You’ve probably seen people casting stones and reading the future in movies or on TV. But what is lithomancy, exactly? And how can you do it yourself?
Lithomancy is a type of divination that uses stones to read the future. It’s an ancient practice that has been used for centuries to answer questions and help people make decisions.
In this post, we’ll teach you how to cast stones and read the future using lithomancy.
For other divination methods, check out my articles on tarot. As much as I love tarot, I’ve always felt a greater affinity for Earth than any other elements, and so lithomancy suits my divination style much better.
You should give lithomancy a try if you aren’t having good results with other methods. This is because lithomancy tends to be more open than other divination techniques, allowing you to intuit a wider spread of meanings, increasing the accuracy.
What Is Lithomancy: Preparation
So you’re curious about lithomancy? It’s an ancient form of divination that uses stones to cast and read the future.
The first step is to select your stones.
You’ll need to be able to distinguish them. There are many valid ways to do this. One way is to choose colors and textures that appeal to you and are distinct.
Another way is to choose stones that are all similar in size and shape but mark them with different symbols.
The symbols could be:
- runes
- astrological
- numbers
You’ll probably have a better sense of what you want to do by the end of this article. It’s going to be a personal preference. Once you have your stones, cleanse and consecrate them by passing them through smoke or flame, and then charge them with your personal energy.
Casting the stones also has many methods.
You’ll either arrange them strategically or literally toss them onto a chart (more on this later). Focus on your question or goal. Then, using your intuition, select a stone and pick it up in your dominant hand. Hold the stone between your thumb and first two fingers, and allow the energy to flow through you.
Finally, interpret the reading. Look for patterns among the stones, and pay attention to the colors, shapes, and textures. What do they tell you about your question or goal?
We’ll get into the details in future sections.
The History of Lithomancy
Lithomancy is an ancient form of divination that uses stones to predict the future. The practice can be traced back as far as 3000 BC and is thought to have originated in India or Persia.
Over the centuries, lithomancy has been used by a variety of cultures all over the world, including the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. In fact, the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder was said to have used lithomancy to predict the outcome of battles!
Today, lithomancy is still used by some people as a way to gain insight into their future. If you’re interested in learning how to cast stones and read the future, there are a few things you need to know.
How to Choose and Cast the Stones
You’ll want a lithomancy set that lasts you a long time. The more you use a set of stones, the more familiar you’ll become with reading them.
But don’t worry, it’s common to start with one set and then modify or upgrade as you go until it develops into your own personal set.
I personally like using 13 different crystals. This is because I already have a familiarity with the names and properties of crystals (check out this article for more information).
I know other people who swear by the Norse rune symbols on plain rocks because they already have intimate familiarity with these meanings. Still others pick astrological signs because they’ve been doing astrology for decades.
Think of anything that resonates with you to start with. If you don’t have familiarity with any of these things, then pick something you want to learn more about. It’s fine to use a website or book as a guide as you learn this. It is a lifelong process to get good at lithomancy.
Here’s how to cast the stones:
- Gather your supplies. You’ll need the stones, a bowl of water, a cloth or mat to place your stones on, and possibly a reading chart.
- Cleanse your stones. Wash the casting and reading stones in the bowl of water, then dry them off.
- Cast the stones.
Place the casting stone in your dominant hand. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, clearing your mind of all distractions. Hold the stones up to your heart center and focus on your question or intention.
Ask the universe for guidance, then release the stones by dropping them onto the mat or chart.
How to Interpret the Results
Just like tarot spreads, there are many different ways to interpret the results.
Two Simplest Methods
The two simplest methods are the single stone and triple stone methods.
The single stone method has you pick a stone with your eyes closed. This stone is the answer. Again, it will take a lot of time and practice to let your mind drift just right to get a good interpretation.
The other day I did a reading: will my brother find love?
The single crystal that came up was tiger’s eye. I let the meaning come to me. Tiger’s eye typically means confidence. After the pandemic, he had been lacking a lot of confidence. In order to find love, he was going to need to get his old self-assurance back.
See how you need to understand each aspect of the reading to get there?
Another technique is the triple stone reading.
The first stone you pick up will represent the past, the second present, and the third future.
And then it works like before. You’ll need to interpret the stone’s meaning in the context of the question and which number stone it is.
Advanced Techniques with a Lithomancy Chart
Once you’ve got the hang of the simpler techniques, a much more rewarding reading of the stones is to use a lithomancy chart.
In this method, your placemat will be a chart with meaning. This is sort of like a more complicated tarot spread (think Celtic Cross).
You can do anything you want, but some of the typical ones are wheels divided into twelve sections like a clock. These can be astrological signs or the wheel of the year or different aspects of life: body, spirit, work, intellect, relationships, etc.
Get creative with how you make your chart.
Once you have the chart, you can cast the stones onto the chart, and where they land tell you which is associated with which aspect.
Another method is to make a chart with the exact number of stones you have, and then close your eyes and set a stone in each segment of the chart. Tossing will often get you several on one patch and some that don’t land in any segment.
By distributing them evenly you get a more well-rounded reading. I don’t like this method as much as tossing though, because sometimes the stones need to tell you a lot about your spiritual life at that moment and nothing at all about your relationships.
So you’ve cast your stones and interpreted the results—now what? Well, the next step is to actually do something with the information you’ve gleaned. If you’ve seen a negative reading, this might be the time to make some changes in your life to avoid the pitfalls that were foretold.
If you’ve seen a positive reading, on the other hand, this might be a time to celebrate and plan for the future. No matter what, it’s important to remember that lithomancy is just a tool to help you see the future—nothing is set in stone.
Our own actions can always change the future, so use the insights you’ve gained from your reading as a guide and remember that the final decision is always up to you.
Check out Etsy, Pinterest, or Instagram for chart ideas. It’s best to make your own, but here is one to get started:
Tips for Beginners
Welcome to the wonderful world of lithomancy! This ancient art involves using stones to divine the future and can be a great way to gain insight into your life path. Here are a few tips for beginners:
- Choose your stones carefully. Not all stones are created equal—you’ll want to choose those that resonate with you and your energy.
- Cleanse and charge your stones before use. This will help them to absorb your energy and give more accurate readings.
- Get comfortable. Before you begin, make sure you’re in a relaxed and centered state of mind.
- Visualize your question. When casting stones, it’s important to focus on your question or problem in order for the stones to give you an answer.
- Interpret the reading. After casting the stones, take a few minutes to interpret the reading. What do the different stones represent? What is the message from the reading?
It will take time and effort to develop a relationship with your stones and start to get accurate readings. This isn’t something that will happen overnight.
Let your mind drift in a semi-focused way. This is how I tend to get the connections made.
Conclusion
When it comes to lithomancy, there are no set rules. Everyone may interpret the meanings of stones differently, and sometimes you may even find different meanings in different books.
That’s what makes this practice so magical — it’s always evolving and a little bit personal.
So go ahead and cast some stones! And who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first one to decode the ancient meanings of these enigmatic objects.
If you’re interested in Lithomancy, then you might like other numerological divination methods like Spirit and Angel Numbers.
References
- Germain, J. S., Yronwode, C., & Townsend, G. (2018). Lithomancy: Divination and Spellcraft with Stones, Crystals, and Coins. Lucky Mojo Curio Company.
