What exactly is an oracle?

[nexx]

I have been trying to look for a proper definition to what an oracle, in human or spirit form, is. Definitions of the Greek oracles have popped up (Delphi in particular), but I have yet to find any good study on human oracles, how they work, how they manifest, and whether or not they tend to be surrounded by or mated with individuals with particular strengths.

One friend mentioned a dichotomy of oracle/warrior but i have yet to find any other records of this belief. I have also been told that a spirit inhabits the body for a short time to relay information on an individual's future when asked and that the oracle, his/herself, does not know the answer beforehand.

I'm not terribly sure why I am so interested, but if anyone knows anything, no matter how little or how much, I would very much appreciate your help.

Thanks!

[Faelon_Moon_Hawk]

I just happened to catch something on tv the other day (i believe it was a show on the history channel or something dealing with end of the world predictions and whatnot) and it mentioned briefly oracles and them commonly being associated with or dwelling in/near caves, such as the oracle at delphi and then Mother Shipton. I know there are theories that at Delphi in particular the oracles' prophesies maybe induced by the naturally occuring gases present at the cave. From what little I know on the subject, oracles tend to be solitary people, often living in rural and hard to access places. Though they also seem to be a common ground, everyone from the lowest peseant to the most powerful ruler would go to the oracle for advice, especially in times of trouble.

[patch]

From oxford dictionary :

oracle


• noun 1 (in ancient Greece or Rome) a priest or priestess who acted as a medium for divine advice or prophecy. 2 an infallible authority.

--
I don't think the nature of what that divine is matters in the case of using the term.

[~Elise~]

I've always seen it as a form of very deep trance work...either chemically induced or self induced. I don't think it is quite possession.

Of couse, as always, this is JMO and YMMV

Elise

[Agaliha]

I've always seen it as a form of very deep trance work...either chemically induced or self induced. I don't think it is quite possession.

That's basically how I saw it as well.

*

Nexx, you might want to check Wikipedia out:

An oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion; an infallible authority, usually spiritual in nature. It may also be a revealed prediction or precognition of the future, from deities, that is spoken through another object (e.g.: runemal) or life-form (e.g.: augury and auspice). In the ancient world many sites gained a reputation for the dispensing of oracular wisdom: they too became known as "oracles", and the oracular utterances, called khrēsmoi in Greek, were often referred to under the same name — a name derived from the Latin verb ōrāre, to speak.It then goes into many oracles from around the world, though not in depth it is a good starting place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle

[Teresa]

Elise and Agaliha pretty much covered what I feel about the subject.




I know that in some tribes there are men that have the gift of sight that also do divination for their people who are seen as Oracles. What the spirits tell them is relayed to the querent and ultimately followed. When people actually chose to go against the direction that was given during the divination things turned out very badly and some even met their deaths.


My Friend that is teaching me Yoruban goes to an Oracle in the outskirts of Lagos who did divination for him. The Oracles name is Oguntade and they consider him a seer too ( arin run) He is a follower of Ifa and the spirits guide him in his answers.