Rune Readings
More formal than runecasting, which is described
under the link Ceremonial Runecasting, rune
layouts and spreads involve laying rune stones,
squares, or cards in meaningful patterns on a
white casting cloth. You can use any kind of
rune-stones, cards, clay or wooden squares-for
readings. If you use rune cards, mix them, a few
at a time rather than shuffling them. Most rune
cards cannot withstand continuous shuffling,
and will eventually bend and tear.
When you selected your rune pouch or bag, you
made sure the opening would be large enough so
that you could easily reach inside, mix the
runes, and pull them out. To mix them, you can:
scramble them in their pouch or box,
place them facedown on a cloth and, at random,
take them up like dominoes, or
you can spread or "wash" them around, facedown,
on the casting cloth before making your selections.
The specific rune row used for divination is
the most popular and well-balanced Elder Futhark,
with its 24 runes. The Younger Futhark (16 runes),
Anglo-Saxon (29 runes), and Northumbrian (33 runes)
may also be used as divination systems.
When doing a reading, you customarily address a
particular question or issue, examining the past,
present, and future influences involved. Though
always perceived as changeable and mutable, the
future represents the direction you are headed
if you follow your current path to its eventual
end. When you look at it this way, a reading
becomes more like a process of evaluation than
a form of fortune-telling. With an open mind,
you can "read" the way your life is progressing,
looking at the influencing energies, much as you
would read a book. This can be simultaneously
simple and complex. For this reason, when
interpreting the runes, you need to be flexible.
It's important to recognize all the potential
possibilities, adjusting each rune's influence
accordingly and keeping aware of preconceived
notions or expectations you may have.
Most important, divination is not just a matter
of discovering future influences, of finding out
what's going to happen next month, or what's
wrong with things. It's also a means of offering
practical help in solving problems and personal
dilemmas. Because of this, it is necessary to
allow time for the information you receive during
readings to sink in. Keep in mind that the runes
may illuminate details of the situation you
haven't previously been aware of; surprises may
occur. This is why it is recommended that you
write your readings down, so you look them over
for additional insights at a later time. Sometimes
when you do a reading, you are too close-in, and
it's difficult to get a clear perspective. Time
can help with this.
You can use runes both for personal divination
and to do readings for another person. When doing
a reading for another person, you are a mediator
between the questioner and the runes, using the
runes themselves as focal points. Have the person
come up with the question and its phrasing. When
using rune cards, have her or him mix them and then
hand the cards back to you to lay out. When using
rune stones, squares, or staves, mix the runes
yourself while thinking about the person's question.
The reason you do not have the other mix the rune
stones or squares is that runes hold a great deal
of personal energy. They need to be kept personal
and be touched only by you.
Symbolizing the powers of the universe, each rune
contains both positive and negative polarities. This
brings us to the question of reversed meanings for
runes. Some people claim that if the rune appears in
an upright position, positive qualities will most
likely prevail, and when it is reversed or upside down,
the negative qualities come into play. However, this
is not necessarily the case. Also, some non-invertible
runes exist-runes that have the same meaning either
way-such as Gebo, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Sowilo, Ingwaz,
and Dagaz.
Today, many of the rune card decks specify reversed
meanings for the runes, but these reversals are more
Tarot-like than rune-like. Also, a reversed meaning
is somewhat redundant as each rune contains all
polarities and is a whole within itself.
The Runes
Rune Interpretations
Spiritual Runes
Divination With Runes
Preparations For Rune Readings
How To Make A Rune Cloth
How To Make A Rune Cloth
Rune Layouts
Ceremonial Runecasting
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