May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor: 5 Common Methods of Fortune-Telling
- UnEarthed
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Written by: Hanning Yan Edited by: Darrin Lin
Wouldn’t it be cool to know what happens in the future? Turns out people have thought this way for almost 6000 years! Fortune-telling is a tale as old as time, dating back to ancient civilizations like China and Egypt. Fortune-tellers today still claim to be able to predict or even see things coming, though the results may or may not be true… Here, we’ll explore some popular methods of fortune-telling, including some you can try out for yourself!
Palmistry:
You hold your future in the palm of your hand… literally! Dating back to ancient India, people who practice palmistry believe that the size, shape, and inner lines of your hands can predict your personality, the people you love, and other major events in your life. On your palm, you have a life line, a head line, a heart line, a fate line, and a sun line. Through palmistry, the depth of these lines and their intersections are interpreted to tell how different aspects of your life interact and create your future.
Magic 8 Balls:
Created by the son of a famous fortune-teller, Magic 8 Balls were toys marketed to children and meant to answer a range of questions. After a question is asked, you shake the ball, and inside are 20-sided dice that display an answer. These answers can be positive, negative, and mysterious, ranging from “without a doubt” to “my reply is no.” Will this beloved toy continue answering questions about the future? Maybe the
Tea Readings:
Dating back to tea lovers in ancient China, tea reading (also called tasseography) is the art of fortune-telling by reading the shapes left over by the tea leaves after a drinker finishes their cup. When tea became popular across the world, so did tea reading, because it was inexpensive and convenient! Common symbols include boats for a visit from a friend, elephants for luck and health, and ladders for travel. Keep an eye on your next cup!
Astrology:
Depending on the date and time of your birth, astrologists believe that the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and stars affects your personality and life decisions. Many ancient civilizations all believed in an idea that has evolved into today's horoscopes: charts that plot the movement of the sun and stars from a person’s birth to offer guesses at major events and changes in their future.
Fortune Cookies:
C-shaped wafers holding a thin slip inside with a message and lucky numbers, fortune cookies are easy, casual pieces of fortune-telling. The fortune cookie as we know it today began in Chinese and Japanese restaurants in California. Messages include quotes, jokes, and advice meant to get the reader thinking after a meal. If a fortune is a little hard to swallow, there’s always a cookie to make it better!
References
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Magic 8 Ball Answers (List Included And Explained!) – Original Magic 8 Ball. (n.d.). Magic-8ball.com. https://magic-8ball.com/magic-8-ball-answers/
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