Osteomancy

What I do to stop anything smelling (and am trying this with chicken bones now) is keeping the thing/s wrapped up together with a stick of intensive incense (like patchouli). seems to be working for now. of course if you put them up really close to your nose and take a long whiff the chicken still gets through. But for general use it's working pretty well. But the cats feel it anyway, even put away in a box, so no help there.

As to a system, work with what you have - I found pieces of fur from my gran's old real fur coat, it was a shame to throw them away. So I picked a nice square to do the throws on and when I turned it over, on the "inside" side, it turned out they're actually two rectangles sewn together - a light and a dark one. So I treat it as light and dark aspects of the situation being investigated

A circle is a great way, too. I've looked around the forum and links posted ages ago, and found something about african osteomancy - apparently the method there is to throw the bones between two parallel lines, which gives a nice 3-part diagram (or you just read the middle part as relevant? wasn't explained, but it's very flexible).

I also didn't want to diverge from the bones too far (adding stuff in) but also didn't feel they'd do well on their own, so the compromise for now is: I throw the bones first, see what I get, then - if needed - I throw the rest (sticks, shells, bark etc) over that, adding a new "layer", clarifying the first throw

Milfoil said:

Bleach them - a little bleach in water in a pan, boil up, let them stand for a while, then rinse and set them out to dry.

Click to expand...

I tried that with a large empty turtle shell I found in the woods & it disintegrated. Maybe it's a different substance?

canid said:

I tried that with a large empty turtle shell I found in the woods & it disintegrated. Maybe it's a different substance?

Click to expand...

Oooh yes, shell is very different from bone. Shell is more like hair and nails. If you bleach hair too long, you can literally dissolve it so it doesn't surprise me that bleaching a turtle shell would harm it.

I worked out my system but forgot to post about it until Rasa reminded me in another thread ....

Of course, if I stare at the bones and something just leaps to mind - I go with what my gut is yelling at me.

Otherwise I kick the intuition by using one or more of these guidelines and waiting for the spark:

Each bone is differently identified (in my mind)

1. Cannot be read as bringing ill fortune of any kind
2. Brings luck in love
3. brings financial good fortune
4. Personal relationships will flourish
5. Pay attention to niggling worries in this matter
6. Listen to the tiny voice on this one – it’s right
7. You might be going at things from the wrong angle here
8. Stop! – take some time out – you need it.

Bones can be read reversed depending on whether the top side is facing upwards to the reader. (You need to work out which is top/bottom - and then remember it lol)

Bones are read by casting them into an imaginary circle - I ended up with a mental image of three circles like a bullseye for bows and arrows.


As to timing:

If the larger end of the bone is pointing towards the centre, something is coming.

If the large end is pointing away from the centre, something is passing.



NOW – is the centre of the circle

COMING SHORTLY/JUST GONE – the inner circle

COMING IN A WHILE/BEEN GONE A WHILE – the outer circle



Top right quarter deals with relationships, emotions and the spiritual aspects of our lives.

Bottom right quarter deals with work, and personal projects of importance to us

Bottom left quarter deals with the physical side of life – family and homes

Top left quarter looks at our personal finances.


Remember: look at the bone itself – is it whole, broken, twisted, chipped?


I thought of drawing a circle on a spreadcloth or something, but its easier by far just to picture the circle in my mind.

I'm still practising with it but in a few more weeks I'll come back and ask for victims.

Wow! That is a fabulous way to read them Wendywu! Thanks for sharing this!

Thanks for the thorough description of your method...
It looks very interesting!

In these hot hands is THE ORACLE OF THE BONES by Claire O'Neill.
Published by Simon an Schuster ,Australia.
It was gifted.

It has a red cloth Square with it, there's a numbered circle and it's divided into three sections radiating from the center

The sections have a tree, the next is a mountain, and the last is a bull.

Around the perimeter of the circle are numbers and signs..

Theres also a book and a set of PLASTIC bones, four .Ranging in size,one of which is manufactured to look like it's broken.
See what you can come up with on the web.

With your bones, after cleaning and drying, try painting them with nail polish, clear. That should preserve them as well.
Try tying them together with cotton twine and hanging them out of reach of your beloved ratbags.
What about a wind chime type of arrangement for drying as well as flaunting in front of your sis.

Enjoy your games.

I've never had an issue with bone smelling once it has been adequately cleaned and that simply requires hours of boiling and lots of changes of water. Bones don't tend to decay easily either although there are one or two smaller vertebrate bones (often from birds) which are soft and don't tend to last well. How are yours doing now Wendywu?

Mongolian diviners and shamans use 4 sheep knuckle bones on a sheepskin. The knucklebone is a slightly different shape on all sides so how it falls depends on what meaning is ascribed, how many fall on the same side also has significance as does where they group or fall on the sheepskin etc. The 'Shagai' are used as both a game and to divine with which is interesting when you think about dice (a later development from Shagai) and playing cards which are also used for both.

It is an interesting way you have come up with to read the bones. I look forward to hearing about your first readings with them.

It just occurred to me that if I drill a hole through each bone, big enough to go on a thong - would each act as a talisman in respect of its given meaning? SInce I associate that meaning so thoroughly with each separate bone?

You know - there are sooooo many ways to read these things. Sometimes they overlay each other when you cast them .....

They don't smell at all, and are very light and strong.

Would you wear them all or just one at a time? Carry them with out around your wrist, for example, and be able to take them off to divine with when necessary?