Tool of the Trade, Part 1

Tools of the Trade, Part 1

Originally Published July 30, 2018

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In my previous posts I talked about psychic gifts, both innate and learned, and repeated the message over and over again that WE ARE ALL BORN PSYCHIC. I am sure some of you read the posts and said “yeah except, no really, I’m really not.” Okay, if you don’t believe me yet, that’s okay. Everyone comes into their skills in their own time. But if you are reading this, clearly you have an interest in the occult, whether it be that you want to engage with it or you want to be the master/mistress of it. Regardless of your level of skill, this series of posts will not only educate you about different tools psychics use for divination, but it will open your eyes to tools ANYBODY can use, regardless of psychic ability levels (or lack thereof). This list is NOT a complete list of divination tools. I am positive I am missing things. There are also different divination tools relative to different cultures (think about spiritual Native American rituals, for example). Since I am a terribly white (I’m a ghost redhead over here) and American, my list is very western and more common to my surroundings. Feel free to comment about tools from other cultures if you practice them, I love to learn new things!

Ouji

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Rating: Easy/Beginner

Risk: Moderate

I daresay anyone with an interest in the occult has at some point or another tried and at least heard of the infamous Ouiji board. Those who have not often have reservations because of a fear of bad spirits. “I don’t mess with Ouji boards,” they say. I am lucky in that my contact with negative entities has been very minimal, even through the board. There are many stories about Ouji boards allowing evil spirits to come into people’s lives. I’m not saying this can’t or doesn’t happen, however if you take the proper precautions to shield yourself prior to using it (subject matter for a future post), I believe the board is very safe and have some difficulty understanding the fear associated with it. I suppose perhaps I have also been lucky though, because I certainly didn’t know how to shield myself when I played with it as a child. The Ouji board happens to be part of some of my earliest spiritual experiences, and I largely credit it with setting me upon the path I am on today. Yes, my pre-teen friends and I certainly gathered around it, a la Parker Brothers style, using the planchet to ask to talk to Marilyn Monroe and find out if our crush liked us back. However, a special psychic bond with a trusted friend led to more private, serious experimentation with the board that would change my entire life (more on this later too).

Generally speaking, the Ouji board does not require any psychic skillset to use it’s power. You do need a few friends, at least 3 is best for beginners, and they need to be people you absolutely trust. This is extremely important. If you do not trust that the other people you are using the board with would not move the planchet themselves, then it is difficult to determine the authenticity of your session. However, if you all know each other well, and your dedication to an honest experience is assured, you are likely to have success with the board.

If you didn’t know, you can make your own Ouji board. I actually feel that homemade and particularly impermanent boards are safer and reduce the risk of accidentally allowing unwanted spirits to attach themselves to you. I’ve used ones written out on paper, written out even in sand or dirt. I’ve used planchets made of index cards, sticks, and even simply my psychic partner’s hand in mine. The trick is to only move with the planchet. Nobody should ever lead, but you can’t act as dead weight either. As you all feel it move, so must you travel. If you can find good friends and the right delicate touch, access to the spirit world is virtually unlimited with the Ouji.

You can get a sweet wood board of your own Here!

Automatic writing

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Rating: Beginner- Intermediate

Risk: Low

This tool of divination is extremely accessible to anyone, but those who find it harder to believe in mysticism are usually more skeptical of your writing’s originations. Essentially, you are journaling. However, your intention is not to journal your own thoughts, but to connect with divine beings or spirits so that they may communicate with you through your pen and paper. They are really the ones writing. I find people with clairaudience or claircognizance take to this type of divination with the most ease. It is important to clear your mind and write without judgement. You may slip between yourself and spirit, and that’s okay. Automatic writing is particularly effective for self-divination however it can be used in readings on others as well. I occasionally use this method when I need clarification from my spirit guide.

I personally love this journal from Amazon for all of my occult studies.

Dowsing

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(Shown above is my own special pendulum with one of Doreen Virtue's Angel Daily Therapy Oracle Cards .)

Rating: Beginner- Intermediate

Risk: Moderate

Pendulum dowsing is a simple divination tool that is fairly easy to use. The diviner needs some sort of pendulum- the diversity of pendulums that people use is immense. As long as it’s relatively small, waited, and at the end of a long chain or string you are good to go. The user communicates with spirits by holding the pendulum (and their arm and body) still, and asking a question. Different directions or types of swings mean different things which is up to the diviner to determine. Some say the pendulum is connected to the micro movements and vibrations in your body and that essentially your subconscious is answering the questions for you, not spirits. I think it’s up to the individual user to determine where their answers are coming from, but in my case I know I am working with my spirit guide when I use my pendulum, which is a quartz crystal pendant on a chain. The risk with the pendulum is similar to the risk of using a Ouija board because you could be talking to lower, less than heavenly spirits and inviting them into your life. Precautions should be taken to bless your pendulum with each use and dedicate it only to those who are of the light.

Palmistry

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Rating: Beginner- Advanced

Risk: Low

Palmistry is another well known tool of divination that can be easiy accessible to the academically inclined as you can study and memorize the various lines, shapes, mounds, and meanings. On it’s most basic level, people know of palmistry’s life line and love line (“How many kids will I have? Will I be married more than once? How long will I live?”). Palm readers also look at the shape of your hands, fingers, finger nails, size and shape of the different areas of your palm, and more. A deep palm reading should include both hands, which adds another dimension to the reading as the different hands represent different aspects. I am not the most knowledgeable of palm readers myself, but from what I have studied I have learned that palm reading is more of a projection of personality (kind of like your astrological sun sign) than it is projection of your future. For example, your life line is not really about how long your life will be, but the challenges and difficulties you will encounter. Some palm readers claim to be able to read the future from your palms. It’s possible they are using your palm more as a focus/connection for a “clair” type power than actually seeing your future written out on your hands. You can ask them, but most likely they will be hesitant to divulge their secrets.

My own initial foray into palmistry was launched upon finding this tiny book  in a kitschy shop in the Hamptons.  I was 12 and staying with my best friend at her grandparent's house for a long weekend.  Much of that time was spent memorizing it's simple yet powerful contents.

Face reading

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Rating: Beginner- Intermediate

Risk: Low

Face reading is similar to palm reading, only it differs in exactly the way you think. There are specific traits to facial features that can be interpreted as meaning various things about the inidividual’s personality and capabilities. If you’ve seen BBC’s Sherlock Holmes a la Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s a little akin to the way Sherlock looks at someone and makes his numerous and accurate deductions about them.

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I believe most of us participate in intuitive face reading, it is a psychological human nature to look at other people’s faces and draw conclusions from their features and expressions. However, some psychics specialize in reading face.

That’s it for now! Stay tuned for Tools of the Trade, Part 2!