People have been referring to horoscopes to get a glimpse of their future for ages. But recently there has been a spurt in the number of people who have been turning to horoscopes for spiritual guidance. These were once reserved only for the older generation. Nowadays, a lot of young people have turned to astrology and the number of astrology memes and videos that we see on Instagram and YouTube is proof of that. Some do it to find their meaning and purpose, while others do it just for mindless fun.
If you thought that only horoscopes could tell your future and guide you then you have been sleeping on a gamut of other metaphysical things that people have looked up to. Here are eight whacky and whimsical things people refer to apart from horoscopes. I tried some of them to get a better understanding of how they work. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. Tarot Cards
Tarot card readings have been rising in popularity lately. A tarot deck usually consists of 78 cards which are divided into two. 22 cards are called the Major Arcana cards which deal with major life themes. The remaining 56 cards are called the Minor Arcana and they provide a more day-to-day outlook rather than your whole life. A tarot card reader asks you to prepare your questions as they seek divine help and pull out the cards. Each card has a specific meaning to it and they can answer all your major questions.
I tried a free website that does tarot card readings. First, I was asked to pick 10 cards. Next, I was asked to think about my personal situation and choose three cards that represent my past, future, and desires. After I picked the three cards, I was asked to pick more cards out of the remaining seven and eliminate one of them. These cards represented the opportunities and challenges. One part of the readings said, “The cards you have drawn evoke a feeling of nostalgia and melancholy, highlighting how much weight your past has in your way of thinking about things and thinking about the future. It seems like you’ve arrived at a key moment in your life. A period during which you’ll take the time to observe your past in order to grasp its meaning.” Quite surprisingly, the readings were highly personal and they did answer most of my questions.
2. Tea Leaf Readings
Tea leaf readings are also known as Tasseography (or tasseomancy) and it refers to the art of identifying symbols and interpreting messages found in the shapes and configurations of tea leaves. In this, the person seeking answers is asked to sip on tea as they focus on their questions. When there is just a tablespoon of tea left in the cup, you hold the cup in your left hand and swirl the cup three times from left to right. After swirling, you invert the cup over a saucer. Let it rest for a minute and rotate it three times. Once that is done, carefully turn the cup upright and keep the handle facing south. You will see tea leaves stuck to the cup in a variety of shapes and clusters. The reader, then, interprets these shapes and provides you with answers. The reader uses loose tea leaves for the process and makes the tea without milk. They don’t strain the tea and serve it with the leaves.
3. Runes
In Rune Reading, 25 runes are scattered from a bag onto a fabric. Only the ones that land with their face forward are used for the reading. Like tarot cards, the reader places the runes in a strategic layout and the reader helps you answer your questions. The Runic alphabet consists of 24 letters (an additional blank rune is included in the deck that makes space for the unknown). Each alphabet has a phenomic representation, a meaning, and a significance. The letters are engraved on seashells, stones, crystals, or small wooden circles.
4. Ceromancy
Like tea leaf readings, ceromancy refers to the art of interpreting divine messages through molten wax. But the readings cannot be performed with our usual candles. You need affirmation candles or candles that are made for such spiritual purposes. Unlike tarot cards where one deck would answer all your questions, in ceromancy you need a different candle for different questions. A candle with a love spell would be ideal for love readings, candles with money spells would be perfect for financial readings and so on. The candle is left to burn till the very end. The way the wax remains on the candles, the way it drips from the candles, the shape of the molten wax – almost everything has a meaning.
5. Dream Interpretation
There have been numerous times when we dream absolutely absurd things that have no meaning whatsoever. However, dream interpretation experts suggest that these absurd dreams are symbolic and they often hold meaning. These can be interpreted and can be seen as a message from the divine that can help you make the right decision. A few weeks back I had a dream that I was being chased. I woke up breathing heavily and my heart was racing. I looked at a few free tools to see what that dream meant. Almost five out of seven websites (yes, I checked multiple websites just to be sure) suggested that I was running away from something that I needed to face. Turns out, I have been running away from things and have been shoving them under the carpet.
6. Past Life Regression
A past life regression therapist uses hypnosis to guide the person into a relaxed state. Past life regression therapists believe that through regression they can identify the details about the person, their circumstances, the key events of their past life, etc. They believe that past life regression therapy can help understand where a person’s phobias stem from. NDTV Imagine had a show where they called a past life regression therapist to conduct these sessions on television. Some of the guests included Celina Jaitley, Shekhar Suman, and Payal Rohatgi.
7. Pendulum Reading
Unlike other metaphysical tools of divination that give a conclusive and detailed answer, a pendulum reading can only give you a yes, no, or maybe answer. The best part about this is that you can conduct a pendulum reading even for yourself. In pendulum readings, the pendulum is usually a small, weighted object such as a crystal, stone, piece of glass or metal that is tied to a string, chain, or cord. You ask one question and ponder on it. While you are at it, you are supposed to perform an energy cleanse of your pendulum and then connect to it spiritually. Calibrate the pendulum with your energy and see whether it swings horizontally, vertically, or in a circular manner. Once you have tested it, it is time to present your question. Some people also use a board with yes, no, maybe, and rephrase written on it that give a clearer answer.
Ideally, professionals suggest that you should not rely on free tools to get a personalized reading, rather you should get it done from them for a more nuanced take. However, for me, even the free tools did their job just fine.
