Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Repurposed Runes

I get a lot of questions about what to do with Rune sets that people no longer use.  Last November, I offered some insight into getting rid of old Runes as a starting point to addressing this issue.

While the previous post was about properly disposing of Runes, Runes do not necessarily need to be destroyed or passed on to someone else. They can be reused or repurposed.

Since last year's post, some of you have reached out with the creative ways that you have reused or repurposed Runes - the most common being using them on your alters and making them into jewelry.  Thank you for sharing!

One friend told me that she had made a set of Runes out of wood,  but she lost one.  Since she hadn't stained them with her blood, she made the remaining ones into jewelry - necklaces to be exact - and distributed them to friends and clients over the course of a year or so.  Others told me about how they incorporated Runes into art.  I'd love to see some of those pictures.  Still others served as medallions.

Your creativity got me thinking about some of the ways that I have repurposed Runes over the years.  Although all of the wooden Runes I've made that I no longer use have been burned and buried because I stained them all, as you can see in the picture above, I do have some Runes on my alter.  (I also still have a couple of bags of Rune sets  don't use on the shelf underneath my alter.)

The Runes painted on the shells were experiments to see which color I preferred.  The Runes I made out of shells ended up being an aqua color, blue too dark, white too light.

The other Runes were inspiration for a book that is in process.  Despite that set never making it to completion, each Rune that was completed represents the essence of character in the book - Raido, Uruz, Sowilo, Dagaz, and Jera.

I also have a few others that I use occasionally in rituals.

If you have repurposed Runes and are comfortable sharing how you did it with me, please do so in a comment or via email.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Getting Rid of Old Runes

Runes are a very personal thing.   The first time I picked up a set of Runes, I had a strong and immediate connection to them and have worked with them to understand their wisdom ever since.  An important part of that process is making your own Runes and making them your own.  Over the years, I've written posts about how to make your own set, shared sets that other people have made, and even offered my perspective on how to make new Runes your own.

But, there are two sides to that coin and several people have asked me about the second side.  "What do I do with Rune sets that I don't want or use anymore?"

An excellent question.

Part of making Runes involves the magic within them and, when you're done with them, removing it. This can mean a couple of things: passing them on to someone else or getting rid of them all together.

My personal preference is not to pass on Runes that I have used, but that is not to say it cannot be done.  If you decide to pass on your Runes to someone else, I strongly recommend a cleansing process.  I'll give some examples below.

The one instance where I would say firmly not to pass on Runes is if you have stained them with your own blood (or other bodily fluid).  Those are yours.  By staining them with your bodily fluid, you have inextricably linked them to you.  They cannot belong to anyone else.  They have to be packed away some place secure or gotten rid of (destroyed).  This includes things like wood Runes and ceramic Runes where you've added your blood to the clay.

To dispose of Runes you no longer want or use, I recommend incorporating one or more of the elements - air, earth, fire, water - to cleanse and/or get rid of them.

Here are a few examples of things that I've done to release the magic and dispose of Runes:

I have had two sets of wooden Runes, one that I no longer used and one that I was making that someone else accidentally ruined.  For both of these, I burned the Runes and then buried them.  Two elements - fire and earth.  While they burned, I waved my hand over the fire and, as the smoke rose toward Asgard, I asked that the magic return to Heimdall and Odin.  That was the third element - air.  Finally, I used water to put out the fire, thus using all four elements.

Earlier this year, I attempted to make a set of Runes out of clay, similar to the Jera medallion at the top of this post.  They were turning out really well, but the protective coating I put on them was faulty and they got very sticky.  In fact, they stuck together and, when I tried to separate them, the coating peeled off and some of them snapped in two.  I didn't want to, but I have to dispose of them, because they are ruined beyond repair.  So far, I have peeled off the coating and torn it into tiny pieces, which I will burn - fire and air as the magic releases.  (Don't worry.  It's nontoxic.)  I have also broken the Runes into tiny pieces and I am going to grind them up using a mortar and pestle.  I will likely bury the ground up pieces -earth.  No water, but three out of four is pretty good.

Here is a summary of the elements and the role they can play in cleansing and getting rid of Runes you no longer want.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Shells

The Runes I have been using for several years were not intended to be a permanent set even though I stained them with my blood as part of the ritual.  I made them after the original staves I had been working on were ruined.  They have served me well, but I always planned to make another set and, this year, I committed to making at least three new sets of Runes.  Last week, I finished the first one.  Shells.

I have a strong connection to water and live near a lake.  Earlier this summer, I collected the shells while visiting a friend's cottage on the lake.  When I got home, I washed the shells to clean them so that I could write the Runes on them.  Though I wasn't considering this part of the ritual, I certainly felt Freyr's energy while I was doing it.

With the shells clean and dry, I painted a Rune on each one, going in order of the Elder Futhark.  I applied two coats and let them dry for several days.  I was waiting for the right moment to complete the ritual - a blessing on them.  This also got to be tricky, because I wasn't using my own blood.  When I mixed it with the paint, it changed the color.  Some say a drop of blood will suffice and that may be true, but I prefer a drop for each Rune.  Instead, I decided to take them back to the lake and rinse them in the lake water, but I had to wait for the right moment.

One morning last week, it was raining and I realized this was the moment I needed.  I put the Runes in a pouch and stopped by the lake on my way to work.  As the rain fell on that cool, misty morning, I emptied the Runes into the sand right where the water was lapping onto the shore.  It gently washed over them as I took each one separately and swirled it in the water before wrapping it into a cloth.

Although I called on Njord for a blessing, it was Freyr who presented himself more prominently.  Njord was there, but took a secondary position.  I know that neither god is associated with the Runes like Odin and Heimdall, but I requested Njord as a god with a connection to the sea.  I sometimes sense him along the shore and around marinas, so it felt right.  Still, it was Freyr who stood behind me to the left and watched as I completed my ritual.  I take his presence to mean that this was a good time, a fertile time, for me to bless the Runes and make them my own.  Even though my blood wasn't used, the water from the lake and the rain served to create that bond.

When I got home from work, I drew three Runes for myself to make them my own.  Eihwaz, Jera, and Sowilo.  These are three powerful Runes for me.  Eihwaz has become an important Rune for me when I need to be strong or calm - focused.  Jera is my guiding Rune; whenever it shows up in a draw, it is powerful.  And Sowilo is my Rune for the year, reminding me of feminine energy (to balance last year's Rune - Thurisaz).  I think this sets a good precedence for this set of Runes and the connection between them and me.

 

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - New Runes

I am not sure how many people have contacted me to say that someone has given them a set of Runes and they want to know how to make the Runes their own, but I know it's a lot.  In fact, it is one of the most common inquiries I receive.

Making new Runes your own is different from making your own Runes.  As we saw in some of the recent posts of sets of Runes that people made, each one of my friends had a very personal experience when making their own Runes, regardless of the material used - driftwood, ash keys, and chestnuts.

But what sort of experience do you need to have when you get Runes from someone else or even buy a set for yourself.  In short, how do you make new Runes your own?

Some people have shared very elaborate rituals with me and each one is fascinating and makes sense in its own way, though may not be right for everyone, because Runes are a very personal thing.  And truth be told, it is entirely up to you how you make them your own.  You can "cleanse" them in your own way.

Some rituals have involved the gods, usually Odin or Heimdall, but a few people have called on the disir.  Still others have focused on the four elements - earth, air, water, and fire - or stained their new set with their blood.  Others have simply washed them in a stream, passed incense over them or chanted over them.  There is also a large contingency that went through no ritual at all.  However, as I said, it is up to you.

In general, I make two recommendations for making new Runes your own, the second of which is the only one I really urge, because it does give you better results when you engage the Runes. 

First, you can choose to stain them with your own blood, which I have done with new Runes made of wood.  The blood doesn't really stay on other materials so well, because it can't soak into them.  I did wash some stone Runes in holy water with a few drops of my blood added to it.  At first it felt a little odd, because it was the first time I had done anything like that, but by the end, it felt right.

However, the second recommendation is the only one that I feel strongly about and every person with whom I've spoken, who uses Runes regularly, seems to agree with this idea - pose the first question or do the first reading with your new Runes for yourself.  This is an important energy exchange in making the Runes your own.   Take your time; ask as many questions as you need to or have a dialogue with the Runes for as long as it takes for you to feel like you understand what the Runes are telling you.  The comfort and understanding will come.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Chestnuts

Chestnut Runes

This may be one of the most creative Rune sets I've seen in a long time.  They are made of chestnuts. My friend, Amanda, made them after she was nudged by Odin to create this unique set... from seeds.

"Using tree seeds seems to fit, since Odin hung from a tree for nine nights to gain the secrets of the Runes," she explains.

Of course, chestnuts are not easy to carve into.  Unlike the ash key Runes I shared last month, once dried, chestnuts are quite hard, like dried beans.  In fact, after trying to use a dremmel to carve the Runes into the chestnuts to no avail, Amanda switched to painting the Runes onto them and found that gold, copper, and silver looked the best and most natural against the rich brown color of the seeds.

To many of us, myself included, the box or pouch  that holds our Runes is just as important as the runes themselves.  The 'pouch' for this set is no exception.  Amanda says, "I wanted to create a pouch to hold them that resembled a nest."

Chestnut Runes nestled in their nest.

As you can see from the picture to the right, she clearly succeeded.

Amanda plans to make other unique Rune sets too, using mediums such as shells and antlers.  She also has plans to make a chestnut set using the Ogham alphabet.

She is in the process of setting up an account on Etsy for her Rune sets and the other work she does through her craft business 9 Nights Forge & Loom.  When the site goes live, I will share links on my pages on Pinterest, Facebook, and Google+, so you can check out her work.

Until then, if you have a set of Runes you'd like to share, please put them in a comment on this post or contact me directly and I will do my best to share them in a future blog post.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Ash Keys

Ask-Key Runes

 "Crying out loud, I grasped the Runes." She heard these words from Havamal during a seidr trance.  At the same time, she saw Odin hanging from Yggdrasil.  As he hung there, he reached out for bunches of ash keys from the branches of the great tree.  On each key, a Rune was marked, glowing red, like coals.

This seidr trance image and words from Havamal, inspired my friend, Polly, to make this shimmering set of ash-key Runes, which she says are not as fragile as they look.  She keeps them safe in a special box, but pulls out three Runes as she needs them.

For those of you wondering or unsure, ash keys are the winged seed of an ash tree.  In the US, the maple key is probably the most familiar kind of key.  When I was a kid, we called them helicopters; others called them whirlybirds.  How ever you identify them, if I saw Polly's ash keys floating to the ground, etched with Runes, I'd scoop them up straight away.

Polly's experience and success in making these Runes has inspired me to attempt making another set of Runes for myself.  I love lilacs and love the leaves on lilac bushes almost as much as I love the flowers and their fresh, spring time smell.  The shape and rich color of the leaves have captivated me.  So, this spring, I will pick some lilac leaves off the bush in my yard, dry them and paint them with the Runes.  I will let you know how it goes.

Polly told me to dry them on a paper towel on a cookie sheet, turning them each day, so that the towel doesn't get damp.  She was worried her ash keys would crumble, but, as the picture above shows, they clearly did not.  In fact, though not red like coals, her ash-key Runes do almost glow.

If you'd like to learn more about the Runes and Heathen history from Polly, you can 'like' her facebook page, Seidkona's Hearth.  She also writes a blog of the same name with lots of interesting history of England, including articles she submits to magazines.  That link is here.

And, if you have a set of Runes that you'd like to share, please post them in a comment below or email them to me with the subject - Runes to share.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Driftwood

Rune set of driftwood for Maggie Mae

I'm so happy to return to this series and share a beautiful set of Runes with you that were made by Maggie Mae.  The story of this set, as told to me, is so poetic, I won't even try to rewrite it.  I will just transcribe how these beautiful Runes came to be.  It flows like a poem,so that is how I am presenting it:

Rune set of ocean driftwood
Made by Maggie Mae in Cornwall, UK
Driftwood pieces were collected
Whilst we walked by the sea
Day after day

They were chosen for her
This Rune set
Because of her deep and long relationship with the sea

Each was cleaned
And blessed
And made during the full moon
The burning cooled in ice
Then mated to her
With an application of her blood

They gained from placement
In the light of the moon
And the sun
And were kept close for bonding

She and they are as one
And no one else
Save one black cat named Suki
Ever touches them

I wish my Rune set had such poetic origins.  What is especially impressive is how subtly the story weaves the way that the Runes were made into these poetic verses.

Thank you, to my friend, Håkon, for sharing this beautiful story and Rune set with me and allowing me to share it with you.  Håkon didn't know this at the time he shared his story, but my husband also calls me Maggie Mae and I, too, have long loved the ocean, so this story was especially sweet for me.

I hope it will inspire you to create a uniquely personal set of Runes for yourself too.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 9

These are the Runes I was making.  About half were done except for staining and varnishing and the other half needed to be engraved, stained, and varnished.  I speak about them in the past tense, because, last weekend, they were ruined - bark peeled off.  While there was no mal-intent involved, such an invasion on something so personal renders them unusable.

So, what to do?  I was devastated and, for a moment, lost.  I have been following a very specific path with those Runes, beginning with cutting the wood just over a year ago (Runes 301- 2).  Still, the thought of giving up never crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure how to proceed.

I wanted to start again, but our cherry tree has already blossomed, so I can't do that for another year.  I decided that maybe what happened was to tell me that I was being too rigid in my process; that this isn't the right time to attempt the historical accuracy (as I understand it) in making the Runes.

I've seen plenty of Rune sets made of wood and all have been cut like coins/medallions, so that's what I decided to do for now.  We have plenty of cedar trees in our yard, so I cut a few of the smaller ones and sliced them into 1/2 inch medallions - enough for six sets, just in case.  (I learned my lesson having only one for the cherry staves.)

On Saturday, I sanded them smooth.  Rather than engrave or burn them, I painted them after I asked for a blessing from Freyr on the Runes and painting markers.  Many people have asked me why Freyr comes up so often for the Runes and the only answer I can give is that he is the god of fertility and I want my Runes to be fertile with knowledge, wisdom, and guidance.

When I stained them on Sunday, I invoked Heimdall, because he gave the Runes to humans through his son, Jarl.  I pricked the index finger of my left hand and pressed a single drop of blood onto the back of each Rune.  Once it was dry, I used a non-toxic varnish to seal the Runes. (Two coats.)

I am happy to present my first two Rune sets.  I love them and I am so glad I didn't quit when the other set became unusable.

The bottom set is painted with blue paint only and this is the one I will probably use most often.  The top is painted using multiple colors.  I made the latter this way for two reasons.  First, I did it, because I also work with colors, using a color system I devised, wherein each of about fifty colors represents different emotions or aspects of our mood, energy, and mindset.  For me, identifying Runes with those colors gives them a little extra power and focus.  The other reason I used the color is simply because it's fun.  Color livens things up and, maybe that's part of the power and focus; colors' power is to enliven.

This entire process made me think of Hagalaz, the hail Rune.  I think this situation exemplifies this Rune perfectly.  Hagalaz brings destruction initially - the bark peeling of my original set.  But, hail is a form of moisture, so it also brings nutrients we need to survive - the making of the new sets.  However, hail is also associated with creativity and I didn't just make a second set.  This time, I incorporated another aspect of my life that's important - color - into one of the new sets - and let go of my goal to achieve historical accuracy with my first set of Runes.

If you have made your own Runes, please let us know.  Share your experience; email me pictures of them.  if I get enough images and your permission, I will share them in a future post.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 8

In keeping me on track to finish my own set of wooden Rune staves before the end of the month, when I asked the Runes what I should write about this week, the answer was clear.  I asked about two different topics.  The first question, about a book review I was considering, gave me Gebo, which I took to mean simply an 'X', as if the Runes were saying "cross off that idea for this week."  When I asked the second question, I drew Fehu, Ansuz, Algiz, and Tiwaz.  If you look at the image I took a few weeks ago (below) when I engraved the first five Runes, the Runes I drew are the next four Runes I planned to carve.  (I didn't carve Sowilo yet, because I want to do that one in the sun and we've had cloudy Mondays of late.)  Coincidence?  Perhaps, but I also found it interesting that Gebo is the fifth Rune in this group, so maybe I drew that as part of the Runes I should carve today and that that is where I should stop (for today).

Same as last time, I have an item to represent each of the five Runes.  Going at this rate, however, I realize I will not finish by the end of the month, so I will take some time later this week to carve another five or six.  For now, here are the Runes and the items I've chosen, the items to represent them in the engraving ritual and the chants for each one.  I repeated the chants nine times, while I engraved the Rune to which it referred, except for Algiz, which I said the first time while I held the Rune to my throat.

Tiwaz - This Rune, to me, represents the Norse God Týr, the warrior go, sky god, left-handed god.  It is the latter that I incorporate today, because, like Týr, I am left-handed.  Therefore, to represent Tiwaz, I chose a tracing of my left hand (palm down).  As I carved this Rune, I said: I ask Týr to infuse this Rune with all his abilities.  I believe in what he represents.  I try to emulate his bravery in all that I do.

Fehu - Although this is the money Rune, as I mentioned last week, it was akin to cattle initially and, additionally, there are many forms of wealth.  To that end, I chose money and family to represent this Rune.  (My kids also offered the cow from one of their toy farms.)  To infuse this Rune with the wealth it represents, I chanted: Wealth comes in many forms.  I ask its forms to come to me and my Runes. 

Ansuz - The Rune of communication, this Rune is also likened to Odin.  Because I am a writer, I chose my book to represent Ansuz and made my request to Odin.  Odin, I ask communication and understanding to be open and clear in this Rune and for your guidance in making it so.

Algiz - This one was a bit more difficult to represent.  Defense and self-protection.  At first, from a purely physical perspective, I thought of my bat, but I did not want to use a weapon as a symbol to defend myself.  Then, I thought of a scene from my novel; Heimdall and Magni are talking about Heimdall's nine mothers and the gifts each one bestowed on him.  The first gift came from Gjàlp.  Here is what Heimdall said:

“First to reach my mother was Gjàlp.  She gave me my voice…”

“So you can talk, you mean?”

“No,” I chuckle, “This kind of voice is the strength I need to make my voice heard when others are not brave enough to speak up for what is right.”

“Does that get you in trouble with Grandpa?”

“Yes.  It does that a lot.  Odin does not like it when I speak against his ideas and plans.”

This scene is purely fictional, created entirely in my mind, but I like the idea of using your voice to speak up for what is right and I decided I would use my voice as my defense and protection.  To represent it, I held the Rune to my throat and began my chant to Heimdall.  Heimdall, imbibe this Rune with the power to defend and protect one's self and others.  I believe as sentry, you possess this power completely.

Gebo - I found Gebo to be the most challenging to represent.  A gift.  After a few minutes, I thought of some volunteering I do at my kids' school, taking the time to speak to different classes about various aspects of Geography.  There is one fourth grade class in particular that really enjoys my presentations.  The last time I spoke to them, we talked about the Vikings westward expansion and learned about northern Europe, the medieval warm period, and the Little Ice Age.  That is a great gift - time.  My old diving watch represents this wonderful gift.  For some reason, Freyja also came into my mind, so my chant goes to her:  Freyja, give a beautiful gift to this Rune.  Let it be as magical as you are.

I should point out that all of the chants I do come to me as I undertake the engravings.  I don't plan them in advance.  Later this week, when I do more, I will write everything down and take pictures to post at the end of the month.  If you have suggestions for what could represent some of my remaining Runes, please let me know.  I am always looking for ideas.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 7

The etching has begun!  At long last, I started etching Runes into the cut and carved staves, completing five Runes in this morning's ritual - Laguz, Isa, Ehwaz, Nauthiz, and Kenaz.  Except for Laguz, I chose the other four Runes because of their shape's simplicity.  With Laguz, it was different; I had planned to begin with Isa as it would be the easiest to etch, but Laguz called to me.  I think this may be, in part, because water is my element; it just felt right to etch the water Rune first.

After the success of my first Rune ritual a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I would have to do a ritual with this part of making my own Runes.  I couldn't merely carve the Rune shapes into the wood; I had to do something special to acknowledge each Rune and its meaning.  To begin, I set out the staves and placed one of my temporary Runes under each one so that I would know which one to engrave into the carved out space on the staves.  Then, I got my tools and my holy water and, following the arc of the Runes as I laid them out on the floor and going behind myself where I sat in front of them, I enclosed us in a circle of water.  Each time I added water to the circle, I said, "water is my element."

Once I completed the water circle, I used the water to clean my tools.  As I dipped each tool into the glass jar of water, I said, "I ask for Freyr's blessing, guided by Aegir, Njord, and Mardoll, that I will carve meaningful Runes on this wood."  I've had a few people ask me why I ask for a blessing from Freyr when I am working with Runes; why not Odin or Heimdall?  When I was collecting the water last summer, I viewed it as a form of fertility, required for life, so plants could grow and so on.  Thinking fertility in that vein, I went to Freyr and he has remained, blessing the water each time.  As for the others, Aegir is the related to the sea and some call him the sea god or the sea personified; Njord is also a sea god, but he is more closely aligned with the power of the sea (providing favorable winds as Viking warriors sailed into battle or on a journey of exploration) and the sea's bounty (providing a good catch of fish); Mardoll is a little less clear, some say she is another name for Freyja, but 'mar' has connections to the sea and some think that Mardoll may be the feminine version of Heimdall, where he is likened to Earth and she to the sea.  Suffice it to say, I have asked for support from all of the Norse deities whom I believe have a connection to the water Rune, Laguz.

Now, I am ready to carve.  I began with Laguz, so I added water beneath the temporary Laguz Rune.  I dipped my finger into my holy water and repeated this chant three times, "Infuse this Rune with the power of water, Laguz, flow."  Then, I held the blank stave over the water and waited nine seconds for the energy to move between the water and the Rune.  With that completed, I engraved Laguz on my first Rune.

I went through the same process with each of the other four Runes and chanted a similar ritual.  Here is what I used and what I said for each one:

Isa.  Fortunately, I live in a place where, at this time of year, ice is plentiful.  I just walked out my front door and grabbed a small handful of icy snow from my front yard.  As I set it down  under the temporary Isa Rune, I repeated, "Infuse this Rune with the power of Ice," then held the Rune over the ice for nine seconds before etching it.

Ehwaz.  I had no Yew tree branch to use, so I substituted a piece of cherry for it, acknowledging that in my chant, before carving it.  "Infuse this Rune with the strength and power  of the Yew tree."

Nauthiz.  This one may have been my most creative.  Nauthiz is the Rune of need and necessity.  I could have chosen food, water, shelter, but I chose love, represented by a heart my daughter made for me last year that I keep on my desk.  My chant for this was around the idea of the greatest need at any moment.  I see love as a driving force behind helping you get what you need.  "Infuse this Rune with the ability to see the greatest need."

Kenaz.  The torch.  As you can guess from the picture, I used a candle, but not just any candle.  This is a meditation candle and, given that the torch is sometimes likened to creativity and enlightenment, a good fit when we are using the Runes for guidance.  We must be aware of ourselves and honest about who we are and what guidance we seek if we expect the true wisdom of the Runes.  When I held the stave over the candle I was amazed at the way the smoke swirled and wrapped itself around the soon-to-be Kenaz Rune.  "Infuse this Rune with the enlightenment and creative action that comes with the light offered by the torch."

This week, I hope to complete the rest, so that I can stain them next week, but I would love some ideas on symbols to use to represent some of the Runes.  I have a few thoughts, but am open to suggestions.  If you have ideas, here are the Rune I'd like help with.  Please leave a comment on this post with your suggestion.  If you don't see a Rune listed here on which you want to comment, you can do that too.

Uruz - Aurochs, the ox; Thurissaz - the giant or thorn; Ansuz - communication, Odin; Raido - riding; Perthro - board game, social gathering, friendly competition; Berkana - birch, beginnings; Mannaz - humanity, humans; and Othala - homestead, inheritance.