Sayer bowed slightly in acknowledgment as Laren finished speaking. He did not comment on Laren's words, but instead placed the worn leather pouch containing the rune stones in the center circle of the reading table. "Let us continue. Clear your mind."
Sayer held his hands up, leading Laren to copy Sayer's exaggerated motions. Sayer spoke in a strong, clear voice. "We shall clap three times: once to awaken the attention of the mind," -- clap! -- "once to awaken the attention of the spirit," -- clap! -- "and once to awaken the attention of the body." Clap!
Sayer turned to Laren, instructing him that they face each other. "You are my Querent, and I am your Counsellor. Our relationship is symbiotic. We bow, showing our respect." With fluid and practiced movement, Sayer bowed deeply from the waist. He waited for Laren to hold his bow before motioning to stand up straight again.
Sayer then turned to face the reading table. "These are the tools that will assist us in our reading. We bow, showing our respect." Again, Sayer bowed low, waiting for Laren to follow his lead.
As he lead Laren through the opening ritual, Laren's words were repeated in the back of Sayer's mind. My future, at least until my task is done, does not have room for my own self preservation. It cannot be allowed to influence my decisions. This troubled Sayer. There were two schools of philosophy among diviners: the Fatalists, who were the traditional majority, believing that all events were predestined and that divination merely gave us glimpses of the inevitable; and the Volitionists, a young, radical minority who believed that all events were consequences of choice and divination gave us a glimpse of the possible. Sayer was a strong proponent of Volitionism, and Laren's comment only reminded him how deeply rooted -- and accepted -- Fatalistic thought was in this society. Could not Laren achieve the goal of his task AND achieve self preservation? Could not Laren's future hold both possibilities? Sayer believed that it could, but only if Laren chose the proper choices. Laren would have to be convinced of this possibility. It must influence his decisions.
Sayer stood straight and remained facing the table, gesturing to raise hands. "We clap one last time," -- clap! -- "awakening the attention of the stones." Sayer paused, his voice returning to a softer, conversational level. "And that," he smiled as he turned to Laren, "concludes the opening ritual. You will now make another choice: please face the center of the table and raise forth a hand to draw the stones."
Please raise your left or right hand.