Geomancy and Khatt al Raml

Thanks to some wonderful modern books like that of John Michael Greer, geomancy has begun
to rise in popularity. For a while it was eclipsed in Europe by astrology and the tarot, but it is
definitely making a come back. Though it continues to be a relatively small practice, the interest is
growing and every day I meet new people who have taken their first steps to becoming
geomancers.
Geomancy is a practice that is very dear to me. Though over the years I have become known as
a tarot reader here in the West, I practiced geomancy long before I ever picked up the tarot.
Indeed, I didn't start working with the tarot until my teenage years where I was trained in
geomancy from a very young age. My practice in geomancy is quite old and along with astrology
and dream interpretation is the only form of divination that I am known for in the Middle East. It is
an essential part of my practice as a djinn conjurer. When it comes down to it, my business and
political clients in the Middle East are only interested in geomancy and astrology. None of them
want tarot readings, but all of them want charts cast for business deals, financial decisions,
personal matters, and political endeavors. Every single one of my retainer clients are either
geomancy clients or astrology clients, or both.
So what is geomancy? Geomancy is a North African and Arabic form of divination that was
originally done by making dots in the sand. A number of dots and lines were marked which gave
birth to a set symbols and figures from which a chart was produced. It became associated with
astrology and traveled via the Muslims into Europe where it became a highly popular form of
divination. Geomancy comes from the Greek, geo mantia meaning "earth divination."
There are however some differences between European geomancy and its parent tradition, khatt
al raml, also known as ilm al raml or simply ramal. Khatt al raml translates to "sand cutting." While
over the years, I have become familiar with European geomancy especially through the good
works of John Michael Greer and others, my foundation is traditional khatt al raml. I have been
asked about the differences between khatt al raml and geomancy for a while and so this post has
been a long time coming. I have identified some points which highlight some of the major
differences between the two arts, they are in no particular order and I will likely do a part two or
more as time permits.
Though I am highlighting some of the differences between the two arts and while khatt al raml is
the parent of geomancy, I am not making claims of superiority or that one is better than the other.
Both are wonderful methods of divination with much in common. The differences however are
there and worth noting:

Khatt al Raml is a living tradition. Geomancy mostly died out and was eclipsed in
Europe. While I am sure some pockets of geomancy survived, much of the modern
interest in geomancy reconstructs the tradition from old texts. Khatt al raml on the
other hand has been continuously practiced and the traditional way of learning is
mouth-to-ear from master to student. There are books on khatt al raml but the primary
means of transmission is learning from master to student. It is a living tradition with
living cultural bearers.
2. Khatt al Raml is practiced only by authorized practitioners. In order to practice
khatt al raml you must receive authorization to do so, which speaks to its nature as
passed down from master to student. This involves being part of an established
lineage, spending time in training, then receiving an ijaza which permits you to
practice the art. In a way it is initiatory as there are rites and tests that have to be done.
Now these do vary from lineage to lineage. For example, in most lineages you have to
pass a specific set of tests in order to demonstrate your skill and knowledge of ilm al
raml. In my lineage we have the test of 99 where we have to demonstrate our ability to
accurately predict based on 99 traditional scenarios (locating a unknown thief, finding
the root of a rumor, finding a missing object, testing if an object contains a spirit,
ascertaining guilt or innocence, locating hidden treasure, predicting course of a battle
or competition and so on for a total of 99 cases). This means that each traditional
practitioner of khatt al raml, if they come from a traditional lineage, is an established
and tested diviner. Practitioners demonstrate this by naming their lineage.
3. Khatt al Raml is deeply connected to rouhinya and Middle Eastern spiritual
practices. Like traditional astrology, khatt al raml is deeply connected to spiritual
practice and it can be said that it is inherent to it. Modern forms of divination may
relate their work to psychology, Jungian archetypes etc. Khatt al raml is considered a
spiritual discipline. Traditional practitioners employ prayers before casting a chart, use
purification rites and ablutions, and recognize that their abilities as diviners depend on
their knowledge and skill AND their spiritual connection. Without that connection the
divination is considered muddied. If the knowledge of casting a chart is the science of
khatt al raml then the spiritual connection is the art. Both are needed for successful
auguries.
4. Khatt al Raml is part of three other traditional Middle Eastern and North
African forms of divination; astrology, bibliomancy, and oneiromancy. These are
the four traditional divination types of the region and are interrelated to one another.
Khatt al raml is not a separate practice, but actually deeply connected to its three
counterparts. In order to be properly skilled in khatt al raml you need knowledge and
skill in the other three arts and often you train in them simultaneously. Modern
geomancers are already aware of geomancys connection to astrology but may not
have heard of the other twos connection. One of the traditional uses of khatt al raml is
to interpret dreams. Dreams are categorized as having a variety of sources and
therefore meanings and khatt al raml is called upon to determine both the origins of a
dream and its meaning. Many of the figures in khatt al raml also have dream symbols
associated with it. Similarly, many of the figures in khatt al raml are associated with
specific verses in the Quran, or a piece of Sufi poetry; both of which are used in
bibliomantic divinations. Knowledge in all of these go hand-in-hand.
1.

Khatt al Raml is predictive, diagnostic, and prescriptive. Modern geomancy still

retains the former two, but the latter is lost. Khatt al raml not only predicts outcomes,
or provides diagnosis, but also prescribes spiritual and medical treatment. Prescription
is part of medical readings which are frowned upon by some modern geomancers. In
traditional khatt al raml, medical readings are quite common, especially in areas where
folk healers hold sway. I personally do medical readings, but always advise that my
readings are not a substitute for professional medical attention and that clients have to
seek out a doctor. That said, figures and patterns in geomancy prescribe certain things,
both medically and spiritually. Medically these are related to Yunani which is based
on Graeco-Arabic medical theories. Spiritually, the prescriptions follow traditional
folk-healing techniques. For example, a client may be advised to avoid hot drinks, or
to eat sugared dates, or to only wear white for a month, or to avoid gossip etc.
Prescriptions are an essential part of khatt al raml and are a means by which to avoid
calamity, address a spiritual affliction, or improve the clients condition.
6. Khatt al Raml is associated with people and stories. Certain figures as well as
patterns in a chart come with stories and fables. The practitioner of Khatt al raml must
memorize each of these stories and their meaning. Some of these stories are religious
and others are folk tales. The figures also represent historical and religious figures (in
addition to describing ordinary people). The skilled practitioner will recognize the
pattern, recount the story, and relate it to the clients situation. This is quite similar to
Ifa in that way and puts khatt al raml into the wider family of African divinations like
hakkata, Ifa, diloggun, bone reading, sikiddy ec. The various religious and historical
figures in khatt al raml are used to ascertain spiritual patrons and a person's spiritual
calling.
7. Khatt al Raml is not monolithic. While there are variations and some minor
differences in the practices of European geomancers based on differences in the texts
they draw from there is a lot of conformity. For khatt al raml on the other hand, it is
more accurate to view it as an umbrella covering a wide range of practices.
Historically, khatt al raml can be divided into three schools, African,
Levantine/Arabic, and South Asian. For example the South Asian school as practiced
in Iran, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan employ the use of ramal dice and have some
different meanings for the figures. In Africa, the prescriptive and story-telling aspect
of khatt al raml is more emphasized. There are however similarities and commonalities
like those covered in this post.
8. Khatt al Raml listens to the Judge. Modern geomancers place a great deal of
importance on the house chart and modes of perfection, almost to the point where the
Judge takes on a secondary importance. The houses and modes of perfection also are
in khatt al raml, but the Judge is the answer. I have seen many geomancers cast charts
where the judge says one thing and the house another and they stick to the houses
interpretation and then wonder what went wrong. In traditional khatt al raml, the Judge
gives you the yes or no and the houses with modes of perfection reveal how the thing
will come about. If there is a conflict then the Result of the Result is generated which
acts as the final seal, or khatam. The importance of the Judge cannot be overstated
especially since some practitioners in parts of the world only cast the takht or what is
known as the shield/tableau in European geomancy. The role of the Judge and its
5.

configuration to rest of the chart is reflective of Medieval Islamic social structure with
the qazi and wakil.
9. Khatt al Raml is the magic of angel and djinn. Just as khatt al raml is a spiritual
discipline so too is it a magical practice. Khatt al raml is not a passive divination
system, but is used in magical practice. First, it is associated with the magic of djinn
and angels. Knowledge of khatt al raml is believed to have been taught to Prophet
Idries (Enoch/Hermes) from an angel. Knowledge of khatt al raml, like knowledge of
astrology, is having the knowledge of angels. It is also connected to the djinn.
Especially in its African branch, practitioners cast chart through the agency of familiar
spirits, calling upon their personal djinn. It is said that without the familiar djinn that
one is blind to the true meaning of the chart. Khatt al raml itself is very magical. Each
figure is a magical symbol, from them talismans are created, and prescriptions are
made. Practitioners trace out figures in the sand then gather up the sand in their hand
and blow the sand to winds with prayers to carry out spells. Figures are dissolved in
water and drunk with prayers. The charts themselves are manipulated to create taskin.
The figures are manipulated in such a way so as to rewrite destiny, or create a magical
effect. Many of these talisman or taweez rely on numerological and symbolic
meanings and again call on agency of God, angels, and djinn. This is one of the closest
guarded practices of khatt al raml; the creation of talismans and its use in magic.
10. Khatt al Raml is secret. Knowledge of khatt al raml grants one knowledge to the
world of the hidden (ghayb) with its djinn and angels. But knowledge of khatt al raml
itself is hidden. Much of its knowledge is not written down in books, but passed down
from master to student in transmission that is unbroken. Khatt al ramls ways are
secret and there are layers of hidden knowledge that remain still unknown in the west
and that have not made their way into geomancy.