Reading Runes
Reading the Elder Futhark Runes is a process of self-discovery. You re-frame an issue using the runes as open-ended entropy to acquire a new perspective.
The runes I’ll be discussing are the Elder Futhark runes, also known as Germanic runes. Runes are phonemes used as the written form of a verbal language. There are 24 in total, with a “blank rune” later added as the 25th, sometimes represented by a perfect square. In modern languages, there are about 40+ phonemes. English, however, uses characters instead of phonemes, so a single symbol or glyph can represent multiple sounds, like how the letter ‘C’ can sound like a ‘K’ or an ‘S’.
In today’s world, Germanic runes are fascinating but not necessarily the best for modern language. Runes derive their meaning from the significance people assign to them. “The Book of Runes” by Ralph H. Blum offers a fairly open interpretation of rune meanings, which can be applied to social issues.
To read runes, you frame or discuss a social issue, such as why you may struggle to get along with someone. You draw one rune at a time from the bag and place them in a predefined order. Then, you interpret their meanings in relation to your situation. Reading runes allows you to gain a new perspective. You can use this perspective alongside your critical thinking skills to potentially arrive at new insights and a more balanced approach to handling delicate issues.
This may be the most pragmatic way of reading runes I’ve ever heard of. There are equally valid approaches that incorporate mysticism, witchcraft, or divination to draw and interpret the runes. For example, someone may draw three runes and place them from right to left. They might use their non-dominant hand, believing it to be more receptive to influence. They could interpret the right rune as an overview of the problem, the middle rune as the challenge to be addressed, and the left rune as the action that needs to be taken.
I believe the beauty of drawing runes lies in the process of self-discovery. All too often, we use confirmation bias to interpret our world, which limits our outcomes and understanding. It’s beneficial to challenge yourself and learn that life is much more diverse than your first interpretation. Trusting yourself and being willing to change is a valuable lesson.
