Augury Today - a New Interpretation

Augury is founded on the belief that birds, as creatures of the sky, can provide insights into the will of the gods, as well as predict the future. But augury is more about making informed deductions based on observations of the natural world than it is about fortune-telling or supernatural forces. Augurs employ their observational skills to understand signs, or omens. With patience, study and introspection, anyone can learn to be an augur. The book is 65 pages, and is fully illustrated, including diagrams and journal templates that the reader can use to develop their own practice. The history of bird divination is the history of humanity, encompassing thousands of years of widely diverse cultural practices, observations, and rituals. When I decided to explore augury, I discovered that there wasn't much to go on. There are ancient historical references, but they are more philosophical than practical. There are some modern writings, but they tend to be focused on the psychological aspects of the practice. I wanted to know how it actually worked. So I tried it myself, and after a couple of years I came up with this practical guide-book on interpreting the movements of birds. Augury is a matter of interpretation, after all. It involves viewing the scene, considering the context and the factors, and drawing a conclusion of some kind. In that regard, it's like looking deeply at art. I've had experience with divination tools such as the Tarot and the Norse Runes, and they are also all about interpretation. As interesting as those tools are, they involve human artifice, whereas true augury is based only on nature. For me, this unique aspect of ornithomancy sets it apart from the other divination techniques. The chronological ambiguity of the title 'Augury Today- A New Interpretation' is meant to reflect upon the fact that the basic needs, concerns and questions of humanity haven't changed much in the thousands of years that people have been wondering what it all means and what to do next. Maria Anthony 2025