A Shared Inheritance: The Interrelationship between Divination and Charming in 21st Century Canada

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between divination and charming in twentyfirst century Canada. Drawing upon my ongoing research with Canadian divination practitioners, primarily in the province of Alberta, I focus on the ways in which these connections are created and utilised within contemporary divinatory acts. Doing so provides insights into how and why these practices are being adapted to new contexts, the individuals who undertake them, and the communities that they serve. By recognising this ongoing process of integration, it is possible to gain insights into the needs that these combined acts meet within modern communities and identify the gaps in current social structures, particularly in relation to health and healing, that lead individuals to seek out and adapt these traditional practices for a modern audience.