Cyclomancy is a form of
divination
Divination (from Latin ''divinare'', 'to foresee, to foretell, to predict, to prophesy') is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual. Used in various forms throughout histor ...
based on spinning an object and deriving predictions or conclusions from the object's final resting direction. In some traditions, a wheel or
top
A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect.
Once set in motion, a top will usually wobble for a few ...
is spun on a surface marked with letters or symbols, and those that fall closest to the device's pointer are consulted.
[Boehm, Roger (2006) "Evil Defined - From a Christian Perspective", Lulu Press, Inc. ][Tuitean, Paul, Daniels Estelle (2001) "Essential Wicca", The Crossing Press, ] In other traditions, any suitable object may be spun and its direction may be used to obtain a simple yes/no answer or directional indicator. For example, an object with a distinguishing feature may be spun between two diverging paths or disparate objects, and the one closest to the feature is chosen. The party game
Spin the Bottle is loosely based on this concept.
Cyclomancy is sometimes used in
dowsing.
References
Divination
Paranormal terminology
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