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--- divination [2023/03/04 13:23] – lan
+++ divination [2024/09/22 11:01] (current) – merytnebthut
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 ====== Divination ======
+Many forms of **divination** were used in pre-Christian [[Mesoamerica]], a number of which have survived to this day. Traditional methods include calendric divination, sortilege (the casting of objects onto a surface, cloth, or recepticle and their landing positions read), dream interpretation, scrying, and others.
 ==== The Tonalpohualli ====
-Many forms of diviation was used in pre-Christian Mesoamerica, many of which has survived to this day. Arguably the most widespread method was calendar-based using the sacred day count - [[Tonapohualli]]. This calendar featured 20 daysigns which would all influence the outcome of your life. Some days were auspicious, some were unlucky. For example people born under the sign of Cipactli were thought to be destined to be hard-working and honest. ((Sahagun, 1569. General History of the Things of New Spain. Book 10: The People, Anderson and Dibble 1981 trans.))
+Arguably the most widespread method was calendar-based using the sacred day count - [[Tonalpohualli]]. This calendar featured 20 daysigns which would all influence the outcome of your life. Some days were auspicious, some were unlucky. For example people born under the sign of [[Cipactli]] were thought to be destined to be hard-working and honest. ((Sahagun, 1569. //General History of the Things of New Spain. Book 10: The People//, Anderson and Dibble 1981 trans.))
-The significance of these days were not limited to birthdays but also held in significance for daily activities such as farming, fishing, and worship.
+The significance of these days were not limited to birthdays but also held significance for daily activities such as farming, fishing, and worship, as well as the beginnings of endeavors.
 ==== Maize-kernel casting ====
-Often advice was sought from a daykeeper, or Tonalpouhque, who would determine the possible "good" or "bad" days affecting ilnesses, dreams, or events. In addition to consulting the Tonalpohualli, the daykeepers would also cast maize kernels as a divinatory tool to help them better interpret the calendar. {{ :maize-kernel_casting.jpg?nolink&400|}}The maize served as an extention of the earth and the Teteoh representing the sacred, and was also a vehicle of communication between humans and ancestors and other divinities. Today, the most common method of maize-casting uses 16 or 18 kernels, and distiguishes between the two sides of the kernel as the side facing up in the casting will influence the interpretation. As a generalisation, the front side is seen as typically "positive" and the back side is "negative". The maize is cast on top of a piece of cloth and the positions of the thrown maize are then interpreted and given narrative. ((Rojas, 2016. Reading Maize: A Narrative and Psychological Approch to the Study of Divination in Mesoamerica. Leiden University, The Netherlands))
+Often advice was sought from a "daykeeper", or [[Tonalpouhque]], who would determine the possible "good" or "bad" days affecting illnesses, dreams, or events. In addition to consulting the calendars, the daykeepers would also cast maize kernels as a divinatory tool to help them better interpret the calendar. {{ :maize-kernel_casting.jpg?nolink&400|}}The maize served as an extension of the earth and the Teteoh representing the sacred, and was also a vehicle of communication between humans and ancestors and other divinities. Today, the most common method of maize-casting uses 16 or 18 kernels of different colors, and distinguishes between the two sides of the kernel as the side facing up in the casting will influence the interpretation. As a generalization, the front side is seen as typically "positive" and the back side is "negative". The maize is cast on top of a piece of cloth and the positions of the thrown maize are then interpreted and given narrative. ((Rojas, 2016. Reading Maize: A Narrative and Psychological Approach to the Study of Divination in Mesoamerica. Leiden University, The Netherlands))
 ==== Obsidian mirrors ====
-{{:obsidian_mirror.jpg?nolink&200 |}}The patron diety of sorcerers and diviners was Tezcatlipoca, who was also heavily linked to the fate of people's lives. And as mirrors were one of his symbols, it also was a powerful divinatory tool.  By interpreting the reflective surface, one could gain information from the unseen worlds. It was also through an obsidian mirror that Tezcatlipoca was thought to be all-seeing, mastering the art of mirror divination.
+{{:obsidian_mirror.jpg?nolink&200 |}}The patron Deity of sorcerers and diviners was [[Tezcatlipoca]], who was also heavily linked to the fate of people's lives. And as [[mirrors]] were one of His symbols, it also was a powerful divinatory tool.  By interpreting the reflective surface, one could gain information from the unseen worlds. It was also through an obsidian mirror that Tezcatlipoca was thought to be all-seeing, having mastered the art of mirror divination.
 It was a common greeting to be met with 'You have come to see yourself in the mirror, you have come to consult the book' as one entered the home of a diviner. ((Mursell, 2013. See and Be Seen: ('Smoking') Mirrors. Mexicolore.co.uk))
 ==== Other forms of divination ====
-Other common methods of divination were water scrying, which is the act of interpreting images seen reflected through a bowl of water, throwing or pulling knots, dreams, reading smoke, and ingesting hallucinogenic plants. {{ :rope_tying.jpg?nolink&400|}}
+Other common methods of divination were water [[scrying]], which is the act of interpreting images seen reflected through a bowl of water, throwing or pulling knots, interpreting dreams, reading smoke, and ingesting [[entheogens|hallucinogenic plants]]. {{ :rope_tying.jpg?nolink&400|}}
 The Nahua also had other divinatory professions such as Ticitl, often referred to as a medicine man, or the Tlaolxiani who is more directly linked with divination. ((Pohl, 2015. Witchcraft and Sorcery in Ancient Mexico. Mexicolore.co.uk ))
-{{tags>civic_life magic_and_sorcery review}}
+{{tag>civic_life magic_and_sorcery review}}