Runic Wisdom
Runes are the stylized symbols used by Germanic, Celtic and Nordic tribes of northern Europe, Scandinavia and Britain for writing and in earth-based magic-making many thousands of years ago. Runes have been found by archeologists on wood, metal, and stone, as well as in manuscript form, on memorial inscriptions to wars and on charms for good fortune. Runes were used in prayers, to indicate ownership and to write out spells. Knowledge of the runes moved around Europe from society to society - carried by traders and travellers or plundered in war.
The best known runic alphabet (Elder Futhark) is made up of 24 letters that are usually carved into wood or stone. There are 25 runes in total, with one an "empty rune" that represents the unknown and hidden. With their history of power and mystery, rune stones were used as oracles - the pattern drawn, thrown or cast from a bag and laid out in the stones provided advice or prophecy from the gods.
Their development is shrouded in mystery and runes are often said to have come from the gods. In an series of poems that originated in Iceland, Norway, and Greenland between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, the Norse god Odin is said to have been in pain and despair for many days when he seized on the runes and said about them:
Well-being I won, and widom too.
I grew and took joy in my growth:
from a word to a word,
I was led to a word,
from a deed to another deed.
Just as Odin gained insight, took action and changed his life, the runes we use today can help us connect and tap into the self's intuition... and provide insight and guidance. Some runes refer primary to material possessions, others speak to growth and maturity, while the remainder are intimately connected with the spirit and our legacy in the the world. The assistance of an experienced reader is invaluable in helping interpret and distill the messages the runes are drawing from within.
If you would like to further explore runes, a wide ranging list of books can be found here.