Divination with Osteomancy: A Beginner's Guide to Throwing the Bones: Divination Magic for Beginners, #3

Introduction

Bone casting is one of the most ancient forms of divination in the world. It is used by a plethora of cultures from all around the globe for divination, spiritual and magical purposes. This book will delve you into the world of bones, exploring the many traditions and practices, including the Zulu sangomas of Southern Africa, to the Central Americas, to the Middle East.

Very little is known about the origins of the practice, mainly due to the nature of human archaeological remains. Archaeological sites are often filled with many different bones from various species collected during hunting, scavenging, and foraging over hundreds of years. It is difficult to determine whether the bones were waste products or kept for divination purposes. Some archaeological evidence does show that bones were often marked with significant notches, symbols, or colors, but these finds are rare. Much of the information we have today comes from oral traditions, and storytelling passed down from generation to generation.

Bone casting is classified as a form of divination, which includes any methods of seeking knowledge that uses supernatural means. Divination is one of many different forms of traditional healing, prayer, traditional medicines, sacrifices, witchcraft, and ancestral worship.

Though so many diverse cultures practice bone casting, it is strictly speaking a form of animism. Animism believes that everything possesses a soul or can be inhabited by spiritual energy and entities. The precise details will differ from culture to culture. Still, most view humans as equals to the rest of the natural world, including plants, animals, fungi, objects, places, climates, and the elements. In this worldview, people must attract the attention and favor of spirits by appeasing them. This is necessary to survive, as the spirits help locate and secure food, averting dangers, dealing with interpersonal rifts, and treating illnesses.

Bone casting is most prominent in Southern African cultures, where the belief in ancestors is prevalent. In this type of belief system, the ancestors are believed to have powers and abilities that allow them to intervene in the lives of mortal people on the surface of the Earth. The spirits are not a direct line of communication with God, but they are still revered as divine beings. Ancestors include family members that form part of a person’s direct lineage. They can extend back to countless generations assuming the line remains unbroken. However, the animist worldview associated with ancestral worship also places great importance on the descendants of the ancestors, including the currently living people and those still to come.

Similar casting objects exist in other world regions, such as in Central America, where corn kernels are used instead of bones. The practices are based on much the same concepts. The ancestral spirits communicate through the objects to deliver important messages, advice, or warnings.

The divination practice is similar to other methods, such as scapulomancy. Scapula bones from the shoulders of sheep or goats are inscribed and burned to gain information.

This book will also look into the tools and materials commonly used in bone casting practices, often accompanied by elaborate ceremonies and rituals. Numerous materials are used in bone casting, even among traditional healers such as Sangomas. Objects such as shells, coins, stones and crystals, amulets, and personal mementos can easily be incorporated into a bone casting set. There are also many different customs associated with the throwing surfaces used in bone casting, which will be discussed.

The process of obtaining bones can be difficult, dirty, and futile. In ancient times, people were more accustomed to dealing with the bodies of animals. People partook in hunting and butchering activities and were naturally familiar with the anatomy of various species. It was easy to collect bones of many different shapes and sizes from other animals. However, people in modern times are alienated from the process of food production. People, on average, do not grasp the processes involved with taking life and preparing meat for consumption. It is more difficult to source bones that have not been damaged during butchering. Luckily, there are still options available. Many divination practitioners have taken to the internet to spread their wealth of knowledge and insight. You can easily purchase bone casting sets of many different styles and qualities, which can be personalized and transformed into your magical tools. It is also possible to prepare your own bones if you are lucky enough to access an animal carcass. This book will guide you through cleaning and treating bones so that they look beautiful, adequately preserved, and can be used in divination practices.

Bones used for ceremonial purposes need to undergo specific rituals to make them clean and suitable for use. Spirits will not work with tainted or unclean objects unless those spirits themselves are tainted and impure. The ceremonial preparation of bones includes cleansing and blessing them. Cleansing refers to spiritual cleansing, as the bones will already be physically clean. Spiritual cleansing is an ancient and widespread practice associated with removing negative energy and entities from objects, spaces, and people. Blessing is another spiritual practice that involves infusing bones and other objects with good energy that you would actually want to work with. Hundreds of different methods are used to bless and cleanse magical objects, ranging from bathing them in the sun’s light to burying them underground. Each of the various methods will serve a different purpose and remove or infuse a specific type of energy. Practitioners will need to be able to select and create their own cleansing and blessing rituals. This book will provide an excellent framework from which to work.

Building a connection with the bones and their animal spirits is a crucially important aspect of this divination practice. You will be introduced to the reasons for creating meaningful relationships with each of the bones and objects used in casting and methods that you can use and test to see which will work best for you and your practice.

Finally, we can begin to cast our bones. Understanding how to interact with the bones will improve the accuracy of your reading, and asking them the right kind of questions will lead to more productive castings. Unlike many other forms of divination, bones are suited to a wide range of questions and topics. They can be used to answer open-ended questions or provide short, concise answers. It all depends on how you phrase your question. Another important aspect is the methods you use to shake, mix, and randomize your bones before casting and the actual manner in which you cast bones. The book will explore some of the most common methods for casting, such as the left-hand method or the clockwise method. You will also be introduced to some of the methods used to read and interpret the bones.

This will serve you along your divination journey and help you become a more compassionate, caring, and well-connected spiritual practitioner. This is only a guide, and the world of divination is open and endless. You are always encouraged to do research and build your understanding and appreciation for history and forge your own path. Always remember that you are also a divine being, though you have not transcended yet. You, too, will enter the spirit world one day, and you can participate in the bone casting of your descendants. You experience the world in a way that is entirely different from anybody else. The accumulation of life experiences, knowledge, and skills results in a practitioner with valuable insights and opinions on any topic. Use this ability wisely and responsibly to improve your own life and the lives of your loved ones and your community. Use the spirit world to bring healing and peace, as well as unity and harmony.

One

Bone Casting History

The history of bone casting is a rich and diverse tale, being practiced by many different cultures across the globe. The exact origin of the practice is unknown but decidedly