For the creation of Runes there are three main materials: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. Depending on the use for your Runes. For everyday divination, Wood (vegetable), or Clay (mineral), is the most common. Each type carries its own Elemental powers.
-WOOD-
The type of wood used, again depends upon the use to which you will put the Runes. For everyday Divination I prefer the wood of a fruit tree. For the most the crucial or critical of questions, use Oak or Birch. The important thing is to harvest the wood yourself. Do not buy the wood.
Obtaining the limb of a fruit tree is best done when the tree is in full bloom. It is most vital thing to have the tree’s permission to remove the limb. To take without asking will cause your castings to be false.
The prayer should be of your own making, it does not need to be fancy, merely from the heart. The last that I used recently went something like this:
O’ Ancient One,
Bridge Between Sky Father and Earth Mother,
Giver of Food,
Giver of Drink,
I Ask of You A Boon.
From Your Limb An Oracle Created,
For Your Blood I Give Mine,
Join Your Spirit And Mine Together.
Meditate on what you have asked and if you feel the tree is granting your wish, remove the limb. This needs to be done with a hand tool, not a power tool. Do it quickly. When you have taken the limb, prick your finger to obtain some of your blood. Apply the blood to the stump where you took the limb. Say something like:
For Your Pain, My Pain.
For Your Wound, My Wound.
For Your Blood, My Blood.
Let Us Be Joined.
The words should be your own. Use mine if you wish, but your own are better.
Now you need to take the limb and lay it on your altar for three days. Give a prayer of strength and clear-seeing each morning to your God/dess’. On the third day trim the limb, peel the bark, and begin to sand it smooth. Once the texture is to your liking, cut 24 equal sized disks from the limb. You are now ready to inscribe the Runes.
The order in which you inscribe the Runes onto the disks is not important, this will become a matter of great importance once you have inscribed all the Runes. The traditional way is to heat a piece of iron in a fire and inscribe each Rune carefully. It is ok to use an electric wood-burning tool if you wish. Once all of the Runes are inscribed it will be time to charge and bind your Runes. This will be discussed later.
These Runes will harness the strength of LIFE, WATER, and FIRE. NOTE- Do not cover or coat your Runes in resin, shellac, or anything else. Coated Runes are dead Runes.
-STONE or CLAY- under construction
