I just received a review copy
of Throwing Bones, a new book by Mystic Dylan. Published by Red Wheel/Weiser, the book guides readers through using bones and other objects for divination. You’ll find one-page guides on topics such as Oil and Water Scrying (think Galadriel’s magic mirror in Lord of the Rings), dowsing, astragalomancy, rune craft, cartomancy, and egg reading.
However, the true jewel of the book is Chapter Six - Boards. Here, you’ll find twenty different boards to use with pendulums and objects such as charms, bones, crystals, or other curios. I’m thinking runes, coins, polished stones, miniature fairy goods like I’ve seen in the craft store, or even mini-oracle or tarot cards.
Of the twenty boards, my favorites were Druid’s Circle, Wishing Star, and Minotaur’s Maze. The board pages are gorgeous (kudos to the designer) and each has an accompany page of instructions.
Using the boards
The object is to begin with a question, toss a handful of charms/bones, etc., onto a board, and then interpret. As I have no collection of critter bones, I elected to try at least a few of the boards using charms.
I began with a question, then tossed a half-dozen charms onto the Fool’s Journey board. Some fell off the board image, others onto the floor. These were all ignored.
The ones that landed were:
Wishing Well on the Fool (be open to a child-like innocence/acceptance that magick happens)
Shark on the Empress (this one puzzled me; perhaps a warning that not all creative choices are good for me)
Angel spanning the Hierophant and the Lovers (difficult choices require Divine assistance)
A Holy Person on The Devil (pray, believing prayer is stronger than any kind of addiction)
If you’ve worked with divination systems
for years, it’s possible you’ll skim through the various system chapters as I did. But I do suggest spending time with all of the boards - even the ones you’re not initially drawn to. Time spent outside the familiar does make room for seeds of something new to be planted. Yes?
Throwing Bones isn’t an in-depth look at any specific system, but if you’re someone who doesn’t want to learn the 78 cards of tarot or the 36 of Lenormand, I suspect one or more type of divining mentioned here will catch your eye.
Try the boards. Seriously.
Nancy
P.S. I’ll be leaving for Canada in a week or so. Erika and I are doing a May 11 event (contact magicksalon.elora@gmail.com for more information). On May 12 we will both be doing readings. Joining us are Shelley Carter, Monica Bodirsky, and Marilyn Shannon.
The boards sound fascinating. I have an amazing ancient African board for cowrie shells. It is the torso of a horned woman and she is placed face down to the ground and the shells thrown onto her back shaped like a board. It is a fascinating work of art lovingly carved for some unknown goddess or ancestor. Often there were small wood carvings carried by different tribes as ‘passports’ to show whether they were cattle farmers, hunters or kept birds. The horns may have indicated a woman who had livestock such as cattle. It was obviously a sacred object. Other carvings were to protect women during childbirth. The Dogon people were of particular interest because of Sirius, and the Dog Star.