====== 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 ====

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 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 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 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, 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 ))

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