Lonelygirl15

Bibliomancy, also known as Stichomancy and Libromancy, is a form of divination that seeks to know the future by randomly selecting a passage from a book, frequently a sacred text.

Method:

1. Pick a book you believe to hold truth.
2. Balance it on its spine; let it fall open.
3. With eyes closed, touch your finger to any random passage.
4. View the passage as wisdom to your future.

Among Christians, the Bible is most commonly used, and in Islamic cultures the Qur'an. In the Middle Ages the use of Virgil's Aeneid was common in Europe and known as the sortes Virgilianae.

At the acclamation of Martin as bishop of Tours (371) a few cast aspersions, largely for his lack of personal glamor. According to the Vita by Sulpicius Severus,

it so happened that the reader, whose duty it was to read in public that day, being blocked out by the people, failed to appear, the officials falling into confusion, while they waited for him who never came, one of those standing by, laying hold of the Psalter, seized upon the first verse which presented itself to him. Now, the Psalm ran thus: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise because of thine enemies, that thou mightest destroy the enemy and the avenger." On these words being read, a shout was raised by the people, and the opposite party were confounded. It was believed that this Psalm had been chosen by Divine ordination.

St. Francis of Assisi, to seek divine guidance, is said to have thrice opened to a random page of the book of Gospels in the church of St. Nicholas. Each time he opened to a passage in which Christ told His disciples to leave their earthly belongings and follow Him.

Because book owners frequently have favorite passages that the books open themselves to, some practitioners use dice or another randomiser to choose the page to be opened. This practice was formalized by the use of coins or yarrow stalks in consulting the I Ching. Tarot can also be considered a form of bibliomancy, with the main difference that the cards (pages) are unbound.

Another variant requires the selection of a random book from a library before selecting the random passage from that book. This also holds if a book has fallen down from a shelf on its own.

Bibliomancy is a type of Stichomancy; "divination from lines." Some sources refer to bibliomancy as a specialized form of stichomancy, often falsely attributing the word root "biblio" to "the Bible", rather than books in general.

soma wrote:The flashcards are three Enochian characters.

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/enochian.htm

Fall Equinox Ritual
This rite is a fairly straightforward synthesis of the methods laid out in Crowley's Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae

I. Temple Preparation
The temple is prepared by placing an altar in the center of the space. The implements and materials used in the ritual are placed on the altar. They are:
• A wand
• A chalice filled with water
• A dagger [ed. note:scimitar?]
• A pantacle - the Sigillum Dei Aemeth
• A lit censor
• A small container of incense appropriate to key scales 11 and 22 (Galbanum).
• A small container of salt
• The Book of the Law [ed.note:for bibliomancy]

In addition, the lead ritualist is dressed in a white robe [ed note: my emphasis] and wears the Enochian Lamen and Ring. The Enochian Holy Table is used as the altar.
The Sigillum is placed in the center of the altar. The Book of the Law is placed on top of it, closed. The censor is placed to the east of the Sigillum, the chalice to the south, the dagger to the west (pointing west), and the salt and incense to the north. The lead ritualist bears the wand and passes it to the other participants as needed if they choose to take one of the parts in the ritual...

III. Intention

The Statement of Intent is read by the lead ritualist:
We, the members and guests of Leaping Laughter Lodge are gathered to celebrate the fall equinox and invoke the blessing of EDLPRNAA, the solar King of Air, that the Lodge as a whole and each of us in our particular orbit may accomplish during the upcoming season a portion of that great work which leads to true wisdom and perfect happiness.

The Greater Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram for the element of Air is performed. The Invoking Pentagram of Air is traced in yellow, the symbol of Air is traced in the center in purple, and the God name is EXARP (EX-arp) [ed note; my emphasis for the phonics of the flashcards?]. It is followed by the Sign of Air (Shu - 2=9).

The Greater Invoking Ritual of the Hexagram for the sign of Libra is performed. The Invoking Venus Hexagram is traced in emerald green, the symbol of Libra is traced in the center in bright red, and for the God name, ARARITA is followed by OIP TEAA PDOCE (o-IP TE-a-a pdo-KEH).

IV. Invocation

The First Angelic Call is read by the lead ritualist, in English followed by Angelic.

I reign over you, sayeth the God of Justice in power exalted above the firmaments of wrath: in whose hands the sun is as a sword, and the Moon as a through-thrusting fire: which measureth your garments in the midst of my vestures and trussed you together as the palms of my hands: Whose seats I garnished with the fire of gathering, and beautified your garments with admiration to whom I made a law to govern the holy ones and delivered you a rod with the ark of knowledge. Moreover, you lifted up your voices and swore obedience and faith to him that liveth and triumpheth whose beginning is not, nor end cannot be, which shineth as a flame in the midst of your palace and reigneth amongst you as the balance of righteousness and truth: Move therefore, and show yourselves, open the mysteries of your creation. Be frendly unto me: for I am the servant of the same your God, the true worshipper of the Highest.

[ed. note: another language]
Ol sonf vorsg, goho Iad balt lansh calz vonpho: sobra z-ol ror i ta Nazpsad Graa ta Malprg: Ds hol-q Qaa nothoa zimz Od commah ta nobloh zien: Soba thil gnonp prge aldi Od vrbs oboleh grsam Casarm ohorela caba pir Od zonrensg cab erm Iadnah. Pilah, farzm zurza adna Ds gono Iadpil Ds hom Od toh Soba Ipam, lu Ipamis, Ds loholo vep zomd Poamal Od bogpa aai ta piap piamo-i od vaoan: ZACARe c-a, od ZAMRAN Odo cicle Qaa. Zorge: Lap zirdo Noco MAD, Hoath Iaida. [another language]
The Second Angelic Call is read by everyone, in English only.
The Invocation of EDLPRNAA is read by the lead ritualist while all other participants stand in the Sign of Apophis and Typhon.

V. Bibliomancy
The Book of the Law is taken from from the altar and is passed deosil around the circle to each participant. When it returns, bibliomancy is performed for the upcoming season and the selected verse is read aloud.

VI. Closing
The Enochian License of Departure is read by the lead ritualist to the east.