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 - 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 3

Over the last two weekends, I've taken some time to practice carving wood to make my Rune staves.  I've figured out the basic process for making the space in which to carve the Runes.  The challenge is to keep the bark from peeling off.

When I began this process, I had no idea what I would use for the carving, but I found a nice set of tools especially for such delicate work.  I got mine at Home Depot, though I checked out some art supply stores too.  The set I bought was sturdier and felt more durable than the ones from the art stores.  I paid $40 Canadian for a six-piece set, but it will probably be cheaper in the US.  (I can't speak to the cost in other countries; sorry.)

After playing with all the tools in the set for a couple of hours, I came up with a three-tool process that works for me. First, I etch a rectangle on the wood with the skew bevel.  Next, I use the bent chisel.  This makes a nice flat surface on the wood by removing very thin layers.  As I shave the wood, it curls up toward the edge, so I use the straight edge to "chop" it off.  Once I begin making the actual Runes, I'll put up some pictures of the process.  For now, here is a picture of the three tools I'm using.

The top tool is the bent chisel.  I placed it sideways in the shot to accentuate the bend.  It may seem silly, but having the bend in the tool makes it easier to shave the wood.  The middle tool is the straight edge.  It's essentially the same as the bent chisel without the bend.  I tried this one to make the flat surface and it worked okay, but I found it harder to maneuver.  However, the straight edge worked great to remove the shavings created by the bent chisel.  At the bottom of the picture is the skew bevel.  Its blade is angled and the point worked well for marking the lines which form the space for the Rune.  A word of caution though.  If you're going to get cut, this is most likely when it will happen, so be careful.  Watch out for peeling bark too.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will refine this process and attempt to etch in some Runes.  When I'm comfortable enough with the carving process, I'll use the rain water I gathered earlier this spring to cleanse the tools before I before the tools touch the fruit-bearing wood.

If you have made your own Runes using wood or some other material, please feel free to share your experience with us.  Likewise, if you're considering making a set and have questions, ask away.  I'm happy to help as best as I can.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 2

As promised, last week, I cut the wood for my Runes.  The tree was in the early stages of blossom, with lots of little white blooms popping out on the branches.  The process began with a cleansing of the saw, using the water I had collected a couple of weeks ago and stored in a glass jar (see Rune 301 - Making Your Own Runes).  The incantation I spoke was in two parts.  First, I expressed gratitude to Freyr for the water.  Then, I requested a sharp blade to cut the wood.  The incantation went like this:

"Thanks to Freyr for the cleansing water.  I am grateful to receive your gift."

After speaking these words, I poured the water over the saw, especially the blade, and laid it on an organic cotton cloth to dry in the sun.  When it was dry, I turned to the tree, held up the saw and proclaimed:

"I believe in the power of Odin to make this saw sharp, not for gain in war, but gain in wisdom from the Runes that will be carved into this fruited wood."
 
I climbed the tree and cut the branches I had selected earlier as being the best size for the Runes.  They ranged in diameter from 1-2cm.  In addition to cutting the wood for the Runes, I cut an extra branch (a dead one) to use for practice before I start the actual Runes.  I don't want to make any mistakes on the fruit-bearing wood and I felt that using wood from the same tree would give me a better sense of the feel of the wood than using, say, cedar or some other wood.

I sawed off the branches as close to the main artery of the tree as I could.  After the wood was cut, I thanked Freyr for the wood with the following gratitude incantation:

"I am grateful to you, Freyr, for the fertile wood you have provided so that my Runes will carry fruit-bearing power of wisdom within them."

As an extra sign of appreciation, when I cut the smaller branches, bearing the blossoms, from the larger ones that will be used for the Runes, I put them into a vase on my kitchen table, where they are still blooming and leaves are forming.  They give the dining room a completely different feel, making it much more earthy.

This week's goal is to select the best tools for carving the Runes into the branches, which I will discuss when I begin the first practice round.

For now, it is important to remember that this is my process for making Runes and that many exist.  One of the things I like most about this endeavor is that it is very individualized.  In fact, I feel it must be.  If you don't make your Runes in the way that makes sense and feels right to you, you are doing them and yourself a disservice.  You don't have to recite my incantations if they don't feel right to you.  The basic things that you must do if you want to make wooden Rune staves is find a wood that feels right to you, cut it to appropriate lengths and carve the Runes into it.  Throughout this process, please feel free to ask me any questions or clarify things for you that my not be clear.  If you've made your own Runes, please share your experience with us!

Taking the Next Step with Runes

I have been involved with and learning about the Runes for several years.  The stories about Runes in Norse Mythology are fascinating and human use of Runes throughout History are quite intriguing as well.  I have learned a lot, especially since starting this blog, and I hope that you're enjoying the information I share through readings and the Runes 101 series.  In a couple of weeks, my blog will celebrate its first anniversary and to recognize this milestone, I have decided that I am going to carve my own set of Runes.  I did a draw based on this idea and I will come to it in a moment.  First though, I want you to understand why I have reached this decision.

I began this blog after getting Ralph Blum's "Book of Runes", which I picked up because it was referenced in a couple of books I was using to conduct research for my first novel.  Since starting this blog, I have received some wonderful feedback from you, my friends and readers, including recommendations for other books about Runes that are more traditional in their interpretations.  Through your input and my own ongoing research, my knowledge of and interest in the Runes has grown in depth and breadth.  The Runes I read  right now are the ceramic stones that came with the Blum book (minus the blank stone).  It is my understanding that no carved rune stones (not to be confused with large engraved runestones) have been found in any archeological Viking/Norse site.  Moreover, all of the descriptions that I have read of the Runes in the mythology say that they are carved on wooden staves.  As I learn more about Runes and come to understand some of the rituals around them, I know that I want my Rune use to begin to mimic historical use more closely.  Therefore, I asked my current set of ceramic Runes if I am ready to take the next step with Runes and make my own set using more historical materials.

What a wonderful way to begin this process!  Inguz is the Rune of Fertility and the god Freyr.  I like to think this means the time is right ( or ripe) for this endeavor, that "the ground is fertile".  In fact, new age interpretations for this Rune include terms like 'new beginnings' and 'joyful deliverance'.  They also assure me that I have the strength to complete this undertaking.  A warning is also noted - that I may need to break free from cultural patterns or habits.  That is very true.  This process will require some rituals, which is not something that I tend toward doing.  However, I believe in the essence of the Runes and the energies that created them and their meanings, so that is where I will focus my own energy.

Algiz is not a Rune I draw often, but one that I take very seriously, because it deals with self-defense and protection.  As my challenge in this endeavor, Algiz reminds me that there will be people who question what I am doing, make fun of it and belittle it.  I will need to be strong in my convictions that what I am doing is the right thing for me to do, regardless of what others say.  As long as I keep my emotions in check, I will be fine.

The action required to complete my set of Runes is Perthro (Perth).  This Rune has slightly different though related meanings between historical and contemporary interpretations.  Where historically, this Rune is seen as friendly competition through games that build on the person's fate and ability, new age definitions are more abstract in the sense that they claim initiation.  The link between these two is simple - games in friendly competition offer opportunities for initiation, perhaps into adulthood, but in my case it is more of an initiation into the next level of Runes, reading and understanding them.

In April, I will begin the process of making my own set of Runes from the wood of a fruit tree.  By chance, I have one in my backyard.  The wood will be cut when the flowers are in bloom.  As I understand it, this will make the Runes fertile, because they will have the power in them to bear fruit, figuratively speaking.  If you are interested in going through this process with me and making your own set of wooden Rune staves,  please let me know (ireadrunes@gmail.com).  For those of you who are still on the fence about it, I will document the entire process on this blog as I go through  it, so you can try it when you're ready if you'd like.  Either way, I hope you will stay tuned and walk with me on this journey.