more runes, resulting in a 33 character alphabet. I would also like to mention the ‘Uthark Runes,’ a runic alphabet used in mostly Sweden. This has the same 24 characters as in the Elder Futharc, but here, instead of starting with ‘feh,’ it starts with ‘ur’ and has ‘feh’ at the end of the alphabet. The progression of the runes is r , not linear, but circular - or spiralling unes - with no beginning and no end to their sequence - unlike our own alphabet, which starts with ‘a’ and Alphabet ends with ‘z’. But for us to be able q to make sense of an alphabet we need a beginning to it - and an and end, an ‘a’ and a ‘z’. The rune ‘ur’ means ‘origin.’ This rune is associated with Magic Audhumbla, the nurturing, milk giving wild cow, which was the first Anja Normann being created in the Nordic creation myth. The last characters,‘feh,’ is associated with domesticated cattle, and it is logical to start with the wild, and finish with the domesticated. So starting with ‘ur,’ and ending with ‘feh’ has always seemed logical to me, and it also speaks to my heart. But one of the beauties of the runes is that this type of understanding is personal, and so up to everyone who works with runes to find what speaks to them. THE POWER OF THE RUNES A lot of ancient runic inscriptions A lot has been written about runes, There are three different runic can be found carved on stones and and one thing they all have in alphabets, and these could be seen monuments, erected to honour common is that no one really as the three main groups. These someone, or sometimes as magic knows what they are, where they are the ‘Elder Futharc’ runes, used formula. It is certain however, that came from, and what you do with in northern Europe before about the runes were also used as more them; instead, everybody has their 800 CE; the ‘Anglo-Saxon’ runes, than just a written alphabet. own theory, just as I do. There are, used in Britain from about the C5- There are descriptions of the however, some historical facts, and 6th; and finally the ‘Younger use of runes in magical practices some common points on the Futharc’ runes, which were used in found in ancient accounts. For subject, so let us start by looking at Scandinavia and Iceland between example, in the writings of Tacitus - those, and then go into their the C8-13th. There are also more a Roman senator and historian - magical aspects. local runes, such as ones used in we learn that the Germanic people the Älvdalen area of Sweden - used pieces of wood with signs on THE ROOTS OF THE RUNES which are still in use. them, which they cast on the floor The runes are an alphabet which The word ‘Futharc’ comes from and interpreted before taking any probably derived from the alphabet the names of the first six big decision. used by the north Etruscans, who characters of the alphabet; feh, ur, In the Viking sagas we also find came from Tuscany, Umbria and thurs, ass, reid and k(c)en. The examples of the runes being used Lazio in Italy, and whose alphabet Elder Futhark had 24 characters, for magical purposes. In the was used upto about the C4th CE. and the Younger Futhark only 16, Icelandic poet Erik The runic alphabet as we know but each character in that set was Skallagrimsson’s Saga, written it today, was used in the Germanic given several sounds, which made around 960 CE, it is told that a an Scandinavian countries, and the writing easier. The Anglo-Saxon young man, who loved a beautiful first actual runic inscriptions have runes, however, needed more signs girl, tried to use the runes to make been dated to around 150 CE. for different sounds, so they added her fall in love with him. HOOP ISSUE 100 2018 32 www.sacredhoop.org The girl became ill, and was Here - in the ‘graved ash- with the runes, I see them coming Below: near death, until Erik tablets’ - we come across the first up from out of that well, swirling Runestone at Skallagrimsson discovered the sign of runes being used in the and teaching me. Växjö cathedral, runes under her bed, whereupon, nordic text. The Norns - the three Sweden. It he erases the runic marks on them maidens in the poem - are the Stanza 141 of Hávamál uses the translates as: and wrote healing runes in their ones who know the past, the word ‘wailing;’ a sound, a cry. In ‘Tóki the Viking, place, which made her regain her present and the future. The poem the Swedish version of the poem raised the stone health. states that the ones who weave the the word is ‘skrikande’ [screaming], in memory of This tale serves as a warning destiny of men, carve on ash- which is once again a sound. The Gunnarr, Grímr's not to use the runes without having tablets, the laws and the destiny. runes themselves are also son. May God a good connection with them. considerd to have sounds, and the help his soul’ And then we have Óðinn’s runes are meant to be sounded. C12th If we look at the Viking Eddas, initiation, found in Hávamál, So, let’s make a giant jump to the we can find several clues as to the another poem in the Codex Regius: myth of creation - where at the supposed magical origin of the beginning there was ‘no earth and I know that I hung, runes. In the early medieval no sky,’ there was just Ginnungagap, on a wind-rocked tree, Völuspá manuscript - first writen which means ‘the big void,’ but nine whole nights, down in the C13th in the Codex which can also mean ‘the big with a spear wounded, Regius, we read: mouth;’ and mouths make sounds. and to Odin offered, Could it be that at the beginning Below Left: Ash I know standing, myself to myself; was sound? Many creation myths Codex Runicus named Yggdrasill, on that tree, have the sound as there starting manuscript a lofty tree, laved of which no one knows points - ‘in the beginning was the from Sweden or with limpid water: from what root it springs. word.’ Could it be that the sound of Denmark which thence comes dew the runes connects us to this contains a mix that in dales fell; Bread no one gave me, original sound; that they make the of legal and stands always over nor a horn of drink, Great Web, in which everything is historical texts the green Urd’s well. downward I peered, to runes applied myself, connected within one vibration? C1300 Thence comes maidens, wailing learnt them, much knowing, then fell down thence. three, from the hall under tree stands; Hávamál: stanzas 140-141 Urd hight the first, In that poem, we learn that the second Verdandi, Óðinn got his runes after a long they ash-tablets graved, and difficult initiation, and that he Skuld hight the third; got them looking down. Could it be that he was looking They laws made, down into the Well of Urd, the they life selected; deep well where the Norns take all the children water, and from out of which grows they destiny say. Yggdrasil the cosmic tree? That is Völuspá: stanzas 18-20 my theory, and every time I connect HOOP ISSUE 100 2018 www.sacredhoop.org 33 Runes can change things, they Then I began to bear fruit, MY OWN RUNIC JOURNEY can heal, and they can destroy. If and to know many things, So, let me tell you the tale of a you sing the 24 runes of the Elder to grow and well thrive: little girl who fell and hurt her Futhark over and over again, you word by word ankle. She was picked up by her may experience a profound trance I sought out words, great-grandmother, who put the state, and a connection to the fact by fact little girl on her lap, and sang with Great Mystery, to the universe as a I sought out facts. a soft voice while stroking the little whole. It is said that if you do, it is girl’s hurt foot with gentle hands. Runes thou wilt find, possible to actually see, and The little girl stopped crying, and and explained characters, interact with that Great Web which felt the warmth that spread through very large characters, binds us all. her ankle, and the pain very potent characters, So, be careful, don't seek to disappeared. which the great speaker depicted, interact, not unless you know what The little girl was me and Selma and the high powers formed, you are doing. Remember that was my great-grandmother, and and the powers’ prince graved: young man in Erik Skallagrimsson’s the song she sang was one of Saga, who almost killed his beloved Hávamál: stanzas 143-144 healing runes. because he didn’t have enough That was my first contact with Knowest thou how to grave them? knowledge. runes, the 24 sounds, the 24 knowest thou how to expound them? characters, the 24 signs of the knowest thou how to depict them? In Óðinn’s Runesong, found in Universe, which allow us to knowest thou how to prove them? Hávamál, is described all the work connect with the Great Web. knowest thou how to pray? he did to understand and to be able knowest thou how to offer? to use the runes after his initiation, Many books have been written knowest thou how to send? as well as what he - and therefore on the runes, some are very good, knowest thou how to consume? we - need to know before using and some are less so.