Lithomancy is the practice of performing divination by reading stones. In some cultures, the casting of stones was believed to be fairly common – a bit like checking one’s daily horoscope in the morning paper. However, because our ancient ancestors didn’t leave us a lot of information about how to read the stones, many of the specific aspects of the practice have been lost forever.
It is generally believed by scholars that early forms of lithomancy included stones which were polished and inscribed with symbols — perhaps these were the precursors to the rune stones we see in some of the Scandinavian religions.
In modern forms of lithomancy, stones are typically assigned symbols connected to the planets, as well as to aspects of personal events, such as luck, love, happiness, etc.
In her Guide to Gemstone Sorcery: Using Stones for Spells, Amulets, Rituals and Divination, author Gerina Dunwitch says, “For maximum effectiveness, the stones used in a reading should be gathered from nature during favorable astrological configurations and by using one’s intuitive powers as a guide.”
By creating a set of stones with symbols that are significant to you, you can make your own divinatory tool to use for guidance and inspiration. The instructions below are for a simple set using a group of thirteen stones. You can change any of them you like to make the set more readable for you, or you can add to or subtract any of the symbols you wish — it’s your set, so make it as personal as you like.
You’ll need the following:
Thirteen stones of similar shapes and sizes
Paint
A square of cloth about a foot square
We’re going to designate each stone as being representative of the following:
1. The Sun – power, energy and life
2. The Moon – inspiration, psychic ability and intuition
3. Saturn – longevity, protection, purification
4.
Venus – love, fidelity, happiness
5. Mercury – intelligence, self-improvement, overcoming bad habits
6. Mars – courage, defensive magic, battle, conflict
7. Jupiter – money, justice, prosperity
8. Earth – security of home, family and friends
9. Air – Wishes, hopes, dreams and inspiration
10. Fire – Passion, willpower, outside influences
11. Water – Compassion, reconciliation, healing and cleansing
12. Spirit – Needs of the self, communication with the Divine
13. The Universe – our place in the grand scheme of things, on a cosmic level
Mark each stone with a symbol that indicates to you what the stone will represent. You can use astrological symbols for the planetary stones, and other symbols to signify the four elements.
Place the stones within the cloth and tie it shut, forming a bag. To interpret messages from the stones, the simplest way is to draw three stones at random. Place them in front of you, and see what messages they send. Some people prefer to use a pre-marked board, such as a spirit board or even a Ouija board. The stones are then cast onto the board, and their meanings are determined not only by where they land, but their proximity to other stones. For beginners, it may be easier to simply draw your stones from a bag.
Like reading Tarot cards, and other forms of divination, much of lithomancy is intuitive, rather than specific. Use the stones as a meditation tool, and focus on them as a guide. As you become more familiar with your stones, and their meanings, you’ll find yourself better able to interpret their messages.
