Mankind was given eyes to see and ears to hear, and from the very earliest times the sights and sounds in everyday life give us clues on what to expect and even how to explain the unfathomable.
     Historically this was traditionally the domain of the shamans and diviners but today we have many immediate resources from which to choose.
     This book shows us how to receive and understand the messages of signs and omens. Each one of us can do this by whatever mode we wish. The reader will not be dealing with a fluffy type of divination. Instead, there are over 75 techniques described that help to interpret life circumstances and may even lead to a remarkable discovery of self-development in an intuitive or spiritual sense.
     Dr. Bluestone is a historian, teacher and spiritual seeker. He presents a readable, enjoyable book on divination that intrigues, informs and entertains. It is suitable for the individual or for groups, as the exercises show.
     The material is divided into an Introduction and ten chapters, with informative notes at the back of the book. The style is friendly and accessible in that it never gets pompous or overly obscure. It is easy to relate to most of the material even if the reader has never used a particular divination system before.
     With each chapter comes a series of exercises through which the reader as an individual or, in some cases groups, can develop intuitive skills. Most of the exercises require either just your senses and sometimes a pencil and paper. The emphasis is on doing it yourself – with expert help.
     Dr. Bluestone starts by looking at the earliest of omens – the weather and nature. It is interesting to remember how many of our rhymes and ditties have to do with observations of the natural world.
     Next he moves onto scrying. This is gazing into reflective surfaces like mirrors, crystals, plates, glass or water. Scrying can be used as a gateway into either the past or future.
     The next section examines stars, stones and bones. Mankind has always looked to the stars for signs and portents, and this chapter is very much tied to alchemy – as above, so below – brace yourselves, dear readers. The exercises here are fun. The concept of oracles in the elements is also discussed and appropriate exercises presented.
     This leads on to geomancy and the energy lines in our environment. The Taoist use of the I Ching has a large section, and rightly so. This ancient divination system along with the venerable feng shui has been used for thousands of years and is operant metaphysics of the highest order.
     The section on signs seen in birds, animals, fish and insects is very engaging. Most of us believe that animals behave in a certain way depending on environmental factors such as seismic and barometric circumstances. The ancient societies that lived in nature codified animal signs, and Dr. Bluestone shares many of these systems with exercises to enhance our own sensitivity to animals.
     My favourite section is that of the systems of alphabets, glyphs, runes, and symbols in general. Human communication of ideas is condensed and compressed into symbols that have as much power today as in any time in the past. Dr. Bluestone is able to convey this power and enables the reader to partake of this power.
     Here we come to detailed discussion of pendulums and other sorts of dowsing tools. The reader will learn that you can use just about anything as a dowsing tool.
     This parade of methods for deciphering the signs and omens around us is no more or less than a defined means to become more intuitive and sensitive to our world, to other creatures and to ourselves. Some believe or know that we are all intimately connected in our existence. It seems then almost a duty to develop more sensitivity towards the signs in our life.
     Different people will be drawn to different methods. Dr. Bluestone has plenty to go around and ensures all tastes are satisfied.
     I would recommend this book to people who want to develop their intuition and explore some very interesting, ancient divining tools. The exercises are fun, and will entertain as well as educate.