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Strict Tarot Rules My Grandma Taught Me

Sweep the floor with a whisk broom before every reading. It shows respect for the old gods who will be coming in.

Answer only three questions for a querent in one seating. Revealing too much sacred information will dilute its meaning.

Always use the Celtic Cross for a personal reading. “You cannot truly appreciate the weight of the advice you are giving if you don’t fully understand the way the querent is feeling.”

Make an offering to the querent’s higher self before proceeding. “The body may want a reading, but the soul may be unwilling.” A piece of chocolate or anything sweet should be appropriate.

Ensure the querent’s hands are clean. Prepare a hot towel or a water basin. It rids their body of negative energy and keeps your cards from getting dirty.

Dim the lights before you deal the cards. “The Fates live next to Hades. They are not used to harsh lighting.”

Play soft and quiet music. It calms the mind and encourages the querent to bravely tell you what they really seek.

You shuffle, they cut. Shuffling lets the cards connect you to the source. Cutting allows the cards to feel the querent’s life force.

Honesty is better than sympathy. Exaggerating hopes and softening harsh truths do more harm than good.

Never forget to thank your cards afterwards. “The messages come from the goddesses, yes. But your cards make the effort to speak them in the way you can understand best.”

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krishna: MORE PASSION MORE PASSION MORE ENERGY MORE ENERGY MORE FOOTWORK MORE FOOTWORK

arjun: 🥹🙏

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Spell crafting

This is just a way to craft your own spells and just run you through how to do that. Its not for any specific spell.

Literally chose what type of spell you would like to do. One that is going to benefit you as a whole. - if you know what spell you want, skip to step 2

Look at what you have available. Look at the herbs you have and their meanings, the candles you have and colour correspondences, jars you have available and all the tools you have to do a spell.

choose the things you would like to use. And figure out how you are going to use them. If you have herbs, choose an intention for them to have.

write down what you are using in a grimoire or what ever you choose to write your spells in. Write down the intention of each herb and what you did with each tool. - if you want the herbs to be put in in a certain order, write them in that order so you dont forget

Literally just do the spell. Cleanse everything first, if you have the herbs going in in a specific order. The make sure you put it in that way and in that order. While setting intentions, no intentions means the spell wont work.

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Blog Guide

i'm going to pin this so all of my posts are here, in case you're looking for something specific :) {last updated 04/11/24}

beginner

I think I want to get into witchcraft, what do i do? - a guide for where to start research/practice

witchcraft tips for poor people - witchcraft tips that dont require money

my personal experience with Pyromancy/how i do pyromancy

witchcraft book recommendations

housekeeping in general - please make sure you're cleaning your house correctly

the core 5 basics document - banishing/warding etc...

low effort witchcraft - small things you can do without using a lot of energy

digital grimoire and associations -a good place to look if you ever need to figure out associations of things

learning to cook like a witch: the absolute beginning - kitchen witchcraft!!

beginner witch resource list - masterlist of a bunch of resources including podcasts and books

resources to help you fact check what you see/read/hear - make sure you know if you're being fed propaganda

how to incorporate spirituality into daily life

the thing about dreams (not a guide) - commentary/info post about dreams

witchcraft tools - common tools used in witchcraft

associating demons as negative spirits (not a guide, just some commentary)

coffee in witchcraft - how to incorporate coffee into magic

little bits of herbal magic - how to use herbs/plants in magic

what witchcraft wont do (informative)

commentary on gut feelings

use things you already own for witchcraft

brief explanation on elements (images)

witchy self care and mindfulness (images)

a short guide to pyromancy

plants and their correspondences masterlist

The structure of pagan prayer

Ways to connect with Gods without an atlar

Subtle deity worship master list

intermediate

spirit work basics

basic spirit contact etiquette

working in graveyards and graveyard etiquette

dark moon protective barrier

correspondences for death

want help making spells?

all about Baphomet

not witchcraft but still worth the read

not everything is a sign

love war and disability (Hephaestus, Ares, and Aphrodite)

joan of arc is trans history

hating Nazis vs loving Jewish people

how to stream media for free (guide)

PSA about the R slur

why we don't like it when children hit us back

purity culture and sex

_______________________________

i will keep updating this as a post/reblog more things.

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There's a bunch of adhd advice out there that's like "people with adhd tend to work better under deadlines due to the anxiety so here are ways to artificially induce a stress response in order to get you to get work done" and it's like well what if I don't want to be stressed out all the time in order to function

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Hey! What are some good safety rules for joining covens. I know how easy it is for people to fall into cults and the new age pipeline. What are some good tips?

Watch out for the same kinds of red flags you'd watch out for anywhere else.

Do your own learnin' from reputable sources to get better at recognizing misinfo. Justin Sledge, Digital Hammurabi, Angela Puca, Andrew Henry, and Bart D. Ehrman are all great to check out.

Watch out for conspiracy thinking/conspirituality of the witchy kind; EG "long ago everybody worshiped the Goddess but then the Patriarchy demanded everybody worship a male god," "Lilith is actually a demonized Sumerian goddess," or "the Catholic Church is intentionally hiding the true religion from people." Here's a longer list of conspiracy theory stuff to watch out for.

Watch out for 'em getting caught up in apocalyptic UPGs, like "On X date the Old Gods will return and overthrow the Christian world order" or something.

If they act like you have to engage in some kind of edgy or sexual practice to progress, get away.

If they have a magical grindset (IE, basically acting like if you don't intend to become THE MOST POWERFUL PRACTITIONER then you might as well not bother), get away.

If they claim to be incarnated deities, get away.

If they're quick to throw around spiritual diagnoses (EG, "you have a shadow entity attached to you" or "that girl is possessed by an evil spirit"), get away.

If they're constantly complaining about dealing with negative entities or people with bad vibes, get away. Like you know the saying "if you meet one asshole you've met one asshole, if you met assholes all day then you're the asshole"? It absolutely applies in witchy matters.

If they make you feel like they're the only people you can trust to learn and grow, get away.

If their lore is obviously influenced by White Wolf tabletop games, Dungeons & Dragons, or other pop culture, and they expect you to take it very seriously, get away.

If they very seriously believe that hypnosis can help you uncover past life memories or repressed traumas, get away. (See hypnosis is unreliable for memory recovery, and this is one way we know.)

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Just imagine that it continuously gets better from here

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How Do I Disassemble A Spell Jar?

I’ve seen way too many posts about how to make one, but never any about how to take one apart.

If you buried your spell jar (or otherwise placed it somewhere not in your general vicinity), retrieve it first.

There are a few ways to go about disassembling a spell jar.

Throwing Everything Away

Returning It to Nature

Burning It

Putting It Into Another Container for Safekeeping

Retrieving the Reusable Ingredients (crystals, shells, etc.) and Getting Rid of the Rest

Throwing Everything Away

As simple as it sounds. I would recommend breaking the seal (melting it or even just stabbing it) before getting rid of it, to break the spell itself. Keep the jar and wash it or throw it away with the rest of it. Throw the contents into the trash (or a dumpster, if you don’t want it near you).

Returning It to Nature

Also very simple. Can only be used with natural ingredients. Do not dump in rivers. Retrieve any non-organic materials (crystals, shells, poppets, etc.) to either reuse or get rid of separately. Be sure it doesn’t include things that can harm the local wildlife.

Burning It

Empty the contents of the jar into a different, fire-safe bowl or plate. Then, burn it. Simple as that. Lighters or matches, it doesn’t matter. Be sure that you and any pets or family can inhale the fumes from it. This is usually used with spells that have little amounts of ingredients. Be sure to research fire safety and safety when it comes to burning herbs and other ingredients.

Putting It Into Another Container for Safekeeping

Transferring the contents into a different container. Usually done when you want to reuse the jar or size down the original jar. Break the seal, pour it into your other container, seal that, and you’re done. Super easy. Can also be used when putting a spell into a ‘dormant’ state.

Retrieving the Reusable Ingredients and Getting Rid of the Rest

What I see the most in the witch community. Reusable ingredients include crystals, shells, rocks, bones, and anything else that can be used again. Doing this is a bit harder when the jar has liquid. Break the seal and place the contents of the jar into another container. Then, pick out all of the reusable items, the ones that you want to keep. Wash them and dispose of the contents of the jar through one of the methods above.

Notes

When disassembling a spell jar, it’s always good to declare the intentions of the jar done (or dormant). If the spell could have negative consequences on your or someone else’s life, be sure to neutralize the energy you have put into the spell. Cast a counter-spell or just neutralize the spell. Please tell me if I missed anything!

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Low Energy Witchcraft

I'm neurodivergent and i experience really intense burnout. I get to a point where I struggle to even get out of bed, take my meds, remember to drink water, let alone practice. But, when I want to practice i have a list of things i can usually do. Everyone's experiences with burn out/low energy are different so this list may not apply to you, and that's okay. Take what resonates, leave what doesn't and i hope you enjoy my silly little list :)

create a playlist and infuse it with an intention. eg, a money spell playlist filled with songs about wealth.

draw sigils with soap when in the shower. (you can also use a wet wipe if you can't shower)

found some juice? give it a little shake and use the ingredients as a spell.

have food that has grains as ingredients? wow! an abundance spell!

the classic add intention to your tea and coffee.

bind your hair. for me with is as simple as putting my hair in a ponytail.

watch a witchy video. while not technically practising witchcraft, sometimes all you need is to sit back and relax to connect with your practice.

when I have a decent amount of energy I'll grab a large pillar candle and carve sigils into it. I use it as a long-term spell; all I have to do to activate it is light the candle. I like to light one of these spell candles when I'm having a bad day.

if you're religious, pray. Even if you're lying in bed. Even if you haven't showered in a week. If it makes you happy and you can, do it

burn some insence! it smells good, you don't have to really worry about forgetting about it, it's good for cleansing. it's great!

take a nap with some crystals. any restorative crystals or calming crystals work great! just make sure that they aren't geodes or roughs. i'd hate for you to hurt yourself while sleeping.

if you don't have any crystals for your nap, set an intention instead. please let yourself rest.

It's important to remember that you're allowed to take breaks from your craft. If you're forcing yourself to practice when you have no energy because "that's what a good witch would do!" then you're probably going to make your situation worse. it's a great way to fall out of love with witchcraft. give yourself some grace. rest is infinitely more important than 1 full moon, 1 new moon, or missing your daily/weekly/monthly cleanse. You aren't a bad person if you don't pull your morning tarot card or check the astrology forecast for today. and you aren't a bad person if you miss your daily prayer. take care of yourself. your health is WAY more important than your craft. Go get a drink of water and take care of yourself <3

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How to REALLY Learn Tarot in One Day

Reading tarot like a master requires a natural talent for divination. Barring that, years of constant practice will suffice.

But anyone can learn the basics. And it should not take longer than a day to cover. Start in the morning, and by evening, you will be a tarot reader.

This post is Day 1 of the Divination class that I teach. By 8:30 PM, my teenage initiates were already correctly predicting each other’s crushes and the winners of tennis matches.

THE DAY BEFORE

Get a deck and a resource.

Acquire a Rider-Waite deck or a clone of it. You may opt for something else, but be forewarned that you could lose out on a multitude of symbolism. The Rider-Waite may not be the prettiest, but there is nothing more complete.

Find a reliable resource. The Ultimate Guide to Tarot by Liz Dean is a perfect book for beginners. So is Labyrinthos’ website, if you prefer something free of charge.

THE DAY ITSELF

9–10 AM

Pick one keyword for each card.

With a belly full of breakfast, quickly skim through your resource and pick just one keyword per card. For example, “destruction” for The Tower, “happiness” for The Sun, and “wealth” for the Ten of Pentacles. Note it all down on paper or on your phone.

10–11 AM

Associate the word with the image.

Look at your keyword side by side the card. Make an undeniable connection. 

Why is The Tower “destruction”? Because the tower on the card has been “destroyed”.

Why is The Sun “happiness”? Because the child on the card looks “happy”.

Why is the Ten of Pentacles “wealth”? Because the family on the card looks “wealthy”.

Memorization becomes much easier when based on visual correlation.

11 AM–12 PM

Quiz yourself.

Hide your notes from view. Keeping in mind the word-image associations you made, go through each card, reciting its keyword. Put in one pile all the cards you remembered the keyword for, and in another, the ones that escaped your memory.

Then look at your notes side-by-side the second pile to remind yourself of what you missed. Go through the whole pile again, repeating the process until you can recite the keywords for all 78 cards without making a mistake. One card, one word. Should be as simple as pre-school.

12–1 PM

Take a break.

Have a meal. Nap a little. Stretch a bit. Give your mind space to absorb everything you just memorized.

1–2 PM

Quiz yourself again.

You are guaranteed to forget some of your keywords. That is fine. It is why you are doing this again, to strengthen your memory. Be patient with yourself, and keep going through the whole deck until you are no longer making any mistakes.

2–3:30 PM

Pick a key phrase for each reversed card.

Quickly skim through your resource again. Now that you know the upright meanings, reversals should be fairly easy, because they can only be one of three: the opposite of the upright card; the upright card watered down; the upright card made worse.

To illustrate:

If The Devil upright is “addiction”, reversed it is “overcoming addiction” — the opposite.

If the Nine of Cups is “fulfillment”, reversed, it is “fulfillment delayed” — watered down.

If the Seven of Swords upright is “manipulation”, reversed it is “betrayal” — made worse.

Note it all down next to your upright keywords.

3:30–5 PM

Quiz yourself on both upright and reversed meanings.

Hide your notes from view. Keeping in mind the upright-reversed meaning associations you made, go through each card one by one, reciting its upright meaning followed by its reversed meaning.

Like before, put in one pile the cards you had no problem with, and in another, the cards that escaped your memory. Look at your notes for those you missed. Go through the whole pile again, repeating the process until you can recite the upright keywords and the reversed key phrases for all 78 cards, without making a mistake.

5–6 PM

Take another break.

Have another meal. Nap some more. Stretch again. Let your mind and body breathe.

6–7:15 PM

Quiz yourself again on both upright and reversed meanings.

Go through each card one by one, reciting its upright meaning followed by its reversed meaning.

Like before, put in one pile the cards you had no problem with, and in another, the cards that escaped your memory. Look at your notes side by side the cards you missed. And go through the full deck again until you are no longer missing a beat.

7:15–8 PM

Read.

For the last time today, bring out your resource, and from it, choose any spread you like. But if you really want to do it right, the Celtic Cross spread is recommended. Do not worry about being overwhelmed. You can leave the book or the website open on the page where the spread is.

Ask tarot your question. Without looking at your notes, interpret its answer to the best of your ability using the keywords and key phrases you just memorized.

Congratulations. You are now a tarot reader.

But if you wish to keep learning, then keep reading.

THE DAYS AFTER

Day 1 – Day 4

For the next four days, quiz yourself again on both upright and reversed meanings, to really cement them in your mind. Then perform the same spread you did the first time, but ask a different question each time. Interpret the cards to the best of your knowledge. This should only take an hour at the most.

Day 5

By now, everything you learned has been drilled into memory. Feel free to expand your knowledge. Read your book cover to cover. Fully explore your chosen website.

Most of the new meanings you will learn will be related to the ones you committed to heart, so do not worry about being confused. For example, if your keyword for The Empress is “abundance”, you will find that its other meanings are “harvest”, “creativity” and “fertility”. “Harvest” is financial abundance; “creativity”, an abundance of skill; “fertility”, an abundance of growth. They vary slightly, but they are all the same, essentially.

All the best in your tarot journey.

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not enough secret gardens and hidden passageways and bookshelves that open to a mysterious library these days. get working on that girls.

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“I have called on the Goddess and found her within myself” ― Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

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I have a question as a beginner witch. won't the interaction of all these crystals together cause a (for a lack of a better word) a mess? I read somewhere that we should not use - wildly) different crystals at the same time. is that true?

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Affirmations for each of the four elements

Fire (Associated with passion, energy, and transformation):

I am a powerful creator, and my passion fuels my success.

I embrace change and transform challenges into opportunities.

I radiate confidence and inspire those around me.

My inner fire burns brightly, igniting my purpose and motivation.

I am courageous and take bold action to achieve my goals.

Earth (Associated with stability, grounding, and abundance):

I am deeply rooted like a strong tree, grounded in the present moment.

Abundance flows effortlessly into my life, and I am grateful for all that I have.

I trust in the process of life and have unwavering faith in my journey.

I am resilient and adaptable, finding strength in the face of challenges.

I create a solid foundation for my dreams and manifest them with ease.

Air (Associated with intellect, communication, and mental clarity):

My thoughts are clear, and my mind is focused on my highest good.

I express myself confidently and communicate my ideas with clarity.

I embrace curiosity and open myself to new perspectives and knowledge.

I breathe in fresh inspiration and release any mental clutter.

I am in tune with my intuition, and it guides me in making wise decisions.

Water (Associated with emotions, intuition, and healing):

I flow with the rhythm of life, embracing the ever-changing tides of emotions.

My intuition is a guiding force, leading me to make choices aligned with my soul.

I am connected to the healing power of water, cleansing and renewing my spirit.

Love and compassion flow through me, nurturing myself and others.

I release any emotional baggage and allow forgiveness and healing to take place.

Feel free to personalize these affirmations or create your own based on your relationship with each element and your specific intentions. Repeat them regularly with belief and conviction to strengthen your connection with the elemental energies.

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Witches and Dominant Elements

As a witch, the dominant element in your chart is potentially your greatest strength. It is engraved into your subconscious. But you have to awaken it.

AIR-DOMINANTS

Your spells will gain more effectiveness when performed outdoors. Cast banishments and curses on a windy day. Perform divination on your balcony. Have a window open while reading books on the occult. The air outside blends with the Air in your essence, allowing energy to flow effortlessly.

I have mentioned my grandfather once or twice. As an Air-dominant, he could change the direction and strength of the wind, to weaken a storm, to banish a flood, to halt a fire.

WATER-DOMINANTS

Use floating candles in altars and for rituals. Live by the beach, a river or another body of water, to stay safe from others’ magical interference. Hydrate well before performing divination or casting a spell. Eat seafood to nourish your subconscious. Water is your craft’s other half. Treat it as such.

As a Water-dominant, seeing water in my sleep – a glass of it, drops of rain, a lake nearby – is my infallible confirmation that I am wandering (astral traveling), instead of merely dreaming.

EARTH-DOMINANTS

Focus your energy on spells that involve plants, because making them work will be easy for you. Learn herbology, because potion-making should come easy. Fill your house with wooden furniture and décor. Perform rituals and divination on a wooden or stone surface, instead of a plastic or glass table.

In my family, Earth-dominant witches walk barefoot on soil when they are sick. The earth absorbs their illness. Those who live in the city embrace gardening as an alternative.

FIRE-DOMINANTS

Rituals performed when you have a fever should prove highly effective, because the Fire inside you is more active. Pyromancy would be easier for you to master than for other people. Casting spells that involve flames would come naturally to you. Always have a candle lit, to connect you to your element.

According to our journals, Fire-dominant witches who dwell near the equator will always be stronger than those who live away from it. Because they are closer to the Sun, the cosmic form of their element.

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PYROMANCY 101

What is it?

Believed by some historians to be the first ever form of fortunetelling, pyromancy is divination by means of fire.

How does it work?

Pyromancy delivers messages through visions that form in the flames, and through the behavior of the flame itself. In essence, pyromancy is a sibling of scrying and phyllomancy.

Why does it work?

From the reign of paganism to the rule of monotheism, fire has always been treated as sacred.

In Greco-Roman mythology, fire was owned by the gods. When Prometheus gave it to us, he was punished for theft, until Zeus gave Hercules permission to release him from torment.

In the Abrahamic religions, fire signifies God’s presence, as seen in the burning bush story. The Holy Spirit too is visually represented by a tongue of fire over the head of a believer.

In paganism and witchcraft, the practice of nature worship, and even in some modern alternative spiritual paths, fire is one of the four elements. It is Earth’s blessed instrument.

Hence fire is seen as a hallowed, natural conduit towards one’s higher power.

How is it performed?

Since pyromancy developed and was practiced independently in many regions, such as the Roman Empire, Mesopotamia and China, it has many variations. But this is the most common.

Step 1: Light a fire.

It must be as big as a campfire. Create a large surface, from which the visions will appear. It must also be outdoors, so that the wind can interact with it.

Do it at the witching hour, when there is unlikely to be any disturbances, and when the old gods are more eager to listen.

Step 2: Ask a question.

While gazing into the fire, summon your higher power solemnly, and state your question clearly.

Step 3: Burn an object.

Some people cast animal bones or turtle shells into the fire. Others prefer salt or bay leaves.

In my family, we use what is relevant to our query. A box of chocolates when asking about romance. Old test papers when inquiring about an exam.

Step 4: Observe the fire.

If you asked a yes or no question, the flame or smoke rising high means yes; minimal movement means maybe, or it is yet to be written; and steady movement means no.

If you asked a timing question, the flame or smoke rising high means soon; minimal movement means a long time from now; and downward movement means it is not fated to happen.

If you asked about someone’s feelings for you or the possibility of a dream coming true, a lively fire means positive emotions and fulfilled expectations; while calm movement means something lukewarm or uncertain.

Step 5: Wait for visions.

Direct your gaze towards the bottom of the fire. While focusing on your question in your mind, slowly unfocus your eyes. This places you in a trance, inviting the visions to come in.

Your answer could be straightforward, such as a vision of you in a wedding gown, being married to the one you asked about.

Or it could be along metaphorical lines, such as a vision of a huge trophy confirming your academic, athletic or emotional victory.

Step 6: Close the session.

Once you have received your response, thank your higher power, then the element of fire for helping deliver the answer.

Then drown the fire with water.

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The Cheapest and Simplest Form of Divination There Is

ONEIROMANCY 101

What is it?

Practiced by the ancient Japanese, Egyptians and Greeks, oneiromancy means predicting the future through one’s dreams.

How does it work?

While dreaming, our brain draws random images and sounds from memory. But not just from our memory of the past years, but of our past lives.

As mortals, time to us is a straight line. This is how we bring our consciousness down to earth and make sense of our world.

But outside our reality, time is fluid. And so these memories that we draw from have happened… are happening… and are about to happen all at the same time.

Our dreams are a vast field of knowledge. Oneiromancy lets us harvest from it.

How do I perform it?

STEP 1: Prepare yourself.

Take a hot bath to cleanse your vessel and warm it up for your journey. Wear your most comfortable nightgown or sleep attire.

STEP 2: Prepare your space.

Set the temperature in your bedroom to optimal. Dim the lights. Spray your favorite fragrance to sweeten the air.

STEP 3: Invoke the immortals.

Who do you think can answer your question? Deities? Entities? Your higher self? Ask for their help as you lay in bed.

STEP 4: State your question.

“Where does my fortune lie?” “What will my marriage be like?” “Will my parents ever reconcile?” 

STEP 5: Close your eyes.

Play the sound of rain or of ocean waves, if you like. Anything that will help you sleep and calm your mind.

STEP 6: Recall the revelations.

The moment you wake up, write down everything you saw and heard. A vulture turning into a dove. The lyrics to Endless Love.

STEP 7: Interpret the answers.

A vulture represents death, while a dove symbolizes the renewal of life. Yes, your parents will get back again.

STEP 8: Express your gratitude.

Remember to thank whoever powers that be you invoked for shedding light on your doubts and hopes.

The more you do it, the less metaphorical the answers become. Soon enough they will be literal. You will hear entire conversations and observe realistic situations. With oneiromancy, you can treat every night’s sleep like a tarot reading. Rife with the answers you have been seeking.