runes

This book is designed to explore Runes from a historical, mythological, and magical perspetive. I won't be examining the use of Runes in divination, for that is a different subject completely.
What are Runes?
Runes, or at least the type studied in this book, are a mythical symbol or an ancient alphabet. Or so says a dictionary. But it is really for you to decide.

This is the Elder
Futhark alphabet.
It is perhaps the
most widely
recognised ancient
alphabet, dating from
3CE. The uses of this
alphabet are widely
speculated on; there
are many theories as to what it was used for, from divination and magical purposes, to just a simple alphabet. The order in which it appears is fixed; the name Futhark is derived from the first six letters, but the amount of letters used is not set. Each of the letters has an individual meaning; for example the first, Fehu, is linked to livestock and money; their meanings are often used in divination. There are literally thousands of derivatives of this alphabet in many languages.

Runic Magic
Some historians believe that Runic Magic is linked to a particular school of magic known as the 'Northern Path'.
The runes used are the Elder Futhark, known to be used in many countries in the north of Europe.
Northern magic originally involved the philosophy and myths of the Germanic tribes. It is unique from the Western and Eastern paths. Most Rune Magic is associated to Divination however, and has been used since early times.
Odin was the original rune-master, in norse mythology. He taught the gift to Freyja.

Runic Charms
To use the rune magic, you must firstly concecrate the runes you are using to your purpose, in a ritual which you must make for yourself.
You must visualize and verbalize your intent for the runes in positive words, without ever saying 'no' or 'not'. It must be said out loud.
You must put your blood into a bowl and mix it with red ochre, or acryllic paint or some such. While blood works best you may use an alternative of some kind which will symbolize blood. Draw over the symbol you wish to use, voicing your intent for it, in blood and then burn one copy of the symbol but always keep another with you.
There are other ways of using charms, such as tatoos, or drawing the symbol on one's body with your own saliva or blood. The use of permanent tatoos in runic magic is highly discouraged; especially those dedicated to Odin, for the wearers have been known to die violent deaths.