Scottish Divination Practices
by autumn sierra
The Frith
The Frith—translating to “to find”—is a divination charm practice used to gain insight into the future, specifically about missing people or predicting events. Traditionally performed on the first Monday of a quarter, the frithir (seer) would stand in a doorway at sunrise, cross their hands or fingers to represent the equal armed cross, and observe the landscape for omens found in birds, animals, or weather patterns.
The Ritual of the Frith
Traditionally performed on a solstice or equinox at a liminal time such as dusk or dawn. Frithers would often fast to heighten spiritual sensitivity, as well as use Saining water to bless themselves
Frithers would step past a threshold of the home or other significant place (crossroads, old well, etc) to stand with either foot on opposite sides, symbolizing standing between two worlds
Observed images, animals, environmental phenomena, etc were used to divine answers to questions or prophesy
Saining
Although the practice of saining is used to cleanse and bless primarily through the use of smoke, water, fire, etc, it can also be used as a method of divination. During the saining, the diviner would pay close attention to the movement of smoke and flames of burnt herbs—specifically Juniper, which is a traditional saining herb.
An Dà Shealladh (Second Sight)
An Dà Shealladh is a prophetic ability occurring through visions, and was often associated with Highland seers. Those with the ability were said to see spirits, wraiths, or omens of death and misfortune which would give them insight into future events. It was said to be hereditary, and some speculate that the ability may have unfortunately become dormant in the descendants of previous seers.
Hearth Divination
Once logs had been added to the fire of the home’s hearth and burned, diviners could read the behavior of the wood in response to the flames. Sparks and cracks had varying indications, as well as ashes which could be read similarly to how one reads tea leaves.
Mirror/Water Scrying
Water and mirror scrying are popular forms of divination in modern practice. Scrying with darkened, spiritually significant bodies of water (wells, lochs, lakes, bulláns, etc) was very effective for identifying shapes and visions within the water’s reflection (or lack thereof). In a similar way, darkened mirrors—or black mirrors—are use to mimic this effect. The keek-stane, most commonly known by its mention in Raymond Buckland’s Scottish Witchcraft & Magick, is something of a cousin to the black mirrors that are most popular today in that it uses a glass lens rather than a flat pane.
Creating a Keek-Stane
Find and obtain a glass lens, preferably one from an old clock or thermometer face, or one made specifically to be just that—a lens (frequently found in the scientific community)
Black out the lens using black paint on the convex side, careful to make the color as solid as possible without streaking or trapping dust. Be sure that the convex side is completely opaque with no light passing through
Place the lens convex-side down in a protective container of choice (Buckland specifies a box) with the proper materials to keep it in place and keep it from breaking
Oomancy
Egg divination, or oomancy, was a common form of folk divination often performed at Samhainn, Latha Bealltainn, or Hogmanay. It was mostly used to predict marriage, future events, or fortune. An egg would be cracked into a bowl of water, and then the diviner would interpret the shapes made by the egg whites.
Salt and Wax Divination
This method of divination is achieved by pouring salt or hot wax into water. The patterns and shapes created through this method would then be interpreted by the diviner. This method of divination was commonly used during Samhainn and Hogmanay.
Scapulomancy
Scapulomancy is a divination method in which seers would divine the future by interpreting the shoulder blades of animals (usually sheep). Cracks, dents, and other abnormalities in the bones would change the outcomes of the readings. Some would use fire to create the cracks necessary to read the bone, and others would read the natural bone as it was following its cleaning. Scapulomancy was used for predicting weather and harvests, guidance for battles, monitoring the well being of communities, and other fortune telling.
Stone and Fairy Mound Divination
Stones, Hagstones in particular, were believed to enhance An Dà Shealladh when peered through. Visiting fairy mounds at Samhainn and listening to the wind or the whispers of the fair folk and other spirits was another way to divine the future.
