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Ashes amidst the flames
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Witches have always known that magick lives in the ordinary. Fire has long been our companion & even its remains hold power. Spodomancy, the art of reading ashes, is one of the oldest and most forgotten forms of divination.
The word comes from the Greek spodos, meaning ash. Where fire consumes, ash remains. It’s the ghost of flame, carrying the imprint of what once was. In those soft gray patterns, witches of old listened for omens & truths.
 How to Read the Ashes
Spodomancy doesn’t need anything elaborate. The ashes from your hearth, a bonfire or even incense can become your oracle. Once you’ve asked a question, look closely at how the ashes rest, scatter, or cling together.
Here are a few common signs:
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Spirals: cycles, renewal, or a lesson returning.
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Straight lines: movement forward, a path opening.
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Broken lines: endings, disruption, or instability.
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Circles: wholeness, protection, or closure.
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Bird or wing shapes: messages carried or news arriving.
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Clusters: something unresolved or clinging.
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Scattered grains: release, dispersal, or freedom.
Interpretation is personal. A shape that looks like a bird to you may appear as a doorway to someone else. Let your intuition guide the meaning.
Ash in History & Lore
While Spodomancy isn’t as widely recorded as astrology or geomancy, there are surviving folk traditions:
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In ancient Greece & Rome, ashes from sacrificial fires were sometimes studied for signs from the gods.
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In Slavonia, women scratched even or odd marks in hearth ashes as a way to read fortune.
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In Poland, ashes were spread around the bed of someone ill to determine whether they’d recover.
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Across Europe, hearth ashes were occasionally used for weather signs, with pale fine ash meaning clear skies & dark clumped ash warning of storms.
These scattered traditions remind us that ashes were once viewed as more than waste, they were part of the sacred cycle of fire.
A Simple Working of Spodomancy
You’ll need:
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A candle or small fireÂ
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An herb or incense to burn (mugwort for vision, rosemary for clarity, oak for strength)
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A dark dish or paper to hold the ash
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A journal for notes
Steps:
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Light your candle or fire & breathe deeply to center yourself.
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Burn your chosen herb or incense, letting it fall into ash.
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Whisper your question aloud or hold it in your mind.
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Gaze at the ashes. What shapes do you see?
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Blow gently or scatter a pinch onto your dish. Notice how they move or settle.
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Record your impressions.
The more often you practice, the more clearly the ashes begin to speak.
Why This Matters
In a world full of polished tools, Spodomancy reminds us of witchcraft’s roots. Magick was always made from what was near at hand, the hearth, the fire, the remnants of daily life. Ashes may seem ordinary, yet they are sacred. They’re a threshold, a reminder that even in endings there’s wisdom waiting to be heard.
So next time your incense burns down or your candle leaves a bed of ash, pause. Don’t sweep it away right away. Ask your question. Look closely. Listen. The ashes may speak.
Reading the Ashes
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