#psephoi

THE TILES:

psephoi tiles can be a number of things: pieces of ceramic, wood, or pieces of paper. you can put them in a cup or bag or whatever and draw blindly, or you can swirl them around in the vessel until one/some fall out.

if you don't feel like making your own or want something quick and easy, check out these tiles fritz drew up!

you could cut them out and just use them as is, or paste them onto pieces of wood/stone/whatever you like!

(btw fritz says y'all can feel free to screenshot and print these out to use)

whether or not you make your own tiles, below is a list of the interpretations for your divinatory usage!

INTERPRETATIONS:

Alpha: “The God [Apollo] says you will do everything successfully.” Your entire project will turn out well and you will meet all your goals. You will have good luck in all your activities, or prosperous business transactions and negotiations.

Beta: “With the help of Tychê, you will have an assistant, the Pythian [Apollo].” You are at a critical point, but if you are fortunate, Apollo the Far-shooter will help you if you call on Him. Even with luck, the God will only assist; ultimate responsibility is yours. “Pythian” refers to Apollo as the God at Delphi (which was in Pytho), one of the most important oracular sites. Therefore the help to be expected might be of a prophetic nature.

Gamma: “Gaia will give you the ripe fruit of your labors.” You will have a successful harvest, or you will reap all your profits from the Earth. The Mother of All will bring your labors to a fruitful conclusion. Gaia will give you your just deserts.

Delta: “In customs inopportune strength is weak.” Ill-timed force will be ineffective; act with precision; timing is everything. Knowing where and when to strike is more important than strength; misapplied ability is disability. Blind conformity to customs is spineless; overly strict adherence to rules is self-defeating. Unreasonable or undue force will defeat itself; a tyrant must fall.

Epsilon: “You desire to see the offspring of righteous marriages.” This is a statement of fact, not a command or prediction. The obvious meaning is that the querant wants children or grandchildren from suitable marriages. However, it can also mean he or she is in love with seeing this, that is, obsessed by the idea. The “rightness” of the marriage admits many interpretations; it could be a terrible marriage if that was fitting and righteous (i.e. deserved). The oracle may also refer to seeds, other than children, sown by the marriage (e.g. family alliances, marrying into wealth or influence). Finally, marriage may be taken metaphorically to refer to any alliance or union.

Zeta: “Flee the very great storm, lest you be disabled in some way.” Don’t make a sea-voyage in bad weather. It is futile to fight the force of the ocean; likewise, bucking the inevitable will weaken you and hinder your progress. Avoid raging storms of any kind; save your energy for when it can be effective. Sometimes flight is wiser than fight.

Eta: “Bright Helios, who watches everything, watches you.” The life-giving Sun will care for you. Helios is an enforcer of oaths and promises, and He knows the deceit in your heart.

Theta: “You have the helping Gods of this path.” The “way” may be a concrete road, a plan of action, a spiritual path, a way of life, etc. In any case, the Gods who oversee this way will help and defend you, so you may go forward with confidence; you are under divine care because you are following your destiny.

Iota: “There is sweat; it excels more than everything.” There will always be hard work; work is never done. Hard work is the surest means of success. When you have lost all other possessions, you still have your labor as an asset. The oracle recommends elbow-grease.

Kappa: “To fight with the waves is difficult; endure, friend.” In time, the force of ocean waves can grind down anything; they can be a metaphor for repetitive, unstoppable processes. It is difficult, dangerous, and painful to try to resist them; the sensible thing to do is to wait until they abate, or if that is impossible, then to endure the inevitable with courage.

Lambda: “The one passing on the left bodes well for everything.” Since the left is traditionally the sinister side, the oracle may mean that an apparently sinister thing or event may be a blessing in disguise. The left is also associated with the unconscious, lunar mind, and so unconscious processes or intuition may signal a favorable outcome. A promising sign comes from an unpromising quarter.

Mu: “It is necessary to labor, but the change will be admirable.” Through toil and distress a change will be made for the better. Hard work will result in a good return.

Nu: “The strife-bearing gift fulfils the oracle.” Something will be given (to you, by you, or from one to another) that brings strife with it; this will discharge the force of the oracle. The import seems to be that this gift will be the answer to the question asked of the oracle. So, for example, if the querant asked when something will happen, the gift is the sign that it’s immanent.

Xi: “There is no fruit to take from a withered shoot.” There is no good to be gained from an angry young man or woman. The frayed end of a good line. Harshness and stinginess will achieve nothing. You can’t get blood from a turnip; you can’t get water from a stone. Don’t polish a turd.

Omicron: “There are no crops to be reaped that were not sown.” What we spread about, comes back to us. What goes around comes around. You must plan ahead in order to achieve anything.

Pi: “Completing many contests, you will seize the crown.” If you persist in your struggles, after many trials you will succeed. Perseverance through adversity.

Rho: “You will go on more easily if you wait a short time.” If you will hold your ground for only a short time, you will be able to proceed (more easily or with greater cooperation). You will go faster by waiting than by going now; on the other hand, delaying too long may provoke reckless action. By standing fast you live recklessly. By remaining where you are, you live life thoughtlessly.

Sigma: “Phoibos [Apollo] speaks plainly, ‘Stay, friend.’” Neither advance nor retreat; wait or hold your ground, as appropriate; the best action is inaction. “Phoibos” refers to Apollo as Bright and Pure, which also characterizes His advice in this oracle.

Tau: “You will have a parting from the companions now around you.” This may be an unwelcome parting from friends or a welcome release from enemies; in either case they are now around you. This may also mean a growing apart or forced separation of a person from his or her family, peers or fellow travelers on the path.

Upsilon: “The affair holds a noble undertaking.” There is some issue to be resolved, or some deed is under consideration; it involves high-mindedness, either in commitment, deed, or professional pursuit. The oracle may tell us that the affair is admirable due to this noble element, or that the situation may guide us to seek the appropriate noble undertaking or profession. The hero’s quest. On the other hand, the oracle may mean that the situation hinders this fine undertaking. Thus you should try to understand the situation: does it demand an excellent undertaking or impede it.

Phi: “Having done something carelessly, you will thereafter blame the Gods.” Take responsibility for your actions (or inactions); don't blame the Gods (or the universe, or fate, or society, or nature) for your own failings. The ancient Greeks said, “Hermes will help you get your wagon unstuck, but only if you push on it.”

Khi: “Succeeding, friend, you will fulfill a golden oracle.” “Golden” may be a metaphor for rich, noble, excellent, etc. This admirable oracle will be fulfilled by you attaining your ends, or a mere chance meeting could constitute the golden event.

Psi: “You have this righteous judgment {Psêphos} from the Gods.” Literally, a psêphos is a stone used for divination, voting, counting, and similar purposes, so this oracle refers to collective judgment rather than individual judgment. This implies that the majority of the Gods concur in this judgment, and that this judgment is appropriate, fair, and righteous, though there is no implication that the result is that desired by the querant.

Omega: “You will have a difficult harvest season, not a useful one.” Concretely, there will be a poor harvest, or autumn will be difficult; the harvest will be too early, before the fruit is ripe. More abstractly, too early grasping of the fruits of your labor (whether voluntary or necessary) will yield a poor return; the rewards will not be suitable for their purpose. Your youth will be rough; you will have to grow up before your time.

SOURCES:

patheos.com

FIRST GROUP:

-Nine of Wands

-Three of Wands

-Five of Cups Reversed

This group is telling us that we have hard work ahead of us, difficulties that we have to overcome. As there is multiple cards from the suit of Wands, this may be difficulties over things like your spirituality or craft, travel, work and business (but not so much your success there, more just struggles at the workplace), it may even represent artists' or writers' block.

However, the nine of wands tells us that we must persist, that we have the upper hand and we need to make clever use it. Three of wands tell us we must strategize and make a plan, which also lines up with seven of swords later. Five of cups reversed tells us that it's time to move on, accept your situation, accept the bad things, and trudge through them. You will get through this.

SECOND GROUP:

-Seven of Swords

The reason why I put seven of swords on its own is because of its relativly negative interpretation. It stands out. Seven of swords is all about deception, strategy, hiding something from others. Perhaps you have to keep your practice a secret from your family, perhaps you got a bad grade and hid it, perhaps you cheated or lied or took a risk that fell through. With the context of the other cards, the message is: You did what you had to do, you will do what you have to do. It's okay, you will be forgiven, or have been already. Perhaps you have to work for this forgiveness, and you need to be able to accept that (five of cups reversed).

THIRD GROUP:

-The World Reversed

-The Lovers Reversed

These two cards being reversed tells us that we are still working towards them, that we are still in a transitional period. Autumn is often a time of reaping your rewards, but a harvest is hard work. A change is on the horizon, a positive one. There is love in your future, platonic, familial, or romantic. Someone you're meant to reconnect with or connect with. However, this didn't come for free, you will work hard, you will make difficult decisions, and you're on the verge of greatness. It's likely that this change will not come this season, but sometime after. Likely within the year though!

The world tells us of a completion, a wholeness, perhaps you feel lonely, or you're about to graduate, or you're about to move (remember the wands from earlier talk about travel!). This change is good for you! You need it! You're learning and growing and your gods are with you. The lovers tells us that a specific person might be the key to this feeling of "wholeness." How long has it been since you called your mother? Are you joining any groups or clubs this semester? Are you planning on opening a business with someone? If it's safe enough to, maybe it's time to come out to your family/friends. Maybe you need to work closely with your professor to improve your grades.

No matter what, this journey will not be easy. You will expel plenty blood, sweat, and tears this season, but in the end it will all be worth it.