importance of developing a balance between intellect and emotion, and of pursuing goals that include spiritual growth. 

Learning to read Tarot cards can be both challenging and fun. A good Tarot reader usually has studied the interpretations of various scholars or teachers, but also adds her own experience and intuition to each reading. This is accomplished by practice. 

Numerology 

Numerology, as a philosophy, originated with Pythagoras, a philosopher and mathematician of ancient Greece. According to numerologists, numbers have special meanings, and the mathematical relationships of letters and numbers can be analyzed in order to understand the significance of names and their spiritual vibrations. 

Each letter of the alphabet corresponds to a number. To find the meaning of a name, its numbers are added together. If the total has more than two digits, the individual digits are added together, and so on, until the number is reduced to a single digit. This same method is applied to dates. 

Numbers can be found everywhere, since just about everything is either named, numbered, or both. In determining personality, some numerologists believe that only the full name at birth is really important, but others think you can change your destiny by changing your name. Some people actually have changed their names, or the way they spelled their names, in order to change their numerological interpretation so that they could develop a better personality and destiny. Such artificial manipulation is unlikely to be very effective. 

In any case, there are no bad numbers! 

Runes 

 Runes are the characters of the earliest known alphabet among the ancient nomadic tribes of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. They have been found carved on rocks in many different countries. They were also carved on small stones or pieces of wood. In addition to their use in written language, the individual characters were used for divination and spells. "Casting" a spell meant that one actually threw the appropriate runes at the subject. 

I Ching 

The I Ching, or Book of Changes, is one of the Five Classics of Chinese literature. The importance of these five books was established during the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). They are Book of Odes, Book of Changes, Book of Rites, Book of Documents, and Spring and Autumn Annals. In combination with the Four Books (Analects, Great Learning, Mean, and Mencius), they were the basis of Chinese education for hundreds of years. 

The I Ching, whose origin is in antiquity, and which was studied, edited and annotated by Confucius, is a book of divinations with appended commentaries. It consists of sixty-four hexagrams, which are patterns made of six broken and unbroken lines. Each hexagram is actually a combination of two trigrams (there are eight trigrams all together), each of which is named for a phenomenon of nature. By throwing coins or manipulating yarrow stalks, the petitioner chooses one or two of these hexagrams. The corresponding text reveals an answer or provides guidance in what to do. The message is couched in a generalized and often poetic language which embodies Yin and Yang philosophy, whose principles are believed to operate throughout nature. 

The I Ching has always had a wide appeal in China, later in Japan, and most recently in the West, both as a fortune-telling manual and as a metaphysical account of the role of human beings in the processes of nature. 

Astrology 

In ancient times, people observed the influence of the heavenly bodies on the world around them, and came to believe that the stars and planets must also have a strong influence on human character and destiny. In cultures where science, religion, and philosophy were not viewed as separate disciplines, astrologers studied the movements of the sun and the moon to determine their effect on agriculture, and also to perform divinatory functions. 

Today, astronomy is the scientific study of celestial bodies, completely separate from astrology, the philosophy which attempts to explore what effects, if any, the aspects of the heavenly bodies may have on individual lives. 

The Zodiac is the apparent path of the Sun through the heavens, and for purposes of astrology contains twelve constellations, or "signs". The most important aspect in determining personality is the "sun sign", or the zone of the Zodiac in which the Sun resided on the person's birth date. 

Many people like to compare horoscopes to determine compatibility for friendship or romance. 

Auras 

 Many people believe that human beings emit an energy field which can be perceived in the form of a colored aura surrounding the body. Some people apparently see these auras spontaneously, or by using special methods of concentration. Some people believe that a numerological analysis of the personality will reveal the expected appearance of the aura. 

The size, color, and intensity of the aura are seen as indicators of a person's character, health, and emotional condition. 

Crystal Ball 

In ancient times, when people wanted a sign or prediction, they looked to nature. For example, they might see interesting shapes in the clouds that seemed to have meaning. A fallen tree or a rock formation might suggest a human or animal shape that could be interpreted in some way. Later, they began making their own signs, using natural items. A fortune-teller might throw rocks or bones on the ground and interpret the patterns they formed as they fell. A priest would cut open a sacrificial animal and make an interpretation based on the condition of its internal organs. 

Eventually, people began to devise methods that gave them more control over the time and place of the prediction. A soothsayer might build a special fire and interpret the color and shape of the smoke. Bowls of water, mirrors, and polished stones all led to crystal balls and tea-leaf reading. This type of fortune telling is known as scrying. It is the combination of the pattern in the object being used and the intuitive powers of the person doing the interpreting that leads to a prediction which is often couched in poetic or metaphorical language. 

Geomancy 

Geomancy is an ancient form of divination originating in Africa. "Geo" means "earth", and Geomancy originally used the materials of the earth -- sand and pebbles -- as its medium. A pattern cast in the sand with a handful of pebbles, seeds, or palm nuts would be interpreted by the diviner. Many forms of Geomancy were, and still are, used, involving marks made on the ground, or palm nuts thrown on a board decorated with magical figures. 

In Europe, Geomancy evolved to include random dots made in a tray of sand or on a piece of parchment, while one was in a receptive state of mind. Today the dots-on-paper method is the one most commonly practiced in western societies, and almost any technique of creating random dot patterns is used. 

In the Middle Ages Geomancy was developed into a complex art by many practitioners, including Cornelius Agrippa, who wrote about it in his books on occult philosophy. Although Geomantic consultations were sought by both royal and religious patrons, it was officially outlawed because of its associations with black magic and witchcraft. Nevertheless, it persisted and continued to be refined and written about. Later practitioners worked out relationships between the dot-patterns of Geomancy and the signs of the Zodiac, giving rise to the Astro-Geomantic style of reading, which is used today. 

Palmistry 

 Palmistry is a system by which the characteristics of the hand, particularly the lines found in the palm, are analyzed as a means of determining personality and predicting life events. 

At the simplest level, palmists look to three major lines which appear in a normal palm, known as the Life Line, the Heart Line and the Head Line. For a more detailed reading, other lines are examined, including rare lines which may not be present in all hands. A reading may also include analysis of the "mounts", various raised or fleshy areas of the palm. 

The size, shape and color of the fingernails, relative length of the fingers, angle and shape of the fingers, and overall hand shape are all considered in a complete palmistry session.