The Types of Clairvoyants
Clairvoyance is the ability to witness or perceive information that is not immediately available to the individual. Practitioners of clairvoyance are called "clairvoyants." Clairvoyance is similar in concept to acts of divination; as such, there are many different forms of clairvoyance practiced, depending on the cultural and religious ideologies of the user. Clairvoyants may use ritual objects to assist them in gathering information, such as cards, tea leaves or gazing orbs. Other forms of clairvoyance are based on interpreting natural events, such as migratory patterns of birds, or phases of the moon.
Other People Are Reading
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Tarot Readers
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Perhaps the most immediately recognizable form of clairvoyance is the act of reading tarot cards. Tarot is a deck of cards that is split into different suits, values and face cards. The cards are drawn randomly and laid out in a symbolic order to create a reading. Each card has connoted meanings that are dependent on the location of the card on the table, as well as its relative placement compared to other cards in the reading. Tarot readings are often used to divine the outcome of future events and provide guidance on matters of romance or money. Tarot readers often spend years honing their understanding of the cards.
Palm Readers
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Palmistry is a form of divination, or fortune telling, that uses lines and creases in the palm of the hand to provide a reading. Palmistry tends to focus on a person's fate and future. Palm readers usually start a reading by asking the client to display the palm of her dominant hand. Every crease on the palm is associated with certain aspects of a person's life. One line pertains to her romantic life, another to her health and longevity. Palmistry has many schools of thought, depending on the country of origin and religious background of the practitioner. Some schools of palmistry believe that each hand provides insight into different portions of a person's life. Other schools pay attention to the fingernails, cuticles and natural marks and blemishes, while some only focus on the inside of the dominant palm.
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Tasseography
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Tasseography is the art of reading tea leaves, coffee grounds or wine sediment. The practitioner prepares a cup of his chosen beverage, usually in a plain white cup, then drinks the beverage entirely. Once the cup has been emptied, the remnants on the bottom of the cup are interpreted. The shape and composition of the remnants is used to search for symbols and signs that may be of value to practitioner. Tasseography readings can be considered similar to Rorschach tests, or attempts to interpret symbols in clouds or constellations. Shapes in the remnants are attributed to classic images and symbols that have specific connotations. For example, if three triangles are seen in the bottom of the cup, this is a sign of "unexpected good fortune." Interpreting the shape of an owl in the remnants is seen as an omen of sickness or poverty, and a warning that new ventures are likely to fail.
Auguries
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Augury is a blanket term for many different types of clairvoyance or divination that rely on observations of the natural world for insight. Nearly all forms of augury are based on the practices of ancient religions such as the Roman Pantheon or the Norse Asatru tradition. Auguries rely on the interpretation of trained holy people to interpret signs from a higher power. The most common form of augury is ornithomancy, in which the migratory patterns of birds or the flight pattern of a released bird is seen as providing otherworldly information. Traditionally, the augury would be organized in such a way that many people could witness the reading. Before the reading is performed, the practitioner will often designate the meaning of each possible action. For example, if a released dove flies north, then a battle will occur, but if the dove flies south, the battle will be avoided. Other forms of augury include interpretation of smoke trails or the entrails of a sacrificial animal. Augury is rarely performed for commercial purposes, but may be incorporated into religious ceremonies.
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