Charm Casting 101
The art of divination is an age-old practice and comes in many forms. From tarot reading to tea leaf reading, seeking knowledge of the unknown has been part of mankind since as far back as we can go.
One of my personal favourite divination practices is charm casting. Charm casting allows you to create your very own personalized oracle set. Also known as journey casting, charm casting most likely stems from osteomancy, the practice of bone throwing.
Much like bone throwing, charm casting involves throwing charms onto a board or designated area to gain insight into a question. The charms are then interpreted according to where and how they fall on the board and their relation to one another. Charms can also be cast over tarot cards to get an in-depth reading by combining the tarot card with the charm that falls on it.
Charm casting can give deep, meaningful insight into sometimes complex questions. If you seek more than a yes or no answer, reading charms can give you guidance and wisdom on the knowledge you seek.
Charm casting encourages intuitive development and creativity. There are no set rules in reading charms and this practice encourages you to tap into your subconscious and form your own system of interpretation.
Getting started:
Nearly anything can be used as a charm for reading and that's just part of the beauty of it.
It’s best to select charms that are similar in size and weight. Have fun scavenging through your home to find trinkets to cast.
- Gemstones
- Rings
- Pendants from an old necklace
- Earrings
- Beads
- Sea shells
- Coins
- Dice
- Charms from a bracelet
After collecting your charms, assign a specific symbolism or meaning to each charm. Draw upon archetypes for inspiration. Many people like to have a charm that represents themselves or other important figures in their lives, but it's not necessary.
When ready, create a safe space for yourself to do your reading. You may want to light incense or a smoke wand to clear the area and do a grounding meditation before starting.
When ready, juggle your charms in the palm of your hand or in a designated vessel, like a cup. Focus on your question while swirling your charms. The clearer your question is, the easier it will be to get a clear answer.
Toss your charms on to your casting surface then allow your intuition to guide you in interpreting them.
Pay attention to:
- Where the charms fall on the board. Are they on the boarder of a square or in the center? You may interpret the left side of the board as the past, the middle as the present and the right side as the future.
- Notice how the charms are facing. Are they facing towards something or away? Did they fall facing up or down?
- The relation of the charms to one another. Do any of the charms touch one another, face away from each other or overlap?
The playfulness of charm casting invites curiosity and is free of any rules so interpret your charms according to what feels right to you. It’s a good idea to keep a record of your readings so that over time, these can be revisited to build on your own personal system of symbolism and interpretation.
Ready to get charm reading? Get a charm casting board from my virtual shelves and start divining the future!