Using the Runes

[bobthesane]

Yeah, going back through my notes and what I saved Raven and one other site were the one's I'd say were the main sources. Which is why I'm still looking. I'm planning on making my own rune set but I'd like to know more about this Hel's Aett and such first. I've also not used them as of yet since Raven Kaldera is the only significant source I've found and everyone else is either copying from him or vice versa. That, and something about his attitude in his writing rubs me the wrong way.

There is a reason you won't find anything else about it, except from Kaldera.

It's because he made it up.

Something to always keep in mind is that modern runecasting is in no way, shape, or form, historically accurate. The earliest 'magic' runes we have are from the 17th century. Most of what you find these days was developed in the 20th century.

My personal opinion is that what people are using for 'rune magic' these days are the very non-magical alphabet our ancestors used to do things like send letters, make shopping lists (Tell Bjorn to bring home milk and eggs!), and carve memorial runestones. Magical writing, esoteric runes, etc. I think we don't have any recognized examples of. We already know that it was considered somewhat secretive knowledge. Egil himself said that most people don't know how to use magic runes, and that those who don't shouldn't even try.

This to me strongly implies that this knowledge was closely guarded, which makes sense. You wouldn't hand a child a loaded gun, after all.

So, while we have plenty of examples in the sagas of people employing 'runes' for magic, we have no idea what form they took. It is particularly telling also that in almost every case, once a spell had been written and cast, the writing was *destroyed*. In fact, the very destruction of the written spell in many (even most?) cases seems to have been an integral, important part of the process. Almost the actuator, if you will, of the magic effect being built and let loose.

Thus, what people are using these days are the very mundane written alphabet of our ancestors. Now, that's perfectly fine. It is also my opinion that words, in any form, can be magic. So you could just as well write your spell in the alphabet you are used to using, assigning whatever significance *you* want to the letters, their forms, what they represent, how they are connected together, etc. It would certainly be easier, of course, since you are already trained to think and create in this alphabet. Since it is your will and mind that are directing things, the form of writing really isn't that important.

Plus people who spend so much time writing everything in futhark quite often just seem to me to be doing it to be pretentious

Anyway, YMMV on all of this, but also do keep in mind that magic in ALL its forms is not an integral part of heathenry. Magic is ancillary to heathenry. It is certainly not incompatible with a heathen worldview, and was most definitely known to our ancestors. But you needn't cast a single spell to be a practicing heathen.

[Skumring]

There is a reason you won't find anything else about it, except from Kaldera.

It's because he made it up.

Something to always keep in mind is that modern runecasting is in no way, shape, or form, historically accurate. The earliest 'magic' runes we have are from the 17th century. Most of what you find these days was developed in the 20th century.

My personal opinion is that what people are using for 'rune magic' these days are the very non-magical alphabet our ancestors used to do things like send letters, make shopping lists (Tell Bjorn to bring home milk and eggs!), and carve memorial runestones. Magical writing, esoteric runes, etc. I think we don't have any recognized examples of. We already know that it was considered somewhat secretive knowledge. Egil himself said that most people don't know how to use magic runes, and that those who don't shouldn't even try.

This to me strongly implies that this knowledge was closely guarded, which makes sense. You wouldn't hand a child a loaded gun, after all.

So, while we have plenty of examples in the sagas of people employing 'runes' for magic, we have no idea what form they took. It is particularly telling also that in almost every case, once a spell had been written and cast, the writing was *destroyed*. In fact, the very destruction of the written spell in many (even most?) cases seems to have been an integral, important part of the process. Almost the actuator, if you will, of the magic effect being built and let loose.

Thus, what people are using these days are the very mundane written alphabet of our ancestors. Now, that's perfectly fine. It is also my opinion that words, in any form, can be magic. So you could just as well write your spell in the alphabet you are used to using, assigning whatever significance *you* want to the letters, their forms, what they represent, how they are connected together, etc. It would certainly be easier, of course, since you are already trained to think and create in this alphabet. Since it is your will and mind that are directing things, the form of writing really isn't that important.

Plus people who spend so much time writing everything in futhark quite often just seem to me to be doing it to be pretentious

Anyway, YMMV on all of this, but also do keep in mind that magic in ALL its forms is not an integral part of heathenry. Magic is ancillary to heathenry. It is certainly not incompatible with a heathen worldview, and was most definitely known to our ancestors. But you needn't cast a single spell to be a practicing heathen.

 
That actually makes sense where Raven Kaldera is concerned. His 'vibe' is literally one of the most off-putting I've come across in a while and I used to work in a prison.

As for the part about the runes themselves... That actually makes sense. I used to live in Pennsylvania and some of the Pennsylvania Dutch and even a few Amish use magical runes; paint them right on their barns and such. When asked they all claim not to know the history or what they mean, only that they fend off evil luck, et. al.

I suppose I'll hang on to the information for Hela's Aett until I can speak to a local here who has far more experience than I do with all of this and see if he has any literature on the subject he's willing to let me borrow for a few weeks.

Thank you for the assistance in this, Bob.

[Holdasown]

Hi everyone, I am new to Heathenry and I was wondering, what is a good way to start using the Runes? Either for divination, or on a daily basis...I'm a little confused on the best way to use them. Any info or book suggestions would be appreciated!

 
I use my runes for spell work and not divination. I would pull one and study it until you feel you have it so to speak. I wouldn't worry about books just yet. There are lots of free online sources.

[Beibhinn]

I use my runes for spell work and not divination. I would pull one and study it until you feel you have it so to speak. I wouldn't worry about books just yet. There are lots of free online sources.

 
I have been doing something similar, just pulling one a day and journaling it..I'm getting better at identifying them by sight now. I hope to master the Younger Futhark as well as the Anglo-Saxon runes one day soon. I have one book on hand but I don't use it much, it is more Wiccan than Asatru. I have visited some sites, I like the Rune Site the best so far. Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

Beibhinn

[bobthesane]

I have been doing something similar, just pulling one a day and journaling it..I'm getting better at identifying them by sight now. I hope to master the Younger Futhark as well as the Anglo-Saxon runes one day soon. I have one book on hand but I don't use it much, it is more Wiccan than Asatru. I have visited some sites, I like the Rune Site the best so far. Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

Beibhinn

Again, keep in mind that rune use is in no way required to be heathen. It's an additional thing, not actually part of the religious framework itself. So if your one book on hand happens to be Wiccan that won't hurt anything

[Hyacinth Belle]

So if your one book on hand happens to be Wiccan that won't hurt anything

Agreed, and depending on what you want to do, since a lot of this isn't part of historical heathenry, a Wiccan book may probably be a better guide!