A daily meditation on one rune in futhark order, with notes taken of any thought coming up during the meditation will prove most helpful; it will lay the basis in twenty-four days for a practical working knowledge of the runes. After this, do the same exercise again but at random. Just pull a rune out of the pouch and observe over the next twenty-four hours any events that take place, no matter how apparently insignificant, which are in keeping with the meaning of the rune. A silly but accurate example would be if the rune is Raido inverted, and the next day you miss the bus! Observe and record simple happenings like this, for future reference. If you are sceptically minded, it might occur to you that something is bound to happen, each day, that would fit any of the runes, so the connections you observe are just ‘coincidence’. This is partly true, but it misses the point. By routinely observing ‘coincidences’, you stimulate your clairvoyant instincts – to the point where, increasingly, you just know that something specific is going to happen as soon as you look at the rune. And when it does happen, just as you expect, you will know this is beyond coincidence.

Concerning the interaction between the client and the reader on a subliminal level during divination, I think that on a subliminal level, in trance or clairvoyantly, the interactions between the two parties are a lot more involved and complicated than hitherto suspected. I have observed people setting so much store on the revelations of readers that they actually create the reality as ‘predicted’ to them. It really made me examine my own position, and the responsibility. Suppose that once a rapport has been established between the two parties, for example by act of money being passed from one the other before the reading, a unified field is formed in the web of wyrd between A and B. B, being the reader, has access to A’s data by interacting subliminally with A’s subconscious. How much is projection and reflection from A to B? And would this create a reality which then is picked up and ‘predicted’ or advised? Perhaps a third party should be invoked before each reading to ‘supervise’ the operation, like the triune A plus B and whatever deity is appropriate: Odin, Norns, Frigga, or Freya to give a few examples.

When working with runes for divination it is always a good idea to pay respect to Odin, and the Norns with a simple acknowledgement or thank you. When you feel you’re ready, try to ask a simple question and pull one or more runes to see whether the meaning of these runes can be interpreted as an answer. On your birthday, draw a circle with twelve segments. Pull one rune in each one, note them down and see whether they forecast something in the next twelve months. After a year you will recognise when looking back that certain runes did mean certain things. You can also do all of these little exercises for your friends and family – just to get familiarity with the runes, their meanings and how to interpret them, in the light of specific issues.

Runes are excellent for answering questions. They give a direct accurate answer if the question is properly phrased, including simple yes/no questions. When you feel ready and if you are able, you should make your own set of runes, preferably from the wood of a fruit-bearing tree. Avoid commercially produced runes, which are sometimes supplied with books. If you have difficulty crafting your own runes, ask Brother Bob Oswald the Runemaker to make you a set.

Magical Tools

Runes are magical tools; therefore it is wise to consider whose energy they will carry as well as you own. Once you have made your runes, you have to infuse them with personal might and make them your own. Sleep with them in a pouch carried under your clothing around you neck or waist. After nine days and nights, construct a simple dedication ceremony in which you ask for the blessing of the gods or goddesses of your choice. Especially recommended are: Odin, Freyja and the Norns. However, having asked for the help and blessing of the god/desses in this way, if you should ever make money out of a reading it is strongly recommended that you give nine per cent of your earnings to a charity of choice, preferably a environmental one — trees or animals for instance.

Runic divination is a kind of mediumship, in which one has to mediate between the querent and the runes and interpret messages from spiritual levels, of which the physical rune-stones or rune-staves are focal points or doorways. Divination is, in origin, a sacred act of asking counsel from the gods, as the word ‘divine’ from which divination is derived clearly suggests. Long-term forecasts, however, cannot be as detailed. They may contain contradictions as well, since before they are realised the individual concerned may make certain decisions or carry out various actions, which will have changed the pattern of the web.

Once the information needed has been acquired, magic can be applied. Magic is the act of interfering in one part of the web through operation of the will and thereby deliberately altering wyrd. The power of magic and divination in the Northern Tradition is most strongly associated with Odin. These powers in terms of past, present, and hypothetical future time are identified with the three goddesses or Norns: Urd, Verdandi and Skuld who weave the web of fate or Orlog.

Divination has a close relationship with magic. After all, there is little point in investigating future probabilities if not with the intent to magically manipulate these probabilities in one’s favour. Definite predictions can certainly occur as part of a rune reading, but usually happen spontaneously and not necessarily under the conscious control of the reader. If you view divination solely as a means of prediction, you will find that it is not reliable. This is only to be expected. Matters which are hidden in the future and predestined are usually unavoidable and form part of a person’s own wyrd – they are consequences of one’s own past actions, one’s own being and inner nature. But the more the individual is conscious of the hidden side of Nature and of his/her own self, the more control we have over our circumstances, in which case it is all the less likely that undesirable “predictions” will come true.

Example Reading

This is an imaginary reading for an imaginary querent with fictional relationships. The commentary is typical of the interpretation and advice I offer when reading for others.

See in the above image the way the runes are laid out. The overall image is not very favourable, which probably won’t come as a surprise to you. If I read the runes from the top position I see Uruz and Teiwaz both inverted, not good! Opposite this are Eihwaz and Fehu also inverted. It seems to say that everything is right on top of you and your are in an energy drain, probably connected with your relationship situation. Eihwaz here is the only one which is in the normal position as it is a non invertible rune, so really the power of Eihwaz is available in it’s raw form, and it’s right at the bottom almost like the deepest root of Yggdrasil. You may be going through an initiation experience a rough one, as is usual with Eihwaz it is after all the Rune representing Odin’s hanging on Yggdrasil. Now this ‘hanging’ on Yggdrasil often shows up in peoples life of a long standing issues of ‘being suspended between ‘two worlds’ ‘two possibilities’; ‘heaven and earth’ in equal balanced proportion.

The only way you are going to resolve this is by taking charge. The immense power of Eihwaz is neutral here. By means of magical/spiritual intent you can harness this power for your own ends, you can feel this power mostly working through your spinal column if you really focus on this rune and chant it’s name. This first thing I advise you is to use this to recuperate and restructure your own energies and recapitulate everything you may have invested energy-wise in other people. Reign it in and consolidate, then decide what you are going to do with it.

I had a look at the picture of ‘M’ he is very good looking, and yes he is hedging his bets by not committing, What you have to consider is how long you are going to put up with that. I do realise the extent of your feeling for him, but in the end it’s not fair on you, you have the rest of your life to consider. My advice: either you break off and take some time out to recover and in time another will come your way. Or give him an ultimatum, I don’t like the idea but I like even less a woman wasting her best years on a man with nothing to look forward to at the end of it.

On the left side there are Dagaz and Kenaz inverted. This is in the past, however it is still affecting you the combination of runes suggest to me that you were very inspired, optimistic and had a good flow of positive energy. Then Kenaz inverted, something happened which was a great very serious disappointment perhaps leading to a period of depression. It’s almost as if the Light of Dagaz was switched off suddenly. This light is still there of course but Kenaz inverted is almost obscuring it so you can’t see it. The solution is therefore to work with Kenaz in it’s aspect of ruthlessly examining your own actions, your own responses, not looking for blame or guilt towards either yourself or any other person, just coldly examine the results without fear or favour. Then decide by an act of Will as a Magician to copy this above picture with the Runes in the same place and then manually, in sacred space, turn the Kenaz Rune upwards accompanied by a statement of intent that you will access the ‘light’ energies of Dagaz again.

Opposite these two runes are Hagalaz and Othala, this indicated future probabilities. It basically states that you may have to work your way through a lot of emotional and psychic dross from the past (Hagalaz) in order to establish your Homestead (Othala). Your homestead being you and the place where you will be most suited to live, be it a house or a move to another state. In order to answer you question about whether you will be moving to another state I will have to put the runes back in the pouch and pull just the One, I do this Now!: Raido inverted. OK. that means that at this moment in time the answer looks like a big NO! All this means is that you have to shape your wyrd i.e make decisions now leading up to a move and turn this to your advantage.

The runes coming up in any given reading as unfavourable mean that you have to reset or re-boot your wyrd. None of the above negative answers are solidly set in stone. They express the probabilities from the viewpoint of the NOW. And to be honest asking a question two years removed in the future is usually not very helpful as this is a long time period in which Wyrd will change anyway. The only way for you is to be there and create with the wyrd, not subject yourself to a robotic fatalistic view of taking no as an answer. Instead you’ve got to acquire the attitude of: ‘to hell with this, I decide’, and start laying layers in you personal well of Wyrd which will conform to your Wish, if strongly enough, backed up by magical Will.

Next combination – Laguz and Isa. This combination is influenced by the opposite combination of Raido inverted and Sowulo. Right, it seems that you have to rectify or re-balance something from you inactive past i.e something which cannot be undone but can be bent if you understand my metaphor. It could be a missed opportunity – something you felt you weren’t ready for.

Active Past – Inactive future : Ansuz Inverted / Ehwaz – Pertro inv/ Algiz inv Anzus inverted in combination with Ehwaz. Opposite both Pertro and Algiz inverted. Very difficult to read this one. Three out of four runes are in a passive mode. Algiz however has no negative meaning ever. The thought comes to mind that you may have to extend some investigative energy both spiritually and mundanely in your ancestry. Algiz inverted means looking at the roots of the Tree where you are coming from. Ansuz also is related to Ansis – i.e ancestors, as well as Odin Himself. Which of course in Esoteric Asatru is not a mutually exclusive idea.

Ehwaz as in ‘Horse’ i.e vehicle suggests that you may do well to develop ‘travel skills’ to access the other realms. For example; Hella’s realm where much knowledge is to be found, and communication with ancestors is possible.

Pertro here represents a slightly different modality of the same concept – namely the Well of Urda/Mimir which also holds knowledge of that which has gone before.

For those who want to learn, get your own Runes and copy the outlay. Then look at it, read what I have had written. Then think, would you agree with this, if not what would you write instead. This can be an exercise to develop understanding and perhaps practice Runic Divination.