divinations

Divination is a set of practices intended to obtain hidden knowledge or insights by interpreting signs, omens, or other signals believed to reveal the future, causes, or underlying meanings. Although commonly associated with prophecy, divination is not necessarily about certainty; it often provides guidance, reassurance, or context for decision-making within a cultural or religious framework.

Practices are diverse. Astrology interprets celestial positions; tarot, runes, and the I Ching use symbolic systems to generate and read images or texts; geomancy and augury rely on observed patterns in nature or birds; bibliomancy uses random passages from sacred or literary works; dream interpretation and scrying analyze dreams or reflective surfaces. Many cultures maintain specialized diviners, priests, shamans, or practitioners who perform rites and consultations for communities or individuals.

Historically, divination appears in many traditions: the Oracle of Delphi in ancient Greece; the I Ching in China; Egyptian and Mesopotamian priesthoods; medieval European clerical consultancies; and numerous Indigenous, African, South Asian, and Pacific traditions. In modern times, divinatory practices have influenced literature, psychology, and popular culture, including occult and new-age movements and contemporary spiritual practices.

Scholars often treat divination as a cultural technique rather than a scientifically testable method. It is studied as ritual, belief, and social function, with interpretations shaped by context, expectations, and power relations. Critics argue that divination can reflect biases or self-fulfilling prophecies, while supporters view it as a legitimate form of interpreting hidden realities or guiding action.