Runes are an ancient form of oracle used by those seeking advice. Runes have a long history, dating back to ancient use by Germanic and Nordic tribes, and are still widely used in today’s society.
Rune Readers, or Runemasters are much rarer than other forms of divination such as Tarot or Oracle Card readers. However, they should not be overlooked and are a very potent tool not just for divination but also for magic, protection, purification and manifestation. You will find more information on each of these aspects on the following pages.
Introduction
Whether you are wondering whether the time is right to move home or need advice on a spiritual or energetic matter, try consulting the runes for their wisdom. Like other methods of divination, such as tarot or oracle cards, the runes work with your intuition and higher self. If you are new to working with a divination tool, these pages will take you through all you need to know about the runes and the rune reading process.
Working with these tools regularly is a great way to connect with and enhance your intuition and the connection with your higher self, as well as work on building stronger trust in your intuition and listening to the ways in which it speaks to you.
Where it all began
Originally Germanic in origin, the runes were popularised in the Viking period, woven into Norse religion and are closely associated with Norse magic (seiðr) and skaldic poetry. In Norse mythology, Odin, the chief god of Norse mythology, is said to have attained knowledge of the runes after significant sacrifice and can be described in more detail below. The runes are the written letters that were used by the Norse and other Germanic peoples before the adoption of the Latin alphabet in the later Middle Ages. Unlike the Latin alphabet, which is an essentially utilitarian script, the runes are symbols of some of the most powerful forces in the cosmos.
Unlike many other civilisations of the time, which were oral traditions, the Vikings produced extensive written content. With the popularisation of the Vikings in TV and movies, there has been a resurgence in interest in the runes and Viking mythology and traditions. The wisdom of the runes is just as relevant in our everyday lives in this day and age as it was in its origination.
It is worth remembering that only educated people were taught to write or carve. Therefore, those who could understand or carve runes were people with immense power and influence in society.
Odin’s discovery of the runes
Our source of the legend for the discovery of the runes comes from the Hávamál [Hover-mol] The Ballad of the High One, an old Norse poem, part of the Poetic Edda, words of wisdom from Odin, the father of the Gods. Odin is a relentless seeker of knowledge and wisdom. The tale of how he discovered the runes is an example of his unquenchable thirst for understanding the mysteries of life, not to mention his unstoppable will.
Famous for having only one eye, Odin sacrificed his other eye in order to gain significant wisdom and knowledge, of his discovery of the runes. The runes allow one to access, interact with, and influence the world-shaping forces they symbolise. Thus, when Odin sought the runes, he wasn’t merely attempting to acquire a set of arbitrary representations of human vocal sounds. Rather, he was uncovering an extraordinarily potent system of magic.
Verses 139-146 tell the tale of how the runes were won. Odin looking down from Asgard observed the work of the Norns and their rune carving and as he watched he became more and more curious and obsessed with learning the knowledge of them and the power it would give him if he could only possess it. He quickly realised that the runes wouldn’t give up their secrets to just anyone – he would have to prove himself worthy to wield such terrible wisdom.
Thus he decided to hang himself from one of Yggdrasil’s branches. Not only that he stabbed himself with his own spear and refused all food and drink, not even water. He remained in this shamanic state calling to the runes for nine whole days and nights. The runes, recognising his sacrifice and his worthiness, gradually began to reveal themselves in the murky depths of the well. Slowly their secrets became clearer and once he had fully absorbed all this powerful knowledge he let out a great cry of victory and let himself fall from the branch returning home to Asgard with the runes safely in his possession.
Now fully conversant with the runes he became one of the most powerful and knowledgeable beings in the whole Norse universe. He learned spells to overpower enemies, heal wounds, protect warriors, raise the dead, seduce a lover and many other things.
It is part of Viking legend that Odin’s horse, Sleipnir, had runic symbols engraved upon its teeth. For this reason, the 19th rune is called Ehwaz, the horse.
We may not be quite able to wield the power of Odin but you will learn a little of the secrets of the runes in the following sections.
What is the Futhark?
Runes are often called the Futhark, Futhorc or Elder Futhark, named after the first six letters of the runic alphabet in the traditional order.
The runic alphabet is closer in character to ancient Egyptian or Hebrew than many modern alphabets in that each letter has its own meaning and energy. Indeed, the runic symbols are regarded as magical.
Those interested in language foundation may already know that runic was originally the language of the northern Germanic races and that there are remarkable similarities between runic and other early languages, such as early Celtic.
All the characters of the runic alphabet are in straight lines, as with the Celtic Ogham alphabet, which may have to allow it to be carved into stone more easily.
What are the Runes?
Runes can be seen in many forms, illustrating their numerous uses throughout history, from large standing stones seen throughout Scandinavia and Scotland (more correctly known as Runestones than runes) to smaller stones or wooden pieces used as a tool towards self-knowledge and self-help. They were also seen as a means of communication and self-enquiry, or, as the Vikings thought, a means of getting in touch with the gods.
Many runic carvings, such as Vikingavägen and Runriket, can still be found throughout Europe. There are also some fine examples of runestones in the Swedish History Museum. However, most of the original carvings were carved of wood and have now perished. Only the stone carvings remain.
The meaning of the Runes
Runic is an alphabet, a means of communication, and a set of symbols carved onto objects for magical purposes.
The word rune means ‘secret‘, or ‘mystery‘ and has links to the Old Nordic run, the Gothic runa, and the Icelandic runar, all of which mean ‘whisper‘. As this system was secret, its teachings were initially not written down but passed on by word of mouth, like the Kabbala in Hebrew/Chaldean times.
The meaning also links to the German ‘raunen’, a word which has a variety of meanings, including ‘to cut or carve‘. The fact that the runic symbols were carved in stone meant that they survived, even if the original meanings were lost.
Thinking Symbolically
Runes have links with many other forms of divination and self-inquiry, such as the I-Ching – the Chinese Book of Changes. The runes are arguably the I-Ching of the Viking race.
Just as I-Ching is concerned with polarities, so too are runes. In I-Ching, the polarities are yin and yang; in runic lore, they are fire and ice.
As with Tarot symbolism, the rune or card carries multi-layered symbolism and meanings, which will change depending on the situation and surrounding cards or runes.
Runes can bridge our logical thinking mind and our creative, intuitive self. They can help with what modern-day psychologists call ‘the learning process’, carrying inner meanings far beyond their initial appearance and shape. The hope is that the drawing or casting of the runes will produce information enabling us to access our subconscious, thus expanding our awareness and shedding light on our options.
The runes will give us the honest, ‘unvarnished truth’, which could be unexpected or suggest something outside our comfort zone. In those instances, we should have an open mind, as the runes can see farther and more expansively than our current view; perhaps our destiny lies in a different direction than we would wish, but if we trust in their guidance, the recommendation they provide could be much more beneficial to us than our original approach.
Asking Questions
You can use runes for many questions, such as ‘Should I think of moving house now?’ to something more profound that involves spiritual or emotional needs. Whilst questions don’t have to be life-changing significant, like the tarot or other forms of divination, they should be treated respectfully and never used flippantly or frivolously. The main emphasis should always be on the need for an answer.
In most instances, you will get a definite answer. However, the blank rune will appear when the answer is currently unclear. In this case, the situation will likely be in a state of flux, or it is too early to judge the issue effectively.
Runemasters
It is said that the last great runemasters perished in Iceland in the seventeenth century. The first were most likely priests and priestesses, or wise men or women, who probably cast Runestaves (pieces of wood on which runic symbols were drawn).
In modern times, runes are much more readily available and come in all shapes and sizes. However, I recommend the runes you use are from a natural substance such as wood, metal, stone or crystal, as there is a powerful link between the runes and the earth’s energy. I find natural-based runes far more potent than, say, plastic or resin.
The following pages may pique your interest in further study into the runes and becoming a runemaster yourself.
A Practical Exercise
If you already have your own set of runes, hopefully in a pouch, give the runes a ‘shuffle’ – pull one from the bag and study the symbol.
Are you picking up anything intuitively from the rune? Are you getting any vibes, feelings or imagery that pop into your head? If you are feeling anything, note this in your journal.