Bibliomancy

[Dogmatix]

Here's something fun. In my e-mail box this morning from A Word A Day.

This week's theme: words related to forecasting and divination.

bibliomancy (BIB-lee-o-man-see) noun

Divination by interpreting a passage picked at random from a book,
especially from a religious book such as the Bible.

[From Greek biblio- (book) + -mancy (divination).]

If you are having a hard time deciding between turning groupie and
following
your favorite band around or to stay put in your accounting job, help
is at
hand. Try bibliomancy. Here's the step-by-step method:

1. Pick a book you trust a lot.
2. Put it on its spine, and let it fall open.
3. With your eyes closed, trace your finger to a passage.
4. Interpret the passage as your lifemap to the future.

You could even add more randomness to the process. To do that at the
macro
level, visit a library and pick a book at random from the shelves. At
the
micro level, instead of interpreting a passage, pick a single word and
let
it point you to your path.

 

[SFG75]

Always heard of it, never knew what it was called.

 

[Halo]

1. Pick a book you trust a lot.
2. Put it on its spine, and let it fall open.

What if you read your books so carefully that no book would ever be able to fall open when placed on its spine?

 

[SFG75]

Depending upon the book that you use, this exercise could get very interesting. Perhaps use a dictionary and force yourself to use the first word on the page that you open in the middle every hour of the day?

 

[abecedarian]

The classic example why one should use one's God-given discernment for this is: 1st verse-God told Saul to kill the bad guys, sparing no one, young, old, male and female..2nd verse: Go and do likewise...

 

[Gem]

I gave this a go, using one of my current reads - Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. I counted down to the 7th line (7 because it was the 7th yesterday) and it read:
"You don't realize - they want you"

Who are they? Why do they want me? Should I be scared?

 

[tartan_skirt]

What if you read your books so carefully that no book would ever be able to fall open when placed on its spine?

I know exactly what you mean, most of mine just fall over. Should that be taken as a message too?

 

[tundra]

I gave this a go, using one of my current reads - Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. I counted down to the 7th line (7 because it was the 7th yesterday) and it read:
"You don't realize - they want you"

Who are they? Why do they want me? Should I be scared?

I've done this with Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell that I'm currently reading (a hardback..definitely necessary to do this fall open thing) and closed my eyes and pointed to:

"The truth was he was beginning to feel decidedly uncomfortable."

Hmm. Am I? But then, I'm not a he either. I must protest.

 

[stigmaticman]

I just tryed it with Dune and it worked. I pictured the test of young Paul. I opened my eyes and I saw he was questioning why he was to take the test.
that was cool!

 

[Vespertilio91]

I like the idea. I'll have to try it.