Bone Throwing

I have been fascinated since childhood by bone throwing, or bone casting, a form of divination where bones of various sorts are ritually tossed onto a mat, an animal hide, or into a circle drawn in the dirt, and the resulting patterns interpreted. 

Throwing the bones is an ancient practice traditional to many regions of the world, including Africa, Asia, and North America. The number and type of bones employed, as well as the inclusion of other small objects, such as pebbles, shells, and hard nuts, varies quite a bit from culture to culture. 

Recently I began to put together a bone and curio set of my own. I have created one once before, but sadly didn't think to make any record of the collection. Perhaps one day I can get some photos of it. Below are photos of the beginnings of my set - there is no rule regarding the number of items that one should use, and from what I have read of other's journey with bone throwing, the collections tend to change over time, growing and shrinking as needed. 

In my current collection, I have: 

* two long bones that I believe are from deer skeletons,

* a cow tooth,

* a knuckle bone,

* a vertebrae, intact,

* a broken and weathered vertebrae,

* three teeth, possibly coyote,

* a small cluster of clear quartz,

* a small half-geode,

*  smoky quartz point,

* two clear quartz points,

* a diamond-shaped quartz or calcite chunk,

* a  rectangular quartz or calcite piece, semi-transparent,

* a cork,

* a sliced section of spiral shell,

* a piece of mother of pearl shaped like an arrow,

* a piece of slate I carved into a rabbit over 20 years ago, 

* a broken obsidian arrowhead, 

* a pink barnacle or anemone skeleton,

* a sterling silver dragon pendant,

* a weathered spiral shell,

* a piece of shell that is filled with holes,

* a pierced-heart pot-metal charm.

* an evil eye pot-metal charm,

* a pot-metal arm charm, and

* a pot-metal leg charm.

Each of these items will, after careful consideration, have a meaning or symbolism assigned to them, and when tumbled on to a mat (probably a piece of black leather) will tell a story based on their positions and groupings. I made sure to include items in my collection that will help me tell time; the long bones will likely indicate things coming or going over a long period of time, whereas the small mother of pearl arrow will indicate short time periods, and the broken arrowhead will symbolize aborted actions; things that were coming or going but now are not.

I have some stones coming in that I ordered specifically for this collection, some phantom quartz stones; one with green phantom inclusions, one with sulfur-yellow inclusions. I think I will use the green to indicate health or growth, and the yellow one to indicate sickness.

I intend to keep a small journal with my set; I will draw each item and write down what it signifies there, as well as a log of each reading done using the set. This way I can track its patterns and what messages I get from its use, and maybe find a way to teach  others how to build and use their own collections one day.

Eight Card Spread for K.O.

Past, Present, Future

Past: The King of Dynamism (Swords): Judgement, Counsel, Wisdom, Focus, Intention, Concentration

Present: The Four of Primordialism (Cups): Dissipation, Contemplation, Emotional Luxury, Satisfaction, Apathy

Future: The Three of Dynamism (Swords), Reversed: Compromise, Disorder, Confusion, Delay

The Issue, The Issue's Background, You Now, Environment and People Related to the Issue, The Solution/Most Likely Outcome

The Issue: The Three of Primordialism (Cups), Reversed: Pleasure, Liberality

The Issue's Background: The Ace of Primordialism (Cups): Breakthrough, Life-force, Open Heart, Spiritual Heart, Expression

You Now: The Queen of Pattern (Coins), Reversed: Neglect, Dependence, Lack, Misuse

Environment and People Related to Issue: The Star: Inspiration, Confidence, Self-Esteem, Talent, Guidance

The Solution/Most Likely Outcome: The Queen of Dynamism (Swords):Perception, Confidence, Rational, Objective, Consulting Intelligence

The Explanation

So, in the eight card spread, there are actually 3 cards that represent the past: the Past Card, the Issue Card, and the Issue's Background Card. They inform one another and tell a story that takes us to the issue which resides both in the past and present - it is an issue now, but has roots in the past. In this reading, the Past Card is describing a strong male figure, someone who may have been someone the client looked up to or learned from, possibly a lover or romantic character, but also just as possible a teacher or parent or spiritual leader. The Issue's Background Card describes a personal, emotional breakthrough or realization. Something big and important to the client, something they wish to share openly and wholeheartedly. 

In this spread, there are 3 cards that represent the present: The Present Card, the You Now Card, and the Environment and People Related to the Issue Card. They give the part of the client's story that resides in the here and now. Here, the Present Card is saying that the client is or has been emotionally selfish, focused only on their own feelings and need for satisfaction, and apathetic towards others. The You Now Card, on the other hand, speaks to perhaps why the client has been in this state; it describes a person who has been emotionally neglected, who is dependent on others, but has been cast aside and perhaps abused.

Only 2 cards here represent the future: the Future Card and the Solution/Most Likely Outcome Card. The Future Card implies that there will be much compromise ahead, a time of confusion, disorder, and delays. The Solution/Most Likely Outcome Card describes a more positive outlook; it describes a person who has found their confidence, and is of a objective and rational mind, facing the world before them. Paired together, they make me think that the client will go through some struggle, and that their goals may not be met fully or on the timeline they had set for them, but that they will emerge on the other side a stronger more confident person. 

To summarize, the client is facing a rough time ahead, involving someone important to them, and although they may have recently only been focused on themselves and their own feelings due to the actions of that other person (or persons), the situation will come to a head and the client will find that they will have become a stronger, more whole self in the process.

Now, whether the other person (or persons) will accept the new person that the client is going to become, I cannot say.