Reading the bones: Introduction to Runes Part 2
Blessed be and merry meet everyone!
Here is my second blog on the Eldar Futhark runes. I'm so excited to be sharing more about the runes. In this blog I will be explaining more of the lore and other runic alphabets. In this blog I will go into the definitions and symbolism of each of the runes. I will also be going over in some detail on the variety of ways to cast and read the runes.
Now the name Futhark comes the first six letters in the alphabet. There are three runic alphabets, the Elder Futhark, Younger Futhark, and the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc. Each alphabet had different number characters and their own unite history. The Elder Futhark is considered to be the oldest of runic scripts, while the Younger Futharkwas Was created later by shortening the amount of characters. The Futhorc is an expanded alphabet based from the Elder Futhark that was added to as the Anlgo-Saxons traveled Europe and the British Isles. You may find several derivations of the Futhorc ranging from 26 to 33 Characters.
So now I will begin going over the name and divination meanings. I will also give you some ideas on what helped me learn the definitions. In your research you may find a term "reversed" meanings, this happens when the rune has appeared upside down. When this occurs the rune can have a changed meaning, I generally do not use any reversed meaning.
When I was learning the runes I found that it was easier for me to visualize what each rune represented. For example the rune Thurisaz represents the Norse god Thor, he was a god that protected the Aesir gods from Giants as well as the farmers and common people. He was also known for his legendary temper, so explosive that he was sent to an ethereal set of foster parents until he grew into adult hood. So I then looked at the symbol of the hammer, it is both weapon and tool. When ever I see Thurisaz in a reading I know there is some angry emotions flowing but that they are also trying to protect something. I found that using this method helped the meanings "sink in" better.
- Fehu
- cattle
- money
- worth
- fianances
- abundance
- Uruz
- strength
- represents the auroch
- health
- recovery
- Thurisaz
- thorn
- Thor and Thor's hammer
- anger
- protection/over protection
- Ansuz
- signals
- communication
- thoughts/words
- Raidho
- the rider
- journey
- movement
- Kenaz
- opening
- creative fire
- work/toil
- Gebo
- gift
- partnership
- Wunjo
- joy
- victory
- a flag
- Hagalaz
- hail
- chaos
- disruption
- drama
- hazard/fury
- Nauthiz
- constraint
- frustration
- patience
- Isa
- ice
- fear
- standstill
- Jera
- harvest
- accomplishments
- fruits of labor
- Eihwaz
- yew tree
- constraint
- the bow
- restraint
- perseverance
- Pertho
- dice cup
- playing ones lots
- luck
- bigger picture
- Elwaz
- the elk
- protection
- shield
- standing up for something
- Sowelu
- sun
- divine energy
- motivation
- light
- energy within
- Tiwaz
- The Norse god Tyr
- victory
- focus
- success
- standing in ones power
- self sacrifice
- Berkana
- birth
- fertility
- family
- nuture
- rebirth
- Ehwaz
- horse
- transportation
- travel
- Mannaz
- self
- shadow side of self
- man/woman
- identity
- Laguz
- water
- flow
- prophetic dreams
- woman
- intuition
- dowsing rod
- Ingwaz
- seed
- fertility
- male energy
- positive accomplishments
- Dagaz
- day
- 12 day/month/year cycle
- growth
- transformation
- alleviates negative
- Othila
- inheritance
- building foundations
- legacy
- property
- Wyrd
- karma
- untapped potential
- taking control
Now as I have said before the Wyrd is a rune that was added later on and is not necessarily needed in a rune set. You may also use your blank rune as a substitute, in case you lose any of the others you can us the blank rune to replace what is missing.
You will find a variety of ways to cast runes. I will describe some ways here and will be also providing a video in my next blog. So exciting! One of the easiest rune spread you can do is by simply choosing a single rune. This can help describe the day ahead and it is also a great way to learn the runes. You can also draw a certain amount and lay them out in a spread like what are used in tarot readings. Each rune that is picked is set in a specific place in the spread that place has its own meaning of what it represents. This allows one to get more information from readings. For example we shall use a three rune spread. The first rune placed represents the past, the second stands for the present, and the final stands for the future. Lets say we picked the three runes, and we drew Wyrd, Wunjo, and Dagaz. Wyrd represents the past, so we were creating something ourselves, we had created what was influencing the present. For the present we drew the rune Wunjo, so we are now in a time of joy, we have achieved victory. The final rune we drew was Dagaz, so the the future will be full of transformation, possibly within this next year. Another way to read rune is to cast runes, you use all or a small handful of the runes and "throw" them on your rune cloth or table. I prefer this method simply because you receive more information. The runes always seem to fall where they need to. You can see which rune is influencing the others and see what emotions or events where effecting us. I will be showing this method more thoroughly in my next blog.
I must also say the runes are very blunt and will always tell you what you need to see, not what you want to. They take the information that we have forgotten or pushed to the back of mind and pull it forward and shows us how they are influencing the events today. I have had people ask certain questions, will I die or will we have a long happy life. The answer is Yes! We all die and we all will be happy until we are not. Those are silly questions and simply to broad to answer thoroughly. Divination are wonderful ways to ask for truthful answers but so do the questions need to be truthful. There are many forms of divination, they all allow us a way to see past our trials and troubles. They also remind us of the good times that surround us. Runes and tarot also allows us to see how these events will effect our future, but this gives us a wonderful opportunity to change these things.
While writing this blog I have decided that it may fun to do other posts on all of the runes in detail. So stay tuned for more on the runes.
As I have said in the previous blog that you will find many interpretations of the runes and to look into multiple sources.
Thanks again for reading my blog! This one got kinda long but I had and amazing time writing and look forward to the next ones.
Here are some links to the the runes as well a link to a druid who has studied the runes for years. I just recently came across his site but find his insight amazing.
https://norse-mythology.org
http://www.wolfstarthedruid.com
https://graecomuse.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/runic-scripts-elder-and-younger-futhark/
http://www.arild-hauge.com/eanglor.htm