As you go on an excursion towards associating with your internal identity and a higher force, you’ll go over loads of various apparatuses that can help you to comprehend the messages your intuitive and different bodies are attempting to pass on to you. One of the most popular sets of tools are runes, which we use for divination, psychic awareness and guidance about our future behaviour.
The origins of runes
Runes are collections of 24 tiles or stones that can be made from wood, crystal, stone or metal and feature carvings of characters that represent letters.
They come from the characters that made up alphabets in early Germanic times, with the earliest examples archaeologists have found dating from around 150 AD. Artefacts such as spear mounts and shield heads have been discovered that feature runes.
Ancient people would have used them to write messages to each other before Latin arrived and took over as the preferred form of communication in an increasingly civilized world.
With runes, there are no horizontal strokes; all the carvings are either vertical or on a slant, as this went with the grain of the wood on which they were originally carved and prevented the material splitting.
There are 24 symbols on rune tiles and one blank tile known as the Wryd or Odin, with the latter referring to the Norse god who is believed to have gifted them to the world.
If you’re wondering where you might have seen runes before, then it could be in JRR Tolkein’s novel The Hobbit, where they are used on a map in reference to the dwarves.
It’s not clear exactly when the characters began to be used for divination purposes, but spiritualists believe runes have held magical powers since the earliest centuries AD thanks to their reference in folk poems and texts.
How to use runes for divination
Reading the runes became more well-known in the 1980s and today psychics, mediums and members of the public use them for additional insight into their lives.
They are typically stored in a drawstring bag and users can take them out one by one or cast them in patterns to be interpreted. Each symbol has a meaning and for this reason, people who like tarot cards often also favour runes.
You can use single runes to help you answer particular questions. To do this, just close your eyes and visualise your query or issue, then take a rune from the bag. The character you take out should help to bring clarity to the situation.
Alternatively, you can set up a spread made up of a number of runes, just as you might with tarot cards. The Cross is a common pattern that can provide guidance along a life path, while The Circle is believed to help with decoding romantic energies between two people.
Taking three runes at a time from the bag is another technique that practitioners also like to use. You simply choose three without looking and line them up in front of you. The first is an overview of your situation – it might be interpreted as the past, or what you have already done about it. The second is the challenge, or the present. The third represents a possible course of action that you could take, guiding you towards the future.
It is important to point out that runes will provide helpful hints, but they cannot tell your fortune or instruct you on what to do. The details must be worked out by you using your own intuition, which is why they are so useful.
In addition, remember that the insight provided by the third rune isn’t a given. You always have the power to change your direction, plus they’re guided by your subconscious so they’re actually more like a reflection of your thoughts and aims at any particular time than a prophecy.
A professional could help you with divination
Reading the runes can take a lot of practice and it’s a good idea to read the booklet that comes with your set carefully and refer back to it often to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to confusion.
You can also purchase more detailed guide books from spiritualist stores or the internet that will help you infer what particular rune layouts mean.
However, a better way to gain understandings from rune readings may be to book an appointment with a professional. Many of our psychics and mediums here use runes during their sessions to get a better picture of the issues being faced by each client.
‘Wyrd’ or Odin as a concept is intriguing; however, the interpretive nature of runes may lead to vastly different conclusions depending on the reader’s perspective.
The practice of rune reading indeed raises questions about intuition versus structured guidance. Is it not possible that both elements play a crucial role in decision-making?
The history of runes is quite fascinating, yet the transition from their use to Latin seems a bit abrupt to me. One wonders how societies adapt to changes in communication methods over time.
Interesting article on runes and their usage in divination. However, I question the extent of their magical properties, as it appears more subjective than objective in nature.
‘The Circle’ and ‘The Cross’ as patterns for interpretation sound like valuable frameworks, but does this not also introduce limitations on one’s understanding of complex situations?
‘Intuition’ plays a vital role here; nonetheless, the ambiguity surrounding rune meanings suggests that clarity might not be as attainable as implied by practitioners.
The connection between ancient artifacts and modern practices is compelling. Yet, one might argue that relying on such tools for guidance could hinder personal growth rather than facilitate it.
It is notable how runes are utilized today by psychics and mediums. Still, there seems to be a lack of empirical evidence supporting their effectiveness in providing insights.