iWorth's Blog:

Divining was engaged in in two forms. In 筮 the stalks 莢 were used, and in 卜 the tortoise-shell 龜. The stalks were struck in order to cause them to fall out of their case (韇), in which they were held by the diviner (筮人). The lines 爻, complete ——, and divided — —, which they indicated, were collected in two trines, which together made up a diagram (卦). This was first drawn on the ground and then transferred to a board by the recorder (卦者) of the divination, and after having been taken to the Master of Ceremonies by the diviner and looked at by him, was then examined carefully (占) by the diviner's three assistants in turn, and the augury declared by them as propitious (吉) or otherwise. In divining by the other method the shell was heated over a flame, and the diagram recorded and the result declared as above. The subject to be divined upon was decided by the Master of Ceremonies, and communicated to the diviner, who again communicated it to the divining instrument, as the vehicle ...

An exorcism is an act of religious ceremony which expels a spirit which may have taken up residence in a house or human being. The ceremony normally consists of a priest or clergyman, who is often specially trained, and who will say prayers and repeat loud exhortations, often burning candles and sprinkling holy water whilst incense is burnt. This ritual is a modern version of the old Christian rite of excommunication, which was known as the rite of 'Bell, Book, and Candle', where sinners were eliminated from further entering the faith by a priest who would ring a small bell and slam the Holly Bible shut, often after reading the Malediction, and extinguish the burning candles. Modern mediums also claim to be able to perform such an act, normally without the trappings, by psychically contacting the spirit which may be causing the trouble and convincing it to move on the next spiritual plane of existence. Many mediums believe that ghosts are spirits who have not come to terms wi...