Every pagan should learn about at least one form of divination. Even if you don’t become highly skilled at it, a basic knowledge will help in areas outside of divination. Divination is a form of communication between humans and the unseen, and like all forms of communication it isn’t perfect. It is not necessarily about learning the future so much as understanding what is going on and receiving messages from spirit. Every form has strengths and weaknesses, and some messages are clearer than others. From a practical perspective tarot and the runes are such a part of modern neo-pagan over culture that a basic understanding helps a newbie get to advanced beginner.
This is not meant to be an all inclusive list, but to go over some of the more common forms of divination.
Tarot
Most tarot decks are based off the Rider-Waite-Smith deck that was first published in 1909. A handful of historical decks being reproduced are earlier, like the Visconti or Sola Busca deck. A tarot deck has Major Arcana and Minor arcana, the latter is four sets of cards that usually correspond with the four elements and include court cards like a standard deck of playing cards. (There are people who have used playing cards for divination and say it can work.) Within that framework there is a lot of variation in art, and sometimes names of cards or suits and their association.
The advantage of the tarot is that it is widely available and decks range from Hello Kitty to Bohemian Gothic. My first deck was the dragon tarot purchased at Barnes and Noble in my baby pagan days, which I readily admit to buying because I like dragons and the art was beautiful. While a lot of variation on the theme of tarot exists and sometimes small nuance in the meaning of cards among decks is important, there is an overall standard meaning behind tarot cards. An eight of swords in the dragon tarot usually means about the same as the 8 of swords in the Steampunk tarot. For my dragon deck, I took the booklet included with the deck, a general book about tarot, and each card separately to write down their meaning in my book of shadows. You don’t have to do that for every deck, but I do recommend spending time meditating or at least focusing on the individual cards to get to know them.
There are a lot of spreads out there, but starting with a basic 3 card spread is a good learning tool. The standard 10 card Celtic cross spread can be confusing and have too much information, especially for a beginner. There are several 5-6 card spreads that I personally prefer. Especially for your first deck, spend the extra money for one that has a book and not just a small booklet. Also, find one that you like. There is no shame in enjoying pretty things, and standard decks tend to be about the same price.
The biggest pitfall of the tarot Is that it is so large. A deck is 78 cards. Not only do you have to memorize individual cards, but you do need to understand how they influence each other in a reading and which spreads work best for which type of readings.
Oracle/Divination Cards
This category includes any deck of cards used for divination that is not a tarot deck. These can be anything under the sun—some are card versions of the I Ching or runes, or a deck based on a theme like fairies or angels. These usually aren’t as large as a tarot deck so they can be easier to memorize, although that does not mean they are easier to read. There is no standard theme like there is for tarot, which can leave a practitioner on their own as far as interpreting a deck. These decks also sometimes have the problem of looking pretty but not being useful as a divination tool.
For both tarot and other decks, don’t be afraid to try multiple decks and experiment with what appeals to you. If you find a deck that isn’t very useful beyond looking pretty, don’t feel you need to get rid of it if you like it—just find another deck for divination. It can also be useful to exchange decks with fellow pagans, as long as proper cleansing is done. Different decks can also have different personalities, so if you get readings that vary in tone but not substance that can just indicate the type of deck involved.
Pendulum
A pendulum is a stone held on the length of a chain, and reading is done holding the top of the chain and seeing where the pendulum swings. It can be used as one direction being yes, another being no, and spinning around is maybe, or used over a pendulum mat. Different types of stone have different personalities, so this might be a good method for those who already work with them. Pendulum can be deceptively simple—it requires more connection with spirit than a deck, in my opinion. For this method make sure you have shields up and can identify friend from not so friendly.
One downfall is while pendulum is great for simple answers, beyond that it can be taxing. Pendulum mats include an alphabet to spell out words, but anything too long will get tedious. However, it is great for direct answers.
Runes
The most well known are the Norse Elder and Younger Futhark. A basic knowledge of runes is required for those interested in Nordic/heathen/Northern path paganism. There are also Anglo-Saxon and Slavic runes, although unfortunately I do not know much more than that they exist. Studying runes does require learning about Norse culture, because the concepts behind each rune is rooted in the mother culture. Knowing the basic of heathen thought helps when forming questions for a reading.
Knowledge of runes is useful for areas other than divination. There is a tradition of magick associated with them, and many modern witches use runes as sigils. I have had success writing the name of Norse gods in runes on an index card and focusing on it as I meditate. I have also been experimenting with bindrunes/ making runes into pictures for my devotional art.
Ogham
The Ogham is a pre-Christian Irish alphabet consisting of straight lines intersected with slashes to make different letters. It is frequently used among Druids and other Celtic based traditions. For divination, Ogham is written on sticks that are cast on a cloth.
Oracle Using Objects
An oracle set is using objects that are cast onto a reading cloth. Animal bones is quite common, but other items like stones or fossils may be included. The reading is done by where the items land, how, distance apart, etc.
This method I am hesitant to suggest to a beginner. It is far more intuitive than the other types listed, and usually people have to build their own set. It is rare to be able to go to a local shop and buy an oracle set. Most acquire their bones and other items gradually to assemble their set, and how they acquired the items can be just as much an influence on their meaning as what they are.
There is also very little information on this method. Of Blood and Bones by Katie Freuler has an extensive chapter on bones for divination, and Kristoffer Hughes has information in his book Celtic Magic. Please acquire all items ethically if you decide to go this route.
Scrying
This is another method the beginner should be wary of, but I am including for info. Scrying is meditating while looking at something to divine through. It can be a crystal ball, but more likely it would include looking in a bowl of water. It requires a lot of mental discipline, and can be very unclear as to what it means.
Final thoughts
Things that are repeated are usually what should be paid attention to. If someone really wants to get your attention and the polite way isn’t working, trust me, they will find a way to break through to you.
Ultimately, what form of divination works is about what establishes a consistent and reliable form of communication. Is the interpretation backed up by events and readings done by others? Explore and research until you find what works for you. There is a school of thought against doing readings for yourself. There are also times when you need a check in with a neutral third party to make sure you are interpreting a message accurately. Or sometimes you just can’t make sense or don’t trust your own interpretation. For those situations, go to a reader. My next topic will be getting your first divination.