Predicting the Future with Stichomancy? Please Try It And Report Back.

Very interesting thread. I just want to add a couple of things. The first is a quote by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, author of Shadow of the Wind (a masterpiece if you've never read it).

In that book he says "Books are a mirror. You only see in them what you already carry inside yourself." I totally agree.

Also, a story. Saint Augustine, before he was Saint Augustine, was a very devout sinner. One day while he was thinking about his life and pondering its possibilities given his so many grevious trespasses, he heard voices saying to him, "Pick it up and read". The voices belonged to the children playing outside and came in through the window. Thinking this was a strange thing for children to be saying to one another, he picked up the Christian verses that were in front of him and read the first passage he came to, which was about forgiveness of sin. Thence, he devoted himself to god.

I'll try it and get back with the results.

Hey, this is fun.

I tried BIBLIOMANCY, i.e., using the Bible.

My question: Will there be an economic crash in 2008?

Answer:

JER 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

JER 30:11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

JER 30:12 For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

Just what I thought...

I believe this works because of an underlying spiritual law:

Knowledge comes to you when you need it.

With this in mind, it fitting to be open to new sources for your answers.

This is why the idea constraining the technique to a particular book is abhorent to my philosophy.

You should be open to new sources of information and insights. But be skeptical, and consider the source of you guidance. Do not accept financial guidance from The Joy Of Cooking without consulting an investment professional first.

QUESTION: What is the meaning of Above Top Secret Website?

ANSWER: (From Georgics by Virgil)

And Iapydian Timavus' fields, Ay, still behold the shepherds' realms a waste, And far and wide the lawns untenanted. Here from distempered heavens erewhile arose A piteous season, with the full fierce heat Of autumn glowed, and cattle-kindreds all And all wild creatures to destruction gave, Tainted the pools, the fodder charged with bane. Nor simple was the way of death, but when Hot thirst through every vein impelled had drawn Their wretched limbs together, anon o'erflowed

My interpretation: The shepherd's realm is (of course) Above Top Secret. The piteous season is our current time and modern era of humanity, signified by cattle, and wild creatures, dying of thirst. Tainted pools -- obviously misinformation fed to us by mainstream media and others, but perhaps also from ATS itself.

So -- my interpretation is that the meaning of ATS is that it is in response to our sick and tumultuous times. It is the reality of our human situation. The mystical and sometimes perverse content (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) is trying to slacken an endless thirst. To no avail! That thirst is unquenchable. Not a very pretty picture.

Might have been anything really, but there it is!

reply to post by Buck Division


That is powerfully disturbing! Was that really a randomly selected verse?

It seems more than an appropriate response, it is a poetically appropriate, epicly appropriate response.


I think this practice opens you to something, maybe it is awareness and better integration into the world around you. Maybe something else.

Any feedback on that from someone who has done this for a while is welcome. It gives me the willies how accurate it can be. I avoid things that have that effect on me. It's reflexive, I trust my reflexes.



[edit on 21-7-2008 by Cyberbian]

reply to post by Cyberbian

I swear -- totally random. I just went to the URL I listed in the OP, and used the defaults. I used my ATS name, entered the question, and clicked submit.

#

One more reading:

This question is inspired by the title of the hottest topic at this hour on ATS, posted on the home page, and found here:

QUESTION: What the hell is going on in Dubai?

See: www.abovetopsecret.com...

THE ANSWER: (From the Scarecrow of Oz, by L. Frank Baum.)

He knows, and she is his superior in all sorts of sorcery Everyone loves Glinda, from the dainty and exquisite Ruler, Ozma, down to the humblest inhabitant of Oz, for she is always kindly and helpful and willing to listen to their troubles, however busy she may be. No one knows her age, but all can see how beautiful and stately she is. Her hair is like red gold and finer than the finest silken strands. Her eyes are blue as the sky and always frank and smiling. Her cheeks are the envy of peach-blows and her mouth is enticing as a rosebud. Glinda is tall and wears splendid gowns that trail behind her.

I haven't really looked at the thread that inspired this question, so I have no idea whether what I say is in any context of the thread. But here goes.

Glinda is Dubai. Could it be interpreted any other way?

Oz is the middle east – really all the wealth in the world, focused on the Middle East. Dubai is beautiful, stately, filled with gold, smiling. She is the "good" witch.

What about the splendid gowns that trail behind her? Glinda moves quickly. It seems to be that Dubai is marching forward at a pace that outflanks the finery of her appearance. It portends something in Dubai's future, not necessarily bad.

I think helps to know the story of the Wizard of Oz here – Glinda is good – but she is after all a WITCH capable of unleashing great harm (as we know is possible, from her sisters.) She chooses not to do that. She tries to be good! At least for now.

So it seems, is the nature of Dubai, at least as indicated from the above reading.

Edit: Just want to add, Glinda is obviously incredibly patronizing to everyone. SO BELOVED, willing to listen -- but what good is she using her sorcery for? She's obviously modest to the point of conceit! At least that is the general tone I get.


[edit on 21-7-2008 by Buck Division]

QUESTION: Who will win the 2008 Presidential election?

ANSWER: (From Lemorne Versus Huell by Elizabeth Drew Stoddard)

You have courage, fidelity, and patience--this character with a passionate soul. I am sure that you have such a soul?"

"I do not know."

"I have fallen in love with you. It happened on the very day when I passed you on the way to the Glen. I never got away from the remembrance of seeing your hand on the mane of my horse."

He waited for me to speak, but I could not; the balance of my mind was gone. Why should this have happened to me--a slave? As it had happened, why did I not feel exultant in the sense of power which the chance for freedom with him should give?

My interpretation: Whoever is speaking, at the start of this paragraph, will be the USA President. He loves us -- we are but slaves.

The speaker appears highly insincere to me. A flatterer. And we are totally taken with his words, and the idea that he will liberate us. But what does he really know about us? All it took, to win his heart, was to put our hand on his horse's mane! So we don't really feel exultant about that.

Is he speaking to all of us? Or just the slaves among us?

So it is obviously Obama. Or maybe not. Who is speaking the part, and who is he speaking it to?

I had the exact same interpretation. We fall madly inlove, and become enslaved. Not only an answer, but a prediction.

Did I mention I played a hand of blackjack with the dealer of chance for my life and drew a 21. I got to breath again.

Mucking around with chance is a very dangerous hobby. Ask it about that!

Originally posted by Cyberbian
Mucking around with chance is a very dangerous hobby. Ask it about that!

This is a great post, Cyberbian. I will definitely try your question later tonight when I have more time. How dangerous is Stichomancy? Maybe it will go into some endless, recursive loop on that one.

My basic assumption is: I think it can be very dangerous. Definitely. Your statement stands on its own considerable merit.

Edit: to trim quoted text.

[edit on 23-7-2008 by Buck Division]

reply to post by Cyberbian

As per your post, Cyberbian...

QUESTION: How dangerous is the practice of Stichomancy?

ANSWER: (From Don Quixote by Miquel de Cervantes)

"One who is now enjoying himself in this inn is to reap the fruit of our labours. There is no need for me to be in a hurry to saddle Rocinante, put the pad on the ass, or get ready the palfrey; for it will be better for us to stay quiet, and let every jade mind her spinning, and let us go to dinner."

Good God, what was the indignation of Don Quixote when he heard the audacious words of his squire! So great was it, that in a voice inarticulate with rage, with a stammering tongue, and eyes that flashed living fire, he exclaimed, "Rascally clown, boorish, insolent, and ignorant, ill-spoken, foul-mouthed, impudent backbiter and slanderer! Hast thou dared to utter such words in my presence?

There you go. Quite confusing. It seems to me a bit like trying to analyze your own dreams -- I have heard that this practice just makes your dreams more and more confusing, and hard to decipher.

My interpretation is as follows: The person in the first paragraph, persuading not to take action, is Stichomancy. (That is, the squire is advising Don Quixote to "cool it"; the squire represents the www.facade.com website.) Stichomancy is not in a hurry to make things happen.

The person using Stichomancy may be like Don Quixote, tilting at windmills and all. He gets upset easily, even indignant at the advice to "cool it". Don Quixote makes a fool of himself, even though he has very honorable intentions. He misinterprets his squire, and actually does the exact opposite of what is suggested. Instead of cooling off, Don Quixote heats up.

#

I don't see any particular danger, other than a subtle warning not to go tilting at windmills, and become too involved (as was the case with Don Quixote, if you know that story.)

The overall tone I perceive: Stichomancy is NOT very dangerous, unless you react like Don Quixote, and start taking its direction too seriously, start acting weirdly based upon your interpretation of things. Most people are not that bizzare, so it is probably safe. A few far-out types might be driven over the edge by Stichomancy.

Quite amazing and accurate.

reply to post by Buck Division


I remember 1991 when my wife-to-be left me, taking my beloved daughter Dawn with her. I felt pretty bad, and I went to Bhodi Tree Bookstore in Los Angeles. I ttok a random book, one I felt comfortable picking with my eyes closed, made my question and opened a random page. I opened my eyes and I sterted reading. The book said that a return was not advised nor that year, nor in 10 years nor in 15.

I was sad. We were close to kissing one night, and I felt I shouldn´t. We didn´t come back that year. 10 years later, she came to look for me, all the way to Mexico. We didn´t come back, though she wanted to have sex with me. And 15 years later, neither.

I would never go back with her, now. My mind is made, and I do not love her, anymore. That book was correct. I call that bibliomancy.

My interpretation was that the response is "You are enjoying the benefits of the wonderful stychomancy, and how dare you ask that question, you buffoon?

Then it continues to rails at you with admonishments. With an attitude of stychomancy being the master, not the servant.

I do not think this is a healthy relationship. Your new master is displeased that you question it's good nature. Rather than educating you with an informative answer, it chastises you. It dosen't want to deal with this question, so it attacks.

I actually find this extremely obvious, although the syntax is a little archaic. Both parts are the commentary of stychmancy. If you do not try to fit yourself into either role of the dialog the interpretation is clear.


Have another go and see if you agree with my interpretation.

[edit on 24-7-2008 by Cyberbian]

reply to post by Cyberbian

Wow! You are absolutely right Cyberbian. Your interpretation is 100% valid, and probably better than mine.

It is like there are two different simultaneous viewpoints here -- both valid -- on who is the master and who is the squire. It is waiting for some sort of "quantum collapse" that resolves into one reality or anotyher.

In some very obvious ways, I am indeed the SQUIRE just because this post serves Stichomancy. That viewpoint is very stark, and a little frightening actually. It is now 4:39 AM Florida time. I am definitely serving something here. I am not sure I really like that idea.

I really appreciate that viewpoint. I am going to think about it carefully for a while. Perhaps Stichomancy is potentially more dangerous than I thought. Hmmm.

There is a library at my workplace, I'll think of a question and focus on it, then I'll head to the library and randomly pick a book and open to a page. I'll let you know what the answer is hopefully this afternoon ok gang?.
I'll even post the question as well.

reply to post by Buck Division


I like your thinking about the multiple interpretations. Like forground and background images. You can see one or the other at a time, but they are both there. The whole quantum concept applied to this entrigues me too, I had not thought of the possability of undifferentiated decision trees pre-existing, like a maze waiting ahead.

Whatever this is, it is capable, extremely capable of providing a paragraph with multiple levels of subtlety, emotion, and perspective.

Frankly it is the emotion part that bothers me. It seems to encompass the full range of human failings along with access to the infinite. Like a lightening gun in the hands of an insolent child.

got down to the Library at lunch , with the question "will my wife and I get to own the house we're trying to buy?"
all I got was a phone directory. so no help there I'm afraid, althought I did get the number for a breast enlargment clinic down the road...
I can get my manlallies reduced in size.. finally...

Originally posted by DataWraith
got down to the Library at lunch , with the question "will my wife and I get to own the house we're trying to buy?"

Permit me to run this for you. I'm going to the www.facade.com website, entering my name as "Buck Division", and typing your question below to get an anwer:

QUESTION: Will DataWraith and his wife get to own the house they are trying to buy?

ANSWER: (From The Riverman by Stewart Edward White):

Property, reputation, and the family's future were at stake. When the three had lived in the tiny house by the church, it had seemed that no adversity could touch them. But now that long use had accustomed them to larger quarters, servants, luxuries, Orde could not conceive the possibility of Carroll's ever returning to that simplest existence. Carroll could have told him otherwise; but of course he did not as yet bring the possibility before her. She had economised closely, these last few years. Orde was proud of her. He was also fiercely resentful that his own foolishness, or untoward circumstances, or a combination of both should jeopardise her future.

Well -- first off, I'm calling fraud on the www.facade.com website. It seems too coincidental that I am making these "perfect" hits. My guess is that the Stichomancy software is using keywords in the question, indexing synonyms, and then finding suitable paragraphs.

Note that the readings don't repeat for me! So there is (apparently) a lot of random chance. But this type of reply (with the word "property" in it, synonymous with "house") is just beyond simple chance, and I think that the results may be correspondingly skewed.

#

Anyway -- given that strong suspicion (of FRAUD), I will presume to give my interpretation of what the passage may mean for you, DataWraith.

It appears you will get the house, and you won't be going back. There is a warning: In your current state you are untouchable by adversity. However, that may change after you purchase your new house. The reading indicates the frame of existence you may get yourself into AFTER you get your new home. Cautiousness is implied.

Just guessing. Might be total fabrication. The important thing is not my reading, but yours.

I would avoid using software. Just pick a book. Software has a program.
They may do keyword searches for relevance, spicing up the result.

If you cannot control the conditions of an experiment, don't waste your time doing it.

Remember that software is simply following the instructions of a human being.

A metaphysical experience of synchronicity with the universe, requires two things. Yourself, and the universe.

The more you limit the degrees of freedom which the universe can respond within, the more constrained the response. By spontaneously choosing a passage, you have available the entire documented history of human experience to draw from.

When you choose a programatic method selection, you have abandon spontinaety, and replaced it with some imposed pattern.

Originally posted by Buck Division
It appears you will get the house, and you won't be going back. There is a warning: In your current state you are untouchable by adversity. However, that may change after you purchase your new house. The reading indicates the frame of existence you may get yourself into AFTER you get your new home. Cautiousness is implied.

Just guessing. Might be total fabrication. The important thing is not my reading, but yours.

Many Thanks for the time and effort Buck. But I also feel that 'foretelling' the future this way is a load of BS, I mean , come on , how long have books existed , 2000 years? 1000 years? In book form and not papyrus sheets by the way.
This form of divining is a load of bunk, How many ways are there of diving information are there in the world that are clearly more ancient than this?
Going and getting some random paragraph, its like horoscopes, there right for a small majority, but with this version its pot luck what you get. I for one wouldn't believe it
Think I'll stick to my pendulum crytals and my divining rods thank you very much.

reply to post by Vilyariel


I always thought this practice was called bibliomancy, which may lead some to think it is restricted to the Bible. But the root biblio means book in general, not just the "holy" bible.

According to Wikipedia, bibliomancy refers to the specific practice of using a "sacred" book. I guess that could be anything really. Most of the works that are most holy to me are works of fiction - I find them more spiritually enlightening and fulfilling than any of the so-called holy books.
en.wikipedia.org...