An ADF ritual includes divination. Usually the Red Maple Grove seer reads the runes during Norse style rituals and ogham during Celtic style rituals. The seer draws three in order (Past, Present and Future). Then Red Maple Grove has a traditional question: “Our Deities have spoken; are we satisfied or would we here more?” If there is a request for more, then a fourth explanatory rune (ogham) is drawn. Below are some omen readings from previous rituals.

Past: Idad (yew) Soul, the essence of our being, that which survives through the incarnations, our true self.

Imbolc Omen…

Past (Straiph, blackthorn, fate): The past is past. It happened. It is out of our control.

Present (Beithe, birch, beginning). We are starting something new, beginning a new thing, entering a new phase.

Future (duir, oak, leadership) Those elements underlined for our future are those connected to leadership and the knightly virtues of courage, courtesy, hospitality, etc.

The question: “Our deities, especially Bridget, have spoken; are we satisfied with this divine communication, or would we hear more?” was asked.

Past: (Ivy) Seeking, aquiring, gathering what’s needed in all aspects of life.

Present: (Elder) The Soul, Our true self, througout the incarnations.

Future: (Blackthorn) Victory, success, triumph.

We were all quite satisfied with this reading and there was no explanatory Ohgam.

The omen follows:

Past: edad, aspen, success. Our deities are reminding us that things have gone relatively well.

Present: onn, furze, gathering. This is a time to seek and find what is needed. Future: ngetal, broom, cleansing.

The future is a time for healing, cleansing, tossing the outworn to make room for the new.

The traditional question: “Our deities have spoken; are we satisfied or would we hear more?” was asked and there was a request to hear more.

Explanatory ogham: nin, ash, bridge. We are reminded of the interconnection of the worlds, of those who have passed, those who think of us and watch over us as we think of them and wish them well.

The omen was: past, coll, hazel, inspiration and present sail willow intuition, two complementing suggestions that we be especially mindful to what we’re receiving from our deities and our unconscious. Yes, there is reasoned logical thought and, in addition, this is an especially opportune moment to be in tune with the balancing aspect of awareness.
The future is huath whitethorn, rest, recuperation, taking it easy, regaining strength and not overstressing ourselves.

The traditional question, “Our deities have spoken; are we satisfied or would we hear more?” was asked. Everyone was satisfied.

The first one was Hawthorne, which from my personal understanding is about the home and protecting those who gather within against outside forces.

The second one, which was a clairfier to the first one was oak, which from my personal understand is lord of the forest, lord of the tribe…Champion and sometimesalso the druid…Sometimes the door

And the third one is Ash which from my personal understanding is a marking of peace, the middle point of the tribe..

Here's the omen:

Past: The aspect of the past our deities are drawing to our attention as having such an impact on us today is our success, victory and triumph, things we've done well and things that have gone well for us.

Present: What we are living through, what is so greatly impacting upon us at this instant is the connection between this mundane reality and the Otherworld, our link to the realm of the spirit, our attunement to the inner reality.

Future: What is arriving of greatest significance for us is the necessity to tidy up, cleanse, purify, sweep away the unnecessary or

Omen for Midsuumer 2006 ritual

Past: Fern. Present: Sail. Future: Ngetal. Explanatory: Tinne.

Past: Coll. Present: Muin. Future: Ruis. Explanatory: Fern.