Divination Glossary
50 terms spanning all seven divination systems. Definitions, pronunciations, and context for the language of the oracle.
Non-English terms include approximate English pronunciations in parentheses.
A
Aett
(AYT)A group of eight runes within the Elder Futhark. The 24 runes are divided into three aettir (plural), each governed by a Norse deity: Freyr, Heimdall, and Tyr.
Aicme
(AK-meh)A group of five Ogham letters. The core Ogham alphabet is divided into four aicmi (plural), each named after its first letter. A fifth group, the forfeda, supplements the system.
Ansuz
(AHN-sooz)The fourth rune of the Elder Futhark, associated with Odin, communication, wisdom, and divine inspiration. It represents the breath of life and the power of speech.
Arcana
(ar-KAH-nah)From the Latin 'arcanus' meaning secret or mystery. Tarot cards are divided into Major Arcana (22 cards of universal forces) and Minor Arcana (56 cards of everyday situations).
B
Bindrune
(BIND-roon)A symbol created by combining two or more runes into a single glyph. Bindrunes merge the energies of their component runes and are used as talismans or for focused magical intent.
C
Cartomancy
(kar-TOH-man-see)The practice of divination using cards. Includes tarot, Lenormand, oracle decks, and playing card readings. The term derives from the French 'carte' (card) and Greek 'manteia' (divination).
Casting
The act of drawing, throwing, or generating divinatory symbols. In rune reading, casting may involve drawing from a bag or scattering runes on a cloth. In geomancy, it means generating the four Mother figures.
Changing Lines
Lines within an I Ching hexagram that are in the process of transforming from yin to yang or vice versa. They produce a second hexagram showing how a situation is evolving. Also called moving or mutating lines.
Clarifier
An additional card drawn to provide more detail about a position or card that is unclear. Clarifiers are optional and should be used sparingly to avoid muddying a reading.
Combination Reading
The core technique of Lenormand divination. Cards are never read in isolation — adjacent cards modify each other's meaning. The first card is the noun/subject, and the second card describes or qualifies it.
Contra
(KON-trah)The reversed position of an Ogham feda, analogous to a reversed tarot card or merkstave rune. A contra feda indicates blocked, internalized, or developing energy related to the letter's upright meaning.
Court Cards
The four face cards in each suit of the Minor Arcana: Page, Knight, Queen, and King. In Chaos Tarot, these correspond to Node, Daemon, Proxy, and Root. Court cards often represent people or personality aspects.
Cross-System Reading
A divination technique unique to Chaos Tarot that draws symbols from multiple systems (tarot, runes, hexagrams, ogham, lenormand, geomancy) in a single spread, creating multi-layered interpretive synthesis.
D
Daughter Figures
The second set of four figures in a geomantic shield chart, derived from the four Mother figures by transposing their rows. Daughters represent external influences and environmental factors.
Divination
(div-ih-NAY-shun)The practice of seeking knowledge of the unknown through symbolic or ritualistic means. From the Latin 'divinare,' meaning to foresee or be inspired by a god. Encompasses tarot, runes, I Ching, geomancy, and many other systems.
E
Eamhancholl
(AV-an-koll)The final forfeda letter of the Ogham alphabet, associated with the witch hazel or twin of hazel. It represents the double nature of knowledge and the deepest mysteries of the grove.
F
Feda
(FEH-dah)The individual letters of the Ogham alphabet (singular: fid). Each feda is associated with a tree or plant and carries divinatory meaning connected to that tree's qualities. There are 20 core feda plus 5 forfeda.
Fehu
(FAY-hoo)The first rune of the Elder Futhark, meaning 'cattle' or 'wealth.' It represents material abundance, prosperity, and mobile wealth. It opens Freyr's Aett and is often the first rune a student learns.
Forfeda
(FOR-feh-dah)The five supplementary letters added to the original twenty Ogham characters. They include Ebhadh, Oir, Uillean, Iphin, and Eamhancholl, and represent more esoteric or compound concepts.
Futhark
(FOO-thark)The name for the runic alphabet, derived from the first six runes: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho, and Kenaz. The Elder Futhark (24 runes) is the oldest and most commonly used form for divination.
G
Geomancy
(JEE-oh-man-see)A divination system using 16 binary figures, each composed of four rows of single or double dots. From the Greek 'geo' (earth) and 'manteia' (divination), it was traditionally practiced by marking patterns in sand.
Grand Tableau
(grond tah-BLOH)The signature Lenormand spread using all 36 cards laid in a grid. It provides a comprehensive life overview through proximity, mirroring, knighting, and chaining techniques across every card position.
H
Hexagram
(HEX-uh-gram)A six-line figure in the I Ching, composed of two trigrams (upper and lower). Each line is either solid (yang) or broken (yin). There are 64 possible hexagrams, each representing a distinct state of change.
I
I Ching
(ee-JING)The Book of Changes, the world's oldest divination system originating in China over 3,000 years ago. It uses 64 hexagrams to map the patterns of change in reality, functioning as both a philosophical text and a practical oracle.
J
Judge
The fifteenth figure in a geomantic shield chart, derived from combining the two Witness figures. The Judge represents the final answer or outcome of the question posed to the oracle.
K
Kenaz
(KAY-nahz)The sixth rune of the Elder Futhark, meaning 'torch' or 'beacon.' It represents illumination, knowledge, creativity, and the transformative power of controlled fire. It closes the first half of Freyr's Aett.
King Wen Sequence
The traditional ordering of the 64 hexagrams attributed to King Wen of Zhou (circa 1050 BCE). It arranges hexagrams in complementary pairs and is the standard numbering system used in most I Ching texts.
L
Lenormand
(LEN-or-mahnd)A 36-card divination system named after Marie Anne Lenormand, a famous 19th-century French cartomancer. Unlike tarot, Lenormand cards are always read in combination with their neighbors.
M
Major Arcana
(MAY-jor ar-KAH-nah)The 22 trump cards of a tarot deck, numbered 0 through 21. They represent universal forces, archetypal energies, and major life themes — from The Fool's journey to The World's completion.
Merkstave
(MERK-stah-veh)A rune that appears reversed or face-down in a reading. The runic equivalent of a reversed tarot card. It indicates blocked, internalized, or delayed energy. Not all practitioners use merkstave interpretations.
Minor Arcana
(MY-nor ar-KAH-nah)The 56 suited cards of a tarot deck, divided into four suits of 14 cards each (Ace through 10, plus four Court Cards). They address everyday situations across domains of intellect, emotion, ambition, and material life.
Mother Figures
The four initial figures in a geomantic shield chart, generated randomly. All other figures in the chart — Daughters, Nieces, Witnesses, Judge, and Reconciler — are mathematically derived from the Mothers.
O
Ogham
(OH-am)An early medieval alphabet of 25 characters used to write Primitive Irish. Each letter corresponds to a tree or plant. In divination, the feda (letters) are drawn or cast for guidance rooted in Celtic Druidic tradition.
Oracle
(OR-ah-kul)A source of wisdom or prophetic guidance; also the act of consulting such a source. In Chaos Tarot, the term refers both to the AI interpretation engine and to the general practice of seeking divinatory insight.
Q
Querent
(KWEER-ent)The person asking the question in a divination reading. From the Latin 'quaerens,' meaning 'one who seeks.' In a self-reading, the querent and the reader are the same person.
R
Reading
A complete divination session in which symbols are drawn, cast, or generated and then interpreted in response to a question or intention. The term applies across all divination systems.
Reconciler
The sixteenth and final figure in a geomantic shield chart, derived by combining the Judge with the first Mother. It provides additional insight into the outcome and suggests how the querent can best navigate the situation.
Reversed
A card that appears upside-down in a reading. Reversed cards indicate blocked, internalized, or developing energy. They are not inherently negative — they suggest the card's energy is present but not flowing freely.
Rune
(ROON)A letter from the runic alphabets historically used by Germanic peoples. The word 'rune' derives from a proto-Germanic root meaning 'secret' or 'whisper.' Each rune carries both a phonetic value and a divinatory meaning.
S
Shield Chart
The full layout of a geomantic reading, containing 16 figures arranged in a structured hierarchy: 4 Mothers, 4 Daughters, 4 Nieces, 2 Witnesses, 1 Judge, and 1 Reconciler. Each position has a specific divinatory role.
Significator
(sig-NIF-ih-kay-tor)A card chosen or drawn to represent the querent or the subject of the reading. In Lenormand, specific cards serve as default significators (e.g., Man, Woman). In tarot, any card may be selected for this role.
Spread
A predetermined layout of card or rune positions, each with an assigned meaning (e.g., past/present/future). Spreads range from single-card draws to complex multi-position layouts like the Celtic Cross or Grand Tableau.
Suit
A division of cards within a deck. Chaos Tarot has four suits — Codes, Networks, Signals, and Vectors — corresponding to traditional Swords, Cups, Wands, and Pentacles. Lenormand cards are grouped by playing card suit.
T
Thurisaz
(THOOR-ee-sahz)The third rune of the Elder Futhark, meaning 'giant' or 'thorn.' Associated with Thor and raw defensive power. It represents boundary-setting, directed force, and the catalyst for reactive change.
Trigram
(TRY-gram)A three-line figure that is the building block of hexagrams. There are eight trigrams — Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Water, Mountain, Wind, Fire, and Lake — each representing a fundamental force of nature.
U
Upright
A card or rune that appears in its standard orientation during a reading. The upright position represents the symbol's primary, unobstructed meaning and energy.
Uruz
(OO-rooz)The second rune of the Elder Futhark, meaning 'aurochs' (wild ox). It represents untamed strength, vitality, primal health, and the raw potential that precedes form.
W
Witness Figures
The thirteenth and fourteenth figures in a geomantic shield chart, derived by combining pairs of Niece figures. The Right Witness represents the querent's side; the Left Witness represents the matter or other party involved.
Y
Yang
(YAHNG)The active, solid, or creative principle in I Ching philosophy, represented by a solid line (___). Yang energy is associated with light, movement, assertiveness, and the outward expression of force.
Yin
(YIN)The receptive, broken, or responsive principle in I Ching philosophy, represented by a broken line (_ _). Yin energy is associated with darkness, stillness, receptivity, and the inward gathering of potential.
Ready to Put These Terms Into Practice?
Try a free reading with any of our 7 divination systems and see these concepts come alive in a real spread.
Explore the Systems
Ready to go deeper? Explore our comprehensive guides for each divination system, complete with individual symbol meanings and interpretive techniques.