City Magick: Urban Rituals, Spells and Shamanism - Christopher Penczak 2001

Divination
20th-Century Runes

Divining with symbols is much easier than you may think. The first step is to be familiar with all the symbols you are using. We are already familiar with the mundane meanings of all the city runes. Hopefully, through the construction of the rune set and its subsequent consecration, you will have some insight to other meanings for these symbols.

You will need an additional tool for divination—a rune cloth or other similar surface upon which to do your work. The cloth simply marks out different territories in which the runes can land. Each position will give the rune a different meaning when you interpret the rune cast for answers. Each division should be made from a different color material. Practitioners of Voodoo and Santeria sometimes use a tray for this purpose in their own divination systems. A tray with a raised lip is excellent, since it will catch the runes if they are thrown too forcefully. The tray can be painted with divisions or decorated with runic symbols or city sigils.

The division of this workspace can be with any symbolism you feel comfortable using. I suggest two different forms. The first is based on the symbolism of the Worldscraper, or the three shamanic realms. The cloth or tray is divided into three equal horizontal bands (see figure 18, page 208). The first section can be blue or white and represent the sky city. Runes falling in this section deal with the “higher” aspects of life, such as the mind, spirituality, guidance, and imagination. Direct aid is indicated here. The middle section is for the middie kingdom, the visible city. Marked by green or yellow, symbols in this section will relate to the world at large, money, career, home, physical needs, and other necessities. Your own resources and abilities take form in this space. The last section marks the territory of the underworld, the hidden city beneath the streets, set in black or red. Runes landing here yield information about the dark world, including power, trials, obstacles, initiations, family, and health. It indicates the unseen forces working with us, or against us. Read chapter 4 again to review the three worlds.

Figure 18. Worldscraper rune cloth, divided into three sections (sky city, visible city, hidden city).

The second form is based on elemental symbolism. If you were familiar with other forms of divination and magick, before delving into these urban images, the elemental division may be more comfortable for you. In this form, the cloth or tray is divided into four equal sections (see figure 19, page 209). At the top is the section for earth, usually green or black. The earth section marks the physical, including home, health, and money. Earth is for your own resources, talents, and the things you can depend on. Moving clockwise, the section to the right is for air, for your mental aspect. Runes in the air quarter reveal your thoughts, what’s on your mind, what you plan for the future, and what you reflect on in the past. At the bottom is a section reserved for fire. Fire reveals our spirit, our passions and ambitions. This is the quarter of action. Fiery romances, career ambitions, and potential conflicts all are revealed in fire. The left side of the rune cloth contains the water element. Runes in water point to your emotions, relationships, family, and loves. Water is all about how you feel, which may or may not coincide with what you think or what you are doing. Some reserve the middle space for spirit, marking the force unseen above the more human realms. It indicates fate, unforeseen changes, inspirations, karma, and divine aid.

Figure 19. Elemental rune cloth based on the four elements.

Start any divination, whether for yourself or someone else, by getting in tune with yourself and relaxing. Do Exercise 1 before reading the runes (see page 17). As with many other ceremonies, Exercises 3 and 4 can be quite helpful as well (see pages 25 and 27). Hold your runic container and make an intention to read the symbols correctly and accurately for the highest good. Reach into the container without looking at which runes you are grabbing. Ask your question and then pick out a group and cast them on the cloth or tray. Let them land wherever they may.

Turn over runes whose symbols are not facing up. Leave upside down symbols that way. Then look at the symbols before you. Reflect on their meaning and position. Let one thought link to the next and then the next. Do not censor your thoughts, but do not let your ego or what you want to happen get in the way. Allow new thoughts to come suddenly, like a miniature epiphany. You may be surprised at the strange thoughts you have, only to find that they were completely accurate. The same principle applies to all divinations. In a tarot class I was teaching, everyone was paired off to read the cards. The first thing one student thought of when looking at a card was the Wizard of Oz. She mentioned it, but felt silly. Her partner, for whom she was reading for, had just rented the Wizard of Oz the night before. It no longer seemed so silly. Trust your gut instinct when doing divination work.

The process is quicker and easier than it may seem. Go with the flow. Once you have contemplated all the symbols and positions, you should have a potential answer to your questions. As with all skills and talents, practice improves your results. Since the process is difficult to comprehend until you have done it, I will lead you through a sample reading and its possible interpretation.

My question here is whether I should take a position that is being offered to me at work. The job description is not quite clear, but it could be a wonderful opportunity. I seek guidance from the city runes and meditate on the question, holding the container of symbols. I gather a few pieces and gently toss them onto the cloth, divided into the three worlds. I turn over all the runes to reveal the symbols, leaving those that fell upside down the way they are. The runes look something like figure 20 (see page 211).

In the middle world, or visible city, we have an arrow pointing up and a dollar sign. In the physical world, this shift “up,” a promotion, looks likely and an increase in finances would be worth something.

In the underworld or hidden-city position, indicating my psychic messages or subconscious, there are scissors. Since they are alone, I interpret that to mean cutting away from subconscious fears lurking in the back of my mind.

In the sky-city position, we have the clock, television, airplane, and answering machine. The clock strikes me with two meanings. As a place of higher guidance, the message could be “the time is now.” Conversely, it could be telling me to bide my time. Overall, however, I get a positive feeling from this rune. Television and answering machine concern me, since both indicate one-way communication. I fear my new supervisor would have that effect. The rumor is that he is difficult to reach for approval. My first thought, when looking at the airplane, is that the journey may not be as perilous as I may think. In fact, it is probably better than I would think, and I am spending too much time dwelling on the negative.

Figure 20. Sample reading on Worldscraper rune cloth.

My overall impression of the signs is that I should take the job, since the good symbols, in my mind, outweigh the negative. Remember, the symbols are a personal interpretation, and it’s difficult to separate your ego from your psychic mind without some meditation and a simple ceremony.

The next sample reading is for someone who would just like to see what messages these runes have for her. No specific question is asked. I ask her to focus on her life, if no specific questions are apparent, and to reach into the container, grab a handful of runes, and toss them onto the tray divided into four quarters, one for each element. Figure 21 shows the cast (see page 213).

On the earth quarter is medical and test tube. I immediately follow my intuition and feel she is ill and undergoing some medical treatment. She is possibly on a new medication and awaiting its results, or waiting for test results to start a new form of treatment.

In the air quarter are poison and man, indicating a less-than-supportive relationship with a masculine force in her life. I feel it is a husband and/or father figure. I also feel intuitively this has something to do with her medical condition.

In the fire quarter, the brick wall is on the line between fire and water. That indicates unknown obstacles in her life, her spirit and life force, and her emotions. The physical ailments probably have a deeper root, and fear of emotion is preventing her from connecting to the fire, or life force, she needs.

In the last quarter, for water and the emotional realm, I find the edge of brick wall and recycle, railroad, and lightbulb. Together, these indicate a change, or a need for change, in the emotional realm to deal with brick wall. Railroad indicates a crossroad—the time is now to choose where to go. Lightbulb guides the way and asks her to follow the guiding force in her life. Recycle means the old emotions and feelings must be transformed into empowerment.

Granted, these are both hypothetical readings and variations on experiences I’ve had. Their purpose is only to demonstrate how the runes work in different positions, in small groups, and how to let your intuition guide you through interpretations. Practice is the best teacher. While working with these runes, I suggest you do a divination at least once a week to keep the symbols fresh and growing new meanings in your mind.

Figure 21. Sample reading on elemental rune cloth.