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The Healing Runes
Blum and Loughan have set out to fill a gigantic void in the healing field, and they have created healing interpretations for all the Runes. By using the classic Rune symbols and following the age-old Rune reading methods, they created a tool with 25 aspects for the emotional, psychological, and physical healing of people in times of crisis.
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 1995
About the author
Ralph H. Blum
34 books39 followersRalph Blum (5/1932-) is a writer and cultural anthropologist who has been working with the Runes as a tool for self-counselling since 1977.
One of three children born to silent film star, Carmel Myers, during her second marriage to husband Ralph Henriques Blum, Sr. (1893-1950) (Her first marriage was to Isidore Kornblum, which ended in divorce in 1923). Ralph Blum (Jr.), was also the nephew of Hollywood writer and director, Zion Myers, Carmel's older brother.
Blum studied at Harvard University (1950-1957). During this time, he also spent a period of time in Italy as a Fulbright Scholar, returned to Harvard, where he did graduate work in anthropology with grants from the National Science Foundation and the Ford Foundation, and finally earning a BA in Russian Studies and Anthropology, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.
He later studied Soviet Cinema at Leningrad University from 1961-1963. His reporting from the Soviet Union, the first of its kind for The New Yorker (1961-1965), included two three-part series on Russian cultural life.
In 1982, the modern usage of the runes for answering life's questions was apparently originated by Ralph Blum in his divination book The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle, which was marketed with a small bag of round tiles with runes stamped on them. This book has remained in print since its first publication. The sources for Blum's divinatory interpretations, as he explained in The Book of Runes itself, drew heavily on then-current books describing the ancient I Ching divination system of China.
Each of Blum's seven books on runic divination deals with a specialized area of life or a varied technique for reading runes:
The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes (1982); revised 10th Anniversary Edition (1992); revised 25th Anniversary Edition (2007).
The Rune Cards: Sacred Play for Self Discovery (1989); reissued as The Rune Cards: Ancient Wisdom For the New Millennium (1997). Rather than rune stones, this book uses images of the runes printed on card stock, much like a set of trading cards or tarot cards.
The Healing Runes with co-author Susan Loughan (1995) teaches methods for using runic divination in the context of health and personal integration.
Rune Play: A Method of Self Counseling and a Year-Round Rune Casting Recordbook (1996)
The Serenity Runes: Five Keys to the Serenity Prayer with co-author Susan Loughan (1998); reissued as The Serenity Runes: Five Keys to Spiritual Recovery (2005) utilizes runic divination as a method for assisting self-help and recovery from addictions; the title is a reference to the well-known serenity prayer widely used in the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Ralph H. Blum's Little Book of Runic Wisdom (2002).
The Relationship Runes: A Compass for the Heart with co-author Bronwyn Jones (2003) shows how to use runic divination in matters of love and friendship.
Blum has also written books on the Tao Te Ching, Zen Buddhism, and UFOs. His work has also been published in Readers Digest, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Saturday Evening Post, and Western Horseman. Blum also published three novels: The Simultaneous Man (1970), Old Glory and the Real-Time Freaks (1972), and The Foreigner. Both The Simultaneous Man and Old Glory... reflect his involvement in early drug research.
Recently, Blum won the Nautilus Book Award Medal for Investigative Reporting for his latest book, written in collaboration with oncologist Mark Scholz, MD, Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers. He has been living with prostate cancer, without radical intervention, for twenty years.
Ralph Blum currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and on Ikaria Island, Greece with his wife Jeanne Elizabeth Blum, an author in her own right, best known for her book Woman
One of three children born to silent film star, Carmel Myers, during her second marriage to husband Ralph Henriques Blum, Sr. (1893-1950) (Her first marriage was to Isidore Kornblum, which ended in divorce in 1923). Ralph Blum (Jr.), was also the nephew of Hollywood writer and director, Zion Myers, Carmel's older brother.
Blum studied at Harvard University (1950-1957). During this time, he also spent a period of time in Italy as a Fulbright Scholar, returned to Harvard, where he did graduate work in anthropology with grants from the National Science Foundation and the Ford Foundation, and finally earning a BA in Russian Studies and Anthropology, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.
He later studied Soviet Cinema at Leningrad University from 1961-1963. His reporting from the Soviet Union, the first of its kind for The New Yorker (1961-1965), included two three-part series on Russian cultural life.
In 1982, the modern usage of the runes for answering life's questions was apparently originated by Ralph Blum in his divination book The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle, which was marketed with a small bag of round tiles with runes stamped on them. This book has remained in print since its first publication. The sources for Blum's divinatory interpretations, as he explained in The Book of Runes itself, drew heavily on then-current books describing the ancient I Ching divination system of China.
Each of Blum's seven books on runic divination deals with a specialized area of life or a varied technique for reading runes:
The Book of Runes: A Handbook for the Use of an Ancient Oracle: The Viking Runes (1982); revised 10th Anniversary Edition (1992); revised 25th Anniversary Edition (2007).
The Rune Cards: Sacred Play for Self Discovery (1989); reissued as The Rune Cards: Ancient Wisdom For the New Millennium (1997). Rather than rune stones, this book uses images of the runes printed on card stock, much like a set of trading cards or tarot cards.
The Healing Runes with co-author Susan Loughan (1995) teaches methods for using runic divination in the context of health and personal integration.
Rune Play: A Method of Self Counseling and a Year-Round Rune Casting Recordbook (1996)
The Serenity Runes: Five Keys to the Serenity Prayer with co-author Susan Loughan (1998); reissued as The Serenity Runes: Five Keys to Spiritual Recovery (2005) utilizes runic divination as a method for assisting self-help and recovery from addictions; the title is a reference to the well-known serenity prayer widely used in the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Ralph H. Blum's Little Book of Runic Wisdom (2002).
The Relationship Runes: A Compass for the Heart with co-author Bronwyn Jones (2003) shows how to use runic divination in matters of love and friendship.
Blum has also written books on the Tao Te Ching, Zen Buddhism, and UFOs. His work has also been published in Readers Digest, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Saturday Evening Post, and Western Horseman. Blum also published three novels: The Simultaneous Man (1970), Old Glory and the Real-Time Freaks (1972), and The Foreigner. Both The Simultaneous Man and Old Glory... reflect his involvement in early drug research.
Recently, Blum won the Nautilus Book Award Medal for Investigative Reporting for his latest book, written in collaboration with oncologist Mark Scholz, MD, Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers. He has been living with prostate cancer, without radical intervention, for twenty years.
Ralph Blum currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and on Ikaria Island, Greece with his wife Jeanne Elizabeth Blum, an author in her own right, best known for her book Woman
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 7, 2011
A useful alternative interpretation of the rune stones (though I found the meanings for the runes given in this book and the traditional meanings to be fairly complementary -- the rune for "Partnership" is reinterpreted as "Trust," for example). An interesting take on using oracles.
April 24, 2026
I basically stayed away from Ralph Blum thus far because his reputation amongst runesters is not altogether glorious. I do understand why after reading this - however, it was definitely not all bad.
My main complaint is that he diverts from the original meaning of the runes completely. And in my opinion needlessly. He constructed an entirely different order for the runic alphabet and assigned each rune a meaning that is, in most cases, completely unrelated to the meaning it traditionally carries (example: Laguz in his system means 'humour'), and with this rebrands them as a runic system that can be specifically applied to healing.
The thing is, they can be applied to healing without changing the order or meaning. The idea that this would be necessary in my opinion signifies a total lack of understanding of the runes.
Also, there is a complete absence of context of the culture from which the runes originate. They are basically amputated from the culture and cosmology that they sprang from. Instead, the author speaks about 'God' and seams to view things from a semi-Christian perspective. I don't even completely object to somehow connecting Christianity to the runes, but as an addition - not as a way to replace the original cultural and mythological context.
However. It was not all bad. There are some interesting ideas mentioned in the text and Blum's approach could in a sense be called creative. He offers some ideas for rune spreads and other methods that could easily be adjusted to the traditional meanings of the runes. It also must be said that mr. Blum was active with the runes in a time when this subject was still very obscure, which deserves some appreciation, and perhaps this also explains why he felt the need to fit them into a Christian context.
My main complaint is that he diverts from the original meaning of the runes completely. And in my opinion needlessly. He constructed an entirely different order for the runic alphabet and assigned each rune a meaning that is, in most cases, completely unrelated to the meaning it traditionally carries (example: Laguz in his system means 'humour'), and with this rebrands them as a runic system that can be specifically applied to healing.
The thing is, they can be applied to healing without changing the order or meaning. The idea that this would be necessary in my opinion signifies a total lack of understanding of the runes.
Also, there is a complete absence of context of the culture from which the runes originate. They are basically amputated from the culture and cosmology that they sprang from. Instead, the author speaks about 'God' and seams to view things from a semi-Christian perspective. I don't even completely object to somehow connecting Christianity to the runes, but as an addition - not as a way to replace the original cultural and mythological context.
However. It was not all bad. There are some interesting ideas mentioned in the text and Blum's approach could in a sense be called creative. He offers some ideas for rune spreads and other methods that could easily be adjusted to the traditional meanings of the runes. It also must be said that mr. Blum was active with the runes in a time when this subject was still very obscure, which deserves some appreciation, and perhaps this also explains why he felt the need to fit them into a Christian context.
March 2, 2021
Ralph does an amazing job of taking the "woo" out of his explanation for runecraft and showing how relevent using an oracle is for all peoples today regardless of spiritual or lack of spiritual leanings. His forward is nothing short of a brilliant masterpiece.
October 10, 2024
Interesting. A balanced overview with lots of suggestions for approaches. I liked the origins / history section the most. Quite religious which didn't always sit right. Nice cover, not that anyone is judging.
September 21, 2020
There is power here
March 13, 2024
Love it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2008
see review for the book of runes
July 4, 2014
I really love this book as a meditation tool. I made a set of runes to go with it and I use it every morning to start my day.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews