You may have heard of Runes before, you may have even seen them in your local metaphysical store, and you might have asked yourself what these marked stones/crystals or wooden pieces are. Today I'm going to give you a little bit of information on these mysterious stones.
The most commonly found runes are of Norse origin and they are known as Elder Futhark Runes, they use the oldest form of Germanic runic alphabet to make up the symbols you see used for these Runes. The Elder Futhark (named after the initial phoneme of the first six rune names: F, U, Þ, A, R and K) has 24 runes, and is often arranged in three groups of eight runes.
Runes stones are full of powerful and magical history, in the Norse cultures and across other Northern European places, it was believed that they held strong divinatory powers and as such were taken very seriously. These days, runes are used as a method of connecting to one’s higher self, inner guidance and tapping into intuition as a method of foretelling what the future may hold and offering advice. The Witches Runes are a little different from the Elder Futhark Runes in that the Witches Runes are not an alphabet. The Witches Runes are instead a series of symbols that can be used for divination. There are different versions of the Witches Runes, the Witches Runes I refer to are based on 13 stones/crystals or wooden pieces. How to use Runes:
Runes can be used in many ways, for meditation, reflection, for story telling and for divination. The best way to incorporate Runes into your divination practice is to ask specific questions based upon your current situation. The act of consulting the Runes is known as 'casting'. Rune casting is simply an oracular divination method in which runes are laid out, or cast, either in a specific pattern or randomly, as a form of guidance through problems or situations in which you need help making a decision. Rune casting isn't fortune telling or predicting the future, but it does serve as a valuable guidance tool.
They can suggest different variables and possible outcomes based on the issue as it presently sits.
Runes will give you hints that will force you to use some critical thinking skills and basic intuition. In some magical traditions, the runes are cast, or tossed, out onto a white cloth, because not only does it provide an easy background to see the results, but it also forms a magical boundary for the casting.
Some people prefer to cast their runes directly onto the ground, but the method you choose is entirely up to you. You can keep your runes stored in a box or bag when they're not in use.
Before beginning, you should place your hand in the bag and move the runes around so they are thoroughly mixed up prior to the actual casting. Similar to dice you can empty your bag of runes out onto a surface and read the order of the Runes, or you can pull out Runes individually. For example, if you want to do a three-rune cast, pull three runes, one at a time, out of the bag and place them side by side on the cloth in front of you. The first one represents a general overview of your issue, the middle one indicates challenges and obstacles, and the last one shows potential courses of action you can take.
The meanings of the 13 symbols found in Witch's Runes are:
Sun - The beginning of something new. Good health and vitality. Making good choices. Healing. Good news. Justice. This Rune is similar to the Sun card in the Tarot.
Moon - Long term changes are coming. Long term transitions / changes. Hidden agendas, secrets. Imagination and feminine energies. This Rune has similar symbols to the Moon card in the Tarot.
Flight - Movement, communication and information. Travel of all kinds.
Rings - Circumstances that connect people. Combining different elements to create something new.
Romance - Love and relationships. Deep emotional connections. Harmony. Soulmate.
Woman - Traditional female abilities, energies and characteristics. Being a healer. Home. Mother. Nurturing. Creativity and caring. Similar to the Empress Tarot card.
Man - Traditional male abilities, energies and characteristics.
Father. Action. Protection, movement and empowerment.
Harvest - Blessings. Investing in yourself. Reaping what you sow. Providing for yourself. Education.
Crossroads - Making a major life decision. Unknown. Stuck. Being afraid of moving forward.
Star - Go after what you want! Freedom, being accepted for you. Being yourself. Inspiration for others. Your Higher purpose - look to the Runes closest to the Star for clues
Waves - Movement. A deep connection to the Spiritual world. Being in the flow of your life. Things are out of your control. Insecurity. Overwhelmed.
Scythe - Sudden changes and endings. Making final decisions. Completing a task. Walking away from someone or something. Danger
Eye - Seeing the truth. Lifting the veil. Psychic abilities. Witnessing. Focusing on something (look at the facing Runes for clues to the theme).
These Runes are also a great introduction into Tarot, to get a more simplified idea of how working with symbols for divination might look and feel for you, before you try to learn 78 more complicated symbols and the stories that go with them.
Rune stones are powerful and enlightening, and like the Tarot, working with your set of runes on a regular basis will create a special bond between yourself and the all-knowing stones. These beautiful and ancient Runes will help you connect more deeply to the energy of the Universe.
We love these Runes so much because they are a simple, beautiful and fun way to start to tap into and hone your intuition. The symbols are basic so they leave some room for interpretation and the meanings mentioned in this blog post are intended to be used as a guide to get you started, ultimately your intuition will guide you through the unique meanings that you find within these magical Witch's Runes.
With this as a starting point you should be well on your way to reading Witch's Runes in no time at all! So have fun and enjoy your journey with Witch's Runes.
The Witch's Runes pictured in this blog post are made using local and sustainably harvested Blackwood with a natural oil finish, they come with a small black pouch featuring a custom hand drawn artwork, they available to order through our social media and website.
Get in touch to order your own set!