Lesson Two: Heptomology and Ovomancy
In today's lesson, we will be studying Heptomology and Ovomancy. As expected in Advanced Divination, these really aren't the typical types of methods of divination that we studied during the introduction course. However, they can be some of the most fascinating types of divination, and I cannot wait for you to explore them today.
What is Heptomology?
Heptomology is a completely different method of divination, and one I find myself quite interested in. Heptomology is the method of using the number seven to unlock mysteries. Due to the focus of a number, this type of divination is connected to arithmancy. The number seven itself has many special mathematical properties. It's a prime number (and is included in many special types of prime numbers). If you're a math person, you can easily find the complete list of mathematical properties for the number seven. It's quite a long list.
The number seven has been a wondrous number for humans for centuries: some of our most important texts, including religious texts, have used the number seven in a symbolic sense. Many religions seem to take many of their occurrences in seven. Christianity has many appearances of the number seven: there are seven days of creation, the seven branches in a menorah, the seven days of the feast of the Passover,seven loaves of bread that Jesus multiplied, and the seven brothers of King David, to name just a few. In Hiduism, Indian music has seven octats in their music, celestial group of seven stars, and seven worlds in the universe. In Islam, there are seven layers of the earth, seven number of skies, seven levels of heaven, seven levels of hell, and number of big sins. In Judaism, seven blessings are recited during a wedding ceremony, several shepherds visiting the sukkah during a holiday, and seven attributes of the Creator. In astrology, there are seven sisters. Again, these are only just a few of the examples of the number seven in religion; there are many, many more examples!
The number seven is even found in science. Seven is the number of planets visible to the naked eye. Seven is the number of virus. The number seven marks neutrality on the PH scale. There are even seven colors in the rainbow!
The number seven has been a wondrous number for humans for centuries: some of our most important texts, including religious texts, have used the number seven in a symbolic sense. Many religions seem to take many of their occurrences in seven. Christianity has many appearances of the number seven: there are seven days of creation, the seven branches in a menorah, the seven days of the feast of the Passover,seven loaves of bread that Jesus multiplied, and the seven brothers of King David, to name just a few. In Hiduism, Indian music has seven octats in their music, celestial group of seven stars, and seven worlds in the universe. In Islam, there are seven layers of the earth, seven number of skies, seven levels of heaven, seven levels of hell, and number of big sins. In Judaism, seven blessings are recited during a wedding ceremony, several shepherds visiting the sukkah during a holiday, and seven attributes of the Creator. In astrology, there are seven sisters. Again, these are only just a few of the examples of the number seven in religion; there are many, many more examples!
The number seven is even found in science. Seven is the number of planets visible to the naked eye. Seven is the number of virus. The number seven marks neutrality on the PH scale. There are even seven colors in the rainbow!
Heptomology in the Wizarding World
It seems that the number seven in the wizarding world is quite popular. The sheer presence of the number seven during Harry's time is incredibly significant. There are seven years at Hogwarts, seven horcruxes made by Voldemort, the age when magic presents itself in a child, and Harry and Neville were born in the seventh month of the year. And this is only just a few of the examples of seven during Harry's time! In fact, there are so many examples of seven in the Harry Potter series that I could take up this entire lesson naming them all. Indeed, seven is the most powerful magical number.
An arithmancer named Bridget Wenlock was the first to establish the magical properties of the number seven. The only mention of heptomology being studied, however, at Hogwarts during Harry's time is when Dolores Umbridge, acting as High Inquisitor, evaluated Professor Trelawney. Umbridge interrogated her with questions about heptomology. No other mention of the method is mentioned.
An arithmancer named Bridget Wenlock was the first to establish the magical properties of the number seven. The only mention of heptomology being studied, however, at Hogwarts during Harry's time is when Dolores Umbridge, acting as High Inquisitor, evaluated Professor Trelawney. Umbridge interrogated her with questions about heptomology. No other mention of the method is mentioned.
How to Practice Heptomology
It is clear that the number seven definitely has a powerful quality. If something involves the number seven, one can definitely assume that it is of great importance! The number seven itself symbolizes completeness and totality, as well as safety, rest, and perfection.
The fact is that the number seven surrounds us in so many ways. The best way we can practice heptomology is by combining it with numerology. When one finds the number seven in some form of their life, it can mean the following things:
Heptomology blows my mind. I truly find it a fascinating subject. I hope that after this lesson, you will take some time to discover all the ways the number seven is your life, and what this means about your present and future!
The fact is that the number seven surrounds us in so many ways. The best way we can practice heptomology is by combining it with numerology. When one finds the number seven in some form of their life, it can mean the following things:
- spiritual meaning
- intuition
- completion
- understanding and knowledge
- ahead of the times
Heptomology blows my mind. I truly find it a fascinating subject. I hope that after this lesson, you will take some time to discover all the ways the number seven is your life, and what this means about your present and future!
What is Ovomancy?
Ovomancy is also interesting, however maybe not as interesting as heptomology. Ovomancy is a method of divination involving the cracking of raw eggs and then observing the yolk. However, it seems like ovomancy is typically used to fortell major life events and is usually practiced during special and important occasions.
Ovomancy began in ancient Greece and Rome. Here, future events were told by interpreting egg yolks. In the ancient times, ovomancy was actually used mostly to get information about a pregnant mother's unborn child. The hen's egg would be rubbed on the pregnant mother's belly for several minutes before being cracked open. How many yolks the egg had signified how many children that mother was going to have. Likewise, if there was any bit of blood present in the yolk, this signified that major complications would be linked to the pregnancy.
Ovomancy was also practiced in Scotland during Samhain, their Druid New Year, in Spain on Saint John's Eve, and in England on December 31st.
The famous girls involved in the Salem Witch Trials, Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, were known to use ovomancy by reading omens.
Ovomancy began in ancient Greece and Rome. Here, future events were told by interpreting egg yolks. In the ancient times, ovomancy was actually used mostly to get information about a pregnant mother's unborn child. The hen's egg would be rubbed on the pregnant mother's belly for several minutes before being cracked open. How many yolks the egg had signified how many children that mother was going to have. Likewise, if there was any bit of blood present in the yolk, this signified that major complications would be linked to the pregnancy.
Ovomancy was also practiced in Scotland during Samhain, their Druid New Year, in Spain on Saint John's Eve, and in England on December 31st.
The famous girls involved in the Salem Witch Trials, Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, were known to use ovomancy by reading omens.
Ovomancy in the Wizarding World
Ovomancy is studied sometime during the duration of Divination class. It is not known exactly when it is taught. However, it was a much more popular type of divination for Ravenclaw. It has been said that Ovomancy is a normal occurrence inside the House of Ravenclaw. I think that qualifies it as the official divination method of Ravenclaw!
How Do I Study Ovomancy?
The traditional system is pretty simple. The first thing you need to do is separate the yolk from the white of the egg after cracking the raw egg open. Next, you pour the white egg into hot water and interpret the shape it forms as it begins to cook. Look at that; divination that you can eat afterward! Goes right along with tessomancy, doesn't it?
From there, certain symbols were considered to mean certain things. The traditional symbols are:
If you decide to practice ovomancy with raw eggs only, make sure you crack the egg over cool water. Without the egg floating in the water, you will not get a true reading.
Overall, who knew that something so easily accessible as eggs could help foresee important events in human lives? If you happen to know someone who is pregnant and try the ovomancy trick, please let me know if it comes true!
Next month, we move on to more fascinating methods of divination: Cartomancy and Chinese fortune sticks!
From there, certain symbols were considered to mean certain things. The traditional symbols are:
- weddings are predicted by the shape of a bell
- an unknown enemy or impending danger is predicted by the shape of a snake
- travel is predicted by shapes resembling modes of transportation such as planes, trains, cars, or boat
If you decide to practice ovomancy with raw eggs only, make sure you crack the egg over cool water. Without the egg floating in the water, you will not get a true reading.
Overall, who knew that something so easily accessible as eggs could help foresee important events in human lives? If you happen to know someone who is pregnant and try the ovomancy trick, please let me know if it comes true!
Next month, we move on to more fascinating methods of divination: Cartomancy and Chinese fortune sticks!