Information AboutOmen |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT OMEN | |
| divination | |
| prophecy | |
| ancient roman religion | |
| history of astrology | |
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'' ( An omen, or '''portent''', is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the Future , often signifying the advent of change. Interpretation of omens and prophetic signs is a form of Divination . Omens may be considered "good" or "bad", but the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous". IN ANCIENT ROME Ancient Roman Religion employed two distinct types of professional omen readers. Augurs interpreted the flights of birds, while Haruspices employed Animal Sacrifice to obtain the Entrails necessary for divination. ASTROLOGY See also: Eclipse Cycle , Metonic Cycle , Saros Cycle , Comets In the field of Astrology , solar and lunar Eclipses (along with the appearance of Comet s and to some extent the Full Moon ) have often been considered omens of notable Births , Death s, or other significant events throughout history in many societies. , 1981 , the day of her wedding to Prince Charles , was the date of a Solar Eclipse ; June 21 , 1982 , the birth date of Prince William , was another. A lunar eclipse occurred on December 9 , 1992 , the date of her formal separation from Prince Charles. Another solar eclipse occurred on August 31 , 1997 , one day before her death. Skeptics of astrology, Divination , and Clairvoyance frequently contend that such occurrences are coincidence, or that meaningful events can only be associated with portents after they have already occurred, thereby negating their value as a means of Prediction . GOOD OR BAD . ''ISTI MIRANT STELLA'' literally means "These ones are looking at the star". '' National Geographic '' translated it in a 1966 article about the tapestry as "These men wonder at the star."]] Omens may be considered either good or bad depending on their interpretation. The same sign may be interpreted differently by different people or different cultures. For example, a Superstition in the United States indicates that a Black Cat is an omen of bad luck, while in the United Kingdom it is considered a good omen. Comets also have been considered to be both good and bad omens. The best-known example is probably Halley's Comet , which was a "bad omen" for King Harold II Of England but a "good omen" for William The Conqueror . In 2007, a nursing home cat named Oscar frequently appeared near patients when they were near death. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6917113.stm REFERENCES Homer, "The Odyssey" SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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