A Guide to Geomancy & Free Geomancy Readings

The art of geomancy was known in ancient Greek and Roman times, however,
we do not know exactly how it was performed or interpreted.
What information we do have comes to us from the Middle Ages, and this is what is set out below. The main knowledge of geomancy came to Europe via Arabic texts in the 12th century in Spain, and from there spread across Europe.

The variation discussed here is derived from the original method of obtaining the figures from lines in the sand. In fact the word geomantia (earth divination) was a direct translation from the Arabic khatt al-raml (sand divination), also known as ‘ilm al-raml (science of the sand) and zarb al-raml (hitting the sand).

The Arabs brought geomancy to Africa and variations of it can today be found practised all over Africa. In North Africa it has developed into vodou Fâ. In Madagascar, geomancy developed into an interesting variant called Sikidy.

Although geomancy has been popular for millennia around the world, in the Western world it was widely practised during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but then its popularity died down until a recent small resurgence in interest.

Many see this form of divination as too “simplistic” but its outward simplicity belies the depth of the answers it gives. Some use it to derive a single figure as an answer. Others prefer to combine it with astrology. Each figure has an association with a planet and an astrological sign. The figures are placed within an astrological chart and interpreted according to which houses they fall in.

According to Caslant, each figure has four different parts to it:

• Tête — The head, Fire (top line)
• Cœur — The heart, Air (second line)
• Ventre — The belly, Water (third line)
• Pieds — The feet, Earth (bottom line)

• • •• •• 4th Mother –> 4th House (Genitor – Father)	•• • • • 3rd Mother –> 3rd House (Fratres – Brothers)	• • • • 2nd Mother –> 2nd House (Lucrum – Riches)	• • •• •• 1st Mother –> 1st House (Vita – Life)
•• • • •• 4th Daughter –> 8th House (Mors – Death)	•• • • •• 3rd Daughter –> 7th House (Uxor – Wife)	• • • • 2nd Daughter –> 6th House (Valetudo – Health)	• • •• • 1st Daughter –> 5th House (Nati – Sons)
•• •• •• •• 4th Nephew –> 12th House (Carcer – Prison)	•• •• • •• 3rd Nephew –> 11th House (Benefacta – Good Fortune)	• •• • • 2nd Nephew –> 10th House (Regnum – Kings)	•• •• • • 1st Nephew –> 9th House (Itineris – Journeys)
	•• •• • •• 2nd Witness	• •• •• •• 1st Witness
• •• • •• Judge

There are classic associations linking the figures to planets and astrological signs dating from the Middle Ages as well as the associations developed by Agrippa in the Renaissance. Agrippa also calculates the Nephew figures differently from the classic way. The associations are found in the table below.

Have a geomantic spread done for you by the computer, or continue reading to learn the process yourself. You can also directly to the meanings of the geomantic figures below.