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The Spellbook · Divination

The Spellbook

Divination spells

12 traditional workings for divination, from many traditions — each with what you need, how to do it, when, and where it comes from.

12 spells

DivinationCrystal Scrying with a Shewstone in the Manner of John DeeElizabethan England; the 'actions' of John Dee and Edward Kelley, 1582–1589DivinationWisdom & studyModerate

Ancient MagicDream Oracle Request from the Greek Magical PapyriGreco-Egyptian magic of Roman Egypt, Greek Magical Papyri (c. 1st century BCE–5th century CE); safe modern adaptationDreamsDivinationSimple Black & White Magic · historyIllusion Spells of the Munich Necromancer's ManualMunich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 849: a Latin necromancer's handbook of the 15th century, probably German; edited by Richard Kieckhefer (1997)DivinationAdvanced

DivinationKupala Night Wreath Floating for Love DivinationEast and West Slavic midsummer custom (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Poland), recorded from the 16th centuryDivinationLoveModerate

Ancient Magic · historyLamp Divination in the Greek and Demotic Magical PapyriGreco-Egyptian magic of Roman Egypt, 2nd–4th century CE (Greek Magical Papyri and the Demotic Magical Papyrus of London and Leiden)DivinationAdvanced

ChristianityLimpia con Huevo: The Curanderismo Egg CleansingMexican and Mexican American curanderismo, colonial period to the presentCleansingHealingDivinationModerate

Black & White MagicMalocchio Oil and Water Test for the Evil EyeSouthern Italian and Italian American folk Catholicism, 19th century to the presentProtectionDivinationCleansingSimple

DivinationNorse Rune Casting and Bind Runes: Ancient and ModernGermanic and Norse runic tradition (2nd–11th century CE); rune casting and talismanic bind runes largely 20th-century developmentsDivinationProtectionLuckModerate

DivinationOgham Divination with Staves: The Irish Tree AlphabetEarly Irish ogham script (4th–6th century inscriptions), medieval Irish learned tradition; staves divination largely a modern revivalDivinationWisdom & studyModerate

DivinationScrying with a Black Mirror or a Bowl of WaterAncient Mesopotamian, Greek and Roman water and mirror divination; medieval specularii; Victorian crystal-gazing revivalDivinationWisdom & studySimple

DivinationSt Agnes' Eve Dream Divination for a Future LoveEnglish and Scottish folk custom, recorded from the 17th century; Hallowe'en love divinations of the same familyDreamsLoveDivinationSimple

DivinationThe Homeric Oracle: Dice Divination with Lines of HomerGreco-Roman Egypt, Homeromanteion of the Greek Magical Papyri (PGM VII.1–148, 3rd–4th century CE)DivinationWisdom & studySimple