button divination.
title. Button reading
date. June 2, 2016 - Present
city. Lake County
event. Big Stick
artist. Dez Divine
description. Button Divination was created in 2016 in order to better understand that divination is based on our own understanding of how our personal stories form our reality. Button divination is also a response to a culture that is constantly looking outside of ourselves in order to find meaning in the world. Many divination practices rely on image-word associations created by others. Tarot is perhaps the most popular of these forms, infused with colonizer language, symbology and imagery I sought to divine my own inner knowing with symbology and language that is culturally relatable and of this time. Button reading is for everyone and anyone who seeks more clarity in life, for others or themselves. It is a form of divination not beholden to any lineage, symbology or cultural origin. The main purpose is to understand which stories lead our lives and to empower ourselves and others to know that we have all the knowledge we need inside ourselves. If you are able to derive meaning about your life from a pile of buttons, you are able to find meaning about your life and the world from anything if you play attention to your own inner stories. This is a living, ongoing and ever-evolving project and I'm amazed and fascinated at how many people can connect to this process of reflection.
Will you sit, will you ask, will the buttons show your past? or is it future they do see? perhaps a mirror of you and me? words mingle in your heart to energize a story start. Can you tell where I project or was it your story direct? Who's to say and who's to know if only to the edge you go. So sit, sit, sit, and listen now but not to me, no, to yourself. Can you hear your own heart sing with answers that only you can bring?
Life Thread
your life is calling
Love and Passion
Are they aligned
Button Box
dig deeper
Self-Reflection
is there something you're looking at too closely or not enough?
Busyness and Work
Is there a way to do it better?
Travel and belonging
are you searching?
Knows 1/2 the Story
the reader
Note to self
are you taking time to hear your thoughts or body
Pride
can you look at the big picture?
title. Reclaiming your intuition: Divination and Responsible Storytelling Workshop
date. March 16, 2019
city. Berkeley, California
event. 34th Empowering Women of Color Conference
artist. Dez Divine
description. This interactive workshop presents one form of divination, Button Reading, as a means to guide participants in learning how to support other community members in gaining perspective through storytelling. Buttons are used to empower others in a co-creation of story and intuition to identify personal beliefs and identify self-imposed limitations. Responsible storytelling is about using the power of story creation wisely to awaken the personal narratives of others while honoring their self-determination. Button Reading is a form of divination not beholden to any lineage, symbology, or cultural origin.
