Discovering Runes
I have always been interested in how people come to be who they are and discover new ways of being that will change their lives. The following is how I discovered runes, something that is now very much an inseparable a part of my life.
I first became interested in runes when I was at university, many years ago now. I was sitting in the student common room at the end of a lecture, drinking a cup of tea, when a friend of mine came in and said "that freaky girl I have seen you hanging about with is sitting outside, she is talking to some bits of wood".
Outside, it was a fine Autumnal day, Anne (the coven High Priestess) was sitting under the weeping willow trees in a world of her own, oblivious to what was going on all around her. On the grass beside her, she had laid out some wooden runes and was talking to them, I had never encountered runes before.
She took one of the runes and put it into my hand, and asked me to describe what I could see. I said, that I could see a small circular piece of wood, with a light reddish brown stain to it and on the rune was carved a symbol similar to the letter "B". She explained that the rune was Berkana and was the rune of growth. She said that there was much more there that could be sensed if I wanted to do so.
She took the rune, pressed it to her lips and then put it face down with the others and mixed them all up and then spaced them out. She them asked me pass my hand over the runes and select one, but to try and feel something. When doing this I felt my hand dip slightly towards one rune, as if my hand had been pulled. I passed my hand over the runes again, it did the same. Upon picking up the rune, I saw it was Berkana, the one I had held just earlier.
Anne explained to me what I had just experienced was witchcraft. She said that it was about the ability to sense and manipulate energy. She also said that this ability was within everybody, but that most people were not aware of it. She explained that this sensation and manipulation of energy is used in many ways, from runes, charms, healing, contact with spirits. Over the following years she taught me how to use runes, using her own system taught to her by her mother, which uses the standard rune set, but changes the meaning of some of the runes.
I now have these runes and use them every day. When ever I cast the rune Bekana, I always think back to that sunny Autumnal day so long ago.
New Dawn Runes
Anne showed me how to use a system called New Dawn runes, a system that connects very well (by accident) with Wiccan belief. It was devised in Victorian times by an old heredity witch called Anne. This system was passed down through the maternal line over several generations and onto the High Priestess Anne, who taught me. It uses the standard Elder Futhark runes but modifies the interpretation of some of the runes, to include such qualities as dark spirit and magick and others. However this modified interpretation is still connected to the original definitions, its just taken to a deeper level
Quite a few people have a problem connecting with runes, but in many cases this can be caused by the rune system and methodology they are trying to connect with. There are many ways of using runes and often only one of these ways will the person feel connected to.
Whenever you buy a set of runes you often get a small leaflet describing how to use them. This leaflet is often full of information about aettirs and Nordic gods, which puts off a lot of beginners, particularly if they are Wiccan. They often then put away their runes in a drawer with the good intention of going back to them one day, when they have the mental energy to face up to the challenge of what aettirs are. Sadly many people do not go back, and miss something that can be a wonderful part of their life.
New Dawn runes overcome many of the problems that beginners face. Although New dawn runes were designed in Victorian times, their use is very much in tune with Wiccan theology today. Traditional Nordic rune aettirs are replaced by elements, seasons and witchcraft associations.
The symbols on New Dawn runes are the same as the standard 24 Elder Futhark runes, its just the interpretation of some of the runes that changes, so you can use the same set of runes. The system of casting and interpretation is also different. I think that it is easier to learn for a Wiccan learner, because its more in tune with Wiccan ideas, and less about aettirs and Nordic gods, as are traditional runic systems.
For example the rune Laguz is often listed in rune set leaflets as being associated with water. This can cause confusion among people new to runes about how to interpret it. In past days sources of water were often considered to be connected to the underworld and to dark spirits. In New Dawn runes therefore, Lagus is typically used to represent such items as;
dark spirits, dark shades, hidden shadows, fears, danger, enemies, falseness, things hidden, nightmares, depression, madness, conflict, deception, dishonesty, loosing, bad temptation, demons, prejudices, obsession, insecurity, inconsideration, foolishness, violence, shock, unstable, false goals, bad advice, despair, sickness, evil, hatred, lies, crisis, greed, betrayal
Merry part and brightest blessings
Ithilgore (Philip)
