Oracle

Remember Paul, the Oracle? Yes, he is something of the past by now...

What is the meaning of seeking Oracle? Wikipedia states that In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion, predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination. Yet, it is devoid of religion?

We view that the universe has many layers so called the layers of Heavens. It is the views of these heavens that we sought after in the oracle. So, there must first be a question and a believed that Heaven will open a gateway for the seeker of the Oracle to get an answer. This may be the basis of religion.

Next, there must be an action, while seeking the oracle, by means of throwing the coins contain within the tortoise shell, striking of the yarrow sticks or simply by observing movement around you. Heaven communicates through these mediums of randomness. Oracle is liked gods playing dice. Think about it, what is the objective of seeking an oracle if one does not wish to control what is uncontrollable. Is the middle heaven another form of Oracle?

Lastly, interpretations of this action will reveal a set of answers from the source, the present, the outcome and the things to be done. These are the answers to the oracles. Within it is the truth yet it also represents the untruth. The studies of YiGua either through Plum Blossom, XuanKong, WenWang and so forth are methodologies devised to interpret the Heaven's Code. In another word, it is the study of the Oracle. 

Imagine, why are the oracle seekers uses the tortoise shell, yarrow stalks and genuine copper coins in the past if they do not believed in the universal Qi? Isn't the universal Qi part and parcel of religion? What is the outcome if these set of oracle tools being possessed by unknown spirits, as there was a saying in Chinese that the ghost always tell lie? That is where initiation of objects becomes vital and becomes part of a religious practice of Daoisme. Not so much of making the object blessed but to make the object occupied by a descent guardian spirits in accordance to one's lineage. An initiation of objects of oracle means of connecting Heaven, Man and Earth through Essence, Qi and Spirits. It is an intricate matrix of the Chinese 5 arts. 

Really hope that seeking and understanding Oracle is as simple as to say it has nothing to do with religion and the big G. It is not that simple.