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Runelore
The runes, and the philosophy they surround, serve a wide variety of applications, through both direct or magical means. Within the magical sphere of runework, these powerful symbols can be used for transformations, psychic development, inner and outer healing, and the manipulation of our environment. However, should you choose to make the runic system part of your life and study, you will find the direct application creates a unique response within your life. The runes will serve as a bridge in knowing thy self and establishing a new language in which you may speak with hidden aspects of yourself, and at the same time communicate with the greater outside forces that shape our lives. In the following text you will find the most common Runic system, that which is the Elder Futhark system. With each visual representation, you will find the most basic of interpretations; this is because of the fundamental nature of the runes themselves. The word "rune" means secret, hidden, and mysterious; once you have embarked upon the runic pathway your understanding will broaden. The runes could be considered as labeled gateways…leading to hidden dimensions. Through hard work, historical data collection and dedication to runelore, scholars have reawakened the power of the runes. To those souls we owe a huge debt for the malleable energy we have been gifted with. To those who only wish to reinforce their weakness through unjust or dishonorable action, and to those who fear the transmuting power held within the runes, take heed. The runes lead to a road of transformation, not vindication. Rune Origins In norse mythology, the God Odin was the original RuneMaster. He did this by hanging himself on the Yggdrasil tree of life for nine straight days and nights. Pierced and bleeding by this own spear and having no water or comfort. Odin obtained thru his own efforts the reception of the great gift of Rune Wisdom and knowledge. Odin during those days and nights of self sacrifice is said to have passed through the nine worlds of the Yggdrasil into the realm of Hel, the underworld. This great initiation of Odin thru self sacrifice is found also with other Gods, Goddess's and Initiates in other traditions and religions. How very ironic that so few understand or accept the inner meaning of the tarot card 'The Hanged Man' much less apply it in their own personal searches for their path of wisdom. They seldom realize the great disrespect they bring to elders of many traditions including that of the Norse traditions of telling a elder to hang on the tree of self sacrifice for them and when they climb down, tell them the wisdom they found for them. What seems vital and important in helping one grasp the meanings of each Rune is symbolically contained in the various recorded poetic stanzas of the Norse elders in their writings called 'The Sayings of Har, which is directly translated to mean The Sayings of The High One, Odin. One such sayings of the High One is: I know, that I hung on the windy tree all of nights nine, wounded by spear and given to Odin myself to myself on that tree which no one knows from what roots it rises. They dealt me no bread nor drinking horn. I looked down, I took up the runes. I took them screaming, I fell back from there. In other Rune branches such as that of Runemaster Guido von List and known as Listian or the Armanic Runes, there are slight variations to the Sayings of Har. In them each stanza is specifically in regards to a single specific Rune, the first Armanic Rune is defined in the first poetic stanza and so on until the last Armanic Rune is defined in the last poetic stanza. This approach is very much in keeping with many other earth based traditions where wisdom and deep mysterys are often placed into easily remembered and easily told traditional legends, stories and songs which are helpful in successfully maintaining the inner core of those traditions over many centurys and many generations. |
