Today's Stichomancy for David Bowie

The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy:

and as according to his ideas there was nothing dishonorable in these tastes, and he was incapable of considering what the gratification of his tastes entailed for others, he honestly considered himself irreproachable, sincerely despised rogues and bad people, and with a tranquil conscience carried his head high.

Rakes, those male Magdalenes, have a secret feeling of innocence similar to that which female Magdalenes have, based on the same hope of forgiveness. "All will be forgiven her, for she loved much; and all will be forgiven him, for he enjoyed much."

Dolokhov, who had reappeared that year in Moscow after his exile and his Persian adventures, and was leading a life of luxury, gambling,

War and Peace

The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Rig Veda:

8 When light bath filled the Lord of men for increase, straight from the heaven descends the limpid moisture. Agni bath brought to light and filled with spirit the youthful host blameless and well providing.

9 He who like thought goes swiftly on his journey, the Sun, alone is ever Lord of riches. The Kings with fair hands, Varuna and Mitra, protect the precious nectar in our cattle.

The Rig Veda

The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Tanach:

Psalms 83: 12 (83:13) Who said: 'Let us take to ourselves in possession the habitations of God.'

Psalms 83: 13 (83:14) O my God, make them like the whirling dust; as stubble before the wind.

Psalms 83: 14 (83:15) As the fire that burneth the forest, and as the flame that setteth the mountains ablaze;

Psalms 83: 15 (83:16) So pursue them with Thy tempest, and affright them with Thy storm.

Psalms 83: 16 (83:17) Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek Thy name, O LORD.

Psalms 83: 17 (83:18) Let them be ashamed and affrighted for ever; yea, let them be abashed and perish;

Psalms 83: 18 (83:19) That they may know that it is Thou alone whose name is the LORD, the Most High over all the earth.

Psalms 84: 1 (84:1) For the Leader; upon the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. (84:2) How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

Psalms 84: 2 (84:3) My soul yearneth, yea, even pineth for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy unto the living God.

Psalms 84: 3 (84:4) Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young; Thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God--.

Psalms 84: 4 (84:5) Happy are they that dwell in Thy house, they are ever praising Thee. Selah

The Tanach

The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Odyssey by Homer:

sprung, for I have heard the fair fame of him, how that Nisus of Dulichium was a good man and a rich, and his son they say thou art, and thou seemest a man of understanding. Wherefore I will tell thee, and do thou mark and listen to me. Nought feebler doth the earth nurture than man, of all the creatures that breathe and move upon the face of the earth. Lo, he thinks that he shall never suffer evil in time to come, while the gods give him happiness, and his limbs move lightly. But when again the blessed gods have wrought for him sorrow, even so he bears it, as he must, with a steadfast heart. For the spirit of men upon the

The Odyssey