Geomancy Divination
On the back of an Islamic Geomancy device made in 1241-2, the benefits of making decisions based on Geomancy Divination and Geomantic Charts is said to be;
“Everlasting Glory, continual and abiding prosperity, constant power, supreme peace, perpetual well-being, increasing good fortune, favourable fate, a comfortable manner of life, a long unimpaired life, complete honour, a pure manner of life, sufficient satisfaction, peace of mind, blessing, compassion, support and success.”
So what is divinatory Geomancy?
Divination is the art and practice of seeking knowledge of the unknown (often the future) by supernatural means. The word stems from the Latin words ‘divinationem’, meaning the “power of foreseeing and prediction”; and ‘Divinare’, meaning ‘to be inspired by a god’.
It was believed that through the inspiration from ‘supernatural beings’ or ‘gods’ a diviner was able to make predictions and utterances of the future. Therefore, divination is a divine act where the practitioner seeks to learn more about this world by piercing through the veil to the ‘Otherworld’.
There are many techniques or methods of divination, Geomancy is one such system.
Geomancy is an ancient divination system which has captivated and guided individuals for centuries. The origins of Geomancy can be traced back via trading routes in Europe to the Middle East, potentially stemming from North Africa.
Geomancy traditionally uses a series of random marks made into earth or sand. From these marks, specific figures are deduced and interpreted to form the answer to a question or query. Frequently, modern practitioners of the art use geomancy dice [LINK], pen and ink, or even cards and coins to perform this type of divination. This practice has stood the test of time, transcending cultures and continents, and continues to offer a unique perspective on navigating the complexities of existence and the human experience.
Some consider the name ‘Geomancy’ a little odd, due to it’s meaning of ‘divination by Earth’. More accurately geomancy is a divination relying on a set of dots made into sand, or a set of binary (i.e. ‘yes/no’) decisions. Yet, due to it’s name the practice has developed a belief that geomancy divination taps into the natural energy and patterns of the Earth, which holds profound wisdom, to provide insights and guidance into various aspects of life.
On this page you can find more information about Geomancy as a system of divination – including it’s history, how the word translates, it’s origins and misconceptions.
If you would like to learn Geomancy, you can continue to read the articles I produce for my website or consider joining a Geomancy course. These courses are run by the College of Psychic Studies, and are held online. There are currently two levels of Geomancy Course, Foundation and Intermediate, both held over the course of eight weeks. For more information, visit my courses page here or visit the College of Psychic Studies website here.
For any other query, or if you would like to receive a geomancy reading, please contact me either through the contact page or via email at mw.witchcraft@gmail.com.
“The Geomancers of the Middle Ages and Renaissance would have been astonished that any of this needs to be explained at all…”
(John Michael Greer, The Art and Practice of Geomancy).
The Practice of Geomancy
Geomancy is a straight-forward, no-nonsense divination that is simple to learn, yet beautifully complex to master. Unlike many other systems of divination, it can be performed without tools, no matter where you are when you need a little extra guidance.
Geomancy involves the interpretation of patterns and symbols traditionally formed by randomly made marks into dirt or sand.
The process typically begins by formulating a specific question or intention. The Geomancer would think of the question to be answered, take up a stick and jab it into the sand in lines made from right to left. Each ‘jab’ of the stick would leave a divot, hole or dot. Sixteen lines of these marks are made from right to left. After this, the geomancer would look to see if the number of dots made were of an even or odd number. In this way a geomancer creates four figures which are called ‘the mothers’. A figure can be one of only sixteen different patterns.
Nowadays, many modern geomancers will use a pen and paper to make these initial marks. As I enter into an altered state of consciousness whilst casting my figures, I like to imagine it as ‘sowing seeds’ in little rows.
There are many other ways of creating a Geomancy figure. Anything that will give you a binary (yes or no, zero or one) result sixteen times can be used. So Geomancers may use coins or cards, a set of dice (or specially crafted Ilm Ramal or Ramal Shastra dice), or drawing a lot of stones from a bowl.
These initial four figures are placed into a chart and used to generate another 12 figures. That being done, the chart is carefully examined to reveal insights into the question asked. Questions can be anything imaginable, including queries of relationships, health, career, and spiritual growth.
The 16 Geomantic Figures
There are sixteen unique geomantic figures. Each figure is made up of four lines of either two dots or one dot. One dot is seen as an ‘active’ line, whilst two dots is seen as a ‘passive’ line.
Each carries its own significance and meaning within the context of the reading. The interpretation of these figures is based on traditional associations, elemental correspondences, and the diviner’s intuitive insights. For example, a figure with many passive lines may represent stability or stagnancy, whilst one with active lines could indicate change or action.
The four lines which make up a geomancy figure represent one of the four occult elements – Fire, Air, Water and Earth. This means that each figure is a pictogram representing the mixture of elements present or absent in that glyph. This means that the ‘chart’ the geomancer reads is a visual representation of the different energies involved in the question posed.
Each of the sixteen figures is given one of the four occult elements to rule over it (for example, the figure named Laetitia is allocated to Fire). Equally, each of the sixteen figures are ruled over by a planet and also allocated to one of the 12 zodiac signs.
You can read about the sixteen figures, and their meanings, in articles on my website. Start with this article on the 16 Geomantic Figures, from which you will be able to navigate to a full page on each of the figures.
Etymology: Where does the word Geomancy come from?
This might bore some of you, though understanding the words we use and where they stem from can help us understand practices more. Geomancy is a great example of this.
The word ‘Geomancy’ comes from the late Greek, γεωμαντεία. ‘Geo’ meaning ‘Earth’, and ‘-Manteía’ meaning ‘divination’ or ‘prophesy’. Manteía stems from another Greek word ‘manteuesthai’, literally translating to ‘way of determining the will of the gods’. So Geomancy can be translated to ‘a way of determining the will of the Gods through Earth’.
Geomancy is a direct translation of the Arabic term ‘ilm al-raml’, which means ‘science of the sand’. Earlier Greek translations rendered the Arabic word raml as Rhamplion or Rabolion.
Misconceptions of Geomancy
- Geomancy is linked with Feng Shui
Early Christian missionaries in China experienced Feng Shui in the 19th Century. The missionaries saw the practices of manipulating the energy of the earth as a type of ‘geomancy’. Feng Shui has since been translated, rather inaccurately, as ‘Chinese Geomancy’.
In reality Feng Shui and Geomancy are separate practices with no common origin.
- Geomancy is similar to I Ching
The 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching can superficially seem similar to the figures of Geomancy. Both systems in part work on a binary system. Whilst Geomancy has four lines of active or passive lines, I Ching hexagrams have six lines (or two sets of three) of active or passive lines.
Those familiar with I Ching will note that lines are either active, passive or changing. For Geomancy a line can only be in an active state or a passive state.
- Geomancy is working with earth energy lines, called Ley Lines.
Over the last few decades, the term ‘Geomancy’ has been applied to the study of earth energies – including Earth Mysteries, stone circles, earth formations, ley lines and Bau-biology. It is common to find books on ‘Geomancy’ focusing on the pattern of these terrestrial energies, how to detect them and how to manipulate them.
It is possible that the word ‘geomancy’ used in this fashion has been adopted from it’s incorrect translation of ‘Feng Shui’. In seeing Feng Shui translated as ‘Chinese Geomancy’, it is possible that European practitioners of similar (albeit more western) practices have decided to refer to them as ‘Geomancy’.
Yet, as Geomancy is translated as ‘divination by earth’, the use of the term to cover this area of Earth Mysteries is inaccurate and quite misleading.
- Geomancy includes the practice of dowsing (by rods or pendulums)
This stems from ‘geomancy’ being used to cover Earth Mystery practices. In detecting Ley Lines a person may use dowsing. Dowsing is the use of tools, such as L-Rods or a pendulum, to ‘detect’ the presence of Earth energies including Ley Lines.
As such, the divination practice of Geomancy does not use rods or pendulums.
Looking for Articles?
Here’s a full list of the articles on my website about Geomancy.
I’m currently in the process of writing a book or two on Geomancy, so I’m continually writing new blogs on the topic as ideas crop up.
- About the Houses
- About Geomantic Figures
- Posts about techniques
Recent Posts on Geomancy
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