Lampadomancy

Lampadomancy

I have always loved old oil lamps. There is something about their energy that is just so calming and enchanting. I have so many of them tucked around my house and yard in various places that I believe will bring a bit of their magickal energy to where they are placed. My favorite lamps are the old railroad lamps. I've had some luck finding them at tag sales in the area.

Lampadomancy is an ancient art of divination using a lamp. Lampadomancy was a very common form of divination in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It was challenging to have candles during those times as they were expensive, so lamps were used more often. The lamps were typically made of a terracotta dish filled with oil. The sides of it were high enough to hold the oil and the flames. They would then place a coiled linen strip that rested in the oil and hung out of the pot to create a wick. Often, the lamps were painted on the outside by someone. They typically used palm oil for their lamps during this time, as olive oil was still expensive. These are very easy to make yourself; however, if you use this type of lamp, I would not leave it unattended.

In the 1800s, lamp divination gained popularity in the United States as kerosene lanterns became common. I have several of these in my house. You can also use Hurricane lanterns.

To do lampodomancy, first formulate a clear question in your mind. Then you want to gaze into the flame of the lamp. Watch the flames and notice how many points it has, in what direction it's blowing, note the color, and the height. When you work with lamps, you want to use the characteristics of the flames to start learning what they mean. For instance, I can use a flame similar to a pendulum. The flame will go up and down to indicate yes, back and forth to indicate no, or in a circular motion if the outcome is unclear at this time. When using the points a flame has, one point would be favorable, two points would be unfavorable. If you happen to see three points, that's a very good sign. If the flame is bent, it can indicate that an illness is coming. If it just goes out completely, that's not a good sign.

Please note that you can also use the flames on a candle. I've had a lot of luck with this as well.

Have a magickal day! 

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong