Rune Magick

Legend says that Odin, one of the old Norse gods, hung for nine nights on Yggdrasil, the Tree of the World, and grabbed the runes just before he fell from the tree (take a look at the Hanged Man card in the Tarot deck, and you will see Odin there). This sacrifice was what brought the runes to humankind.

Runes lost favor after World War II, when the Nazi party adopted several runes, most notably the swastika. It has taken many years for the Nazi taint to wear off.

Runic alphabets are called futharks, so named because the first six letters of any version spell out the very word. There are three main futharks: Elder, Younger, and Anglo-Saxon. Chances are that the set of runes you have bought (or made) is an Elder Futhark. Regardless, the pages that follow assume that you are working with Elder Futhark.

Usually, runes are inscribed on stones or wood. Depending on which set you have bought, or made, you will have either 24 or 25 runes. Modern-day rune sets that you buy at the local bookstore will more than likely have the Blank Rune, or Wyrd, as it is sometimes called; rune masters who deplore the Blank Rune will not add it to the set. That debate is explained on the Blank Rune's page.

Although most of what is written here in the rune pages comes from my direct work with the runes, some of it (particularly the correspondence information) also comes from research I did (and continue to do) on the divination system. The two books that I feel are the best are "Discover Runes" by Tony Willis, and "Northern Mysteries and Magick" by Freya Aswynn. There are others, but I always suggest starting with those two books.

Quick Guide to Freya Aswynn's
Magickal Meanings of Runes

I've boiled down Freya's magickal correspondences for each rune into a few words. These may or may not correspond to the divinatory meanings discussed earlier, so my suggestion is to use these particular meanings only for runic magick to begin with, and then experiment gradually. To read more about what Freya has to say on the subject, check out Northern Mysteries and Magick.

Fehu -- -- wealth, luck, responsibility, creative energy; used to draw in energy for a given magickal operation, or as the moving force behind a working

Uruz -- positive strength, determination, perseverance, courage, physical health, assertiveness; include in any healing

Thurisaz -- protection, combating any action, curses (but be careful -- can backfire easily!)

Ansuz -- can be used to gain knowledge of Odin, the gods, our own ancestors and ancestral heritage

Raido -- ability to control, take initiatives, put things in order, be the boss, move or remove things, direct magickal energies where needed

Kenaz -- kinship, learning, teaching, quest for knowledge and passing knowledge on; gaining occult knowledge from other planes; use for astral or shamanic travel; exposing what is hidden

Gebo -- reconciles two opposed or complementary forces; use to bind or to give blessings or curses

Wunjo -- realize true will, wishing; combines well with Raido (ability to control)

Hagalaz -- creates confusion, disruption; can be used in vengeance spells to turn someone's past against him

Nauthiz -- excellent for defensive magick, as in restraining or restricting someone else's magickal attack; can be used to stop incoming action

Isa -- defense by blocking; that is, places barriers in the path of opponent or competitor

Jera -- creates positive, lasting change in a situation; works well in all matters involving time

Eihwaz -- use in situations that demand an outgoing, go-out-and-get-it response, such as searching for a job or an apartment

Pertho -- use in regression work; can put you in touch with the Norns

Algiz -- invoke divine protection, acts as shielding device, especially in working where backlash is a consideration; can be applied to the four corners as a protective sigil, much like a pentagram, but with a more defensive effect

Sowulo -- contributes strength to any healing spell; reinforces other runes with solar energy; centers and directs working

Teiwaz -- gain justice, but only if you have right on your side (cannot be used if you are guilty, or to pervert justice); combination of Teiwaz and Raido in a bindrune can win a court case

Berkana -- important in feminine mysteries; regenerating forces of nature, growth of vegetation, strong shamanic connections; use to alleviate problems with menstrual periods, pregnancy, delivery

Ehwaz -- create links between people or split them apart

Mannaz -- verbal communication, academic examinations, legal disputes; can be used to arbitrate or mediate in a conflict; used with Ansuz in a bindrune, it can help you in any communication need

Laguz -- sorcery, occult; can use to attract love; if projected between the eyes of a person making a request, a positive reply will be more likely (probably wouldn't work if you asked a bank manager for a million dollars, but would be useful when asking for a pay raise!)

Inguz -- use in binding; also makes a great doorway to the astral, so project onto an imaginary door or curtain, for pathworking or astral travel

Othila -- establishing, centering, and "earthing" a working down to the physical plane; use to invoke Odin; creates a sense of belonging and togetherness in group workings and binds people together in a common goal

The material on this site is for informational purposes only.

The Runes:

An Introduction:

Welcome to the runes, a fascinating divinatory system that has its roots in ancient Norse history and mythology. It is an alphabet, a series of divinatory marks, and a magickal method. If you have Germanic/Norse ancestry, you will probably discover that you have a natural affinity and/or affection for the runes as opposed to other divinatory methods. But that doesn't mean that you can't learn to use and enjoy the runes if you are not Germanic. They are equal-opportunity stones.