Divination and Contemplative Prayer
In divination, a mystical practice is used in order to make contact with the spirit world; in contemplative prayer the same thing is done.
"Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19: 31
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch." Deuteronomy 18:10
"It is this conjuring technique of visualization, borrowed from the occult both ancient and modern, that most specifically represents divination in the Church." For the whole story ... Eastern Regional Watch
"The basic problem with divination is that, even though the diviner is sincerely attempting to contact God, the entities with which one ends up communicating are demons (posing as Jesus, God, angels, etc.)"
Tom McMahon—The Berean Call. ...read more ...
"Christian" Mysticism
Dr. Orrel Steinkamp
"Divination generally refers to attempts to learn 'hidden things' that cannot be known by normal means. Divination falls into two broad categories: mechanical and internal. Mechanical divination uses physical means to acquire hidden knowledge. Examples of this include such things as gazing into crystal balls, examining the livers or other internal organs of animals, interpreting the way arrows land after being thrown into the air, and reading Tarot cards. The internal category, sometimes called 'soothsaying,' involves conjuring up a spiritual entity during a trance or an altered state of consciousness. Sometimes this spirit entity will appear as a person, no longer living, who returns and speaks words of wisdom. Sometimes the spirit who is 'called up' speaks 'through' a medium. In Acts 16:16 the slave girl had a 'spirit of divination.' (It is interesting to note that, because there was often trickery involved, in the first century the word used for divination was also broadly used for the act of ventriloquism.)" Read more of this article.