If you don’t live under a rock, you’re probably familiar with Tarot cards—and by familiar, I mean that you’ve heard of them and possess at least a basic understanding of what they are. Unless of course you’re like me, and you’re actually super into them. Either way, I’m not judging. Interestingly enough, while most people are familiar with these magickal little cards, I have found that the same cannot be said of Runes. In other words, unless you’re from Scandinavia or really interested in Nordic culture, you’ve likely never heard of Rune Stones. That ends today.
Basically, Runes are a collection of stones with symbols written or engraved upon them. Like with Tarot cards, each Rune symbol has a different meaning. In a Rune reading, stones are overturned and each symbol that is revealed is to be interpreted as part of a larger message being sought out by whomever is reading the Runes. Runes are an amazing little oracle tool that can be used to help us get in touch with hidden or subconscious energies that exist both within and around us. They offer insight and wisdom into situations from which we are seeking clarity.
THE ORIGIN OF THE RUNES: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
Let’s backtrack a bit. The word “Rune”, “comes from the Gothic ‘Runa’, meaning ‘a secret thing, a mystery”’ (Blum). Historically, the Runic Alphabet was developed by the Nordic peoples of Scandinavia as a writing system to be used for recording poetry, inscriptions,and even legal documents (Blum). Interestingly, this written language was never further developed into a verbal one; however, its symbols did come to be associated with purposes of magick and divination (Blum). The Runes served ritual and divinatory functions, and were used in the practice of runemal, or “Rune Casting” (Blum). In other words, the Runes served as aides in the casting of intentions and spells. The runic symbols were commonly inscribed on pebbles, which were then scattered and read by those Rune Casters (Blum).
The last “Rune Masters”—or those who actively employed the runic symbol system for divine purpose within their larger culture, were those living in Iceland in the seventeenth century (Blum). Unfortunately, many of the original meanings and interpretations of the Runes did not survive the test of time, in that they were not effectively passed down for contemporary use throughout the ages (Blum). However, the good news is that we can still make decent speculation based on what is presently understood about this archaic symbological writing system.The contemporarily accepted Runic alphabet consists of 24 symbols and 1 blank symbol—a later innovation, which remains blank in order to represent that which is unknown or unknowable (Blum).
Essentially, the Runes are a kind of Oracle. For those who are unfamiliar with that term, an oracle is someone (or in this case something) which has the power to reveal “hidden knowledge or divine purpose” of some sort. Another example of an oracle would be Tarot Cards, which function in a similar way to Runes with regard to their ability to reveal. Oracles, such as the Runes or even Tarot, are not fortune telling devices so much as they are a way, a medium if you will, to reveal the shrouded mysteries of what already exists, either subconsciously within yourself or in an otherwise hidden, external way (Blum). Ultimately, it is important to remember that you still have the personal freewill to craft your choices and your future in the ways that you see fit. In other words, the Runes are not a fortune-telling end-all, be-all. However, they can offer direction through providing a degree of clarity into situations and circumstances (Blum).
CONSULTING THE RUNES FOR GUIDANCE: HOW CAN I USE THE RUNES?
In his work, The Book of Runes, Ralph H. Blum invites us to understand and use the ancient Runes as a way to dive deeper into our own subconscious’, in order to effect the necessary changes which are an integral part of the journey towards self actualization and spiritual growth (Blum). For example, Blum describes the Runes as having offered him a degree of divine guidance, helping him to, “[put] right action before self interest” (Blum). In other words, the Runes can offer us guidance through their ability to channel divine messages that we may have otherwise been blind to.
According to Blum, the Runes serve two primary functions: “First, [they act] as an instrument for seeking the Will of the Divine in our lives. And second, [they act] as a training tool for strengthening our intuition, which is everyone’s second language. In other words, the Runes help us to become more aware of what we already deeply know, and bring it into consciousness” (Blum).
For those interested in seeking guidance from the Runes, there are many ways in which to consult these magickal little stones. One such way includes taking some time out of your day to become focused and clear on the matter for which you are seeking guidance (Blum). From there, you can simply stick your hand into the bag and grab the rune or runes that feel right to you—these runes will comprise your reading. You may also choose to simply scatter a few runes out from the bag, and read from those; it’s really about doing whatever feels right and natural to you, specifically. 16 of the 25 Runes can appear either Upright or Reversed when drawn— consulting your Rune guidebook or an online resource will show you whether your Rune is in the upright or inverted position. As with Tarot, position is important with the Runes, in that there are different meanings for Runes when they are pulled in the reverse versus the upright position.
When conducting a Rune reading, one good rule of thumb is to keep from verbally voicing the issue/s that you are seeking guidance on—instead, address the issue/s silently within your own mind (Blum). Also, notice that I am using the word “issue/s” and not “question/s”; the reason for that is because when you ask the oracle a direct question, such as “Should I move into a new house?”, you are looking for a direct answer, instead of an insight (Blum). Remember, the goal is not for the Runes to decide your fate for you, but rather to offer clarity into otherwise murky matters, thus helping YOU to make a decision. So, instead of asking “Should I move to a new house?”, you might say something like, “The issue is my living situation” (Blum). From this point, the runes will be able to offer extended, open guidance on the matter you are seeking to further understand (ex: your living situation).
As with the Tarot, there are many different spreads that you can employ when consulting the Runes on a situation or issue. The 3 Rune spread is a great starting point for beginners because it's straightforward and easy to set up and understand. You will begin by envisioning your issue or situation and drawing 3 Runes from your bag, which will be placed in a horizontal line next to one another. Importantly, the Rune spread is to be read from right to left—rather than the traditional left to right that us Americans are used to! Therefore, the rightmost Rune is actually the first rune, and it represents “the Overview” of the issue/situation; the middle Rune is the “Challenge” being faced, and the leftmost Rune represents the “Action” that needs to take place (Blum). You’ll want to read these Runes both individually and together, in order to receive the larger channeled message regarding your issue/situation. In addition to the basic 3 Rune spread, there exists a great many spreads that serve various purposes. If you would like to learn more about different Rune spreads, The Book of Runes by Ralph H. Blum is a wonderful resource—there are also online resources which you can consult as well!
Because the Runes are a tool, the end goal is to become strong enough in our own intuition to no longer need to rely on the Runes to get into touch with the subconscious part of ourselves (Blum). This may seem contradictory, but think about it like this: a lighter is a tool used to start a fire; however, once one learns that they can start a fire with their own two hands and a couple of sticks of kindling, suddenly the lighter is no longer relied upon as the only way to start that fire. The lighter is, therefore, still useful in starting the fire, but it's no longer necessary. It may be helpful to think of the Runes like this— as a tool to assist you with something until you reach the point of being able to do it on your own!
Those purveyors of the strict sciences, or those skeptics—eager to explain away any synchronicity by dismissing it as mere coincidence—are likely to find the Runes unassuming and far from magickal. But the simple fact of the matter remains: much of which exists around us cannot be explained away using solely the physical sciences. For this reason, I ask even these people, the skeptics, to keep an open mind. I implore you all to open yourselves up to the following idea: “coincidence” is a linguistic blurb used to dismiss the divine operations of the universe as nothing more than a kind of ‘happy accident’. Don’t get caught in this trap. Remember, messages come to us in different forms and through different channels every single day, if only we would take the time to listen.
WANNA SEE THE RUNES IN ACTION? I'LL BE DOING A RUNE READING FOR THE COLLECTIVE THAT WILL BE UPLOADED TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL THIS WEEKEND, SO LOOK OUT FOR IT!
SOURCES
Blum, Ralph H. The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes. St. Martin's Press, 2008.
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