soothsayer literally means "teller of truth," it refers to a person who predicts the future through spiritual or supernatural means. Often, a soothsayer practices divination, interpreting omens in the natural world or reading messages in specific objects, such as cards or casting lots. A soothsayer may also be a religious figure who receives knowledge from a supernatural source, such as a prophet, oracle, or shaman. The soothsayer has been around for thousands of years, and probably since shortly after the dawn of man, since people are naturally curious about the future and often try to use predictions to plan present actions. Soothsayers are also an important part of nearly every religion.

A soothsayer who practices divination has a number of options open to him or her. Some practices are commonly considered fortune-telling today, though they were taken very seriously in the ancient world and still are by some practitioners. Examples include crystallomancy or scrying, reading a crystal ball; chiromancy or palmistry, reading the lines on the palm of the hand; cartomancy, reading cards, including tarot cards; geomancy, reading markings in the dirt; astrology, reading the stars; and cleromancy or sortilege, casting bones, sticks, or other objects. Some forms of divination that were important in the ancient world, particularly the Greek and Roman empires, are no longer common. For example, haruspicy or extispicy sought messages in the entrails of sacrificed animals, while augury interpreted the flight of birds.

There are a great many forms of divination or scrying, I will list as many as I can quickly think of below with a brief explanation of what they are.

Apple Divination - usually used in foretelling a future partner (love interest). This is most commonly a one time reading.

Astrology - Western, Chinese and Native American Earth Magic are just a few of the forms. Bases on the placement of the sun, moon and various planets at the time of your birth; personality traits, possible mates, careers, lucky numbers, etc as suggested. This form of divination can be used throughout the lifetime of the subject.

Bibliomancy- using a randomly chosen book, opened wherever you think feels right and reading the first passage your eye id drawn to as an answer to a problem or question. This was at one time commonly done using the family bible as the book.

Candle Divination - The use of a burning candle to answer basic questions. How the flame burns (brighter, smaller, sputtering etc) is interpreted for the answers.

Cartomancy - the use of cards either standard playing cards or specifically designed card (ie: Tarot aka Taramancy, Angel, Fairy etc.) are laid out in various patterns and the cards themselves as well as the placement and proximity to one another are `read`to give a look into the future. This type of reading has a limited time frame, however you can have readings done whenever you would like.

Crystalomancy - the use of a crystal ball as a focus for looking into the future. This form is good for answering specific questions or short range looks into the future.

Dark mirror - a specifically made reflective surface designed for looking into the future.

Dice - These can be regular playing dice or marked with sigals and symbols to give readings depending on how they fall. (Astragalomancy - scrying with two dice; Cleromancy - scrying with three dice).

Dowsing - the use of forked twigs (usually willow) or formed copper wires to find water, lost objects etc.

Graphomancy - using hand writing to divine personality traits etc. of the subject. Automatic writing is using a pen in a trance state to get possible messages from `the other side`.

Hydomancy - the use of a bowl of water (or ice), a pond or other still surface of naturally occurring water as a focus for looking into the future. This form is easier with a bowl, but those who use the trickier naturally occurring still water claim the visions are further reaching and more powerful.

Numerology - using the numbers of a date of birth or name (each letter is assigned a numer) to determine the future or answer specific questions..

Palmistry - using the lines, areas, and naturally occurring creases of the palm, fingers and wrist to read the future (or past) of a subject. This form changes with time so having a reading done more than once (over several years) can give you guidance.

Pendulum - the use of a weight, often a crystal or gem but also can be a ring or other piece of jewelry, on a chain or string, used to answer basic questions.

Phrenology - readings of the bumps (usually) on the head of the subject.

Pyromancy - using the flames of a fire (not a candle) to look into the future.

Runes - tiles, stones or sometimes sticks marked with old Norse symbols used to look into the future.

Wax Divination - pouring hot wax into a bowl or container of water and interpreting the shapes found.