Runes for Beginners: A Guide to Reading Runes in Divination, Rune Magic, and the Meaning of the Elder Futhark Runes (The Divination Series: Tarot, Runes and More)

by Lisa Chamberlain

Urd (the eldest sister) represents “What Once Was,” Verdandi (the middle sister) represents “What Is Coming into Being,” and Skuld (the youngest) represents “What Shall Be.”

In this way each rune name serves as a bridge between the human mind and the ethereal realm of divine wisdom that the runes inhabit.

Freyr’s Aett symbolizes the forces of creation, Hagal’s Aett is concerned with forces of disruption and change, and Tyr’s Aett represents divine forces as they relate to the human experience.

One approach that works well is to study and meditate on one rune per day, for 24 days, which allows you to focus solely on that particular symbol’s energies without getting distracted by any of the other runes.

Try simply gazing at each symbol and listening to any feelings, words or other impressions that come through.

Speaking a thought out loud was to make the thought real in a way that could never be reversed.

Now the magical power of symbol was fused with the power of speech, which is also intertwined with the power of sound, in the form of magical vibrations created within the body.

Norse literature also shows us that the runemasters of old recognized different categories of runes, according to how they were used. For example, malrunes were useful in matters relating to words and language, while hugrunes were concerned with mental ability. Brunrunes were for ensuring good weather at sea, which was obviously crucial during the Viking era, and limrunes were used in healing the sick.