Does anybody know about Nordic runes and mythology? Meanings of the Runes?

Question

I am of Norwegian dessent and was just devulging into my heritage. I find runes absolutely intriguing and would like to know if anyone uses them today or if anybody knows alot about them?

Answer 1

Sunnyway is a good site. They have lots of good information. There are several runic alphabets, the elder FUThARK, the younger FUThARK, ango-saxon FUThORK ,to name a few. I am most familiar with the runes of the elder FUThARK.
I don't have the font on this computer (I have it on my Mac which is too old and slow to surf the internet nowadays)
There are phonetic sounds associated with each rune, in the elder FUThARK you have 24 runes spereated into three etts (eights)each rune has a divinatory meaning as well as practical magical applications. Your best source of information on the subject would be the last section of the Havamal (Stanza's 138-165) and Sigdrifumal poems found in the poetic Edda. Other good resources include Freya Aswynn, Edred Thorsson, and Swain Wodening. Avoid new age bastardizations such as Blum, or any work that includes a "blank rune" The alphabets are called "FUThARK" because that is the first 5 letters of the alphabet. F or fehu, which traditionally means cattle or also wealth. U or Uruz traditionally means aurochs, which is a now extinct species of wild ox. Th or Thurisaz traditionally means giant, it is also an ancient name for Thor. A or ansuz traditionally means a god and is one of the runes used to depict Odin. R or raido traditionally means Riding or journey. K or Kenaz traditionally means torch or light it also relates to the German word kennen which means "to know," or to be familiar with. The next rune's phonetic value is G or Gebo but it looks like an X... it traditionally means gift. Likewise the next runes phonetic value is w or sometimes v or Wunjo it looks like the American letter P traditionally means perfection. That covers the first ett. The second Ett is quite a bit darker starting with H or Hagalaz, which traditionally means Hail and also has a connotation to the daughter of Loki. The goddess of the Underworld, Hella. Followed by N or Nauthiz which traditionally meant need... which at first glance doesn't seem dark, but if you have ever NEEDED something like a winter coat & couldn't get one...you can see the darker aspects of need. Next is I or Isa meaning ice, J or Y ( in the strictly Germanic languages j is pronounced like y in English) Jera meaning year or harvest. Next is E ir Eihwaz meaning yew, there are a few in the scholarly community that have postulated the great yggdrasil was a yew tree as opposed to the more widely accepted presumption that is is ash tree, as such many have taken Eihwaz to be a representation of yggdrasil. Next is P or pertho is is guessed at its traditionally meaning is birth, some say that it is "secret” next is Z or Algiz it means protection. However it is historical custom in Germany to have the algiz rune right side up at the birth date & upside down at the death date on grave markers. Next is S or Sowulo meaning the Sun also associated with the sun goddess Sunna. That concludes the second ett.
Tiewaz means the Norse God Tyr, Berkana tradtionally means Birch tree, Ehwaz means horse,Mannaz means Man, Laguz means lake, Inguz is associated with the vanir god Frey, Othala means inherited land Dagaz means day. These are thier very basic tradtional meanings. For more information investigate some of the authors i have mentioned in the beginning of this post, Happy Hunting!

Answer 2

Nordic Runes Meanings

Answer 3

Meanings of the Runes?
There are many meanings of the runes describing their origin, yet, what is their origin?

Through original research, Dr. Bara H. Loveland found that the origin of the runes goes back to our own, God-given and sacred energy fields, which are also mentioned in the Bible. That's why the runes were holy! The energy fields, when fully lived, give us saintly and magical powers, which the Saint uses for the good for All That Is!

Using the runes this way, may recall their origins - may be for the unconscious for now. We only have to remember!

Rune books I like:
1) Edred Thorsson, Futhark - Handbook of Rune Magic Runenemagie
2) Donald Tyson, The Truth about Runes

Book that mentions the runes and their historic development::
Herman Wirth, Die heilige Urschrift der Menschheit

Cordially, India.Magica

Answer 4

They are definantly fascinating. Make sure that you research them fully if you ever plan on getting a tattoo or suggesting things to other people. There are ways of binding the runes together (linking the runes) that creates something completely different than the individual runes themselves.

Here's a good site to get you started. :)

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/

Good luck!

Answer 5

I happen to be a priest of the Nordic religion AND a practitioner of the magic associated with that religion including the use of the runes in both magic and divination...e--mail me and let me know what you want to know....

Answer 6

i know a little about them but not enough to feel competant enough to share. i have my own and LOVE them. try some books....i started with those written by Freya Aswynn (hopefully I spelled her name right)

Answer 7

here is a website that will answer your questions