The Wiccan's Dictionary of Prophecy and Omens. Gerina Dunwich

second way to perceive the aura is through a controversial technique known as Kirlian photography. Developed in the early 1940s by a Russian electrician and inventor named Semyon Davidovich Kirlian, this process captures glowing, multicolored emanations on film that are believed by many to be auras or biofields.

      Kirlian photography is based upon the principle of the corona discharge phenomenon, and over the years many different Kirlian techniques have been invented.

      In auramancy, the diviner seeks divinatory information in the colors and fluxes of the aura. For instance, according to Daniel Logan’s The Anatomy of Prophecy, a white or light gold-colored aura indicates a spiritual and highly evolved soul that has lived many lifetimes and is now in its final incarnation on this plane of existence.

      A yellow aura indicates a strong imagination and/or affirmative answers to specific problems facing the person. However, yellow combined with red (or an orange-colored aura) indicates confusion and a constantly changing nature. Red by itself is believed by some to be a negative aura color, indicating a person’s deteriorating health or the presence of disease. The brighter the shade of red in an aura, the greater the likelihood of serious health problems. However, a red aura is considered by others to indicate a person with an outgoing nature.

      Gray is perhaps the worst aura color for it is said to be an indication that the person will probably not live for very long. Gray auras are often seen emanating from persons who are in the final stages of a terminal illness, or those who are destined to soon die by accident, suicide, or at the hands of another.

      Good health and/or the overcoming of personal karmic patterns from previous incarnations is indicated by an aura of blue, green, or a combination of the two colors. Blue also reveals a nurturing spirit, and green a person who likes to be around others.

      Brown auras are usually seen around those who are dependable and who have a down to Earth nature.

      When the color purple is present in an aura, it indicates that a material and/or spiritual healing is taking place. If a person’s aura is a light shade of purple or lavender, it indicates that he or she possesses the natural ability to heal others. (This ability may or may not be known to the person at the time of the reading.) Violet is usually indicative of creative abilities.

      Finally, an aura that appears black is said by some to actually be a combination of many colors which must first be sorted out before an accurate reading can be made. Other interpretations of the black aura include the presence of evil or demonic possession, an individual who carries around a curse, and a person possessing a rebellious nature.

      In addition to the above-mentioned colors, images (either actual or symbolic) sometimes appear in the aura, which may be perceived by means of clairvoyance.

      AUSTROMANCY The ancient art and practice of drawing omens from the winds, and at one time, it was a popular belief that a bout of windy weather always presaged the hanging of a criminal.

      The moaning of the wind outside of one’s window is supposed to be an ill omen, usually an indication of a death taking place in the family. There is no doubt that this old superstition stems from the banshee of Gaelic folklore (a female nature spirit who sometimes takes the form of an old woman and who presages a death in the family by wailing a mournful tune that sounds like the melancholy moaning of the wind. As a herald of death, the banshee is usually heard at night under the window of the person who is about to die.)

      In the practice of wind divination (which has probably been around since man first appeared on Earth), the speed, direction, and sound of the wind are the three main factors used for determining a divinatory message. Certain objects that are observed blowing in the wind are also significant.

      In ancient times, diviners from China and Tibet practiced a form of austromancy which involved placing the open end of a seashell against the ear, and then drawing omens from the sounds heard within the shell.

      AXINOMANCY (see AXIOMANCY.)

      AXIOMANCY, (also known as axinomancy) The art and practice of divination by an axe or hatchet. It is a method of divination that has been in practice since ancient times.

      Properly interpreted, the quivering of the axe handle, when driven into a post, is said to reveal the answers to questions. The way the axe handle falls to the ground is an old method used by diviners to point out the direction taken by a thief.

      The axe has also been used as a tool to locate the exact spot where treasure has been buried. Place a round agate on the glowing edge of an axe that has been placed for some time in a fire, taken out, and stood upright on the ground. If the gemstone sticks to the axe, it means that there is no treasure buried under that spot. However, if the agate falls to the ground and rolls around thrice in the same direction, it is an indication that the treasure is buried below.

      BELOMANCY The art and practice of divination by arrows. It was extensively practiced among the Chaldeans, Babylonians, Scythians, and Arabs.

      Three divining arrows marked with certain occult symbols, names, or prophetic inscriptions would be cast into a quiver, mixed together, and then one would be drawn and interpreted. In certain countries, wands or small wooden sticks were used instead of arrows. (See RHABDOMANCY.)

      In the Bible, belomancy was practiced by Nebuchadrezzar (Ezek. xxi 21): “When he stood in the parting of the way … to use divination: he made his arrows bright.”

      BIBLIOMANCY (also known as stichomancy) The art and practice of divination by means of opening a book at random and then interpreting in a prophetic fashion the first words or sentences read.

      Just about any book can be used in the art of divination; however, grimoires and collections of poetry or prose appear to be the most popular among modern book-divining Witches.

      Lots of the Saints is a Christianized form of bibliomancy, which employs the Gospels and the Holy Bible. For an answer to a specific question, or to receive symbolic messages regarding future events, open a Bible to a randomly selected page while your eyes are closed. Place the index finger of your right hand anywhere on the page, and then open your eyes. Whatever word or line your finger is pointing to can then be interpreted. (See LOTS OF THE SAINTS.)

      Homeric Lots and Virgilian Lots are two ancient forms of bibliomancy involving randomly selected passages from the written works of Homer and Virgil, respectively, which are then interpreted to reveal future events or to answer a specific personal question. (See HOMERIC LOTS and VIRGILIAN LOTS.)

      BLETONISM (See HYDROMANTIA.)

      BOOK OF CHANGES (See I CHING.)

      BOTANOMANCY The art and practice of divination by herbs or by burning branches of brier and vervain on which are inscribed specific questions to be answered. [Vervain is a plant which has long been associated with Witches, sorcerers, and the magickal arts, probably since the beginning of written history.]

      The practice of botanomancy, which derives its name from the Greek word botane (meaning “herb”), can be traced back to the ancient Druid priests who believed in and worshipped the spirits of trees, particularly the oak.

      The ancient Romans were also known to practice botanomancy, and their plant of choice was the laurel. They believed that by burning its leaves and then studying the ashes and/or smoke generated by it they could draw omens that would offer them guidance, warning, or a revelation of future events.

      A number of references to botanomancy appear in the Old Testament. In the Second Book of Samuel (5:23–24) it is said that through the rustling of trees, David received holy information about the battle with the Philistines.

      In modern times, botanomancy continues to be practiced in various ways. Two of its most simplest forms are the picking of a four-leaf clover and the blowing of seeds off the stalk of a dandelion and then making a wish.

      Other methods of divination that are related to botanomancy are capnomancy, causimomancy, critomancy, cromniomancy, daphnomancy, phyllomancy, and phyllorhodomancy.

      BRIZOMANCY The