The Runes: Symbols of Magic, Mystery & Ancient Wisdom
The Elder Futhark is one of the oldest known Runic Alphabets, a sacred system of symbols used by ancient Germanic and Norse peoples. More than just letters, these runes were believed to carry magical power, each one a portal into the unseen realms. They were carved into stones, wood, and bone – not just to record language, but to cast spells, offer protection, and connect with the divine.
What Is the Elder Futhark Runes?
The Elder Futhark consists of 24 symbols, dating back to at least the 2nd century CE. Though historians debate their exact origin, magical traditions view them as living energies – each rune a spiritual force, an archetype, and doorway into the deeper layers of reality.
Origins in Myth & Mystery
The Elder Futhark Runes are said to be a gift from the gods.
According to Norse mythology, the runes were obtained by Odin, the Allfather, who sacrifised himself and hung for nine nights on the World Tree, Yggdrasil, pierced by his own spear, to gain the knowledge of the runes. They were not taught – they were earned through sacrifice and wisdom.
The 24 Elder Futhark Runes are divided into three “Aetts” (families), each ruled by different gods and representing distinct aspects of life. Each Aett takes the seeker deeper into the journey of the self – from earthly beginnings to spiritual mastery.
Practical & Magical Uses of The Runes
The Runes can be used for personal clarity or in readings in several meaningful ways:
Divination: Runes have long been used for divination and guidance. By casting the runes or drawing them in sacred space, seekers open themselves to higher wisdom and insight. Each symbol holds its own meaning, but also shifts depending on its placement, orientation, and context.
- Sigil Magic: The Runes are powerful symbols that can be combined and stylized to create personalized sigils for magical intent. Bind Runes are combinations of two or more runes merged into a single symbol to amplify their magical intent and unify their meanings in spell work or protection.
Protection: Runes were often carved into amulets, weapons, doorways, and talismans to create protective barriers. These inscriptions were believed to ward off harm, negative energies, and unwanted spiritual influences.
- Spell Work: In magical practice, they were inscribed on talismans or written into rituals to focus intention, harness energetic power, or attract specific outcomes such as success, fertility, or healing.
- Meditation & Inner Work: Each rune offers a deep meditative archetype—a symbol to focus on during ritual or contemplation. Working with runes can help awaken inner strength, shadow integration, and connection to ancestral memory.
The Runes & The Medicine Wheel
In the videos below Michael William Denney explores the intersection of Norse Runic wisdom and Native American cosmology. Denney offers a unique perspective by aligning the 24 Elder Futhark runes with the sacred directions and cycles of the Medicine Wheel. Through this synthesis, he bridges two ancient systems of spiritual understanding, presenting the runes not just as an alphabet or divinatory tool, but as a map of energetic transformation and personal growth within the rhythms of nature and the cosmos.
The Esoteric Perspective
According to the esoteric traditions, The Runes are viewed as more than just ancient symbols – they are a living language of energy, intention, and connection to the unseen realms, offering guidance, protection, and power to those who work with them with respect and intuition.
Although, no historic records or evidence has been found to indicate that the Vikings actually used the Runes for divination and magical purposes. That does appear to be an invention of the 1900-2000 century.
The More Historical Perspective
A brief and summarized explanation on what the runes really are by Arith Härger – archaeologist and independent researcher. His channel offers information on Scandinavian and Nordic studies, Paganism, Animism, as well as on non-academic Traditional Folk Magic and Esoteric subjects.
In addition, check in the description of the video for more of his studies into the Elder Futhark Runes from someone who is bridging the fence between the esoteric and historic.
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