Charts, lines, visions—what do they predict? Can we use them to look into the future, shape it as we will or are we merely acting out a script written by somebody else? Enter the world of myriad predictive sciences

Dicey answer

In ancient Egypt, Greece and the Far-East, cubes of wood, metal, ivory or glass, with their sides numbered from 1 to 6, were popular for prophesying. You need three dice. Consult the dice after sunset, in peaceful surroundings. Observe complete silence. Draw a circle with white chalk on a board or table. Reject the throw, which rolls out of the table or the circle or if it falls on the floor, it is a presage of violent quarrels. Now add the numbers on the three dice. Here is what each number signifies:

Three: Good luck
Four: Disappointment
Five: Happiness from an unknown person
Six: Loss in worldly matters but spiritual gain
Seven: Baseless accusations
Eight: Unwise course
Nine: Success in love affairs
Ten: Happiness
Eleven: Illness
Twelve: Act upon your intuition
Thirteen: Sorrow
Fourteen: New association
Fifteen: Let your conscience guide you
Sixteen: Pleasant journey
Seventeen: Suggestion from a stranger will guide you to future success
Eighteen: Great luck and happiness

Any recurring number portends an important event. A dice on top of another is a warning sign. Avoid Mondays and bad weather.