Reading Oracles
Lon Milo Duquette, a well-known occultist to some, decided to produce a video for YouTube where he interpreted his cards that he pulled, along with the I-Ching on the eve of the election for a Harris & Walz win. If you look at his comments section, his commenters actually interpreted his cards better than he did.
Being one who engages daily in oracular work, that is something I won’t ever do. I wouldn’t do it for the outcome of a trial, an election, a sporting event, nothing. Why? Because, my personal stance is that oracles, no matter their origin or design, are made so that the individual can take control of their own life. It’s meant as a personal empowerment tool.
So why even comment? The answer is simple and it’s a hard fact. Oracular work always puts the reader in the path of getting egg on their face. Each and every reading is different, even if it’s for the same person. It depends largely on the question asked and the circumstances surrounding the person asking the question. The thing I’ve noticed is that oracles and the guides around them, tends to have a message that needs to go out. If the reader has properly handled their cards, runes, then the interpretations are more clear as time goes on. The meditation that should be done to prepare, your own personal shuffle or mix right down to how the spread is conducted is something that is truly made your own but it’s also consistent. Ask anyone whom has read tarot past or present, each of them will have developed their ritual from start to finish. The one thing out of the entire exchange from medium to querant should have the message given clearly and without bias. It has no relevance at all what my political view is, that message can’t bear that. It is disruptive, dishonest and invasive to the querant. The cards, runes or whatever other divinatory tool I use serves as a gateway, a sort of radio tuning device of sorts, to the proper guides on the other side of the veil.
This mentality, though, admittedly has one bias, I do readings for individuals and myself. When done for the group such as the Tarot Card of The Day or Rune of The Week Posts on Twitter each day that I don’t get sidetracked, I ask what message needs to be delivered en masse. I draw one card and there it is. I’m well-versed in the upright and inverse meanings and able to use my intuitive abilities to take the message and deliver it in terms anyone can understand so that it resonates with the individual who reads it.
A couple of days before the election, I drew our Rune of The Week. It was Thurisaz. When this rune shows up, it’s motivational. It represents struggle and something painful to go through at times…then it also represents a successful challenge of a corrupt status quo. The cards were delivering hard-hitting messages, not about the election but to motivate, inspire and empower the individual.
Now we truly come to the core of Duquette did and why I chimed in on this issue. It wasn’t that he erroneously predicted a Harris win, not at all. That certainly makes Duquette come across with egg on his face and I think that’s fine, live and learn. My issue with hearing about readings like this is it’s final outcome quite honestly, makes an attempt at the removal of your audience’s agency in the matter. That is my primary problem at the center of it all. I know there are those out there that believe otherwise, having received an education based in pop culture rather than culture but I need to make it clear, Oracles Do Not Predict Your Future. It will give you possible outcomes, warning signs, red flags but the choice is always yours as to whether or not you’ll go for a continued positive outcome or collapse under the pressure. You’re given the information and then, make up your own smeggin’ mind what to do with it.
If I told you that you’d break your right ankle on Friday night, the 23rd at approximately 5:32 pm while walking. You’d stay seated that Friday night. The outcome being clear, why risk it? You’re going to change that outcome, right?
No, I’ve removed your agency. Depending on your level of belief in the example (let’s face it, a greater majority of you out there would call cap on that insanely quickly) I’ve now instituted some means of control, possibly even, at worst, emotional manipulation. It’s unethical and let’s face it, you have pagan Trump Voters and Supporters, it’s predatory on the lack of education on the part of your querant, whether it’s one person or many.
The Myth: Divinatory Tools Predict Future You Can Do Nothing About
Fact: I apologize if this is the letdown, I truly do. Tarot, Oracle Cards, Runes, so on, so forth ad infinitum, gives you insight on your current situation and guides you. It lets you know there’s a cliff ahead, but it also tells you to take your foot off the gas, apply the brake and cut the wheel. The beautiful thing about that fact is this, you get to choose the direction to cut the wheel. You know the car you’re driving. You know how it handles and you know it’s capabilities. You can judge that distance but the cutting is just to be safe. The future…you determine that.
At no time should an ethical practitioner ever remove someone’s agency in the matter. Wielding a bag of runes or a tarot deck as some mystical gateway to secret knowledge (it kind of is but that’s beside the point here) that only you have access to and then arbitrarily laying your own biases into it is immoral, unethical, dishonest and unconscionable.
To those out there seeking readings, feel free to ask your potential mediums anything you need to ask. Sometimes, getting a little peace of mind is only a conversation or two away.
In closing, don’t take my rather clinical take on this the wrong way, I still find the Tarot and other oracular devices to be absolutely mystical, mystifying and damn magical at times but you should walk away from a reading with a much clearer mind, firm resolve and your head up knowing you’ve got this.
Post-Script: I see that Duquette is now stating publicly that he’s befuddled at how his prediction was wrong.
Rest assured, Lon, it’s only a mystery to you, sir.