I have a long-standing interest in the Runes. But, when I read various books about their use in divination there seem to be more inconsistency of interpretations of each rune than there is with, say, Tarot cards.
Does anyone have any reports of their use in divination and or ritual use?
Runes
Re: Runes
Hey there, I don't have a lot of practical experience with the runes but I have done some reading on them and find them interesting. I wouldn't normally consider myself in a position to impart wisdom on this particular topic but since there's not much else being put forward I'll give it a shot!
I agree that there is a lot of different interpretations out there, and I believe it's most likely due to the necessity for some level of personal interpretation. The reality is that runes are very old and unfortunately we don't have a complete runic magic system with us today which has survived from the older times. Instead what we have is the result of relatively recent runic revival which draws inspiration from historical sources and this requires that certain gaps be filled if we want a living, practical system. This is where I think personal interpretation comes into it, the best thing to do is to spend time practising casting runes and meditating upon the symbols, various modern interpretations and the Rune Poems to reach your own understanding of their individual meanings. This is why a lot of interpretations differ somewhat, not everyone feels the same way about them exactly. Definitely check out the Rune Poems, they are a valuable historical resource (= sorry if this is all nothing new for you though, like I said unfortunately I don't personally have a lot of practical experience.
I agree that there is a lot of different interpretations out there, and I believe it's most likely due to the necessity for some level of personal interpretation. The reality is that runes are very old and unfortunately we don't have a complete runic magic system with us today which has survived from the older times. Instead what we have is the result of relatively recent runic revival which draws inspiration from historical sources and this requires that certain gaps be filled if we want a living, practical system. This is where I think personal interpretation comes into it, the best thing to do is to spend time practising casting runes and meditating upon the symbols, various modern interpretations and the Rune Poems to reach your own understanding of their individual meanings. This is why a lot of interpretations differ somewhat, not everyone feels the same way about them exactly. Definitely check out the Rune Poems, they are a valuable historical resource (= sorry if this is all nothing new for you though, like I said unfortunately I don't personally have a lot of practical experience.