Runes are an ancient form of writing that was used widely for thousands of years by the peoples of northern Europe. According to the Viking tradition, the word 'rune' means 'a whispered secret'.
The Germanic 'alphabet' was called 'Futhark' after the first 6 letters of the alphabet. The Germanic Furthark consisted of 24 letters divided into three groups of eight known as 'aettir'. There was also an extra, or blank, run that symbolized the unknown.
The Runes Themselves
Runes are steeped in nature and represent the power exhibited by different elements of nature. Therefore it is impossible to understand the runes with an intellectual approach alone.
In ancient times the runes, by symbolizing the elemental forces, allowed the user, or querent, to make direct contact with the forces of nature (gods) and thus maybe gain some insight as to what the future held, so that they could take necessary steps to ensure that it did or didn't happen.
One of the important things to remember abour Runes is that the wisdom which the tradition contained was handed down orally from generation to generation, mostly in the form of poetry to make it easier to remember.
Before using the runes, it is important to get in touch with the energies they represent. Anyone considering using the runes needs to understand and develop a true feeling for the way in which the energies of the universe flow through everything. Also, to correctly understand runes, you need to understand and believe that time is circular, rather than linear. In the modern way of thought, time is endless and consists of present, past, and future. However, time is circular, meaning it is a never ending cycle. If you wer eto imagine yourself standing in the middle of a circle, you would have no sense of the past or future because time would be all around you in the form of the present. Each fragment of time has its own special qualities that aren't related to the housr of th eday. Rather, they are defined by the universal energy that flows through it. The runes simply reflect energy. Through the rune caster, the energy becomes visible.
Making Runes
The most common material for rune stones are wood, pebbles, or ceramics. Wood has an obvious advantage of being easy to cut into shapes as well as carve. Smooth, rounded stones also make good runes. If you are very creative, you can make your runes from clay. No matter the material, your runes will be unique to you. Making them yourself will impart your own personal energy and will make your rune stones truly yours. Your readins will be more in tune with you.
Equipment Needed for Reading
There are two pieces of equipment that are vital to the reading of runes. One of these is a pouch made from simply constructed organic material such as leather, hessin, or cotton. The pouch is used to carry the runes and protect them from harmful vibrations and infulences. You may wish to decorate your pouch by embroidering or drawing a rune or two on it. You way want to tie the pouch to your clothing so that it becomes imbued with your personal energy and is more in tune with you. As iwth anything else, the more energy you put into it, the better your results will be.
The other piece of equipment is a runic cloth on which to cast, throw, or swirl your runes. The traditional color of the runic cloth is white, but you can use any color. White is not technically a real color and does not have the same emotive effects as other colors. If you use another color, just remember that the color will lend its own atmosphere to readings. A highly decorated runic cloth will most likely be distracting during readings, so it is best to stick to a plain cloth. The size or your cloth isn't especially important, but for eas of use, it's best to start with one that is about two feet square. However, you might prefer your cloth to be circular, to symbolize more unity than the square.
Most Common Way to Use Runes
The most common way to use the runes is to swirl them on the cloth then select the required number o frunes and placin gthem in the their relevant positions. The number of runes selected depends on the kind of reading you are doing. When doing readins, you may find it useful to lay the cloth facing a particular direction on the compass. For example, say you have lost your wallet, and wish to find the direction in which to look. When casting the runes, if the rune of personal possessions and money falls to the east, you would know to begin by looking east.
Preparing for a Reading
Once you understand the philosophy of the runes, have all the equipment you need, and know how to interpret the symbols, you are almost ready to actually use them. First, however, you need to prepare to use them. Meditation can be a wonderful way to do this. You would start by clearing a releasing, then allowing your mind to think over the question that you would like the runes to answer. Phrasing the question properly is important to getting answers to them. What is the subject of the question? Who does it concern? what period of time does the question cover? Your question should answer these 3 questions in order to ensure you get the results you are looking for.
Methods of Reading Runes
There are several ways or formations to read the runes, including the One Rune, Three Rune, Simple Cross, Heimdales Eight, Celtic Cross, and Four Quarters. This introductions is only going to cover the One Rune and the Three Rune readings.
One Rune - uses a single rune to answer your query. This is the simplest way of consulting the runes. By implication the answer must remain simplistic. Picking a single rune will not help you come to grips with a complex situation but can by useful for an immediate view of the situation. The simplist way to choose a rune is to simply shake up your pouch while thinking of the question, and picking a rune from the pouch.
Three Rune - uses three runes and is useful for questions tha trequire a straightforward answer. It should not be used for multiple questions. It is very similar to the thre-card Tarot draw, so anyone familiar with the Taro will find this concept easy to understand. Place your runes face down on your runic cloth and swirl them around until they are thoroughly mixed. You will know when to stop because it will feel right. Choose three and put them aside. Put the rest back in your pouch. Place the three in a row face up, then count the number of positive and negative runes. Because there are only three, there will always be more of one kind than the other.
Another example is to use the 3 rune method to define past, present and future in regards to the question. The first rune represents the past, the second the present and the third the future.
Understanding Runes
It is important to understand that while Runes are a useful tool, Runic readins are subject to the reader's perception, much as Tarot card readings are. A Runic reading, like a tarot reading, only glimpses at what could happen if you stay ont he same unchanged path. By changing your path or decisions, you can change the outcome of future events. Rune readings are not foolproof, but are considered very accurate. Don't be discouraged if you don't quite understand your readings at first or have to refer to your notes/lessons to identify the runes as they are cast.
