Lessons

Rune Acquisition 1 - Choosing

An argument rages between those traditionalists who assert that it is essential to make your set of runes yourself and those who claim that a set of runes that has been purchased will work just as well. Since these are extreme positions with little ground for compromise they present the new rune reader with a problem and a choice. Here at the Rune School we have already stressed that being a rune reader requires a willingness to take responsibility and therefore we do not think we should tell you what to do. Accordingly in the next two lessons you will be given all the necessary information to make or buy a set of runes and which of these you do is your decision.

The plain and simple fact is that there are many authors on the runes, particular of the New Age variety, who have purchased every set of runes they have ever used. As their books demonstrate, they achieve results with the runes, and hence their experiences cannot be lightly dismissed. Most of us do not make the clothes we wear or indeed most, or often any, of the objects we use every day. Ours is a consumer society and few of us now would claim great practical skills unless employed in such a capacity. If we need something, we buy it, whether it is a take-out meal or a set of runes. No Tarot card reader would accept being told they had to paint all 78 Tarot cards themselves, so why do we accept this apparent elitism with the runes?

Obviously any object you have made yourself will have a more immediate psychic connection to you than one you have bought. However this is not required for divinatory success. The best known divinatory tool, the crystal ball, is not a do-it-yourself object. In addition it is possible to develop close emotional and psychic links with purchased objects. Stories abound of objects, particularly clocks, breaking down the day their owner dies. Repeated contact with or use of an object enables us to form strong psychic links with it. Hence a store-bought set of runes, through use and repeated exposure can become very special to us.

Assuming then you decide to buy a set of runes, just where should you purchase them from? There are a number of options available

• Local craftsperson
• New Age Shop
• Book store
• Mail order/Internet

Each of these types of vendor has advantages and problems associated with it and so we will examine each of them in turn.

Places to Buy Runes

Local Craftsperson

Depending on your luck this can prove to be either one of the cheapest or most expensive ways of purchasing. In buying runes though price should not be one of your highest priorities. Few of us can claim price is no object but neither should you try and shortchange the gods. The runes you buy will be a very special objection to you. They should be capable to repeated use with a clear design on them which will not easily be chipped or erased. Don't haggle about price then but buy the best set you can afford.

The key advantage of this method of rune acquisition is that it enables you to have personal input into the rune production. Most craftspeople will be willing to be guided by your individual requirements rather than producing standard models. For example you can decide the material out of which you want the runes to be made, whether you want them in yew or ash wood for example. Maybe you want the runes marked out in red for blood or blue for Odin. These choices help to ensure your runes are truly personal even if you didn't make them yourself. If you want to, some craftspeople may even permit you to undertake routine tasks in the making of the runes, such as removing stones from clay or stirring paint.

New Age Shop

These are becoming increasingly common and most people should have access to one. Not everyone will feel comfortable in them and Christians in particular may dislike the pagan influence and many of the items they sell. Assuming entering the shop is not a problem though the chances are they will have one or more sets of runes for sale. Moreover the staff are generally knowledgeable since this is their business though because runes are a specialist area you cannot guarantee this. Again you will have an opportunity to inspect the runes before you buy and can therefore insure that you are happy with them.

Book Store

For those who don't have New Age shop near them or are reluctant to enter one, the local book store can provide an alternative source of runes. Many book stores have a small section where Tarot and rune cards can be purchased and sometimes they have rune stones as well. There is a good market for New Age books, including those on divination, and many book stores seek to encourage this by also selling divinatory materials. Of course, don't expect your average shop assistant to be able to offer much advice about the runes. What you are buying is ready packaged and standardized, as close to mass produced as any set of runes can be.

Even if your book store hasn't seen fit to provide a section selling divinatory materials, chances are you will still be able to walk out clenching a set of runes since many publishers have realized they can boost sales of books on the runes by bundling a set with the book. Ralph Blum has probably started more rune careers, not because of the quality of his book (which remains extremely controversial) but because it is packaged with an extremely attractive set of clay rune tablets. Thus if you look around the book shelves you may well be able to find a book which includes a set of rune cards or rune stones.

Mail Order/Internet

There are any number of specialist retailers who sell runes and related material via the internet or by mail order. Details of some of these can be found on the Resources pages of the Rune School web site. The chief problem with buying long-distance is that you cannot be sure of the reliability of the supplier or the quality of the goods. There are reputable suppliers out there but you need to check out your intended vendor before committing your money. Some suppliers will permit much the same levels of personalization as local craftsperson. Purchasing in this way extends your range of options since you no longer have to be contented with what is available locally, you can search the net until you find precisely the set of runes you want.

Materials for Runes

Traditionally runes were made out of bone or wood and some traditionalists believe you should stick to these. However nowadays we have access to a wide range of materials that the ancients did not. Hence today we can buy clay tablet runes, glass runes and rune cards among others. There are even plastic runes available. You should chose a material that is within your price range and which you feel comfortable using. If a particular type of tree has special associations for you then it may be a good idea to have runes from the wood of that tree. Yew and Ash are particularly common because both these trees have direct links with the runes but there is no reason why you shouldn't use a different wood if you prefer.

Rune Cards

Most people will buy rune stones but should you decide to purchase rune cards there are a number of other issues to consider. Choose the design carefully. You want the rune glyph to be clear and in a prominent position. Having an abstract symmetrical design on the back is best, that way if you use the idea of reversed runes, you mind cannot be influenced into avoiding picking reversed rune cards which can happen all too easily when decks which enable you to tell the orientation of the card.

You have completed the lesson. Read it as many times as you need to in order to feel you understand it. Then return here for:
Lesson 12 - Comprehension Tests, Reading and Further Exercises

Please ensure you complete these exercises before moving on to the next lesson.