Autumn is here (can you feel it?) and with it ripe opportunities to honor and converse with those on the Otherside. From October 25-30, the Shift Network’s Beyond the Veil Summit, hosted by Lisa Bonnice, delivers 5 days of free discussions that explore the nature of near-death experiences, mediumship and the science of the afterlife. I loved being part of the conversation and look forward to learning new techniques from leading researchers in the field.

To add to the season, I made a new casting map thematic of October’s magick. Some of the best parlour games are carryovers from Samhain and Autumn harvest festivals, many of which were created with the abundance of seasonal resources people had on hand. Apple bobbing, Jack-o`-lantern gazing and pumpkin or apple seed divining are just a few activities that come to mind.

In the spirit of magical conversations and recycling seasonal resources, I repurposed a vintage Halloween game board to create an easy-to-use casting opportunity (cards work too).

The original game featured numbers ranging from 1 to 22 for a roll-and-move, start to finish experience. The number 22 immediately caught my attention because it pairs so beautifully with the 22 cards in the tarot’s major arcana. Keeping this connection in mind, I replaced most of the numbers with starter sentences that borrow from the major arcana’s voice.

This map doesn’t require you be an expert diviner. In fact anyone can receive instant insights simply by casting a handful of charms or tchotchkes onto the image followed by musing over where they land and why. In other words, this divination is for everyone. Come to think of it, I suspect pumpkin seed diviners had to start somewhere. Here is how it works:

• Print the following casting map or recreate the 22 positions on a piece of paper that you can cast charms onto.
• Grab a handful of charms or other items and cast them onto your map. Take note of where they land and begin talking about what they might be directing your attention towards.
• Another option: Assign a random charm or card to each position on the map. This approach will take more time, but also cover a lot of ground.
• I maintained 3 squares from the original game that suggest you move forward or back. I recommend you take heed if a charm lands in one of these positions which might make for an unexpected outcome.
• Look for themes like love, work and personal growth, or repeat advice like, take a chance, or don’t take that job, and possible patterns that ask, haven’t you been here before?
• The word “this” in each starter sentence represents the symbolic nature of your charms or cards. For example if a Key charm lands on the position that reads, Magical thinking creates this, then the Key might presage an unlocked mind that supports magical over Muggle thinking. If a Coin lands in the position that reads, Utilize this to move forward, it might suggest you invest more in yourself or a project you’ve been working on. Always go with your immediate hunch, which is usually right.

The goal is for you to have a little October fun while gaining meaningful insights during this magical month. So have at it, dear diviner and may your future follow your highest wishes.