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

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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.

The most widely practiced form of rune magic today is the use of runes in magical inscriptions. Traditionally, runes are carved into objects to create talismans for luck and protection. These can be personal objects, such as jewelry, drinking cups, wallets, or even houses—anything of value that you want to empower or protect with magical energy.

Runic talismans, like the runes themselves, are considered to be “alive” with magical energy. They are either kept permanently, or, in the case of rune tines, they are ritually “released” from existence once their magical purpose has been fulfilled, often by burning or burying them in the Earth.

The simplest form of magical runic inscription is a series of runes carved in a horizontal row. The runes and the order they appear in are chosen deliberately according to the magical goal.

Typically, a rune script will have at least 3 and generally not more than 9 runes. Rune workers rooted in Germanic traditional magic usually choose an odd number—either 3, 5, 7, or 9—but there’s no reason to avoid using even numbers if they resonate with you.

The most important factor is that you’ve considered the meanings and magical uses of the chosen runes carefully, and placed them in the order...

And keep in mind that more runes doesn’t necessarily equal a more powerful talisman. If you load it up with more than you need to communicate your intentions effectively, you run...