manzia
Domino divination
Dominomancy is the divinatory practice that uses the 28 tiles of dominoes as an oracle. You draw a tile, read the two values that compose it (from 0/0 to 6/6) and interpret them according to a traditional table. It is a popular form of divination at the crossroads of cartomancy and numerology.
How it works
The 28 tiles are laid face down, shuffled, and a single tile is drawn. The two values are interpreted as a combination: 6/6 full luck, 5/5 abundance, 1/1 promising beginning, 0/0 fertile emptiness. Some schools draw three tiles for wider spreads (past-present-future or situation-obstacle-advice).
Origin
The interpretation rules come from the popular Italian, French and Central European cartomantic tradition of the 18th-19th centuries. Dominomancy is a variant of cleromancy (casting of lots) and spread along with the popularity of dominoes in Europe.
FAQ
Can I use my own domino set?
Yes. The standard 28 tiles, shuffled face down, are enough.
How many tiles to draw?
Traditionally one for the daily advice. Some schools accept three tiles for more articulated spreads.
Is it linked to the game?
No, the interpretation rules are separate from the game of dominoes. Only the support is shared.