Chas Bogan Bone ReaderChas Bogan is a key figure in my bone reading journey. He was the first person to give me a bone reading and his reading was so accurate, and his set so beautiful, that I knew I had to try this divination method myself. I bought a starter set of bones the next day and now, here we are. Chas is the co-owner of The Mystic Dream, a metaphysical shop in Walnut Creek California. He is a talented bone reader, an amazing artist, and a good friend.
· How did you get started in bone reading?
I have a friend who is a medium, who brings a bag of trinkets to her sessions. When the spirits have problems communicating she will have them choose a curio and expand on its meaning. I began putting items together for that purpose, and realized I had all the elements of a bone reading kit.
· How long have you been reading bones?
I believe it was around 2010 when I started.
· Did you have any teachers? Who?
I relied mostly on my spirit guides and the pieces themselves to educate me initially. I also joined various groups and sought out other readers, and learned plenty of tricks from them. Cat Yronwode’s book Throwing The Bones was highly influential. I encouraged several of my friends to get into the practice so that I could in turn learn from them.
· Where did you get your bone pieces?
There was a shop in Albany called The Bone Room that I frequented, but regrettably it is gone now.* I’ve gotten some of my favorite pieces from Lucky Mojo as well. Since my friends know that I do bone throwing I am frequently gifted bones.
· How many bones in your set?
38· How long did it take you to put your set together?
I built to that number quickly, but with some pieces that were less than ideal and were later switched for others. Since I also read Lenormand, I patterned my initial set after that system.· Are you still adding pieces?
I am not expanding on my current set, however as things deteriorate I switch them out. Some items change their meanings subtly over time, so I need to make adjustments occasionally.

Bone Reading Cloth Designed by Chas Bogan

Bone Reading Cloth Designed by Chas Bogan

· Do you use a special cloth or reading surface?
I have an old, shallow wooden box that I favor, as it allows me to throw them on a table without the fear of pieces falling to the ground. Interestingly, I have designed some reading cloths, and although I have used them well, I always default to my old wooden box.

· Did you do any consecration ceremony for them?
I sometimes will rub some oils or Hoyt’s cologne on a piece to feed it, but that is about it.

· Do you cleanse them?
If I have used them in a reading that has left me feeling dirty or sticky, which sometimes happens, then yes, I will cleanse them, most often by spreading the pieces out and blowing white sage smoke over them.

· Do you do anything special before a reading – invocations, prayers, etc?
I have a simple way of connecting with Spirit that is internal. Really I just focus my attention away from the mundane and towards the presence of my guides so that they may speak to me. If I feel that the person I am reading for will benefit by beginning with a prayer, which many find soothing, then I will pray accordingly.

· How do you think the bones work? Ancestors? Spirits? Etc.
I definitely rely on my guides to help me interpret the bones. Each bone, or curio that I use has it’s own identity though, it’s own indwelling spirit that has something definitive to say. I have tried on occasion to find a bone to represent a certain quality, but there is more a play here than creating a symbolic system, since each bone defines itself despite what I might try to establish.

· Do you throw all of your bones or some subset?
I usually throw them all, however I will sometimes have a client reach into my bag and pull out three items, one for the past, the present, and the future.

· Do you read for yourself? Some people feel that they do not do well reading for themselves.

Bone Reading Sign Designed by Chas Bogan

Bone Reading Sign Designed by Chas Bogan

I do not read for myself. I found that I would always question those readings, and that in doubting them I was doing damage to my faith in my abilities.

· Do you teach bone reading?
Informally, yes, but not to the extent of doing public classes as I do with other things.

· What advice do you have for bone readers just starting out?
You want to create a set that acts as a community, where each piece has its own voice. Some pieces are mouthier than others. For instance, I find that Raccoon Baculums tend to be the mansplainers of the bone world, getting all up into every reading even when they have nothing relevant to say. When dealing with such a bone you can either treat him like you would that guy at the party who won’t shut up and ignore much of what he has to say, or you can invite someone to take his place, someone who knows only to talk when the subject is something he has knowledge of. I find that approaching each piece as an individual with it’s own quirks and interests is key, as is knowing how well they will interact together.

· Do you read professionally?
I do read bones professionally, along with Tarot and Lenormand. I book according to time, not modality, so a person can book for a half hour and choose what type of reading they want once we begin.

Happy Bone Reading!