This is the first in what I hope will be a long series on runes. Every week, you’ll get a chance to give feedback on what you want to read about, so use it!
Disclaimer
I don’t claim to know everything about runes, or how to use them. This is my UPG (Unverified Personal Gnosis), but it works for me.
Reading and Sources
So back to today’s topic; how do you get started when you’re completely clueless. Well, I’d suggest you do some reading first and don’t go for the newest, flashiest book on runes, or buy an expensive rune set. Be suspicious when you choose your sources. If a book or website tries to say you must do any of the following, or it won’t work, put it down or close it:
- make your runes from a fruit tree, and nothing else
- blood your runes
- call any deities
- do a ritual
- join a guild
- pay money in any way
There are a number of other things to look out for as well:
- Using the “blank rune”
- Mixing rune names from Old Norse with Anglo-Saxon names
- Basing interpretations on a personal agenda or traditions from other cultures
- Using a different order for the runes than listed below
- Mixing the Elder Futhark with the Anglo-Saxon Futhark
Just be critical and careful. Anyone who claims to know it all is probably lying. On to some pretty good sources. I haven’t read many modern rune books myself. I, of course, recommend that you read the Edda and the Sagas. Sunnyway has listed some other books that might be good for you here.
If you want to check out some more historical info on runes, Arild Hauge has a nice page here. This is how I list the Elder Futhark. I’ve seen many people using the Anglo-Saxon rune for Ing and switching Dagr and Odal around. But I believe this is how they appear on most of the Scandinavian sources.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
I plan to provide more info on how to get started over the next few weeks, but as for exactly what gets brought up when, is for you to say. Leave your suggestions in a comment to this post, and remember to subscribe, so you don’t miss out. Thanks to Sibylle Leon for today’s topic 🙂
Thank YOU for taking up my suggestion! I really really want to dig out my set of runes now and take a look, but they’re packed away in – well, in any one of 20 filled and taped-shut moving boxes, haha 🙂
Thanks for doing this, the beginners’ stuff must get rather boring for you at this point. But I am really serious on getting started, I think it’s time for me to be friends with my runes.
Hugs!!
It’s my pleasure, truly. It’s not boring for me, and it gets me going on that rune class 😀
Make another one 😀 Just use a marker on pieces of paper.
Suggestions on which fruit tree carves best? Apple trees are what is closest to me, but will have to go about thinking on how to ask for downed branches.
I don’t really carve fruit trees, they’re stone hard 🙂 I use whatever wood comes my way. They work just as good regardless of material.