What is a rune- and how to understand them.

As I step forward more into teaching the rune-lore that underpins my beloved seidr work I find I am being asked questions that I understand the answer to- but struggle to translate into words. One of the fundamental questions being “what is a rune?”

I wanted to explain how I understand a rune (though experience is probably a better word), and decided the best way was to use the runes. So I created a bind rune using the younger futhark.

I'm still struggling to express exactly what a rune is- possibly the nearest I can get to at the moment is "a symbol to represent an archetypal energy"

My bind rune looking at the individual runes & their associated deity-

The Norns represents the web, and the awareness that each rune is a part of a bigger whole.

Freya Represents “self” the rune needs to make sense in my life, it’s important I develop a personal understanding of each rune.

Freya also represents Seidr- Much of my personal understanding has come through my Seidr practice.

Thor represents “mott” or the physical body. I connect to the rune through making its shape using my body as I practice my daily rune stances. I have also experienced the runic energies through martial training- exploring how each rune works with my body.

Vidar “megin” or energy. When I make the shape of the rune with my body in the daily runic stances I feel how my megin moves. Each rune has a different quality and works differently with my megin.

I also experience this through seidr- journeying to connect with a rune. Each rune has a different "energy feel".

Odin “Galdr” or the more left brain/structured way of understanding the associations of the runes- the animals, deities, myths and magical associations that create a web of understanding for each rune.

This would include bind-runes, rune magic, poetry, and using the power of a rune.

Heimdall Tradition, story, learning from those who have studied before us. The runes are linked to generation upon generation who have studied their mysteries before us.

Reading the mythology, discussing how others experience the runes, finding the tradition and history of each rune is a powerful tool.

Working with a teacher, and teaching rune-lore are also powerful ways to deepen personal understanding of the runes.

The web within which each of the 16 runes of the younger futhark can be found.