The act of seeking guidance and insight comes in many forms: cards, crystal balls and even candles. But this mystical wisdom can also present itself through runes and runecasting. These magickal stones have been historically used as a way of unlocking the subconscious to reveal hidden answers about the future.
The symbols on runes most popularly used today derive from an ancient alphabet known as the Elder Futhark. It’s made up of 24 letters, each with its own meaning, and is the oldest runic alphabet known to us, with its origins in Scandinavia.
Although it has its roots deeply embedded in old Norse culture, much of the modern approaches to runic magick are based on the practices of neo-paganism and the occult.
It’s also worth knowing that besides their magickal purposes, runic symbols have been utilized in political groups, notably by Nazis and neo-Nazis. For example, the SS logo was adopted from the Elder Futhark. It originally represented the sun or success, and was later reinterpreted to mean victory.
There are also other runic systems used in divination, such as the Gothic, Hungarian and Turkic runes. It’s entirely up to you which one you decide to practise.
With the Elder Futhark, each runic symbol represents a different theme: wealth, prosperity, danger and chaos to name a few. They can be broken down even further, but these are just the base meanings. For a full list, visit here.
Traditionally, these runes were made using the wood from a nut-bearing tree, as documented in 98AD by Tacitus, a renowned historian and politician from the Roman empire. Some still choose to make their own, but you can easily find them in witchcraft stores, such as The Psychic Tree and The Purple Spell.
Getting Magickal with Runes
Runes provide a vast scope of guidance that is receptive to multiple meanings and perceptions. The interpretations can really hinge on your intuition; if you get a gut feeling about a particular reading, go with it. There are no rules with rune casting, it’s simply about unearthing secrets that are already within you.
“Sometimes the runes sing to me and the answer to the question is instantly clear,” says Ingrid Halvorsen, who practises Heathenism, a branch of neo-paganism. She emphasises the significance of going with your instincts, even if it doesn’t reflect the outcome of the runes.
It’s important to focus on a specific question, or area in your life that you need guidance on. Whilst stirring the runes, meditate and ground yourself, as this can really help to collect energy, and to centre in on your intuition.
Method 1: Free Casting
One method is to literally throw the runes across a white cloth (which makes for easier reading) and how they land will influence how they are interpreted. Often, the runes that land face down are ignored, and for those that land upwards, the meaning can change depending if it's upright, or upside down. Think of it like tarot - when the card is reversed, the meaning is flipped to symbolise something else.
In Jennifer Smith’s The Runic Journey, she suggests different ways of interpreting runes. Those that land in the centre are said to be the most immediately relevant, but those that land around the edges are less important. In addition, runes that are close together or touching often compliment each other, and perhaps even represent a single meaning.
Method 2: Placing
Instead of freely casting the runes, you can also select and place them down, using your non-dominant hand. This is a particularly good method when approaching the runes with yes or no questions, where you can simply select one rune. Runecasting also works well in tarot spreads, such as past, present and future or situation, action and outcome.
Whichever way you decide, place the runes down and begin deciphering its meaning according to the layout and the question asked. Sometimes the answer may not be immediately obvious; unlocking the subconscious is not always straightforward, and having a deep level of intuition is a craft in itself.
Much like the future, they are fluid and not set in stone - metaphorically speaking that is!