Harmonia Saille - The Spiritual Runes: A Guide to the Ancestral Wisdom

The Spiritual Runes

A Guide to the Ancestral Wisdom

First published by O Books, 2009

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Harmonia Saille 2008

Design: Stuart Davies

ISBN: 978 1 84694 201 3

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The Spiritual Runes

A Guide to the Ancestral Wisdom

Harmonia Saille

Winchester, UK

Washington, USA

To Mum

Lilian Margaret Hughes

28 February 1929 14 February 2005

Forever our Valentine

I would like to start by thanking my lovely husband Rick for all his help, unfailing faith and never-ending support. My children, Glenn, Owen, Rosemarie, James and Mikey, and stepchildren, Sarina, Rick Merlin, Tanya, and Jolle also deserve thanks for their comments and believing in me (and who will surely complain if I dont mention them all by name). My heartfelt thanks go to my lovely stepfather Gareth Hughes (Gaz), my brothers and sisters, especially Diane Marelli who kindly bullied me, and Frances Edge whose humor kept me going. Special thanks go to my dear friend the late Dr Edmund Cusick, for our many discussions on the runes, and also to Jenny Newman and friends at Liverpool John Moores University School of Writing and School of English, for their teaching and faith, and for giving me that extra courage and confidence. More special thanks go to author Cassandra Eason who with her wonderful books started me off on my magical quest. Thank you to Hermijn Smit who suggested I teach the runes and to Debby Potters-Bolung for starting me off with my workshops, and to all the students who attended for their general input. My first students deserve special mentions, Samantha van den Heiligenberg, Louise Looy, Maaike Steenstra, Kim Tolboom, Debby, and Maria Zingoni for their bind rune suggestions, along with Annemarie Rozema, Nancy Gerritzen, and Jolanda Klaver-Olsman, for all their helpful comments, and not to forget Ellen Knoops and Samanthi for their help too. And special mentions go to Krystina, Kaddy, and all my other wonderful friends in the UK and The Netherlands who supported me. Last but not least, my grateful thanks to my oldest and dearest friend, psychic Beryl Weston who predicted the book and for her lasting faith and encouragement.

When I embarked on my study of the runes and runelore I found it to be a much more complex business than I expected. I soon realized that unraveling the threads of knowledge required for communication with the runes in a committed way, would take intensive study. And even after that lengthy study and research, I came to see that there would always be something new to discover about them. What really struck me was the connection I came to have with them, like that of a trusted friend. My rune stones, which I diligently collected from a riverbank and inscribed, blessed, and empowered with the potent silver light of the full moon, became part of my life. A bond of trust formed between us and though on occasions I did not like what they were telling me, I appreciated the wisdom of them.

Over time, the symbols came to mean more to me than just signs that anyone can read the meanings of in books. They became a secret language, each symbol telling me over and beyond anything I could ever read about. I had made a connection with them on a spiritual level.

To help you gain an overall insight into how the runes work, I have written an introductory course. In doing so, I arranged the course of study in what I decided was a coherent manner in order to unravel those threads of knowledge somewhat, and provide the basic knowledge required to becoming a runecaster. For after that, only regular use and experience will further your acquaintance with them and lead you forward to becoming a runemaster. Moreover, and perhaps significantly, I hope to lead you, the seeker of wisdom, in gaining that all-important spiritual connection with the runes, and guide you on your way to recognizing your own subliminal inner being, just as ultimately, the runes will guide you on a journey of self-discovery.

First we will acquaint ourselves with the runes. For once we know how they came to be, their history and traditions, we can start to form a bond with them just as we do when we become familiar with that trusted friend.

Over time, the runes underwent several transformations to fit in with the people of particular periods in history, their beliefs and religions, and hence there are now several traditions. The tradition I talk about in this book is what is known as The Elder Futhark, and is the oldest known rune tradition.

If we look at the study of runes as a tree in which it branches off into three main boughs, each an aett of eight runes, then to get to them we need to climb the tree. To do this in a practical way we have to travel slowly from the roots up the trunk until we reach the boughs. The roots are the many threads of knowledge connecting ourselves with the runes, and the trunk is the bridge linking the two. For in the boughs are the runes themselves, and to be able to understand and connect with them, it is necessary to learn the basic history, mythology, philosophy, psychology, and meanings of them. Then there is the practical side too in their making, casting, and magical use. There are eight Chapters in this book as the number eight has magical significance, for instance each aett has eight runes.

I know that many people embarking on the study of the runes, will in their eagerness and enthusiasm miss almost all the roots out, and having quickly learnt the meanings rush straight to the top of the tree. You will have heard of the saying out on a limb. Well, this metaphor is appropriate here. If you rush to the top of the tree without much thought of what you are doing, then you might find yourself out on a limb where you are exposed to difficulties. You will soon encounter something you do not understand. You will possibly be asked questions you cannot answer and you will have to climb down again to find the answers. And if you do not listen to your intuition and go even further along the limb, you risk the bough breaking and will lose interest altogether. It really is better to learn everything we can in order to cross the trunk-bridge confidently knowing that we are familiar with our runes. This will take time, and by putting in the extra effort, you will be sure to reap the rewards.