Lessons

Rune Acquisition 2 - Making

Having previously looked at the option of purchasing your runes, we now move on to the other alternative - making your own. Certainly historically it would have been part of the training of any runemaster to learn how to make a set of runes. The only runes available to an ancient Viking would have been ones he made himself. For this reason many traditionalists will only recognize self-made runes

Actually the manufacture of runes is not a difficult process and most people, even those with little practical skills, can usually find a medium in which they can successfully make runes. It is not something which can be done on the spur of the moment however. You will need to plan what you will do in some detail, as well as ensuring you have access to the required tools and adequate supplies of the material from which your runes will be made.

The idea of making your own runes is one that instantly appeals to many. Some books though make it sound like a two minute hassle-free process. While it may be fairly easy, this doesn't mean that it is quick, straightforward or without dangers. One reason that serious commercial rune makers often have quite high fees for their products is because, done properly rune making is time-consuming and hard work. It is however also very rewarding but there are a number of questions you will face

• From what will you make your runes?


• How will you acquire this?


• How will you make the rune glyphs?


• How long will the process take?
• What ritual elements will you include?


• How will you "fix" the rune glyphs in place?

Material for Runes

Though traditionally runes were made of bone or wood, that was because these materials were readily available to the ancients, and had they access to the same range of options that we do today, there is no reason to think that they would not have utilized other materials. Just some of the extra things runes are made out of today include ceramics, glass, sea-shells, various types of stone including semi-precious, most metals, card and leather. Whichever material you choose should ideally be naturally occurring and workable with the tools which you have available. One of the pleasures of rune casting is the tactile sensation of handling the runes, the feeling of reassuring solidity they offer. Hence in choosing your raw material, you should give thought also to the feel and weight of your finished runes.

Acquisition

Unless you already have the raw materials from which to make your runes, you will have to obtain it before you can begin. There are three main approaches you can take, collection, removal or purchase. Which of these you adopt will depend both on your circumstances and your beliefs.

Collection

Most pagans, new-agers and rune casters today are very environmentally aware. They do not waste precious resources and recycle when they can. Also key is the notion that just as the runes themselves can be seen as a gift from the gods, so too should the material from which they are made. Hence there is a belief that runes are best made from things found lying around - that nature has provided directly. For wooden runes, this means windfall wood which has come down in bad weather. However as normal forestry often involves the cutting back of branches, the use of wood removed for the good of the trees is also acceptable. With respect to stones for runes, the beach/sea shore or river bed are obvious sources.

One other point that should be made is that runes are extra-ordinary everyday objects. This is of course paradoxical but is easily explained. To most rune casters, runes are something that are always with you or close at hand. Even if you don't use them every day you would no more think of going any great distance or away for any length of time without a set of runes than you would without a wrist watch. In that sense they are mundane objects, yet we know how wondrous and mystical they also are. This paradox can cause problems for some novice rune makers who feel that the special nature of runes means they should be made out of something unusual. Hence they believe they must create their runes from some particularly ancient oak tree or from stones collected from an especially holy river. Of course in paganism the whole world is spiritual and your primary concern should be seeking a source with which you have a connection. Hence stones collected from your garden or the park you played in as a child will be more meaningful to you than those from some famous national monument.

Removal

If the raw material for your runes is not readily to hand, then another alternative is to seek it out and bring it back with you. Hence quarrying your own rock or cutting your own branches. Many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of cutting living wood with which to make runes. However while you should not make a habit of this, as a one-off it is acceptable. There are a few things you should ensure you do though. Explain to the tree what you are doing and why its sacrifice is necessary. Ask its permission. Secondly take no more than you need and ensure you do no permanent damage to the tree. Lastly remember that "a gift demands a gift" and do something for the environment to repay the tree's sacrifice.

Purchase

Some may disapprove of buying the raw materials for their runes, but it is the finished runes that have to be personal to you, not necessarily what they are made from. There is no reason why you shouldn't buy the things you need for your runes and it will probably give you access to a wider range of materials. However don't haggle about price.

Making the Rune Glyphs

Obviously the marking of the rune designs is the most crucial stage and needs careful preparation. The first step is securing your rune stones/tablets so that you can mark them. Holding them in a vise [vice] or monkey-wrench is one favored way. However since you don't want to scratch or damage the side of your runes you may want to make some form of padding, either for the metal jaws or maybe something to hold the runes themselves.

With respect to the marking of the glyphs, the exact method will depend upon the material you are working on but there are three main types, painting, branding or incising

Painting

Of the available types this one is the only non-invasive one, in that no indentation is made in the raw material, instead the rune design is painted onto the surface. Either household or model paints can be used. This technique can be used with most raw materials but not all surfaces respond equally well to paint so you should test first.

Branding

This involves the use of heat/fire to burn the rune glyph onto the tablet. It can be done in various ways such as with a magnifying lens to direct sunlight, with a set of pre-made metal shapes that are heated up and then pressed onto the rune tablets, or with a tool the end of which can be heated.

Incising

With this method the rune glyph is cut into the rune tablet using a tool such as a chisel, file, engraving tool or electric drill bit.

For stone, incising is the preferred method, but for wood and some other materials, both methods can be applied. Whichever technique you choose, you should to a few practice runs before you make any runes for real.

You should not attempt to produce your glyphs free-hand. Your runes should look like a consistent script rather than a mass of characters of random height and width. You should find a way to mark the outline of the glyph on the rune tablet to use as a guide-line.

Length of Manufacture

Back in Lesson 7 we saw the importance of patterns in the runes and the significance of their ordering. This applies also to making them. Before you begin you need to have some idea of how much work you will do in a single session. You wouldn't want to end up producing a number resulting purely from chance, such as 5 runes. One way would be to produce an Aett at a time. Some other acceptable possibilities would be an Aett a day, a rune a day and one over an hour over the course of a day.

Ritual

As we have established many lessons ago, the runes are magic in their own right. Hence making runes requires more than just physical manufacture. It is necessary to accompany the construction process with a ritual acknowledging and emphasizing their magical nature. This will make connecting with the runes easier.

However there appears to be no definitive ritual for this, with each rune maker creating their own. Some common elements however appear to be.

atmosphere -	Using a combination of incense/smudging and sound/music, an appropriate environment is created and a state of mind induced
dedication -	The gods, particular Odin, are thanked and greeted. The blank rune tablets are offered to Odin to bless and fill with the power of the runes
naming -	There is power in the name of each rune. Therefore as the runes are created their names should be spoken aloud. Some people like to read also the relevant verse from the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem though since some of its meanings are different from the Elder Futhark, it is probably better to write your own lines describing the runes

Fixing

Obviously having as clear a rune glyph as possible is desirable, and hence having marked out the basic shape, many people further emphasize it with a little color. Red is traditional but blue for Odin works too. Of course, having marked the rune designs you do not want them to rub off and therefore you need to "fix" them in place. There are various ways of doing this, but with wooden runes the easiest way is simply to varnish them. However some people have more inventive solutions such as mixing egg into the "paint".

Traditionally runes were "reddened" using blood and many people insist on this, pointing back to the shedding of Odin's blood on Yggdrasil to first gain the power of the runes. While this might have been normal in a warrior society hundreds of years ago, does not mean that it is today. Religious and cultural beliefs have change. By all means use blood if you want to, but do not feel compelled to if you are not comfortable with the idea.

Safety

The deliberate shedding of blood during rune making is one thing, but you should never forget it can also occur accidentally. Safety should be a primary concern in planning how you will make runes. All the ways of producing runes potentially involve danger whether it is from blades, drills, branding irons etc. Any of these could cause a serious injury. Be sensible and take precautions to avoid coming to harm, including goggles or other safety clothing, and have a first aid kit close to hand, just in case.

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 13 - Comprehension Tests, Reading and Further Exercises

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