Background
No one knows for sure how the ancients used runes
for divining. There is a vague description by Herodotus writing around 470BCE of
a runecasting by Scythian tribesmen, and Tacitus detailed a runecasting in his
work Germania in 97CE, but there is very little else to go on. Norse
references all tell of the runes being cast or thrown, suggesting that the
formal patterns used in the familiar runespreads commonly used today are modern
conceptions, possibly derived from the Tarot. The 3-rune spread, Runic Cross
and 3 Lifetimes spreads featured in
www.runemaker.com are good examples of the runespread, and here is another one I came across recently.
The Thor's Hammer spread
Place
the runes unseen in the runebag. Swirl the
runes around in the bag gently with your writing hand, and let a Rune fall
naturally into your fingers. Feel it and sense whether it is the right one to
draw. Draw the runes
one at a time and place them on the field in the pattern shown on the
left.
Never turn the
runes - place them exactly as they come to hand on the field. Whether they are
upright or reversed (i.e. upside down or right way up), and whether they appear
converse or obverse (i.e. face down or face up) may make a difference to the
meaning. Interpret the runes according to their position as follows:
1 How others see me
2 My fears
3 What I seek
4 My best approach
5 My goal
6 Obstacles to overcome
7 My destiny
8 The way to my real self
9 My real self
For guidance on meanings and interpretation, visit the rune reading pages on the Runemaker website
Runespreads
and runecasts
The basic difference between the two divining
systems is quite simple: In a runespread, you select the runes for
the reading from a hidden cache and place them in a pattern to be read according
to their positions relative to one another. In a runecast you
throw or drop the runes so that they fall randomly onto the runecasting surface
and read them according to their location upon the surface.
Another major difference is in the method of interpretation. With a runespread it is common to use reverse and converse interpretations for many runes. For example, Berkanan upright can mean growth, whereas Berkanan reversed (upside-down) can indicate shrinkage or lack of growth, and Berkanan converse (face down) can mean hidden growth. So, with a runespread it is a simple matter to place the drawn rune onto the casting surface in exactly the same aspect it came to hand.
Interpreting a
runecast
But in a runecast it is obviously
impractical to take these alternative interpretations into account because the
runes can fall at any angle. With a random pattern like the runecast it
would be altogether too restrictive to limit the interpretation of individual
runes in this way. It would curtail some of the more complex and subtle
relationships between the neighbouring runes in the cast.
Devising your
own divining method
It is important that you adopt a divining method
that suits you and provides useful results. If you feel the need for a more
disciplined method than a random cast, construct your own casting field on a
paper or cloth, or even a marked diagram on the ground. Choose a format that has
significance to you, rather than just accepting a predefined pattern such as
Freya Aswynn's Nine Worlds (see below).
If you feel a bit out of depth using the full rune set, just select a few runes for your early efforts, 8, 9 or 12 runes will still provide enough depth for meaningful readings.
Even that number might seem a bit overwhelming to begin with, so you might like to start with just 3, 4, or 5 runes to get the feel of the runecast method. The runes themselves will help you decide how they want to be read.
With experiment and practice you will develop your own runecasting method that works with your rune set and and your psyche. Once you have found a system that works for you, stick to it. Consistency in method is one of the keys to successful divining.
The Germania cast
Take all of the runes in your hands and cast them on the surface. You can throw
the runes gently onto the surface, or you can let them fall from your hands from
a height of about 8-12 inches (20-30 cm). You may wish to invoke the aid of one
or more of the gods of the Northern Tradition at this point. Odin is always a
good choice, but I do not recommend calling on Thor.
Discount any runes that fall beyond the perimeter of your casting surface and, without looking at the runes, pick three at random. Once you have the chosen three, set them down in a row and interpret them using the three-rune spread rules.
The 9 Rune cast
For a detailed overview of a situation, or an examination of your spiritual path
try the 9 rune cast. Pick nine runes unseen from the runebag and hold them in
both hands while you formulate your question. Then throw or let the runes
fall onto your casting surface. Face up runes relate to the current situation
and the circumstances which led to it. Those near the center are more relevant
than those at the periphery.
Runes close together or touching compliment each other or represent a single concept, while those at opposite ends of the casting surface represent opposing influences. Occasionally, a rune will land completely off the casting surface and you should disregard it completely.
Once you have considered the face up runes, turn over the others without changing their relative positions. (I find it useful to temporarily turn the face-up runes over at this point so I can concentrate on the now-revealed face down ones.) These face-down runes represent external and/or future influences thus pointing to possible outcomes.
You must decide for yourself how the relative positions of the runes effect the cast. When you have performed a number of casts and decided on meanings for various positions or patterns you will be able to formulate your own conventions for interpreting your runecast in future. It is important to be consistent in your interpretations, so once you find the meaning for a form or pattern that fits your situation, always try to keep to the same interpretation in the future. But don't be too restrictive in setting rules. In other words, you should not be tempted to see every triangle or square as a set pattern that must mean the same thing every time.
Rune casting is a very subjective practice that depends as much on your mindset as it does on the runes themselves, so be open-minded and ready to reassess your judgement from time to time.
Freya's Nine Worlds cast
I have not always been one of Freya Aswynn's greatest fans. I used to find her writings
rather too overtly feministic, and she seemed to concentrate largely on
religious aspects of runic interpretation, often to the exclusion of earthly
practical matters that concern most of us. But having taken the time to study
her recent work in more depth I find myself drawn to her essentially spiritual
approach to the runes. One must also acknowledge Freya's
wide experience, her depth of knowledge and her technical skill.
So, for those
of you who wish to progress to a higher spiritual level of runic interpretation
I would recommend you to take a look at this web page:
http://www.aswynn.runeschool.org/yggdrasil.html
where Freya describes her Nine Worlds rune cast in some detail. This is not a
method for the novice or the faint-hearted, though. You should become familiar
and confident with your runes and casting methods before attempting to use the
Nine Worlds cast.
For a comprehensive guide to all the rune meanings visit http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/reading.shtml.
To download "The Rune Reminder" eBook at US$4.95 click here. The 28 page book is designed as a memory aid for rune diviners. The full color illustrated pages give the meanings, interpretations and associations with colors, gemstones, trees and herbs etc. for each rune.
| Author | Bob Oswald |
| Home Page | http://www.runemaker.com |
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| Copyright | © 1994-2008 Robert Oswald |
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