Divination: The magickal art of discovering the unknown by interpreting random patterns or symbols through the use of tools such as clouds, tarot cards, flames, smoke, tea leaves, etc. Divination contacts the Psychic mind by tricking or drowsing the conscious mind through ritual and observation or of manipulation of tools. Divination isn't necessary for those who can easily attain communication with the psychic mind, though they may practice it.
Whew! Don't worry, I'm going to break that all down for ya! Ok, divination, fortune-telling, whatever you call it. It is basically channeling information through a tool, usually with the goal to answer a question or see into the future. It has been around forever! It is not Satanic! Anyone can learn a form or many forms of Divination. Don't assume that you have to sit down and learn about the Tarot because its the most common and widely used! Be creative!
I learned Palmistry and I want to learn Podomancy (reading the lines on the sole of the foot). Look for a tool that just yells for you to check it out. This might take awhile and a lot of experimentation on your behalf. I can tell you one thing, if you make your own divination tool, it infuses very good personal power and symbolism for you. This is just a suggestion, if you want to buy your own tarot cards or rune set, go ahead.
So, what kind of types of divination are there out there? Well, here is some examples:
Cartomancy ~ Divination using Cards, like the Tarot
Cheiromancy ~ Divination by examining palms (palmistry)
Dactylomancy ~ Divination using Rings
Necromancy ~ Divination involving the dead, also refers to magick involving the deceased.
Oinomancy ~ Divination using Wine/s
Oniromancy ~ Divination involving Dreams
Pyromancy ~ Divination involving fire, usually a candle flame
Roadomancy ~ Divination involving the stars
~* For more types, see www.geocities.com/medeaaa/divination.html *~
It is not divination, but observing, calculated guessing, etc. It's pretty much a slap to the face of real divination. If you can't seem to read for a person, don't force it. Pretty much, you're not supposed to get information for that person. This has happened a lot to me or other friends that do readings. I once used a tarot deck often and sometimes I would hit on and other times, I wouldn't. The times I did, was the times that the person had to know that information and it came to them. Divination is really a cool and mysterious thing.
Ok, I know you're probably wondering, what about meduims, channeling, and tools like the ouija board. Well, first off, the ouija board is to me, a very unstable channel. Most people want to communicate so badly that they get absorbed and move the glass-thingy. I can say that sometimes, the ouija board works, and sometimes, too well. I think anyone that uses it needs to keep a level head. Is it dangerous, only if you go around calling things you probably shouldn't! Maybe you need to learn why I call it, an unstable channel (wink). Now, meduims and channeling is a difficult subject. I think not everyone is a meduim or channeler.
I do think you need to have some basic, rudementary channeling skills to work a divination tool. You need to be able to access the psychic mind inside and the forces outside you. Meduims are just like an email that comes from, usually, an unknown source. Which makes Meduims sometimes a confusing source of information. However, a meduim might strike gold, but you need to see if it is real or fool's gold.
My advice on divination is that you find a tool that works for you. If you like a lot of images, go for the tarot, or you want simple symbols, go for runes. If you like to look at a clump of stuff and look for symbols to divine, try tea leaf reading (a good imagination is needed too). Then, begin a Mirror Book. This is a book in which you record your readings, psychic impressions, etc. TRUST ME (in big capital letters), this book will help you learn what you psychic signals are, etc! I started one, and when I looked back, I was shocked at how good I had gotten at a certain tool! Yeah, you might not want to write, but it comes in handy when you need to refer back to a reading. It also feels good when you look back and see you were right on your friend's sucky relationship with their lover and how breaking up with them will improve their life! (laugh)