Knowing the Future

Many years ago, when I was a teenager, my brother had a toy that he just loved. He was only six at the time, and his greatest delight was in irritating his older sister. And this toy allowed him to do it very well. The toy was a long tube, with judiciously placed mirrors that allowed him to stay out of sight, around the corner, or behind a wall, and see what was happening on the other side. With this tool, he was able to see me coming towards him and jump out and scare the bejezus out of me, when I least expected it. If I could have found the thing I probably would have destroyed it, but he was very careful to keep it hidden from me at all times.

I have since learned that the US Army uses a tool much like this one for exactly the same purpose – to see what is happening around the corner or out of sight.

To be able to see or “see” beyond where you normally would is always an advantage. It allows you to make decisions based on knowledge, chose the right path, and avoid past errors. Much like my rotten little brother, it allows you to “sneak up” on the future, and take control of the situation.

When Nicki asked me to write a brief article about Becoming the Oracle, the class she has asked me to co-teach with her in August, I started thinking about what it meant to BE an Oracle. First, I looked up the definition of the word: An oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion, usually spiritual in nature.¹ Then, I thought about how it has worked in my life to be able to look forward.

My first experience at “seeing” into the future came when I was about four. We were staying at my grandmother’s house in Tallahassee while Daddy was off on some secret mission for the military, and Gramma was trying to keep me entertained while Mama was off shopping. A precocious child, I had already convinced her to teach me how to read palms, and how to get messages from the Bible (bibliomancy). One day, I came in just as she was putting away a small, black bowl. I immediately wanted to know what it was, and what she used it for. She took the bowl, and put a small amount of water from a special bottle in the bowl, and then put three drops of special oil on top of the water.

“Stir it around”, she said, “with your finger, and then look into the bowl and tell me what you see.” The oil swirled and colored the top of the water, and the black interior of the bowl seemed to provide a background for the colors. “Think about what you want to know,” she said.

“I want to know where Mama is,” I replied, still miffed that she hadn’t taken me with her to the store. I concentrated hard, looking for something that I could see.

“Relax your eyes and don’t try so hard. Just let the pictures come to you,” Gramma advised.

I looked and wasn’t sure at first what I saw – it seemed like it was my mama, but she was laying down, and there was a big machine that seemed to be eating her. Just her head could be seen, and then a woman in white closed the machine and mama was gone. This didn’t seem like so much fun anymore.

Just then, my mother came in the door and I ran to her, grabbing her by the legs, and said, “Please don’t let the machine eat you.” Mama laughed and asked what was going on. She then reassured me that she wasn’t going anywhere and certainly not into any machines. We didn’t know it then, but it was already too late to stop it from happening.

Within 3 days Mama was very ill, running a high fever, and unable to walk. They took her away in an ambulance, to the hospital where she was diagnosed with Polio and Encephalitis. She spent 4 months in the hospital, part of that time in an iron lung, a big metal machine that swallowed her completely.²

Although there was nothing that I could do about this incident, it did not stop me from learning all I could, over the years, about looking forward into the future. Cards, Tarot, Astrology, Numbers, crystal balls and scrying bowls became my playthings. I read, I studied, I developed my skills and my talents.

How has this made a difference in my life, you might ask.

I have learned that the future is difficult to forecast. When I look forward, there are many paths, and even small changes in my direction or the direction of another can change where my future lies. By understanding my options, I could make better choices, avoid potential road blocks, and better understand how to proceed. The more I know about what may happen, the more I can make informed decisions.

Every one of you can do this, for example: When you go out on the highway. You choose the best route of travel, you listen to the radio to avoid traffic jams, you make sure your car is in good working order, you drive defensively so that you arrive safely at your destination. You are being your own Oracle.

Nicki Scully’s new book (co-authored with Linda Starwolf) and set of prophetic cards, The Anubis Oracle, is about to be published. It will one of the tools we will learn to use during the 5 day Egyptian Mysteries residential class in Eugene, August 20 to 24. These cards are based on her 2007 book, Shamanic Mysteries of Ancient Egypt, which serves as a guide through the current Earth cycle and changes. The cards are intended to accelerate your personal transformation into becoming an Oracle.

The Official Anubis Oracle Site

If you would like to increase your skills as a prophetic guide, as an Oracle, this will be the first opportunity to learn to work with the new deck as well as practice and experience other unique elements of this life changing class, taught by Nicki and myself as co-teachers.

As an Oracle myself, I predict that you would really like to come to this class and enjoy the friendship, good food and beautiful gardens at Nicki’s retreat house. But can you find a way in your busy schedules? You must be your own Oracle.

I pray we will see you there.

Gloria Taylor Brown