The Raven's Crucible

Category: Divination

  • Playing Card Cartomancy II: The Suits

    Last week we talked about the importance of color in playing card cartomancy. This week we’re getting more specific with an examination of the suits. In the playing card deck we are discussing there are four different suits: diamonds (♦️), clubs (♣️), hearts (♥️), and spades (♠️). For readers coming from a tarot background, it…

  • Playing Card Cartomancy I: The Colors

    Last week we kicked off our series on playing card cartomancy. In this post we’re going to be exploring the first foundational element in cartomantic divination: color. Throughout this series, I’m going to be assuming a standard set of American playing cards, such as those made by Bicycle. Such a deck has fifty-four cards (thirteen…

  • Playing Card Cartomancy: An Overview

    Playing Card Cartomancy: An Overview

    Last month I wrote about how different divination systems have different characters and vocabularies. One of the systems I referenced repeatedly was playing card cartomancy. It’s one of my favorite systems, so I’d like to start a new post series walking through the basics of that. First off, what is cartomancy? Cartomancy is a form…

  • The Vocabulary of Fate

    I’ve written in the past about language and magic. How there are strong parallels throughout history between language, magic, and divination. Apollo, Greek god of the sun, ruled over both poetry and prophecy. Odin, the all-father of the Norse pantheon, presided over poetry, sorcery, and ecstatic trance – and received the runes of the futhark…

  • Divination for Beginners: A Practical Guide to Getting Started

    I’ve previously discussed the importance of divination. It’s a great entry point into the occult arts for a number of reasons. First, it’s a phenomenal way of generating spooky coincidences; if you’re just starting out and trying to figure out whether there’s anything worthwhile to be pursued here, it can help quickly answer that question.…

  • On Fate and Free Will

    I’ve always struggled with the idea of karma. The notion that the universe is cosmically just and balanced, and gives each of us what we deserve.1 At the root of my dissatisfaction is a simple question: why do Bad Things happen to good people? Because, make no mistake, bad things do happen to good people.…

  • Framing Questions for Divination

    In a previous post I discussed the power and utility of divination as a tool for both esoteric practice and life more broadly. One of the most fundamental, and most overlooked, skills required for effective divination is learning how to ask useful questions. A well-formed question leads to a clear, actionable reading – providing the…

  • On the Importance of Divination

    Occult author Jason Miller has said that if he had to keep a single thing from his esoteric practice, while giving up everything else, he would keep meditation. While I appreciate meditation and have seen notable benefits from it, if posed the same question the one practice I would keep would instead be divination. What…