A Brief History of The Runes
Have you seen the symbols above and not only wondered what they mean, but also where they came from?
Not only does each rune itself hold mystery individually, but the idea of reading runes in general is somewhat mystifying. The very meaning of the word "rune" is "secret". Anything called a secret must be something deep, intriguing, and possibly worth diving into! If you're like me and love a good mystery, you're probably finding yourself being ever so drawn to them. But, before we dive into the mythology and mysticism, it's important first to talk about the stones pictured below.
The rune stones in the pictures above are examples of standing runes stones scattered across Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The vast majority of these are in Sweden. These stones were each used in various ways. Some of these were used as a memorial to commemorate those who have gone on in spirit. Others were used as a will to mark who had claim to what land. The runes are most often found at Viking burial sites. The Vikings were also known for carving runes into everyday objects as charms.
The Vikings did not use written language exactly the way it's used today. Scholars believe they may have used runes to label items, but it's a much more popular belief they were used as charms or oracles. The runes did not only appear in Scandinavian countries however. This should come as no surprise seeing as to how well traveled the Vikings became through their raiding endeavors. Because of this runes have been found across the British Isles, Greenland, and Iceland. Over the course of time the alphabet which was used for rune inscriptions and readings evolved into the following alphabets.
Elder Futhark
Gothic Runes
Younger Futhark
Anglo-Saxon Futhorc
Where did the original runes come from?
The Vikings and ancient pagans of the North believed the teachings of the Runes can be found and traced back to Norse Mythology. Each rune represents a God or Goddess in Norse mythology, which you will come to find. It is believed that only the Norns, three sagacious maidens who create the fates of all beings can use the stones. They do this by inscribing magical runes into the trunk of Yggdrasil. The symbols then carry these intentions throughout the tree, affecting everything in the Nine Worlds.
Odin being the relentless seeker of truth and knowledge, that he was, set off on a journey to Asgard obtain the magic of the Runes. Upon reaching the Well of Urd, Odin understood the knowledge would not be given without a great sacrifice. Odin hung himself from the branches of the tree, pierced himself with his spear, and peered down into the shadowy waters of the well beneath him. He directed every God to not help him, for nine days and nine nights he had not even the slightest sip of water. He survived in this state living between the realms of life and death. On the very last night, he finally perceived the shapes and depths of the Runes! The Runes had accepted his sacrifice and revealed themselves to him! Having absorbed the knowledge and secrets of the runes Odin let out a yell, and was freed from his ordeal. Odin was to have been quoted,
"Then I was fertilized and became wise; I truly grew and thrived. From a word to a word I was led to a word, From a work to a work I was led to a work."
Having now obtained the power of the Runes Odin became one of the most powerful beings in the cosmos. He learned chants with the Runes which enabled him to heal emotional and physical wounds, to bind his enemies and render their weapons' worthless, to wake the dead, protect those he loved, and perform many other feats.
I believe this story comes with a great lesson. The Runes are to be respected for great sacrifice has gone into studying and understanding them. People routinely fear what they do not understand. With the Runes meaning secret it doesn't come as any surprise as to why some people may be scared of them. However, like all magical tools the runes work with your subconscious mind, not any outside force. There is no reason to fear these, but rather, use these as a tool to find your own true power.
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