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Before Latin became widely used throughout Europe in approximately the 1st century A.D., a proto-Norse language, known as the runic alphabet, was already in use.
Similar to our own alphabet used today, runic writings have been discovered on stone blocks, wood, bones, and other artifacts to record business transactions, judicial and political affairs, in divination and magic, on headstones as protection charms and talismans, as public art, and as the handmade glyphs of craftsmen.
The word “rune” derives from a Germanic word that means “mystery” or “secret,” and related words can also be found in Welsh, Old English, Old Irish, and Old English dialects. They occasionally also imply “miracle.” It can also mean “poetry” in Finnish and “to speak” in Lithuanian.
Today, we utilize rune stones as a form of divination, comparable to Tarot cards. Runes help us to access our inner knowledge and intuitive abilities as well as our Spirit Guides and the collective unconscious for unveiling hidden wisdom and guidance. The word “rune” actually means secret, mystery, and whisper. Like hieroglyphics, each rune has a meaning in addition to being a letter.
Because rune stones had a rich and magical past, they were revered and handled with the utmost care. The Norse and other Northern European societies believed that runes held powerful divinatory abilities and as such were regarded very seriously.
What is the Elder Futhark Norse Runic Alphabet?
The Elder Futhark runic alphabet is a collection of 24 characters, each with its own unique meaning and symbolism.
The Elder Futhark runes, which are still frequently used today, were first completed as a whole alphabet in the 5th century A.D. The Younger Futhark stones, which the Vikings and other Nordic tribes later adopted, were then used until the Middle Ages. It is claimed that they are based on Old Latin writings.
The Elder Futhark runic alphabet’s 24 letters are arranged into three sets of 8 letters each, or “Aetts,” for short. Each Aett, which is associated with a particular Nordic Deity from Norse mythology, tells the story of a person’s life journey, from birth and worldly possessions to trials and tribulations, evolution and maturation to the completion of a cycle, spiritual awakening, and personal legacy.
Freyr’s Aett
The first Aett of the Runic alphabet is in honor of Freyr, the Nordic God of Peace. The Freyr’s Aett gets its name from the word “futhark,” which is spelled out in its first six runes, much like how we say “QWERTY” keyboard.
- FEHU ᚠ – Literally meaning “cattle”; the first rune is represented by the letter F
- URUZ ᚢ – This letter U stands for the aurochs, a type of prehistoric bull.
- THURISAZ ᚦ – This makes the sound TH and is translated as “giant”, “hammer”, or “thorn”
- ANSUZ ᚫ – The letter A; is translated as “message”, “breath”, or “God”
- RAIDHO ᚱ – This letter, R, stands for “path,” “traveling,” or “journey.”
- KENAZ ᚲ – This letter is K or C and it stands for “torch.”
- GEBO ᚷ – The letter G is translated as “gift”
- WUNJO ᚹ – The sign for this letter is W and symbolizes “joy”; represents a clan’s flag
Heimdall’s Aett
The watchman of the Gods, Heimdall, is honored in the second Aett.
- HAGALAZ ᚺ – This is the letter H; translates to “hail”
- NAUTHIZ ᚾ – The letter N; translates as “challenges” or “needs”
- ISA ᛁ – The letter I; it means “ice”
- JERA ᛃ – The letter J stands for “year” or “harvest”
- EIHWAZ ᛇ – This represents the yew/ash tree and is the same as the letter ae
- PERTHRO ᛈ – The meaning of the letter P is still unknown; could mean “luck” or “pear tree”
- ALGIZ ᛉ – This letter, Z, is translated as “protection” or “defense”
- SOWILO ᛋ – The letter S; represents the Sun
Tyr’s Aett
The last Aett, Tyr’s Aett, is in honor of Tyr, the God of War.
- TIWAZ ᛏ – The God Tyr/Tiwaz is represented by the letter T
- BERKANA ᛒ – The letter B symbolizes birth and means “birch”
- EHWAZ ᛖ – The letter E stands for “horse”
- MANNAZ ᛗ – This letter, M, translates to “man”
- LAGUZ ᛚ – The word “lake,” “water,” and possibly “leek” are all represented by Laguz, or the letter L
- INGWAZ ᛝ – This is similar to the -ng sound at the end of a word; it is related with Ing/Inguz/Yngi/Ingwaz, the God of Fertility
- OTHALA ᛟ – This is the equivalent of the letter O. It stands for legacy and heritage
- DAGAZ ᛞ -This letter is D, which means “day” in English
Additionally, a blank rune, called Odin’s Rune (more on this below) is occasionally included in a Rune set that was not originally part of the practice; its use is completely optional!
Rune Symbols & Meanings
The runic alphabet typically consists of 24 letters, but some sets also include a blank stone known as Odin’s Rune, which is believed to represent things that are still to be known. Three equal groups of eight runes each make up the Elder Futhark runic alphabet: Freyr’s, Heimdall’s, and Tyr’s (where “aett” stands for “family”). The cycle of life is depicted in these major groups.
Finding our way in the material world and acquiring material belongings are symbolized by the first set of runes, or in Freyr’s Aett. As a result, it contains runes that stand for things like vigor, communication, and cattle—the primary sign of riches in those days.
The following collection of runes (Heimdall’s Aett), which includes runes like barriers, fate, and harvest/abundance, speaks of our maturing and growing.
The last set of runes, Tyr’s Aett, shows how our spirituality and heritage are evolving. It has runes for things like birth, neighborhood, intuition, and inheritance.
There are many different possible meanings assigned to the runes since they are such an ancient language and because using them was a practice cloaked in mystery in a time before many people had access to written language.
In general, the following list of symbols and their meanings, divided by the Freyr, Heimdall, and Tyr Aetts’:
FREYR’S AETT
The first Aett of the Elder Futhark Runic Alphabet is Frey’s Aett. Freyr, the son of the sea god Njörd, was the lord of fertility, prosperity, and abundance in Norse mythology.
This is the Aett of the nurturing mother, the creative merchant, and the diligent gardener. Life, love, worldly pleasures, and satisfaction are all tied to it. The runes within Freyr’s Aett are often connected to themes of growth, creativity, and the cycles of life.
1. Fehu ᚠ – “Cattle/Wealth”
Fehu, the first Elder Futhark, denotes affluence and material goods, whether acquired or earned. It may indicate future prosperity, good fortune, and financial success. It may also be relevant to social achievement.
Even though not everyone chooses to interpret a rune’s reversed (“merkstave”) appearance, if you feel drawn to do so, its reversed meaning could point to the loss of assets or income, a decline in self-esteem, or other types of financial difficulties.
KEYWORDS: Wellness, wealth, blessings, and good fortune
2. Uruz ᚢ – “Ox”
The second character, Uruz, stands in for the wild bull. This stone symbolizes power, endurance, grit, tenacity, motivation, and resolve. It may portend a period of exceptional vigor, quickness, and health. It also demonstrates growing masculinity and power. When it is reversed, it could mean that you are losing strength, stamina, overcoming an obstacle, or that others are dominating you.
KEYWORDS: Fortitude, vigor, energy, effort, health, power, endurance
3. Thurisaz ᚦ – “Mallet/Giant/Thorn”
The Thurisaz Rune is representative of Thor’s hammer.
As a result, it symbolizes the willful force of influence or energy. It can signify defense or destruction, and sometimes great conflicts. This rune is known for its purgative, purifying, and cathartic effects. Reversed, the Thurisaz Rune can suggest helplessness, coercion, betrayal, or resentment.
KEYWORDS: Protection, difficulties, danger, defense, strength, assault, and power
4. Ansuz ᚫ – “Message”
The rune of communication is Ansuz. It denotes the arrival of a divine revelation or insight since it symbolizes the wisdom of the ancient God Odin. It can also signify sound counsel, knowledge, inspiration, clarity, and zeal. If it is reversed, it could be a sign of manipulation, deception, misunderstanding, or communication breakdowns.
KEYWORDS: Communication, wisdom, messages, revelations, signs, and visions
5. Raidho ᚱ – “Journey”
The rune Raidho means “ride”, “journey”, or “wheel”. This could involve both physical travel such as going on vacation or moving and spiritual travel, such as broadening your horizons and spiritually awakening.
Additionally, it may allude to perspective, evolution, and the cycle of life. Ritualistic activity and movement make up Raidho. It is the fusion of all facets of who you are. Inner consciousness and external reality are in harmony.
To walk your path beautifully and live morally is to be in tune with this lovely rune. When reversed, it can indicate a blocked road or opposition to starting your journey.
KEYWORDS: Action, movement, growth, perspective, progress, journey, and travel
6. Kenaz ᚲ – “Torch”
The flame or torch is known as Kenaz. While clarity and understanding are brought on by light, transformation is brought on by heat.
It stands for the ability to regulate and channel fire for light and comfort. As a result, Kenaz represents enlightenment and discovering your truth while being led by your own brilliant light.
This rune can mean that secrets will be revealed and something that was previously hidden from you will now be brought to light. You are on the right track to discovering your highest path, so don’t lose hope!
Kenaz also denotes wisdom, originality, inspiration, renewal, and vigor. Reversed, it might represent a lack of foresight, a creative block, blind expectations, or volatility.
KEYWORDS: Illumination, clarity, destiny, knowledge, understanding, purpose, perception, ideas
7. Gebo ᚷ – “Gift”
Gebo means “gift”. This powerful rune is a sign of good fortune that suggests you have a variety of skills and abilities or that you’ll receive numerous favors from others. It is also associated with kindness, equilibrium, and good relationships.
The rune known as Gebo aids us in achieving harmony in our giving and receiving. It conveys acceptance, trust, and care in equal measure. It has no reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: Benevolence, cooperation, blessings, skills, good deeds, service, support, prosperity, and fate
8. Wunjo ᚹ – “Joy”
Wunjo stands for victory. It stands for success and happiness, stability, protection, festivity, and a sense of connection or belonging. It may also be a sign of harmony, wealth, or divine blessings.
Wunjo is a rune of celebration and collaboration, love and social groups. It can deliver light to a situation or help you adjust your thoughts so that you can discover the peace you desire. Sometimes, finding happiness requires seeing things from a different perspective. If it is reversed, it may signal sadness, loss, or isolation.
KEYWORDS: Joy, feast, festivity, comfort, community, achievement, gatherings, pleasures, and connectedness
HEIMDALL’S AETT
Heimdall was the Gods’ watchman in Norse mythology. Heimdall is primarily a warrior. He battles against immense obstacles while being vigilant at all times, displaying unwavering courage.
The Heimdall’s Aett is focused on wealth, prosperity, triumph, power, and accomplishments. If you’ve got a bunch of this Aett in a rune reading, you might want to keep an eye on things because you might not be taking the necessary steps to obtain your goals or not considering your actions before taking them – be aware of any hasty or half-thought-out decisions.
9. Hagalaz ᚺ – “Hail”
Hagalaz literally means “hail” – it is a representation of all the things that are beyond our control. Although Hagalaz’s assault can seem unjust and unpleasant, there are enormous benefits to be gained from this rune.
This unexpected natural disaster, which has the potential to destroy crucial harvests, is also suggestive of rapid and cataclysmic change. Hagalaz is a rune that, like The Tower card in tarot, depicts an inescapable shift that transcends human control. Whether or not this change is detrimental depends on our ability to handle it gracefully. Sometimes storms come to correct and clear our path. Hagalaz teaches us to emerge from our faults and learn from our suffering. This rune has no reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: External forces, trials, transformation, and natural destruction
10. Nauthiz ᚾ – “Needs”
Our needs are reflected in Nauthiz. It has a dual nature and is also known as the” need fire“. What are your requirements for mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual fulfillment and stability? How is your work-life balance?
After all, we can’t pour from an empty cup, so it’s important to evaluate our needs and any areas where we could potentially be deficient. Additionally, when you receive Nauthiz in your rune casting, setbacks, limitations, or deficiencies may be present. Now is a good time to work on keeping a calm, balanced, and patient headspace.
KEYWORDS: Deficit, need, restrictions, dissension, struggle, survival
11. Isa ᛁ – “Ice”
Isa stands for ice. All that is fragile and weak will expire in its very presence since it is a merciless rune, leaving room for the more powerful and unrelenting.
Although, the word “unrelenting” may be a bit misleading, as Isa seeks stillness, security, and the cessation of changes. It represents the Tarot card known as the Hangman, which emphasizes the necessity of pausing, waiting, and sometimes taking a break in to set things into place, even though it may feel like you’re frozen and stuck in a virtual standstill.
Having to wait till we’ve thoroughly investigated the situation, learned all the facts, heard all the opinions, or just let nature take its course is what the Isa rune is all about. It may also be a sign of irritation or mental barriers. It carries no reversed significance.
KEYWORDS: Blockages, timeout, waiting, irritation, immobility, cessation
12. Jera ᛃ – “Harvest”
Jera means “harvest” and “good year”. It represents tolerance and mobility in unison with the organic cycles of the universe. Moving in accordance with such life patterns gives wealth, happiness, and prosperity.
Jera embodies (and aids in) the effective conclusion of significant undertakings and affairs. It also symbolizes Mother Earth’s cyclical nature and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
If you don’t personally feel that you have many blessings, Jera’s appearance could signal that a breakthrough is on the horizon or that it’s time to reassess and show appreciation for what you have. This rune doesn’t have a reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: Harvest, beginnings and endings, growth, wealth, life cycles, lessons learned
13. Eihwaz ᛇ – “Yew”
Yggdrasil means “horse of Odin” or “fearsome”. The ash tree, Yggradisil, which is sometimes claimed to be derived from the old term for yew- needle ash, is a symbol of The Tree Of Life in Norse mythology.
As a result, this rune has an association with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, much like the Tarot card Death. It can also signify divine guidance, protection, knowledge, insight, and a feeling of direction, representing the interconnectedness of all lifeforms.
KEYWORDS: Relationship, enlightenment, perseverance, divine knowledge, protection, natural cycles, cosmic consciousness
14. Perthro ᛈ – “Destiny”
Esoterically, Perthro is believed to mean “fate”, representing the fate of humanity and all that is still unmanifest. The dice cup, or fortune, is represented by this rune because it implies that events in life may depend on chance and hence may pan out well or poorly.
Practicing acceptance of one’s life and making lemonade out of lemons is the key takeaway from this rune. This would be comparable to the Wheel of Fortune card in the Tarot.
It can also symbolize the darkness and mystery of the womb and convey hidden meanings, secrets, and change. It is the disposition of being open to receiving revelations, foresight, and messages from the divine. Perthro can suggest a loss of faith if it is reversed.
KEYWORDS: Destiny, fate, chance, fortune, mystery, esoterica, fertility
15. Algiz ᛉ – “Elk”
Algiz, which is an elk, stands for defense and safety. As such, the Algiz rune is regarded as the strongest rune of defense. If you receive this rune, it indicates that you have the inner strength to realize your goals and that your spirit guides are leading and defending you through it all.
Acting as an energetic shield, Algiz can be used to serve as an energetic shield to protect you from negativity. Awakening and a potent intuition may also be represented by it. Reversed, it can indicate a feeling of powerlessness; it might also be an omen or warning – caution is advised.
KEYWORDS: Protection, defense, natural instincts, bravery, awareness
16. Sowilo ᛋ – “Sun”
Like The Sun card in the Tarot, the Sowilo rune represents the power of the Sun. It denotes a period of happiness, prosperity, luck, and good fortune.
And just as the Sun brings life to all living things with its light and warmth, this rune also represents life force energy and procreation. Sowilo radiates brightness, warmth, and inspiration – it’s a reason to rejoice and might be a sign of your prosperity, good health, or elemental strength! It has no reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: Happiness, life, fertility, justice, success, energy, creativity, inspiration, pleasure, prosperity
TYR’S AETT
The Norse Sky God Tyr stood for both justice and war.
Tyr is a sign of divine justice and moral values in both peace and conflict. This set of the runic alphabet signifies spiritual progress and understanding, courage, integrity, success, creating structure and discipline, law and retribution, and everything having to do with world affairs or governance. Tyr encompasses protection and triumph.
17. Tiwaz ᛏ – “Victory”
Tiwaz, the first rune of Tyr’s Aett, literally means “the god, Tyr”. This rune conveys ideas of power that results from right and logical balance as well as the benefit of the collective as opposed to the benefit of the individual.
Tiwaz is dignity, morality, and the honorable course of action. It demonstrates your strong leadership abilities, moral responsibility, and ability to reason your way out of any situation. It may represent success, awareness of your true capabilities, and a readiness to sacrifice for others. It can represent obstructed creative forces, disharmony, and lack of desire when it is reversed.
KEYWORDS: Initiative, reason, success, honor, courage, fortitude, tenacity, and resilience
18. Berkana ᛒ – “Birch’“
Berkana is known as the rune of childbirth and motherhood, as well as healing, growth, and rebirth, both physically and spiritually. It suggests a new outlook and promising beginnings.
This rune symbolizes the Birch Goddess and so denotes creation and fertility not only real births (which is what it originally meant), and also the birth and creation of one’s personal endeavors, alliances, and revival.
It suggests the development of the mind and body as well as a capacity for regeneration and spiritual release. If Berkana is reversed, it may indicate strict control or increased anxiety.
KEYWORDS: New beginnings, birth, creation, new ventures, fertility, development, rejuvenation
19. Ehwaz ᛖ – “Horse’“
The rune Ehwaz represents progressive forward movement and literally means “horse”. Esoterically, this rune is said to mean “trust”. It represents a forward pace and improvement with slow but sure progression. It can also demonstrate loyalty and teamwork.
Ehwaz is suave cooperation, recommendation, and collaboration rather than aggressive force. This powerful rune can help with common tasks like adjusting relationships as needed, making the most of a difficult circumstance, and locating resources in times of need.
If you see it upright in your rune casting, it can stand for practicality, adaptation, and flexibility. Reversed, Ehwaz can indicate unease, distrust, or discord.
KEYWORDS: Evolution, motion, balance, dualism, companionship, primal intuition, trustworthiness, support, and devotion
20. Mannaz ᛗ – “Man”
Mannaz, which means “Mankind”, is a symbol of humanity. It includes your sense of identity and how you relate with others. It is societal harmony and collaboration, as well as our ethical and moral framework.
As the rune of the human intellect and logical mind, Mannaz is especially helpful for academic work, exams, and other mental activities. It is also a powerful rune for confronting issues that have an impact on a whole civilization or society, particularly those that have their underpinnings in the psyche. Reversed, it can represent alienation, deception, delusion, and manipulations of all kinds.
KEYWORDS: Community, personal relations, values, morality, the human collective
21. Laguz ᛚ – “Lake”
Laguz means “Water” and is esoterically tied to the subconscious mind of the collective. Due to its connection with the Water element, it is also associated with feelings and emotions, intuition, healing ability, and one’s dream life.
This rune symbolizes the power and initiation of life, and as such, it suggests a capacity for rejuvenation as well as sharpened psychic and artistic abilities. It’s also connected to secrecy, mystery, the cryptic, and the shadow of the psyche. When it is reversed, it can signify anxiety, bad judgment, and spiritual detachment.
KEYWORDS: Insight, intuition, dreams, visions, secrets, mysteries, knowledge, creativity, restoration, instincts
22. Ingwaz ᛝ – “Fertility”
Ingwaz is the rune of fertility, representing the Earth God Ing. It points to fertility, virility, wellbeing, ancestry, family, and loose ends being tied up, as well as lineage. It has no reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: Fertility, virility, inner growth, virtue, peace, harmony
23. Othala ᛟ – “Heritage”
Our ancestors’ spiritual strength, subconscious wisdom, and genetic lineage are all represented by the rune Othala.
It speaks of our divine heritage and the enduring legacy of our lives. It is about realigning our values with what is truly essential, as well as respecting and honoring the wisdom we have received from our ancestors who came before us.
This rune is also a symbol of collective abundance, success, independence, and aspirations. To reach such states, Othala advises that you must focus your energies on the objectives you wish to accomplish. Don’t give up, stay persistent, and have confidence in your capabilities. Remember, a flower cannot be rushed or forced to bloom before it is ready, and neither can fate. Have faith and be patient as you work toward your goals!
Reversed, Othala might be a sign of bias and unwelcome inherited problems.
KEYWORDS: Inheritance, estate, abundance, legacy, spiritual growth, principles, reformation
24. Dagaz ᛞ – “Dawn”
The rune of the dawn and day is Dagaz, which has a misleadingly simple and clear expression. The shadows of fear, ignorance, and grief succumb to illumination, solace, and faith.
Dagaz’s design helps us grasp that matters are more complicated than they appear to be. Similar to The World card in Tarot, this rune depicts maturation and the conclusion of a cycle. There will soon be fresh starts, as well as potential for new discoveries, insights, and rebirths.
It symbolizes the ability of transformation to evolve. When you receive this rune, know that now is an excellent moment to start something new. Mostly as confirming, uplifting sign of assurance, stability, and trust, it does not carry a reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: New beginnings, light, day, enlightenment, awareness, transparency, optimism, harmony, evolution
25. Odin’s Rune (optional)
As previously indicated, some rune sets include an additional blank rune designating the Norse God’s (aka Odin’s) guarded secrets. It illustrates that we are not expected to know all of the answers or solutions in life, and that’s okay.
As a result, its meanings are obscure, mysterious, concealed, open to interpretation, and undefinable; when the time is right, the answer you seek will make itself known to you.
How To Cast Runes And Do A Reading
Historically, runes were more commonly utilized as a traditional, normal alphabet, just like Latin or Greek. If they were to be used in any sort of “mystical” way, it was often for the crafting of magical amulets and talismans, although they were believed to be just like any other letter, carrying no significant, special meaning of their own.
However, the art of reading runes still took place. In ancient times, it was considered to be a sort of divine practice, a communication with the Gods. In order to avoid humanly prejudice or bias from influencing a reading, rune readers would cast or draw the runes onto a white silk cloth while keeping their eyes directed upward towards the Gods. Only the runes that were facing right-side-up could would then be read; turned-over runes were often ignored.
Today, choosing each rune stone based on intuition and arranging them into a “spread” is the favored approach for reading runes, which is more like reading a Tarot or oracle card.
You can choose classic runes carved onto stone or wood, runes on cards (which I prefer), or runes on various crystals. You can even create your own by collecting 24 items of comparable size, and if you can’t locate any, create your own out of clay, wood, or paper. Once you have your chosen objects, start writing, painting, or engraving a runic letter on each one.
You can use them as independent sigils or as part of a reading. Simply draw them wherever you like as a lucky charm, carve them into candles, add them to your spellwork, or utilize them in any other way you feel inspired to.
Below, we’ll go over the 3 basic steps of how to do a rune reading: cleanse your runes, think of question and (intuitively) draw, and then interpret!
How To Do a Rune Reading
1. CLEANSE YOUR RUNES
Like all divination techniques, it is advised to cleanse the runes of any residual energies before using them.
This can be achieved by exposing them to sunlight or moonlight, burying them in salt, or using smoke to purify them. Another way to create the right atmosphere for a rune reading is to light a candle, burn incense, diffuse essential oils, etc.
To ground and center yourself and to free your mind, take a few long, deep breaths while holding your runes bag in your non-dominant hand. You can also see a bright, white or gold light purifying the runes and your aura, or roots anchoring you to the center of the earth. To help, you can summon your guardian angels, your spirit guides, your higher self, your dieties, or any other source that speaks to you.
2. THINK OF A QUESTION & (INTUITIVELY) SELECT YOUR RUNES
Once you’re ready, consider the matter or question you’d like an answer for, and then remove the runes one at a time using your dominant hand while stating the precise query or problem they will be addressing beforehand, either aloud or in your thoughts. You can c hoose one rune to serve as a yes/no answer or scatter your runes out in a predefined order, known as a “spread”.
3. INTERPRET
After your runes have been placed in the layout you’ve chosen, analyze each one individually for both literal and symbolic meaning before combining them to form a message.
It can be a helpful practice to pay attention to your gut feeling and initial intuition before you seek their formal definitions. It is best to follow your intuition because rune stone interpretations might differ significantly due to their age. You can, if you’d like, log your reading and review it at a later time to see how it turned out or if any new ideas emerged.
If you’d prefer, you might also determine whether a rune is upright or reversed. A rune casting can be performed to provide precise information or shine light on a particular circumstance.
Rune Layouts
- 3-RUNE SPREAD: This is the traditional situation-advice-outcome, past-present-future (also known as “The Three Norns”), or mind-body-spirit spread. Simply combining three runes is supposed to have enormous power because three was regarded as a sacred number.
- 4-RUNE SPREAD: This spread can help you understand a situation better. The first rune represents the past influences associated with the question; the second rune reflects the external factors or needs and wants of others that contributed to the issue at hand; the third rune denotes your current wants; and the fourth rune signifies the potential future outcome or guidance.
- 6-RUNE SPREAD: This spread is known as the “Runic Cross”. The first three, arranged horizontally, represent the past, present, and future; the following three, arranged vertically through top to bottom in order to create a cross-spread. The 4th vertical rune stands for the unspoken or underlying causes of the current situation, the 5th rune speaks of challenges or difficulties, and the 6th rune represents recommended action or advice.
You are welcome to design your own spreads or modify Tarot or oracle card spreads and use them with your runes to meet your needs best. After all, rune reading is an intuitive technique that will assist you in connecting with your inner wisdom – don’t be afraid to listen to your gut and create your own intuitive spreads or interpretations!
That’s all for this beginner’s guide on Elder Futhark runes! To learn more, check out our other posts on runes or other mystical musings, such as tarot or astrology.
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