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modernamericansham

A New Look at the Runes




This month I have been looking into the different rune poems and trying to develop a deeper understanding of the runes. A number of modern books only give a basic blurb about the runes (Fehu – cattle, mobile wealth). This is fine, and it is also how I work with people to help them understand the runes.


My point of view is that you need to internalize the runes before you can truly work with them. You should know the runes like you know the regular alphabet. This first requires a simple understanding like A is for apple. But at some point, you should develop a deeper understanding. I first started this journey by reading several different books on the runes. Surprisingly enough most of them say the same thing and don’t go beyond a basic description. Although some authors try and fill in the gaps of their knowledge by using other cultural tools like the YiChing. By no means am I saying you should not study other cultures. What I am saying is you should have a deep understanding of what you are working with before you look to other cultures. A good friend of mine shared a saying from his martial arts class that has stuck with me for many years. “Climbing to the second floor of 10 different buildings does not give you the view from the twentieth floor.”

Now I am a little hard headed, so I did spend way too much money on to many books before I turned to the sagas and rune poems. A wealth of knowledge can be found for free on-line. All the sagas and rune poems are on-line and “free.” They are literally at your fingertips.

So, to rap this post up I recommend picking one good book on the runes and develop a deep and solid understanding of the runes and then turn to the sagas and the rune poems. Below I will share the differences I have found, rune books VS the sagas and rune poems.


Thurisaz

Generic information from rune books,

- An active defense, stand your ground, thorn.


Information gathered from sagas and rune poems as of this morning,

- Thurisaz means giant, as in Jotun. It represents strength and resistance. It is the direct cosmic force of destruction and defense. It awakens the will to act and breaks any resistance or blockages in the body or the mind. Being connected to giants, it also represents chaos, destruction, and instinctual will. The rune is tied to Thor but does not mean Thor, as some books state. Being connected to Thor it is a protection born from wild/blind rage.

I will be working on improving my understanding of runes for the rest of this year and the nest. I will share what I come across in my new book coming in 2022.


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