Witchvox Article

Author: Christopher Orapello
Posted: July 24th. 2005
Times Viewed: 5,414

As a spiritual and religious person, omens, signs, and acts of divination actually play a big part in my daily life and spiritual journey. Allow me to define them so that you may better understand my view of the material and how I see them in my life. First off, I don�t believe in coincidence as I feel that everything happens for a reason. All occurrences and actions are results or reactions to pre-existing conditions or influences. As a Pagan I feel that recognizing that everything is connected is important to tuning into the universe as an entity. This in regards to this topic is where divination, omens, and signs become a necessary part of being a Pagan, as I am, like we all are, a part of the universe.

To continue, the Emerald Tablet states, �as above so below:� that which occurs on the higher levels of existence affects and determines what occurs on the lower levels. Divinatory acts, omens, and signs serve to indicate a manifestation of those occurrences in a way for the practitioner to relate to and understand the ever-changing cosmos. Acts of divination like performing a tarot reading, serve to symbolically personify the changes that take place on the higher levels and convey these changes in a way for the practitioner to interpret and observe what is going on and what may soon manifest in their own life on the lower levels.

Divination is a voluntary act performed by someone, unlike an omen which is a symbolic manifestation which can be witnessed by the individual, much like a picture falling and breaking or the over used-film sequence of the white dove crashing through a window to indicate misfortune. Divination on the other hand is a symbolic system used to tap into, depict, and convey universal changes to provide insight into potential future events. Although it is a nice tool, it is often unpredictable as it foretells what may occur from the present moment in time, rather than what will occur. Since things are always changing and growing, the ever-constant development of the universe is a bit unpredictable and any information attained in a tarot spread, for example, should not be regarded as truth or an absolute outcome because things can and do change. However, they are nice techniques to use and to keep in mind, as they can provide someone with proper warning and insight.

Unlike divination, I see omens as sudden out-of-the-ordinary life occurrences of a symbolic nature which relate to or indicate changes in the present which have symbolic value to those who witness of them. They are like divination, in as far as they are symbolic of what they indicate, but they are unlike divination because they occur involuntary. For instance, along with being a Pagan, I am also a Freemason and have been one for over a year. I am an officer in my lodge and as of recently, I have decided that I would prefer to step down from my chair for several different and personal reasons. When I became a Freemason, I placed a Masonic square and compass emblem on my car, as is common practice, so I could be recognized on the road by my fellow brethren. Around the time I decided to step down from being an officer, that emblem began shedding its paint to the point of now looking rather shoddy and needing to be replaced. This occurrence, to me, is an omen of my decision to step down as an officer in my lodge. The withering emblem being symbolic of the growing frustration I have had with other members and the responsibility of being an officer.

The above scenario could also be taken as being a sign, as it was not entirely a single occurrence, but a slow development or symbolic manifestation which could be regarded as possessing a significant meaning to me. Usually, I view a sign not as a momentary occurrence, but as a shift in a daily pattern which could be interpreted as an overall universal change in the common daily routine. An example of this would be when the moon is full, people often act different. Things which I believe fall into this category are sudden changes in my morning commute such as multiple people on the road driving in an unsafe manner, traffic conditions becoming more or less worse, or other daily patterns and routines seeming to be suddenly different.

Such apparent shifts in daily routines, mindsets, etc. can often be an indicator of lunar, astrological, or other influential shifts that may affect general life patterns and flow. When changes like these are noticed, I often react to them in an appropriate manner, like driving carefully or keeping my mouth shut when otherwise I might feel the need to share some colorful language with the world. Omens and signs are very similar to me as they indicate changes in one�s life. The difference between them is that omens are momentary, out-of-the-ordinary occurrences that possess some symbolic value to the observer, much like an involuntary act of divination, while a sign is an indicator of shifting higher level universal conditions, which affect lower level situations and life patterns.

Though we have such things at our disposal, it is important to not get sucked into the foreshadowing that can be realized by paying attention to acts of divination, omens, and signs. The reason for this is that nothing is certain. I perceive all three as indicators and guides, but not as facts upon which to base my life and the decisions I have to make throughout my day. Although in hindsight, we can always understand such insight better and such practices provide us with some bit of foresight. We are forever and are always living within the present moment, which in my opinion as a Pagan, is what living grounded and centered is all about. Living on the level of reality, perfectly centered between the future and the past, yet ever in the present. It is important for one to not dwell on the past or strive towards the future too much, as we then may simply miss the present. Yet with our knowledge and understanding, we can perform divination when we need insight and we can notice omens and signs when they occur, guiding us through life as we take note of them but still following our hearts, so as not to interfere with the course of how things are manifesting. Such things are like road signs on the highway of life, telling us where we�ve been and where we�re going, as we simply drive along until our destination reveals itself to us.

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