Divination: Observing Versus Seeking Information

This week's divination post is a bit of a departure from the past topics. In my past posts, I talked about techniques and tools. Today's post, I am going to take a moment to look at methodology from the angle of intent. There are two ways to approach a divination session. One method is simply observing the information presented by the tool of choice. The alternate is sifting through the information in search of a specific answer.

The observation method, in my experience, yields better results because the information is not being viewed through a filter. When we are simply observing, we are open to more details and information that does not necessarily fit the profile of the target query but serves to add greater depth to the picture presented. The observation method also gives the reader a measure of detachment from the result, lowering the likelihood of observation bias in the results.

The seeking method is harder to pull solid results out of your divination tools. The information you are seeking can prove deceptive. The desire to get information that aligns with a specific set of expectations can turn into reading false positives or false negatives in your results. There is also the problems of observation bias. The reader will also be in a position where they are disregarding details that are not immediately connected in a fashion that is obviously apparent. This can result in a reading that is deficient in usable information about the query.

This raises the question of how does one do a reading upon a specific issue with out being caught in the tricky waters of reading into the results? The first step is to put oneself into a neutral mindset with out any attachment to the outcome of the reading. The lack of emotional investment in the results does a great deal to relieve the risk of observation bias because the mind is not primed to pick up details that fit the unconscious expectations and anxieties that come from said emotional investment.

The second step to consider when reading on a specific issue with out getting too caught up in potential observation bias is to take the information as it is presented and convey it directly. Read quickly and leave the processing of the results to when you have finished your initial assessment of them. The first response to the information that your divination tool presents is going to be the most accurate, especially when it is unfiltered. (Obviously, take a moment to at least phrase your information in a tactfully appropriate way for your audience.)

When you do your subsequent assessment of the information presented in your analysis of the results, do your best to maintain that neutral standing. Follow the information, let it lead you to your conclusions. There will be times where you will feel like the reading is just utter gibberish or that you are talking out of your hat. There are going to be times where these feelings are somewhat legitimate. But there are going to be a significant number of times where the information that seems completely random and has all sorts of weird/wrong connections through it are actually very important and organized in correct context for the querent.

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Author's note: I want to apologize for how rough this post is. I had a hard time putting it together. Next week, I'll try to bring better content to the table. I appreciate your patience and your forbearance with me.