5.1 Maintain a journal of regular divinatory practice
(entries at least weekly; daily is ideal) for 5 months. At the end of that five-month
period, write an essay reflecting importance of daily practice; the results
seen (including whether your ability to work with this symbol set has increased
and why you think it has); and your feelings about the symbol set's strength
and weaknesses after this period of work (minimum 1000 words).
On
December 31, 2015, with a brand new year looming in the darkness, I began a 5-month
cycle of journaling for divination, trance, and magical workings. The work was deep and introspective on a whole
new level and I’ve learned a lot about myself and my path during this time. For
my divination practices, I chose to continue working with the Greek Alphabet
Oracle. I had used this system for
divination in previous study courses, but it still felt fairly new to me, with
a deep connection that I wanted to harness.
However, despite my lack of confidence with the Oracle, it seemed like
the appropriate symbol set for me to take on this journey with me. I will admit that I started out this
five-month period unsure of my skills and feeling relatively new to the Greek
alphabet oracle. Nonetheless, I was
determined to become more comfortable and and do the work I needed to build my
divination skills.
Initially,
I began this journey by doing daily pulls.
I would wake each morning, light some incense, and pull a single stone
as a part of my daily practice. After
doing the reading, I would do a brief meditation on the meaning of that symbol
and how to apply it throughout the day ahead.
This daily pull was a great practice for me and allowed me to better
understand the symbol set and to familiarize myself with the disks I was
working with. I continued to do these
daily pulls for several weeks, trying to apply the symbol into my life in a
mindful and meaningful way. Often, I
found that the messages were positive and uplifting, telling me to that I would
have a great day (Alpha – You will do everything successful). However, I also saw several omens that were
much less positive. Unfortunately,
because of these “negative” omens, doing daily pulls seemed more harmful than
helpful for me. I am someone who has
always struggled with anxiety and depression.
Receiving a message at the start of the day telling me that I would lose
a friend (Tau – Parting from companion) or that I will have a bad day (Omega –
Difficult harvest season) put me in a very negative mindset that was hard to
recover from. I would give extra offerings
and say a few words asking for strength or patience, but the omen stayed in the
back of my mind. It seemed to become a
self-fulfilling prophecy, despite my best efforts to stay positive. When I came to this realization, I decided
that I needed to try a new approach to my divination journaling.
I
considered doing my daily draw in the evening instead, but as someone who works
full time and has a family, my evenings are often hectic and overly busy so it
seemed like I would be setting myself up for failure. Instead, at that point, I decided that I
would take a step back and do a pull at the end of each week to reflect, so
beginning February 6, 2016, that’s exactly what I did. I’m happy to say that this seemed to work
much better for me.
With
this new schedule in place, I began doing divination at least weekly to
reflect. Throughout the week, if I did any ritual or magical working, I would continue
to do omens as appropriate, so quite often I would still do an omen several
times a week. This new plan allowed me
to use the omens as a form of reflection and guidance and to become more
connected and pleased with my progress instead of feeling anxious.
Overall,
I believe that this continued practice has definitely helped me to improve my comfort
and familiarity with the Greek Alphabet Oracle, and with divination practices
in general. I now understand the
meanings of the symbols and how to interpret them in different situations. Not
only am I confident in my ability to use the Greek Alphabet Oracle in my
personal practice, and I’m also more comfortable doing the omen during my
grove’s public rituals. This development
is incredibly useful on a practical level.
I originally started doing divination when I was only twelve years old,
working with many different symbols sets to try to find something that worked
for me. I’ve explored everything from
tarot to palmistry and this oracle set is the first set that I have found that
I am comfortable using on a regular basis, so I’m very pleased with the results
of this journey.
So,
what has made this symbol set something that works well for me? First, I will say that I believe my
connection to my disks is incredibly personal.
Not only do they fit the hearth that I am most comfortable in, the disks
themselves were made for me by Rev. Jon Drum as a gift at my ordination, so I
feel an emotional attachment to them as well.
Additionally, the symbols are characters that I’m already familiar with
from previous education in math and science, which gave me a stepping stone to
start with and continue working to build.
I didn’t have to learn a new set of symbols and then the meanings that
went with them. Another area that I
believe aided me is my familiarity with Greek mythology. This knowledge played a large role in not
only understanding the symbols themselves, but also in interpreting the
messages in general. I understand who
Helios is, and what it means to have him watching over you. This type of connection allows for me to feel
more content with the symbol set.
Finally, as someone who grew up in a rural part of Nebraska, I can
deeply connect with the agricultural themes present in several of the
symbols. However, I can also see how some
of these benefits for me would be a challenge for someone who didn’t have a
background similar to my own.
There
are some weaknesses in this symbol set as well.
There is really only a single source of information for the Greek
Alphabet Oracle, which means that there are not alternative interpretations to
make, or a large pool of information to use to understand or connect with these
symbols. Also, it is less well known
overall so if you are doing readings for others they may not connect with the
symbolism on the same level as other symbol sets. I can also see how this set would be a
challenge for a beginner because it does require some base knowledge to use
them successfully, including the knowledge of the Greek myths and their
alphabet system, as well as an understanding of agricultural cycles. Additionally, there are several omens that
appear to be quite negative, giving it a poor reputation with some. However, from my experience, these negative
omen possibilities make a positive omen even more meaningful.
Ultimately,
when I began on this journey at the end of 2015, five months seemed like a long
time, and this course seemed like a very long path to take. Today, I stand on the other side of it, and
it seems like 2016 started just days ago.
I know I have learned a lot about myself and my divination practices,
but I also know that there is always more to learn.
5.2 Describe your method of taking an omen or doing divination
in your private practice, from start to finish. Include any prayers said,
deities invoked, or sacrifices made. (No minimum word count)
When
it is time for me to take an omen in my personal practice, I begin by planting
my feet firmly on the ground and taking a few deep breaths in through my nose
and out through my mouth. This begins my
movement into a light trance state and grounds me in the ritual space. I then
pick up a handful of dry bay leaves in my right hand and hold my oracle bag in
my left. I crush dry bay leaves in the
palm of my hand speak to Apollo, saying something along the lines of “Apollo, mighty
god of the Sun, poetry, and oracles I call to you now. Guide my hands, help me to see, speak through
my voice. Let me hear the message I need
to receive.” These words, combined with the sound of the crunching bay leaves,
the texture of them in my hand, and scent of the crushed bay leaves deepen my
trance and allow me to focus intently on the omen work I need to do. I then kneel on the ground, spreading my
dress or robe in a fan in front of me. I
reach my hand into my oracle bag and dig through it until I find the first disk
that “feels” like the right one and place this face up on my dress in front of
me while saying the name of the symbol and a brief meaning of it. I continue this process two more times,
speaking the name and meaning in turn.
After three have been pulled, I take the three symbols together to
create a message general message appropriate for the working at hand. I then place the three disks on my altar
until the end of my working or ritual. At the end of the rite, I record the
omen in my journal and any important messages that came with them and then
return the oracle disks to their bag.
5.3 Choose 5 different systems available for the work of a
Seer (modern, ancient, or both). Briefly discuss the pros and cons of each
system independently. Include at least one closed and one open system. A closed
system is one with a defined set of symbols and a relatively fixed set of
meanings (ex. Tarot, Runes, etc.) An open system is one without a fixed set of
symbols and/or meanings (ex. auspices.) (Minimum 100 words for each system)
There
are numerous methods of divination available to seers, both modern and
ancient. For the purpose of this essay,
I will be discussing five of them:
augury, runes, ogham, tarot, and scrying.
Augury:
One method of divination that was popular in ancient Greek culture was
the use of Augury. Augury is defined as
“the art or practice of divination from omens or signs” (Farlex) . In ancient Greece this frequently presented
itself as the interpretation of the sounds and movements of birds. The flight and songs of birds would be used
as omens with different types of birds meaning different things. An owl hooting may be ominous while a hawk
swooping may be a sign of victory (Halliday 247) .
Animals in general had a deeper meaning in Greek society. Often certain types of animals were tied to
different deities, and so the appearance of one of these animals would be seen
as a message from a specific God, such as the owl for Athena, the doe for
Artemis, and the eagle for Zeus (Bonnefoy 128) .
This method of divination can be inspirational when it works well, and
can help someone feel connected to the natural world when it seems to respond
to their requests. It also allows for
some individual interpretation based upon how you respond to the creatures you
see. However, because this method of
divination is an open system and requires an act of nature, it is unpredictable
and may take a long time to get the desired response. It may also be hard to use in places that
have less wildlife readily available.
Runes: Another
method of divination is known as “Runes” or “Futhark.” The Futhark is the runic alphabet consists of
24 letters from Northern Europe during the third to ninth centuries CE (Lo) . These letters were used as a writing system
for hundreds of years, evolving century after century as the language
changed. The letters are still used as a
method of divination in modern practices.
Each letter symbolizes something different, ranging from the cattle of
Fehu, to the God of Ansuz (Hauge) . Individual letters are written or carved into
disks, stones, or some other medium.
They are then placed into a container of some sort and drawn
individually for interpretation. Runes are a system that is relatively
easy to find information on, and the symbols are diverse enough to recognize
them. However, different translations
and evolutions over time have made it so that there may be different
interpretations of the runes and their meanings.
Ogham:
A method of divination that was derived from the ancient Celts is
ogham. Ogham was originally a writing
system that is believed to have been used from the fourth to the tenth century
CE (Irving) . The divination system is based on the
twenty-five letters of the ogham alphabet, typically carved into sticks, disks,
or stones similar to the runes of Northern Europe. Each of these letters represents a specific
tree or plant, such as Beith, the birch tree, which can symbolize new
beginnings or Muin, the vine which tells us to loosen our inhibitions (Whittaker) . These lots are then drawn from their
container and individual messages are interpreted from the inscribed symbols. Ogham
gives a unique connection to the plant spirits of nature, and the Celtic
knowledge of them. Unfortunately, I believe that many of the ogham symbols look
very similar, making it a challenge to remember them by sight. This can definitely be disheartening,
especially during the learning process.
Tarot: Tarot
is a deck of seventy-eight cards divided into four suits. It was first seen in
Italy during the 15th century and is believed to have been introduced from
Islamic traditions. It was further adapted by French occultists, who tied the
meanings of the cards to the Kabbalah.
Arthur. E. Waite, member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn,
developed the first fully illustrated deck (Gabby) . From there tarot has continued to evolve and
change throughout the years and has developed into various decks. There are
numerous adaptations in modern tarot that give it diversity and flexibility to
work for many different people on many different paths. The assortment of imagery can help lead the
seer to the meaning of the card and help them to connect with a specific
deck. Each symbol on the card has
significance and can make interpretation easier for people who learn
visually. However, the deck is made up
of seventy-eight cards with different meanings so it can be a challenge to keep
them all straight. Also, tarot cards are
typically made of paper products, so they can be less useful during outdoor
rituals that may involve winds or rain.
Scrying: Scrying is defined as “to
foretell the future using a crystal ball or other reflective object or surface”
(Oxford Dictionary) .
There are many different types of scrying throughout history, including
using bodies of water, oil, reflective surfaces, mirrors, and crystal
balls. Many different Indo-European
cultures had their own use and method of scrying just as diverse as the
cultures themselves. Ancient Greeks at the temple of Demeter in Patrae would
lower a mirror into a fountain, make offerings and give prayers, and then use
the reflective surface of the mirror to divine messages (Thomas 64) . Scrying was also used in ancient Persia.
“Bahar-i-Danish”, or “Springtime of Knowledge” describes a method of divination
also using a mirror. The mirror would be
coated in ink and the reflections in the surface were used to divine any
knowledge (Thomas 57) .
Scrying does not require a specific set of tools and can be performed in any
reflective surface, a fire, water, etc.
This flexibility can be quite advantageous. Unfortunately, there is also no set
definition for interpreting what you see, so it may be a challenge to
understand the message in the reflection or vision without practice.
5.4 Choose 3 of the systems discussed in 5.3. For each of
these systems perform 3 divinations. (These divinations may be book assisted.)
Discuss the results of these divinations and your impressions of the various
systems. (Minimum 1000 words)
Over
the past five months, I spent most of my time working with the Greek Alphabet
Oracle. However, I did also do a few
workings with runes, tarot cards, and ogham.
It was interesting to see some similar messages between all four methods
of divination, as well as the differences.
Runes:
I
was initially skeptical about working with runes because I have no real
connection to northern Europe or Norse mythology. However, I have a small set of wooden runes,
so I decided it would be good to try to work with them.
1/3/16
While
doing my divination work, I was also simultaneously working on my journal for
trance and magical workings. I created a
continuing trance and magical exercise to work my way through the story of the Odyssey.
During this week, I used the runes after completing my Odyssey Week 2 trance
work. This was a guided meditation that
lead me to speak to the elders in a city square. They told me that I was doing noble work, but
that it would be a difficult journey with setbacks and stumbles, but that I can
find the light I’m looking for. After I listened to their messages and leaving
the meditation, I drew three runes to solidify the messages I received. I pulled:
1)
Hagalaz – Initially, I was disappointed to see
hagalaz as my first pull. It’s the rune that means “hail” and that did not seem
like good way to start. However, as I
continued to read, I see that hagalaz can also symbolize the transformation from
something bad into something good. It
can also mark the beginning and the end of things, which seems appropriate for
the journey I was undertaking. It seems
in line with the trance work I had just completed.
2)
Raido – Raido signifies a time of
respite and says that you need to put yourself in the right place to allow
energies to flow. It shows that you can
obtain your goal if you put in the work.
Again, this seems to be in line with my working.
3)
Uruz – The final rune I pulled was
Uruz. Uruz speaks of fortitude and
action, and the power of the universe.
This rune says that you are strong enough to keep focused on the path
you’re on, and to be successful.
Summary: What started out looking like a
painful omen seems to speak true to the working I had completed. The path I’ve chosen will be difficult and
have challenges on it, but that if I keep doing the work I will have the strength
to be successful.
1/30/16
During
my Odyssey Week 4 trance work I again chose to use runes as my method of
omen. I entered trance through drumming
and made offerings to Poseidon. After
the trance work was completed, I pulled three runes.
1)
Raido—Raido came up again in this
pulling, showing me that if I’m in the right time and place and I can obtain my
goal. This was a nice, repeated message
from last week.
2)
Wunjo – Wunjo is a very promising
omen, signifying joy and happiness. This
also shows a state of harmony and balance.
It was nice to see such a positive message after a working that I was
unsure about. As a follower of Athena,
working with Poseidon doesn’t always come easily, so to receive a message that
signifies happiness was a pleasant surprise.
3)
Berkana – Berkana symbolizes growth
and the start of new adventures. It is a
message of new beginnings and rebirth.
It seemed like a fitting omen to receive near the beginning of my trance
and magical work journey.
Summary: This omen again tells me to continue
doing the work in order to be successful on this new journey, and ultimately it
can lead to happiness.
4/22/16
Life
had been overwhelming and frustrating for a few weeks. I decided to create a sigil to aid me in making
some positive changes in my life. After
the sigil was created and energized, I pulled three rune stones as the omen for
the working.
1)
Raido – Raido seemed to be my trusty
friend throughout my work with runes.
This shows that if I put myself in the right place, things can be
successful. It also shows of the
importance of having a solid foundation to build upon.
2)
Algiz – Algiz is the rune of
protection. It says to be alert and
aware of your surroundings. Algiz also reminds
you that there are hazards ahead, but that you have the power to move forward.
3)
Uruz – Uruz speaks of action and
power. It says to use your strength to
stay focused and you can achieve your goals.
Summary:
Looking for positive changes, this omen was interesting. Raido again tells me that if I do the work
and have a good foundation, then I can be successful. However, the message also shows me that I
need to be a bit cautious and protective of myself, while staying focused in
order to get the changes that I want.
I’d say that this omen shows that my changes can happen, but it will take
cautious, focused work to do that.
Overall,
I will say that I was pleasantly surprised at how similar runes are to the
Greek Alphabet Oracle. While the symbols
are different, the energy and method of working with them are quite familiar. I believe I could develop an understanding of
this divination method with continued practice, which was a definite surprise
for me.
Tarot:
Tarot
is the divination method that I probably have the most experience with. I bought my first tarot deck at 12 years old
and have tried to work with it off and on since that point almost twenty years
ago. However, it’s not a system that I
ever felt confident with.
2/18/16
For
the past few months, we have been in the process of trying to buy a new
house. It hasn’t been the easiest
process, and so I did a magical working to try to help move this process
forward. With this working, I did what
is called the “decision maker” spread, that uses four cards, symbolizing 1) you,
2) the unknown, 3) known, and 4) the action you should take. I pulled the following cards:
1)
High Priestess – The high priestess speaks of
intuition and insight, telling you to trust your instincts and do what you
think is right. This represents me, so I
believe it is telling me to do what I think is right.
2)
Justice – This card represents the
“unknown” and represents clarity, fairness, and harmony. It also signifies the law, which is
interesting because we later found out that the house we are trying to purchase
had a lien against it that had to be cleared by the seller before we could
continue.
3)
Page of Cups – The Page of Cups is
in the spread for the part of what is “known”.
This card represents naivety and daydreaming. It expresses the need to have some fun
because you are being too serious.
4)
6 of Cups – The final card I pulled
for this spread was the 6 of Cups, which is the action that should be
taken. This card represents the
restoration of harmony, and says to not spend too much time looking backwards,
but instead focus on the future.
Summary: Ultimately,
this spread showed me that my instincts are right, but that eventually things
will work out in balance and that I need to keep looking at the future and not
take things so seriously. It’s a message
that probably should have known, but sometimes seeing it in “writing” helps it
become more real.
3/11/16
We took a family trip to Colorado to
show my son for the mountains for the first time. When we arrived, I gave offerings to Hermes
to thank him for our safe travels, and to the Earth Mother to thank us for her
gifts and beauty. I did a simple three
card draw as an omen for our trip.
1) 9
of Wands – The first card I pulled was the 9 of Wands, which represents being
burdened with concerns. This card told
me to calm down and not get too overwhelmed with everything. It was a good message to receive at the start
of our vacation.
2) 3
of Pentacles – The second card I pulled was the 3 of Pentacles, which says that
people appreciate you and your efforts.
This message essentially says to keep doing what you’re doing.
3) Queen
of Cups – The final card I pulled was the Queen of Cups, which is a card of
compassion and love. This was such a
blessing to receive from the Earth Mother that I was moved and a bit
emotional.
Summary:
Overall, this message felt like a message to relax and enjoy my
vacation. It showed me that the work I’m
doing is good and that I should continue to do it, with less stress. It was an excellent trip for me and my family
and this omen reflects that well.
4/9/16
In
April, I was doing some healing work for several family members who were
struggling with different health issues.
It was a hard working for me to do because of how much those involved
mean to me, but it was important for me to try to help them the best that I
could. I then pulled an omen to review the work I had just done.
1)
Queen of Wands – The first card that
I pulled for this omen was the Queen of Wands, which symbolizes positive energy
and getting the work accomplished.
2)
2 of Pentacles – The second card was
the 2 of Pentacles, which expresses balance and changes. These changes may not necessarily be
positive, but they will bring balance.
3)
8 of Wands – The final card was the
8 of Wands, which symbolizes excitement, but also says to be patient and wait
for the results of your work.
Summary:
This omen seemed to signify that I had done good work, and that it would
allow for positive changes, however, that I needed to be patient for the
results of that work to be evident. I think that it was reassuring to see the cards
reflect that I had done everything I could to be helpful.
Overall,
I think working with Tarot can be a lot of fun and give a very deep message in
your omen. However, there are so many
cards and symbols that it can be quite overwhelming to try to work with them
and remember what each symbol represents.
Ogham:
The
final method of omen that I chose to work with was the Ogham. Ogham is probably the method that I am the
least familiar and comfortable with. I
don’t have a strong knowledge of Celtic mythology or even the symbols used in
Ogham, so it was a bit of a challenge to work with from the beginning.
2/6/16
In
February, my grove did an Imbolc rite to honor Brighid and to induct a new
member into our grove. For this ritual,
I pulled three ogham sticks as an omen.
1)
Gort – The first symbol was Gort, or
Ivy, which represents friendship and healing.
This ogham shows us how to keep moving forward when things are
challenging. It’s a fitting message for
the end of winter when things are still cold and dark.
2)
Huath – The second symbol was Huath,
or Hawthorn. Huath is a symbol of
purification and protection. It shows
that things may be slow now, but that they will be prosperous in the future. Again
it shows us the potential of Imbolc and the spring ahead.
3)
Coll – The final symbol I pulled was
Coll, or Hazel. Coll is a message of
intuition and sensitivity, and shows that you should follow your intuition.
Summary:
This omen to me says that building new friendships will help us to keep
moving forward through the darkness of winter into the new growth of
spring. It tells us to keep using our
instincts to grow and build, and that we will be successful.
2/13/16
During
this time, work life was not going well as they tried to restructure my
position and role within the company I work for. I did a magical working to try to create
positive work changes and to give myself strength during this challenging
time. I then pulled the following omen:
1)
Huath – The first ogham I pulled was
Huath, the Hawthorn. This symbolizes the
purification and protection of yourself, and the potential for prosperity in
the future. It shows that things can
improve, but that I need to protect myself in the process.
2)
Eadha – The next ogham was Eadha,
the Aspen which symbolizes healing and the conquest of fear. This ogham says that there is trial to go
through, but that it will end in a positive way.
3)
Ngetal – The final ogham for this
reading was Ngetal, the Reed. This ogham
calls for direction and action.
Summary:
This omen in general says that there is the potential for good things in
the future, and that while things are a challenge right now, they will get
better. However, it also says that there
needs to be action to make this happen, and to not just sit back and expect it
to all work out. It will take effort to
be successful.
2/21/16
I
did a some trance work in the forest, walking through the trees and and
connecting to the spirits of nature. It
felt like an appropriate situation to use ogham, so I made sure to take it with
me on this journey. I found a quiet,
clear spot in the woods where there was no snow, and sat upon the ground to
pull this message:
1)
Eadha – The first stone I pulled was
Eadha, the Aspen which symbolizes a trial to be undergone, but a positive and
healing end
2)
Luis – The next stone was Luis, the Rowan. This letter symbolizes the protection.
3)
Ruis – The final stone is Ruis, the Elderberry. This is the symbol of new beginnings and the
cycle of life.
Summary: In general, this omen seemed to say
that things are positive and healing, but to make sure to look out for myself
in the cycle of life and new beginnings that are lurking ahead.
Overall,
I would say Ogham was the system I had the most trouble connecting to and
working with. While the method was
familiar, the symbolism all seems to blend together and make it a challenge to
interpret the individual messages that each letter contains. If I had more familiarity with the properties
of the trees it would have been much easier, but without that working
knowledge, they just didn’t hold a lot of meaning for me.
5.5 Bearing in mind that ADF has based itself upon IE
studies and thought, discuss the utility, or lack thereof, of using an ancient
system versus a modern system. Also discuss whether or not the system being
used should match the hearth culture of the ritual (minimum 300 words)
I
believe there are both advantages and disadvantages to using an ancient system
within an ADF context. Using a symbology
that is built from the mythos and practices of ancient Indo-European cultures
gives us a direct tie to the work they were doing and the beliefs that they
held. In my experience, using a system
based upon Indo-European studies is a way that I am able to connect to the
religion of the ancient cultures and bring them to life in a modern context. However, I also understand that this cannot be
done with every method of divination.
Utilizing systems based on IE culture is really only practical in some
divination methods, such as different methods of scrying and the alphabet based
systems of runes, ogham, and the Greek alphabet oracle. These ancient symbols
give us a unique connection to the ancients and the languages that they
spoke. We have worked to modeling our
practices from them in some ways, and using their systems may help give us a
deeper connection to their practices.
However,
the alphabet oracles themselves do present a challenge in translation and
interpretation necessary to use them successfully. There is potential that the information has
been mistranslated through the years, and that can cause confusion and difficulty. Additionally, there are other methods of
divination, such as haruspicy (divination by the examination of entrails) that
would not be accepted in modern ADF practices at all.
As
far as having your divination method match your hearth culture, I don’t believe
that it is a necessity. In my personal experiences,
it has been easiest to connect with the divination method of my own hearth
culture because I am already familiar with the symbols and mythology that
create the divination system. However,
just because you know the background doesn’t mean it will be the system that
works best for you so another system may be more beneficial for your work. Ultimately, I think the important thing is to
use what you’re comfortable and not necessarily what matches your chosen
hearth.
5.6 Discuss your understanding of the Seer's Guild Ethics
Policy. (Minimum 200 words) (Note: The Seer's Guild Ethics Policy can be found
at http://www.adf.org/members/guilds/seers/ethics.html)
I
truly believe that the ADF Seers Guild Ethics policy is an important document
to be familiar with as a seer. I was
also pleasantly surprised at how well it aligns well with my personal code of
ethics that I created as an ADF priest.
The Ethics policy and my code of ethics both express the importance of
respecting confidentiality and maintaining personal boundaries for those I
would do work with. Both of these
documents also give me the freedom to report or refer someone who I feel may
hurt themselves or someone else, which is important to me and a legal requirement
in the state of Nebraska. Ultimately, I believe that the Seers Guild Ethics
Policy reinforces the idea of mutual respect between the seer and their clients,
which is vital in a health seer/client relationship.
The
Seers of ADF are expected to provide services to any member of the
organization, but the Code also expresses the importance of a seer not pushing
their own feelings or thoughts on the client, as well as articulating that
seers have no power over the clients or their decisions. It also emphasizes the mutual respect that
needs to exist between the client and the seer, which is important for both
participants to have a positive experience.
A seer doesn’t want to feel they are taken advantage of or being overly
depended on, while a client shouldn’t feel that a seer is trying to force them
into a decision they don’t want to make.
Ultimately, this Ethics Policy is a strong document to show the
importance of a hospitable relationship between seers and those people who look
to them for guidance. I think this sets
a strong precedence for what a seer should represent within ADF.
5.7 Local governments sometimes pass legislation against
many activities practiced by Seers. Research the laws for Seership in your
country and locality (city, county, state, province or county, if applicable,
provide copies of these laws). Discuss the impact of these laws (potential and
actual) on an ADF Seer. (Minimum 500 words)
City
(Omaha):
I
live in the city of Omaha, Nebraska.
After doing a lot of research, there are no laws that I could find
regarding divination in any form. There
are several fortunetellers, and seers that practice in Omaha without any
issues. However, there is another town
in Nebraska that forbids divination and seers altogether. Scottsbluff, Nebraska has a city ordinance
that claims that clairvoyance, fortunetelling and divination are unlawful acts
and are prohibited (Scottsbluff City Council) .
It’s
fortunate that there are not laws in Omaha that are specific to divination in
the city because it gives people the opportunity to use divination as they
please. Unfortunately, this also means
that any seers are completely unregulated, so there is the potential for people
to be taken advantage of if they don’t know the seer well.
County
(Douglas):
I
was also unsuccessful in locating any county laws for my county, which is
Douglas County in Nebraska. I followed a
research, involving online studies, and contacting the Douglas County Clerk’s
Office by phone (402-444-6767) where I was passed around to several different
departments before being told that all laws for the county follow any state
laws that are currently in place.
Douglas county gives people the same freedom to practice as a seer in
whatever way they seem fit. This allows
people the freedom to make their own decisions, but still doesn’t regulate
these practices.
State
(Nebraska):
I’ve
been surprised at the lack of laws that the state of Nebraska puts on seers and
divination in general. With the
exception of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, which is on the opposite end of the state,
there are no laws that specifically define or limit divination, seers,
clairvoyance, or anything else along those lines. There are certain laws
regarding clergy that I can see being relevant to seers in certain situations
though. Those are listed below.
Law 7: 38-2121. License; required; exceptions.
The requirement to be licensed as a mental
health practitioner pursuant to the Uniform Credentialing Act in order to
engage in mental health practice shall not be construed to prevent:
(1) Qualified members of
other professions who are licensed, certified, or registered by this state from
practice of any mental health activity consistent with the scope of practice of
their respective professions;
(2) Alcohol and drug
counselors who are licensed by the Division of Public Health of the Department
of Health and Human Services and problem gambling counselors who are certified
by the Department of Health and Human Services prior to July 1, 2013, or by the
Nebraska Commission on Problem Gambling beginning on July 1, 2013, from
practicing their profession. Such exclusion shall include students training and
working under the supervision of an individual qualified under section 38-315;
(3) Any person employed by an
agency, bureau, or division of the federal government from discharging his or
her official duties, except that if such person engages in mental health
practice in this state outside the scope of such official duty or represents
himself or herself as a licensed mental health practitioner, he or she shall be
licensed;
(4) Teaching or the conduct
of research related to mental health services or consultation with
organizations or institutions if such teaching, research, or consultation does
not involve the delivery or supervision of mental health services to
individuals or groups of individuals who are themselves, rather than a third
party, the intended beneficiaries of such services;
(5) The delivery of mental
health services by:
(a) Students, interns, or
residents whose activities constitute a part of the course of study for
medicine, psychology, nursing, school psychology, social work, clinical social
work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, or other health care or mental
health service professions; or
(b) Individuals seeking to
fulfill postgraduate requirements for licensure when those individuals are
supervised by a licensed professional consistent with the applicable
regulations of the appropriate professional board;
(6) Duly recognized members of the clergy from providing mental health
services in the course of their ministerial duties and consistent with the
codes of ethics of their profession if they do not represent themselves to be
mental health practitioners;
(7) The incidental exchange
of advice or support by persons who do not represent themselves as engaging in
mental health practice, including participation in self-help groups when the
leaders of such groups receive no compensation for their participation and do
not represent themselves as mental health practitioners or their services as
mental health practice;
(8) Any person providing
emergency crisis intervention or referral services or limited services
supporting a service plan developed by and delivered under the supervision of a
licensed mental health practitioner, licensed physician, or a psychologist
licensed to engage in the practice of psychology if such persons are not
represented as being licensed mental health practitioners or their services are
not represented as mental health practice; or
(9) Staff employed in a
program designated by an agency of state government to provide rehabilitation
and support services to individuals with mental illness from completing a
rehabilitation assessment or preparing, implementing, and evaluating an
individual rehabilitation plan.
This law establishes that people are allowed to
give guidance to people, as long as they follow their code of ethics and do not
represent themselves as professional mental health practitioners when they are
not. It allows for seers to help their
clients, but does limit their reach in an appropriate way.
Law 5: 28-372. Report of abuse, neglect, or
exploitation; required; contents; notification; toll-free number established.
(1) When any physician, psychologist, physician assistant, nurse, nursing assistant,
other medical, developmental disability, or mental health professional, law
enforcement personnel, caregiver or employee of a caregiver, operator or
employee of a sheltered workshop, owner, operator, or employee of any facility
licensed by the department, or human services professional or paraprofessional
not including a member of the clergy has reasonable cause to believe that a
vulnerable adult has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or exploitation or
observes such adult being subjected to conditions or circumstances which
reasonably would result in abuse, neglect, or exploitation, he or she shall
report the incident or cause a report to be made to the appropriate law
enforcement agency or to the department. Any other person may report abuse, neglect,
or exploitation if such person has reasonable cause to believe that a
vulnerable adult has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or exploitation or
observes such adult being subjected to conditions or circumstances which
reasonably would result in abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
(2) Such report may be made
by telephone, with the caller giving his or her name and address, and, if
requested by the department, shall be followed by a written report within
forty-eight hours. To the extent available the report shall contain: (a) The
name, address, and age of the vulnerable adult; (b) the address of the
caregiver or caregivers of the vulnerable adult; (c) the nature and extent of
the alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation or the conditions and circumstances
which would reasonably be expected to result in such abuse, neglect, or
exploitation; (d) any evidence of previous abuse, neglect, or exploitation,
including the nature and extent of the abuse, neglect, or exploitation; and (e)
any other information which in the opinion of the person making the report may
be helpful in establishing the cause of the alleged abuse, neglect, or
exploitation and the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators.
(3) Any law enforcement
agency receiving a report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall notify the
department no later than the next working day by telephone or mail.
(4) A report of abuse,
neglect, or exploitation made to the department which was not previously made
to or by a law enforcement agency shall be communicated to the appropriate law
enforcement agency by the department no later than the next working day by
telephone or mail.
(5) The department shall
establish a statewide toll-free number to be used by any person any hour of the
day or night and any day of the week to make reports of abuse, neglect, or
exploitation.
Nebraska’s mandatory reporting laws currently
state “any person who suspects child abuse or neglect is required to report” (National Conference of State Legislatures) . This statement would include seers and
require that they report any suspected child abuse or neglect. This makes seers (and all people) responsible
for reporting any abuse they suspect of a child, which is always a very
difficult decision to make for people.
However, Law 28-372 listed above also says that
the same rule does not apply to the belief in the abuse of a vulnerable adult
who has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or exploitation. I find this
difference to be very intriguing and I’m curious as to what the reasoning is
for this difference.
5.8 Discuss how you intend to use your skills as a Seer in
service to ADF. (Minimum 100 words)
Divination within is something
that I have found to be quite important to my personal practice within ADF. It
is the tool we use to communicate with the Kindreds, to ask for their
blessings, and to verify that they have accepted our gifts to them. Essentially, divination works as the tool we
use to help us build a *ghosti relationship with the Kindreds. This is the reasons that I first began my
journey down the path of the seer. However, this journey has grown to expand
beyond my personal practice in ways that I didn’t expect. Locally, I am the Senior Druid of a small
grove, and am one of the few people who are comfortable doing public omens for
ritual. This is an important part of our
rites and I want to be able to perform this task to the very best of my
abilities. Additionally, as clergy, I
have vowed to serve the folk on an international level; to work with them, and
to provide services to them when I can.
While I will not always have the answers they seek, I want to build my
toolkit to allow me to help them find the answer for themselves. I see the role as a Seer as one of those
tools that will be incredibly beneficial.
Works Cited
Bonnefoy, Yves. Greek and Egyptian Mythologies.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992.
Crowley, Aleister. The Book of Thoth. York
Beach: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1995.
Farlex. Augury. n.d. August 2014.
<http://www.thefreedictionary.com/augury>.
Gabby, Dame. A Tarot History Timeline. 2002.
2016. <http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/tarot_history.pdf>.
Halliday, W.R. Greek Divination: A Study of Its
Methods and Principles. London: Macmillian and Co., Limited, 1913.
Hauge, Arild. THE ELDER FUTHARK . 2002. June
2016. <http://www.arild-hauge.com/efuthark.htm>.
Irving, Jenni. Ogham. 11 May 2012. June 2016.
<http://www.ancient.eu/Ogham/>.
Lo, Lawrence. Futhark. 2012. 2016.
<http://www.ancientscripts.com/futhark.html>.
National Conference of State Legislatures. Child
Abuse and Neglect Reporting State Statute Overview. n.d. May 2014.
<http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/child-abuse-and-neglect-reporting-statutes.aspx>.
Oxford Dictionary. Scry. n.d. August 2014.
<http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/scry>
Scottsbluff City Council. Scottsbluff Municipal
Code. May 2015. June 2016.
<http://www.scottsbluff.org/your_government/municipal_code/docs/13_Offenses.pdf>.
Thomas, Northcote W. Crystal Gazing. Ithaca:
Cornell University Library, 1891.
Whittaker, Colleen. Meanings of the Ogham Staves.
22 October 1996. June 2016. <http://ogham.lyberty.com/ogmean.html>.
0 comments:
Post a Comment