Never mind the why and how, but I have fourteen cowrie shells to my name that I can not give away, sell, or dispose of. The shells have garnered interest from various folk and Folk so I decided I might as well learn how to use them in my troubles travails and workings. Because of how I acquired them, and why they are bound to me, I can not use the traditional methods of Ifa, or any of the descendant methods. So calling on the Lwa or the Orishas for help are out of the question.
I came up with a few methods that are working well for me so far. While the specifics are very private and personal, the framework they are hung on can be used by anyone. As I continue to work with the shells, and find such frameworks that may be of interest, I’ll be posting them here and on my Tumblr.
Twelve Witnesses
Remove the largest and the smallest shell and set aside. Arrange remaining twelve shells in a circle, much like the stations on a clock. Designate what each shell represents. Drop the two reserved shells into the circle. What the largest shell is closest to is the most important matter. What the smallest shell is closest to is the least important matter. Depending on what the shells are witness to, and your personal cosmology, the intervening shells between the largest and the smallest may also have something to tell you. Should both shells target the same Witness, what that Witness represents is of Utmost Importance and should be dealt with at once.
This works well for me, and can be tweaked to suit your needs. Tinkers do as tinkers does, and I revised the rules slightly to accommodate cartomancers.
Twelve Witnesses (Cartomancy Edition)
This works regardless of what cards you use. Tarot, Oracle, Lenormand, Sibil, Playing Cards. As long as you know (or can look up) the meaning of the cards. If you don’t know which cards could best suit your concerns, or are going in blind for a querent, shuffle your deck and treat the first twelve cards dealt as the Witnesses. Proceed as planned.
Cards only – 12 cards: If you know which twelve cards represent your concerns, pull them from the deck, shuffle them separately and deal them in a straight line. The first card will be your most important concern. The last card will be your least important concern. The way the cards fall in between will show you insight to how the concerns are affecting each other.
12 cards & 1 token: Arrange the cards that represent your concerns in a circle like spokes on a wheel. Tight enough so your token can not be ambiguous when it is thrown, but not overlapping. Throw the token twice. The first landing will be your most important concern. The second landing will be your least important concern. Depending on your cosmology and personal worldview, the cards in between may have something to tell you as well. If the token lands on the same card twice, that card represents Urgent Issues that you need to address now.
12 cards & rest of deck: Arrange the cards that represent your concerns in whatever fashion is comfortable for you. Circle, arc, line, rows, etc.. From the remain cards, designate which two cards represent the most important significator, and the least important significator. Start dealing the rest of the deck face up over the 12 Witnesses until both significators are seen. The cards that lie between the Witness and the Significator is the Witness’ Testimony about that concern. Again, if both Significators appear in the same stack, that Witness represents an Urgent Matter. Examination of the cards between the Witness and the Significators, and between the Significators themselves should occur.
I’m sure you can see where there is much room for specialization, and incorporation of other methods. While “Twelve Witnesses” was drummed up by me and I have not seen any cast or spread in this manner, I sincerely doubt I am the first person in history to use this method. As such, I claim no copyright, and encourage the reader to take the spreads and go nuts with them. Just remember to share your version as I have shared mine with you.