Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Seer

A seer is a person credited with the extraordinary ability to perceive future events, hidden knowledge, or divine messages through supernatural means such as visions, dreams, or divination techniques.^[1] This role has been recognized in various ancient and historical contexts, where seers served as interpreters of omens, advisors to rulers, and conduits for spiritual guidance, distinguishing them from ordinary observers by their claimed extrasensory perception.^[2] In ancient Greek society, the seer—known as a mantis—was a respected specialist in mantic arts, employing methods like extispicy (examination of animal entrails), ornithomancy (observation of birds), and oneiromancy (dream interpretation) to divine the will of the gods and inform decisions in warfare, colonization, and public affairs.^[3]^[4] Figures such as Calchas in the Iliad exemplified this function, providing counsel to heroes and kings, though their authority was often contested and dependent on the accuracy of their predictions.^[5] Seers were integral to religious and political life, operating independently or within state cults, and their expertise extended to rituals like purifications and foundation ceremonies for new cities.^[6] In the Hebrew Bible, the term "seer" (ro'eh in Hebrew, from the root rā'āh meaning "to see") designates a prophet who receives visual revelations from God, emphasizing visionary experiences over mere auditory prophecy.^[7] Notable examples include Samuel, who identifies himself as a seer in 1 Samuel 9:19 while guiding Saul, and Amos, who describes his prophetic calling through visions in Amos 7.^[8] This biblical usage highlights the seer's role as a mediator between the divine and human realms, often delivering moral or eschatological insights, and the term evolved to encompass broader prophetic functions by the time of the Deuteronomistic history.^[9] Across other cultures, such as in ancient Mesopotamia and Celtic traditions, seers or analogous figures like the Mesopotamian bārû (diviner) used tools including sacred stones or entrails to translate omens into actionable knowledge, underscoring a universal human reliance on such intermediaries for navigating uncertainty.^[10] While the seer's legitimacy was frequently debated—tied to successful predictions or societal needs—the archetype persists in literature, religion, and folklore as a symbol of foresight and mystical wisdom.^[11]

Concept and History

Definition and Etymology

A seer is an individual believed to possess the supernatural ability to foresee future events, receive divine revelations, or perceive hidden truths, often through visions, dreams, or clairvoyance.^[12] In religious contexts, particularly within biblical traditions, a seer is described as one whose spiritual insight allows discernment of God's will or unseen realities beyond ordinary human perception.^[13] This capacity is typically attributed to divine endowment rather than natural talent, distinguishing seers as conduits for extraordinary knowledge.^[1] The term "seer" originates from the late 14th century in Middle English as "seere," derived from the Old English "sēare," meaning "one who sees," formed by adding the agent suffix to the verb "sēon" (to see).^[14] Initially connoting a literal beholder or watcher from the early 15th century, it evolved to signify a prophet or one receiving divine revelations by the late 14th century.^[14] Parallels exist in ancient languages, such as the Hebrew "ro'eh" (רֹאֶה), a participle of the root "ra'ah" meaning "to see," used in the Bible to denote a prophetic figure who perceives visions or divine messages, appearing 6 times in the Old Testament. Another related Hebrew term, "chozeh" (חֹזֶה), also meaning "seer," appears 21 times and emphasizes visionary prophecy.^[15]^[16] These Hebrew terms, often interchangeable with "nabi" (prophet), underscore a visual mode of revelation.^[17] Seers are closely related to but distinct from other divinatory roles. Unlike prophets, who primarily convey divine messages—often through auditory means like spoken words—seers emphasize visual perception, such as seeing prophetic visions, though the terms overlap and a seer is considered a type of prophet.^[12] Oracles, by contrast, typically involve institutionalized roles or sites, as in ancient Greek traditions where a designated priestess at Delphi delivered ambiguous prophecies from a god, focusing on consultation rather than personal insight.^[18] Shamans, rooted in indigenous and animistic cultures, act as intermediaries with spirits through trance states, rituals, and healing, differing from seers' more passive reception of visions without necessarily involving ecstatic journeys or communal mediation.^[18] Historically, the linguistic usage of "seer" shifted from a literal sense of physical or immediate beholder in early medieval texts to a metaphorical one denoting foresight and prophetic vision by the Renaissance, reflecting broader cultural emphases on spiritual perception amid intellectual and artistic developments.^[14] This evolution mirrored changes in religious discourse, where the term increasingly highlighted intuitive foresight over mere observation.^[14]

Role in Ancient Societies

In ancient societies, seers functioned primarily as advisors to rulers, interpreters of omens, and performers of rituals, bridging the human and divine realms to guide communal and individual actions. Their methods encompassed scrying, where practitioners gazed into reflective surfaces like water or polished stones to discern visions; augury, involving the observation and interpretation of bird flights or behaviors as divine signals; and dream analysis, treating nocturnal visions as messages requiring expert decoding. These practices were integral to Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Greek civilizations, where seers provided insights into future events to inform daily life and major undertakings.^[4]^[19]^[20] Seers held significant influence in governance, shaping decisions on warfare, agriculture, and law by offering divine sanction or warnings. In Mesopotamia, diviners advised kings like Esarhaddon and Assurbanipal on military campaigns and temple construction, using solicited omens to legitimize policies and avert crises. In ancient Greece, seers such as Tisamenus of Elis counseled Spartan leaders during the Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE, interpreting omens to determine battle timing and strategy. Egyptian oracles, consulted by pharaohs like Hatshepsut for expeditions to Punt, resolved disputes over property and theft, integrating divine judgment into legal and administrative processes. While seers enjoyed high regard in royal courts, their status carried risks; inaccurate predictions could lead to persecution, as seen in cases where Greek seers faced exile for failed counsel.^[19]^[4]^[20] Archaeological evidence underscores the prominence of seer-like figures through cuneiform texts and inscriptions. In Mesopotamia, Babylonian diviners practiced hepatoscopy, examining sheep livers for ominous markings, as documented in over 3,200 Old Babylonian omen tablets and Neo-Assyrian libraries from Nineveh. Egyptian records from the New Kingdom detail oracle consultations at Thebes, where divine statues nodded responses during festivals. Greek sources, including Herodotus's accounts, reference seers' roles in rituals, with liver models and bird omen interpretations preserved in literary and epigraphic remains. These artifacts reveal seers as specialized professionals whose expertise required extensive training.^[19]^[20]^[4] Gender dynamics varied across cultures, with women often prominent in certain roles despite patriarchal structures. In Greece, the Pythia at Delphi—a female priestess—served as Apollo's mouthpiece, advising on state matters and holding exceptional authority, though selected from local women without formal prophetic training. Mesopotamian prophetic roles included women alongside men and gender-neutral figures like assinnu, while Egyptian oracles were consulted by both genders, with women seeking guidance on property issues. Abilities were sometimes inherited within families, as in Greek seer lineages, or acquired through scholarly apprenticeship in Mesopotamian temples, ensuring continuity of knowledge.^[21]^[19]^[20]

Seers in Religions and Mythologies

In Abrahamic Traditions

In the Hebrew Bible, the term "seer" (ro'eh) refers to individuals who receive divine visions, with the word first appearing in reference to Samuel in 1 Samuel 9:9, where it is noted that what was formerly called a seer is now termed a prophet (navi).^[22] This terminology highlights Samuel's role as a mediator who inquired of God on behalf of the people, bridging early visionary experiences with later prophetic functions.^[23] The transition from "seer" to "prophet" reflects an evolution in Hebrew terminology, where ro'eh and chozeh (another term for seer) emphasize visual revelation, while navi stresses speaking on God's behalf, as seen in the usage across prophetic books.^[24] A prominent example is the prophet Ezekiel, whose visions—such as the inaugural theophany of a divine chariot and storm-cloud in Ezekiel 1—portray apocalyptic imagery warning of Jerusalem's destruction and Israel's restoration.^[25] These experiences underscore the seer's function as a conduit for God's symbolic messages amid exile.^[26] In Christianity, seers align with New Testament prophets who operate through the Holy Spirit's gifts, as described in 1 Corinthians 12–14, where prophecy is listed among spiritual endowments for edifying the church, involving spontaneous revelation for encouragement and instruction.^[27] A key figure is Agabus, who in Acts 11:27–28 predicts a severe famine across the Roman world through the Spirit, prompting relief efforts for Jerusalem's believers.^[28] Early Christian theology views such prophecy as a continuation of Old Testament seership but democratized via the Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost, emphasizing communal discernment over individual authority.^[29] Within Islam, visionary experiences akin to seership appear in Sufi mysticism, where practitioners seek direct spiritual insight (often termed kashf or unveiling) through contemplative practices.^[30] Prophet Muhammad's initial revelations, beginning with the angelic encounter in the Cave of Hira, exhibit seer-like qualities, as he received visual and auditory messages that formed the Quran, with pre-revelatory dreams foretelling his prophethood.^[31] Hadiths further affirm dream interpretation as a prophetic remnant, with the Prophet stating that true dreams constitute one forty-sixth of prophecy and must be shared discerningly.^[32] Theological debates in Abrahamic traditions center on distinguishing true seers from false ones, as outlined in Deuteronomy 18:20–22, which mandates execution for prophets whose words fail to materialize, establishing fulfillment as a core criterion.^[33] This test influenced Jewish, Christian, and Islamic evaluations of authenticity, prioritizing alignment with monotheistic doctrine over mere visionary claims.^[34] Post-canonization of scriptures—the Hebrew Bible by the second century CE, the New Testament by the fourth century, and the Quran's finalization in the seventh—the prominence of seers declined, as authoritative revelation was deemed complete, shifting emphasis to scriptural interpretation and reducing expectations of new prophetic visions.^[35]^[36]^[37] In this context, ongoing visionary experiences were subordinated to doctrinal safeguards against deception.^[38]

In Other Global Traditions

In ancient Greek and Roman traditions, seers and oracles played central roles in interpreting divine will, often through ecstatic or trance-induced states. The Delphic Pythia, the high priestess of Apollo at Delphi, would enter a prophetic trance—according to some ancient accounts, possibly by inhaling vapors from a chasm beneath the temple—delivering ambiguous utterances that priests then interpreted as oracles guiding state decisions and personal inquiries.^[39] This practice, documented from the 8th century BCE, influenced Roman augury and sibylline consultations, where seers derived prophetic knowledge from Apollo, adapting Greek methods to Roman civic religion for auspices on warfare and governance.^[40] In mythology, Tiresias exemplified the archetypal blind seer, blinded by Athena or Hera but granted clairvoyance and extended life by Zeus, advising figures like Odysseus and Oedipus on fateful events in Theban and epic narratives.^[41] Among indigenous traditions, Native American vision quests represent a rite of passage where individuals, often adolescents, isolate themselves in nature, fasting to induce visions from guardian spirits that provide lifelong guidance, healing knowledge, or foresight into communal challenges.^[42] In African cultures, diviners such as sangomas or inyangas enter trance states to commune with ancestors, employing bone-throwing (domino) techniques—scattering bones, shells, or stones inscribed with symbols—to diagnose illnesses, predict outcomes, or resolve disputes, emphasizing harmony with spiritual forces.^[43] Australian Aboriginal "clever men" or "clever women" (ngangkari in some groups) harness Dreamtime connections— the foundational era of creation and ancestral law—to access foresight, perform healings, or mediate supernatural events, drawing on embodied knowledge passed through initiatory rituals.^[44] Eastern religions feature seers integrated into meditative and revelatory frameworks. In Hinduism, rishis—ancient sages—attained Vedic revelations through heightened states of perception during deep contemplation, "hearing" (shru) eternal truths that formed the sacred hymns of the Rigveda, guiding cosmology, ethics, and ritual.^[45] Buddhism conceptualizes abhijñā (higher knowledges) as supernormal abilities, including dibba-cakkhu (divine eye or clairvoyance), developed through advanced jhāna meditation to perceive distant events, past lives, or karmic trajectories, though warned against attachment as distractions from enlightenment. Chinese wu, spirit mediums or shamans, interpret the I Ching (Yijing)—a hexagram-based oracle—for divination, entering trances to channel ancestral or cosmic insights on harmony (he) amid change, blending ritual performance with philosophical cosmology.^[46] Across these traditions, common themes include seers' mediation between human and spirit realms, often via ancestors or otherworldly entities, to foster communal balance rather than individual gain.^[47] Roles varied from solitary visionaries in vision quests to communal healers like African diviners, underscoring social integration. Colonialism frequently suppressed these practices, labeling them witchcraft or superstition to impose European norms, eroding indigenous spiritual authority and knowledge systems.^[48]

Notable Seers

Historical Figures

Samuel (c. 11th century BCE) was a pivotal biblical figure recognized as a prophet and seer who advised King Saul, Israel's first monarch, during the transition from tribal judges to centralized kingship. According to the Books of Samuel, he anointed Saul at Mizpah and established the rules of the monarchy, while later rebuking him for failing to fully destroy the Amalekites, leading to Saul's rejection by God. Samuel's role emphasized opposition to monarchy's excesses, as he warned the people of the burdens kingship would impose, drawing from theological concerns about idolatry and foreign influences. Scholarly analyses view these accounts as early 10th-century BCE compositions, supported by archaeological evidence of literacy and minimal anachronisms, though some debate later redaction in the 7th century BCE due to sparse direct artifacts.^[49] Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), a German Benedictine abbess and polymath, was renowned for her vivid visionary experiences that informed prophetic writings on theology, medicine, and church reform. From age three, she reported divine visions, which she documented in works like Scivias (1141–1151) and Liber divinorum operum (1174), describing apocalyptic scenes drawn from Revelation, including the decline of papal authority and the confiscation of clerical wealth by secular rulers. These prophecies critiqued ecclesiastical corruption and anticipated shifts in power, such as Rome reduced to an ordinary bishopric. Her visions gained widespread reception in medieval Europe, with 24 English manuscripts attesting to their influence on reformist thought, though she faced initial skepticism from church authorities before papal validation in 1147. Hildegard's legacy endures in scholarly studies of 12th-century Rhineland mysticism, where her reliable prophetic voice contrasted with more contested visionaries.^[50]^[51] Michel de Nostredame, known as Nostradamus (1503–1566), was a French astrologer, physician, and seer whose cryptic quatrains in Les Prophéties (1555) have been retrospectively linked to major events, including the French Revolution. One widely interpreted verse from Century I, Quatrain 14—"From the enslaved populace, songs, chants and demands / While Princes and Lords are held captive in prisons. / These will in the future by headless idiots / Be received as divine prayers"—is seen by proponents as foretelling the 1789 storming of the Bastille and the execution of Louis XVI. Nostradamus's work drew from astrological and millenarian traditions, influencing 17th- and 18th-century European thought on foretelling. However, scholarly analyses emphasize the prophecies' vagueness, allowing flexible post-event interpretations, with debates centering on confirmation bias rather than precise foresight; for instance, no contemporary records verify fulfillment intent for the Revolution. His enduring impact lies in popular culture, though historians caution against overattributing historical causality.^[52] Coinneach Odhar, known as the Brahan Seer (c. 1650–c. 1692), was a Scottish Highland figure of historical record, employed as a laborer on the Brahan estate near Loch Ussie, who gained a reputation for second sight. While commissions from 1577 reference witchcraft trials for an earlier "Keanoch Owir," the Brahan Seer himself was executed by burning at Chanonry Point in the late 17th century, traditionally around 1660, after offending the Countess of Seaforth with a prediction of her husband's infidelity. Tradition attributes to him prophecies of industrial transformation, such as "iron horses belching fire" traversing the land—interpreted as railways—and ships sailing overland via canals, realized with the Caledonian Canal's completion in 1822. He also foresaw the Highland Clearances, predicting vast sheep populations displacing people and mass emigration, which unfolded from 1750 to 1860. Odhar's life blends documented traditions with oral folklore; verification remains elusive, as many prophecies circulated post-event through 19th-century collections, fueling skepticism about their authenticity versus later embellishments.^[53] Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, the Seer of Lublin (1745–1815), was a prominent Hasidic leader and mystic in Poland, succeeding Elimelekh of Lizhensk and drawing thousands to his court for spiritual guidance rooted in Kabbalistic visions. Renowned for perceiving souls and divine secrets, he emphasized devekut (cleaving to God) through intense prayer, as detailed in teachings on optimal concentration times to invoke heavenly mercy. His messianic visions reflected early 19th-century Hasidic fervor amid Napoleonic upheavals, positioning Lublin as a center for redemptive expectations, though he avoided explicit political messianism. Horowitz's legacy shaped Galician Hasidism, influencing disciples like the Kotzker Rebbe and fostering radical mystical practices; historical accounts, including Zikkaron Zot (1942), document his insights without verified predictive fulfillments, leading to debates on their inspirational versus prophetic nature in Jewish scholarship.^[54]^[55] The legacies of these historical seers often involve ongoing debates over prediction verification, with documented works like Nostradamus's Les Prophéties and Hildegard's Scivias providing textual bases for analysis, yet skepticism arises from interpretive ambiguity and lack of contemporaneous corroboration. For instance, while some prophecies aligned with events like the French Revolution or Highland industrialization, scholars attribute apparent accuracies to vague language and hindsight bias, underscoring seers' roles more as cultural commentators than infallible foretellers.^[52]

Legendary and Mythical Seers

In Greek mythology, Tiresias stands as one of the most renowned blind prophets, renowned for his clairvoyance and counsel to heroes and kings. As a Theban seer descended from the Spartoi, Tiresias advised figures such as Cadmus and Oedipus, interpreting omens during crises like the war of the Seven against Thebes. His encounter with Odysseus in the Underworld, detailed in Homer's Odyssey, exemplifies his role, where he provides prophetic guidance on navigating perils like the cattle of Helios and Poseidon's wrath to ensure a safe return to Ithaca. Blinded either by Athena for glimpsing her bath or by Hera in a divine dispute, Tiresias received compensatory gifts of prophecy and a golden staff from the gods, symbolizing the trade-off between physical sight and supernatural vision.^[56] Cassandra, another pivotal Greek seer, embodies the tragedy of unheeded foresight as Priam and Hecuba's daughter. Granted the gift of prophecy by Apollo in exchange for her favor, she later reneged, prompting the god to curse her such that her accurate predictions—foretelling Troy's fall, Agamemnon's murder, and other Trojan War events—would never be believed by mortals. This curse underscores her isolation, as seen in Aeschylus's Agamemnon, where her warnings during the city's sack fall on deaf ears, leading to her capture and eventual death. Her plight highlights the seer's vulnerability to divine whims, rendering her a passive observer in the unfolding of fate.^[57] In Norse mythology, Odin exemplifies the all-seeing god who sacrifices personal integrity for cosmic knowledge, employing his ravens Huginn ("thought") and Muninn ("memory") as extensions of his intellect. These birds traverse the world daily, gathering intelligence and whispering reports to Odin at dawn, as described in the Poetic Edda's Grímnismál and Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, enabling the god to maintain oversight amid Ragnarök's impending doom. Complementing this, Odin trades one eye at Mímir's well for draughts of wisdom, a deliberate self-mutilation that grants profound insight into fate's weave, positioning him as a shamanic figure whose vigilance shapes the gods' strategies. Turning to Celtic traditions in Arthurian legend, Merlin serves as a prophetic wizard and advisor, foreseeing the rise and ruin of Camelot. In Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia regum Britanniae, Merlin interprets omens like the dragons at Vortigern's fortress, prophesying Arthur's triumphant yet doomed reign, including the kingdom's fragmentation through betrayal and civil strife, thus guiding Britain's turbulent history while embodying the seer's dual role as architect and harbinger.^[58]^[59] Across African folklore, figures like the Yoruba babalawos serve as diviners who interpret Ifá oracle to perceive hidden knowledge and future events, using sacred palm nuts or cowrie shells to guide communal decisions and maintain harmony with the orishas. In Mesoamerican mythology, particularly the K'iche' Maya Popol Vuh, shamans known as daykeepers (ajq'ijab) interpret cyclical calendars to foresee world eras, divining transitions between creations and destructions—such as the failed wooden people supplanted by maize humans in the Fourth Age—to maintain cosmic harmony and communal rites. These figures, rooted in the text's account of deities' iterative world-building, use divination to align human actions with eternal patterns of birth, decay, and renewal.^[60]^[61] Legendary seers across these traditions often embody symbolic themes of curses and sacrifices as prerequisites for transcendent vision, underscoring tensions between fate and agency. Curses, like Cassandra's disbelief or Tiresias's blindness, isolate the seer, amplifying their warnings' irony while critiquing hubris in defying divine signs, as explored in Greek divinatory practices where ignored omens invite retribution. Sacrifices—Odin's eye or Merlin's entrapment in prophetic isolation—represent deliberate forfeits for enlightenment, granting access to fate's inexorable threads yet binding the seer to heroic narratives as guides or doomsayers. Collectively, these motifs impart cultural morals: foresight demands cost, illuminating free will's limits within predetermined cycles, as seers facilitate journeys from ignorance to understanding in myths worldwide.^[62]

Seers in Arts and Entertainment

Literature and Folklore

In classic literature, seers often appear as enigmatic figures dispensing prophecies that drive the plot and explore themes of fate and ambition. In William Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606), the Weird Sisters function as prophetic seers, hailing Macbeth with predictions of his rise to kingship that ignite his tragic downfall, blending supernatural foresight with human agency.^[63] Their ambiguous pronouncements, such as "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter," underscore the motif of prophecy as both empowering and destructive. Similarly, in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847), the protagonist experiences prophetic visions, including a dream of carrying a child toward Rochester beneath the great chestnut tree at Thornfield, which foreshadows the estate's destruction by fire and Rochester's maiming, including blindness in one eye, as well as their eventual reunion, portraying intuition as a seer-like gift tied to emotional turmoil.^[64] Folklore collections frequently depict seers as wise old women who offer cryptic guidance or foreknowledge, reinforcing moral and cautionary narratives. The Brothers Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812–1857) feature such figures, as in "Mother Holle" (Frau Holle), where an elderly woman embodies supernatural wisdom, rewarding diligence and punishing laziness through trials that imply foresight into character and consequence, serving as a prophetic archetype in Germanic oral traditions.^[65] In Russian folklore, Baba Yaga emerges as an ambiguous seer-witch, residing in a hut on chicken legs and providing heroes with prophetic counsel or riddles that reveal future perils, as seen in tales like "Vasilisa the Beautiful," where her knowledge borders on divination while testing the seeker's resolve.^[66] These portrayals highlight seers as liminal mentors, blending benevolence with menace to impart lessons on destiny. Modern novels extend the seer motif into speculative genres, often equipping characters with tools or abilities for prescient insight. Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy (1995–2000) introduces the alethiometer, a golden compass-like device that functions as a seer tool, allowing users like Lyra Belacqua to interpret symbols and uncover truths about past, present, and future events, symbolizing the tension between knowledge and free will in a multiverse narrative.^[67] In Frank Herbert's Dune series (1965–1985), the Guild Navigators achieve prescience through spice melange, enabling them to foresee safe interstellar paths and influence galactic politics, depicted as mutated, oracle-like figures whose visions explore the perils of deterministic foresight.^[68] The evolution of seer motifs in literature reflects broader cultural shifts, particularly the Romantic emphasis on intuition as a supernatural faculty. During the Romantic era (late 18th–mid-19th century), authors like William Wordsworth and Percy Bysshe Shelley elevated the poet-seer as a visionary prophet, intuiting cosmic truths beyond rational bounds, influencing later depictions of seers as tragic mentors burdened by their gifts.^[69] In fantasy genres, this motif persists, portraying seers as guides who illuminate hidden paths yet suffer isolation from their foreknowledge, evolving from folklore's moral arbiters to complex symbols of human limitation.

Film, Television, and Video Games

In film, seers often serve as enigmatic guides or harbingers of doom, blending prophetic insight with narrative tension. A prominent example is the Oracle in The Matrix (1999), a program designed to interpret human psychology who provides cryptic prophecies to the protagonist Neo, influencing his path toward self-realization and rebellion against the simulated reality.^[70] Portrayed by Gloria Foster, the Oracle embodies a passive yet pivotal role, offering foresight that challenges free will without direct intervention. In contrast, the 2007 Italian horror-thriller The Seer, directed by Luigi Desole, features a more ominous depiction where a cult on a Mediterranean island seeks to awaken an ancient evil through ritualistic prophecy, featuring Michele Morrow as the lead Claire Seu and Bella Thorne as young Claire in a tale of supernatural terror and historical mysticism.^[71] In Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two (2024), Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) embraces his spice-induced prescient visions, acting as a seer who foresees and influences galactic events, exploring the burdens of deterministic prophecy.^[72] Television portrayals of seers frequently explore interstellar or fantastical settings, emphasizing their role in uncovering hidden threats. In the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Seer" (2007), the Atlantis expedition encounters Davos, a prophetic figure on a distant planet who foresees a Wraith invasion, blending alien mysticism with military strategy to heighten the series' sci-fi stakes.^[73] Similarly, in Game of Thrones (2011–2019), Bran Stark evolves into a greenseer after training with the Three-Eyed Raven, using visions of past and future events—including warging into animals—to navigate political intrigue and supernatural wars in Westeros.^[74] Bran's abilities, rooted in ancient weirwood magic, position him as both observer and influencer in the narrative's power struggles. Video games depict seers as interactive elements that enhance gameplay through reconnaissance and lore delivery. In Apex Legends (2019–present), Seer is a playable Legend introduced in Season 10, equipped with a passive ability called Heart Seeker that detects enemy heartbeats for tracking, a tactical Focus of Attention that reveals and silences foes, and an ultimate Exhibit that exposes moving opponents via void energy, drawing from his backstory as a rejected oracle in a futuristic battle royale.^[75] In The Legend of Zelda series, particularly spin-offs like Hyrule Warriors (2014), the Valley of Seers serves as a mystical stage where prophetic figures and sorceresses like Cia and Lana provide quest guidance amid battles against dark forces, echoing the franchise's tradition of wise advisors who impart foresight to Link on his heroic journeys.^[76] Common tropes in these media include the "blind seer" archetype, where physical sightlessness amplifies inner vision, as seen in prophetic figures across genres that symbolize deeper wisdom beyond the material world.^[77] Seer characters also grapple with ethical dilemmas of foreknowledge, such as the burden of revealing prophecies that could alter fates, exemplified by Bran's internal conflicts over intervening in foreseen tragedies or the Oracle's deliberate ambiguity to preserve choice. Over time in sci-fi narratives, seers have shifted from passive oracles—merely dispensing wisdom—to active protagonists who wield visions as tools for agency and heroism, reflecting broader cultural moves toward empowered foresight in speculative fiction.^[78]

People

Religious and Cultural Figures

In Hasidic Judaism, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, known as the Seer of Lublin (c. 1745–1815), was renowned for his ecstatic prophecies and clairvoyant abilities, which profoundly shaped Polish Hasidism.^[79] His visions, often experienced in states of intense spiritual fervor, guided disciples and emphasized direct communion with the divine, attracting followers who viewed him as a tzaddik capable of discerning hidden truths.^[80] The Seer's influence extended across Polish Jewry, fostering a mystical branch of Hasidism that integrated prophecy with communal leadership, as seen in his role in spreading Hasidic ideals in Galicia and beyond.^[81] Among Indigenous traditions, Black Elk (1863–1950), an Oglala Lakota holy man, exemplified the seer role through profound visions that informed his healing practices and spiritual teachings.^[82] At age nine, he received a pivotal vision from the Six Grandfathers, granting him sacred powers symbolized by a pipestone pipe, which he later revealed to elders to affirm his calling as a healer and visionary.^[82] Documented in Black Elk Speaks (1932), based on interviews with poet John G. Neihardt, these visions depicted the unity of humanity and Earth, blending Lakota cosmology with calls for cultural preservation amid colonial pressures.^[83] Black Elk's prophecies and ceremonies, including the Horse Dance, strengthened Lakota communal resilience, influencing global understandings of Native American spirituality.^[82] The Brahan Seer, or Coinneach Odhar (early 17th century), holds a prominent place in Scottish Highland cultural lore as a prophet whose predictions shaped community identity and folklore.^[84] Gifted with second sight—visions aided by a stone from a spectral encounter—he foretold events like the Battle of Culloden (1746), where "blood will be shed on Drumossie moor," and the Highland Clearances, prophesying "the big sheep will eat the little men".^[85] Collected in The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer (1877) by Alexander Mackenzie, these oracles influenced Highland narratives of fate, warning clans like the Mackenzies of their decline and fostering a legacy of mystical caution in Scottish traditions.^[85] His cultural impact endures through sites like the commemorative stone at Chanonry Point, symbolizing prophetic warnings that reinforced communal bonds and historical memory.^[84]

Modern Individuals

In the 20th and 21st centuries, individuals claiming seer-like abilities have often positioned themselves as psychics or clairvoyants, offering insights into health, past lives, and future events through trance states or intuitive visions. Edgar Cayce (1877–1945), dubbed the "Sleeping Prophet," exemplifies this tradition; he entered self-induced trances to deliver over 14,000 documented readings, with approximately 70% addressing holistic health remedies integrating body, mind, and spirit.^[86] Cayce's readings also explored lost civilizations, including detailed accounts of Atlantis as an advanced society destroyed by technological misuse around 10,000 B.C., influencing modern esoteric thought on human origins.^[86] Contemporary celebrity seers have gained prominence through media exposure, blending personal claims with public personas. Allison DuBois, born in 1972, asserts abilities as a medium who communicates with the deceased and aids law enforcement in criminal investigations, serving as the real-life inspiration for the NBC television series Medium (2005–2011), which dramatized her experiences solving cases via psychic visions.^[87] In the digital era since the 2000s, online tarot readers and intuitive psychics have proliferated on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where figures such as Serena Ely (over 480,000 followers as of 2025) and Psychic Chrissy (over 280,000 followers as of 2025) offer accessible virtual readings on love, career, and personal growth, capitalizing on a 50% surge in U.S. searches for tarot-related terms between 2019 and 2020.^[88]^[89]^[90] Scientific scrutiny of such claims has been rigorous, with early parapsychological studies attempting to validate precognition while facing methodological critiques. J.B. Rhine, co-founder of Duke University's Parapsychology Laboratory in 1935, conducted ESP experiments through the 1960s using Zener cards to test telepathy and precognition, where subjects guessed symbols beyond sensory input; initial results suggested statistical anomalies, but later reviews questioned controls for sensory leakage and bias.^[91] Skeptics like James Randi (1928–2020), a magician-turned-investigator, challenged psychics through his James Randi Educational Foundation's $1 million prize for demonstrable paranormal abilities under controlled conditions, debunking numerous claimants including faith healers and mediums by exposing cold reading techniques and no evidence of genuine foresight.^[92]^[93] Today, self-identified seers play varied roles in New Age movements, where psychics channel spiritual guidance for personal therapy and self-improvement, often blending ancient mysticism with modern wellness practices to foster a sense of interconnectedness.^[94] However, their cultural influence has sparked legal repercussions for fraudulent activities; for instance, in 2024, Canadian operator Patrice Runner was sentenced to 10 years in U.S. federal prison for a $175 million mass-mailing scam from 1994–2014, impersonating psychics like Maria Duval to exploit elderly victims with false promises of wealth via cursed fortunes.^[95] Similarly, in 2022, psychic Samantha Stevens and accomplice Michael Guzman received prison terms for a "family curse" fraud defrauding clients of millions through fabricated predictions requiring payments for removal.^[96] These cases underscore ongoing tensions between entertainment value and ethical concerns in the psychic industry.

Other Uses

Titles and Ranks

In the Druze community of Ottoman-era Syria and Lebanon, "seer" referred to individuals of a higher mystic degree within certain villages, recognized alongside prophets for their spiritual insights and astrological expertise, such as the role of the Star-Diviner, the chief astrologer who provided guidance on celestial matters.^[97] These seers held an advisory position in esoteric practices, though not explicitly hereditary, contributing to the community's secretive religious hierarchy amid Ottoman rule.^[97] In ecclesiastical contexts, particularly within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), "seer" denotes an ordained prophetic role emphasizing spiritual vision through divine revelation, distinct from but complementary to prophet and revelator.^[98] Early LDS leaders, including Joseph Smith, were explicitly called seers for their ability to receive and interpret visions via instruments like the Urim and Thummim or seer stones, a role sustained in the church presidency today as one who "sees" through the Holy Ghost.^[98]

Objects and Practices

Seer stones, often smooth pebbles or crystals, have been employed in scrying practices across various cultures to induce visions or receive supernatural insights. In historical contexts, these objects were believed to serve as conduits for divine or spiritual communication, with users gazing into them to discern hidden knowledge. For instance, in early 19th-century American folk traditions, seer stones were used for locating lost items or buried treasure, drawing from broader European and biblical precedents where stones like the Urim and Thummim facilitated revelation.^[99] In the Latter Day Saints tradition, Joseph Smith utilized a brown seer stone placed in a hat to translate the Book of Mormon, a practice rooted in ancient prophetic tools described in scripture.^[100] Crystal balls, typically spheres of quartz or glass, represent a prominent tool in Western occultism for scrying, with origins traceable to antiquity and widespread use by medieval European seers.^[101] These objects were employed in rituals to focus the gaze and evoke clairvoyant images, often in dimly lit settings to enhance reflective properties. In contrast, Aztec diviners used polished obsidian mirrors associated with the god Tezcatlipoca for similar purposes, linking the dark, reflective surface to access otherworldly visions and predict events.^[102] Contemporary adaptations include digital apps and software that simulate scrying by generating randomized visual patterns or meditative interfaces, allowing users to mimic traditional gazing without physical artifacts.^[103] Associated practices with seers emphasize visionary or interpretive methods distinct from manipulative magic or celestial observation. Oneiromancy, the interpretation of dreams as prophetic signs, dates to ancient Mesopotamian civilizations around 3100 BCE, where seers analyzed sleep visions to forecast outcomes or divine will, a tradition echoed in Egyptian and Greek texts.^[104] Unlike witchcraft, which often involves spells to influence reality, or astrology, which relies on planetary alignments, seer practices center on passive reception of unbidden insights through tools or altered states, prioritizing revelation over intervention.^[105] Cultural artifacts linked to seer traditions include ornate wands and chains preserved in museums. In Norse contexts akin to Celtic practices, bronze-tipped wooden staffs, interpreted as tools for seeresses (völvas), have been excavated from Viking Age burials, such as those at Fyrkat, Denmark, symbolizing authority in ritual prophecy.^[106] Among West African Yoruba people, divining chains (opelé) made of strung seeds or nuts, often beaded and up to eight links long, are thrown to generate binary patterns for Ifá oracle readings, with examples featuring carved ivory faces housed in collections like the Cleveland Museum of Art.^[107]

SEER

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is a metric used to measure the efficiency of air conditioning and heat pump systems, calculated as the ratio of cooling output during the normal annual usage period to energy input during the same period. Higher SEER ratings indicate greater energy efficiency. As of 2025, minimum SEER requirements for new units in the US are 14 for northern states and 15 for southern states, per Department of Energy standards.^[108]

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program is a US National Cancer Institute initiative that collects and publishes cancer incidence and survival data from population-based cancer registries covering approximately 48% of the US population. Established in 1973, it provides statistics for cancer research and public health. As of 2025, SEER data is used for trends analysis, with recent reports showing updates on cancer rates post-COVID-19.^[109]

SEER

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is a standard metric used to measure the energy efficiency of air conditioning systems and heat pumps over an entire typical cooling season, representing the ratio of total cooling output in British thermal units (BTU) to the total electrical energy input in watt-hours (Wh) consumed during that period.^[110]^[111] This approach accounts for varying operating conditions, such as fluctuating outdoor temperatures and part-load performance, providing a more realistic assessment of seasonal performance compared to single-point efficiency ratings like the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER).^[110] SEER is calculated as the total cooling provided (in BTU) divided by the total energy consumed (in Wh) over the cooling season, with higher values indicating greater efficiency. For instance, an air conditioning unit with a nominal capacity of 12,000 BTU per hour that consumes 1,000 watt-hours of energy to deliver 12,000 BTU of cooling achieves a SEER rating of 12, meaning it provides 12 BTU of cooling per watt-hour of electricity used.^[110]^[111] The rating is determined through standardized testing protocols outlined in AHRI Standard 210/240, which simulate a representative cooling season of up to 12 months.^[112] In the United States, federal regulations set by the Department of Energy mandate a minimum SEER of 14 for new residential central air conditioners and heat pumps under 45,000 BTU capacity since January 1, 2015, with regional variations (e.g., 15 SEER in southern states).^[111] These standards were updated effective January 1, 2023, to use SEER2, a revised metric based on stricter testing procedures that better reflect real-world conditions, maintaining similar minimum thresholds but requiring about 7-8% higher efficiency for equivalent ratings; as of 2025, minimums are 13.4 SEER2 in northern regions and 14.3 SEER2 in southern regions for split-system units under 45,000 BTU/h.^[111] Premium models often achieve SEER ratings of 20 or higher, certified through the AHRI Directory for verified performance.^[110]^[113] SEER ratings primarily apply to central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps in residential and light commercial settings, where higher efficiency translates to significant energy savings—for example, upgrading from a 10 SEER unit to a 14 SEER model can reduce annual cooling energy use by approximately 30%, lowering operating costs from around $1,884 to $1,334 for a typical household.^[114] Proper installation is essential to realize these benefits, as subpar setup can degrade efficiency by up to 30%.^[110] Internationally, Europe employs a similar metric called the European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ESEER), which weights full- and part-load efficiencies across regional climate bins to assess air conditioning performance under varied conditions.^[115]^[116]

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, established by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in 1973, serves as a primary U.S. authority for population-based cancer statistics, collecting data on cancer incidence, prevalence, mortality, and survival from a network of population-based registries.^[109] These registries cover approximately 45.9% of the U.S. population, including diverse demographic groups such as 39.6% of Whites, 43.5% of African Americans, 64.9% of Hispanics, and higher proportions of American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (59.3%, 68.2%, and 69.9%, respectively), enabling representative national estimates.^[109] SEER captures details on patient demographics, tumor characteristics (e.g., site, morphology, stage at diagnosis), initial treatments, and follow-up outcomes for all reportable cancers, supplemented by mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.^[109]^[117] SEER's data have revealed significant trends in cancer outcomes, such as the improvement in 5-year relative survival for female breast cancer from 75% for diagnoses in 1975–1977 to 91% for those in 2013–2019, reflecting advances in screening, treatment, and early detection.^[118] The program has also highlighted persistent disparities, including higher mortality rates among racial and ethnic minorities—for instance, Black women experience breast cancer death rates about 40% higher than White women, informing targeted interventions to address socioeconomic and access-related inequities.^[119] Annual reports from SEER provide trend analyses that track these patterns over decades, supporting public health monitoring and evaluation of progress against national cancer goals. The program's data applications extend to policy development, epidemiological research, and clinical decision-making, such as investigating environmental risk factors like air pollution's association with lung cancer incidence.^[109] Researchers utilize SEER information for studies on cancer etiology, treatment efficacy, and health disparities, while policymakers rely on it to allocate resources and design prevention programs.^[120] Key tools include SEER*Stat software, which enables customized statistical analyses of incidence, survival, and prevalence, and facilitates international comparisons—for example, contrasting U.S. colorectal cancer survival rates (around 65% 5-year) with those in Europe (50–60%). Recent advancements as of 2025 involve integrating SEER data into artificial intelligence models for enhanced prediction of cancer outcomes, such as machine learning frameworks forecasting survival in esophageal or breast cancer patients with improved accuracy over traditional methods.^[121]^[122]

References

[1]
SEER Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
Sep 21, 2025 · 1. One that sees. 2. a : one that predicts events or developments b : a person credited with extraordinary moral and spiritual insight.
[2]
Seer - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com
A seer is someone who can see the future. Nostradamus is considered a seer because he predicted everything from the Great Fire of London to the French ...
[3]
The Seer in Ancient Greece - Princeton Classics Department
A seer (mantis) in ancient Greece was an expert in divination, using skills like examining livers and spirit possession, and were highly respected.
[4]
[PDF] The Seer in Ancient Greece - University of California Press
Seers were more important than indicated, often hidden in texts, and were involved in extraordinary actions, like Tisamenus of Elis.
[5]
10. Authority Disputed: The Seer in Homeric Epic, Kai Trampedach
Homeric seers had no more political authority than priests, their advice was often skeptical, and they were not treated with respect by the powerful.
[6]
The Seer in Ancient Greece - Bryn Mawr Classical Review
The focus is on individual seers rather than just oracles and on how divination functioned as a respected source of knowledge and a useful social practice.
[7]
RTL Words: RAʾAH (ראה) - Bible & Archaeology
Mar 23, 2022 · The Hebrew verb ראה (rāʾāh) means "to see." In its most basic sense, ראה (rāʾāh) conveys the physical activity of seeing as seen in Genesis 48:11.<|control11|><|separator|>
[8]
Bible Gateway 1 Samuel 9 :: NIV - MIT
"I am the seer," Samuel replied. "Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and ...
[9]
The Seer Who Would Not See - Jewish Theological Seminary
Jun 29, 2018 · Balak, king of the Moabites, chooses Balaam to curse the Israelites because Balaam is considered the preeminent seer of his day.
[10]
Divination as Translation: The Function of Sacred Stones in Ancient ...
Ammon also taught the king that a seer could employ a seeric device, consisting of two sacred stones called “interpreters,” to translate “all records that are ...
[11]
seer, n.¹ meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun seer, one of which is labelled obsolete. See 'Meaning & use' for definitions, usage, and quotation ...
[12]
What was a seer in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org
Jan 4, 2022 · a seer was a prophet who saw visions—pictures or scenes seen in the mind's eye, in dreams, or even with one's natural eye ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[13]
Seer - Definition and Meaning | Bible Dictionary - JW.ORG
The Hebrew word is drawn from a root word meaning “to see,” either literally or figuratively. A seer was a person consulted by others for wise counsel on ...
[14]
Seer - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Late 14c. origin from see (v.), late 14c. meaning "one to whom divine revelations are made, prophet," also "beholder or watcher" from early 15c.
[15]
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7203.htm
[16]
Topical Bible: Seer
In the biblical context, a "seer" is a term used to describe a prophet, someone who receives divine revelations and communicates them to others.
[17]
Seer - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
It appears from 1Sa 9:9 that "seer" (ro'-eh) was the older name for those who, after the rise of the more regular orders, were called "prophets." It is not ...
[18]
[PDF] DIVINATION AND INTERPRETATION Of SIGNS IN THE ANCIENT ...
Ancient cultures studied signs indicating supernatural will and future events. Mesopotamians used signs from gods, with early examples of celestial divination.
[19]
[PDF] Oracular Gods in Ancient Egypt ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Oracles were commonly used in ancient Egypt. It was a significant aspect of ancient Egyptian society. Royals and non-royals approached gods in the form of a ...
[20]
Hidden women of history: the priestess Pythia at the Delphic Oracle ...
Jan 22, 2019 · In a time and place that offered few career opportunities for women, the role of priestess at Delphi was enormously influential.
[21]
[PDF] What is Biblical Prophecy? - Catholic Resources
Two other Hebrew words (ro'eh and hozeh) are closely related, but usually translated “seer” rather than “prophet.” The word ro'eh seems to be older, as.
[22]
1 Samuel 9:9 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org
— The word seer, ראה roeh, occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who SEES; particularly preternatural sights. A seer and a ...Missing: source | Show results with:source
[23]
“Seer” in Old Testament: A Hebrew Word Study
Jan 26, 2012 · The first word is a participle (i.e., a verb used as a noun) form of the verb “to see” in Hebrew. OT authors used the word twenty-six times.
[24]
Guide to the Book of Ezekiel: Key Information and Helpful Resources
Mar 30, 2023 · Ezekiel, a priest in exile, is commissioned as a prophet to warn Israel of God's departure from the temple due to their idolatry, and God's ...
[25]
Ezekiel's Vision of God and the Chariot - TheTorah.com
Jun 5, 2019 · Ezekiel's vision includes a radiant storm-cloud, four creatures with four faces and wings, wheels, and a form above the heads of the creatures.
[26]
[PDF] Prophecy in Pauline Community: An Understanding of 1 Corinthians ...
Jul 28, 2019 · The New Testament refers to prophecy as one of the spiritual gifts given by the indwelling Holy Spirit. From this, many. Christians believe that ...
[27]
Who was Agabus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org
Jan 4, 2022 · In Acts 11:27–30 Agabus is described as one of several prophets who came from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch, where Paul was ministering.
[28]
The Gift of Prophecy - The Gospel Coalition
The gift of prophecy is a miraculous act of intelligible communication, rooted in spontaneous, divine revelation and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
[29]
[PDF] The Religious and Cultural Roles of Dreams and Visions in Islam
It is therefore no surprise that the visionary and oneirocritical literature of Islam shows a greater preponderance towards bringing alive the past into present.
[30]
Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta | The Beginning of the Revelation (Pa...
At this stage the prophet started seeing visions in his dreams which he used to relate to his wife and four daughters after waking up, only to see those visions ...
[31]
Interpretation of Dreams - Sunnah.com - Sunnah.com
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A good dream that comes true is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan, so if anyone of you sees a bad dream, he should seek refuge ...
[32]
Criteria of False Prophets: Notes on Deuteronomy 18:22
If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not spoken.Missing: debate | Show results with:debate
[33]
4. False Prophets, Part II (Deuteronomy 18:1-22) - Bible.org
Aug 24, 2004 · The false prophet may either “speak in the name of other gods” (verse 20), or he may presumptuously “speak in the name of the Lord” (verse 22).
[34]
The Canon Is Closed: The Cessation of Special Revelation
Aug 14, 2023 · Since special revelation has reached its ultimate goal and final form, the church should not expect any more scripture-quality revelation until the bodily ...
[35]
Chapter 18: Canon Across the Abrahamic Faiths - Sacred Editors
Christian canonical formation reflected the challenges of theological diversity and institutional development within an expanding religious movement that lacked ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[36]
Some jottings on the pronouncements of the Delphic Oracle
Nov 3, 2016 · For Plutarch, who flourished in the second century CE, the basic idea is, simply, that the god Apollo has the power to inspire the Pythia.
[37]
LacusCurtius • Greek and Roman Divination (Smith's Dictionary, 1875)
Nov 9, 2018 · Apollo, the god of prophecy, was generally the source from which the seers, as well as other diviners, derived their knowledge. In many families ...Missing: traditions | Show results with:traditions
[38]
(PDF) Teiresias, the Theban Seer - Academia.edu
This paper analyzes the character of Tiresias in the Odyssey. It presents and discusses what the Odyssey recounts about the soothsayer.
[39]
[PDF] Walking the Sky: Visionary Traditions of The Great Plains
The ethnography of vision seeking reveals three motivations for such a quest: a socially expected obligation usually undertaken at puberty; the search for ...
[40]
[PDF] Divination in 1 Samuel 28 and Beyond: An African Study in the ...
Jan 1, 2010 · This dissertation examines the language of divination in the HB, particularly in 1 Samuel 28:3-27--the oft- called "Witch of Endor" passage. My ...
[41]
[PDF] Indigenous healing traditions and Australian mental health futures ...
Sep 10, 2014 · These healers are often described in Aboriginal English as clever, that is, they are known as clever men and women within their own community ...
[42]
The Reading Selection from Paper on Hinduism
The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. They hold that the Vedas are without beginning and without end. It may sound ludicrous to ...
[43]
(PDF) Chinese Wu, Ritualists and Shamans: An Ethnological Analysis
Criteria for identifying shamans include ecstatic states and community rituals, not present in most wu. The research utilizes the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample ...
[44]
[PDF] Native Spiritualities As Resistance: Disrupting Colonialism in the ...
Sioux scholar Elizabeth Cook-Lynn argues that the themes of oppression which manifest in American Indian literatures link Native Americans to other colonized ...
[45]
[PDF] The Proscription and Prosecution of African Spiritual Practices in ...
conducted a form of divination known as “throwing bones” to determine the cause of a man's illness. On appeal, several of the defendant's clients testified ...
[46]
[PDF] the book of samuel: its composition, structure and significance as a ...
The book of Samuel treats a crucial period in the history of the. Israelites—the transition from the period of the judges, represented by the last two judges, ...
[47]
Cassandra, The Gift of Prophecy and Apollo's Curse
Cassandra was a figure of significant nobility in Greek mythology. As the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, she was a princess of Troy, a powerful and ...
[48]
Full article: Hildegard von Bingen, Tudor Visionary
Apr 21, 2024 · Throughout the Middle Ages, English audiences cited Hildegard's prophecies in anthologized formats for their antipapal, antimendicant, and pro- ...
[49]
The Context and Reception of Hildegard of Bingen's Visions
Toward the end of Hildegard's life, the Flemish Benedictine Guibert of Gembloux wrote her a letter asking about her visions and comparing her access to God ...
[50]
Predicting, prophecying, divining and foretelling from Nostradamus ...
A Brief Description of the Future History of Europe from Anno 1650 to Anno 1710. Treating principally of those grand and famous Mutations yet expected in ...
[51]
The Brahan Seer - Clan Mackenzie Initiative
He then got conflated with the genuine historical Coinneach Odhar who is on record twice on trial for witchcraft in the 16th century. This figure then ...
[52]
Beginnings of Globalization (Chapter 5) - A History of Kabbalah
Jul 2, 2020 · The main hero of the later tales surrounding the death of the leading rebbes was R. Yaakov Yitzhak ha-Levi Horowitz, the Seer of Lublin (1745?– ...
[53]
(PDF) The Two Faces of Religious Radicalism: Orthodox Zealotry ...
Aug 9, 2025 · ... Yaakov Yitzhak Horowitz ðthe Seer of LublinÞ,Zikkaron Zot ðMunka´cs: Kalisch. Press, 1942Þ,Pinehas,123–24; Rabbi Hayim of Volozhin, Nefesh ...
[54]
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/history-of-kabbalah/beginnings-of-globalization/1E9CD6BA19BF53B7889E6F8D987461DB
[55]
Cassandra | Oxford Classical Dictionary
Dec 22, 2015 · But she broke her word, so he turned the blessing into a curse by causing her always to be disbelieved. Later authors follow this form of ...
[56]
Hugin and Munin - Norse Mythology for Smart People
Two ravens sit on his (Odin's) shoulders and whisper all the news which they see and hear into his ear; they are called Huginn and Muninn.
[57]
What are Merlin's Prophecies? - Medievalists.net
Jun 8, 2021 · In this prophecy Merlin is essentially predicting the early days of the Arthurian narrative.
[58]
Finding common sense with Ananse, the West African spider-god
Half-human and half-spider, Ananse was created surrounded by wisdom, but in forgetting who he was went and lost it all.
[59]
Creation Story of the Maya - Living Maya Time - Smithsonian Institution
The Popol Vuh, meaning “Book of the Community,” narrates the Maya creation account, the tales of the Hero Twins, and the K'iche' genealogies and land rights.
[60]
[PDF] POPOL VUH
... cycles of day and night, birth and death, sowing and harvest, they stand as the ideal interpreters through divination of these cycles. Page 18. 67 it be sown ...
[61]
Chapter 3 Greek Divination
Summary of each segment:
[62]
[PDF] Macbeth and Aeschylus' Oresteia - Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship
”73 Shakespeare's prophetic Weird Sisters, who foretell of Duncan's demise, were first described in a 15th century Scottish chronicle in which their role as ...
[63]
Dreams in Jane Eyre - The Victorian Web
May 20, 2004 · Dreams in Jane Eyre thus serve several complex functions. They forewarn Jane of trouble or good fortune, and reveal Jane's passionate inner self to the reader.
[64]
[PDF] frau holle: in the marchen and beyond an analysis of the figure frau ...
How is the figure Frau Holle in the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale the same as the figure Frau Holle in. Germanic mythology and what is the relationship between the ...
[65]
[PDF] Baba Yaga: The Mysterious Wise Woman in Slavic Folklore
ABSTRACT. The Wise Woman is a mysterious archetype that appears in folklore and fairy tales. Often labelled as witches, these Wise Women become targets of ...
[66]
[PDF] The Mythological Kernel and Adaptation in The Golden Compass
Oct 15, 2020 · Compass, and indeed throughout Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, is the alethiometer. The alethiometer is first and foremost a “novum ...
[67]
Greek Mythological Influences in Frank Herbert's Dune saga and ...
The second chapter represents an ingression in the fantastic universe of Dune, and an analysis of characters and symbols inspired from Greek mythology.
[68]
The Hero as Seer: Character, Perception and Cultu… - Érudit
The essay suggests that this relationship to theories of perception aligns the Carlylean “Great Man” to the figures of the Wordsworthian poet and the Romantic ...Missing: motifs | Show results with:motifs
[69]
The Oracle Character Analysis in The Matrix Trilogy | SparkNotes
The Oracle is a trusted figure who helps Neo, with unclear powers, possibly predicting the future. She is a program, and her calm demeanor helps the mission.Missing: seer | Show results with:seer
[70]
The Seer (2007) - IMDb
Rating 6.7/10 (61) On an ancient island in the Mediterranean, where history and tradition live within the depths of its rugged landscape, a dangerous sect of soldiers prepare ...
[71]
"Stargate: Atlantis" The Seer (TV Episode 2007) - IMDb
Rating 7.8/10 (988) Having been told by the Genii spy on New Athos that her people were still alive, Teyla asks permission to visit a man named Davos who is a legendary seer.
[72]
Greenseer - A Wiki of Ice and Fire - Westeros.org
The three-eyed crow, the last greenseer, lives with children of the forest in far north of the Wall. Bran Stark and his companions go in search of him, ...
[73]
Apex Legends Seer abilities, tips and tricks - Rock Paper Shotgun
Sep 10, 2021 · Seer has access to three abilities: Heart Seeker (Passive), Focus Of Attention (Tactical), and Exhibit (Ultimate). All three of them revolve around the ...Apex Legends Seer abilities · Seer tips and tricks · Seer Passive tips: Heart Seeker
[74]
Valley of Seers - Zelda Wiki - Fandom
The Valley of Seers is a Stage in Hyrule Warriors. It contains The Sorceress of the Valley, Shining Beacon, and March of the Demon King.
[75]
Blind Seer - Tropedia - Fandom
The Blind Seer is an old archetype. They are blind, and yet they can see more than we can. This seems to be a recurring theme in mythology.
[76]
Seers - TV Tropes
The Seers trope as used in popular culture. People who can see into the future, past and to faraway places. People can be born with this or gain it through ...<|separator|>
[77]
Introduction | Men of Silk: The Hasidic Conquest of Polish Jewish ...
Jacob Isaac “the Seer” of Lublin, is said to have proclaimed: “the rank and file of people either have turned completely to God, or can, at any rate, do so.
[78]
Hasidism and the Routinization of Charisma - jstor
Jacob Isaac, "the Seer" of Lublin, broke away from Elimelech of. Lyzhansk and established his own Hasidic following. In his turn, "the Seer" experienced the ...
[79]
CHAPTER 14 Hasidism: A New Paradigm - The Mystic Heart of ...
They even taught their hasidim to discern such signs for themselves. Still others, like the Seer of Lublin, used powers of clairvoyance to guide their disciples ...
[80]
Black Elk (U.S. National Park Service)
Jul 30, 2025 · Oglala Lakota holy man Black Elk (1863-1950) made a lasting impact on the global understanding of 19th Century Plains Indian cultures and religions.
[81]
Black Elk Speaks - University of Nebraska Press
Black Elk Speaks, the story of the Oglala Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and his people during momentous twilight years.
[82]
Understanding Rumi… The “Person of Heart” Is the All.
Apr 29, 2021 · Rumi is not a self-help guru. He offers more than consolation to our neurotic anxieties. The ecstatic love he extols is not a form of mystical eroticism.<|separator|>
[83]
Rumi: Operation of Divine Love | Beshara Magazine
Feb 18, 2020 · The 13th-century poet, Jelaloddin Rumi, has been a surprising best-seller in America and Europe for many years now, his message of divine love and mystical ...Spiritual Influences · The Masnavi · Rumi's 'bigger Voice'
[84]
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Brahan-Seer-the-Scottish-Nostradamus/
[85]
SADHUS, HINDU HOLY MEN - Facts and Details
Sadhus are wandering ascetics affiliated with a wide range of Hindu religious orders and schools. Found throughout India and Nepal.<|separator|>
[86]
The Brahan Seer, Coinneach Odhar and his prophecies - Historic UK
The Brahan Seer, or Coinneach Odhar, was gifted with “the sight” – an ability to see visions that came unbidden day or night.
[87]
the prophecies of the brahan seer (coinneach odhar fiosaiche).
According to tradition, the Brahan prophet, who lived 200 years ago,[12] predicted that ships with unfurled sails would pass and repass Tomnahurich; and further ...
[88]
Edgar Cayce Readings Topics 🕊️ Edgar Cayce’s A.R.E.
### Summary of Edgar Cayce Biography and Key Details
[89]
https://www.tiktok.com/@serenasastrology
[90]
The Rise Of The TikTok Psychic—And Their Online Impersonators
Sep 26, 2024 · TikTok in particular has fueled the popularity of intuitive tarot readers like Serena Ely and Psychic Chrissy, both of whom have followings in the hundreds of ...
[91]
About the Exhibit · Early Studies in Parapsychology at Duke
The early work of The Parapsychology Laboratory began at Duke in 1930 after Dr. William McDougall invited Drs. J.B. and Louisa Rhine to Durham.Missing: 1960s | Show results with:1960s
[92]
Magician-turned-skeptic aims to expose frauds - NBC News
Jul 13, 2007 · James Randi has been the country's skeptic-in-chief, aiming his arrow of rationalism at psychics and faith healers, mediums and mentalists.
[93]
Magicians, Skeptics Share Their Memories of James Randi
He traveled the world to challenge psychics and to lend his expertise and reputation to encourage and assist emerging skeptical groups. He was self-educated ...
[94]
[PDF] 9 The New Age Movement - CS@Cornell
Much of the mystique and lure of modern psychics is the alleged proof of their claims through various alleged supernatural manifestations.
[95]
Canadian Man Sentenced for Operating $175M Psychic Mass ...
Apr 15, 2024 · Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of ...
[96]
Fake psychic and her partner sentenced to federal prison for "family ...
Dec 13, 2022 · Fake psychic and her partner sentenced to federal prison for "family curse" fraud ... court records. Both had pleaded guilty to money ...
[97]
Secret sects of Syria and the Lebanon - Archive
... title of Fathers was borrowed from the Greeks, among whom this honorable ... Seer, advised his followers to search for the Lost. Word among the ...
[98]
Prophet, Seer, and Revelator - Church History
“A seer is one who sees. This does not mean that he sees through his natural eyes but rather through spiritual eyes. . . . By the power of the Holy Ghost, ...
[99]
Seer Stones, Salamanders, and Early Mormon “Folk Magic” in the ...
Seer stones were used by Joseph Smith for Book of Mormon translation, and he and his associates also engaged in dowsing and treasure hunting.Missing: themes global ancestors
[100]
Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine ...
Mar 10, 2017 · One who sees; as a seer of visions.”17 By seeing divine visions, a seer becomes a medium for revealing whatever God sees fit to show him. As ...
[101]
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/88062/brief-history-crystal-ball
[102]
Dream Interpretation from a Cognitive and Cultural Evolutionary ...
Jan 23, 2022 · Oneiromancy, the interpretation of dreams in order to foretell the future, has featured prominently in virtually all ancient civilizations as ...
[103]
[PDF] Scrying for the Lord: Magic, Mysticism, and the Origins of the Book of ...
The responsibility for divining has historically been assigned to a "priest, prophet, oracle, witch, shaman, witch doctor, medicine man, psychic, or other ...
[104]
The magic staffs of the seeresses? - National Museum of Denmark
Several of the objects in the burial are associated with seid and seeresses, for example a wooden staff or wand, and cannabis seeds in a purse. At Hagebyhöga in ...
[105]
Ifá diviner's necklace (òdìgbà Ifá) - Cleveland Museum of Art
A beaded necklace with two beaded pouches is an accessory carried by the itinerant Yorùbá diviner. Substances sewn into the miniature bags protect the diviner.Missing: chains artifacts
[106]
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio | AHRI
SEER is a mathematically determined ratio of the total cooling capacity during normal periods of operation (not to exceed 12 months) divided by the total ...
[107]
Purchasing Energy-Efficient Residential Central Air Conditioners
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER2): Shown in British thermal units per watt-hour (Btu/Wh). Annual Energy Use: Based on the test method referenced in 10 ...Make A Cost-Effective... · Determine When Energy Star... · Federal Supply Sources And...
[108]
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/room-air-conditioners
[109]
https://seer.cancer.gov/about/overview.html
[110]
https://www.ahrinet.org/scholarships-education/education-professionals-homeowners/homeowners/save-energy/seasonal-energy-efficiency-ratio
[111]
Understanding SEER and SCOP | Energy efficiency Eurovent Certita ...
Aug 11, 2023 · SEER and SCOP offer realistic standardised measurements for the rating of cooling and heating efficiencies, to both comply with regulations.
[112]
ESEER Explained: European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
Mar 4, 2022 · ESEER stands for European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It is used to adequately estimate the real-climate energy efficiency of air conditioning units.
[113]
Overview of the SEER Program - National Cancer Institute
The SEER Program is the only comprehensive source of population-based information in the United States that includes stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis ...
[114]
The SEER Program's longstanding commitment to making cancer ...
Aug 5, 2024 · The goals of SEER include measuring the cancer burden in the United States, making the results available, and supporting cancer research.
[115]
Comparing Age at Cancer Diagnosis between Hispanics and Non ...
Jul 28, 2021 · Methods: We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data from 18 U.S. regions in 2015 for 34 cancer sites ... SEER Program / statistics & ...
[116]
Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer - SEER
The death rate was 19.2 per 100,000 women per year. These rates are age-adjusted and based on 2018–2022 cases and 2019–2023 deaths. Lifetime Risk of Developing ...
[117]
[PDF] Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025
Jul 11, 2024 · The 5-year relative survival has increased from 77% in. 1975-1997 to 93% in 2014-2020 in White women and from 65% to 84% in Black women. • The ...
[118]
Interpretable machine learning models to predict survival ... - Frontiers
Oct 28, 2025 · Objective: We developed interpretable machine learning (ML) models to predict the overall survival (OS) of esophageal cancer patients. This ...
[119]
An integrative machine learning framework for classifying SEER ...
Apr 1, 2023 · In this study, five machine learning algorithms are used to predict the survival of breast cancer such as Naïve Bayes, Decision tree classifier, ...