Casting of the Norns
By Landen O'Nally
The Norns, also known as the fate maidens, are as old as Time. Before the coming of the Aesir; before the Vanir who is said to have established the fertility of the planet, there was the cosmos filled with probability and possibility. The three sisters Wyr, the Norns, represent the principles at work in that space time continuum.
While they are the determiners of destiny for both "gods" and men, they are also the keepers of cosmic law. They represent the laws of nature and physics, mathematics and astronomy. They set and enforce natural laws such as gravity and manage materials and energies that interact. They did not set the stars and planets in the sky, along with the moon and the sun, but they make sure they stay there. As for humans, animals and "the gods", the Norns know and keep the laws of genetics, the theories of evolution, ecology, biology and the principles of human behavior.
Urd, as Fate, represents the Past. She is the first of the Norns in that she is the first to speak, to give counsel, when the Aesir come to her for advice. It was she that consistently warned the Aesir of the dangers in Loki's three monstrous children.
As the ancient Crone, her gift is accurate memory. She sees very clearly how one got into any given situation.
Verthandi as Necessity represents the Present. She understands the motivations behind the Aesir's approach. Verthandi is the youngest and third of the Norns. Hers is the gift of material reality. Verthandi has a practical grasp of the way things really are isn't shy about expressing it.
The second Norn and perhaps the most mysterious is Skuld, the runemaker. While all the Norns are naturally proficient with the runes, it is only Skuld who was singled out by the Voluspa as the one who casts them.
Perhaps this is because, as Being, she represents the Future. Her gift, rare and without equal in value, is the gift of becoming. With foresight and unwavering understanding of the consequences of any action, she is the most reticent and least understood of the Norns.
A Norns cast is very simple, consisting of three runes, drawn one at a time from the rune pouch and laid in a row. If face down, flip them over as if turning the pages of a book. The first rune represents the past of the situation in question. The second indicates the present, the path that the querier is currently on. The third suggests the future, a likely outcome if one continues on the present path.
Scribbed at the bottom of the essay in Svartrunir's ancient hand is the following: Excellent discussion of the trio of maidens. Later spellcraft by witches, particularly ritual spellcasting has been traditionally done in the pairing of a virgin, a matron, and a crone for thought that the power would be very strong and the magic finely tuned as a result. In the future, please refer to the person asking the question of the runes as the "subject." Querier is not a word in the English language.
Casting of the Norns
By Edward Gallivant
Commonly referred to as the Casting of the Norns, this method of Divinations is also known as the Three Sisters and is one of the simplest forms of Rune casting. In Norse mythology, the Norns were the three Goddesses of Fate. They were Urdh, the goddess of the past or what has been; Verdhandi, the goddess of the present, of what is; and Skuld, the goddess of the future or what shall be.
To begin the casting, one should begin by sitting somewhere quiet and suitable for concentration, facing the sun if at all possible. A small white cloth should be placed upon the work surface, so as to prevent the runes used from getting dirty and to mark the boundaries of the casting. With a question firmly fixed in mind, the runes (which are carved on small, similarly-shaped tiles of wood or stone) should be shaken within their container or their bag.
When ready, three runes should be drawn and laid out in a single row. If one is flipped on its face, one should right it as if turning the page of a book. The first rune will represent the past of the situation in question. The second indicates the present, the current situation of the one who does the casting. The third and final rune speaks of the future, a likely outcome if one continues upon his path.
There are no set and rigid rules to interpreting the meaning of the individual runes when cast. It is a matter of instinct and of determining just how the rune's literal translation applies to the situation in question. Traditional interpretations should not be discounted, however; those seeking guidance through the runes should instead learn to expand on their meanings through insight and meditation. As with all other forms of Divinations, the runes are often obscure and do not provide immediate answers.
Scribbled at the bottom of the essay in Svartrunir's ancient hand in red ink is the following commentary: Excellent treatment of one of the most important applications of runes in Divination. I expect nothing less of my students pursuing NEWT level achievement in Ancient Runes.
Freya's Aett
By Landen O'Nally
The Elder Futhark runes, named because the first letters spell out futhark, are split into three aettirs. Each Aett (eight) is associated with a different God or Goddess. The first Aett is Freya's Aett, the second is Heimdall's Aett, and the last is Tyr's Aett. It is said that these runes were given to Odin as he hung from Yggdrasil, the world tree, impaled by his own spear. It took him nine days and nights to gain the knowledge of these runes. After the ninth day, the runes appeared below him and he took them. He shared the runes with Freya, Heimdall and Tyr, in return for their magic.
Freya is known as the Lady of the Vanir. The Vanir consisted of the second Germanic family of Gods and Goddesses with the Aesir being the most important. The Vanir Gods and Goddesses were called upon for rain, fertility, sun, good harvest, and good winds. Freya is Goddess of Love, Lust, War, Seidth, and Death. Her brother, Frey, is God of Spring, Harvest, Fertility, and the Farmer. He sacrificed his sword for love. He is also the husband of Gerd, Goddess of Frost.
The first eight runes of the Elder Futhark run from Fehu through to Wunjo and are ruled by the Goddess Freya. She is the personification of nature. In different realms, these runes refer to how we interact with the natural world. Fehu represents money and wealth, as well as cattle, implying that all wealth comes from nature. Uruz and Thurisaz represent the more primal forces of nature that we can still harness but never own. These forces include physical strength and speed, which is Uruz, along with reactive force and instinctive will, which is Thurisaz. Uruz also represents freedom, courage, and strength. Ansuz represents the higher realms, those of the Shaman who travels to talk to the spirits in nature: A revealing message or insight; communication along with inspiration and enthusiasm. This leads to Raidho, symbol of the journey itself. This rune is travel, both physically and the direction on one's lifestyle; seeing the right move to make and deciding upon it. This is one's personal rhythm along with world rhythm, or as some may call it, the dance of life.
Kenaz is a symbol of fire harnessed in a torch, another force of nature brought under our control. Kenaz is vision, revelation, knowledge and creativity, the vital fire of life and harnessed power. This is also a force of passion and deeply felt love, a feeling or knowledge that many seek for. Gebo represents the sacrifice and generosity that characterises our relationship with natural forces. Gebo is also a rune of healing and blessings. Wunjo, the final rune in this Aett, is the state of joy in which it is possible to live if we are in harmony with the forces around us. It is comfort, pleasure, harmony, and prosperity, all of which the human nature strives for.
Written below the text on the scroll in bright red ink:Extremely well written essay on Freya's Aett. Nothing is worse than excessive text without thought. You do well in writing a streamlined prose, tapping into the very importance of Freya's Aett as elemental and basic to the Rune Student's understanding. This insight will be to your favor as you progress to use Runes in actual application. You would do well to consider continuing Ancient Runes after your OWLS as you appear to have a talent for it. ~ S.S.
Freya's Aett
By Saori Kartright
In the study of Ancient Runes, the basics must be known: there are twenty four Elder Futhark Runes of Germanic origin, sixteen younger Futhark Runes of Norse origin, and twenty four to thirty three Old English Runes. The Runes are divided and organized into three Aetts. Freya's Aett, Hygal's Aett, and Tyr's Aett, specifically. There are eight Runes in each Aett, each relating to one another, some in subtle manners, and some not. However, the main focus is upon Freya's Aett, and to all Rune readers and interpreters, it is important to understand this set of Runes, as it is very important to the art of Runic magic.
The first Rune in this set would be Fehu, often known for its meaning for prosperity, social success, wealth, acquired wealth, and possessions. Also, it may stand for creativity and such. Deities for this Rune is the Gods Frey, Freyja and Njord, according to Norse legends and myths.
Uruz is another addition to Freya's Aett, standing for vital strength and defense, freedom, health, wild energy, understandings and sudden changes, usually set for the better. Often the principal for organic life and transformation, Uruz has many stories in legends of Norse origin behind it. Also, it stands for an extinct species of wild oxen, strangely to say.
Thurisaz is the Rune for force, and applied power as well as desire. It is known as Thor's Hammer, Mjollnir, which could cause much destruction. Thus, this Rune is a symbol of lightning and thunder, and directed as the force of destruction in means of defense, for the Mjollnir was the weapon which protected Midgard and Asgard.
Fourth into Freya's Aett is Ansuz, standing for inspiration, spiritual knowledge, magical incantation, and the power of suggestion. It is known as being instrumental in the creation of mankind. This Rune describes two of the gifts given to the first man and woman by the gods: to breath and to be inspired.
The keywords to the Rune Raidho, another addition to Freya's Aett, is the right action and order, a journey, and spiritual reunion. Soon enough, it came to be a symbol for an organized religion-- Asatru-- the ancient form of Germanic religion. But these common days, this Rune stands for "way back to the right", to those who wish back for the essence of primal order between society.
Kenaz is not very specific in what it means. For the most part, it can stand for the simple essence of fire. However, texts say otherwise, as it can also mean controlled energy, creativity, sexual lust and transformation. According to ancient lore, Kenaz is the fire of creation, sacrifice, and the hearth and forge-fire controlled by man.
Gebo stands as the eminent unconscious magical force present in a magically charged void before the creation of the Worlds, according to ancient lore. Standing for gift, generosity, hospitality, and magical exchange, it is doubtful if this Rune is ever used often these days.
Finally, it stands to the final Rune of Wunjo. The main keywords to this Rune is joy, harmony, fellowship, binding and one's well-being. It is known as the principal of ideal harmonization of entities, elements, mankind and the Gods.
Written below the finished essay is the following comment in red ink: Excellent treatment of Freya's Aett. Please be certain to check your grammar in the paragraph addressing Fehu, particularly subject-verb agreement. ~ S.V.
Freya's Aett
By Edward Gallivant
Comprising three aettir and twenty-four individual runes, the Elder Futhark is a system of Divinations rich with symbolism and meaning. Throughout the centuries since its inception in northern Europe, Scandinavia, the British Isles and Iceland, Wizards have built elaborate tables of correspondance linking the signs to directions, times of day, colours and moon phases. Though modern scholars now advise the novice to avoid overanalysation and stagnation in interpreting the runes, tradition is not to be discounted. The three aettir are each allotted eight runes, and they are known as Freya's Aett, Heimdall's Aett and Tyr's Aett.
Though it is the first aett, it would be incorrect to assume that it is the most important. Freya's Aett reflects the virtues associated with the Norse goddess of love and beauty, who has also been known by the names of Freyja, Freyia and Frea. It is the aett of the nurturer, dealing heavily with such concepts as fertility, increase, love and basic life forces. Three sets of runes in the aett are of opposing ideals, reflecting the opposing choices that many students and novices must make when journeying to wards mastery of their lives and vocations.
Fehu and Uruz demonstrate this concept of opposites quite clearly, being the first two runes of the aett. Fehu, which signifies domesticated cattle, wealth, financial strength and security, is sacred to the goddess Freya. It also stands for the Primal Cow or Sow, the fertile originating animals, a starting point or a common beginning. Uruz, on the other hand, is the wild ox. It stands for raw creative power, a huge, fierce animal that is impossible to domesticate; sexual energy, strength and speed, and it is sacred to Thor, the god of thunder and strength.
In the second pair of runes, the opposition is blatantly obvious, as it pits Thurisaz against Ansuz. Sacred to Loki, the trickster and shape-changer, Thurisaz is all that is evil; demons, trolls, conflict and thorns. Ansuz, as can be deduced, is the blessing of the gods, a source of joy, the divine breath, the sacred ash. Ansuz is sacred to Odin, the god of wind and spirit.
Raido and Kaunaz complete the traditional view of opposing rune sets. Raido, the wagon or the chariot, is symbolically linked to travelling, to journeys and to changes in place or settings. It is often linked with the concept of venturing down into the darkness of the afterlife, and it is sacred to Thor, the god of thunder. Kaunaz, which is sacred to Heimdall, the guardian of the underworld, signifies burning, a torch, illumination, a light in the darkness and regeneration through death.
Both Gebo and Wunjo are benevolent runes, so to speak, as both focus upon more positive aspects of life. Though traditional scholars do not count Gebo and Wunjo as opposites, there can be no doubt that they are at least related. Gebo, which stands for gift-giving, sacrifice, generosity, the Bountiful Goddess, dedication to the gods and joining together, is arguably what leads to Wunjo, which is sacred to Odin, meaning joy, pleasure, comfort, ecstasy and a life without sorrow. For those who study the Runes and attempt to divine guidance from them, it is clear through their meaning that only hard work and sacrifice lead to true rewards.
Written below the above text in red ink are the following comments: Prime treatment of Freya's Aett. The points made regarding the meaning held for students of Ancient Runes in their studies is well taken. Not a day goes by that I observe students forced to deal with the tension between logical discipline and irrational behavior, the corruption of selfishness versus purity and compassion, facing personal loss with hope versus allowing oneself to wallow in despair, and finally generosity of spirit versus hedonistic tendencies. Contemplate this and you will find it true that Freya's Aett, while only the first is fundamental to understanding and obtaining the balance and strength of self necessary to be a truly great wizard. Please be careful with spelling. I seem to recall that traveling has only one L in it and correspondence has two E's. ~ S.S.
The History of Runes
By Edward Gallivant
Runes are the magical alphabet of northern and central Europe. Though they were used as a form of writing, particularly for short magical inscriptions, their primary use was divination. The word "rune" means "whisper" or "secret."
Runes as a system of divination and communication actually arose from a collision between cultures from two ends of Europe. They combine very old signs and symbols, seen on pottery, standing stones, ritual objects and cave paintings throughout the North as early as Paleolithic times, with a variant of what is probably an old Etruscan or North Italic alphabet.
One myth of origins has to do with the Volsungr, an ancestral northern tribe that wandered into Europe ahead of the great Ice Age. They were seen as semidivine beings who cared for the world, guardians of the primordial forests and the "dragon-paths," the ancient lines of connection. They "sowed the world" with the signs and the wisdom of the Ur-runes, which offer help to anyone suffering need or oppression.
At some point this Ur-horde of signs encountered one of the early Mediterranean alphabets. Through this collision it became a divination system, a magical writing. The act of putting these two things together, of seeing that magic, system and insight are simultaneously possible, is described in a myth of Odin. This god of wisdom, divining and the Horde of the Dead, hung upside down on the World Tree for nine days, "dedicated to himself." At the end of this shamanistic journey he saw how the magical and the systematic power of signs - and of the mind - could be put together. He "took up the runes."
The oldest and most often used form of the runes is the collection of twenty-four Germanic rune-staves that is called the Elder Futhark. This collection of signs defines an imaginative world inhabited from Paleolithic times until well into the 17th century. As late as 1700, Muggles were burnt at the stake for using them.
The twenty-four signs are arranged into three families, or aett (plural aettir), of eight signs each. The sequence of signs in each aett is significant, and each is ruled over by a particular spirit: Freya, goddess of fertility, love and increase; Heimdall, the Watcher and keeper of the Rainbow Bridge to the Heavens; and Tyr, war-leader and spirit of the Just. Each rune is a symbolic storehouse and a magical talisman with a field of meanings that connects objects, creatures, feelings, experiences, spirits and archetypal processes. They are seen as a description of the inner structure of reality. Their movement in a particular situation articulates the way Wyrd, fate, is weaving our lives.
Because the runes did not go thrugh the fixation of meaning associated with imperial culture and the development of a universal compass, their fields of meaning remain fluid and individual. Old texts and traditions, written much later than the signs themselves, give sets of associations, but the intuition still has free play.
The runes are more than a way of sending secret messages. They exist in the middle of a group of Wizard practices that includes weaving spells. They are inscribed on objects to give them power and potency, used to curse enemies and in some cultures, seen as doorways to identification with a pagan god. The cultures that used runes put a high value on women and the power of the goddesses. Wise women and runemasters used these signs to understand what the gods wanted; to see and change the shape of coming events.
In scrawled red ink below the above scroll is the professor's comments.Mr. Gallivant, I hardly believe that you had time to write this given that you are preparing for your NEWTs, but as always this essay is of prime quality. Please note that in paragraph seven, you misspelled the word "thrugh". I see you are as always against the use of self-spelling quills and self-correcting ink, which will be to your advantage in your exams. Bravo!
The History of Runes
By Landen O'Nally
The runic alphabet, used by early Norse people including the Vikings, is said to have no clear origin. The word "rune" comes from the Gothic word runa, which means "mystery." The runic alphabet is called a "futhark" and gets its name, like the word "alpha-bet," (alpha, beta, and so on), from the first few symbols in the series. These first few runes are Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho, and Kenazf. Runes, unlike our alphabetical letters, have no lowercase symbols, and they can be written in any direction, from left to right or right to left. Unlike our letters, they're not restricted to be written in one certain and "right" way.
Runic alphabets first appeared in German tribes in central and Eastern Europe during Roman times. It is known that the Germanic peoples in Europe used pictographic symbols that were scratched into rocks, sort of like hieroglyphics used by the ancient Muggle Egyptians. By 400 A.D., there was a common set of twenty-four runes that has spread across Northern Europe. These runes seem to be collected from Greek, and probably Latin origins. This alphabet is known as the "Elder Futhark." As time passed, new runes were added on as the need for them came, and many different versions of the futhark were created, including up to 38 symbols. The fact that runes consisted of straight lines made them easier to carve into wood or stone, which was important to these early people.
Most adults in Roman-age Europe owned knives of some sort, and wood carving was often a highly treasured skill. So creating an alphabet that could be easily carved with straight lines in wood (and later stone) was a development that came naturally. The materials that they had, namely their knives, were the largest factor that tells why runes are mostly straight and edged. Most Runic inscriptions simply identified the ownership or burial site of someone or something.
The runes were never the base of a spoken language, but along with their written use they were believed, by the early Muggle people, of course, to be sacred and very powerful magical symbols, each linked to a god and a specific meaning. They were a means of divination. Rune casters, whom were often women, used runes to cast lots and tell fortunes. Modern versions include a blank rune, which symbolizes the Unknowable.
Though these later early peoples used runes as a means of magic, there is little telling of how successful muggles were to casting what they believed to be "magic" or true fortune telling.
At the end of the scroll is a short note from the professor regarding the essay. Nice job, Mr. O'Nally. I personally have no truck with the blank rune in casting, although Professor Thriae may disagree with me. The runes themselves are magic, but I also cannot personally believe that muggles had much success in using them, even if they had a gifted witch or wizard teaching them. They simply lack the ability to use magic or understand it. But perhaps some minor protection was available to them if they used the proper formulas. I look forward to working with you in the coming year if you choose to continue studying with me for your NEWT levels. I am certain you will achieve an outstanding on your OWLs.