Rune book recommendations?

[IheartTarot]

I heard that the Smith & Astrop Runic Tarot is coniderably "off" in its attributions and understanding of runes. It was something I have come across here, and which I have seen repeated so I don't know if that is the case. As with everything, I should really look into it myself!

I read everything I could find on it here and most of the criticism seems directed at the "minor arcana". I am ok with dumping the "minor arcana" completely if necessary and just using it as a 24 rune card deck. They lost a lot of points calling it a Tarot deck and trying to be all things to all people (Tarot deck, rune deck, Celtic, Germanic, timing system). I will let you know when I have received it and studied it. I saw it in real life and liked the artwork and I think the illustrated 24 "major arcana" could help me to learn the runes initially. I did not pay a lot for it.

 

[lark]

To be honest though, I've never made much progress with runes. The book I recommended was sound , it's not that. I have read a few books, it's just that runes continue forever lifeless for me...

I've had that feeling too.
I read a paragraph in Lisa Peschel's book that actually put Runes in a better perspective for me.
She says...pg. 97
"The first thing you must remember is that you are consulting an oracle.
You are not "having your fortune told."
The oracle is not an absolute and unlike conventional fortunetelling, it gives you the information and allows you to decide what to make of it.
The answers to be found in the Runes are the ones to be found in yourself."

I realised I was looking at Runes the same way I look at tarot cards and wanting them to perform in the same manner.
So they never satisfied.
She goes on to say..."consulting the Runes places you firmly in the present moment...
"Given your location in the universe at the time, an oracle guides you through the variables and allows you to draw your own conclusions on the matter in question."

Runes became very much more life filled for me after I meditated on these thoughts for awhile....
They are helpers...and also awfully good at magic...
Using Runes as magical symbols to help a situation change or progress is a wonderful study all on it's own.
On page 117 Peschel has a nice little section about Rune Magik.

So as a beginner book it is really quite a good deal....and very useful in the long haul.

 

[lark]

I must still check this one out lark, I remember you recommended it elsewhere and I do trust your judgement.

That is sweet of you to say, thank you.
It's a small book, but for some reason I turn to it over and over again....
It actually stays in my leather tarot note book....tarot notebook on one side Radio the Runic Journey on the other.
Sometimes you just find a book that fits your life, and whenever I use runes the meanings in this book always seem to fit the best for my situation.

 

[Le Fanu]

I've had that feeling too.
I read a paragraph in Lisa Peschel's book that actually put Runes in a better perspective for me.
She says...pg. 97
"The first thing you must remember is that you are consulting an oracle.
You are not "having your fortune told."
The oracle is not an absolute and unlike conventional fortunetelling, it gives you the information and allows you to decide what to make of it.
The answers to be found in the Runes are the ones to be found in yourself."

I can see that, but it's odd, there is something so hard to internalise about runes. They feel like these vague, insubstantial and remote blanket symbols which could - and do - mean anything whatsoever, but then so do tarot cards (it's just that images on tarot cards fire the imagination so much). I think it's a fact now that I will never, ever be able to read runes without a book in front of me, which diminishes the charm; feeling a reading anchored in a page in front of me that I have to concentrate one. Plus I seem to be the only one to find rune meanings so totally not applicable to contemporary life! Certainly not the life I lead anyway...

 

[IheartTarot]

That is sweet of you to say, thank you.
It's a small book, but for some reason I turn to it over and over again....
It actually stays in my leather tarot note book....tarot notebook on one side Radio the Runic Journey on the other.
Sometimes you just find a book that fits your life, and whenever I use runes the meanings in this book always seem to fit the best for my situation.

Raido: The Runic Journey by Caroline Smith is available online.

Warning, the link below requires >1MB download:

http://www.sageventure.com/coins/the_runic_journey.pdf

The next link takes you to the same file in a different place:

http://www.eso-garden.com/index.php?/weblog/the_runic_journey/

There is also a html version on the Tara Hill site:

http://www.tarahill.com/runes/index.html

lark is this the whole thing or just a summary version? (The book per the website link you posted is 100 pages, this one is only 21 pages A4 size.)


I also found the Runes, Alphabet of Mystery in a free e-book format (>1MB):

http://www.owl-lady.com/vosh/classes/Divination/runes/Runes.PDF

The web version is here:

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/

 

[lark]

Oh, wonderful, I think it is more of a summery, but there is also added info that my book doesn't have, so well worth printing out.
Thanks for finding that...Iheart
See there Nikki, no need to buy anything at the moment, it's all right there for you to get a good start with.

 

[lark]

I can see that, but it's odd, there is something so hard to internalise about runes. They feel like these vague, insubstantial and remote blanket symbols which could - and do - mean anything whatsoever, but then so do tarot cards (it's just that images on tarot cards fire the imagination so much). I think it's a fact now that I will never, ever be able to read runes without a book in front of me, which diminishes the charm; feeling a reading anchored in a page in front of me that I have to concentrate one. Plus I seem to be the only one to find rune meanings so totally not applicable to contemporary life! Certainly not the life I lead anyway...

Well, everything is not for everyone...and getting into to many things sometimes waters down the experience.
So I understand.

 

[NikkiB]

Wow thats fantastic thank you, I will go and download these!!

Wonderful!!!!

 

[Carla]

I just bought a rune set for £2 off a charity table at the Vegan Festival in Wolverhampton. Guess what--it was Ralph Blum's! Ha ha! I'm glad I read this thread. I decided to toss the book that came with it, and the 'blank rune'. Into the trash they have gone! (Decided not to give to a charity shop, because why spread misinformation?) I will use the Sunnyway website for starters, and get a reputable book later. Might get a 'real' rune set made of wood later (probably from Wands of Avalon), if I decide runes are for me.

 

[IheartTarot]

I decided to toss the book that came with it, and the 'blank rune'.

Keep the blank rune in case you lose or damage one.