Harnessing the Ancient Power of Runes: A Brief History & Basic How-To
Runes are an ancient alphabet, with the first known Elder Futhark runic inscriptions dating all the way back to 150 AD. They were used by the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples for centuries, even with most of Europe transitioning to the Latin alphabet between 700-800 AD. Between the 8th and 10th centuries, Scandinavian countries started using an updated Younger Futhark alphabet, which can be found until as late as 1250 AD. Unfortunately, it did fade out a bit and knowledge on how to read runes was almost lost until 1865 when Norwegian linguist and scholar Sophus Bugge deciphered the alphabet during his research on ancient Norse folklore and language.
According to Norse lore, the runic alphabet was much more than just symbols. It is believed that Odin discovered the runes, making them a powerful form of communication between us and the gods.
The history of rune casting is up for a bit of a debate. Some people believe that it is a modern Pagan practice, whereas others believe ancient Germanic and Scandinavian peoples used them for divination, and other forms of magic. Runes can be found on jewelry, weapons, tools, and much more…eluding to the possibility that they were in fact used for more than just an alphabet. Roman politician and historian Tacitus wrote about possible rune casting by the Germanic peoples back in the 1st century, before actual runic inscriptions were ever found, stating:
“They cut off a branch from a nut-bearing tree and slice it into strips these they mark with different signs and throw them at random onto a white cloth. Then the state's priest, if it is an official consultation, or the father of the family, in a private one, offers prayer to the gods and looking up towards heaven picks up three strips, one at a time, and, according to which sign they have previously been marked with, makes his interpretation.”
So, how do we use runes now?
Rune casting, like Tarot, is a very personal practice. Some people believe that there is no magic behind divination, that it is just the practice of showing symbols to conjure your subconscious and find possible solutions. Others believe that runes and tarot cards are tools and conduits, that we use to communicate messages from the metaphysical world. Whatever your beliefs, the basics of rune casting are still the same.
Get some runes. You can purchase rune stones from sellers online or local shops. You can make them as well! I’ve made rune from pieces of wood, crystals, and rocks from my yard.
Get to know your runes. It’s not necessary, but I think it’s important to do a bit of research on what each rune means before casting. I will include a short summary of each runes meaning, but take it upon yourself to do a bit of reading to really get a good feel for each individual rune.
Create a casting space. Traditionally it is said that a white cloth was used, but nowadays, really any space works. I prefer to use my favorite cloth on top of either a table or tray. Just use what feels right!
Cast your runes. There are a few different ways to actually cast runes. You can toss them all out and read whatever ones landed face up. You can blindly pick a specific number of runes from the bag (this is the best method when using a reading layout).
Read your runes. Each rune has a few different meanings, so try not to focus too hard, rather, read each rune and then see how they flow together. If you have a specific question, see how each meaning might relate to that question. Don’t force anything, let the magic come to you.
