Geomancy, A Divination Art for the Nature or Astrology Lover

I first learned about the divination art of geomancy through one of my many YouTube video binge sessions – and it immediately captured my interest. So much so, that I bought a geomancy book immediately after watching it.

“To the diviners of earlier times, the entire world was a dance of meaning that could be read by the perceptive eye and interpreted by the attentive mind. When birds flew past from a particular direction, when the stars and planets assumed certain arrangements, or when the change patterns of geomantic divination gave rise to a specific set of figures and their interactions, some part of the great dance of the cosmos was brought clearer into view.”

— John Michael Greer

Growing up, I was rarely allowed to buy books of my own. The idea being, buying books is a waste of money, as most people usually only read them once. As a result, I was primarily encouraged to borrow books from the library instead, and the few books I did have were either perfectly curated, or gifted by others.

So now as an adult, while there are many books that intrigue me, I am slow to purchase them. Each book I consider must truly be worth my time and money, fit within my curated collection, and be one I would likely read more than once.

I should probably also mention that this YouTube binge session was happing while I was working out. And I don’t stop my workouts for anything.

So, when I say geomancy captured my interest enough to have me stop my workout and purchase a book on it, this is serious stuff we’re talking about here.

Geomancy = Earth Divination

If you like being connected to the earth, geomancy may be an divination form perfect for you as well. Why? Because geomancy is considered “earth divination.” We, of course, have pen and paper easily accessible today. But geomancy first started by taking sticks and making dots (sometimes lines as well) at random in the soil, or in the sand depending on where you lived.   

“The old geomancers had no time for the modern notion that the world of nature is simply a passive collection of objects waiting for us to push our interpretations on them. From the geomancer’s perspective, nature is an active, creative presence.”

— John Michael Greer

These dots and lines are then calculated into the first set of the 16 geomantic figures. I am somewhat simplifying this, as there are several rounds of calculations to create the set of geomantic figures. However, once the geomantic figures are created they are then used to divine your future.

Now, there is a bit more to it than that as well, of course. Depending on the reading you are doing, there are different “spreads” or charts you can use. One common chart, is the shield chart. Another is using the houses in astrology. We can get into more of that in a later post if you’re interested.

Or, you can read the first book I bought on the subject that gave me the foundation for everything I know on the subject. It is still one of my favorite books today, and definitely something I have referenced more than once since – for geomancy, but also for the other magickal teachings in the book which we’ll get to in a bit. It will give you a comprehensive guide for doing geomancy for yourself, others, and much more!

Geomancy and Horary Astrology

If you are interested in astrology but don’t have the time or interest to go into all of its details and layers of complexity, geomancy is a great alternative and a great method for you to engage with astrology but in a simpler, and earth-connected way. You can do horary readings using geomancy pretty easily, for example.

Horary readings are where you cast a horoscope or astrology chart to answer a question. So instead of drawing up a natal chart for a person, you are creating one for the question, using the time and place the question is being asked, in place of a birth date and time.  

Geomancy can be used for horary readings as well. You cast a your geomantic figures, and then use the astrology chart to place the geomantic figures in the appropriate houses. From there, the reading will answer the question asked by the querent – just as you would in an astrology horary reading.

Geomancy and Earth Magick

What makes geomancy so beautiful is its connection to the earth, the cosmos, and our lives through the patterns around us.

“You won’t find a word about raising power in Renaissance magical texts, however, because Renaissance occultists relied on the currents of power that exist around us at every moment.”

— John Michael Greer

For example, geomancers generally don’t cast readings when the weather is stormy. When there is a storm, that is a pattern on earth, from the divine, indicating that the energy is in a highly fluctuating or rough place. A reading you do at this time and place will be equally as all over the place, or turbulent.

Noticing the ebb and flow of life, like the weather - or the appearance of certain animals - or the sounds of nature that day, allowed people to connect with the energies of the earth. This is something many of us are looking for. And if we take on the magickal mentality of geomancy, it can be done even in our concrete jungles, whether we are noticing the signs around us and the interactions we are involved in, or casting our own charts with pen and paper, or dice, or playing cards.

“The anima mundi, the consciousness of the world, and the spiritus mundi, the life force of the world, form the inner dimensions of that reality, and everything that exists in the corpus mundi takes shape in these other, deeper dimensions first. Geomantic divination works, according to these teachings, because it catches the shapes of coming events in the animal mundi and spiritus mundi before they manifest in the corpus mundi.”

— John Michael Greer

Skilled geomancers would read the flows of the cosmos, through divining the flows of the earth, and sensing how those patterns would shape events in their or others’ lives. They would then use meditation and magick to envision new patterns, and shape those energies to bring about more desired outcomes or balance.

Geomancers would also cast geomancy charts prior to doing magick rituals to make sure the energy was working in their favor, and not against them. If the geomancy reading indicated the energy of the earth was in a flow that aligned with their magickal intentions, they would proceed with the spell. If the flow was not in alignment with their magickal intentions, they would not cast the spell at the time. Geomancy was an important aspect of a geomancer’s magickal practice.

There is a lot of magick to geomancy, and many options for us to continue this practice in our lives today. One blog post on such a deep subject could never do it justice. So if this is of interest, I highly recommend you get The Art and Practice of Geomancy: Divination, Magic, and Earth Wisdom of the Renaissance by John Michael Greer. This book has so many gems. It will be one you reference time and time again, and is definitely deserving of its space on your bookshelf.  

Can You Use Tea Bags for Tea Leaf Reading / Tasseography?

If you're interested in learning about the art of coffee ground or tea leaf reading, from pouring your cup of warm brew to reading the symbols, check out my article on tasseography here. You will love it :)

When it comes to tasseography, many will steer you away from cutting open a tea bag and using those leaves for your tea leaf reading. The reason being, the leaves aren't big enough to create the symbols and shapes for the reading.

In my experience, yes you can certainly use the leaves from a tea bag to do your tasseography reading. The trick with this is to look for symbols both in the tea leaf clumps, as well as in the spaces between the clumps.

I actually gave myself a wonderful tasseography reading earlier today using this method. I found butterflies, a four leaf clover, hearts, numbers, letters, a holy temple, and faces within my tea leaf sediments. It turned out to be quite the enlightening reading - with lots of guidance that I am on the right path, and that if I follow my heart regardless of whether it conflicts with the desires and projections of another, I will find the happiness and results I seek. Easier said than done of course :)

So the answer is, yes. You can do tasseography with tea leaves from a tea bag. You can use most teas of your choosing. The darker in color, the better. The leaves are smaller when they come in bags so darker leaves will make it easier to see the symbols.

You can get your tea bags from any nearby store. Or, if you like to shop online and want to support the site, here are some of my favorites. Warning: I'm about to geek out about teas :D

Bengal Spice is absolutely divine and magickal. It's not something you can't put into words. You'll understand when you try it!

Sleepy Time is very soothing, relaxing and great to drink before bed. Some people feel sleepy when they drink it. I don't notice that when I drink it. But I do feel my body relax, and I have noticed that I sleep much faster and better, and I wake up more refreshed and happy the next day.

Cinnamon Apple Spice is one I actually prefer to drink with plant-based milk. It gives it that extra creamy texture and it's like you're drinking apple pie! This isn't one I personally use for tea leaf reading, but it certainly can be used for that. And it's so good I couldn't resist recommending it.

Peppermint is amazing in general. But especially amazing when your throat could use some soothing, or you aren't feeling at your best. Sick days are some of my favorite days to sit with a warm cup of tea and relax while I decipher my future in the symbols left from my brew. When you can do nothing but sit and heal, there's no better activity than to tune into the magick around you, and in the steamy mug between your fingers.

Honey Lavender is great for stress relief. I certainly felty the benefits of this one from the first cup I tried. It kind of became my secret weapon, my special tea, that I would save for moments when I could use a deep breath. I love the Yogi brand. The teas come with little love notes at the end of each bag that make me smile.

Tension Tamer is one I'll have to update you in a few days. I just bought it and will be trying it soon. I can't wait! Update: I love this tea! My first time drinking it, I wasn’t so sure. I love licorice but was having a hard time enjoying that aspect of it at first. It immediately relieved my tension though, so I kept drinking it for that reason. Starting from my second cup I loved it and already bought some more! Sometimes it takes a few listens to like a song, and I guess a cup or two to find a beautiful tea!

Gingerbread Spice is one I'll have to let you know about in the near future. I haven't tried this one yet, but it is on my list.

My only word of advice when it comes to using tea leaves from tea bags for your tasseography is... in any tea leaf reading you aren't supposed to strain your tea. That would, of course, defeat the purpose of the tea leaf reading as there will be no tea leaves in your tea to read.

When you are using the smaller, finer tea leaves from a tea bag, your tea will be full of little specks of tea all floating at the top. As you drink it, you will be drinking some... ok many... of those leaves as well. Which is… fun. I often use a spoon to separate the tea leaves from my sip. It is by no means a perfect method. You will have tea leaves in your teeth after... so make sure to rinse your mouth or brush your teeth once your tea session is done if you plan to go out! Wouldn't want to scare away that lovely date you were just doing a tasseography reading on =P

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