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Difference between revisions of "Divination"
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Both [[oracle]]s and seers in ancient Greece practiced divination. Oracles were the conduits for the gods on earth; their prophecies were understood to be the will of the gods verbatim. Because of the high demand for oracle consultations and the oracles’ limited work schedule, they were not the main source of divination for the ancient Greeks. That role fell to the seers (Greek: μάντεις). | Both [[oracle]]s and seers in ancient Greece practiced divination. Oracles were the conduits for the gods on earth; their prophecies were understood to be the will of the gods verbatim. Because of the high demand for oracle consultations and the oracles’ limited work schedule, they were not the main source of divination for the ancient Greeks. That role fell to the seers (Greek: μάντεις). | ||
Seers were not in direct contact with the gods; instead, they were interpreters of signs provided by the gods. Seers used many methods to explicate the will of the gods including extispicy, bird signs, etc. They were more numerous than the oracles and did not keep a limited schedule; thus, they were highly valued by all Greeks, not just those with the capacity to travel to Delphi or other such distant sites. | Seers were not in direct contact with the gods; instead, they were interpreters of signs provided by the gods. Seers used many methods to explicate the will of the gods including extispicy, bird signs, etc. They were more numerous than the oracles and did not keep a limited schedule; thus, they were highly valued by all Greeks, not just those with the capacity to travel to [[Python|Delphi]] or other such distant sites. | ||
==Early Christian Europe== | ==Early Christian Europe== | ||
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Divination was a central component of ancient Mesoamerican religious life. Many Aztec gods, including central creator gods, were described as [[Clairvoyance|diviners]] and were closely associated with sorcery. [[Tezcatlipoca]] is the patron of sorcerers and practitioners of [[ritual magic|magic]]. His name means "smoking mirror," a reference to a device used for divinatory [[scrying]]. In the Mayan Popol Vuh, the creator gods Xmucane and Xpiacoc perform divinatory hand casting during the creation of people. The Aztec Codex Borbonicus shows the original human couple, Oxomoco and Cipactonal, engaged in divining with kernels of maize. This primordial pair is associated with the ritual calendar, and the Aztecs considered them to be the first diviners. | Divination was a central component of ancient Mesoamerican religious life. Many Aztec gods, including central creator gods, were described as [[Clairvoyance|diviners]] and were closely associated with sorcery. [[Tezcatlipoca]] is the patron of sorcerers and practitioners of [[ritual magic|magic]]. His name means "smoking mirror," a reference to a device used for divinatory [[scrying]]. In the Mayan Popol Vuh, the creator gods Xmucane and Xpiacoc perform divinatory hand casting during the creation of people. The Aztec Codex Borbonicus shows the original human couple, Oxomoco and Cipactonal, engaged in divining with kernels of maize. This primordial pair is associated with the ritual calendar, and the Aztecs considered them to be the first diviners. | ||
Every civilization that developed in pre-Columbian Mexico, from the Olmecs to the Aztecs, practiced divination in daily life, both public and private. [[Scrying]] through the use of reflective water surfaces, mirrors, or the casting of lots were among the most widespread forms of divinatory practice. Visions derived from hallucinogens were another important form of divination, and are still widely used among contemporary diviners of Mexico. Among the more common hallucinogenic plants used in divination are morning glory, jimson weed, and [[peyote]]. | Every civilization that developed in pre-Columbian Mexico, from the Olmecs to the Aztecs, practiced divination in daily life, both public and private. [[Scrying]] through the use of reflective water surfaces, mirrors, or the casting of lots were among the most widespread forms of divinatory practice. | ||
Visions derived from [[Recreational drug|hallucinogens]] were another important form of divination, and are still widely used among contemporary diviners of Mexico. Among the more common hallucinogenic plants used in divination are morning glory, jimson weed, and [[peyote]]. | |||
==India and Nepal== | ==India and Nepal== | ||
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==Japan== | ==Japan== | ||
[[File:Diagram of I Ching.jpg|350px|thumb|I Ching hexagrams]] | [[File:Diagram of I Ching.jpg|350px|thumb|I Ching hexagrams]] | ||
Although Japan retains a history of traditional and local methods of divination, such as onmyōdō, contemporary divination in Japan, called uranai, derives from outside sources. Contemporary methods of divination in Japan include both Western and Chinese [[astrology]], [[geomancy]] or | Although Japan retains a history of traditional and local methods of divination, such as onmyōdō, contemporary divination in Japan, called uranai, derives from outside sources. Contemporary methods of divination in Japan include both Western and Chinese [[astrology]], [[geomancy]] or [[Feng Shui]], [[tarot|tarot cards]], [[I Ching]] (''Book of Changes'') divination, and physiognomy (methods of reading the body to identify traits). | ||
In Japan, divination methods include Futomani from the Shinto tradition. | In Japan, divination methods include Futomani from the Shinto tradition. | ||
==Criticism== | ==Criticism== | ||
Divination has long been criticized. In the modern era, it has been dismissed by the scientific community and skeptics as being superstition; experiments do not support the idea that divination techniques can actually [[Clairvoyance|predict the future]] more reliably or precisely than would be possible without it. In antiquity, it was attacked by philosophers such as the Academic skeptic Cicero in ''De Divinatione'' and the Pyrrhonist Sextus Empiricus in ''Against the Astrologers''. The satirist, Lucian, devoted a witty essay to Alexander the false [[prophet]]. | Divination has long been criticized. In the modern era, it has been dismissed by the scientific community and skeptics as being superstition; experiments do not support the idea that divination techniques can actually [[Clairvoyance|predict the future]] more reliably or precisely than would be possible without it. | ||
In antiquity, it was attacked by philosophers such as the Academic skeptic Cicero in ''De Divinatione'' and the Pyrrhonist Sextus Empiricus in ''Against the Astrologers''. The satirist, Lucian, devoted a witty essay to Alexander the false [[prophet]]. | |||
[[Category:Divination]] | [[Category:Divination]] | ||
[[Category:Featured Articles]] | [[Category:Featured Articles]] | ||