Legend says that Odin, one of the old Norse gods, hung for nine nights on Yggdrasil, the Tree of the World, and grabbed the runes just before he fell from the tree (take a look at the Hanged Man card in the Tarot deck, and you will see Odin there). This sacrifice was what brought the runes to humankind.
Runes lost favor after World War II, when the Nazi party adopted several runes, most notably the swastika. It has taken many years for the Nazi taint to wear off.
Runic alphabets are called futharks, so named because the first six letters of any version spell out the very word. There are three main futharks: Elder, Younger, and Anglo-Saxon. Chances are that the set of runes you have bought (or made) is an Elder Futhark. Regardless, the pages that follow assume that you are working with Elder Futhark.
Usually, runes are inscribed on stones or wood. Depending on which set you have bought, or made, you will have either 24 or 25 runes. Modern-day rune sets that you buy at the local bookstore will more than likely have the Blank Rune, or Wyrd, as it is sometimes called; rune masters who deplore the Blank Rune will not add it to the set. That debate is explained on the Blank Rune's page.
Some books that you can get at the store have futzed with the order of the runes. After some experimentation, I have decided that I am a traditionalist; I like to stick to the accepted, traditional alphabetical order. (After all, we wouldn't take too kindly to someone reordering OUR alphabet, would we?) The chart below reads left to right. Click on the rune name to find out its meaning, its indication in a reading, and other interesting correspondence information.
Although most of what is written here in the rune pages comes from my direct work with the runes, some of it (particularly the correspondence
information) also comes from research I did (and continue to do) on the
divination system. The two books that I feel are the best are "Discover
Runes" by Tony Willis, and "Northern Mysteries and Magick" by Freya Aswynn. There are others, but I always suggest starting with those two books.
Quick Guide to Magickal Meanings of the RunesFehu -- wealth, luck, responsibility, creative energy; used to draw in energy for a given magickal operation, or as the moving force behind a working
Uruz -- positive strength, determination, perseverance, courage, physical health, assertiveness; include in any healing
Thurisaz -- protection, combating any action, curses (but be careful -- can backfire easily!)
Ansuz -- can be used to gain knowledge of Odin, the gods, our own ancestors and ancestral heritage
Raido -- ability to control, take initiatives, put things in order, be the boss, move or remove things, direct magickal energies where needed
Kenaz -- kinship, learning, teaching, quest for knowledge and passing knowledge on; gaining occult knowledge from other planes; use for astral or shamanic travel; exposing what is hidden
Gebo -- reconciles two opposed or complementary forces; use to bind or to give blessings or curses
Wunjo -- realize true will, wishing; combines well with Raido (ability to control)
Hagalaz -- creates confusion, disruption; can be used in vengeance spells to turn someone's past against him
Nauthiz -- excellent for defensive magick, as in restraining or restricting someone else's magickal attack; can be used to stop incoming action
Isa -- defense by blocking; that is, places barriers in the path of opponent or competitor
Jera -- creates positive, lasting change in a situation; works well in all matters involving time
Eihwaz -- use in situations that demand an outgoing, go-out-and-get-it response, such as searching for a job or an apartment
Pertho -- use in regression work; can put you in touch with the Norns
Algiz -- invoke divine protection, acts as shielding device, especially in working where backlash is a consideration; can be applied to the four corners as a protective sigil, much like a pentagram, but with a more defensive effect
Sowulo -- contributes strength to any healing spell; reinforces other runes with solar energy; centers and directs working
Teiwaz -- gain justice, but only if you have right on your side (cannot be used if you are guilty, or to pervert justice); combination of Teiwaz and Raido in a bindrune can win a court case
Berkana -- important in feminine mysteries; regenerating forces of nature, growth of vegetation, strong shamanic connections; use to alleviate problems with menstrual periods, pregnancy, delivery
Ehwaz -- create links between people or split them apart
Mannaz -- verbal communication, academic examinations, legal disputes; can be used to arbitrate or mediate in a conflict; used with Ansuz in a bindrune, it can help you in any communication need
Laguz -- sorcery, occult; can use to attract love; if projected between the eyes of a person making a request, a positive reply will be more likely (probably wouldn't work if you asked a bank manager for a million dollars, but would be useful when asking for a pay raise!)
Inguz -- use in binding; also makes a great doorway to the astral, so project onto an imaginary door or curtain, for pathworking or astral travel
Othila -- establishing, centering, and "earthing" a working down to the physical plane; use to invoke Odin; creates a sense of belonging and togetherness in group workings and binds people together in a common goal
Dagaz -- exclude or render invisible; used to place something "outside", for example, you could envelop yourself in this rune to go somewhere unnoticed
How to Read the Runes
There are as many different ways to read the runes as there are ways to cast and read any divinatory system. Any of the books you can get on the market will provide you with several different ways to read runes, including complicated, multirune castings. But here we'll start with three easy castings that will allow you to begin working the stones immediately and getting used to their energies and how they operate.
First, a word about casting methods. It's not necessary to come up with a huge elaborate ritual that includes casting a circle, calling quarters, invoking deity, etc., every time you want to do a reading. But you should develop a routine for starting and conducting a reading and stick to it. My routine goes something like this:
I spread out my rune cloth, then pour the stones onto the cloth, right side up. I put them in their alphabetical order, the blank rune standing separate from the rest, and then I say, "Holy Goddess, mother of earth, mother of us all, guide my hand as I cast the runes, guide my mind as I interpret their meanings, guide my soul as I take them into my life." Then I turn them all over and stir them around clockwise, using my right hand to stir as I concentrate on the question I am posing. I select the runes and interpret.
You can incorporate candles or incense, or have your own special way of doing things. You can even do the whole elaborate setup if that's what plucks your duck. It's all about what works for you. It doesn't matter WHAT you do as long as you do it each time you read the runes; the routine will set your mind up for divination, and that's the goal here.
Wording your questions is also important when reading runes. Unless you are doing a yes or no reading (see below), asking the runes a question that can be answered by a yes or no isn't going to work. It's best to word your question in a general way. For example, if you are asking relationship questions, you wouldn't want to ask the runes, "Is Jimmy cheating on me?" A better question would be, "What do I need to know about my relationship with Jimmy?"
Now, on to the castings.
Cast #1-One-Rune Draw
Pose your question and draw one rune. This one is great for a daily casting, to use the runes as a guide for your day. For example, before going to work, you ask the runes, "What do I need to know to make this day successful for me?" You draw Ansuz, right side up. I would read this as meaning communication is very important for you on this day; be sure to explain yourself clearly, to speak up when necessary and to listen to what others need to say to you.
Cast #2-Three-Rune Draw
Pose your question and draw three runes. The first rune is Overview; it gives you a general understanding of your question. The second rune is Course of Action; this rune tells you what your options are and what you might want to do. The third rune is Outcome; self-explanatory.
Cast #3-The Yes or No Draw
This cast allows you to pose questions that can be answered with a yes or no, and I credit this to Tony Willis and his book " Discover Runes."
Pose your question and draw three runes. Take note of how many runes are upright or reversed. If the runes you draw are nonreversible, then you need to know if their meanings are generally negative or generally positive.
When all three runes are positive, the answer is definitely yes. When all three runes are negative, the answer is definitely no, but the meanings of the runes will usually tell you why and what you might be able to do to up your chances of success.
When two runes are positive and one is negative, the answer is yes, but some aspect of the situation will not meet your expectations. Again, the meanings of the runes may clue you in to what aspect this is. When two runes are negative and one is positive, the answer is no, but it may not be too bad in the end.
Two negative runes with a nonreversible rune should be treated like three negatives.
For those of you who use the Blank Rune, this next part is important. If the Blank Rune appears in your yes or no draw, it means one of two things: either the question is not ready or able to be judged, or you are better off not knowing the answer. After waiting a day, you can ask the question again. If the Blank Rune appears again, you can try asking the runes a third time. However, if the Blank Rune appears a third time, then you really should give up asking the question because you are simply not meant to have an answer.
Once during a session, I gave a yes or no reading to an acquaintance. She did not tell me what her question was (I don't require that querents ask their questions out loud unless they want to), but when the Blank Rune came up and I told her that I couldn't give her an answer, she laughed.
"I've asked that question every time I get a reading, and I always get the same answer," she said.
"Then the gods are telling you to stop asking the question," I told her.
Making Your Own Runes
The runes you make yourself are always going to be more powerful and more attuned to you than the runes that you buy at a store. Not that there's anything wrong with store-bought runes-my first set of runes is a rocking collection of stones, but that's mostly because I have used them and kept them with me for ten years.
You can make your runes out of wood either by cutting 25 (or 24 if you're not using a Blank Rune) same-size squares from a board (remembering to sand the edges of each piece smooth) or getting a wooden dowel about 1 to 11⁄2 inches in diameter, and cutting the dowel into 25 (or 24) disks about 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 of an inch thick. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of saws and cutting and sanding (and who could blame you?), most arts and crafts stores, like A.C. Moore and Michael's, have precut wood in various sizes and shapes that are relatively inexpensive and perfectly cool to use. If you want to get more au naturel, go for a walk in the woods, find a tree with which you have a connection, and ask it for an appropriately sized branch that you can cut the runes from. Always ask permission, and always leave an offering behind as thanks.
Wooden runes are cool, but so are stone ones (plus, you get that fun clicking sound!), and with stone, you can use your favorite gemstone. Or you can just go on another walk, down to a river or creek, and find your stones that way. As always, ask for permission and leave an offering.
If you're using stones, try to get each one as close to the same size as possible, and make sure that at least one of the stone's sides is nice and flat (I find it difficult to draw or inscribe on a round, bumpy, hilly surface!).
Once you have all your stones, or all your wooden pieces, it's time to inscribe them with the runes. If you are using wood, you can use a wood-burning tool to inscribe each one. Or you can use paint. I suggest using paint for your stones, although if you have stone that is soft enough, you may be able to use a dremel tool or something similar to inscribe the stones (this is not always possible, however-when I made my hematite runes, even the diamond-tip dremel couldn't cut those puppies). If you use paint on the stones, be sure to clear-coat each rune with some shellac to preserve the paint.
What color paint you use is entirely up to you, although I find red to be an all-around good color for runes.
Once the runes are dry, you are ready to cleanse and consecrate them. My ritual for this follows. It's a great ritual, if I do say so myself-very powerful. Saying each rune's name aloud during the ritual gives each rune its identity. Placing the runes in the cauldron is transforming them from mere stones/wooden disks to divinatory tools. Blowing on them further attunes them to your energies and use.
Once you've completed the ritual, the runes are ready for you to use. Keep your runes with you; carry them in a pouch in your purse or briefcase, sleep with them at night, give them a designated spot on your altar during rituals. Meditate with them-hold Fehu and meditate on its meanings, and work through the set. You may discover different interpretations as you work with the runes. Practice working with them, and they will become a part of you. And they will never let you down.
Ritual for Dedicating, Cleansing, and Consecrating Runes
This can be used for a new set of runes made by your own hand, a used set of runes, or (especially) a store-bought set of runes.
Setup: Altar as you usually set it. Bowl of salt at North, incense at East, a candle at South, and a bowl of water at West. Three pieces of yarn or thread-black, red, and white-should be on the altar, as well as a cauldron (any size as long as it can contain all your runes), and the runes to be consecrated.
Timing: Research your timing so that it feels right to you. I have done this ritual during Libra, a sign of balance, just after the full of the moon, but you may find different correspondences more appropriate.
Ritual:
Perform LBR
Cast circle in your usual manner
Call quarters in your usual manner
Invoke the Norns by saying the following:
I call upon the Norns, the Sisters of the Wyrd
Come, Urd, the oldest, the crone, and bring your wisdom
Come, Verdandi, the mother, and bring your maternal instinct
Come, Skuld, the youngest, the maiden,
and bring the promise of the future
Come, Sisters of the Wyrd, and assist your daughter (son) in this ritual.
Hold up the new set of runes and say:
I give you these stones, turned rune by my own hand
Tonight may they be instilled with the power of time
Until they return, from whence they came, to sand
One by one, pick up each rune, say its name and a quick word association of its meaning, and then place it into the cauldron. Then, pick up the black yarn/thread and place it in the cauldron, saying:
Urd, eldest Sister, lay your blessings upon these runes
Give them your wisdom, gleaned from the past
Let them ring with your knowledge vast!
Place the red yarn/thread in the cauldron, saying:
Verdandi, middle Sister, lay your blessings upon these runes
Instill within them the balancing power of Now
Allow them to aid others with my solemn vow!
Place the white yarn/thread in the cauldron, saying:
Skuld, youngest Sister, lay your blessings upon these runes
Fill them with the promise of the Yet to Be
Let them be open so that others may see!
Place hands over cauldron; visualize the Norns infusing the runes with their gifts as swirls of black, red, and white light, which mingle to form a gold light. When you feel that the infusion is complete, take a minute to reground and center, focusing all your personal energy into the center of your being. Take a deep breath and hold it a second, imagining that your energy and that breath are fusing into one, then blow all that energy, all that is yourself, into and onto the runes in the cauldron.
When ready, take cauldron to the North corner and present runes. Sprinkle a little salt into the cauldron, saying:
Spirits of the North,
Bless these runes with the stabilizing presence of earth!
Move to the East and present the runes. Pass the cauldron through the incense, saying:
Spirits of the East,
Bless these runes with the breezy presence of air!
Move to the South and present the runes. Pass the cauldron through the flame, saying:
Spirits of the South,
Bless these runes with the flaming passion of fire!
Move to the West and present the runes. Sprinkle water in the cauldron, saying:
Spirits of the West,
Bless these runes with the ever-changing flow of water!
Move to the center of the circle and present the runes, saying:
Spirits of the Center,
Bless these runes with the all-encompassing presence of Spirit!
When finished, place cauldron with runes on center of altar, and let them sit there overnight. (Next day, place the entire contents of the cauldron in black leather pouch or other container. Leave colored yarns in bag so that the Norns have continuous contact with the runes.)
Thank the Norns by saying:
I thank you, Sisters of the Wyrd
Urd, the past; Verdandi, the present; Skuld, the future
For your presence at this ritual
Go if you must, stay if you like; be ever near to heart and mind.
Blessed be!
Close quarters
Close circle
- By Lady Phoenix MoonFlame
Runes and Magick
Like most other divinatory methods, runes can be used in your magickal work, but also as with most other divinatory methods, it takes a lot of practice.
The simplest way to use runes in your magick is to add them in as you would a correspondence such as color or planetary hours or herbs. Let's say you're making a happiness herbal bag for yourself; it's easy to simply draw the rune Wunjo on a slip of paper and add it to the herbal bag.
One of my favorite runes to use in protection magick is Thurisaz. Now, granted, you have to use it carefully. The best way to use Thurisaz as a protection rune is to surround what you are trying to protect with a ring of Thurisaz runes. Remember, Thurisaz is the protection of the thorn; so if your object of protection is surrounded by a ring of thorns, what will happen to the person trying to do harm? That's right-they're going to get pricked. Handy.
Another way to use runes magickally is to use them in runescripts and bindrunes. Tony Willis discusses these in his book Discover Runes, and that is where most of the following information comes from.
Runescripts
Instead of using a rune as just another correspondence in a given spell, runescripts are the spell. Essentially, you are arranging the runes in such a way that they are indicative of the desired result. So if you'd want to cast a spell to get a new job, you could select the correct runes, write them down in a specific order, and voila! Instant spell.
Now, this isn't as easy as it sounds-remember what I wrote in the first paragraph of this section: using runes in magick takes a lot of practice. When writing a runescript, you need to know exactly what each rune means, and (even more importantly) you must write them in the correct order to produce the desired effect. If you're planning on using Isa in a runescript, for example, you first need to be sure you actually want to freeze something, and then you need to make sure that you're not freezing the wrong thing by putting Isa in the wrong place in the script.
So, let's look at a sample script to get an idea of what I'm talking about. This example is taken from Tony Willis, by the way, so let the credit go to him. Also, some of his meanings might be a little different from what I have written on each individual rune's page, so please excuse any inconsistencies you might spot.
Let's say you want to safeguard your computer from theft or from breaking down at the most detrimental moment (this runescript will not prevent it from ever breaking down, but it will keep it from doing so while it's in use, allowing you to save and salvage important work/documents). Write the following runes down, in the exact order presented, on a slip of paper:
The first two runes are Kenaz and Isa. Kenaz in this runescript is used to protect (in this case, your computer) and Isa puts a hold on it; in other words, it "freezes" it in your possession. (Willis recommends the Kenaz/Isa combination as a good start to any runescript whose purpose is to preserve an object or objective because, for him, it means "to protect and freeze" in that order.) The third rune, Othila, denotes what it is you are protecting, a possession. Raido and Ansuz, at the end, indicate what kind of possession it is, in this case a mode of communication (although for my money, I probably wouldn't use Raido, just Ansuz, but that's just me. The script, as written, is highly recommended.).
Once you've written your runescript down, bless and consecrate it, stating to the gods the purpose for which it is intended. Then you should keep it on you, or on the object it is intended for in this case, until it has served its purpose. Once it's finished, burn the paper. For the Protect the Computer script, it won't ever be "finished" per se, but you may want to create a fresh runescript every three months or so and burn the old one.
It's best to use an odd number of runes in your runescript-three, five, seven.
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