View Full Version : Rune Study Group: Making your own set
Making your own Rune set
What can they be made out of?
I have seen many different materials used to create a set of Runes, and it is entirely up to the person who will be owning and using the Rune set as to what they use. The most common technique I have seen, and one I subsribed to myself initially, is to buy a set, already made. Some of these sets are beautiful, and mae great gifts for others. I have seen some absolutely stunning sets made og gold, jade, amethyst, and sets which use a different crystal for each Rune. I have also seen sets which are plainer, but still as beautiful, some using different woods for each Rune, some using stone, some clay. All are equally beuatiful, useful, and easy to use, except they come at a very high price on ocassions.
Some of the hand-made sets I have come across include glass nuggets, sea-shells, pebbles from a beach, wooden sets, bone or antler sets, and even paper sets! (Umbrae, I'm not really a heretic! ;) ) They really can be made using anything, and usually the materials can be found in your natural surroundings.
However, some materials are more practical than others! It is difficult to always carry a set of pebble Runes, as they can grow heavy after a while, whilst wooden Runes tend to be lighter. Storage may also be something to think about: Will the Runes you carry with you be under pressure? Maybe they'll be kept in a briefcase amongst other objects which might crush or damage seashell Runes or glass Runes? Durability is also an issue, so if you plan to make wooden Runes, you will need to take some precautions during the making process in order to make sure they stay healthy, and looking good as new! Some authors suggest that if you are going to use wood to make your Runes, you should cut it off a living tree, and make sure the tree you cut it off is a fruit-bearing tree. (Apple, yew, pine, cedar, redwood, olive, peach, pear, cherry.) They say this because a fruit-bearing tree will give your Runes a more fruitful air to them, and your readings will be more accurate, your bond with your Runes more enjoyable, and so on and so forth... They also say not to take the branch if it is dead, because the Runes then are not 'alive'... However, this is up to you. I know many a person who would object to cutting the branch of a living tree, ad would prefer to gather the branches off the ground.
How do I make a set of Runes?
If you are going for the paper option, it couldn't be easier! Its simply a case of getting 24 small slips of paper, and writing in ink the Runes, one Rune to each slip. However, if you want to go further with this, you could make Rune Cards. There are quite a few sets of Rune Cards available to buy, Ralph Blum's being the most famous right now. Basically, you just go one step further, and ullstrate the slips of paper with pictures having some reference to the meaning of each Rune, much like you would a Tarot card!
If you want to make Runes out of pebbles, sea-shells, crystals, or glass nuggets, you would do best not to carve in the symbols, as you would do with bone, antler, or wood, as you may crack the materials you are using. In this case, you may want to buy one of those gold or silver marker pens, and write a Rune on each of the stones, shells, crystals, nuggets. Then, when the ink is dry, you might want to varnish them to prevent the ink from scratching off due to overuse.
To make wooden Rune sets, it is alot more difficult, but the Runes themselves are more durable, as they actually have the symbols inscribed into them. To do this Rune set, here is what you'll need:
- A branch of wood, whtaever wood you choose.
- A small saw to cut the rune disks, possibly an electric jig saw or table saw.
- A clamp or vice for holding the Runes in place
- A tool for cutting the Rune symbols, possibly a chisel point carving knife, X-acto blade, screwdriver, wood-carving chisel, anything that cuts!
- Medium and fine sand paper
- Fine steel wool
- Reddening dye to colour the Runes. (Optional) If you do want this, then you could use the red pigment from tiver, minium, red india ink, red candle wax, dragon's blood resin, red jeweller's rouge, or red enamel paint. If you mix a little gold metallic paint with the reddening dye, you will get a shimmer on each Rune! (Yeah! Sparkles!) To be more traditional, for the red pigment, just prick your finger and let the blood act as the reddening agent. Of course, this is optional, and is not to everyone's taste.
- Linseed, lemon, walnut, or olive oil.
- A rag to apply the oil.
- Something to place the Runes on after they are reddened
- A sturdy, wide-mouthed Rune bag to put your Runes in when you are done. This can be made of any material, although natural fibres are often preferred. I have seen cotton, velvet, hessian, and so on... It sentirely up to you.
- Time. About 3 hours in total, so you might consider doing 8 Runes in one go, then another 8, then the last 8... There is no real rush! And we can't have you making mistakes cuz you were tired and thristy...
Okay, you've got all the stuff. You've gathered it all into one place, and you've got your time free, with no distractions. Now you can make the Runes!
1) First, you need to cut the Rune disks. Cut 24 (Or more to allow for mistakes!) half-inch (1.25 cm) thick rounds from the branch
2) If you want to, you can make a ritual out of it. If so, do your ritual thing now!
3) Sand all the surfaces of each of your disks. (I recommend cutting 30 disks, esp. if you are a beginner!) Start sanding with medium grade sandpaper, then fine sandpaper, and smooth out any corners, bumps, and protruding bits.
4) Carefully pencil the 24 Runes onto the disks, drawing the symbols against the grain of the wood. This means you stand less chance of splitting the disks when you carve them. You could, at this opint, chant the Rune name as you draw it.
5) Put the first disk in the vice or clamp, and make sure it is secured in there tightly.
6) Now, carefully either carve the ymbol into the wood, or burn it in with a woodburning tool.
7) Use fine steel wool to remove any rough edges left over from the carving.
8) Remove any pencil marks with a soft rubber. (That's an eraser for all you Americans!) ;)
9) When done with that Rune, place it on a cloth, and complete the other Runes.
10) If you have chosen the option to redden your Runes, this is the time to do it. Start with the first disk you craved, and redden each part of the disk. Set the disk onto the cloth to dry.
11) Do this too all the disks.
12) To give your Runes a soft, satin finish, mix quater of a cup of olive oil with 24 drops of lemon oil. Maybe you would like to add a few drops of any essential oil in too. Stir thes eoils into an the olive-oil base. Work the oil into each rune with a rag. You might want to meditate on each Rune's meaning whilst you are doing this. You might want to sing to each Rue whilst you're doing this too! Its entirely up to you what you do behind closed doors! ;)
13) Buff them all to a oft, satin finish!
14) Apply linseed oil to one side of each Rune and let it dry, then the other side of each Rune and let it dry. You could do this once a year, as it keeps the Runes sealed, and prevents cracking.
15) Now, you have your wooden Rune set! You can do this with stone Runes, although you will need lots of stones cuz you may end up cracking them if you do. You will also need different cutting tools if you plan on using stone. Also, be aware that with stone Runes, the reddening with wear off quite quickly through use, compared to wooden Runes. You could do this same process quite effectively with bone and antler too, so go for it!
To be continued...
Buying a set of Runes
This can be expensive. I have seen sets that range from £15 to £50. It depends largely on how much money the creator wants to squeeze out of you, and what materials they use. A set of pewter Runes, or crystal Runes, you should expect to be fairly dear, whilst a set of pebble Runes I suggest you should leave well alone: Such Runes you can make yourself in under half an hour. Be warned, however... Buying a Rune set is much like buying a Tarot deck... You must find one that 'speaks' to you... And, this is why Rune set buying can be addictive, and you may well end up buying many, many sets and becoming a collector! I know one person who is well on the way to that horrible fate. ;)
For those of you who want an entirely personal set of Runes, making a set would be best. That way, you can be creative, and do what you like! Yuo could colour them any colour you want, you could carve them any way you want! If you really were going a bit mad on the creativity thing, you could stick anything onto the individual Runes! (This should bring up funny images of individual Runes, that look as though they're wearing feather head-dresses, or loin cloths... The mind boggles...)
A personal Rune
A practice undertaken by a few Rune readers is to take a blank Rune, and inscribe it with a personal symbol. Many sets you buy today have the, according to Umbrae ;) , heretical 25th Blank Rune, called Wyrd, which was created in the 1980's by good ole Ralph Blum. It is said to represent that which is unknown, that which is in Fate's hands... Often, those who don't want to use such a Rune will put their own symbol on it. You'd do well to ask Malachite about this practice! I don't do it personally, but he does.
Conclusion. "A conclusion is the place you got tired of thinking"- Anon.
Now you have a set of Runes, whether you made them yourself or bought them, gave them feather head-dresses or kept them plain and simple... You are ready to study them, get to know them, and learn from them. If you have made your own Rune set, feel damn proud! It was a highly prized skill for the Norse, and it is even mentioned in the Havamal:
"Know how to cut them, know how to read them,
Know how to stain them, know how to prove them,
Know how to evoke them, know how to score them,
Know how to send them, know how to send them..."
Kiama
Thanks Kiama!
I'm definately going to give this a go - tho I might wait till I've read some more of the study group lessons so I know a bit more about what I'm actually making! :D
Mermaid
The end result of purchasing, or making your own set of Runes, is…do they work…for you (not me...it does not matter what I think...this is about YOU).
Do you feel good with them…and they you?
We will be discussing bonding with, or imprinting Runes that you may have purchased, or may have been given.
I have done both. Both…purchased and made them.
Frankly, it comes down to this. I prefer stone to wood. I hate metal, glass, or ceramic.
The issue with tissue (okay…paper) is fine…if you make them yourself.
I dislike the cutesy artists interpretation of a rune you find in commercial cards.
The bottom line is what does the Rune stave/stone say to you when you look at it?
I like pure (it's only me...).
The 25th Rune…
Very similar to adding a letter to the Alphabet. Hey! 26 letters is not enough! Lets make up a Sluggo and add it in after the Zed!
Just an opinion (mine).
I however have to thank Mr. Blum for reminding folks that this oracular device existed.
i haven't decided on my materials yet, but am considering using mixed woods as i have access to lots of different trees. does each rune have a particular wood that would best represent it? ie birch, oak etc. also curious as to what kind of bone one might use? it seems like it would be easy to carve. *zorya hopes she's didn't just creep everyone out* if i use stone, do you think using a power drill would be inappropriate? or would it be better to paint them? i tend to be a purist in these kinds of things :). so many choices, maybe i'll have to make several sets!
UmbraeL: Yep, paper runes are heretical and the people who use the Blank Rune should be strung up. Only kidding guys! ;) :P But, Umbre... The English alphabet wouldn't have had the same number of letters in it, had it not been for the Romans, who added some in later....
Zorya: If you want to try using a power drill on stones, just get any old stone, one like what you will be using, and give it a try! I can't tell you for yourself, cuz I'm used to wood-working, not ston-working! About different woods: I think I have a book somewhere at home which tells you the correspondances for each Rune... Not sure if it does trees though. However, some of the Runes definitely represent trees, such as Berkana, which represents the Birch tree, and the Rune that represents the Yew tree... But not all do.
Bone... I think any bone would do, as long is you can make it into Runes! I don't recommend the femur though, cuz that's hollow. Maybe antler (Which is a type of bone) would be easiest here, cuz that isn't hollow, I don't think, so, like a wooden branch, can be sliced into disks.
Hope this helps!
Kiama
Well done Kiama! Great info there. :D
I made these rune cards in 1995 when I first became interested in divination. I wanted them to be about the size of normal runes and to be put on very thick card or laquered onto wood to be used like runes traditionally are. I was three runes off finishing them so I never actually made them up... I split them in two so I could fit them on here to show you.
This is the first half of them...
And here is the second half...
Sure the Romans added a few letters, started changing the calendar, but did they add letters to the Futhark? Or the Hebrew alphabet?
Sure the Romans sent Marco Polo out for Chinese take out, now folks dine on spaghetti and think it's Italian!
Just because a lie is well aged, does not validate it.
But as I have stated…it is only an opinion.
i think i will make a set of aluminium runes, those are not a heavy kind of metal, if i can get the stuff i want.
otherwise any other metal has to do.......
kaz
Your runes are an awesome idea Kayne, thanks for posting them for us. Are you planning on finishing them at some point? It seems a pity not to.
slinky_jo
07-05-2002, 22:27
I made myself a set of FUTHARK runes a few years ago. I went to this trippy little seaside town, where instead of sand, there were smooth pebbles on the shore. I picked a whole heap of them - they were all the same size, colour, shape, and so so SO smoooth! When I got home, I washed them and let them dry in the sun. I used sparkly glittery gold NAIL POLISH to write the runes on the pebbles - they are still legible and pretty and awesome to work with!!! With the left over stones, I made an Egyptian oracle, using different hieroglyphs to represent different facets. CHOICE! (Kiwi slang for "bloody excellent!")!! :D
mooncat2
08-05-2002, 00:56
Choice, indeed, slinky jo . Good one.
I made mine last year - go to whoa - and I wish I'd gone to a beach and picked up some stones.
I asked permission from a lovely silver birch on our land for a branch and proceeded to cut it into round pieces - what a nightmare for a hopelessly impractical person - there were bits flying everywhere - and I ended up with blisters all over my hands. Then I smoothed and buffed and painted on the symbols. I doubt they'd win any prizes in the rune making competition but the whole process had a very bonding affect and I like them.
But if there should ever be a next time , which I doubt, give me stones!
There is a chap out here on the Washington coast (that’s the upper left coast) here in the US, that collects small ocean stones.
He then sorts them according to size and color, and paints them.
I don’t know what sort of paint he uses, but it does not chip off. They are quite nice.
Then he sells them for about $30.00 a set.
Umbrae: Where do we draw the line between a lie and an addition? Can it really be a lie, if we say to those that wouldn't know otherwise that it wasn't what was used originally? Is it then an untruth? Just like occultists of the 17th century added the Kabbalic system ad astrology, and then numerology to the system of Tarot, Ralph Blum added the Blank Rune. In both cases, it works well. Who are we to deny it? These systems evolve and change according to the needs and enjoyment of the society they are in at the time. You can't expect people of the 21st century to do exactly the same as the Norse did when reading Runes: Even our practiecs with Runes have changed, but we don't go and call that a lie, do we?
(Not trying to be annoying here, just trying to make an intellectual discussion!) :)
Kiama
hi all,
what do you guys think of this set ???
http://www.vsf.cape.com/~jdale/runes/chips.htm
I don't know if it works, I have no previous experience with runes ...
Kissa
Good point Kiama...yup, stuff changes...but as I said...it is only an opinion, neither good nor bad, right nor wrong.
It is simply how I feel and think.
Just because some writer (be they journalist or historian) says it is so, does not make it so.
Check out my misguided recent rant elsewhere in this forum.
(Personal note: I view journalists in the same manner as lawyers and used car salesmen…Algae eaters).
kissa, me as nerd loves this idea :)
it's a great idea even.....
kaz
Kissa: What a wonderful example of how you can make Runes out of practically anything!
BTW: Found out a new technique today: If you wanna burn the symbols into Wood Runes just use a soldering iron! (But no solder...)
Umbrae: I'd like to tell you a Philosopher's joke which I think fits in quite well here, and illustrates both our points very well:
A man goes to sleep at night, and has a dream. In this dream, Socrates appears to him, so the man takes his chance (This man is a Philosophy sudent) and asks Socrates to give him a round-up of his ideas. Socrates does just this, and the man takes careful note, and listens. After Socrates has told him all his ideas in about 10 minutes, the man suddenly comes up with an argument which refutes all of Socrates ideas... And Socrates is puzzled, cuz he can't argue back, and so he disappears, leaving in his place Plato. The man asks Plato to give him a summary of his ideas, which Plato does, and this time, the man used the same refutation to argue against Plato's ideas, to which Plato looked puzzled, and just disappeared. Next, came Aristotle, so the man went through the same process, only to find that Aristotle couldn't argue against him either! This happened all night, and one by one, all the great philosophers of the world appeared to the man, and, one by one, he used the same refutation to totally debunk ALL their ideas! None of them could argue against it! Well, this man was so happy, that he forced himself to wake up slightly, and grabbed a note pad and pen to write down this universal refutation. He did this, and fell straight back to sleep... He had a dreamless sleep this time round, and woke up rested and pleased with himself. He ran to the notepad and pen on which he had written this universal refutation, so excited cuz he finally had something which would put him amongst some of the finest philosophers in the world... He looked at the pad of paper only to find the words: "That's what YOU say!"
Kiama
can't really buy the stones i need to make a set at this time, and don't have all the tools needed to cut wood discs. has anyone here made a set out of sticks? why or why not? how did they work? any advice on length? are they read any differently?
Malachite
22-05-2002, 07:07
Zorya...never tried sticks...I think they might be a little fragile...
but to makes discs, you just need a small hacksaw or handsaw, and some sandpaper...and just find the right sized branches!...I'm making an ogam set that way!...
The easiest way, to tide you over til you can get the tools...
Just grab 24 pebbles from the beach or something, and write on the Runes with marker pen. Simple. They aren't very durable but they'll see you through until you've got the tools to make a moredurable set. I haven't tried sticks though...
KIAMA
thanks for your ideas. kiama, i'm afraid i'm landlocked :) but i have great news :D
a very generous someone, offered me a set! so i will soon be set to go. i am so anxious to learn! and am really enjoying this study group.
That's wonderful Zorya! Honoured to have you on board!
Enjoy!
Kiama
Arialinna
29-05-2002, 12:15
Ummm....... Help!! does anyone know where to find picture or discriptions of all the different runes??????? I am trying to make my own set but I don't know all of the runes i need??? Can someone help me please!!!!!!!
Arialinna
I cannot rember the address, but hunt down "earthdancing.com"
see if i can attach this one....
kaz
I made mine out of 24 stones I collected from the beack at Nice!! Then I just painted the glyph on it with an earth coloured paint(burnt sienna to be exact)
Arialinna
30-05-2002, 12:18
Thanks!!!!!!!Everyone!!!!!!!!! I really needed the help!!!! I can't wait to finish mine. Anyone have any ideas what i should use to make the runes stay on the stone???????
My partner wants to explore the runes. He wants to make a set from a branch from our pear tree - would you recommend this material for a mature male newbie?
Does anyone know of a site which displays the symbols together with their names - ideally as clear as possible because mature male newbie's eyesight isn't what it used to be! I've tried earthdancing.com but couldn't find anything nor a search mechanism.
Many thanks
Those who would make wood Runes need to either season the wood themselves --- i.e. let it dry out slowly, so that parts warped or cracking can be excluded --- or buy it storeboughten and new. What you want to avoid here is having your runes chip or crack because of flaws in the wet wood. It is not enough to go cut down a branch and then carve them fresh if you want to keep the set for a long time. Your best bet is to cut your bough and keep it outside but dry for at least six months, a year or even two is better; or to find some wood that has been exposed to the air but dry like that and remains sound.
I used a long, straight sassafras sapling trunk that I had cut down a few years ago. I cut it up into quarter inch, poker chip slices using a circular saw. I sanded the surfaces but used no finish. Then I burnt each rune into the surface with a soldering iron.
Many thanks, Ihcoyc.
He's got some branches from last season's pruning he's thinking of using. He's also a lapidarist/jeweller and has a large quantity of semi precious stones he might use. He's quite a jack of all trades! He said he'd ideally like to use silver but I've read somewhere this would not be a good idea.
Sorry about the second part of my question - further reading led to sunnyway.com - brilliant link [many thanks, Umbrae].
More ideas for you…
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7818
Joywalker
22-01-2003, 11:03
Making own runes-interesting idea!!
Found this websites.Might be helpful for those who wants to know the runes drawings and their meanings! :)
http://www.runemaker.com/runeshome.htm
http://www.runemaker.net/runesinfo/pieces/runepiece05.htm
Ihcoyc, Umbrae and Joywalker,
Thank you so much for your help. I arrived home from work today to find my partner had taken the day away from business and was in the workshop, intent on making a set of runes. It's been a long time since I've seen him so engrossed and happy! He told me he'd experimented with wood but "it didn't feel right, it didn't have the weight I wanted". He'd moved on to slices of rosetta lace agate [earth colours in a crazy lace pattern] and had just finished cutting them into small tiles, each one with its own unique patterning, each a fractionally different size. He told me that he had cut more than he needed so that when he studied the symbols and concepts he would be able to find the stone/tile which "felt right" for each. He then got technical about finishes to cut down the risk of chipping and my need for a caffeine fix took priority.
I think he's just taken the first step on the road.....
Hummingbird
11-02-2003, 17:32
I've made sets out of clay and clay-like materials like Sculpey, as well as out of flower vase "marble stones," whatever you want to call them. They were iridescent, with a flat side to each, on which I painted the Rune. The Sculpey runes are much more versatile, you simply carve the rune into a piece of clay of your desired shape and dimension, then bake. And then paint! I made some beautiful copper-painted runes.
ShorTerM
25-02-2003, 02:51
Interesting Idea I just thought of...
Well I was thinking about making some runes, and got to thinking I would like to make them out of Cherry Wood, and would use cherries to dye them as well, but thats not my idea :D
What I was thinking at the time was of wrapping a wire or something around the circumference of the runes in order to sort of press the rune more tightly...
Then I got to thinking if you tie a wire around a living tree it will grow around the wire... So I wonder if it would be possible to wrap some wire around a live tree and perhaps after a year or two (if you wrapped it tight enough around the branch) the trees growth will have imprinted the runes into the wood...
Of course this would only create the runes on the sides of the runes to be, so you would then have to cut the runes to shape and you would likely be unable to sand down the sides, but hopefully peeling off the bark would be good enough...
Anywho, if I ever get adventurous enough I may do some more research into this :D:D:D
scheherazade
27-02-2003, 18:24
I've made my own set of runes as well... they're made of pretty blue glass nuggets, but I have limited resources and I made the symbols with... gulp... nail polish. LOL. I don't know how to engrave or cut glass... does anyone else have any ideas of how to put the symbols legibly on glass runes?
Instead of carving the symbols into wooden disks, I am trying to use a wood burning tool. The marks are darker, and I'm so much less likely to hurt myself. :)
Also, as far as oils go, almond is very, very good. I used it when making my wand/staff.
HudsonGray
17-03-2003, 19:53
If you've got a Dollar Store near you, go check to see if they have those clear (or irridescent) flattened glass marbles. I have made a set with the small thumbnail-size and with the larger 1 1/2" across size. Draw the runes on paper, cut them out, use white glue (Elmers, craft glue, anything) to glue them to the flat back so you can see the image through the marble, then use clear fingernail polish to go over the back of the paper & where the glue went a tad over it, sealing the backs completely.
The runes won't stick together and you'll have a nice set rather quickly made.
I tried Modge Podge at first, but that peeled off the backs and stuck everything together into one big mess, so I don't recommend using that.
______________________________________________
“Come, pull my finger; so that thou may'st see that silent things may also deadly be."
SpiritualSeeker
26-05-2003, 20:10
This was an interesting thread and quite appropriate for what's happened to me.
I bought an inexpensive introductoion set of stones with it's own little book. These were suppose to represent the elder futhark. Imagine the confusion of a beginner when my set has a duplicate Jera, is missing Berkana and includes Enguz from the Gothic Aett (the diamond). It had me doubting my comprehension abilities, I'll tell you.
My thanks to all of you because I am definitely going to make my own set. I have no confidence in this set and feel as though I'm playing with a toy.
Can someone clarify ... I've read that as well as throwing a rune cast, you can place the stones (stave down) on your silk, mix them clockwise and then choose the stones for your reading. If the runes are not made almost identical in shape and size, would this not nullify this type of selection?
Thanks for your input!
Actually, the diamond rune(inguz) is a part of the elder futhark.
Phoenix is correct: The diamond Rune is just another variation of Inguz, which is usually seen as a double helix, with two x's on top of each other:
x
x
(Attach them, and you've got ingwaz) Sometimes, people take away one side of it, so we are left with what I can only describe as Kenas with a diamond in it's centre, or they take away the top 'spokes', leaving the simple diamond. They all mean the same thing however, so it's up to you which one you use. Personally, I prefer the double helix one, simply because to me it looks prettier!
To add to this thread: I invested in some clay the other day, and realised it was wonderful for making runes. The clay was about £1.50 for a huuuge block of it, and I can make about 20 rune sets from it. Talk about cheap runes... So, I've made two sets so far, simply by moudling the clay into stones, and inscribing each rune onto one of them, with a butter knife. (While the clay is still wet). Later on, when I am done with exams and revision, I will be staining the Runes... To stain them I'm going to put a tiny amount of red food colouring in water, and stain the runes with it. For my own set, I'd use blood instead of red food colouring, but since these sets are for others, I'll let them use their own blood if they're gonna use any at all!
Why? Well, to me, blood is a very personal thing, and in a magickal context, it is a very powerful ingredient for consecration. So, whilst staining runes with blood (Remember that this is quite a traditional way of staining runes) one isn't just colouring them... One is also binding them to oneself. So, in my opinion, using blood to stain a gift set of runes wouldn't be the best idea.
Although there is also the idea that is just as valid, which is that it is perfectly okay to use bloody even in a gift set, since blood can be seen as a sacrifice: By staining the gift set with blood, one is really showing one's love for the person the set is going to, since you are using your own blood.
But anyhow, just letting everybody know of a wonderful, cheap, and fun wau of making runes...
Kiama
Kiama,
I had a discussion with someone many years ago about using blood to stain their Runes. This other person recommended women use menstrual blood. She even suggested that a woman should insert each Rune into her vagina. I disagreed with this practice for a number of reasons. When I was making my own set of Runes, I cut my finger. It seemed natural to put a small drop of blood on each Rune. Personally, I think there is a big difference between blood from an injury (which I see as a sacrifice) and menstrual blood (which I see as a natural body elimination process that requires little effort to obtain). I was wondering if you had any ideas or comments about the use of menstrual blood with Runes.
hope you don't mind if i answer this too.
i pricked my finger for blood for mine as well. as kiama said, not only does the blood bind one to the runes, but it also works as a sacrifice.
i wouldn't use menstrual blood, not because i don't see it as 'clean', but because i do not see how using it would be much of a sacrifice.
it is leaving the body as it is no longer of any use there. i see menstrual blood as needing to return to the earth.
i do, however, believe that a woman's 'moontime', is when she is at her most powerful, magically speaking.
Originally posted by zorya
hope you don't mind if i answer this too.
The more the merrier!
Originally posted by zorya
i do, however, believe that a woman's 'moontime', is when she is at her most powerful, magically speaking.
Could you explain this a bit more? I would think a woman would be most powerful at mid-cycle, when she is the most fertile. During menstruation, the loss of blood would, I think, be physically draining. The cramps, backache, headache, yuk feeling just doesn’t seem to be consistent with being powerful. Back in the early days, before science explained what a woman’s cycle was all about, I think there was a lot of mystery surrounding a woman’s bleeding without injury or pain. Maybe that’s where the idea of a woman being powerful at this time came from. I think it scared men. Actually, I think it still does scare men. Look how many men avoid that isle in the market! I think it really creeps them out! Anyway, I agree with you that there really isn’t a sense of ‘sacrifice’ with something that just happens naturally. This also begs the question – What about a man’s ‘seed’? Would it be considered sacred? Has anyone heard of a man consecrating Runes with this bodily fluid?
I agree with what has bene said so far: When using blood on Runes, the idea of sacrifice is the aim. We are deliberately sacrificing part of ourselves in order to make these Runes. So, if you're bleeding anyway, it's not much of a sacrifice. Certainly, using menstrual blood would be okay if you just want to bind the runes to you, but if you're also looking at the sacrificial element, then, imo, it's not as good.
Cutting a finger is simple, quick, and you are deliberately making that act of sacrifice.
Plus, inserting each rune into one's vagina...? No. Call me squeemish, but I don't think that's very hygienic, not only for yourself, but for the runes themselves... menstrual blood is a bit different in make-up than other blood, and I would worry about the hygeine factor... (Would you want dried menstrual blood around? I wouldn't.)
About men consecrating runes... I've never heard of a man using semen to do so, because all the men I know used their blood (If anything). In alot of traditions, semen is and was considered sacred though: The Druids are well known for considering mistletoe sacred because of its associations with semen, and good ole Beastie Boy Crowley had the whole 'Elixir of Life' thing going on too... (The Elixir was made from a mixture of men's 'stuff' and women's 'stuff', taken from the woman's vagina immediately after sex. It was believed that it would give eternal youth to the drinker... :eek:) I think there is also a magical tradition that the mixture of semen and virginity blood is a powerful ingredient in a binding spell.
Again, I'd have the same qualms with using semen on runes as with menstrual blood: Do you want dried semen on your runes? Plus, red is the traditional colour of runes... not white! ;)
Women's moontime and power... I guess it can be seen in both ways really: It can be seen as her weakest time, because her womb is literally 'on the wane', but it can also be seen as her most powerful time, because she is taking part in an ongoing mystery which only a woman can take part in. She bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die! (As Mr Garrison so aptly pointed out in South Park: "Sorry children, but I just don't trust something that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die!") So I guess it all depends on how you view menstruation and power. Me, I'm powerful ALL THE TIME! MWA HA HA HA HA! }) ;)
Kiama
Are there any good links to information on the meanings of the Runes? Or book recommendations?
Thanks in advance, and thank you so much for this study group. I've been wanting to buy a set of runes, but I'm trying to save money since I'm about to retire. Now you've inspired me to make my own.
Also, do any of you know whether the oven bake clay is a natural clay? I'm not talking about polymer clay, but the type that is supposed to be an actual ceramic clay that you bake in your home oven. There are two types I've seen advertised in an art supply catalog, and I may like to try that for runes as well as for some Goddess/God statuary, but I'd like to know if it's a natural material or synthetic. Trying to stay away from synthetics.
Blessings!
Fun & inspiring thread!
Thanks for the great ideas. I especially liked your paper runes, kayne!
I have very special beach pebbles from healing land that have been awaiting my inscription.....
Originally posted by Nevada34
Are there any good links to information on the meanings of the Runes? Or book recommendations?
If you look at some of the older threads in this study group, you will find a thread for each rune, written by myself, Umbrae, and Malachite.
Kiama
I found the older threads. Lots of reading to do. There's so much here. Thanks to all who contributed, and thank you so much, Kiama, for steering me there. :) :)
Blessings,