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Oracles, Oracles Everywhere!
By Neil Peterson | December 30, 2009
Black Swan theory aside, our predilection for prophecy has been witnessed throughout the ages in civilizations ancient and modern. Perhaps it is man’s innate, ongoing search for meaning, or an attempt at restoring faith in the face of a seemingly unknowable universe. Or simply, we just want clear, definable answers to our deepest personal questions. From philosophical treatises to the almanacs of Nostradamus, the tools of divination are as varied as the cultures from which they originated. And just as our ancestors interpreted, disputed and puzzled over the enigmatic responses gifted to them by their oracles, there are many still today that believe these revelations may still yet conceal the answers to our future.
The I Ching
Also known as the Book of Changes, the principles of the I Ching are attributed to legendary Chinese leader Fu Xi, prior to 2800 BC. The text itself is viewed as a philosophical system, centered around the principles of simplicity, variability and persistence. Although it is one of the oldest known Chinese classic texts, it is still used by modern adherents who interpret the prophecies through a series of 64 hexagrams – figures composed of six stacked horizontal lines which correlate to specific words or phrases. To consult the oracle, the reader must throw yarrow stalks, or alternatively three coins, with the resulting pattern revealing the appropriate hexagram.
The Oracle at Delphi
Considered the most prestigious oracle in the ancient Greek world, the Temple of Apollo at Delphi was home to Pythia, the high priestesses believed to possess the ability to communicate with Apollo, the god of prophecy. The Pythia were chosen from the Delphi populace to channel the divine messages, and submitted to numerous purification and fasting rituals in preparation. Within the temple’s chambers the Pythia sat upon a tripod, addressing the supplicants who had travelled – sometimes at great distance – to offer sacrificial gifts in hopes of receiving answers to their queries. Although scientists have found evidence to support a theory that the divine trances experienced by the Pythia were merely the effects of mild ethylene poisoning, the surviving prophecies of the Oracle continue to fascinate scholars, historians and artists today.
Michele de Nostredame
Better known as Nostradamus, this 16th century apothecary and seer published thousands of prophecies over the span of 15 years. Beginning his career as a physician and healer, Nostradamus eventually developed an interest in the occult and soon thereafter released his first almanac, a collection of predictions for the year ahead. The predictions contained within this volume, and subsequent works, comprise a reworked mélange of Biblical stories (specifically the passages related to the Apocalypse), ancient mythology, classic historical writings, magical texts and prophecies already foretold by contemporary astrologers. Critics of his work (both then and now, his prophecies continue to remain the subject of intense scrutiny and controversy) decried his efforts for their vague, undated form – making interpretation difficult, if not impossible. Still, there are many who credit him with accurately foretelling numerous consequential events throughout the last 400 years – including the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolph Hitler, and the creation of the atomic bomb.
Nostradamus 2012 – The History Channel
Precognition may be an ancient art form, but our societal interest in the future has far from declined in the centuries since Pythia and Nostradamus. Today’s newspapers feature astrological horoscopes, vaguely reassuring readers that the day might bring with it an ‘unexpected opportunity’ or a ‘long-lost friend’. Corporations utilize past and present data sets to forecast the potential outcomes of product launches and market fluctuations. In the months leading up to a national election, cable news networks and political pundits rely on opinion polls to gauge the potential victor. We may prefer to refer to these practices using different terminology, but the end game is the same – to accurately predict events of tomorrow using the information we know today.
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