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    How to Cast Runes

    A recent thread on a similar subject reminded me of this article I wrote for an e-zine on a now defunct site. Hopefully some will find it useful, and perhaps some will share how they cast runes.

    HOW TO CAST RUNES


    There's really no wrong way to cast runes, and many right ways. The Roman historian Tacitus tells us that the ‘slips of wood cut from a fruit-bearing tree' were cast like lots upon a white linen cloth (although no specific mention of runes is made, it is generally accepted that runes are of which he speaks). In different books, you'll find as many different layouts for runes as you'll find for tarot. Are these traditional? In some cases, probably not; in other cases, absolutely not. Does this invalidate these methods? For the most part, I'd say no. In my experience, where problems in interpretation might occur using, say, a Celtic cross layout is in trying to ‘pigeonhole' each rune to fit a certain perspective. I have a friend that used to email me each morning after he had done his daily layout with his rune cards; he'd inevitably be frantic because he couldn't understand how this rune or that rune represented an obstacle or a past action or so on. I would simply read the runes (nothing to do with fitting a rune into a pre-conceived notion) and give him a coherent interpretation. Now, that said, everyone doesn't find this a problem; if your background is strong in tarot or similar forms of divination, you'll probably have an easier time with layouts than someone lacking that experience.

    So, on to some of the more common methods of rune casting...

    The One Rune Draw

    Obviously, this is the simplest method... just pull a rune from the bag (or if you don't have a bag, turn ‘em all face down, stir ‘em around like you would dominos, then pick one). Many people use this as their ‘rune for the day.' It's good for some quick, simple guidance, or to get the ‘feel' of a situation.

    The Three Rune Draw

    With this method, most people will assign a past, present or future context to each rune drawn (usually in that order as they're drawn), but you don't have to be locked into that (remember, runes are runes, sometimes it's best to just read ‘em).

    The Four Rune Draw

    The four rune draw can be used to associate each rune with a cardinal direction, and the element etc associated with that direction.

    The Five Rune Draw

    Most of the people that I know that use a five rune draw see it as a sort of variation on the three rune draw, just giving you a little more information (the extra two seem to fill the role of clarifiers).

    The Nine Rune Draw

    This method associates each rune with one of the Nine Worlds in Northern mythology (if you're not familiar with this, just google; you'll get far more info than we have time to cover here)... or just read ‘em...

    The Year Ahead Draw

    This one is as simple as it sounds. Draw twelve runes, and then apply them in order to the months of the calendar beginning with the current or next month.

    The Full Cast

    The full cast is the one that I use most often. Simply take all twenty four runes in your hands, think of your question, hold them above your reading surface, and then let them fall and land as they will. Now, you ask, how do I interpret this jumble? Again, there's no wrong way, but here's how Rick does it: I begin with the rune that is face up and closest to the person for whom I'm reading. I look for patterns, ‘paths' if you will, in the upturned runes. The runes that I read are those that are face up and those face down that a face-up rune is covering, or being covered by. There's always a path, a flow to follow; it may not always be apparent at first, but with a little practice the eye soon picks out these patterns. Now, others might only want to read the runes that fall face up. That's OK. This is the part of the process where intuition comes into play. I'll sometimes be drawn to turn over a face-down rune that under other circumstances I wouldn't consider; it's like they sometimes are yelling (or whispering) "Hey, look at me!"

    In summation, let me reiterate, there's really no wrong way to cast runes, just some that may be more traditional than others. Use your imagination, and have fun.

    Happy runing!
    I often wish that I had done drugs in the '70s. At least there'd be a reason for the flashbacks. - Rick the Runesinger

    Blood and CountryTribe of my Tribe
    Clan of my Clan
    Kin of my Kin
    Blood of my Blood



    For the Yule was upon them, the Yule; and they quaffed from the skulls of the slain,
    And shouted loud oaths in hoarse wit, and long quaffing swore laughing again.

    #2
    Re: How to Cast Runes

    As someone who's just taken up rune work, this is really good So far I'm mostly on one rune, still trying to get acquainted with the runes. Thanks for sharing it!
    You remind me of the babe
    What babe?
    The babe with the power
    What power?
    The Power of voodoo
    Who do?
    You do!
    Do what?
    Remind me of the babe!

    Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat

    Comment


      #3
      Re: How to Cast Runes

      How Rae'ya does it...

      I will occasionally do a one or a three rune draw as described by Rick, but I never do tarot-style spreads. When I do a three rune draw, it's specifically to expand on the one rune I drew initially, rather than a 'past-present-future' type layout.

      The method I do most often is a full cast... I lay out my rune mat, ground, centre, make a triple blood offering to Othinn, the Nornir and the Runespirits (a drop for each splashed onto the mat), hold the runes in my hands (mine are stone), think of my question, 'breathe' my question onto the runes, then drop them onto the mat. Anything that lands off the mat is excluded from the reading (which in itself can be significant). The rest are read according to where they land (my mat is split in my own personal system) and how they sit in relation to each other - clusters, pathways, touching runes, clear spaces and patterns can all be significant. Face down runes are read as 'hidden', 'subtle' or 'undercurrent' messages, or sometimes as an 'ulterior motive' type message.

      Over the years I've read hundreds of different ways to cast and lay out runes, and almost as many justifications for one method over another... I've come to the conclusion that it's a very personal thing and that different methods will work better for different people.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: How to Cast Runes

        Pics of your reading mat??
        I often wish that I had done drugs in the '70s. At least there'd be a reason for the flashbacks. - Rick the Runesinger

        Blood and CountryTribe of my Tribe
        Clan of my Clan
        Kin of my Kin
        Blood of my Blood



        For the Yule was upon them, the Yule; and they quaffed from the skulls of the slain,
        And shouted loud oaths in hoarse wit, and long quaffing swore laughing again.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: How to Cast Runes

          Originally posted by Rick View Post
          Pics of your reading mat??
          When it's finished, sure. I'm still working on it though... for a long time it was just a blank black square of cotton with 'imaginary' lines on it. When it's done it will have hand-stitched lines and boundaries made from different coloured handspun thread. For now the best I can do is a digital drawing of the lines... the physical cloth will have to wait a bit longer

          Comment


            #6
            Re: How to Cast Runes

            For a long time my favourite rune cloth was a white, lace edged doily. It worked very well, too!
            www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


            Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

            Comment


              #7
              Re: How to Cast Runes

              Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
              For a long time my favourite rune cloth was a white, lace edged doily. It worked very well, too!
              Mine worked for many years as a plain black cloth. I 'know' where the lines are... that's all that seems to matter!

              Comment


                #8
                Re: How to Cast Runes

                Sticky! Sticky! Sticky!

                I use the altar. It has a burgundy cloth with gold fringes. There's enough room to draw several runes.
                śivāya vishnu rūpaya śivaḥ rūpaya vishnave
                śivasya hridayam viṣṇur viṣṇoscha hridayam śivaḥ

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: How to Cast Runes

                  I also do a full cast, holding my runes in my hands with whatever it is I seek clarity on in my mind until it "feels" right to throw them. Then, I let them fall on a flagstone that I have carved a valknut into while moving my hands from left to right. Mixed in with the runes I usually hold a token to represent the person the reading is for. For myself, I have a small stone feather.

                  Those runes that do not stay on the stone are gathered up, as well as those that lay face down. But, since I have a blank one in there, I double check as I collect them and make a note of it as to what rune(s) the blank one had been touching. To me, this indicates that that is something to be paid close attention to.

                  Again, from left to right, I read them, those that are clustered together form a single, more complex meaning than the ones by themselves. I don't really use them as a means of forseeing, but to bring clarity to a situation that I find myself stuck in.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Rae'ya View Post

                    When it's finished, sure. I'm still working on it though... for a long time it was just a blank black square of cotton with 'imaginary' lines on it. When it's done it will have hand-stitched lines and boundaries made from different coloured handspun thread. For now the best I can do is a digital drawing of the lines... the physical cloth will have to wait a bit longer
                    Digital line drawing is fine you've got me curious!!

                    How Heka does it:

                    Usually a 1 or 3 rune draw. Originally I started with the 3 rune draw as the 'past, present, future' think, but I've had so many readings that just scream NO at me that, while I keep past, present, future in mind, it's not what I'm expecting to get.

                    Ive done full toss' before, but have only read face up runes. I feel highly inexperienced in this method, so wanted to start more 'simple', but to be honest, those readings didn't really make sense to me. :S
                    ThorSon's milkshake brings all the PF girls to the yard - Volcaniclastic

                    RIP

                    I have never been across the way
                    Seen the desert and the birds
                    You cut your hair short
                    Like a shush to an insult
                    The world had been yelling
                    Since the day you were born
                    Revolting with anger
                    While it smiled like it was cute
                    That everything was shit.

                    - J. Wylder

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: How to Cast Runes

                      I'm sure I've posted this a time or two before, but this is the stone that I use for casting my runes upon.

                      Comment

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