Rune Study Group: Making your own set

[HudsonGray]

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.
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“Come, pull my finger; so that thou may'st see that silent things may also deadly be."

 

[SpiritualSeeker]

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!

 

[Phoenix]

Actually, the diamond rune(inguz) is a part of the elder futhark.

 

[Kiama]

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

 

[raeanne]

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.

 

[zorya]

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.

 

[raeanne]

hope you don't mind if i answer this too.

The more the merrier!

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?

 

[Kiama]

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... ) 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

 

[Nevada]

What they mean

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!

 

[skytwig]

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.....