This month we are tapping into the ancient world of the Rune. A divination of insight I thoroughly enjoy. Hope you do too :)

In Loving Light
Sare : Psychick

Runic Legend >>
According to legend and lore, the Runes were a gift from the god Odin, or Woden, whom some think of as the Norse Mercury/Hermes. From the outset the Runes were regarded as symbols of great power, and the word "Rune" itself means "Mystery". Basically, this can be understood by remembering that reading and writing were not the common skills they are now. The ability to represent ideas in symbolic form was very much a mystery to most; and developed even further into the use of those symbols as a medium of communication between the seen and the unseen, between the visible "world of men" and the invisible "Realms of the Mighty Ones" or Spirits.

As with many Earth Based Religions, a Germanic Shaman's point of view is that everything is alive, all things are of, and one with the Spirit, the Spirit is everywhere, and everything is Divine. This should sound familiar, since it is also part of the Wiccan view. Thus the ancient Germanic Shamans used the Runes in divination; to read the messages of the Spirits, and in spells, to invoke the aid of the spirits. The word "Rune" also came to represent 'a spell', and the written or spoken incantation used in spell-casting, as well as the mysterious and magickal runic letter-symbols themselves.

The first runes were not written on paper, nor on parchment; rather they were carved/etched onto bark, bone or stone, which probably accounts for the angular shapes the Runes are composed of (Since, as I'm sure everyone knows, it's far easier to carve angular characters into a rough surface than it is a circular, cursive script). As years moved on, some Runic alphabets did not retain their original angular appearance, some changing to conform to what the ruling Clergies favored, the Latin alphabet, and others being lost to time...

Method >>
One of the oldest methods of Rune Casting, or runic divination, is as follows: Grasp a comfortable amount of stones in your 'strong' hand, and then toss them gently onto your reading surface: a cloth, fur, skin, a circle drawn upon bare earth, or some other suitable surface you feel comfortable working with. I prefer to read them from a cloth in a spiral from the outermost Rune inward to the final Rune closest to the center. There are many other ways of casting and reading the Runes, and the best thing is to experiment with various methods to find which works best for you, that you are most comfortable with and speaks to you most clearly.

Rune Ring >>
After studying the Runes for some time I found I wanted to expand my experience. I stumbled on a mystic shop in Kew Gardens where they had an arrangement of runic products. They had a lovely set of runes cast in iron and circular in shape. However they wouldn't sell me the whole set in one go. They would only sell them to me in sets of 6. Once I had mastered the six I was to return to the shop and answer a few questions. If they were happy with my progress they would then sell me the next 6 and so on. I also purchased a Runic Ring. It was a Ring of Consecration. I took this to mean "a solemn dedication to a service or a goal", my goal being to make myself a better person. The ring was engraved with 6 runes, that seemed to move around depending on my mood. After a while I was able to judge which rune would be on top, thereby knowing what mood was prominent. Along this journey I learnt to foresee the changes in my moods and accept my circumstances better. It is a journey I thoroughly recommend for those interested in learning more about themselves.

Online shops for Runic Rings >>
Badali Jewellery
Axel's Warrior Jewellery
Thorrs Hammer Site

Free Rune Reading sites >>
Odin's Rune
Runecast