Albertsson - A handbook of Saxon sorcery & magic: wyrdworking, rune craft, divination & wortcunning

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Acknowledgments

A book is much like a ship in that it requires more than the person at the helm if it is to reach its destination. Others are needed to row and help with the sails if the book is to carry its cargo of information successfully to its destination, the reader. So many people have contributed to A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic in one way or another that I do not even know how to begin to thank everyone.

Christopher Penczak has consistently supported my writing, and neither this book nor the preceding one would have come about were it not for his encouragement. I have to thank my acquisition editor, Elysia Gallo, who has helped give the book a more polished tone. Kevin R. Brown has once again created a striking and beautiful book cover. Bryan Chicks suggestions have shaped the style of the book; he reminded me that A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic will be, for most readers, a textbook on magic rather than an abstract study of the subject. Taren Martin kept me focused on the rune chapters. I want to thank Barbara Criswell, of Aquarius Books in Kansas City, whose support and belief in my work helps me keep believing in myself. Of course I need to thank those who contributed so generously to the content of this book, including but not limited to Jesse Garrison, Tina-Lisa Agresta, West Hardin, Deana Isendun, and Maria Stoy. I am grateful for the support and encouragement of ADF druid friends, such as the Reverend Kirk Thomas, Diane Emerald Bronowicz, Robb Lewis, and others. Judy DeRousse corrected endless grammatical errors for me and helped polish the manuscript with a smoother writing style. Perhaps more than anyone else, though, I need to thank Scott, who not only inspires me, but who also put up with my long absences and distraction as I crafted this book.

Finally, I want to thank Benjamin Brown, who left our Middle Earth twenty years ago. Although he is gone, he is never forgotten, for he helped shape and guide me in ways that I did not fully appreciate then, but so deeply appreciate now. It is to him, a great sorcerer, that A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic is dedicated.

Contents

Getting Started

Runes and Rncrft

c sc Thorn oh Beorc Eolh

Feoh Ur Eh Ior

Gear Hagol Is Sigel Tir Lagu Dg

Mann Wynn Ethel Cen Gyfu Peorth

N ed R d Yr Ing Os Ear

Calc Gr Cweorth Stn

More Magic Techniques

: The RunesTheir Names, Meanings, and Phonetic Values

: WyrdstonesTheir Names and Meanings

: How to Write with Runes

Introduction

In my book Travels Through Middle Earth: The Path of a Saxon Pagan , I presented no more than a cursory look at magic. As I stated in my introduction then, Spells and runes and charms have their place, of course, but this [book] is not that place.

Now, here in this new introduction, I can say that this book is the place to find the magic of Saxon sorcery.

Within these pages you will learn how to craft rune charms, brew potions, and cast effective spells. You will learn magical techniques to find love and prosperity. Whether you are merely curious, or if you seek to fully accept the responsibilities of a Saxon dr mann (druid), you will find a wealth of useful information here. A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic is a culmination of my own forty years experience with magic. For me, magic is intriguing and fairly easy to master as a skill. Let me emphasize that this does not mean I am better or more enlightened than a Saxon Pagan who has no interest in the subject. In fact, there are days when I wish that I could trade magic in for a more dependable skill, like carpentry or perhaps tailoring. Unfortunately, I am hopeless with a hammer and sewing machines baffle me. If magic does not come naturally to you, rest assured that there is no reason you need to pursue these arts. There are many ways in which each of us can contribute to our continually evolving contemporary Pagan culture, and magic is just one possibilityjust one potential path along your own journey through Middle Earth.

If you do have an interest in pursuing the arcane arts, then read on! We will begin this particular journey by defining precisely what we mean by magic , and by defining its nature. I feel that this is essential to any intelligent discussion of the subject. Modern English often has a fluid vocabulary, allowing me to say one thing and you to hear something entirely different. Take the word love , for example. You can love your husband or wife, and you can love beagles, yet these are (hopefully) two completely different kinds of love. The word magic is equally mutable. Some people use it for rituals and exercises intended solely to promote personal transformation. But this book is not about personal growth (which was addressed in Travels Through Middle Earth ); this book will move past the fundamentals of personal growth and spirituality to explore old-fashioned, cauldron-stirring, spellcasting wiccecrft .