Finding the Runic Energies In All Things- Personality

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The energies of the runic collectives permeate everything. Over the next few posts, I hope to demonstrate how you can find the essence of the runic collectives in all things. For each of these, I have only used the first 24 runes that I discussed over the past several weeks.

Of me, Cala Gobraith.....

Fehu- As mentioned earlier, I have a somewhat antagonistic relationship with this particular collective. My own sense of self-worth is rather low. However, my family and friends value my company. I am a teacher and a writer and those are places my wealth lies.

Uruz- I have a stubborn streak that certainly fits with Uruz energy. While my physical health is somewhat lacking, my mental and spiritual strength makes up for it.

Thurisaz- I repress most emotions, bottling things up. Though I've spent a good deal of time learning to work productively with Thurisaz energy, there are still times when I do lose my temper and become grouchy.

Ansuz- I teach and write. By doing these things, I pass on what knowledge I have, such as this class!

Raidho- I have mobility problems. I used to enjoy walking and did so often, but thanks to a hip injury and fibromyalgia, my ability to walk has been somewhat curtailed. I quite often require a cane if I do lots of walking.

Kennaz- I write, I create beautiful wood-burn plaques and I teach. In addition, I have studied and collected the skills of an archaeologist, a forensic anthropologist and an energy healer.

Gifu- I give of my time and knowledge in teaching and writing.

Wunjo- I'm still learning to cultivate happiness in my life.. My family brings joy to my life and I would like to think I bring joy to theirs as well.

Hagalaz- I lost my eye several years ago due to natural causes. I also suffer from several other natural inflictions, including fibromyalgia.

Nauthiz- I have people in my life whose needs I have fulfilled. Nauthiz is the collective that 'claimed' me and fulfilling the needs of others seems something I am destined to do.

Isa- among my lovely collection of Hagalaz gifted ailments is hypothyroidism. This, and the fibromyalgia, make me slow and prone to sleeping lots. This is a far cry from how active I was before I lost my eye and sometimes I have difficulty reconciling what I was capable of with what I am capable of now.

Jera- My successes include graduating college, publishing several books, becoming a certified energy healer, and becoming a teacher. Some successes I have hope for in the future are to earn a doctorate, to become certified as a medical transcriptionist and to publish several more books.

Eihwaz- I am a very introspective person by nature. With my writing and my teaching, I make ripples.

Perthro- Losing my eye was a Perthro moment for me because it initiated a massive probability shuffle in my life that threw me off my hopeful career track. Another big Perthro moment came from an invitation to move all the way from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Elhaz- I am absolutely obsessed with security and will make sure wherever I am at is all buttoned up, at least to the best of my ability. I am also a rather protective person towards those who are mine to protect.

Sigel- I quite often have a dearth of Sigel energy in my life. However, I do get motivated when the writing bug strikes me.

Tyr- I am stubborn, as I mentioned earlier and stubbornness is as much Tyr energy as it is Uruz energy. I had to draw on my Tyr energy a few years ago to break an unfortunate addiction to Ambien, a sleeping aid. My tyri guide, Kei, was invaluable in helping keep me on task for that!

Berkana- I am a writer and that requires a fertile imagination. I enjoy opening the doors to new worlds.

Ehwaz- I am a certified energy healer. I have college degrees and am working on a doctorate. Those are all things that add to my status. I tend to pay less attention to 'status', per se, but I really am looking forward to a Ph.D behind my name!

Mannaz- My identity is in flux. I am in the process of shedding the old, shedding my past, and with that I will be fully shedding my old name and embracing my new one.

Laguz- My Laguz energy doesn't flow as well as I would like. I repress emotions that need to flow to be acknowledged and respected.

Inguz- I keep a notebook that I write down all kinds of snippets that later become class topics, book topics, creative writing or poetry topics. I love finding things to spark my inspiration!

Dagaz- Losing my eye was a big moment of transition in my life, as was my move to CA. My current transition from an old life to a new one is in the chrysalis stage. We'll see how long it is before I am a butterfly.

Othala- I 'inherited' some debilitating behaviours and beliefs from my birth family, but I also inherited many good things. It is from that same birth family that I get my gift of writing and my love of literature, as well as my modest talent at wood-burning.

I hope that, after treading these past few posts and, exploring the ideas for yourself, you will continue to look for the runic energies in all things. It's fun and can certainly help you expand your ways of thinking.

Finding the Runic Energies in All Things- Pens

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The energies of the runic collectives permeate everything. Over the next few posts, I hope to demonstrate how you can find the essence of the runic collectives in all things. For each of these, I have only used the first 24 runes that I discussed over the past several weeks.

Of a pen.....

Fehu- its monetary value, should you buy or sell it.

Uruz- how durable the pen is, and how long lasting the inkwell is.

Thurisaz- well.... a pen can be used to stab someone....  it can also be used to write hurtful, slanderous words.

Ansuz- the pen can be used to impart knowledge in a written format.

Raidho- the pen's movement across the page could be smooth or it could be rough and choppy, plagued by ink globs.

Kennaz- pens are used to ply the writer's craft. Penmanship is a skill to be learned that requires a pen (or some other writing utensil) to master.

Gifu- fancy pens may be given as gifts. Pens allow writers to share their thoughts with the wider world.

Wunjo- a pen's ability to impart words makes a writer happy because they can do what they do best.

Hagalaz- well... it's quite possible to accidentally stab yourself or another with a pen. The pen may also leak ink or have the inkwell burst completely, making a big mess.

Nauthiz- if you need to write, a writing utensil is quite necessary.

Isa- pens tend to remain stationary and not move of their own accord.

Jera- a pen can aid in a writer's success.

Eihwaz- a pen is the means by which a writer gets their message across and that message can create little ripples or big waves.

Perthro- likewise, by allowing and aiding a writer in getting their words out, a pen can be instrumental in the initiation of probability shuffles. Some writers may also view certain pens as lucky for them.

Elhaz- pens can be inadvertent instrument of protection by allowing valuable words of defense to be written down.

Sigel- pens transfer the energy of the wielder into marks on the paper.

Tyr- mastering the use of certain types of pens, such as calligraphy pens, requires patience and discipline.

Berkana- A pen's inkwell would be a manifestation of its fertility. The more ink, the more productive the pen is.

Ehwaz- fancy pens can be a status symbol. A $500 pen from Franklin-Cristophe certainly has much more status than a simple, cheap Paper-Mate pen.

Mannaz- Pen is its generic identity. Bic, Paper-Mate or Sharpie narrows the identity, as does the type of pen itself, such a gel, ball-point or quill-tip.

Laguz- the ink within a pen is liquid and it flows from the pen's tip when the pen is used.

Inguz- a pen's potential lies in all the words it can write.

Dagaz- putting pen to paper changes the paper, the pen and the user.

Othala- this is to be found both in the method used to make the pen and in the words the pen is used to write.

Finding the Runic Energies In All Things- Books

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The energies of the runic collectives permeate everything. Over the next few posts, I hope to demonstrate how you can find the essence of the runic collectives in all things. For each of these, I have only used the first 24 runes that I discussed over the past several weeks.

Of a book....

Fehu- books contain a 'wealth' of knowledge and/or imagination. The Fehu of a book is also to be found on its monetary value, on how much it sells for.

Uruz- this would be how durable the book in question is. Books with hardcovers are going to be more durable than those with soft covers.

Thurisaz- aside from the obvious... using a heavy book as a weapon...  books contain words and words in themselves can be dangerous. A good example of a book absolutely riddled with ill-used Thurisaz energy is Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf book.

Ansuz- books contain information, 'nough said.

Raidho- a good novel can 'transport' you away, drawing you so deeply into another world that you may have difficulty coming back!

Kennaz- well.... all books require writing skill to create. That's easy enough, isn't it?

Gifu- books make great gifts. They also impart the 'gift' of knowledge or adventure.

Wunjo- books make people who love to read happy!

Hagalaz- this one is a little difficult. However.... if you've ever had a large book accidentally fall on your foot or your head.... it's much easier to see the Hagalaz energy of a book.

Nauthiz- some people have a need to read and learn and books facilitate meeting that need. Likewise... some people have a need to write and to share knowledge or new worlds and so, books meet their need in a whole different way.

Isa- books by themselves tend to be pretty stationary. If you have a book moving of its own accord, perhaps its time to ring the Ghostbusters, yes?

Jera- books contain a beginning and an end!

Eihwaz- any book has the potential to push you to introspection and contemplation.

Perthro- reading any book can change your outlook on things and help you initiate a probability shuffle in your life. In fact... I'm hoping this one does for you!

Elhaz- heavy books make a nice barricade. Books can also help you improve your mental or emotional protection by teaching new skills or ways of thinking.

Sigel- energy is generated in the writing and reading of a book. On a more sacrilegious note.... books are paper.... and paper can be used as fuel for a fire.

Tyr- slogging through certain books certainly can require dedication, patience and focus!

Berkana- completed books are manifestations of a writer's fertility and creativity, projects they have nurtured and tended, oftentimes for many years.

Ehwaz- having written a book (or several) can certainly raise a person's status. In other cases, owning certain books might be a sign of status. I'm thinking here of rare book collectors, whose collection can be worth thousands of dollars.

Mannaz- well.... book is its main identity. Subdividing it into specific categories can further define the book. Steampunk fantasy or geopolitics are two such categories. I'm sure you can think of dozens more.

Laguz- this energy would be found in how well (or poorly) the story or material 'flows'. Is the book a dry, difficult read or is it engaging and easy to read?

Inguz- all books start from seed ideas in the author's head. And any book has the potential to plant all kinds of 'seeds' in your head as well!

Dagaz- Reading any book will change you, usually for the better. As to the book itself, bookworms and age will eventually brittle the pages and disintegrate bindings.

Othala- any book is its author's legacy.

Bonding with Your Runes

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The next consideration is bonding with your runes, aligning them with your own energy. If you crafted your runes, you've already begun the process of bonding with them. Whether you bought or crafted your runes, here is a process I've found useful for aiding in bonding with them.

First, you need to cleanse the rune markers, be they wood, stone, metal or some other material. You may use your own method or use some of the suggestions below. As with any magick, intention is the key, so be sure to hold the intention to cleanse the rune markers, no matter what method you choose.

*If they are of a suitable material, run the markers under cool water. If possible, try to do so in a gentle river current.

*If the markers are of a suitable material, soak them overnight in a bowl of salt-water, then rinse them with cool water.

*Bury the markers in a bowl of sea salt overnight.

*Use an appropriate cleansing incense and pass the rune markers through the smoke. Sage always works well.

The second step is to charge your rune markers, bonding them to your own energy. If you already have a method of charging your magickal tools, feel free to use that. If not, here is the method I choose to use. If you chose to 'blood' the runes, you've already got a head-start on the bonding process, but that isn't necessary at all.

*Hold each rune marker, one by one, cupped between your hands. Hold the intention of charging the rune marker with your own energy, bonding with it. Sit with each rune, one by one, until you feel the bonding process with each marker is complete. When I do this, I also invite a bonding with each collective. As you hold your rune markers and bond with them, you may also wish to hold the intention to bond with the essence of the collective. For example:

While holding the marker in my cupped hands, I hold the intention to suffuse it with my energetic signature and I use the following to bond with the runic essence.  I call upon the fehui, I call to the essence of Fehu. Walk with me, Great Ones. Teach me, and let our partnership be a beneficial one to each.

After doing this, I would leave the rune markers on my altar, with a candle offering lit for the collectives.

Your Rune Set

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If you already own a rune set, that's great! If not, you might be considering if you want to make your own or to purchase a set. There is no right or wrong answer here. I have both made my own sets of runes and purchased two sets that 'spoke' to me. The first set I purchased, I did so long before I began working with runic energies as the collectives, as spirit allies. That first set is one crafted of amethyst, a stone that holds a special meaning for me. Years later, I can appreciate the irony in that amethyst purple is the colour I associate with the hagalazi, a collective very dear to me.

My second set, I acquired in 2012 at Pantheacon. This set is carved into little goldstone buttons that look like shimmering dragonscales the colour of burnt orange fall leaves, a colour I associate with the nauthizi. It was Elodin, one of my nauthizi guides, who prompted me to purchase this set. It is tiny enough that I can carry the pouch in my pocket comfortably.

I also have a set that I crafted myself by wood-burning the runes onto wooden disks. This set has been 'blooded', meaning as each rune disk was crafted, I made an offering of a drop of blood to each collective. There are those who say that the runes need blood offerings, but I have not found it to be an absolute necessity. The final step was to paint these wood-burnt rune disks.

Sooo.... back to the question at hand. If you think you wish to purchase a set, keep your eye out for a good one. As you can tell above, I prefer sets made of stone.  Should you decide to make your own set, there are many options open to you. Here are just a few-

1. You can try your hand at wood-burning, as I did. Many craft stores sell wood-burning tools and have round, flat wooden disks that are perfect for making runes. These disks usually come in a few sizes, so you have a choice as to how big your runes are. I prefer the smaller disks. If you are really skilled with woodcrafting, you may wish to seek out a tree limb of the appropriate width and of a length to make at least 32 disks. If you are taking it from a live tree, be sure to ask the tree's permission as well as leave an offering. Trees are always happy for an offering of water and a little bit of love! Remember, all things deserve respect and, as you will learn, all things are suffused with the energy of the collectives. If you want to make friends with some allies from the collectives, don't make the runai grumpy before you even get started! If you have never done wood-burning before, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

First- make sure to draw the rune on the disk before actually trying to wood-burn it. This gives you a guide-line to follow with the heftier carving pen and can make things much easier for you.

Second- when etching, remember to go with the grain of the wood and not against it, whenever possible. Going against the grain can cause the etching pen to skip and stutter, making the carving uneven.

Third- if you plan to paint, be sure to do the carving before you do the painting. I know, it seems fairly obvious, but I have known people to try the opposite with rather poor results. The paint will gunk up the etching pen and burning paint smells terrible!

Fourth- If you plan to paint, I have found that using metallic, satin or pearl acrylic paints work the best. The colours come out shimmery and brilliant instead of flat.

2. Another option is to craft a rune set from clay. Craft and hobby shops carry a variety of clay types to choose from. See what fits your needs best. Determine the size you want your rune disks to be and find something the right size to serve as a 'cookie cutter', to ensure the disks all come out the same size. Small cups, such as shot glasses, make good cutters. Use a tooth pick or other tool to etch the rune into the clay before you bake it or leave it to dry.

3. Using glass buttons, such as those you may put in the bottom of a fish tank, is another idea to consider. These buttons come in a variety of colours and usually have one flat side and one gently rounded side. You can use metallic ink pens to write the runes on the glass, though be warned, this rubs off over time. You may use paints and a very fine-tip paintbrush to paint the runes on the buttons (be aware of the same considerations as the metallic ink pens) or, if you are skilled in this area, you may even choose to etch the runes into the glass buttons with a glass etching tool. Unless you are very skilled, this requires a small vise clamp to hold the button for etching.

4. One last suggestion you may wish to consider is collecting smooth river rocks that are all roughly the same size and painting, writing or etching the runes onto the rocks.  Likewise, if you are skilled in glass-etching, you may choose to collect precious or semi-precious stones of a like size and etch the runes into them.

Chalc, the Rune of Ideal/Desire

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Meaning: chalice (as in Holy Grail)    Phonetic Equivalent:  'k'

There are no Anglo-Saxon, Norwegian or Icelandic poems for this rune.

Chalc

Cala Gobraith, 2014

Chalc leads us into the depths of our own hearts,

challenging us to separate the wheat from the

chaff, aiding us in finding the

clues to our own deepest desires.

Chalc pushes us past all caution, helping

clear out the clutter in our hearts and

choose the best things to add to our character.

Krasskova sees in Chalc aspects of our deepest, most hidden desires and dreams, our potential for spiritual and personal fulfillment, and our passions and inspirations. To her, it has a child-like quality, an untarnished essence.

Kaldera notes that this rune is pronounced with a gutteral 'kh' sound at the beginning, but that it is just as common to hear it pronounced with the 'ch' sound at the beginning. For him, Chalc is the rune of the Chalice, the Holy Grail. It is the reason why we quest. He believes that we all have our own Holy Grail to quest after, but that everyone's Grail will be different. We don't each search for the same thing.

For me, Chalc represents our deepest desires and, in its darkest, most imbalanced form, our obsessions. This is the difference between the quest for the Grail and Ahab's quest for Moby Dick. And.... for alchemists, this rune would represent the Philosopher's Stone, the goal of the Great Work.

Meditation associations:  multi-faceted ruby stone, plain beaten copper cup, Indiana Jones.... , Ahab/Moby Dick. Fox Mulder.

*Kaldera, R. The Futhork Runes (webpage) http://www.churchofasphodel.org/articles/Futhork_Runes.html

*Krasskova, G. Runes: Theory and Practice. New Page, 2010.