Geomancy: A Renaissance Oracle of Worldly Wisdom

At its height in the Renaissance, geomancy was one of the most popular and well-regarded forms of divination. It was the preferred oracle of monarchs and sages. Occult philosophers swore by it as one of the most accurate and insightful divinatory practices available. While geomancy’s earliest origins lie in Arabic traditions, it swiftly became popular across Europe in the late medieval period, bears many similarities to West African geomantic traditions of divination, and has spread all over the globe in various forms.

Perhaps the most inherently elemental system of Western divination, the ‘geo-‘ of it is understood not only as elementally Earthy, but as worldly: for it maps practically and precisely any and all events and influences occurring in and on this world, offering advice both grounded and gnomic.

Geomancy examines the roles of the planets in our daily lives, and while it utilizes the language and expression of astrology, is not dependent on astronomical measure. Our questions are answered in this familiar language of the stars, showing how these titanic forces are playing out in our lives. It is not a replacement for astrology (rather, its “Sister” oracle), although many of the terms will be familiar to an astrologer. No previous knowledge of astrology or sorcery is needed to attend or follow this lecture; on the other hand, these explorations and presentation of the art should refresh and enliven those already familiar with these crafts and even geomancy itself.

This presentation is delivered by Dr Alexander Cummins, himself both a historian of magic and professional geomancer. And so, in this class, we will not only examine the historical practice of this incredibly popular Renaissance system of divination, students new to it will be taught how to consult this most worldly oracle for traditional techniques and approaches to modern issues and choices. Even seasoned geomancers should appreciate the shared techniques and tips on exploring geomancy’s spirits and spell-craft!