Good Omens...And Bad: Prophecy in Theory and Practice, Lab Ten

[a-phale.livejournal.com]

Friday, November 17, Second Period

Today, along with the usual spread of hot beverages and pastries, students will find some handouts and a box marked "Group Projects".

"Please don't forget that today is the deadline for turning in your Group Projects. If anyone has questions, you can catch me after class. Also, the box will be outside my office door for the rest of the day, until James and I get back from our trip to the mainland. Also, I'll need an excuse from Mr Carson regarding your absence from last week's lab.

"Now...today we'll be practicing the art of Bibliomancy, or divination through the random selection of words and phrases from books. Religious texts are the most frequently used books for bibliomancy, but any written work whatsoever can be used. The use of books for divination is also sometimes called stichomancy. Some people mistakenly attribute the term bibliomancy to the use of religious texts exclusively, but in fact the root 'biblio' refers to any book."

HANDOUTS:
Bibliomancy 1
Bibliomancy 2

LAB EXERCISE: "As you can see, there is an excellent selection of books here in the bookcases. Choose one, and then the exercise is rather simple -- decide before you begin whether you'll be asking a question or looking for a general prediction. Then decide how many 'passes' you're going to do for your reading, then randomly open the book and select a passage. Don't look at the page until after you've selected the passage. Then have your partner write down the word or phrase from each 'pass'. Then comes the more complicated part: interpreting the prediction. When you and your lab partner have done at least one prediction, share it with the class."

[Note about the exercise: Use this link to generate a reading online, or grab a book and give it a shot. The bookcases are large, and have a pretty thorough selection available today, as long as you don't choose anything extremely obscure.]


Syllabus
Class Roster
Classes Linkdrop
Lab Partner List

[ooc: Slowplay for a good part of the afternoon. Please wait for OCD is up!]

Comments

Re: Class Discussion

[demonbelthazor]

"Her shining tresses, divided in two parts, encircle the harmonious contour of her white and delicate cheeks, brilliant in their glow and freshness. Her ebony brows have the form and charm of the bow of Kama, the god of love, and beneath her long silken lashes the purest reflections and a celestial light swim, as in the sacred lakes of Himalaya, in the black pupils of her great clear eyes. Her teeth, fine, equal, and white, glitter between her smiling lips like dewdrops in a passion-flower's half-enveloped breast. Her delicately formed ears, her vermilion hands, her little feet, curved and tender as the lotus-bud."

"What the fuck" didn't being to describe Bel's expression.

Re: Class Discussion

[a-phale.livejournal.com]

Aziraphale wondered what the hell book Bel had chosen to take his reading from.

Re: Class Discussion

[demonbelthazor]

"That would be 'Around the World in Eighty Days,'" Bel said, noting Phale's expression.