Bone casting is one of countless forms of divination that people can practice. I especially love bone casting because it based in nature, and though the name indicates working with bones, bone casting sets do not have to be comprised of bones exclusively. Osteomancy is divination solely through the use of bones, whereas bone casting sets can include a range of natural or found items, such as antlers, buttons, acorns, twigs, keys, teeth, coins, feathers, crystals, rocks, arrowheads, and so on.
Bone casting is incredibly adaptable. You get to assign the meaning. You get to add to or take away from the set as you see fit. You get to interpret the results.
Your connection to each item in your bone casting set ultimately drives the way that you'll throw the items and interpret the results. At Astarte's Temple, the bone casting sets we sell have many found objects and are a great starting point for anyone new to the practice, but can elaborately be built onto as you find items and trinkets that hold symbolic meaning to you.
Here are some of the traditional elements that may be included in your bone casting set and ways that you can choose to assign meaning to the item for your readings.
Bones
Historically central to bone casting, actual bones (often small animal bones) represent ancestral wisdom, mortality, and life’s cycles. They act as powerful conduits for guidance from the spiritual realm. Different bones and their lengths, color, markings, or proximity to one another can all have assigned meanings.
For example, a long bone might symbolize travel or journeys because its form suggests movement and distance. Conversely, shorter bones could indicate issues close to home or matters requiring immediate attention.
Relating to the color of the bones, darker bones may be associated with mystery, the unknown, or deep emotions. Lighter bones can signify clarity, truth, or spiritual insight. Some practitioners even use bones from different animals specifically for their color and what that animal represents in various cultural traditions.
Markings on the bones—whether natural or intentionally added—can add another layer of meaning when focusing on the appearance. A bone with a distinctive notch might be interpreted as a warning or a sign of interruption in one’s path. Lines and patterns could suggest timelines, progressions, or connections between life events.
The proximity of one bone to another during a reading is crucial. Bones that land close together might indicate relationships or events that are intertwined; perhaps two areas of your life are influencing each other in ways you haven’t noticed. In contrast, bones far apart could signal separation, distance, or unresolved issues needing attention.
Coins
Coins symbolize wealth, opportunity, and luck. Their presence in a reading might point to financial changes or decisions involving resources. The different faces of a coin can also represent duality—such as risk versus reward. It's important to intentionally assign the meaning to each side of the coin if that will be a factor in your readings and then consistently stick to that.
In our bone casting sets at Astarte's Temple, we specifically include a coin that has YES and NO on either side of it to aid in divination questions that require a precise, definitive answer on a question. This can also be interpreted as positive and negative or even Yang (Masculine/Giving) and Yin (Feminine/Receiving) depending on the symbolic needs of the nature of your readings.
Antlers
Antlers stand for strength, growth, and renewal. They suggest resilience in adversity or the need to assert oneself. Their branching structure can also signify new directions or opportunities. Paying attention to what cardinal direction the antler is pointing toward can also give insight into specific directions or even the classical element that is associated with each direction.
Keep in mind different traditions may associate these things with varying sets of rules, so pick which system you're following and stick with that. For example, if you're following a system that associates the elements and directions as East for Air, South for Fire, West for Water, and North for Earth, be consistent in utilizing that same association every time.
Acorns
A symbol of potential and growth, acorns remind us that great things often have small beginnings. In readings, they may indicate new ventures or ideas ready to take root. You can also assign meaning based on if the acorn has a hat or a stem or other variable factors that could play into the readings.
Buttons
Buttons are connected to themes of relationships and unity—how things come together or fall apart. They may highlight social bonds or situations where things need 'fastening' or resolving. If the buttons have colors, artwork, are made of a certain material, or have a set number of holes, all of those things can be utilized in how you interpret the results.
Similar to coins, you can also assign different meanings based on which side of the button is facing upright as well.
Dice
Dice are classic emblems of chance and fate. Including dice in your set calls attention to elements beyond your control, reminding you that sometimes outcomes are determined by systems of motion on a grander scale in the cosmos.
Additionally, if the dice have numbers or other symbols on them, those can become important factors in the reading as well. For example, dice with numbers can correlate to the symbolic meanings of the number or even dates, times, ages, or other things that have numerical values attached.
Seashells
Seashells evoke emotions, intuition, and journeys—especially those related to personal transformation or healing. Their presence encourages looking beneath the surface for deeper truths. Since shells come in so many different sizes, shapes, colors, and formations, these factors can all play into the meaning you assign to each item.
Brightly colored shells often bring messages of joy, vitality, or creativity. Whites and creams might signify purity or new beginnings; dark hues could point to mystery or challenges yet to be uncovered. The vibrancy or subtlety of color within the cast can influence whether the message is loud and clear or requires deeper introspection.
Markings are equally essential. Natural patterns—spots, lines, swirls—can act as metaphors for life’s complexities. A shell with many intricate lines might suggest that a situation involves unexpected twists and turns; spots could mean scattered opportunities or multiple influences at play.
Shells closely grouped together may signify community support or converging influences in your life. Isolated shells often suggest independence—or perhaps loneliness—while two shells touching might indicate partnership, collaboration, or even conflict if their shapes clash.
Arrowheads
Historically, they represent not only physical protection but also spiritual guidance. When an arrowhead appears in a cast, its position can indicate the need for focus or a clear direction in life. For example, an arrowhead pointing outward from other objects may signify new opportunities or journeys ahead. If an arrowhead lies close to a bone, it could indicate a need to protect the self, loved ones, or resolve family issues. Broken or chipped arrowheads could warn about unresolved conflicts or the necessity for healing. All of these things, though, are ultimately determined by the meaning you assign to each aspect of it.
Crystals & Rocks
Crystals are another common addition to bone casting sets, each offering its own energetic properties. A piece of rose quartz might symbolize love and emotional healing; amethyst can represent intuition or spiritual guidance; and clear quartz could magnify the meaning of nearby objects. The color and type of crystal add layers to the interpretation.
For example, if a protective black tourmaline lands near a bone symbolizing family, it could suggest that the you should shield themselves from negative influences within their domestic sphere.
How to Get Started With Casting
Whether you're buying a starter set (like from us at Astarte's Temple) or 100% collecting and building your own set, the most critical aspect is assigning meaning to each item. The easiest way to do this is by dedicating a journal to your casting and drawing or describing each item. Spend time holding the item and inspecting it and allowing any insights for what the item's potential is to flow to you. Take notes on all of these aspects so you have a reference point as you're getting to know your set.
Buy your Bone Casting Set here from Astarte's Temple!
Much like tarot, oracle, pendulums, or other forms of divination, cleansing your set energetically and establishing a spiritual connection to the tool is important to ensure clarity in your readings. This can be done by keeping in on a personal altar, carrying with you throughout the day in your pocket (if small enough) or in your bag, or keeping it under your pillow or on your nightstand while you sleep.
For me, I often dream and see my divination tools in the astral state and that's how I know I've really bonded with or established a powerful connection to my tool(s). If you have something similar for you that indicates when you're energetically connected to something, utilize that as your frame of reference.
The next step is specifically trust-building with your set. Practice tossing all of the items or randomly pulling a handful of items and casting them on a surface that won't break or chip any of your items. Set your intentions on questions you already know the answer to, such as what you accomplished the day prior or the nature of your job. Pay attention to what items are in front of you, how close they are together, if they're clustered, if there are any outliers, etc. Then shift your focus to the individual items allowing messages to flow toward you as you interpret the results.
Experiment with how you cast, what feels natural, and how you interpret things. And as with anything, practice, practice, practice.
Taking notes on your readings, including what items were tossed and how you interpreted them is a great way to build your reference point for how you understand your readings in the future too.
And remember, your set can constantly evolve. Add or remove items as you feel needed. Assign new meanings or change meanings as you feel you need to as well. This set is wholly yours!
Happy casting!
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