Runes
Rune stones are a system of magic and divination dating back to pre Christian times. The 24 Runic alphabet we know as the Elder Futhark dates back to the very late days of the Roman Empire (400 AD approx) but there is evidence of a more basic runic alphabet pre dating this by several hundred years.
The younger Futhark, a shorter set of 16 runes came into being in Viking times (800 AD) approx.
The Elder Futhark is split into three sets of eight runes named the:
Frej and Freya ætt
Heimdall and Mordgud ætt
Tiwaz and Zisa ætt
The runes draw upon Nordic mythology, hence the names of the sets and the individual stones themselves.
Runes can be carved on wood, stones, crystals. They are usually kept together in a bag called a rune pouch.
Runes can be used in divination, either as a spread (similar to a Tarot card spread) or as a single stone reading. Runes are generally
used to gain understanding of a current path, situation or mind set. They are more traditionally used to illuminate a situation than they are to divine the future.
A popular rune spread is the three runes reading. The first rune drawn shows the problem, the second the solution, the third the outcome. This reading can also be used to illustrate past, present and future.
Each individual rune stone has a wealth of meaning and associations. These will vary to some degree between individual publications and readings, but generally the interpretations are fairly consistent. The art of reading the runes is to interpret how the meanings affect each other. Each rune will change its interpretation based on its place in a spread and proximity to other runes. Treating a rune in isolation is overly simplistic. Look at the overall picture painted by the spread.
Runes can be read upright or reversed (reversed is a debatable term, not everyone agrees how to read a reversed rune, some mean upside down as in facing up but pointing to the reader, others mean upside down as in facing to the earth). There is also some disagreement as to which runes have a reversed meaning. As I work with a reversed meaning for every rune, I have included them here but be aware this is my interpretation and many rune readers will not use a reversed meaning for every rune.
The blank rune (Wyrd) is a modern (1980s) invention and has been taken up to varying degrees. (Many readers are deeply opposed to its use). Most sets will include a blank rune but a lot of readers will leave it out (or keep as a spare!). The idea behind the blank rune is that there are some situations of which we can have no knowledge and some questions to which there is no answer. Drawing the blank rune can give an indication that you are not yet meant to have the knowledge you seek.
The younger Futhark, a shorter set of 16 runes came into being in Viking times (800 AD) approx.
The Elder Futhark is split into three sets of eight runes named the:
Frej and Freya ætt
Heimdall and Mordgud ætt
Tiwaz and Zisa ætt
The runes draw upon Nordic mythology, hence the names of the sets and the individual stones themselves.
Runes can be carved on wood, stones, crystals. They are usually kept together in a bag called a rune pouch.
Runes can be used in divination, either as a spread (similar to a Tarot card spread) or as a single stone reading. Runes are generally
used to gain understanding of a current path, situation or mind set. They are more traditionally used to illuminate a situation than they are to divine the future.
A popular rune spread is the three runes reading. The first rune drawn shows the problem, the second the solution, the third the outcome. This reading can also be used to illustrate past, present and future.
Each individual rune stone has a wealth of meaning and associations. These will vary to some degree between individual publications and readings, but generally the interpretations are fairly consistent. The art of reading the runes is to interpret how the meanings affect each other. Each rune will change its interpretation based on its place in a spread and proximity to other runes. Treating a rune in isolation is overly simplistic. Look at the overall picture painted by the spread.
Runes can be read upright or reversed (reversed is a debatable term, not everyone agrees how to read a reversed rune, some mean upside down as in facing up but pointing to the reader, others mean upside down as in facing to the earth). There is also some disagreement as to which runes have a reversed meaning. As I work with a reversed meaning for every rune, I have included them here but be aware this is my interpretation and many rune readers will not use a reversed meaning for every rune.
The blank rune (Wyrd) is a modern (1980s) invention and has been taken up to varying degrees. (Many readers are deeply opposed to its use). Most sets will include a blank rune but a lot of readers will leave it out (or keep as a spare!). The idea behind the blank rune is that there are some situations of which we can have no knowledge and some questions to which there is no answer. Drawing the blank rune can give an indication that you are not yet meant to have the knowledge you seek.
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WyrdThe blank rune represents a hidden or unknown meaning and suggests that at this time the knowledge you seek is either not knowable or hidden from you at this time.
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