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RUNELORE

This section of bardwood.com includes several pages about various runes or magical alphabets used for inscriptions on wands and other magical implements. The word "rune" comes from the Norse and means not only an alphabetic signary, but also "mystery." Runes, unlike ordinary letters, such as those in the Roman alphabet, are designed to represent magical powers and to convey those powers when written.

Not all runic inscriptions or ogham inscriptions are intended to be overtly magical, but many of the old rune and ogham stones of our ancestors were used for marking boundaries or commemorating individuals, battles, or other events. Such purposes seem mundane to us nowadays, but we do well to consider their magical quality, especially in an age when writing of any sort was extremely rare. The ability to render a person, event, or even the boundaries of a tribe's land permanent, immortal was a magical act, and really still could be thought of that way if we desired to do so. Writing something down removes it from the fragile and perishible fabric of the human memory to a more or less permanent form.

In the case of wand or athame inscriptions, the magical instrument is enhanced by the addition of signs or words that are significant, magically speaking, to the weilder of the instrument. Inscriptions may take the form of symbols, such as a pentagram or awen, which have multiple layers of meaning. It may also take the form of sigils, signs that are constructed with a particular magical power in mind. Sigils are traditionally designed to represent and channel the power of angelic spirits, planetary intelligences, daemons, or particular magical configurations, such as protection, manifestation, fertility, transformation, and so forth.

Each of the links at the left, under Runelore will take you to pages dealing with these various systems. This section is currently under construction, so check back for additions periodically.

The Norse Runes or Futhark

The Norse runes, usually called the Futhark, have a complex history and it is beyond the scope of this presentation to go into much detail. The tables below are based upon a cyclic ordering of the runes beginning not with Fehu, but with Ur. This is based upon the work of Kenneth Meadows in his book "Rune Power." Mr. Meadows cites Swedish oral tradition for this "true" ordering. For me, it rings true. What appears below does not attempt to reproduce all of Mr. Meadows' interpretations and runic correspondences (notably not his associations of the Norse runes with the trees and shrubs of the Celtic ogham). His work is nevertheless highly recommended. I have also drawn on the interpretations of the runemaster Edred Thorsson, but I do not attempt to represent more than a smidgeon of his extensive writings on the Norse runes. The set used here (and in my wand inscriptions) is based on the Elder Futhark.

The meanings of the runes are discovered not in the groupings of eights (the "aetts") but in two groups corresponding to levels of creation and manifestationThe first ten runes (beginning with Ur) correspond in very intriguing ways to the ten Sephiroth of the Jewish Kabbalah, ten phases of creation or emanations from the ineffable, infinite potential of Divinity (Whether that is taken to be God or the Sacred Cow, Audhumbla).

The second group includes 14 runes and can be seen to unfold the creation of the material world and human beings within that world, Midgard, or Middle Earth. Meadows' idea of the runes arranged in a cycle of recurring creation and fulfillment, is one I use when carving runes on wands. Runes may be selected individually for their meanings, grouped together to form complexes of interplaying forces, or the entire cycle of 24 can be inscribed to symbolize and capture the whole energy of Creation. Here then are the Norse Runes with explanations following. Bear in mind that it would be better to represent these runes in a circular arrangement.

Runes of Creation

Corresponding to the Ten Vessels of Manifestation

Sound	Rune Name	Meaning and Magical Power
U	Ursuz, Ur	Potential. Aurochs, Great Mother, Audhumbla Primal void, Kether
Th	Thurisaz, Thurs	Cosmic Intelligence, Giant Ymir, solitary power, Chokmah
A	Ansuz, Ass	Creation, Triple Goddess, God-rune, Odin, Breath, manifestation, Binah, Saturn
R	Raidho, Reid	First Swirlings. Wagon, path, travel, wheel of the seasons, 4 directions, movement, protection of order from reversion to chaos. Chesed, Jupiter.
K	Kenaz, Ken	Will. Torch, controlled fire, illumination, spiritual creative light. Geburah, Mars
G	Gebo, Gifu	Beauty. Gift, divine gifts, talents, exchange of two energies in balance: divine and human. Tiphareth, Sun.
W	Wunjo, Wynja	Love. Joy, hope, delight, sexual joy, friendship, brotherhood. Netzach, Venus.
H	Hagaliz, Hagal	Energy. Magick. Hail, primal egg, cosmic harmony, crystal, eight directions, all colors. Hod, Mercury.
N	Naudhiz, Naud	Emotion. Connection. Need, the Norns, need fire, deliverance from distress, friction, "Use your destiny." Power of friction and resistance. Yesod, Moon.
I	Isa, Iss	Matter. Ice, prima materia; force of attraction, gravity, entropy, inertia; ego integrity, clarity, solidity, material manifestation. Malkuth, Earth.

The Runes of Midgard

Runes of the World of Material Manifestation

Y	Jera, Jara	The good year, harvest; life cycle, fertility, cycle of two seasons, summer and winter, mutually feeding each other. Midgard.
P	Pertho	Stone. Lots, divination of fate, Mineral intelligence, transformational powers of metals.
EE	Iwaz, Eoh	Plant. Yew tree, life and death, life-giving force, vegetative power of plantlife.
Z	Elhaz Algiz	Animal. Elk, protection, victory, spirit, striving upwards to the gods. Intinctive protection, determination to survive in animal life.
S	Sowilo, Sol, Sig	Consciousness. Sun, solar wheel, magical will, chakras or spiritual wheels, spiraling life-force, light of consciousness in higher animals.
T	Tiwaz, Tyr	Male. The sky god Tyr, favored of fate, victorious, axis mundi, spiritual discipline, masculine power, phallos, spear, the will to succeed, self-sacrifice, justice.
B	Berkano, Bjarka, Beorc	Female. Birch goddess; presiding of transitions in life and death; becoming and being; feminine nurturing power, female breasts, love.
E	Ehwaz, Eh	Coupling. Horse; twin gods in equine aspect; Ashvins; harmonious power; vehicle between worlds; loyalty, trust, joining of male and female, couping and combination.
M	Mannaz, Man	Humanity, human intellect, the holistic cooperation of reason and intuition
L	Laguz, Lagu	Water. Power of fluidity, a body of water, sea, life energy, organic growth, herbal magick, ebb and flow.
NG	Ingwaz, Ing	Air. The God Ing, Earth God, consort of Earth Mother; Freyr, Ingvi; potential energy, power to conceive something new, light for communication, dawn.
O	Othala, Odal	Earth. Hereditary property, ancestral land; wise management of the land. Integrity, husbandry, liberty, past lives, traditions.
D	Dagaz	Fire. Day; synthesis of day and night, polarity and cycle; new dawn of spiritual realization, health, midsummer.
F	Fehu, Feh	Fulfillment. Property, cattle, money, prosperity. Accumulated power and control, responsibility, success.

II. RIANAR ALFERION

The Alferic Runes: An Elvish Ogham

Riana means "rune" "carving" and "mystery" in Eranor, the language of the Ran Sarithin or High Elves of Randiel. he Sarith runes and their languages are related to those of the Elves studied by Prof. J.R.R. Tolkien in his many books on Middle Earth and the Elder Days. The Riana are not, however, identical to the runes he studied, nor is Eranor exactly the same as Quenya or Sindarin, the two chief Elvish languages Tolkien brought to light. The present introduction is a by no means a comprehensive study of the Alferic rune ogham, a magical alphabet of great power and beauty taught to me by the Sarithin. It is a system designed to be adapted to different planets and regions, with correspondingly different trees and calendrical aspects. The "Other Deities" entry in the Elemental consonant lists give some sense of the correspondences between the Elvish pantheon of twelve Mellarin (actually thirteen, including Vaar who is given no runes and who might be equated with the Celtic god Arawn, Dark Lord of the Unmanifest) and various deities from European paganism. The correspondences are merely suggestive and are not intended to be either rigid or comprehensive in scope. Ditto for the archetypes I have listed. The entry for "Calendrical Hall" refers to the Sarith calendrical system which uses the same names that Tolkien listed for "months." Theses halls are not, however, months nor do they have anything to do with the lunations. Rather, they are a division of the year into twelve equal parts and they best correspond not with the Roman months but with the constellations of the Zodiac. Thus Narvinyë corresponds roughly to the period in the Roman calendar of December 22nd to January 21st. I have not attempted to translate the Halls into equivalent Roman dates, as to do so seems more confusing than illuminating.

It will be seen that the basis of the Rianar lies in the association of six phonetic divisions with etheric concepts -- associations, I may note, which are more obvious to the Elvish mind than to other minds. The main four groups of five consonants are associated with the four Elements, respectively, as shown below. Within each grouping of five runes, three are sacred to the three constellations of the Zodiac for that Element -- e.g., Fire Signs, Water Signs, etc. It should not be thought that this is a merely terrestrial concept, the signs of the Zodiac being indigenous to the planet Terra. There are deeper significances to these constellations, which are considered by the Elves to symbolize astrally the twelve star kingdoms of our Galaxy. It is beyond the scope of this articleto explain the histories of these twelve kingdoms but their names have been given along with the names of the constellations. The other two runes in each elemental grouping are sacred to two of the eight festivals, both solar festivals and agricultural cross-quarter days, which are common to the Elvish calendar and the modern druid calendar, as well as to that of modern Wicca.

Additinally, each rune is linked to one of the twelve Mellarin in some aspect. These aspects will vary with the authority one consults and are often of a local nature. In the lists below, equivalents to the Mellarin are given in the form of various pagan pantheons to suggest some of the nuances of form. These correspondences are not to be taken as rigid equivalencies, nor are they exhaustive. There are minor deities or spirits in the Elvish world, just as there are many additional local deities and heroes and heroines in the Celtic and other pagan mythologies. Each of the Mellarin are served by spirits of a lower degree, but still very powerful (what we might call Archangels, to borrow a Christian concept); these are called Serdin, and are in turn served by several kinds of another degree of spirits called Aladin, a group which includes at its most manifest level, the Elemental spirits and genius locii (spirits of place).

Finally, it should be pointed out that the similarity in form between the Rianar and the Norse runes is not a coincidence but indicative of their ancient kinship. In the same way, the similarity in correspondences between the Rianar ogam and the Celtic oghams of trees, birds, etc., is not a mere coincidence. The many Celtic forms of ogham that have come down to us s well as various modern readings of the Tree calendar and so forth, are echoes of the Elvish associations. I do not say this in order to claim any priority or superiority to any other system. Associations among trees, sounds, stones, birds, animals, and spirits are inevitably subjective and ellusive things and the Elves themselves have argued (indeed gone to war) with each other over the matter. Any time there is a system, there will be those who favor orthodox adherence and those who favor individual flexibility, even among the Immortals. Here then are the Rianar with explications following.

 

Earth Runes (Palatal-Nasal consonants)

The first tehta, or series, of Elf-runes are those embodying the powers of the Earth. It is not coincidence that Earth is the starting point. It is directionally associated with the North, the place of beginnings and arrivals. It is the place and direction of darkness, gestation, birth, and rebirth.

Luis (Rowan) L-Rune

Calendrical Hall: Narvinyë

Constellation: Capricorn

Mellar: Kethron (Orión)

Other Divinities: Herne, Pan, Cernunnos

Archetype: The Horned God, Satyr, Faun

Color: Gray

Stones: Diamond, Smoky Quartz

Bird: Quail

Beast: Goat

Ruis (Elder) R-Rune

Calendrical Hall: Lótessë

Constellation: Taurus

Mellar: Aurélen (Abban)

Other Divinities: Vulcan, Ingvi, Govannon

Color: Blood Red

Stone: Red Jasper, Bloodstone

Bird: Pheasant

Beast: Bull

Nuin (Ash) N-Rune

Calendrical Hall: Yavannië

Constellation: Virgo

Star Kingdom: Isghalë

Mellar: Yavanna

Other Divinities: Persephone, Blodeuwedd, Athena, Odin

Archetype: World Tree, Dying and Ressurrecting Goddess/God, Virgin Goddess

Colors: Clear, Pale Blue

Stone: Zircon, Clear Quartz

Bird: Hen

Beast: Weasel, Chipmunk

Julara (Juniper) J-Rune

Time: Samhuinn

Mellar: Arda (Am-Mesh)

Other Divinities: Morrigan, Cailleach

Archetype: Wise Crone, Death Goddess

Color: Pale Green

Stone: Green Sapphire

Bird: Crow

Beast: Badger

Shorin (Maple) Sh-Rune

Time: Autumn Equinox, Alban Elfed, Late Autumn

Mellar: Rianna (Omulan)

Other Divinities: Rhiannon, Isis

Archetype: Earth Mother

Color: Auburn

Stone: Tiger's Eye

Bird: Owl

Beast: Horse

Air Runes (Gutterals)

Huathe (Hawthorn) H-Rune

Calendrical Hall: Nénimë

Constellation: Aquarius

Star Kingdom: Palanis

Mellar: Valma (Vashaan)

Other Deities: Prometheus, Ouranos

Color: Violet

Stone: Amethyst

Bird: Blackbird, Ousel

Beast: Air Dragon

Koll (Hazel) K-Rune

Calendrical Hall: Narquelië

Constellation: Libra

Star Kingdom: Randiel

Divinities: Arianrhod, Aphrodite, Shava (Sellë)

Color: Midnight Blue

Stone: Lapis Lazuli, Blue Sapphire

Bird: Crane

Beast: Ermine

Galad (Lilac) also called Gortë (Ivy) G-Rune

Water Runes (Labial Consonants)

Fearn (Alder) F-Rune

Vuin (Chestnut) V-Rune

Mór (Sea) also called Muin (Vine) M-Rune

Pagis (Spruce) P-Rune

Beith (Birch) B-Rune

Fire Runes (Dental Consonants)

Tinnë (Holly) T-Rune

Duir (Oak) D-Rune

Thór (Redwood) Th-Rune (Unvoiced)

Sultán (Beech) S-Rune

Zallis (Osier, Dogwood) Z-Rune