History
Tarot cards have been a staple of the divination market for years, as has been the I-Ching, numerology, astrology, tea-leaf reading and palmistry. More recently runes have joined these and become very popular. In 1982 Ralph Blum’s The Book of Runes started the trend and a wide variety of books on reading runes is now available.
The oldest known dominoes date from 2200 years ago in China.
Although today familiar to most people only as a game, dice were originally used by the Chinese for divination and fortune-telling. The reading of dominoes comes under the heading of sortilege and, as such, can be traced back to early Greek and Roman methods of divining the future.
In China, dice developed into dominoes. Each domino shows two throws of the dice. Chinese domino sets have 21 tiles. The Chinese domino tiles have names such as Heaven (Tiān or Tin, 6-6), Plum Flower (Méi or Mooi, 5-5), Man (Rén or Yan, 4-4), Long (Cháng or Cheung, 3-3), Board (Bǎn or Ban, 2-2) and Earth (Dì or Dei, 1-1).
Dominoes arrived in Europe in the eighteenth century. Blanks were added to European sets to make the total number of tiles 28. The tiles are also known as bones, cards, tiles, tickets, stones, or spinners. The reserve of dominoes is often called the boneyard. The highest tile is double six, and the lowest tile is double blank.
Divination with dominoes would seem to be a natural follow-on to the popularity of runes. Domino sets are much more readily available than are runes, which are usually manufactured solely for divination use. To be able to do similar readings but with such an accessible tool could not only fulfill the needs of those who are always searching for new lines of psychic development but could also be instrumental in introducing previously hesitant would-be diviners into the field.
One of the unique features of domino divination is the fact that more than one person may be "read" at the same time.
Domino Reading
There are several methods:
• Using dominoes for divination is a fairly straightforward process. Simply spread the dominoes face down on the table in front of you and mix them up. Concentrate on your question until you feel the time is right and then select three or four tiles that speak to you from the set. A brief interpretation of each tile is given below.
• Spread all the dominoes face down and shuffle them thoroughly. Draw one tile out and put aside. Shuffle the remaining tiles again. Draw another tile out and put aside. Shuffle. Draw the final tile.
• Spread all the dominoes face down and shuffle them thoroughly. Draw one tile out and then put back into the remaining tiles. Shuffle the tiles again. Draw another tile out and then put back into the remaining tiles. Shuffle. Draw the final tile. This method may result in a tile being drawn two or even three times. If this happens then the reading will come about very quickly.
• Another, more modern way is a blend of different ways to draw an oracle. In this case, the bones are put in a black bag and have the querer himself draw stones from the bag while concentrating on the question ( as in some Nordic Rune Divination ).
It can also be one bone or other bone layouts . For instance, a three bone layout ( The Past, The Now, The Future), a Celtic Cross ( as in Tarot ), etc... whatever feels best. Use your intuition and expierience, as in all oracles.
Gypsy Domino Fortune Telling
English Gypsies are said to practise a very old system of fortune telling and divination with a standard Double-Six domino set instead of the usual Tarot or playing cards. The deck is supposed to make the job of divination easier by giving the meanings of each tile on the edge.
As with all divination methods, the person conducting the reading should use their own intuition and instinct to interpret a more specific meaning in the tiles, and only use the meanings described here as a general guide.
The basic meanings are:
• blank = the querant -- the person asking the question
• 1 = Travel
• 2 = Close friends and family
• 3 = Love
• 4 = Money
• 5 = Job and careers
• 6 = Luck
Each tile takes a meaning from a combination of its two sides as read from left to right on a horizontal tile. Unfortunately, this does not seem to apply consistently in this system.
The [1-2] is a "journey with a good friend", as you might expect. However, you would think that [1-5] would have something to do with work and travel, such as a business trip. Wrong. The [1-5] tile means "a lover awaits", but if it were dealt as [5-1] it would mean "Opportunity for passionate romance".
There are several different layouts (spreads) given which are based on those used for Tarot card readings. The most basic is a simple line of three horizontal tiles for the past, present and future.
There are other meanings associated with the tiles based on numerology.
The rules are that you never read your own fortune and that never read anyone else's on a Monday or a Friday.The questioner draws a tile from the boneyard with his left hand. This gives his fortune for the coming month.
Be warned that reading your own fortune or repeating the process more than three times in a week for a single individual, may bring bad luck and backfire on both the subject and the interpreter. Superstition also holds that readings made on a Monday or Friday are unlucky.
The person seeking a reading from the dominoes should shuffle them all face down while silently asking a question in their mind that they seek guidance on, or just generally considering their possible future life outcome.
(Note that 0 represents the blank suit value)
The general interpretations of the individual suit values are as follows:
Blank/Blank:
This is a time of new energy from the Universe and new beginnings for you.
Open yourself to this energy and they will lead you in a new direction with great potential.
Blank/One:
The new beginning is underway.
This is a time to be aware and to make sure that the direction you are heading in is what you really desire.
Blank/Two:
This indicates the opportunity for new partnerships and new friendships.
Open your heart to this energy for it usually means that a life partner is on the horizon.
Blank/Three:
The Universe is now offering you the chance for a deep integration of the whole self. Body, Mind and Soul or Soul, Spirit and Creator. Take this opportunity now.
Blank/Four:
This is a time of balance, perfect balance in fact. Even if you thought that you and life were already balanced, think again! You are in for a pleasant surprise.
Blank/Five:
This is a time for family. It is also the perfect time to start a family. And a happy family you will be! It is also a good time for family re-unions.
Blank/Six:
This is a time for growth at all levels. It is, however, an especially good time for growth and expansion within the physical world.Good fortune will attend almost any endeavor.
One/One:
This is the perfect synchronicity of two people working together toward one cause.
There is no stopping the focused vision of the One/One. You cannot fight the One/One.
One/Two:
This is a time of new knowledge and integration for your higher self. You will come to understand your true purpose and why you are on this earth.
One/Three:
This indicates a psychic awakening for you. It could be clairvoyance, clairsentience or clairaudience. It could also be any combination or all three.
One/Four:
There is a need for balance within you. The great turbulence you experience needs to change. Although the challenge and change may be painful know that they are beneficial.
One/Five:
You have been doing so much on your own. There will be another to help share this burden with you. When help is offered, accept it gracefully.
One/Six:
Too many things have been delayed for too long. Now is the time to compete some of those projects that you have put off. You will feel better when they are done.
Two/Two:
This is a time of coming together in pairs. Although this can refer to life partners it can also indicate twins or multiple births. It can also indicate a spiritual closeness with the creator.
Two/Three:
This domino indicates a challenge to the workings of your physical life. It shows a time of confusion and a need to centre yourself and determine a clear intent and plan.
Two/Four:
You have the opportunity for growth. Don't let it pass you by. Learn everything you have the chance to learn so that you have a deeper understanding of just what the truth is.
Two/Five:
You are being given messages from spirit in your dreams. It is important that you pay attention and make notes on all your dreams. Valuable knowledge is being offered.
Two/Six:
You have only glimpsed the possibilities and scratched at the surface of your personal potential. It is time to reach for and attain higher spiritual goals.
Three/Three:
If you have felt confused about an issue realize that what you need to know is being made available to you. The time is here to make a decision and the choice will be obvious.
Three/Four:
Time to carry on with the spiritual work that has taken second place while you have been taking care of the physical aspects of your life. Don't let others hold you back from this path.
Three/Five:
There is an anger within you and it needs to be released. Keeping your mouth shut is doing you more harm than good. Ask spirit for help with the healing.
Three/Six:
Confusing times again, but... the answer is within you if you only choose to go within and explore the pros and cons of current circumstances.
Four/Four:
This is a time to think for yourself. Too many people, too many opinions. You cannot live life or make decisions based on the opinions and attitudes of all these other people.
Four/Five:
Don't be reckless with your choices. Every choice you make affects others as well as you. This is not a time to think once and act. Think twice. Think three times and be sure you're right.
Four/Six:
What goes around, comes around. All the energies that you have put into the Universe will come back to you. With the same intent with which they were originally sent.
Five/Five:
This is a time of new awareness, of looking at things from a new perspective. Maybe you have something new to offer the world or to pass on to the younger generation.
Five/Six:
This is the reward for following a true path. All the hardships and difficulties will be a thing of the past. It is also a time of fertility so if you've been trying for a child this is the time.
Six/Six:
This is a time of resolution to a long and difficult issue. Whether this is leaving your job, leaving a partner or whatever. Now is the time. The doors of opportunity await you.
The questioner draws a second tile, which gives his fortune for the coming year.
This time the answer is based on the total of the tile:
• 12 = You will meet someone who will introduce you to a new sport or hobby.
• 11 = You will part with a friend because one of you moves.
• 10 = You will change your routine for the better, either a change of school or change of job.
• 9 = An unexpected fortune event will happen during the next year.
• 8 = Troubles are coming and you will be blamed.
• 7 = A visitor is coming and will tell you something that will change your plans completely.
• 6 = You are about to lose money on a bet or an investment; you can avoid this if you are on guard.
• 5 = You are going to have a problem at home.
• 4 = You are going to assume a position of leadership in your school, job or community. .
• 3 = Something unexpected is going to happen and the results will not be happy.
• 2 = You will meet someone at a party who will affect your life.
• 1 = The symbol of misfortune.
Basic Chinese Domino Fortune Telling
The Chinese have practiced fortune telling and divination with dominoes from the 12th-century to this day. Chinese labourers in the Wild West took the skills and knowledge of fortune telling with dominoes from their homeland to the Americas over two-hundred years ago and it is known to be practiced by mystics of Far Eastern origin in the USA currently.
Many of the original secrets of fortune telling with Chinese dominoes have been lost and corrupted through the course of history, but enough have survived to make predictive readings still possible.
The subject shuffles the entire domino set thoroughly and then sets all the tiles out in a long horizontal line. Then all the tiles are turned face-up. Then remove all adjacent matching pairs of tiles that match according to traditional Chinese cultural significance (the interpreter should execute this process).
"unlike" counts as 6
"ingeniously divided" counts as 4
"five spots" counts as 5
"divided reciprocally" counts as 3
"cavalry" counts as 3
"two, three,, six" counts as 3
"corresponding spots" counts as 3
"correctly satisfied" counts as 1
The results are noted, then the dominoes are shuffled again and the same process repeated, again noting the results. This process is repeated for a last time so the interpreter has three sets of values to refer to.
