From: ithinki@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (face iz white! eyes iz tired!)
Newsgroups: alt.divination
Subject: "talking twigs/sticks"
Date: 23 Jul 92 18:18:28 GMT
Organization: the nightmare zone
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucscb.ucsc.edu


i posted about this already to alt.pagan and alt.magick before
 discovering that alt.divination existed, so some of you perhaps
 have seen this in some form already...

----------
im currently working on a set of so-called "talking twigs", a
 druidic method of divination i cant really seem to find any
 information about so far outside of what ive already got...

what it consists of is a set of 20 twigs, each about the diameter
 of my pinkie finger, and about a handspread in length, flat at one
 end, rounded at the other (interpreted so far to correspond in
 similarity to reversed tarot cards), one each from each of a set
 of "magickal trees", as follows, with my substitutions in
 parentheses where neccessitated by the simple fact that some
 european plants just dont grow here...:

	birch
	mistletoe
	ivy
	holly (was considering substituting with oregon grape,
	       but have decided against this so far)
	fir (douglas-fir)
	ash
	hazel
	elm
	willow
	alder
	hawthorn
	sycamore
	elder/elderberry
	oak (live-oak)
	cherry (flowering cherry)
	gorse (juniper, as spiky a variety as possible, an odd
	       substitution, but nothing really like gorse is local.
	       this is the substitution i am most uncomfortable with,
 	       but i suppose that to some degree its the meanings
	       rather than their carriers thats important)
	rowan (mountain ash, first, then switched to dogwood when
	       i found a reference equating mountain ash with
	       dogwood)
	vine/grape
	yew (ideally, i would substitute nutmeg, as it is a native
	     species from the same genus, but due to the rarity of
	     nutmeg trees, though i do know the location of one, i
	     choose to use spruce due the visual similarities to yew)
	apple

the twigs are taken in hand as a bunch, and thrown over a white cloth
 containing some sort of representation of the zodiac/night sky, and
 are read according to their individual meanings (see below), the
 meanings of the zodiac signs they land on, and their orientation
 relative to the thrower, the zodiac signs, and, presumably, the
 cardinal directions and their respective elemental correspondences
 and meanings.

right now, ive got all the twigs with the exception of the hawthorn,
 elderberry and mistletoe. ive a good idea where to find the elder,
 and some possibilities for the mistletoe, which preferably should
 be growing off an oak, according to druidic tradition, but sycamore
 will do if this fails. the hawthorn will provide some trouble,
 seeing as i will prolly either have to come up with a suitable
 substitute (other members of the family Rhamnaceae come to mind
 immediately, as they are fairly plentiful locally) or find someone
 with an ornamental hawthorn in their yard.

what im currently working on is determining simple and
 logical/intuitive meanings for each of the trees, based on
 characteristics of the trees themselves, as well as any traditional
 or modern-day uses they might have, and on my reflections upon them,
 i.e. how they appear to me in an abstract sense... the
 representations and associations they bring to mind (trying to find
 the right way to describe things that are occurring on an intuitive
 level).

if anyone could offer some help concerning ideas for possible or
 traditional meanings for any of the trees, or any uses of them you
 may know of, as well as any suggestions you might have concerning
 how the cloth (and its zodiac pattern) should be aligned in terms of
 the cardinal directions, id be greatly appreciative. also, if you
 have better ideas for any of the substitutions i have needed to
 make, or any corrections/additions to my (admittedly minimal)
 knowledge of the technique id be glad to hear those as well...

thanks!

-joel

-- 
 joel metz 			  ithinki@ucscb.ucsc.edu, mantis@gorn.echo.com
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 the truth told wiv bad intent beats all the lies that you invent  - nik fiend
Newsgroups: alt.divination