If you are interested in divinatory arts, you have probably already heard of runomancy, which is divination through runes. To introduce you to this type of reading and the interpretation of divinatory runes, discover the following practical guide! We explain how to use these magical symbols in 5 questions.
Rune casting is one of the oldest divinatory methods in the world. It uses runes, an alphabet composed of 24 symbols, with the oldest trace found in Denmark in the 2nd century AD.
Scandinavian mythology tells that the god Odin found the runes after hanging himself for nine nights on the World Tree Yggdrasil, pierced by his own spear as a sacrifice.
This runic alphabet, known as the futhark, is the ancestor of Scandinavian and Germanic alphabets. It is believed to have appeared over 2000 years ago.
In the larger family of Indo-European languages, the term "rune," whose etymology is obscure, only exists in Celtic and Germanic languages.
It is believed that the Celts already used these symbols engraved in wood or inscribed on small stones to consult the gods.
Indeed, in Proto-Celtic, the language that would be the origin of all known Celtic languages, the root "runo" means secret, mystery, secret knowledge but also magic or incantation.
The Roman historian Tacitus describes this divinatory art in the treatise he devotes to the Germanic tribes: "Their way of casting lots is always the same. They cut a branch of hazel and cut it into strips. They inscribe a symbol on each strip and randomly throw them on a white cloth."
To practice runomancy, you need a personal set of runes and a white cloth.
The kits available in esoteric shops generally consist of 25 small natural stones. 24 are engraved with a runic symbol and 1 is without inscription.
Wooden rune sets can also be found online and in specialized shops. And of course, it is possible to make your own set of runes by collecting small pebbles in nature and drawing one of these 24 symbols on each stone.
Like in all divinatory arts, rune casting is accompanied by a ritual and there are several ways to question the runes. To do a casting, always start by laying a white cloth on a flat surface.
Although some recommend taking a handful of runes and throwing them like dice, the simplest method to get started in this divinatory art is to do a 3-rune casting.
Ask a question out loud or in your mind, then draw 3 runes and place them face down in front of you in the following order:
• the first rune to your right
• the second rune in the center
• the third rune to the left
To properly interpret the symbols you have drawn, you need to know that each rune has both a literal and concrete meaning (such as the sun, cattle, hammer, wheel...) and an abstract meaning (change, protection, learning, joy...).
In a three-rune casting, remember that:
• the first rune, placed on the right, refers to your current situation and brings new insight into this situation
• the second rune invites you to reflect on the position to take in the face of this problematic situation
• the third rune provides you with keys to take action and evolve the situation.
Indeed, even though consulting runic symbols can help you better understand a problematic situation, the solution can only come from you. You are the master of your own destiny, and the solution to your problems can only arise from your own actions.