Correspondence table runes/technology

Posted on April 16, 2009 by mohnkern

Runic correspondences for technology.

 

Rune Correspondence Discussion
Fehu Paypal Fehu is not just about wealth, but about the movement of wealth between people.  Paypal (http://www.paypal.com) is an excellent symbol of this idea of money flowing freely between individuals.
Uruz ESPN When we think of Uruz, we typically think of strength, however, someone else pointed out that it tends to have a very masculine character about it.  While somewhat stereotypical, when I think of that concept of that masculine strength, and the sense of macho, the ESPN web site comes to mind.
Ansuz Google Ansuz represents sudden insight, or knowledge without work.   Google, and in general search engines such as Yahoo, represent this ability to require knowledge “out of the ether.”

 

 
Thurisaz Virus protection programs Thurisaz can be a rune of aggressive protection in addition to the rune of “hard times.”  Thurisaz can threaten to destroy things that come to hurt you.  With that idea in mind Virus protection programs, such as Macafee anti-virus are representative of Thurisaz.
Raidho Domain Name Service Raidho is about getting places without not caring how we get there.  Domain Name Service, or the technology which converts names like google.com into something computers can use is an excellent representation of “getting there” without caring how.
Kenaz Wikipedia Kenaz represents knowledge gain through work, like academic knowledge.  While Google allows us to quickly grab information out of the air, Wikipedia allows us to read, and do research, and study.
Gebo Ebay Gebo is the gift, and for anyone that’s been on the Internet for any period of time, they realize that shopping is a big “piece” of what happens on the net.  So Online shopping represents Gebo.  In particular, ebay is an excellent representation of Gebo.
Wunjo Online Gaming Joy, happiness, contentment.  These are all ideas that surround Wunjo.  However there’s also a side of Wunjo that warns us not to be come addicted to the happiness for its own sake.  When we look at Online gaming and Online gaming addictions we see this, both people who find contentment, however also find them selves not progressing forward, because they are happy where they are.
Hagalaz Computer Viruses Hagalaz represents destruction, or hail.  It represents the destructive forces of the universe.  With this in mind, Computer Viruses and Trojans represent a force of Hagalaz.
Nauthiz Electricity Nauthiz is the rune of need, and the requirement that we work for our needs.  When we think of this terms of modern technology, there’s one thing that makes all of this run, and that’s electricity.  Electricity is the driving force behind all modern technology, as our needs often times are the driving force in our lives. 

 

 
Isa Service Outages Isa represents ice, and the dangers of ice, and our inability to complete the journey laid before us.  When we think about the Internet today, and how its a driving force in much of what we do, Isa is well represented by Service outages.
Jera Online Calendars Jera represents the harvest, and the completion of projects.  It signifies and end of one thing, and the progression onto something else.  It also has a cyclic nature about it.  Jera has a very strong tie to the concept of time, and the passage of time.  With that Online Calendars are an excellent representation of Jera.
Eihwaz The Internet Backbone When we think of Eihwaz, we think of the tree Yggdrasil, and the strength of its roots, trunk and branches, and how it ties everything together.  Without the tree, there is nothing.  For this reason when we think about modern technology, and what binds it together, one can think of The Internet Backbone.
Perthro Start up Internet Businesses Perthro is the rune of mystery, its the dice up, it’s chance, its fate, it’s what keeps us on our toes.  One could certainly see Internet Gambling as the ultimate techology dice cup.  However, we can also think of Start up Internet Businesses as individuals who have choosen to toss the cup and see where fate takes them.
Algiz Firewalls lgiz represents protection like a shield.  So when we think of algiz in terms of technology, concepts such as Firewalls is an appropriate representation of the concept of having that shield that protects you.
Sowilo The Webby Awards Sowilo often times represents honor bestowed upon people that’s of a non-monetary  nature.  It’s about looking good before others, and being recognized for the work that you do.  With that The Webby Awards which recognize outstanding Internet achievements and innovative media is a representation of Sowilo.
Tiwaz Digital Signatures When we think of Tiwaz we think of two things, justice is the most common, however more importantly the concept of honoring agreements, and agreements between people is what is at the core of Tiwaz.  When we think of technology we don’t think about agreements we’ve made very often.  However, when we engage in commerce on the Internet, we make agreements all the time.  For that reason Digital Signatures are an excellent representation of the agreements between men in the world of technology.
Berkano Venture Capital Organizations Berkano represents birth, and the beginning of new things.  As we think about technology in modern times, we realize that most new technology comes through inspiration.  However the inspiration alone is not enough.  Just as childbirth is physically demanding, taking the inspiration of a technology and making it tangible for the world can be difficult.  With this concept in mind, we turn to Venture Capital organizations that provide funding, sometimes in the most unusual of circumstances to technologies that otherwise might it in a garage never used.
Ehaz Surfing the web Ehwaz represent the horse, and the journey.  As we think about modern technology and this concept of journeying, one thing comes to mind, and thats the endless clicking on link after link after link on web pages, wondering what you’ll see next.  For that reason Surfing the Web represents this idea of Journeying.
Mannaz Social Networks Mannaz represents mankind, society, our reputation, and the relationships that tie us together outside of our hearth.  Social Networks have allowed us to meet new people, from around the globe, and develop relationships, and establish a reputation within any given social network.
Laguz WebMD Laguz represents water, and the healing power of water.  In today’s society we’re no longer dependent upon medical professionals to help us determine what may aile us.  WebMD and other medical information sites have allowed us to determine our own process of healing, whatever that may be.
Inguz Email and Instant Messaging Inguz represent our choosen family, or our hearth.  With today’s technology’s we have been able to extend this concept of family through communication, and for that reason, Email, and Instant messaging is a representation of Inguz.
Dagaz Television Dagaz represents the Phoenix, and the rebirth of something new out of something old.  When we think about the development of technology, we rarely think of using old “stuff” and building on it to build something new.  However, if we look at Television, and how its changed from being a medium of just a few channels, broadcast across the airwaves, to cable, high definition, and interactive in nature, we see that Television, in many respects, is trying to re-invent itself for modern society.
Othala Network Firewalls I’ve come to an understanding that Othala is not just about ancestral property, but it’s also about that line between the physical stuff that belongs to the family, and that which does not.  For that reason, a network firewall, which serves as the guardian between our networks, and the networks of others, serves as a representation of Othala.

 

Posted in Correspondence Tables for Runes | Leave a comment

Alternative Rune Layouts

Posted on April 16, 2009 by mohnkern

Introduction

Using runes in divination when looking at them from a historical perspective is somewhat problematic, because while we see evidence of the runes being used for divinatory purposes, we have very little information about how they were used, other than that they were cast.

 

  • The first place we see mention of the runes being used in divination is Tacitus’ Germania from the 1st century.  In this text, he describes “signs” chosen in groups of three and cut from “a nut-bearing tree,” although the runes do not seem to have been in use at the time of Tacitus’ writings.
  • The second mention we have of this is the Yinglinga saga, where during a Blot chips “fell” foretelling the demise of Granmar.  There certainly seems some indication that these chips were something similar to runes like we think of them today.
  • In Vita Ansgari by Rimbert there are three cases where “lots are drawn” to foretell the future.

 

In addition, divination is problematic because while the norse did have a concept of “destiny” and certainly the three norns wove the future, there’s also a strong philosophy within the northern european philosophy that one can have an impact on the future, and nothing is truly “destined” to happen, other than Ragnarok.

 

Nevertheless, there have been many attempts to extrapolate, primarily through self examination and experience, the system for divination with respect to the runes.  It’s interesting that while Bind Runes have more historical information behind them, typically when one thinks of the runes, one thinks of divination.

Here I’m not going to go into an extensive discussion about how run reading works, for that I would recommend reading the “Introduction to Runes” document. Introduction_to_Rune_Reading where I address the magical concept of the runes, and how they fit within northern european beliefs.   Here we’ll talk about the various layouts.

 

A Quick note about rune orientation.

As you read rune layout texts you’ll undoubtedly encounter some terms with respect to the position of “how the rune falls”:

  • Reversed
  • Merkstave
  • inverted

 

All these refer to a given rune being “upside down”  in the reading. 

You may also encounter references to the angles runes have to each other, particularly if you’re doing a “dice cup” reading (see below).

 

Since we’re dealing with a situation where there is effectively no historical guidance with respect to the matter, we’re left to our own personal experience and feeling to make a decision.  In my “tradition” I’ve concluded that there really is no such thing as a reversed rune, for the following reasons:

  1. There are several runes that cannot be inverted, including Gebo, Jera, Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Eiwhaz and Inguz (Ingwaz).  They look the same one direction as the other, therefore they can’t be reversed.  This constitutes 1/4 of your rune set.
  2. Runes started as an alphabet.  We don’t think of our latin alphabet as having “reversed” characters with different meanings, so why should the runes be any different?
  3. Northern European philosophy centers around the concept of simplicity of purpose.  The 24 runes provide an excellent set of “slips” for which to do reading, and to complicate things by increasing the number to 48 (2 X 24) makes readings significantly more difficult, especially when you consider that those that promote reversed readings generally do not use “it means the opposite” rule.
  4. There are enough runes that have significant negative connotation (Isa, Nauthiz, Hagalaz, and Dagaz), along with others that have warning signs that there isn’t really a need to artificially create a negative connotation set of meanings in the runes.

 

 

The Three Rune Layout

The three rune layout is perhaps the easiest, and sometimes the most useful layout to use.  It basically consists of the questioner drawing three runes and placing them down in from of them.

 

 

 

 

In this layout we have three positions. 

 

  1. The first position represents the past, the questioners history, and what “brought them here to the reading.”  It can represent a persons past, however it may represent “why they are getting a reading.”
  2. The second position represents the current situation.  For those familiar with Tarot reading, there’s an inclination to think of this as “The present” however it’s slightly different.  The northern europeans had no concept of “right now” so much as “what’s happening right now.”  The way to think of it is like a river.  You can’t stop a river from flowing, however you can take a photograph of it, and look at it.  The concept of instant is like that, it’s showing you a snapshot in time.
  3. The Result represents where you will end up if you continue down the current path you’re following.  As we discussed before, Northern Europeans didn’t necessarily believe in a fixed destiny, however the norns did weave the future into the wyrd, and so this result effectively represents what will be woven into the wyrd if things don’t change.

 

When you speak with a majority of rune readers, this three rune layout is “pretty typical.”

 

I’ve made a personal modification, with absolutely no historical basis, but based upon my experience, and that’s to have the reader draw a fourth rune.

 

It’s easier to explain why I have them draw a fourth rune, rather than trying to explain what it represents.

 

Since we’re working under a philosophy that there is no fixed destiny, and we thinking about the tale of Schroedinger’s cat , which while not a historical tale by any stretch of the imagination, does point to the philosophy of “we cannot look at something without changing it.”  In the case of a rune reading, you’ve given the questionner a glimpse of what may come to pass, and they are in the process of making decisions based upon this.

 

So this fourth rune is a reflection of this effect.  It can represent what the questioner is thinking, it can also represent something else they should be considering, but aren’t right now.  The point of this rune is to give the reading a fluidity with respect to the questioner’s thinking.

 

The Five Rune Layout

The five rune layout is similar to the three rune layout:

 

 

 

 

 

Here we see that we still have the 1st three runes, representing past, instant, and the result.  However we’ve added two more runes:

 

  • Unchangeable — This rune represents facts and circumstances that you cannot change, despite your efforts.  The rune here represents items that you should not try to influence.
  • Assistance — This rune represents the assistance you can get with respect to the issue at hand.  It may point a direction to solve your problems, or what path you can take to change your result if you are dissatisfied with it.

 

A five rune layout can be helpful particularly if someone is asking a question related to solving a problem that they are having difficulty with. 

The Seven Rune Layout

The Seven rune layout changes the way we lay things out significantly:

 

 

 

 

Here we’ve moved drastically far away from the three and five rune layouts.  It is also the 1st layout where a given “factor” is not defined by one, but by two runes.

 

  • The first two runes describe the problem that the questioner is dealing with. 
  • The second set of two runes (3 and 4) describe the past, and what circumstances lead to the problem that the questioner now has.
  • The next two runes (5 and 6) represent the advice of the gods to resolving the problem in the most advantageous way possible.
  • and the final rune represents what will result if the advice is followed.

 

This type of cast definitely takes some work to get good at, because it goes beyond just taking a specific rune and determining it’s meaning.  Here we’re talking about having to relate two runes together to a specific factor.   While doing this type of reading can be difficult, it also is a type of reading that helps the reader develop his skills.

The Nine Worlds Layout

The “nine worlds” layout is extremely complex, and can rarely be fully understood in one setting.  Its a layout that’s truly designed for exploring your journey, and where you are headed.  It is also a requires a significant analysis of how the runes relate to each other:

 

 

 

 

The best approach to examining this layout is to start in the center, with Midgard (our world) and work your way out in concentric circles.

 

Midgard – This represents You, and your state of being.

Alfheimr, Asgard, Hel, andSvartalfheim — These represent the influences on the questioner with respect to what is being asked.  Alfheimr and Svartalfheim represent influences of a personal nature, directly relating to the questioner,  Hel  and Asgard represent influences that are more “worldly” than specifically related to the questioner.

Specifically these positions are as follows:

Alfheimr — Mental influences. Family matters. Messages of Huginn(one of Odin’s Ravens);directions in which you should plan. What will help you. Paths to help you realize influences from Àsgard.

Asgard — Higher influences. Nature of relationships with the divinities. The veiled branches of the question. Matters of honor, positive (active) influence from past states of existence (“incarnations:)–ørlög. Individuality. Highest plane. Higher self. Spirituality.

Hel — Hidden or suppressed instinctual desires. Nature of automatic functions or behaviors. The hidden route of the question. Negative (passive, restrictive) influence from pasts states of existence&emdash;ørlög. Destructive part of the Feminine, hidden fourth aspect of the moon; the devouring part of the mother; the half-alive half-dead daughter of Loki, half black, half white.

Svartalfheim — Creative emotional influences. Money matters. Messages from Muninn&emdash;things you should reflect on. Paths to realize influence from Hel. Sensation (Earth). The Dark Elves are smiths, like Volund, working with minerals, taking base materials from the earth and transmuting them into higher materials.

 

Vanaheim, Muspellheim, Jotunheim, and Niflheim — These represent the state of the universe surrounding the questioner.

These positions are as follows:

Vanaheim —  Promotes growth. Erotic relationships. Persons of the opposite sex. Balancing influences. Forces of continuity, structure, and well being. Feeling (Water).

Muspellsheim —  State of vial energies, that which vitalizes you. Active influences from outside. Things tending toward activity.

Jotunheim —  That which confuses you. That which may be left to chance. Forces pressing for change. Realm of crisis. Disruptive, raw masculine forces of the unconscious; the destructive male urge; the chaotic part of the self.

Niflheim —  That which resists you. Passive or restrictive influences from the outside. Things tending toward dormancy. The deepest part of the shadow in the unconscious. Nifelhel of Niflheim means literally “fog world”. Fog is an intangible, insidious state between water and air. All the rejects of the conscious get deposited here. It is the place from which conflicts originate.

 

As you can see, there’s a lot to “process” here, and the nature of determining how the meaning of a given rune fits within a specific world can be a difficult task indeed!

Something interesting to note is that if you take the nine worlds, and lay them out in this format, you end up with the 8 compass points.  One could certainly use that analogy when looking at the runes when you cast them.

 

The Dice Cup

The “Dice Cup” may in fact be the most “historically accurate” of all the types of readings that are discussed here.  However, it also has a certain level of “fuzzy logic” that may not sit well with those who are more used to tarot, i-ching, or other types of divination.

The concept behind the dice cup is that the questioner reaches into the bag of runes, and grabs out as many as they feel appropriate and tosses them on the mat.  Now you need to look at the runes, and how they placed themselves in groupings, and how the position of these runes relate to each other.   One can also look at the runes that are either closest to the center, or closest to the questioner, and do an analysis in that direction, with those being closest to the questioner or center being “more important” than the outlyers.

This type of reading certainly has a lot of flexibility to it, however, it also is likely to take a lot of discussion between the reader and the questioner, as discussed in my Reading 201 class. Since you don’t have a distinct “path” to follow, you have to trust your judgement, and the judgement of who you are reading for.

Posted in Rune Reading | Leave a comment

Bind Rune Examples

Posted on April 16, 2009 by mohnkern

Bind Rune Examples

The creation of bind runes are are northern european magical tradition that use the creation of a foci for purposes of exercising ones will with respect to the universe.  The following are bind runes that I’ve developed/created, with an explanation of the runes that contain them.

 

For purposes of creating these bind runes, you can either print them out, and use them as appropriate, or alternatively you can draw the runes, one at a time, until you create the glyph. 

Bind runes for self improvement

Healing of the back

A friend of mine mentioned that they were having back problems (due to an injury), so I decided to create a bind rune for the healing of the back.  After consideration, I used the following runes:

 

— Eihwaz stands for the Tree Yggdrasil, and the strength of a tree.  When one thinks of the body, your spine is  the trunk of the tree.

 

– Algiz is the elk, or the rune of protection, when you think of this rune, you should think of the prevention of harm.  Algiz is upside down in this stav, to protect the base of the tree, and its roots.  This is appropriate, as when we think of back strength, the lower back is often times where we have problems, and also lower back strength is critical to overall health of the back.

 

— Laguz represents the lake, and water, which feeds the tree Yggdrasil from the Well Urdr.  Laguz represents healing and renewal.  Laguz actually appears twice, once “upright” and once upside down in the rune.

 

The result of this is:

 

 

After creation of this bind rune, we also see:

 

– Wunjo.  This rune represents happiness.   Certainly a healthy strong back can make one happy.

 

Once you’ve created this bind rune, and placed it where appropriate (Perhaps at your desk, or somewhere near your bed) think on it when you see it.  When I examined this bind rune the glyph represented the strong lower back at the bottom, represented by the diamond, with ones head at the top.  Think about the healing power of the water coming onto your lower back, and building a strong trunk.

 

Finding a job

Finding a job can be a difficult task, and staying focused on it is very difficult.  This bind rune can provide you a focus, reminding you to stay focus on “the prize.”

It contains the following;

 

– Fehu is the rune of wealth, and the acquistion of material goods.    It reminds us that the acquistion of cattle (money) is not the end but rather the start. 

 

– Tiwaz is the rune of agreements and contracts.  Here you’re hoping to enter into an agreement with your employer, where you provide them with work, and they provide you with money 🙂

 

– Sowilo is the rune of recognition.  While a job certainly has a Fehu component to it, it also has a component of recognition, that you, as a person, have value to whoever you are working for.  While certainly money is one of our primary objectives in a job, recognition is as well.

 

– Berkano is the rune of birth.  It’s the rune of new directions, and things to come.  When we think of Berkano we think of something new, that needs cared for, like a baby, or our new job.

 

– Nauthiz represents need, and the things we need.  In today’s society, we cannot survive without an income, and a job.  The money that a job brings to us allows us to put a roof over our heads, feed ourselves and our family, and function within society.  While we hope that our job will bring us more than our necessities, it does need to bring us enough money to satisfy our needs, whatever they are.

 

Controlling anger and energy, plus improvement in sleep

This rune is designed for people who are having issue with uncontrolled anger and energy to the point where it’s impacting their sleep cycles.  It contains the following runes:

– Uruz  Uruz represents the Aurochs, the large ox of the north. It represents productive strength, however, control of this strength is critical, because if the control is lost, the energy transitions from a productive one, to a destructive one.

– Isa represents the ice, and the stillness of the ice and cold.  When contemplating this section of the bind rune, one needs to be cognizant of the fact that there are times when “staying still and observing” are in fact, the proper actions.

 – Wunjo — Wunjo represents joy.  When one is angry, it generally represents a lack of acceptance of joy, or a lack of acceptance of the joy that exists in your life.  This rune is here to remind you to accept the joy, and also to attract more joy into your life.

  Berkano — Berkano represents the rebirth, and a change in directions.  When one thinks of Berkano, one thinks of changing ones entire life, without destroying that which existed in the past.  Berkano is about “New Beginnings.”

 

 

Upon constructing this bind rune, there were several others that appeared:

 

– Laguz — Laguz represents the lake, and the healing power of water.  When one is focusing on this rune, one should also focus on the healing that you are going through.

 

Sowilo — Sowilo represents recognition for our works.  This recognition is not monetary in nature, but in the terms of reputation, honor, etc.  Sowil represents the sun.

 

Kenaz – Kenaz represents the torch, and the torch of knowledge.  As one learns to control ones rage, one should learn from it.

 

This bind rune had an additional aspect to it, which untl it was completed I hadn’t contemplated.  , which is the rune where we consider uncontrolled strength (the primary issue to be dealt with) in fact surrounds the entire bind rune.  It forms a frame upon which all the other runes are formed.

 

Healing from an injury

A friend (and student) of mine recently had an accident and ended up in a hospital far from home.  The following is a bind rune that I gave them for purposes of general healing.  YOu’ll notice that it contains many of the runes in the previously shown back healing rune, with some others as well.  It contains

 

Algiz  — Algiz represents general protection.

Uruz — Uruz Represents strength, and the strength of healing.

Laguz — Laguz represents the lake, and the healing power of water.

Inguz — Inguz represents family, and the caring of family.

 

Bind Runes of Protection

While we speak of Bind Runes as being “aggressive” magic, they can also have an aspect of protection about them.  The purpose of a protective bind rune is to focus your will in such a way as to provide resistance to potential threats to you, or others, depending upon the nature of the rune.

 

Bind Rune for protection of family members

The Havamal, in its list of 18 “Rune charms” lists three that is for purposes of protection.  The third charm is for the fettering of foes, the sixth is a “reflection of curse” and the eleventh is  for protection of friends in battle.

 

The Third:

A third I know, | if great is my need
Of fetters to hold my foe;
Blunt do I make | mine enemy’s blade,
Nor bites his sword or staff.

 

The Sixth:

A sixth I know, | if harm one seeks
With a sapling’s roots to send me;
The hero himself | who wreaks his hate
Shall taste the ill ere I.

 

The Eleventh:

An eleventh I know, | if needs I must lead
To the fight my long-loved friends;
I sing in the shields, | and in strength they go
Whole to the field of fight,
Whole from the field of fight,
And whole they come thence home.

 

Leaves of Yggdrasil (and Northern Mysteries and Magic) by Freya Aswynn offers some excellent suggestions on the runes that would be contained in each of these.  However there isn’t one that is a broad based protection bind rune with a focus on family members in general.

 

I constructed this bind rune out of the following runes:

 

— Algiz represents the elk, and the protection of the antlers, and of the gods.  When one is attempting to protect oneself, and needs help, calling upon the assistance of Algiz and the gods is appropriate.

 

— Thurisaz represents thorns.  By including Thursiaz in this bind rune one is asking the god to place thorns in front of those who wish to cause you harm.

 

— Inguz represents family, and the caring of family, including their protection.

 

— Othala represents the physical stuff of the family, including the hearth.  By using this rune, we’re not only asking for protection of ourselves, but also the physical property that makes up our family.

 

 

An alternative approach to protection of Friends and family with respect to spiritual and emotional issues would be to use the following runes:

 

— Inguz  – this is a rune that represent our family, our hearth, and those truly important to us.

— Algiz – this represents protection of yourself, and of others. 

— Thurisaz — This rune is the rune of frustration and impediment.  In this case, we turn the power of Thurisaz, the “thorn” outward, to those outside our family, causing them to have problems if they attempt to interfere with our family.

 

The result is:

Posted in Bind Runes | 13 Comments