Geomancy

Geomancy (from Greek geōmanteia< geo, "earth" + manteia, "divination")
Geomancy takes the form of intrepreting the topography of the land to determine future events and or the strength of a dynasty or particular family. Therefore, not only were location and land forms important, but the topography could shift causing disfavor and the need relocate.

“Geomancy” means “divining the earth”. The theory and practice of feng shui in China has a lot in common with the theory and practice of geomancy in other traditions of the world. Dowsing and earth acupuncture are both traditions of the west and have much that is identical to feng shui. Feng Shui is Chinese Geomancy and earth acupuncture is advanced esoteric feng shui.

Geomancy includes 3 parts: -

1. Dowsing of underground and surface energy meridians and the implementation of earth acupuncture to resolve geopathic stress.

2. Design and placement within the visible world and the design of human environments according to common sense as well as subtle methods.

3. Alignment with the time dimensions of astrology and astronomy.

As a therapeutic art, the goal of geomancy is to identify for clients their environmental problems and deal with them. These problems may relate to a client's health, relationships, social life or business luck. Problems are identified using a full range of feng shui precepts: noting what the client reports as the presenting issue, taking a case history, looking for tell-tale clues in vegetation such as ivy on the walls, noting the history of machines breaking down, the fabric of the building and noting the health of the client. The health - damaging effects of prolonged exposure to harmful types of earth radiation and geopathic stress is a common cause of disease.

The geomancer then focuses on resolving damaged or dangerous meridians (channels of earth energy). These meridians are located with direct observation and dowsing skills. The geomancer dowses with rods or a pendulum to find the destructive lines of earth energy and to find suitable earth acu-points to effect cure.

Geomancy's first mention in print was Langland's Piers Plowman where it is unfavorably compared to the level of expertise a person needs for astronomy. In 1386 Chaucer used the Parson's Tale to poke fun at geomancy in Canterbury Tales: "What say we of them that believe in divynailes as ... geomancie ..." Shakespeare also used geomancy for comic relief.

Because traditional Western geomantic divination was so dependent on astrological technique, it was often referred to as astrological geomancy. Although documents from the 12th century explain the theories and methodologies of this type of geomancy, it was more recently popularized by occultist Franz Hartmann in his book The Principles of Astrological Geomancy.

Read about the practice of Astrological Geomancy of the middle ages here: http://www.renaissanceastrology.com/astrologicalgeomancy.html

Sources : Wikipedia, Beech Hill College

**Note: Though the effects of geopathic stress are very real and should be tested, in part within some cultural traditions this topic veer's into what should be considered more of a pseudoscience than reality.