The word oracle is derived from the Latin verb orare, which means “to speak.” In ancient times an oracle could be a person who was a prophet or wise counselor through whom a certain deity was believed to speak. An oracle was also a shrine or temple consecrated to the worship of a certain prophetic deity where such guidance was sought. The oracle was also thought to be the response, message or revelation itself, given through a prophet in the form of a wise statement or prediction. And of course, one modern oracle is this magazine, speaking truth and spreading wisdom in a dedicated manner.

Oracles existed at sacred sites around the world where people would travel, seeking answers to troubling questions, guidance or direction about their lives. Delphi, on the slopes of Mount Parnassus in Greece, is perhaps the most famous oracular site. Epidaurus was a another famous Greek oracular center. The oracle temple at Delphi was originally the domain of Gaia, the great Earth Mother, until patriarchal times when the site and its priestesses, called Pythonesses, sadly came under the domain of the sun god Apollo.

Seated on a tripod with serpent legs, and lodged in underground caves where trance-inducing fumes seeped out of fissures in the rocks, the oracle priestesses uttered prophecy. Breathing deeply of the mind-altering scent, and entering into an altered state, they spoke in a strange tongue. Just like modern dream messages, what was received from the oracles was often enigmatic or even allegorical. Conveniently, interpreters were on hand at Delphi to decode the messages and deliver their content to waiting aspirants. For a fee, naturally.

Part of the work of these famous centers was dream interpretation. People traveled great distances on pilgrimages, enduring hardships we can only imagine, and they made a considerable investment in the experience. They had often prepared for years are were dedicated to getting the most from their experience. Once in residence at the temple seekers were instructed how to facilitate a powerful dream. It’s likely they carried powerful intentions with them as they journeyed and that a great deal may have been at stake in terms of how they implemented the answers they received. Seekers were instructed in rites of purification which included bathing, oils, herbs and a special purifying diet, and most importantly, learning to ask for the dream or wise counsel.

Modern dream researchers and interpreters use a term call dream incubation, sometimes called “seeding” a dream. This is the same as the ancient techniques used at the oracle temples in which the dreamer strives to dream with a specific question or subject in mind. Typically this is related to the soul’s purpose or mission in this lifetime or to counsel about a spiritual path.

The dynamic of an oracle has to do with receptivity. We have to be open to guidance. First, we have to identify the question. As Plato taught, forming the right question is central to receiving the right answer. If our intentions are vague our results too will be unclear. Next, we have to put ourselves in an appropriate frame of mind to receive. That includes maintaining a positive attitude with the expectation that we will receive the guidance we’ve requested.

You can create your own dream oracle when a seeking counsel on a serious matter, a life-altering decision or spiritual question. It’s possible to recreate a sense of actually being present in a temple through the power of your intention and the skill of visualization. Undertake your own inner sacred journey and make a symbolic sacrifice of time or energy to visit a shrine in your heart. You might choose a picture of a sacred site or temple that moves you and invokes a sense of connection to the Divine.

Take care formulating the question, write in your journal and invoke your guidance in whatever manner you are accustomed to. Imagine that you have traveled to a sacred site of your choosing and prepare your mind and heart. Before you go to bed that night take a soothing bath, eat sparingly and consume no alcohol or mood-altering substances. Meditate before you go to sleep, and don’t forget to ask the question, expecting the gift of a “big dream.”

Julie Gillentine is the award-winning author of TAROT & DREAM INTERPRETATION and other books and articles. Each year she leads a sacred journey to Egypt. Julie can be reached through her web site www.queenofcups.com or in Colorado at 970-264-7474.