Incubatory Divination

Incubatory Divination

"What is your name?" asked Maeve,
"I am Fedelm, poetress of Connacht," she replied. "I have come from Albion after learning the art of divination."
"Have you the power prophecy called imbas forosna?" asked the queen.
"I have indeed."  said Fedelm
  ___ Tdin Bo Cuailgne (trans. CM)

    Here Queen Maeve of Connacht interviews a prophetic female poet in order to determine the outcome of the battle. Only poets who had trained in the highest divinatory techniques could illumine dark matters that could not be solved by normal means. Imbas forosna (IM'bas for-OS'na) - literally, 'the inspiration of the great sigh' - was one of the "Three Illuminations" or prophetic techniques of divination. Fedelm tells Maeve, "I see it bloody, I see it red." She then prophesies accurately, and in some detail, the valor of the hero Cuchulainn, who will be responsible for laying waste Maeve's champions.
   Imbas forsona is a form of Celtic incubatory divination that can be employed when we need to get more information about things that are unclear to us. By using the technique with modifications, we can attempt to 'dream true.'  Imbas forosna requires well-framed intentions and an ability to remember our dreams. Before sleeping, create an invocation that addresses your spiritual allies and asks for help about the matter in hand; include the instruction that you wish to wake up when the answer has been revealed. Immediately write down any remembrances on waking, bearing in mind that the 'answer' may be in riddling or hidden form. In order to unlock the answer, keep asking yourself how your dream experiences relate to your question. Try this for not more than three nights in succession, as continual attempts to 'work'instead of rest during the night can disrupt sleep patterns.

"Make your own incubatory divination, as outlined above."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]