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Runes come from the Nordic area where the ancient Vikings once lived. They are an alphabetic script that was used by the peoples of Northern Europe from the first century c.e. until well into the Middle Ages. These symbols were used for writing and magic by the high priests. In addition to their use as a written alphabet, the runes also served as a system of symbols used for magic and divination. As the Roman alphabet came into use more and more, the usage of runes fell by the wayside. In magick today, many of us use the runes as symbols in magickal workings and sometimes to spell out what we want from the spellcasting. Below you can read about divination with runes and try it if you wish. You can always make your own runes by carving them into wood or stone, or by simply marking them on something if you prefer. A friend of mine uses small tiles to mark hers on and then keeps them in a velvet pouch. Your runes should be kept clean and safe in their own pouch. For a fast reading, ask your question, focus on it, and then take a rune out of the pouch and look at it. The answer may be obvious or the rune might provide a more conditional response. If the rune you picked makes no sense at all as a response to your question, concentrate harder on your question and then try again. How much information you get out of this method will depend on how much time you spend analyzing the reading and how well you understand the runes. Take out one rune and lay it down face up. This rune represents the first Norn - those events in the past which affect the current situation. Pull out another rune and lay it next to the first. This is the second Norn - the present situation, which frequently refers to a choice that needs to be made. Pull out a third and lay it down. This is the third Norn, and the most difficult rune to interpret. In some cases it might represent the person's inevitable fate. In others, it might simply be that the ending result of your current situation remains unchanged, or even just one of several results possible fates. You must rely on your instincts to decide which is the case. This is the method described by Tacitus in 'Germania'. The method itself is really another variation of the Three-Rune reading, with ritual details added to lend it authenticity. To actually do it correctly, go out and find a fruit-bearing tree and use the wood to carve your runes fresh each time. Then lay out a white cloth on the floor. Take all of the runes in your hands and scatter them. Invoking the aid of Odin, and without looking at the runes, pick three at random. You may look at them as a group, without considering them in any particular order, or you can pick them one at a time, using the 'Norns' method described above to interpret them. (You may leave off the ritual part if you wish.)
In magick, we often use rune scripts to inscribe magickal tools or to aid us in our spellwork. When you write a word in runes, it empowers that word and can be designed for any number of magickal uses. These rune scripts are generally made up of two or more runes in sequence, depending on their meaning. For instance, if you wanted to create a rune script to help empower your psychic abilities, you might use laguz/water (relating to the subconscious and mysteries), perth/dice-cup (for divination and magic), ansuz/Odin (the God of the runes), and kenaz/torch (for inspiration)or something similar. Sometimes we join two or more runes together and this is called a bindrune. Runes can be joined side by side, or perhaps combined into a single rune. This latter method is the most popular today and is commonly used in rune magic to create a magical sigel that will encompass several runes at once.
There are multiple ways that you can employ Rune scripts and bindrunes in your magick. They can be inscribed on a talisman that a person might wear on their clothing or carry in a pocket. They may also be carved into a piece of wood and then burnt during a spell, or they can be scratched into a candle and lit until it burns away. Inscribe them on paper or parchment and burn them while visualizing your desires and speaking the name of the rune. Be sure to thank the gods when you are finished. There are many ways that you might come up with to use runes in magick. You may incorporate them into many of your everyday rituals if you like. |
