Posts tagged "bone reading sets"

Show and Tell: DIY Bone Divination Set

I have a PowerPoint presentation on bone divination that I give from time to time. In it I have a bone set made from items found on my daily dog walks, and items that I found lying around the house. I use it to show what you can put together for free if you are willing to take the time to get outdoors into the fresh air and look around your home with an eye to what could be used as a divination piece. I live in an urban area. While a few of the items in this set came from city parks that are flush with trees and wildlife, most of the outdoor pieces were picked up from the street, curb, or edges of the front lawns I pass while walking my dog every day. Those pieces make up the first three rows of the photo.

Snail shells come in a variety of colors and sizes. However, I have found that they often have thin spots that will crack over time. If you use them it may be wise to have a back up piece, and not be too upset if they should break.

I am blessed to have many friends and acquaintances who gift me beautiful pieces, many one of a kind, as possible additions to my bone sets. I chose not to include any of them in this thrown together set. The things from my home were gathered on a quick look around my house for odds and ends.

Chicken Wing Bones from Buffalo Wings.

The first four bones are from a tasty dinner of buffalo style wings. I cleaned them myself and bleached them lightly with a weak hydrogen peroxide solution. I rarely cook a whole chicken, but if I wanted more bones I would do so and I would definitely salvage the wishbone. The next two rows are things I got from my home.

Pencil lead cases

These held pencil leads for mechanical pencils. I have thought of either painting them or covering them with beads. They open and could be used to store magical ingredients as well.

$1.78 USD and 1.50 Mexican Pesos found while walking.

Instead of costing money, this set made me money. This is some of the change I have found on my walks. I live in Southern California – 15 miles from the US/Mexico border so finding Mexican coins is not unheard of.

A wide assortment of seeds and pods.

Most, if not all of these seeds and pods come from ornamental trees, plants, and shrubbery in the front yards of the homes I walk by each day. Twigs are also plentiful and are often different enough in color and texture to be easily distinguishable from one another in a set.

Possibly an oxtail (cow) bone found on the lawn of the common area in my subdivision.

Possibly an oxtail (cattle) bone found on the lawn of the common area in my subdivision.

I found this bone stripped clean like this. I have also found small animal bones on the lake shore in a nearby trail park, but I always suspect that they are the remains of a picnic lunch. I come across dead animals fairly frequently on my walks, but I have yet to pick any up for personal use. They are rarely there again the next day as the city is good about picking them up, so they are not around long enough to decay down to the skeleton.

DIY Bone Divination Set

This set has over 50 pieces and it cost me nothing but some time. It shows that you can put a decent set together without spending any money if you are willing to build your set slowly over time. It also shows that you can expand a basic or starter set very easily and inexpensively.

Some stones and shells from the dollar store. A variety of shells and stones can expand your set easily. Not everyone lives near a body of water and the dollar store is less expensive than E-Bay and other online sources. This tin holds the shells that were not broken from a bag of shells, and the stones that I found interesting from a bag of stones.

If you are willing to spend a couple of dollars you can expand it even further with dollar store rocks and shells. This brought the net cost up to a little more than $0.40 with tax.

This is the last post I will be doing for 2016. My next post will be in late January 2017.

Happy Holidays and may the year 2017 be your best year ever!

Show and Tell: Bone Reading Set from Ritual Witch

I got this set from The Ritual Witch Shop over a year ago, and sadly they are no longer available. The shop owner says that she will have sets with different pieces after the New Year, so if you are interested check back after the holidays.

The set comes with: 3 chicken leg bones, a raccoon baculum, 3 purple cowrie shells, 1 abalone shell, 1 clear quartz, 1 evil eye bead, 1 chicken foot, 1 water buffalo tooth, 1 mini wish bone, 1 snake vertebra, 1 horseshoe charm, 1 skeleton key charm, 1 pretty bead, 1 pair of dice, 1 bone skull, 8 small porcupine quills, 1 broom, 1 cloth doll

A one page sheet with brief suggested meanings came with the set. As previously stated this set is no longer available but The Ritual Witch Shop plans to offer bone sets again after the New year.

The Ritual Witch Shop

Happy Bone Reading!

Show and Tell: Mother Maggie’s Travel Bone Sets and Oracle Bone Set – All Porcupine Bones

Mother Maggie’s Travel Bone Set

Mother Maggie’s Travel Bone Set

Mother Maggie’s Travel Bone Sets are small sets similar to the Pocket Bone Sets by The Mystic Cartel, which makes sense since the pieces themselves and the instructions are sourced from The Mystic Cartel. What makes these sets unique is their packaging and the fact that each set has different contents. Some sets have the familiar round tin of Pocket Bone Set, but you can also get them in antique tins, or even a Sucrets tin. The number and type of pieces vary depending on the container, and the prices vary accordingly.

The sets come with four pages of instructions to get you started, and the set can be used as is, or as a starter set to build upon. There is room in the tin for more pieces should you decide to add pieces.

Rabbit skin does not come with the set.

You can order a set here.

Oracle Bone Set – All Porcupine Bones

Oracle Bone Set – All Porcupine Bones

I got this set from Etsy early this year. The vendor does not have any items for sale at this time so I am not including the link as I am not sure they are in business any longer. I am an unrepentant collector of bone divination sets and the fact that I do not read the bones using a one species method did not dampen my collecting instincts.

This set was described as follows:

“27 Various Porcupine Bones
12 Porcupine Quills (Sharp Points Removed)
3 Porcupine Molars
1 Extra Large Porcupine Claw
1 Smaller Porcupine Claw with some Hair On
1 Quartz Crystal Point” *

This set also comes with a shell that could be used for storage and/or casting, and a drawstring bag. The largest bone is almost 4 inches long. The larger bones have a clear sealant applied which gives them a glossy shine. If I were going to use this set I would remove the gloss with a very fine sand paper as I don’t care for it, but some may find it both appealing and/or useful. There were no instructions in the set – the seller suggests purchasing a book on the topic if one is so inclined.

One species sets usually use bones from a chicken or opossum, making this set somewhat unusual. If you are interested in one species style bone divination you can get an overview and some suggestions on how it is done in Throwing the Bones: How to Foretell the Future with Bones, Shells, and Nuts by Catherine Yronwode.

Happy Bone Reading!

*From Item description on Etsy

Show and Tell: Blue Moon Hoodoo Bone Set

I found this set on Etsy in a shop called Blue Moon Hoodoo. At the time I found it they were selling both a 27 piece set and a 35 piece set. I bought the 35 piece set. When I last checked there were no more sets, so I don’t know if they are temporarily or permanently out of stock.

Blue Moon Hoodoo 35 Piece Bone Set

Each piece was in its own plastic baggie.

The set has a nice mix of pieces.

I liked the male and female worry dolls provided to represent the person you are reading for.

The set comes with suggested meanings for each piece.

The set also has a bag for storage and a porcupine quill that can be used as a pointer.

The set is small enough to fit in your hands for throwing.

Blue Moon Hoodoo 35 Piece Bone Set

Koko the cat photo bomb.

Blue Moon Hoodoo Etsy Shop 35 Piece Bone Set.

Happy Bone Reading!

Show and Tell: Front Porch Conjure “Bag of Bones” Bone Reading Set

I am always on the look out for bone reading sets to add to my small collection. I recently came across the Front Porch Conjure Bone Reading Set on Etsy.

The set came bundled in a piece of white cotton. I love interesting packaging and I thought this was a nice touch.

There are 26 pieces in the set. I would imagine that the actual pieces might vary over time due to availability.

It also has a bag, instructions, and a small bottle of Florida water.

There are four pages of instructions included with the set. They provide a suggested meaning for each piece, as well as a suggested technique for answering yes/no questions.

Front Porch Conjure “Bag of Bones” Bone Reading Set

This is a very nice set with a good set of instructions. I received it quickly and it was well packaged to prevent shipping damage, and to please the eye. It would make a great starter set to which you could add your own pieces, or it could be used just as it is.

I bought this set from Front Porch Conjure on Etsy.

You can also contact them on Facebook.

Show and Tell: Bone Casting Cloth and Casting Set from The Mystic Dream

The Mystic Dream has been mentioned here previously as a source for bone reading sets, though they don’t carry them anymore. They have now developed a casting cloth that can be used for bone readings, and a casting kit that contains five pieces and a different cloth. Either cloth could be used for bone reading. Should you decide later on to read without cloth markers, the black crushed velvet back would still be useful as a bone reading surface.

The Heaven Above and Hell Below Casting Cloth has the center clearly marked and visual aids to help the reader mark clear quadrants if you use a reading approach that makes use of them, such as the four elements, or the four seasons. The past and future areas are also marked, and while the reader probably doesn’t need those references marked, it makes things interesting for the client. A suggested meaning for the upper and lower halves of the cloth are given in the description online, but you are obviously free to assign any meanings you would like. The cloth measures 18 1/2″ X 18 1/2″.

Heaven Above and Hell Below Casting Cloth from The Mystic Dream

The Black Forest Casting Kit has a different cloth reading design, though the format and style are similar. It comes with five pieces to cast, and instructions on their use. They can be used alone or as the foundation pieces for a larger bone set. The cloth is the same size as the Heaven Above, and Hell Below Casting Cloth, and it has the same crushed velvet back.

The Black Forest Casting Kit from The Mystic Dream

The Mystic Dream also offers bone reading classes so I would not be surprised to see a class on the Black Forest Casting Set, or a bone reading class using their new casting cloth. Either cloth would be a nice addition to a bone reader’s toolkit. The size might be constraining for large sets, say 40 plus pieces, but even if your set is large, these cloths would be great for those times that you just want to throw a quick handful of bones. Using an attractive cloth enhances the visual allure of bone reading and helps to set an atmosphere. Both cloths are available from The Mystic Dream Website or from their brick and mortar shop.

The Mystic Dream Website: http://themysticdream.com/

The Mystic Dream brick and mortar shop: 1437 North Broadway, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

(925)-933-2342

info@themysticdream.com

Show and Tell: Bone Reading Set by Bones to Pick

The coconut shell container can be used to store your bones when not in use.

This bone reading set set is by Bones to Pick. It has several beautiful, and harder to get pieces such as a human phalange, stallion canine tooth, and fossil mammoth ivory.

Because I already have a bone set I asked them to create a typical set for me at their mid-level (exotic) price point. This is the set I got:

The set came well packed with natural materials.

The container is a jicara. It can be used to store your bones when not in use.

The inner contents.

The inner contents laid out. Bear in mind that all bone sets are unique even at the point of manufacture. Your set will be different from this set. Number 3, whose name paper is obscured, is a Human Phalange.

A two and a half page set of piece meanings comes with the set. You can tell that some thought and some research went into providing a good bit of information on each piece. They only use pieces that they have had experience working with either in a bone set or in some other capacity. The pieces are numbered in their wrappings and the numbers correspond to the meanings on the sheet. If you take a quick camera photo of your set like the one above when you first get it, you have great beginnings for a bone reading journal. Of course you are also free to use your own meanings completely different from those sent with the set.

A set of meanings that correspond by number to the pieces is provided.

I found this set attractive and very well done. Each piece was hand picked so no two sets are alike in contents. You can also buy individual pieces from this site.I have bought wolf and bear bones from them before. You have to check their site frequently as their inventory changes regularly, or you can follow them on Facbook, where they update as they get new items in.

Bones to Pick bone reading set.

Bones to Pick Website

Bones to Pick Facebook

Happy Bone Reading!

You Need Something

I have a small ceramic bowl in my set to represent a need. If the bowl is open side up it indicates that something is needed. If it is with another piece, the other piece tells what is needed. If it is isolated it could indicate a need that hasn’t been articulated yet. We know something is missing, but we haven’t been able to pin down exactly what it is. It could just be a vague uneasiness that we shrug off, or it could be something that is taking up a lot of real estate in our mind that we are actively trying to pin down so that we can do something about. If the bowl presents bottom up it is silent. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need anything – we all need various things all of the time. It just says that this reading has nothing to say on the matter.

I got my bowl from a piece of doll house furniture I bought in the dollar store. It was glued to a shelf and I pried it up and cleaned the glue off of the bottom. You can get one inexpensively from a toy store, or from eBay. Some even come with miniature items of food in them, though I would want one with removable food so that the idea of “my bowl is empty” is clear. You don’t have to use a bowl – a basket or any miniature container would work the same way. You could also use a piece that is not a container at all if you have something else that represents need to you, or you could use something abstract just because you like it.

This is not what I would call a “must have” piece. It is more in the category of “nice to have.” However, I find it quite useful. Give it a try if you think it might be useful in your set.

Happy Bone Reading!

The Domino

I have found a domino to be a useful piece in my bone sets. The domino can have the numbered side showing or the blank side showing. If the numbered side is showing, I interpret that as the client is aware of the situation. They have a good idea of just what is going on, or just what the problem is. If the blank, or back side is showing the client is likely in the dark. There is something they don’t know about the current situation and they may not have enough knowledge to take rational action.

Other pieces can shed additional light on this. If the domino is face/numbered side up, I look for further confirmation in the cat’s eye shell. If it is showing the eye, the client is going in with their eyes open. If it is face down while the domino is face up, the client knows what is going on, but there may be something that they are not seeing. I then look for the mask which indicates a secret. If it is face up the reason the client can’t see may be that someone is hiding, or withholding something. If the mask is face down the client is not seeing for some other reason. Location is important too. If the mask is face up on the far reaches of the cloth, far removed from the action so to speak, the secret may not be very important. If it is near a person piece, it could be indicating who the secret keeper is. Likewise, if the cat’s eye shell is far away on the edges of the reading, whatever you are missing may not be very important.

A mahjong piece is similarly sized and shaped and could serve the same purpose.

I’m not going to explain the whole thing again with the domino face down – I’m sure you get the idea. You could also choose a domino with numbers that were meaningful for you and incorporate those numbers into your reading as well. Perhaps a piece landing on or touching a certain number could have a particular meaning for you.

Another way to use the domino is to use it to represent the client his or herself. Again, its being double sided provides the additional information of whether the client is aware or not, participating or not, interested or not, etc. While I have a separate client piece, there is no reason why the domino could not be used this way, especially if you are trying to keep the number of pieces in your set smaller.

Of course you don’t have to have a domino – you could use anything that has two sides to represent the client’s awareness about the issue. I have been seeing antique Mahjong pieces at the jewelry and bead shows recently and they could serve the same purpose. You could also decide that you don’t need this piece at all. It’s not vital for a reading – it’s more of a “nice to have” piece in my mind. I find it useful, but try it for yourself and see if it adds anything to your readings.

Happy Bone Reading!

Shagai: Mongolian Bone Reading

I was recently gifted with a beautiful Shagai set by a friend who picked it up in Mongolia. I have also noticed a few folks offering professional Shagai readings, so I decided to do a quick blog post for those who are interested in this type of bone reading.

Shagai is both a game and a divination method from Mongolia. The divination method uses four sheep astagalus (ankle) bones. Each bone can fall in one of four ways since each bone has four different faces. The four faces are called goat, sheep, camel, and horse. The four pieces can fall one of 35 configurations that are assigned meanings. They are very well suited for simple yes/no questions. I think that the limited number of possible meanings could be made up for to some extent by skillful questioning.

I got my first Shagai set from Lucky Mojo several years ago. This set has a hand embroidered bag and it is from Mongolia. The bag drawstring has a bone pull as well. This type of set is no longer available at Lucky Mojo. They sold out a long time ago.

I got my second set from Lucky Mojo as well, in the past year or so. It has deer astragalus bones instead of the traditional sheep bones and was made here in the U.S. The deer bones are significantly larger and I am assuming that deer bones were used because they are more readily available. At the time of this writing they are available per the site catalog.

You can see a size comparison here – deer is on the left, sheep on the right:

My newest set is from Mongolia and has a leather bag and a small throwing surface.

There are two books that I know of that discuss how to do divination with Shagai – Throwing the Bones, by catherine yronwode, North Asian Magic by David Shi, and Riding Windhorses: A Journey into the Heart of Mongolian Shamanism by Sarangerel. If you have an iPhone or iPad there is also an app that will do Shagai readings. It can be used for readings and it could be used as a learning aid as well. Shagai is less complicated than Sangoma style bone reading, but in skillful hands I think it could be quite useful.

Happy Bone Reading!

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