DavidStClair2

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RUNES

I know I hung on that windswept tree,
Swung there for nine long nights,
Wounded by my own blade,
Bloodied for Odin,
Myself an offering to myself:
Bound to the tree,
That no man knows
Whither the roots of it run.

None gave me bread,
None gave me drink,
Down to the deepest depths I peered
Until I spied the Runes.
With a roaring cry I seized them up,
Then dizzy and fainting, I fell.

Well-being I won
And wisdom too.
I grew and took joy in my growth:
From a word to a word
I was led to a word,
From a deed to another deed.

-- The Poetic Edda (circa 1200 A.D.)

A Brief History of Runes in Europe:
Runic alphabets first appeared among German tribes in central and eastern Europe during Roman times. Many of the Rune letters seem to have been borrowed from other alphabets, such as the Greek, the Etruscan, and the Early Roman alphabets. Some of the runes seem to be unique inventions. The earliest Runic inscriptions on stone are dated to the late 2nd century AD, although it is probable that Runic Alphabets had been in use for some centuries before.

The runes were a very practical alphabet and developed out of necessity. Most adults in Roman-age Europe possessed knives of some sort, and wood carving was often a highly prized skill. So creating an alphabet that could be easily carved with straight lines in wood (and later stone) was a natural development. Most Runic inscriptions simply identified the ownership or burial site of someone or something, and were as distinct as the Rune-Master creating them.

Early in their history, the Runes had very few writing rules or conventions. The Runes could be written right to left, left to right, or Boustrophedon (right to left on one line, left to right on the next, etc.). During Europe's Dark Ages, as the Roman/Latin alphabet become more dominant, the Roman convention of left to right became the rule. Also, early in their history, Rune letters were often reversed. Runes and their mirror images always represented the same phonetic values.

The original Germanic Runic alphabet contained 24 letters. The first six letters of the alphabet spell out the word "FUTHARK", which is often used when referring to the Runes. When the Runes spread north into Scandinavia, some letters were dropped and the alphabet was simplified to only 16 letters. Sometime between 400 and 600 AD, three Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes) invaded Britain. They brought the Runes with them. Once in Britain, the Anglo-Saxon Runes were expanded to as many as 32 characters
.

By 800 AD the Runes were in use throughout much of western, central, and northern Europe. The Vikings carried the Runes west with them to Iceland and Greenland. Trade in eastern Europe spread the Runes into Hungary, Rumania, Poland, and parts of Russia. In the centuries that followed, as most of Europe adopted the Christian faith, the Runes slowly fell out of favor, replaced by variations of the Roman/Latin alphabet. One version of the Roman/Latin alphabet used in Anglo-Saxon England during the days before the Norman conquest contained some Runic letters, such as "þ" (thorn), based on the third letter of the Runic alphabet. During the Middle-ages, as Christianity came to dominate Europe, fewer and fewer people were able to understood the Runes.

Many non-Christian and pagan groups still continued to use the runes, such as the followers of the Druid religion. They were persecuted by the Christian authorities and their ways were demonized. Unable to read the Runes, church leaders believed them to be magic spells capable of unlocking the powers of evil. Since this time Runes have developed a bad reputation, and are often linked to the Occult and Satanism. Earlier in this century, the Nazis in Germany employed the Runes in their military insignia and propaganda, furthering to promote the sinister reputation of the Runes.

On the bright side, J. R. R. Tolkien one variety of Anglo-Saxon Runes in his fantasy/adventure novel "The Hobbit". Tolkien used the Runes on maps and for assorted graphics on the hard-cover editions of the book. Tolkien used Runes to represent the writings of the Dwarves in his story. The Dwarves actually used a different Runic alphabet (called the Cirth or the Angerthas). Tolkien substituted the Cirth with the more familiar Anglo-Saxon Runes, just as he also substituted English for many of the languages of Middle-earth such as Westron.

Today, most people interested in Runes fall into two categories. Some are Historians studying pre-Christian European cultures and languages. Or they may be medieval or fantasy RPG (Role Playing Game) players engaged in re-creating aspects of pre-Christian European cultures.

FREYA's AEttir (first AEttir)

HAGAL's AEttir (second AEttir)

TYR's AEttir (third AEttir)

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The above symbols make up the runic alphabet known as the"futharks"

The 24 runes are divided into 3 sets of 8. Each of these sets is called an aett. Each set is often referred to by the name of a Norse God/ess (Freya's, Hagal's/Heimdall's, and Tyr's AEttir)

In addition to having a written sigil, runes also have a sound that is sung to represent them. These rune-songs are known as galdr, and any magickal use of runes should include them.

but how do you actually use them? first lets look at the various meanings to each rune.

the meanings are broken down as follows. .

the rune itself/name/number/traditional meaning/power*/key words

*see below*

FREYA's AEttir (first AEttir)

-Fehu/1,or 2 when reversed/possessions,cattle,goods,wealth,"power of money"/fortune,possession

-Uruz/3,or 4 when reversed/strength,sacrificial animal,the aurochs,"power of luck"/luck,strength

-Thurisaz/5,or 6 when reversed/giant,demon,thorn,thor,""power of positive thinking"/thorn,gateway,faith

-Ansuz/7,or 8 when reversed/Loki,mouth,river mouth,"power of words"/signals,fate

-Raido/9,or 10/journey,riding,carriage,soul after death,"power to create own reality"/reality,journey

-Kano/11,or 12/torch,skiff,Nerthus,"power to cast light on a subject"/opening,karma,course

-Gebo/13/a gift,offerings from the gods,"power of gift giving"/gift,partnership

-Wunjo/14,or 15 when reversed/ joy,absence of suffering and sorrow,"power of laughter and joy"/joy,wonder

*one way of identifying with the runes is to view each rune as bearing a "power" or gift.

keep in mind the way a rune is facing has bearing on its meaning some runes may be reversed(upside down)when this happens the meaning is viewed as more negative or if a positive rune,(as in wunjo) viewed as to a lesser degree

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HAGAL's AEttir (second AEttir)

the meanings are broken down as follows. .

the rune itself/name/number/traditional meaning/power*/key words

*see below*

-Hagalaz/16/hail,sleet,natural forces that damage"power of nature"/disruption,hail

-Nauthiz/17/need,necessity,constraint,lessons of hardship"power of survival through will"/constraint,need

-Isa/18/ice,freezing,"power of cold to freeze and warmth to melt/standstill,ice

-Jera/19/year,harvest,fruitful part of year,"power of time"/harvest,year

-Eihwaz/20/avertive powers,yew tree,"power of endurance"/defense,help

-Perth/21,or 22 if reversed/uncertain meaning,secret,"power of the runes to guide"/hope,initiation

-Algiz/23,or 24 if reversed/protection,the elk,sedge or eelgrass,"power to ward"/resistance,protection

-Sowelu/25/the sun,"power to set sight"/wholeness,sun

*one way of identifying with the runes is to view each rune as bearing a "power" or gift.

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TYR's AEttir (third AEttir)

the meanings are broken down as follows. .

the rune itself/name/number/traditional meaning/power*/key words

*see below*

-Teiwaz/26,or 27 when reversed/victory in battle,guiding star,Tiw,"power of politics"/warrior,triumph

-Berkana/28,or 29/birch tree,fertility rights,rebirth,new life,"power of the creative process"/birth,re-birth,growth

-Ehwaz/30,or 31/horse,course of the sun,"power of intuition"/movement,female

-Mannaz/32,or 33/man,woman,the human race,"power of reason,intelligence and rational thought"/the self,male

-Laguz/34,or 35/water,sea,fertility source,"power of emotional tides"/flow,love

-Inguz/36/Ing,legendary hero,"power of sexual energy"/fertility,sex

-Othila/37,or 38 when reversed/inherited possessions,home"power of traditions"/seperation,home

-Dagaz/39/day,light,prosperity,"power of change"/breakthrough,destiny

-wyrd/40/I dont use this rune as it is but a recent addition.it is supposed to symbolize karma,and unknowable knowledge etc.what is the purpose of a rune of no meaning?of course it is not entirely useless,being also the elemental rune of air,which is mentioned on a following page.(Elemental runes)

*one way of identifying with the runes is to view each rune as bearing a "power" or gift.

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now that you have a basic idea on the meanings you are now ready to see how the runes are read.

let us look at a sample spread.

first thing you need is a good question.like in all forms of divination ,the question is the key to deciphering the runes.all runes must be read in accordance to the question.

then take a moment to clear the mind,meditation works great for this and helps to quell the possibility of "tainted"readings due to emotional baggage.

there are basically 3 ways to draw the runes 1 to just reach into the "rune bag" and grope around until you feel that one rune that seems to jump into the hand. 2 to spread all of them face down on a table and pick them one by one,and 3 to toss them into the air and read all the runes that land face up,though the last is traditional i personally prefer to draw them one by one,by the way, you will get more accurate readings if you always remember to place each rune you draw back into the bag before drawing the next.

as you draw each rune try to keep the question in mind along with the placement of each rune. .in other words,as you draw the first rune"in the example above (past)"keep in mind the question and also that the first rune answers the question in regards to the past influences of said question,the next would be in regards to the present and the last would speak of the future.

take your time and use your instincts and practice practice practice.

on a related side note i would like to add that the future is never set.nothing is carved in stone.we are all born with the gift of free will and as such there is no such thing as "fortune telling"that would mean we have no choice and all things in life are predestined.so the future in any true divination only means the most likely outcome.

this is true of all systems tarot,geomancy,numerology etc. hold no exceptions

having said that,as mankind by nature is a creature of habit it is safe to say that 9 times out of 10 the future divined will still hold sway.

the following is a chart of correspondence between the runes,geomancy glyphs,astrological signs and planets.although well beyond the scope of this lesson the serious student will find it very useful indeed.

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also there are a couple additional runes,with special meanings

Elemental runes

-stone,deflects spear,resists fire,sheds water,returns to the earth,falls through air( Stone Phonetic value "st" stone, or altar stone)

-spear, is sharpened by stone,reinforced by fire,rusted by water,cleansed by earth,unresisted by air( Gar Phonetic value "g" Spear, Odhinn's spear)

-fire,cracks stone,softens spear,heats water,bakes earth,smokes up air( Cweorth Phonetic value "ao" or "oe" "fire-twirl")

-water,smooths stone,slows spear,extinguishes fire,runs off earth,evaporates air( Calc Phonetic value "k" chalk, cup, or crystal goblet)

-earth,conceals stone,accepts spear,puts out fire,turns water to mud,dusts up air( 'Ear Phonetic value "ao" or "eo" "earth-grave")

-air,shapes stone,carries spear,encourages fire,stirs water,kicks up earth

other runes of interest

the 3 wish runes

-inguz,said to bring forth wishes.

-another version of inguz,said to bring forth wishes.

to use,just paint or carve your initials or personnel glyph on one side of a 'skipping' stone,and on the other side paint or carve one of the inguz runes,make a wish and carry said stone in your pocket or purse until your wish comes true,pitch the stone into a river,lake,wishing well..etc. to give your troubles to the wind.

R.T.Kaser

- (kh)

-gh

-Y

-another version of y "Yr" Phonetic value "un" gold decoration Primal human material

-seax-wicca,ansuz

-seax-wicca,C

-S

-wisdom,Is Ansuz or "Os" in the Anglo-Saxon futhark ( Os,odin's rune) Ac phonetic value "a" Oak Tree

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First give the dice to the person asking the question. Have them take a moment and blow upon the dice. This act is equivalent to shuffling the cards and allows the person asking the question to get physically involved with the process of casting the dice. If you are divining for yourself, blow on the dice. After a brief moment of concentration on the question, cast the dice over a plain, white cloth.

A simple way to read the rune dice is to cast them and read them as they fall according to their meaning and pattern. The nearest die is read first and stands for the past, or background. The two middle dice represent the present, or ongoing circumstance. The die that lands farthest away shows the future, or the outcome.

Two dice together have complimentary meanings. If they touch, their effects will be united and occur almost simultaneously. If a die lands tipped at an angle against something, its rune is uncertain or changeable. Consider both runes that show on its upper facets, giving more weight to the one exposed. Should a die roll very far away, the outcome of the matter will be delayed a considerable time. The closer together the dice fall, the shorter the time span required to determine the question.

This technique is useful when a very quick reading is desired into a simple and relatively trivial matter.

Those with a knowledge of astrology can also read the runes in relation to the twelve houses of the Zodiac.

Special attention should be given to the first and last runes. The first suggests the general tone of the matter. The last gives a prognistication of whether things will turn out well, or not. If one of the runes signifying the three aettir

( Feoh, Haegl or Tyr ) occurs in a line, that line should be read within the context of that aett. Feoh is physical and mild. Haegl is emotional and severe. Tyr is mental and balanced. For purposes of divination, the runes must be applied to the practical, day-to-day affairs of common life. The meanings given to them are more specific and restricted than the broader esoteric attributions of the runes considered as a whole.

using the above chart we see that the runes can be divided into sets based on the aettirs,elemental properties and planets.for a set of 4 rune dice we divide the runes according to the elements,namely fire,earth,air,and water.

(see above)

A good idea is to keep in mind the properties of each element as well in your reading.

Here are the blue prints i use in creating my dice.

fire

earth

air

water

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This is great information. Thank you for sharing!

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DavidStClair2	[email protected]