Aspidomancy
A little known form of divination practiced in the Indies. It was first described by the 17th century writer Pierre De Lancre. The diviner or sorcerer draws a circle in which he positions himself on a buckler (sheild) where he recites certain conjurations. He enters a trance and then falls into ecstasy. When he comes out he can tell his clients things which they want to know, or which the devil revealed to him.
Humanity evolved from the heart of Nature. Day by day, season by season, generation after generation, human lives were linked inseparably to the cycles of the living world. Like the heartbeat of a great Mother, the rhythms and workings of the natural world imprinted themselves into every cell of our bodies. We knew our place within the whole and developed spiritual beliefs that honored our independence within the vast network of sibling species.
For eons, the idea that humanity could be separate from the rest of life was essentially incomprehensible. Only in the past few hundred years have our minds fully embraced these concepts that tear us from the embrace of our broader family. The new myth is hard. By keeping us from recognizing the Earth as our natural means of support, it engenders in us a feeling of abandonment.
How do you perceive the living world around you? How do you view nature? Take this quiz and find out:
As you consider each question, jot down your responses. Be brief. The point is not to have everything all polished and exact – it is to get you thinking.
1. How would you define Nature? What is your personal relationship with it?
2. What is humanity’s relationship to Nature?
3. What do you like most about the natural world? Which plants and animals are most important?
4. What do you not trust about the natural world? What aspects of it scare you? Which animals or plants would you consider “bad?”
After taking this quiz step back. Create some distance between yourself and the mainstream consciousness. Work with your beliefs. As you begin to see the world more clearly, you’ll have an opportunity to observe your own beliefs with greater objectivity. Feel your connections. The very best way to demonstrate the illusion of separation is to gain some first-hand experience of just how connected you really are. Then, when you hear messages that try to convince you that you’re isolated, they won’t have any power. You’ll already know the truth because you’ve felt it in your body.
Witches Of The Craft® 