Runes for Beginners: Review

[The Hammer]

"Runes For Beginners, Simple Divination and Interpretation" by Alexandra Chauron DPA, is a decent introduction into the art and science of Runic divination. This reference, while marketed to the beginner, is also a great companion for the adept to further enrich their divination practice. While the overall focus of the book is on divination utilizing the Elder Futhark, there are also examples and explanations of other types of Runic script and their usage, such as Frisian, Gothic, Anglo-Saxon, Runes of Honorius, and Witches Runes. This work contains detailed breakdowns of the usage of various Runecasts, Charts and Spreads, as well as how to perform common readings for yourself or others on Love, Money, and Career/School. This instruction finishes with tips for and information on creating bindrunes, as well ones personally used by the author. If you are looking for a great start to Rune Divination, give this book a chance, but use a wary glance.

As a High Priestess of British Traditional Wicca, Counselor, and a professional psychic with over a decade of experience, she showcases her knowledge in a way that is accessible and readable to new students, while also ensuring that it is not a boring slog for those with a handle on the basics. My chief complaint with her approach is in regards to a mispelling when creating the "weather control bindrune", as Hagalaz is missing and necessary, and I find the bindrune for home protection also needs tweaking to be more pronounced in it's power. This book will be one of my go to references for tips on performing rune divination, though, and hope it can be one of yours too.

 

[SigurdReginson]

You know, as far as divination goes, I feel that the runes are unique in the way they are tackled. There's a lot of depth in each one, whether it's the meaning being different depending on their different places of origin in location and time (Anglo Saxon Ur vs. Younger Futhark Ur, for instance), or whether it's used in certain ways (galdrastafir vs. bindrunes).

For me, I love the etymology behind the runes and the way their meaning tied to actual words evolved over time. Fehu, for example, represented cattle back in the day. That association with cattle was also represented in wealth. As time went on, the meaning changed, though. In English, Fehu evolved into Feoh, which later evolved into the modern word "Fee." It's meaning and usage changed from the possession of wealth to the exchange of wealth... That's interesting to me.

I've made my own runeset based around modern English, and it's interesting to look at each rune in it's ancient context vs. the modern word, and sometimes that rune changes it's meaning entirely to fit within that modern context.

 

[The Hammer]

You know, as far as divination goes, I feel that the runes are unique in the way they are tackled. There's a lot of depth in each one, whether it's the meaning being different depending on their different places of origin in location and time (Anglo Saxon Ur vs. Younger Futhark Ur, for instance), or whether it's used in certain ways (galdrastafir vs. bindrunes).

For me, I love the etymology behind the runes and the way their meaning tied to actual words evolved over time. Fehu, for example, represented cattle back in the day. That association with cattle was also represented in wealth. As time went on, the meaning changed, though. In English, Fehu evolved into Feoh, which later evolved into the modern word "Fee." It's meaning and usage changed from the possession of wealth to the exchange of wealth... That's interesting to me.

I've made my own runeset based around modern English, and it's interesting to look at each rune in it's ancient context vs. the modern word, and sometimes that rune changes it's meaning entirely to fit within that modern context.

Interesting, I would love to read up on cross comparisons between the two, or more, systems. I plan on getting a couple more books on the Runes to expand my knowledge. But I am behind enough on my reading list as is, lol.

 

[SigurdReginson]

Interesting, I would love to read up on cross comparisons between the two, or more, systems. I plan on getting a couple more books on the Runes to expand my knowledge. But I am behind enough on my reading list as is, lol.

Hah! I wish I could give you a single book with explanations on all those different aspects of the runes and their ties with etymology, but that was mostly just a lot of research on my part from many different sources while I was constructing my own rune set.

 

[The Hammer]

Hah! I wish I could give you a single book with explanations on all those different aspects of the runes and their ties with etymology, but that was mostly just a lot of research on my part from many different sources while I was constructing my own rune set.

Sounds like you got a job to do do and a niche to fill

 

[SigurdReginson]

Sounds like you got a job to do do and a niche to fill

Hah! If people took an interest, maybe. I just did it for my own spiritual practice. I intend on making my own modern english rune poems for my own rune set some day when my life gets a little more calm. I also have a personal script set (inspired by the runes and by ogham) that I'm working on too, so we will see which one I finish out first!

 

[The Hammer]

Hah! If people took an interest, maybe. I just did it for my own spiritual practice. I intend on making my own modern english rune poems for my own rune set some day when my life gets a little more calm. I also have a personal script set (inspired by the runes and by ogham) that I'm working on too, so we will see which one I finish out first!

I mean, the books at the local Occult shops seem to point to an interest at least in the PNW. Llewellyn publishing perhaps.

That's cool that your making your own script and runes though, good on you. I might go that route some day.