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 6

Wow!  I just realized that I haven't posted anything about making my own Runes since July.  My apologies.  I let life get in the way of completing this project.  However, I have committed to finishing it before spring and I made some good headway yesterday.  I even learned a couple of new things and had some realizations from my last post about making Runes (Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 5) reinforced.

For starters, completing the project in a more timely fashion would have made the process easier.  The wood is drying out and the larger pieces were harder to carve out the space for engraving the Runes.  Because the wood is dry, the bark is also dry and it is separating a bit from the wood.  In short, the bark could easily come off the wood and I am trying to keep it on.  In a few instances when the bent chisel missed its mark, I cut into the bark and, though it didn't sever completely from the stave, it did lift away from it.  I hope that the varnish will help hold things together.

Staves being carved out to engrave Runes on them.

When I started carving, I began with the thinnest staves.  They were easy and pretty straight forward, the experience being as I mentioned in my last post.  They are on the left side of the pictures.  However, the wider staves were harder to carve out; that is to say the wood was harder, which made carving more difficult.  I still have five of the wider staves left to carve.

As you can see from the pictures, not all of the carved out spaces are located on the same place on the staves.  Some are in the middle and some are at the end.  I chose the spaces based on each individual stave's characteristics.  Some had natural flat spots, others had knots or spots where smaller branches had been growing out.  I worked with these natural aspects of the staves.

From this carving experience, I have learned a few important things.  I knew I wasn't a carpenter or wood-working artist, so I wasn't expecting perfection, but next time I make a set of Runes, I will consult first with someone who is one of those things.  I still won't expect perfection, but I am sure they can give me some pointers to make the process easier.  Given I am not endowed with these talents, the other thing I've learned or accepted is that I need to let go of any expectations I may have had about how the Runes will look when they are done.  To that end, just as I worked with the individual features of each stave, so have I embraced the fact that, while they may not look perfect or beautiful or any of that when they are done, they will be mine and each one will be as unique as the meaning of the Rune engraved on it.

As before, if you have made a set of Runes or have a story about your Runes that you would like to share, I invite you to leave a comment on this post or contact me directly.  I think this is an important part of the process and I enjoy learning about other people's experiences.