#Runic Alphabet

[apiswitchcraft]

understanding norse runes: a historical and modern perspective pt. 3

Sorry it's taken me so long everyone, holidays and school starting back up had me really distracted.

For part 1 click here, for part 2 click here.

ᛏ tiwaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Tir is a guiding star, well keeps faith with princes; it is on course over the mists of night, never failing."

NORWEGIAN:

"Tiw is the one-handed member of the Aesir often has the smith to blow."

ICELANDIC:

"Tyr is the one-handed As and leavings of the wolf and king of temples."

INTERPRETATION: Law and order, justice, victory, but victory for the people, not just the individual. Tyr (this rune's namesake), as the god of war, is also a god of the people, much in the same way Ares is. This rune emphasizes self-sacrifice in the name of common good, in order the serve a larger purpose. However, Tyr also embodies the wisdom of the goddess Athena, also a goddess of war. You have to be reliable, hard working, and loyal in order to achieve success, but you also have to have a plan, gather intel, do research. Think about what you did to deserve your successes: it's not just about the end goal, but the path you took too. As a bindrune, this stave can be good for summoning courage and energy needed for change, especially in legal matters. However, if your motivations are not pure, or actions not just, Tyr will just as much take action against you as for you. Use this rune if you need help bolstering your leadership skills, or for reinforcing a position you already have. Take decisive action, assert yourself, and take on obstacles with gusto.

KEY WORDS: Courage, loyalty, justice, wisdom, determination

ASSOCIATIONS: Tyr

ᛒ berkano

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Poplar/Birch bears no fruit, bears without seed suckers, for from its leaves it's generated, splendid are its branches, gloriously adorned its lofty crown, lifting to the sky."

NORWEGIAN:

"Birch is the greenest-leaved of branches; Loki was lucky in his deception."

ICELANDIC:

"Birch is leafy branch and little tree and youthful wood"

INTERPRETATION: Meaning "birch," this rune represents birth and rebirth, especially when created out of very little. New beginnings, or a restart of something old. But just in as much as it can be ascribed to the cycle of life, this rune is also connected to the cycle of death, as they go hand-in-hand. Birch is a hardy tree that grows in cold climates, bracing the bitterest winters to be cut down and used for maypoles at the coming of spring. This stave is especially useful in what is called "feminine" magic: relating to menstruation, birth, protection of young girls, or sensuality. Use Berkano to call upon the power of Frigg during wedding preparations, Freyja during times of courtship, and Hella during times requiring vengeance or after betrayal. Prosperity and beauty are indicated, as well as a nurturing, protective force. Lots of interpretations relate this rune to the Divine Feminine, or the Goddess archetype.

KEY WORDS: Fertility, new beginnings, femininity,

ASSOCIATIONS: Frigg, Freyja, Hella

ᛖ ehwaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Horse is a joy to princes in presence of earls, Horse in pride of its hooves, when rich men, mounted, bandy words, and is to the restless ever a comfort."

INTERPRETATION: Relationships and friendship, literally meaning "horse," the interpretation stems from the trust and love between rider and horse. On any journey into the unknown, you should always bring a friend. Mutual trust is important, though, and that takes a good amount of work to achieve. Harmony between to people is indicated, but loss of individuality does not accompany it. Reliability and loyalty are important qualities in this situation, not intolerance or jadedness. This harmony can also be achieved between two unlike things, two opposites: man and woman, physical and psychic, shaman and god. It is a good rune for meditation with the gods, as it can help bridge the gap between the mortal and immortal realms. Because ehwaz means "horse" this rune can also indicate travel or change. A steady and progressive change is underway, and consistency is key to maintain it.

KEY WORDS: Partnership, harmony, travel

ASSOCIATIONS: Sleipnir, Freyr

ᛗ mannaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"The mirthful man is dear to kinsmen, yet every man must fail his fellow since the will of the Lord dooms that the frail flesh to earth be taken."

NORWEGIAN:

"Man is an augmentation of the dust; great is the claw of the hawk."

ICELANDIC:

"Man is the joy of man and augmentation of the dust and adorner of ships."

INTERPRETATION: Literally meaning "man," mannaz represents the journey towards self-actualization, achieving an internal balance: between mortal and divine, between male and female, between conscious and unconscious. Take responsibility for yourself, and have respect for everything around you: nature, your fellow man, the gods, our ancestors, and your future. This is the stave of humanity, and all the flaws and follies that may accompany it, but recognizing them as inherently Human, and therefore not all that negative. It represents an awakening, like removing the blinders from a horse, so to speak. It addresses question of identity and purpose, one's function in society. However, this rune requires cooperation, for the user not to fight their "destiny" (which is self-made), or to at least not to abandon it. This rune represents the choices a person is constantly presented with, the same choices everyone is presented with, as a collective. It serves as a reminder that we are never alone, and while we are constantly reliant on others, we should also allow others to be reliant on us.

KEY WORDS: Identity, self-actualization, community, humanity

ASSOCIATIONS: Heimdall, Odin-Vili-Ve

ᛚ laguz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"The sea seems interminable to people if they shall venture on rolling ship and the waves of the sea terrify them, and the sea-stallion heeds not its bridle."

NORWEGIAN:

"Water is where a cascade falls from a mountain-side but ornaments are made of gold."

ICELANDIC:

"Water is welling stream and broad kettle and land of the fish."

INTERPRETATION: With the translation being "lake," the laguz rune represents a lot of what the element of water represents: creativity, visions/dreams, emotions, and vital energy (coming from the idea of the Niflheimr). As with the flow of a rushing river, it is safer to go along with the current than to fight it. A period of trials leading to personal growth is indicated, something that will be difficult, but not outright impossible to overcome. It may be that something hidden is soon revealed. You might feel overwhelmed, or quite put upon, but remember that there is nothing wrong with you, and all shall soon come to pass. Representing the essence of life, laguz can have alternative meanings involving birth, reproduction, healing, psychic powers. It's usage in matters involving the female reproductive and menstrual cycle is said to be very powerful.

KEY WORDS: Intuition, femininity, adaptability, emotional depth

ASSOCIATIONS: Nerthus

ᛝ ingwaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Ing was first among the East-Danes seen by men, till he to the east over waves went, his wain after ran, thus the Heardings named the hero."

INTERPRETATION: Ingwaz, representing fertility and masculinity, was said to translate to "Yngvi," thought to be another name for Freyr. It is the time before actualization, a period of gestation, in a sense. This is a potent state, a time where you have to have patience, and let things come to be on their own time. Ingwaz is a rune of transformation, of birth and death, of sensuality and love. However, not so much in the same way that Freyja was a goddess of love, but in the way that Freyr could be interpreted as a god of love; which is more about virility and sex than love. However, if your issue does not relate to interpersonal relationships, this is definitely a rune of nature. This is the stave of the farmer, of the father. Look towards the masculine figure in your life for answers, whether they will provide it to you, or are the crux of your issues.

KEY WORDS: Virility, fertility, potential, masculinity,

ASSOCIATIONS: Freyr

ᛞ dagaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Day is God's sending, dear to men the great lord's light means mirth and happiness to rich and poor, useful to all."

INTERPRETATION: Meaning "day," this rune represents clarity, awakening, opening the third eye, consciousness, hope and happiness. Often given very little context other than it's interpretation being overall positive, the dagaz rune should be invoked whenever you need a turning point, or clarification. It is the light of day at dawn, that brings recompense to the fearful and retribution against the hateful. It reminds of the cyclical nature of life, as bad times come, so does new hope emerge. New opportunities are being presented to you, basically on a silver platter. When surrounded by other runes, it turns basically a whole reading towards the positive.

KEY WORDS: Awareness, dawn, hope, happiness

ASSOCIATIONS: Day, Odin

ᛟ othala

ANGLO-SAXON:

"An estate is very dear to every man if he may there rightly and peacefully enjoy in the hall frequent harvest."

INTERPRETATION: The rune of the hearth and home, othala means, most literally "ancestral property," which aligns very similarly to the divinatory interpretation. It promises safety and stability, our relatives, our roots. However, it also warns us to not hide behind our pasts, and to be constantly evolving along with the rest of society. At the end of the day, we must always have something to come home to, a strong foundation. But if this foundation is unsteady, like a toxic relationship is, it can harm us more than help us. It represents everything inherited, psychological traits, land, a home, a name, family, a community. It represents the separation between the here and now, and the then and there, between mortal and immortal. For this reason, it can be a rune to represent Odin.

KEY WORDS: Heritage, inheritance, legacy, tradition

ASSOCIATIONS: Odin

[qldqueerboy]

That pigheadedness to breakthrough barriers today no matter what the personal cost or sacrifice has subsided. In its place has arisen a quiet and slow determination to pace yourself step by step without any reassurance that this method will be more effective than your first option. By the end of the day, you can reevaluate the result and if successful realign your thinking to incorporate the new way of doing things in all areas of your life.

[the-pagan-crow]

The Runes - An Introduction

Hello! Today, we're going to be looking at the runes. This is the introductory post for our rune study, which will be an in-depth look at each rune individually.

Before we get to that, we need a little history and background, so this is an introduction. There will not be any divinitory meanings explored today. We are simply looking at the runes and learning about their history.

Different Runic Alphabets

Many heathens are aware of two runic alphabets, Elder Futhark and Younger Furhark. However, there are more runic alphabets than just those. Some other alphabets are the Germanic Futhork and Medieval runes. While there are many runic alphabets, this blog will primarily explore the Futharks.

Elder and Younger Futhark History

As one might guess, the Elder Futhark gets its name because it came before the Younger Futhark. I have found some discrepancies over when Elder Futhark first appeared. That being said, somewhere in the 1st or 2nd century, Elder Futhark began being used by the Norse people.

By the Viking age, so around the 8th century, Elder Futhark turned into a different, shorter, alphabet that we now know as Younger Futhark.

Differences in Elder vs Younger

As stated before, Younger Futhark is much shorter. In fact, Younger Futhark is only 16 letters long. This is much shorter than Elder Futhark's 24 runes.

Another difference is that Younger Futhark has 2 different versions. They are often called Short-Twig and Long-Twig. Both of these versions mean the same thing. It's kind of like modern-day cursive versus print handwriting.

Were the Runes Just Alphabets?

This is a hard question for us to be 100% sure on. We have had some sources and people tell us that the ancient people did not believe the runes to have a deeper meaning than being characters in a writing system.

However, this is slightly contradictory with the mythological story we have about the runes (more on that below).

It is possible that they believed the runes held a deeper meaning, but did not use them for divination as we do today.

Odin and the Runes

In Norse mythology, Odin "discovered" the runes while he hung from the world tree, Yggdrasil, for nine days and nights after he impaled his heart with his own spear. It's said that the runes came to him from the Well of Urd, which is the source of fate.

Many people say that Odin put himself through this dangerous event because he knew the runes held great meaning and wisdom.

In Conclusion

The Elder and Younger Futhark are very interesting pieces of history and of the heathen path. I hope this post helped explain their history and background. I'm excited to start our in-depth study of the runes! We will start with Elder Futhark and then move to Younger Futhark. Below, you'll find quick charts of what the different Futharks look like!

[medicinanocturna]

Energetic channels in a relationship: why to consider them? 

Runes versus Astrology

Human relationships are one of the most vibrant themes in esoteric sciences. It is very difficult to understand, predict, or reason them. We are hugely emotional beings, and this defines lots of our connections. 

Synastry is a good starting point to try seeing where the two people connect. But it is also a bit dry, and generalised. Not all aspects play out as they are described.

The most important disclaimer here is this: the synastry chart doesn’t work, and it never will, unless there are energetic channels between the two.

The potential nature of such channels is reflected in the synastry, but whether there is an energy in them or not is not explicit. 

Imagine you have a scheme of a house. You see where the tubes and the power cords go. This is a synastry chart. But the scheme doesn’t reveal whether the water and the electricity are actually flowing in these tubes and cables. 

In astrology, the term energetic channels do not refer to synastry, but rather to the energetic field of a person. I haven’t found any astrological means to tell for sure whether the planetary channels between the two people are functional or not, or whether there is a sustainable flow of energy present. Not rare are the cases when the synastry chart looks captivating and has many “magnetic” personal and sexual aspects, but in reality, not much of it is happening between partners. And vice versa, some synastry charts show barely two or three aspects of mutual attraction, but the couple has a great personal and intimate compatibility and exchange. (The only aspect that will almost always indicate the energy flowing between the two is a conjunction. But this is not the scope of this text.) 

Here I would like to tell something about the runes as a tool of reading. Runes can be very accurate in describing personal chemistry in a coupe and whether there is an energetic channel between the two people in the relationships. 

The first most important rune to mention in this regard is Nauthiz. 

In relationships, this rune can be interpreted as a hunger or a need. In its upright position, its meaning remains the same, but in a more uncontrollable fashion that can also imply guilt or fear. This rune is well known for its extensive application in runic love spell formulas that are meant to conjure abiding passion and longing for the one who is activating it. 

In divination for love relationships, Nauthiz comes as an indication of many things, but it always means a strong connection between two people. It may also be an external connection, like obligation, and here, the rune can be compared with Saturn in astrology. But in the sphere of feelings, Nauthiz is an intense channel pulling the energy from one person to another, or both ways. The Nauthiz kind of channel is very prominently felt when the two are separated. In real life, this type of connection can be a difficult one, and always comes with an emotional pain. This rune is connected with an ether body, and so are the feelings like hunger and thirst. Ether body is the one of the most actively involved in our loving relationships. Touch, smell, physical longing, tenderness or intensity of a hug - all come from our ether bodies. Nauthiz can also indicate a longing that is being hidden (restricted) by a person.

Eihwaz is the other rune that can signify an energetic channel between the two people.

Its form already has a direct reference to it. The energy from one side goes down to the opposite and vice versa. In love divinations, it is always an indiction of a very strong connection (emotional, mental, energetic). Eihwaz will usually indicate that the channel is deep and stable to the extent that the two people can influence each other, see each other in dreams, hear each other’s emotions well. In my practice, it is Eihwaz that would appear in divinations for relationships where some energy practices are involved, including shamanic practices or astral projections. Such channels are also present between a healer and a patient. It is due to this channel that the work can be done. 

Eihwaz therefore can also signify the channel between the two people who are in service to each other in a certain sense.

Gebo is the rune of partnership, as it is obvious from its form.

It signifies a process of “exchange”. Ideally, this exchange is equal. But in certain aspects with other runes, Gebo is also a rune that would reveal vampirism. Unlike Nauthiz and Eihwaz that are self- sufficient for signifying the channel between the two, Gebo usually needs some other confirmation from other runes. If confirmed by other runes of love and feeling, Gebo indicates a channel of “give and take” nature in relationships. It may also be a sign of a harmonious flow of energy. Unlike Nauthiz, Gebo does not imply any painful feelings (unless it is not in combination with it (Nauthiz Gebo) in which case it will indicate a very strong sign of people being in an emotional need for each other). Not rarely Gebo is a sign of a telepathic connection between the two.

Laguz is not really a rune indicating a channel in a couple, but it is one of the most important marks of loving feelings among all twenty-four runes.

It is also a rune of water, magic and intuition, and thus suggests the flow. This flow can be one - sided, however. But in its upright position, this rune looks like a hook, and that is what it can represent - that someone is “hooked” (emotionally). In certain divinations, Laguz in the upright position is a sure indication of a love spell, or even a love curse being laid against a person. Laguz's upright signals the emotional state of confusion, often tears and instability rooted in a heavy co- dependence. In divinations where the reasons for unhappy love life are being diagnosed, Laguz will always mean there is a magical interference in place. Sometimes such magical spells come as a revenge from the ex- partners whose feelings were insulted and jealousy was untamed.

Jera is a rune of a circulation (or a cycle) of many kinds.

Per se it mostly refers to the circulation of time or events within the relationships. In certain position it can hint at karma. But when Jera goes with some other runes that signify an energetic channel, especially Eihwaz and Gebo, it will emphasize a strong energy circuit between the two. Appearing with Eihwaz especially, it is the sign of a channel that is either very stable, almost like a “loop” or is growing in its intensity, gaining more and more energy flow with each turn. 

In some cases it can also mean something that is called "the energetic lock", i.e. the energy is constant and it is "locked" from leakage. But this would be considered as a magic influence that serves as a protection (for a couple).

Hope this piece has brought some light into your runic practices (and astrology alike), as well as your understanding of the nature of our human connections in all their complexity and artistry. 

Drop me a line if you have questions.

Yours,

AlSheren 

[forestedlot]

What is the symbol in your blog’s name and photo?

“ᚢ” (or ūruz, pronounced oo-rooz) is a rune from the germanic elder futhark alphabet- which fun fact is the oldest runic language ever, you might even recognize them as the symbols on the MCU Thor’s hammer.

In ancient old english ᚢ or “ur” was the word for what historians call the aurochs, a now extinct species of wild bovine- the rune was also carved into weapons and talismans associating it with concepts such as strength, courage, determination, wisdom, tests and obstacles, and the primal/wild.

I was 18 when I started exploring my identity outside of the beliefs and ideals I had been raised with, not surprisingly I was drawn to germanic paganism as much of my ancestry is germanic- by that time I had already received the nickname “ox” by my boss at the environmental center I worked at in high school for my apparent strength and persistence while working on huge restoration efforts, so I immediately felt drawn to ᚢ.

I am also a EA survivor, so seeing the rune reminds me that I am strong, resilient, brave- all those things! There are also concepts I associate with ᚢ that are specific to my experience, such as independence (I hated being reliant on my abusers and basically raised myself), freedom (I dreamed to be able to escape captivity and seek adventure like i have now), nature (i’ve dedicated my life to natural conservation/rehabilitation and feel extremely connected to nature), untamed potential (my identity is constantly changing and i’m willing to take whatever path it leads me on), and so much more.

Eventually we decided to tattoo ᚢ on our right wrist as a reminder that we made it out alive and our life has only really just begun, to us it is like our equivalent of the semicolon symbol- we also use runes for divination and see them as spiritually significant, offering us protection and aid; ᚢ is by far our favorite rune and we feel like it is a symbol that can represent our system as a whole, so that’s exactly what we use it for!

[highpriestess-pinkypunjabi]

MASTER SORCERY COURSE

As the name suggests this is the course to master in runic and icelandic methods

I love combining them, the above video is a glimpse done by my student to show you all how we work with herbs to make them powerful and unleash their magic and potency. Like this you will learn much more techniques to be powerful in your spells and to get maximum results for you and your clients.

Contents

What are staves ?

Staves and how to.work with them

Runic and icelandic combination

How to invoke and evoke

How to destroy the staves after use

Connect to spirits with staves

Spell casting

Ways of working with icelandic and runic magick

Connect with Icelandic ancestor ways

Difference between Norse runes and Icelandic

Different ways of using staves

Around ten spells will be covered and some powerful prayers

Book your seats now.. whatsapp to 9176231990

[qldqueerboy]

You need to be able to look yourself in the mirror today and know that you made an informed decision that hopefully will come with no mental or emotion scarring on your part. What follows now will be critical to your success. If doubt should arise, return back to the very depth of your being and the inspiration that guided you to taking on this challenge.

[cornistasiathecoblinking]

Something I want to clarify here is that Othala/Othila, (Home, Old Country, Heritage) and Algis/Algiz (Life, Protection, Refuge) have both been misappropriated by the Alt/Far-Right Movement. Neo-Pagans and Norse Pagans (among other people, like me, who practice The Craft) are very angry about this!

Here is the pages from the ADL as well as a screenshot detailing that in this case, context matter given its historical usage among the Runic Alphabet.

The Runes, in this case, the Elder Futhark variation, are a tool of divination for many practitioners and so if you do see Othala and Algiz it's important to try to see what the context of their usage is before assuming that the person is a Nazi.

However, if they turn out to be a Nazi then by all means, violently remove their kneecaps with extreme prejudice! 8D

Remember kids, Nazis don't deserve their kneecaps.

Also if any of these are incorrect pls lemme know

[northern-passage]

sorry if this has been asked before, tumblr search is horrendous, do you have any visuals on the runes used by hunters?

not reaaally.... i've only ever drawn the ones on Lea's hands:

and i didn't really assign meaning to any of the symbols specifically, though i have tried to keep the shapes consistent whenever i draw them.

when i designed them i kinda based them off a combination of the runic alphabet, old alchemical symbols, and the very basic elemental symbols, which is why they're so angular:

with alchemy, the four base elements are the foundation of almost every transmutation, whether they're combining with each other or turning gaseous/solidifying/liquifying, etc. and magic is drawn from these four elements as well, with most people specializing in one or two elements. these systems are very tightly intertwined in the tnp world, and share a "language" so the sigils will look similar whether we're talking magic or alchemy (though magic isn't an exact science in the way that alchemy is, so runes aren't required in the same way, but rather used as an anchor/powered core for focused magic.) metal transmutations will use earth and fire, ice uses water and air, electricity uses air and fire, on and on and they just build on each other like a chemical equation, depending on the complexity of what's being done.

Lea and the hunter, as well as other members of the order (and people like Keres), are skilled enough in alchemy to not require drawing a full sigil, though the hunter does currently do this in the wraith fight since i wrote it before i tweaked some of the magic/alchemy system. the hunter themself will always have the basic sigils on their bracers, but an alchemist hunter will have more complex engravings as well as tattoos like Lea (if chosen by the player) and runes on their weapons, allowing them to transmute them (like the gauntlet or whip in the Duncan fight and the morningstar with the wraith.)

common alchemists, who are more like scientists than fighters like Lea and the hunter, will draw full sigils both for transmutations and while concocting potions.

i got a lot of inspiration from fullmetal alchemist, which does use classic 17th century alchemical symbols and imagery; the idea of the circle is the same in tnp, which is why Lea has those bands tattooed around their wrists. it allows them to use themselves/their hands as the foundational circle, rather than drawing it out, allowing for quicker transmutations.

[tyrannuspitch]

hey does anyone know if there's a way to put text in columns on ao3...

[treecakes]

still don’t know how i should format this paper

[heyzebulon]

The goal is to only write in this spellbook in runes. I'm using Ogham (left) and Coelbren y Beirdd which was invented by Iolo Morganwg in the 1800s, his hoax winning him the Eistedfodd one year, but does use some runes symbols that were used in Celtic scripts and is honestly very basic in matching runes to the closest Latin counterpart.

I'm treating the spellbook as an in-universe document for a pan-celtic fantasy world I'm working on. Hoping to eventually fill it until it looks like the journals in Gravity Falls!

Really happy with how this two page spread came out in my Witch's Spellbook 🔮

Art: from Micah Ulrich

Music: Gra - Wardruna

[astra-ravana]

Sigil Magick: Illustrating Your Intent

Sigils are a cornerstone of contemporary and chaos magick and function as keys to unlock the doors of reality and bend it to one’s will. These potent symbols serve as physical embodiments of one’s intentions, cast into existence through the fusion of art and willpower.

The crafting of a sigil begins with a clear and focused intention, which is then worked into a unique symbol through a creative magickal process. The magick practitioner inscribes deep personal meaning and style into their designs, making each unique to its artist. Sigils are ideal tools for manifesting your desires, imbuing objects with specific purpose and energy, protecting spaces, and communicating with the spirit world and should be used responsibly.

Origins

The practice of crafting sigils traces its roots to the ancient world but was modernized in the early 20th century by the works of Austin Osman Spare, an occultist and artist. He introduced the method of creating magical symbols by condensing letters of a desire into an abstract design. Aleister Crowley, too, influenced the practice by intertwining sigils with ceremonial magick, embedding them with a rich esoteric significance.

Some occult grimoires employ sigils as a means of contacting spirits, for example; Ars Goetia, The Book of Oberon, and Pseudomonarchia Daemonum.

Basics of Sigil Magick

Sigil magick emerges from the belief in one’s ability to manifest their focus into reality. Through a process of creation, a sigil becomes much more than mere ink on paper—it is the illustrated essence of desire. Individuals can use sigils as focal points for their will, empowering these symbols through meditation or ritual to enact change. The universe of sigils is vast and varied, types of sigils include:

• Pictorial Sigils: Intuitive symbols drawn from the subconscious

• Runic Sigils: Combinations of runic alphabets that resonate with specific energies

• Word Sigils: Derived from statements of intention, where letters are crafted into a unique symbol

Correspondences also serve a purpose in this class of magick, in order to help align one's intent to universal energies. As an artist crafts their sigil, they intertwine traditional symbols with personal significance, creating a bridge to the metaphysical world. Some relevant correspondences are:

• Numerology: Numbers carry vibrations that can enhance a sigil’s purpose.

• Zodiac Signs: Celestial influences infused to fine-tune the focus.

• Elements: The classic forces of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water lend their power to sigils, grounding them in natural harmony.

Sigil Creation

Before you take pen to paper, first envision your intent with clarity and purpose This may involve some deep introspection into the true nature of your desires. A precise intention lays the foundation for the sigil's power. Once ready, write out your intention and cross out any duplicate letters. From here a couple different methods can be utilized. Naturally you could always draw your sigils from pure instinct, creating spontaneous shapes to represent your intentions, but there are other techniques available.

The Wheel

This method employs a wheel to be used as a map for drawing your sigil. Simply start at the first letter of your intent and draw lines to each subsequent letter. Example:

My Method

I make my sigils by breaking up the letters to create shapes. I will often decorate with extra shapes, symbols, and pictures as well. Here is a simplified example of my sigil creation process:

Next you must charge your sigil. Charging is the act of infusing the sigil with energy. The creator might enter a meditative state, focusing intently on the sigil while envisioning their intentions intertwining with the design. This act of focused concentration serves to embed the intention within the sigil, making it a beacon for the desired change.

Passive and Active Sigils

Intentioned sigils fall into either the passive or active sigil category based on how that sigil's energy is best utilized. Passive sigils are usually drawn on the body, item, or surface and then left alone to release their power over time. Active sigils involve some action to trigger the release of the sigil's energy, such as burning, burying, soaking with water/oil, and more. Some sigils can be used both passively and actively, but most will fall into one category.

Spirit Sigils

Many spirits and deities have sigils that represent them and these can be powerful catalysts for interacting with these beings. If the spirit you're working with doesn't have a sigil made for them (or even if they do) you can design your own symbol to connect with that spirit. Follow the same process, but instead of focusing on your intent, focus on the spirit/deity and connecting with it. You can even perform a ritual and provide an offering to invite the spirit into your space. This will allow you to draw divine inspiration straight from the source. Here are some examples of spirit/deity sigils, as well as some I created:

[palezineturkeydonkey]

@theshitpostcalligrapher I'm sorry I can't find the thread to ask as a comment, but I need to know about the dots connoting the ends of each word. I've created a runic alphabet for a story I'm writing which has the same system with a symbol meaning a different word begins, and I would like to know if there was a calligraphic or historical context why you did it; seeing how a lot of your work seem to be medieval and gothic inspired.

[poeticnorth]

Happy one year anniversary to the best book I've released (so far).

One year ago today, I wouldn't have even thought that it would sell in eight countries. Let alone across three continents!

Oh hey, it's me, posting about my book. Again.

But it's finally out! Both physically and as an e-book! Complete with Old Norse translations of each poem!

https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&page=1&pageSize=10&q=Nico+solheim-davidson+North+Sea+Rune+Poems

[comicaurora]

Wait how does falst know to read if he left home at a young age and was ostracized from everywhere he went?

Learned the runic alphabet from his mom before she died, has demonstrated a vested interest in accumulating knowledge and a well-practiced habit of stealing books.