The Book of Runes

Product Information

I found his general commentary on divination, and his history/pronunciation/list of traditional meanings for the runes helpful and enjoyable. Suffice it to say that if you want a deeper look at the esoteric meanings behind the runes, both for general knowledge and for the reasons of divination (that is to say, analysis of one's situation via the tools of symbology as a means to think about something in a different way), this might not be the book for you. I did not find the interpretations shallow; on the contrary, although simply written the meanings assigned to each Rune have resonance and depth. Overall, I give The Book of Runes a 5 star rating for the warm, inspiring text, ease of use, and for his obviously loving re-interpretation of an ancient oracle. C., and from my later personal studies, clearly an adaptation from scratchings, the common precursor of many languages as man learned how to communicate across time and distance, discovered the concept of written language, first by symbols, such as the Runes, then by phonetic glyphs, until eventually, many families of alphabets and what we consider written language sprouted and spread; to be independently discovered or borrowed, for thousands of years across the globe.

This book serves as a guide to unlocking the mysteries of ancient rune-reading, an oracular art, that will educate you in the technique of formulating and interpreting runes. He is a practising neo-pagan with an emphasis on the Northern Tradition, but likes to see that as part of a larger global discourse that spans back to Neolithic times and hopefully distantly into the future. You can read and divine with them based on the well studied meanings and historical interpretations, or you throw the book out the window and find your own meanings when using them. While there’s a core body of traditional lore to be mastered, the runes speak to everyone at least a little bit differently.

These designs range from simple two-letter bind-runes to complex, full-page layouts, each imbued with extensive meaning and purpose. But if you are like me, you may find that you appreciate someone offering a somewhat new interpretation on an ancient oracle.

It will especially appeal to indigenists and traditionalists who seek to eschew “New Age fluff” and to base their own practice on historical runic magic as completely as possible.First off, this book is beautiful with many illustrations which are a delight to look at and along with stories help make the information enclosed more accessible.

Ralph Blum was not trying to put forth a correct, much less a traditional, understanding of the Elder Futhark. Since the runes are a vital part of the pre-Christian northern European mythology, worldview, and spiritual practice, I thought it would be fitting and helpful to provide some recommendations in this field. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.

Suitable for beginners and experienced rune-workers alike, the book serves as a unique bridge between ancient magical practices and modern creative expression, promising an enchanting exploration into the art of runes. I put off getting The Book of Runes for years because I'd read some reviews that were highly critical of the non-traditional way they were set-up and used by Ralph Blum.

Nevertheless, The Rune Primer makes lots of great points along the way, and the author’s critical rigor is highly commendable.Find out about the history of runes, which are more than 2,000 years old and formed the sacred alphabet of the Germanic people of Northern Europe. As an additional tool, this book includes combinations of all 24 Futhark runes in pairs, perfect for representing any set of initials. And the form in which he presents the runes functions for many who do not resonate with Germanic mythology.