Acultomancy

 

Acultomancy is a form of divination where needles are used to predict future events (“Acultomancy”).  Acultomancy is a practice that is categorized as a form of Acutomancy (“Acultomancy”).  Acutomancy is any type of divination that involves the use of sharp implements (“Acultomancy”).  The word Acultomancy is a term that is derived from the Latin acūleus that literally means needle (“Acultomancy”).  The attachment of the word –mancy in the term Acultomancy creates a word that literally means “divination by needle” (“-Mancy” Def. 1a.)  Further, it is suggested that –mancy is derived from the Greek word manteia meaning divination (“Divination”).  The art of Acultomancy is ancient, having survived since the earlier times when Gypsies utilized the practice to divine the future (“Acultomancy”).  The Acutomancy practice is considered a form of sortilege, also known as cleormancy – the art of reading and interpreting the random outcomes of any form of lots  (“Acultomancy”).  A common practice since ancient times, the art of Acultomancy is a fairly easy practice.

 

Acultomancy is a practice that involves the use of several materials – the diviner requires a bowl, water, and up to twenty-five needles.  The water is poured into a bowl, the needles are added and the practitioner of Acultomancy then predicts the future.  A practice that is a bit untidier involves the use of a powdery substance and the required number of needles; the diviner places the powdery-like substance or material, like flour, on a table or other flat surface and than lets the needles fall onto the surface.  What is revealed in the flour in terms of shapes, designs and patterns as well as the shapes, designs and patterns that the needles create are then used to forecast future events. The latter method can be performed in a small container with a flat surface to minimize the powdery mess that is created.  Sand makes for a good substitute for the powdery substance in the latter method of divination.  Some practitioners use a combination of bent pins and straight pins in order to practice Acutomancy.  Pins can be shaken up in the hands, but it may be better for the practitioner to use a small cup to handle and cast needles to avoid injury. 

 

Acultomancy, even if the diviner decides to use sand in the session, is not to be confused with Abacomancy.  In the art of Abacomancy, while using sand to conduct the divinations, the subject does not cast objects into the sand; rather, the diviner utilizes a wand or an athame, concentrates on a subject and then creates motions in the sand while their eyes are closed.  Later the patterns and shapes that emerge are interpreted.  In addition, the practice of the art of Acultomancy is not to be confused for the use of a powdery substance in an effort to receive messages from the spirit world.  The latter form of spirit communication involves using chalk or powder dust, applying it to a flat surface during the process of a paranormal investigation and waiting to see if the dust is disturbed or if words appear in the dust. 

 

When practicing Acultomancy, there are a variety of different dry-powder like substances that prove suitable for the practice. Diviners frequently rely on flour, but other practitioners of the art use substances like salt, sugar and talcum powder.  In fact, items like salt and sugar are recommended over the other dry substances because sugar, salt and even sand, while powdery in consistency are not as finely granulated as flour or talcum powder; thus the use of such substances results in less dust and debris and makes for easier clean up after the divination session concludes.  To maximize the ease of the cleanup session it is recommended that powdery substances be placed in a tray or another container with a flat surface.  The use of a tray will also allow the practitioner to reuse the material again and again for later Acultomancy sessions, and the needles can be stored in a the casting cup for future use.

 

Since the art of Acultomancy involves the use of sharp objects it is imperative that the tools for the art are stored in a safe place.  The needles can cause significant injury to a child if they are improperly stored.  Further, the needles should be kept away from household pets – again, it is an excellent idea to store the pins in an casting cup in a secure location out of the reach of children and small pets. 

 

Acultomancy involves the act of interpreting patterns that are created from the needles or from the needles when placed in a powdery substance.  It is possible for an assortment of patterns to emerge for interpretation.  When Acultomancy is conducted, the diviner uses several needles and either casts the needles into the powdery substance or floats them on water.  The number of pins or needles used during the practice of Acultomancy actually varies: anywhere from seven to twenty-five needles can be used, depending upon preference. 

 

Different meanings for the patterns that occur in a reading are attributed to the practice of Acultomancy.  The subject of an Acultomancy reading will concentrate on a question and then cast the needles into the water or the powdery substance.  Once the needles are cast they are looked at and patterns are identified either in shapes, lines or crosses.  Ultimately the question will reflect on how the needles are interpreted.  If the subject is also the diviner they can easily assign their own symbolism to the reading, thereby making the reading far more meaningful and personal.

 

Sample Symbolic Interpretations in Acultomancy:

 

Broken lines: Broken lines that appear in a session of Acultomancy are suggestive of interruption; could indicate that an individual may start a project and reach a point where an obstacle presents an interruption before the project is continued to its completion.  Broken lines can also suggest that the subject of an Acultomancy reading will be faced with an abrupt change, one that leads to a new path or a different direction.  The separation of the two pins is indicative of how abrupt the expected change will be – the wider the separation between the two needles being interpreted the larger the obstacle or experienced change.  Broken lines can also be indicative of future travel (“Acultomancy”).

 

Parallel lines:  Parallel lines in an Acultomancy session can indicate that balance will be achieved in terms of a given situation; that justice will ensue after an injustice or that all things in question will be equal.  Parallel lines connate that a situation is neither here nor there, that a “yes” or “no” question is not clear cut at the time, or that something hangs in the balance in terms of the question offered by the subject.  Some sources suggest that parallels can also be interpreted as future financial gains (“Acultomancy”).

 

Vertical lines:  Vertical lines in an Acutomancy reading are suggestive of “As above, so below”.  The vertical line can mean that in order to create change in one’s outer world they must first create change in the inner, and that one will receive divine guidance being drawn down from the universe.  Depending on the question posed by the subject of the reading, vertical lines can be indicative of divine guidance or to expect future omens and signs for further assistance (“Acultomancy”).  Finally, vertical lines are suggestive of a connection with the higher self or a close spiritual connection with the Divine.

 

Horizontal lines:  Horizontal lines are indicative of the mundane plane or the physical plane.  Depending upon the question posed by the subject of the Acultomancy reading, horizontal lines are suggestive that a situation will have to be ridden out, that there is no guidance at this time and that the future looks unclear.  Horizontal lines are equally suggestive that the subject needs to expand their horizons or to set their focus on mundane activities at the time of the reading.  Some sources suggest that the horizontal line is indicative of fate and the power it has in the subject’s life at the time of the reading (“Acultomancy”).

 

Other Shapes in Acultomancy:

 

Squares or rectangles:  squares or rectangles that appear in an Acultomancy reading are quite suggestive – squares can indicate that the subject has closed him or herself off from what they need to bring a situation to a successful conclusion.  It can also mean the subject needs to engage in innovative thinking and to break free from the mental blocks that keep them locked in their current situation.  Squares and rectangles also connote that the subject needs to establish a firm foundation before forging ahead in an endeavor.

 

Triangles:  Triangles are indicative of psychic practices; are an indication that the subject needs to sharpen psychic senses or to pay attention to psychic messages.  Triangles can also be indicative of a need to see all sides of a situation or that the subject is not considering all sides of an issue equally.  Finally, triangles can also mean the subject must look for the answers they seek  in the middle of a concept: instead of a black and white perspective the subject must consider the gray areas of any given situation.

 

Crosses: If needles cross it could indicate that the subject of the reading has a crossroad or major decision coming up in the near future.  The number of crossed needles is also suggests of how many enemies the subject has (Carol).  Other typical patterns that appear are lines and the lines can be interpreted in various ways.

 

Works Cited

"Acultomancy." Wikipedia. Aug.-Sept. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 31 Aug. 2007

     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acultomancy>. 

Carol. "Divination Term Table Of Tables." Divination Term Table Of Tables. 2001. 31

	Aug. 2007<http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2377/Divination/divination-table.html>. 

"Divination." The Skeptics Dictionary. Ed. Robert Todd Carroll. 1 Nov. 2006. 31 Aug.  2007. 	

	<http://skepdic.com/divinati.html>. 

“-Mancy.” Def. 1a. Oxford English Dictionary Online. 2nd ed. 1989.