In this episode of The Sacred Places Podcast, I’m joined by Jessica Howard, a practicing witch of over twenty years and author of The Art of Lithomancy, to explore the ancient and deeply earthy world of divination with stones.

Stones have always held a quiet kind of wisdom for me. They’re not just crystals from a shop, they’re pieces of the land itself. They live in our gardens, line riverbeds, and lie beneath our feet, holding stories older than we can imagine. Lithomancy is a way of listening to those stories, and Jessica’s book makes this practice surprisingly accessible, even for those who are just beginning.

Jessica and I talk about what lithomancy is and what it means to build a relationship with the land through stone divination. We discuss how to create your own lithomancy set (something she beautifully outlines in her book) and I share the story of the very first set I ever made, along with the lessons I learned from my early mistakes.

We also discover how magical and playful this practice can be. Picking up stones can feel childlike and joyful, like rediscovering a part of yourself that has always known how to speak to the land. Jessica even shows us some of the stones from one of her personal sets, giving a glimpse into how this practice can evolve over time.

Together, we explore the difference between reading stones and runes, why everyone should try lithomancy at least once, and how even the most ordinary rock can become a living oracle. And of course, we couldn’t resist sharing our deep love for The Lord of the Rings and how that mythology has shaped both of our spiritual connections to stone and earth.

Whether you’re new to divination or looking to root your practice more deeply in the land, this conversation is a gentle invitation to pick up a stone and listen.

You can find Jessica’s work and The Art of Lithomancy here
Follow Jessica on Instagram: @thecottagemysticwitch

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This podcast episode was edited by Jordan, a cohost from The Astro Study Room
https://www.instagram.com/theastrostudyroom

Music: Tribal Wind - SergePavkinMusic
Music Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWe5Z7qISMQ