Geomancy for Beginners as first presented at Pennsic War XXXVIII While "geomancy" is often used now to describe feng shui and related Asian practices, in medieval Europe it was the earth branch of a suite of divination methods including pyromancy, aeromancy and hydromancy. Astrology was the best-respected technique for telling the future, but required a great deal of study and mathematical sophistication. Geomancy was more adapted for popular use boo!s of interpretations were available, much li!e modern dream interpretation boo!s. here were many competing methods of his handout covers a simple adaptation of one school of interpretation based on the astrological houses. #i!e many scientific methods $many of which are now considered pseudoscientific, but that%s a modern perspective&, geomancy came to Europe from the 'slamic world. 't became popular in the ()th century, probably several centuries after its development. *ased on published wor!s on the topic, geomancy was practiced until at least the (+th century. he most famous surviving geomantic prediction was made for England%s ichard '' in (/, and is held by the *ritish 0useum. eferences to geomancy also appear in 1haucer%s The Knight's Tale. Geomancy is one of the class of divinations methods that starts with generating random numbers. 't gets its name from the original method of generating random numbers by ma!ing dots in the dirt. 2en and paper is easier for us. 3lipping coins also wor!s. Whatever method you choose, it is important to concentrate on the question of interest while generating the numbers. "45he practitioners of the art have found geomancy to be a true science through which things future, present, and past may be revealed, provided the geomancer%s 6udgement is not obscured by the obno7ious influences of the body or the deceitful actions of the senses." $ichard 3ludd (8(+, in 9osten (8/&.
Constructing a Geomantic Tableau A geomantic tableau comprises fifteen symbols $sometimes si7teen&, each made up of four rows with one or two dots $see bac! page&. he first four symbols are randomly-generated, and the rest are derived from those. (. While concentrating on your question, ma!e (8 lines of dots. 'f doing a divination for someone else, have them ma!e the dots while concentrating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
etc.
). 1ount up the dots. he only important feature is whether the number is odd or even. he traditional method is to connect pairs with a line, wor!ing from right to left. hat ma!es it simple to tell if the number is even or odd. Geomancy is of 'slamic origin, so all steps are wor!ed right to left. . . _ . _
_ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
etc.
. hese (8 odd:even elements combine to form the first four geomantic symbols, the 0others. 'f the first element is odd, put one dot in the top right corner of the tableau. 'f even, put two dots. he second element goes underneath that, then the third, and the fourth. he fifth element begins the top of the second symbol, to the left of the first symbol. 1ontinue until all si7teen elements have been used to ma!e four symbols. * * * * *
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* *
* *
*
*
* *
*
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/. he elements of the 0others ma!e up the ne7t four symbols, the ;aughters, placed in the same row as the 0others, to the left.
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=. he rightmost pair of 0others are used to construct the first of the four signs in the ne7t row, the >ephews. his pair is added together by row. 3irst row? odd @ even odd first symbol odd @ odd even second symbol etc $and even @ even even&. he second unused pair combines to ma!e the second >ephew. he first and second pairs of ;aughters ma!e up the last two >ephews. * * * * * *
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8. he two pairs of >ephews are added together to ma!e the two Witnesses in the third row, and the two Witnesses are added together to ma!e the 9udge in the fourth row. 'f a si7teenth figure is used, it is made by adding the 9udge and the first 0other. * * * * * *
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A tableau can never contain all si7teen different figures $)B/&, and it must always have an even number of dots. A Complete Geomantic Tableau 4 Daughters/Filiae VIII VII VI V
4 Mothers/Matres IV III II
4 Nephews/Nepotes XI X
XII
I
IX
2 Witnesses/Testes XIV
XIII !u"ge/!u"e# XV
Interpreting the Geomantic Tableau Cery comple7 interpretations can be constructed using correspondences between the geomantic symbols, the twelve signs of the Dodiac, seven planets and four elements. he simplest method of interpretation relates the first twelve symbols $0others, ;aughters, >ephews& to the twelve astrological houses, and uses a basic meaning for each symbol. he Witnesses and 9udge provide the overall tenor of the tableau, and the symbols in the twelve houses answer more specific aspects of the focal question. Astrological houses:
'. #ife:Cite - he ouse of
and other things necessary for life. '''. *rothers:3ratrum - he ouse of *rothers and
'''. he ouse of the Huestioner. 'C. he ouse of the Fb6ect of the 'nquiry. C. he ouse of the esult. C'. he ouse of the esult of the esult. 3irst identify the symbols in any ouses related to your question, or in all of the ouses. hen compare them with the list below to identify a basic meaning. 2ut it all together to form your interpretation. hese very simple meanings come from 1attan $(=(&. 'f you%d li!e to learn more about the interpretations, that%s a good source to begin with. And always remember? "he science of geomancy is very occult and inward it is difficult to account for it in a rational way. Geomancy transcends vulgar understanding to which it must appear foolish, inane, absurd, and ridiculous." $ichard 3ludd (8(+, in 9osten (8/&.
The Sixteen Symbols
References 1attan, 1hristopher. (=(. he Geomancy of 0aster 1hristopher 1attan, Gentleman. Early English *oo!s Fnline, http?::eebo.chadwyc!.com obert 3ludd, obert. (8(+:(8(I. Jtriusque 1osmi 0aioris scilicet et 0inoris 0etaphysica, 2hysica atque echnica istoria. 'n? 9osten, 1.. (8/. obert 3ludd%s heory of Geomancy and is E7periences at Avignon in the Winter of (8K( to (8K). 9ournal of the Warburg and 1ourtauld 'nstitutes )+? )+-=.
