Unkle Destiny has been hosting a YouTube Channel featuring his bone readings for several years now. He does an annual reading and a monthly reading for the public.
* How did you get started in bone reading?
Bone reading came out of my studies in Hoodoo (African-American spiritual arts). My teacher at the time told me that he foresaw me reading the bones, and that the bones would come to me when it was time. I read a number of sources on the subject from around the world on bone reading to try to understand it more. Eventually, a situation happened that lead to the process of me acquiring the bones I use. After acquiring them, it took some time to understand how to work with them.
* How long have you been reading bones?
Let’s see, I started the YouTube channel in 2012. So I started reading for friends about 2011. I acquired the bones in 2010. So at this point about 6 years now.
* Did you have any teachers? Who?
As I said before my Teacher in Hoodoo, Papa Ce. Had informed me that the bones were coming. With his help, we selected the bones to use in reading. As I said earlier, I read a number of sources on the subject of bone reading to try to understand it more, which I found to be more academic. But from that point on, learning how to throw them, what their meanings are, and whether anything should be added (such as the copper and quartz) was done through my relationship and work with spirit and the ancestors. So my teachers, if you will, were Papa Ce, Spirits, and Ancestors.
* Where did you get your bone pieces?
Oh, that is a story all its own, and not for the faint of heart. Let me first say, I am not one to see any animal harmed. This is something I made clear to both Papa Ce and to Spirits. Which is why I felt it necessary to say in my YouTube channel that “No animals were harmed in collecting the bones I use.” So the source of the bones was something that had to be dead before hand.
So following some informational dreams, and my Hoodoo training, I was on the lookout for a certain source of bones. I eventually encountered road kill that fit. I then collected it and took it home. Then I began the multi-week process of harvesting, cleaning, and preparing the bones for reading.
* How many bones in your set?
There were at least 15 to start. A couple really small pieces were lost. Since then, Spirit has led to the addition of the Copper and Quartz pieces. With these additions I was back at 15.
* How long did it take you to put your set together?
I added the Quartz piece last year. The Cooper piece was the year before that. Otherwise, all the bones are from when I collected the animal originally.
* Are you still adding pieces?
I’m open to it. But a new piece is only added when spirit feels a that a new piece is needed and it depends on what that piece can teach.
* Do you use a special cloth or reading surface?
I use a piece of red felt. I’ve seen and known others who have their reading surface marked with set indicators to help with meanings. I don’t have that on my reading surface.
The lack of those markings has never been a problem when reading the bones for me. Why that hasn’t been a problem, I think lies in the nature of what is being asked when a reading is required. Readings are done for many reasons. The energies around those reasons will differ. By having and depending on the markings it lessens the likelihood that the other much more subtle energies at play be noticed. Those energies have the power to undermine, drive, or shift a situation if you don’t know to account for to them. I also find that how Spirits and the Ancestors answer doesn’t lend itself to having the marking system.
* Did you do any consecration ceremony for them?
After I finished assembling the bones. I took them to my altars and asked the Spirits and Ancestors to bless and infuse the bones for the work to come. Then I left them on my altar for about 6-8 months before the impulse came to start working with them.
* Do you cleanse them?
I’m the only one who touches the bones. The needs and act of cleansing the bones is different because of that.
* Do you do anything special before a reading – invocations, prayers, etc?
I have a pray/invocation I say when preparing the bones for a reading.
* How do you think the bones work? Ancestors? Spirits? Etc.
Relationship. I’m going to leave it with that.
* Do you throw all of your bones or some subset?
All of them
* Do you read for yourself? Some people feel that they do not do well reading for themselves.
Yes, I do sometimes. My view on reading for self is that there will be areas which can’t be seen, though not due to lack of ability. It’s due more to the nature of the question/decision being asked. Those areas are ones where change has to happen more by faith, than reason. Those areas are about our journey along the path of life. If we knew every secret about what life was sending us, we wouldn’t face the challenges. How then could we help and relate to those who come to us for readings?
* Do you teach bone reading?
Not at this time. I’ve been asked.
* What advice do you have for bone readers just starting out?
My advice? What/ how is your relationship with Spirit and the Ancestors? Start from there.
* Do you read professionally?
I’m open to it.
*How can people contact you?
My website is Conjuring by the Winds
You can see Unkle B.T. Destiny’s monthly bone readings on his YouTube Channel
Happy Bone Reading!