Whenever we think about Oracles,
whether be it Tarot, Runes, Cartomancy, or any
other, we associate them with divination
and the prevention of future events,
so we can control what happens in our lives. The utilization of Oracles existed since the Ancient Societies, covering all the features already mentioned, but also addressing issues of land and agriculture, such as crops and dry seasons.
Initially, the definition of oracle was a priest (or priestess) of
a particular temple in the ancient societies (Ancient Greece, for example) that lived
only to serve the temple and it worshiped God (or Goddess), that entered in a state of trance, uttering the words
of the Gods by their own mouths.
Thus, the oracle was
the individual, the priest, who was possessed by the Deity and spoke Their sacred words
to the men who
sought them. These words were them translated for other initiates from
the same temple. Often times,
the soils themselves where theses “readings” were done, were
called oracles, because of the communication and presence of
the divine, becoming sacred lands
that received the numen of the Deity.
Nowadays, the term Oracle applies to an inanimate object,
believed to be able to receive and
reveal events in the life of a querent
(tarot, runes, cartomancy,
coffee grounds, tea leaves, pendulums,
etc.), not serving only for purposes
of divination, but also providing the enlightenment of personal and spiritual
journey through the self,
increasing self-help
and spiritual development.
But the notion
that the divine (or a higher form of wisdom) speaks through the oracle systems
still exists: in fact, these oracles systems, though no longer be obtained
exclusively through transcended human consciousness and verb through the "possession" of the divine in the receptacle
of flesh and blood, have in themselves something "metaphysical" which
allows accurate readings and reflect the reality of the querent. I believe
and advocate that the Oracle is the person
who interprets them, and not the object itself – it’s the voice you give to
it.
It turns out that, currently, there are few who use
oracles also with its ritualistic purpose, to
predict the outcome of a ritual. That is, apart
from its prediction function of the future and the analysis of the querent challenges and
spiritual path, it also has the
ability to explain the conduct of
a ritual, and if your goal will be forthcoming or not. In fact, this
failure is not due to the oracular systems, but to
whom reads them: many witchcraft
practitioners may not know its
use during a magic ritual.
In Brazil, for
example, Candomblé and the Ifá oracle system (game of sea shells,
commonly known) is considered as affected in their fallen (Odus) by the Orishas
(Gods of african-brazilian culture), and therefore embrace the idea of the
oracle being the voice of their deities in communication with the men looking
for their wisdom. At the same time, they also use the shells or coconut husks (game of confirmation, as they call it)
to realize, in their ritual practices, if the ebó (offerings) is being properly conducted and capable of satisfy
the deity to whom it is addressed. The communication in these practices is so
methodical that if by chance the Orisha is not going to be pleased, at that
very moment that the practitioner throw the shells, he will know it, and will
be able to negotiate with the divine the terms that will satisfy more the deity.
In short, adding to the extraordinary ability of
divination and growth of the spirit of those who seek it, it is necessary that
every practitioner of magic has on hand and can be able to dominate more than
one oracular system, which must be clear and objective, with which he can
establish a perfect correlation, and allowing synthesize and elucidate whether
the rite underway will produce the exact results desired.
Thus, I conclude this brief reflection encouraging all those who seek the Path of Mysteries of the Ancient Witchcraft, to honor, with love and trust, the numerous contributions of oracular systems with which he can associate.
Thus, I conclude this brief reflection encouraging all those who seek the Path of Mysteries of the Ancient Witchcraft, to honor, with love and trust, the numerous contributions of oracular systems with which he can associate.
Three nails in it!
Text produced by Ignis Spiritum