[Kia Ekaya]

Понеже обещах да �ложим инфо във форума за нордиче�ката маги� и шаманизъм ви предлагам откъ�и от една много интере�на книга, наречена “Тевтон�ка маги�� на Квелдулф Гундар�он.
При�тно четене.



Из TEUTONIC MAGIC
© 1990 by Kveldulf Gundarsson


The Wisdom of Odhinn

Here are written, for those who have the strength to grasp them, the hidden secrets with which our ancestors ruled wind and wave, fire and earth and the minds of men. For nine nights the great god Odhinn hung on the World-Tree, pierced by his own spear, the winds between the worlds blowing cold about him. At last he saw, in a blinding moment of might, the runes written at the great tree’s roots. He took them up: great in power, great in wisdom, growing ever in might and lore from the secret his sacrifice won him. He taught the mysteries of the runes to his children among the human race, and these songs of might were sung and carved on wood and stone from Ger- many to England, to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, wherever the Teutonic peoples walked in their bright paths of battle and hidden wisdom.

Though stilled by the Christian church for a time, the secrets of magic lived on, passing in whispers through the ties of love and blood. Only in this last century, by the work of a few hid- den heroes, has this wisdom been recovered. Now, in this book, it is set out as fully as possible for those who dare.

Learn how to use the ancient runic magic of Odhinn: how to read the future written in the runes, how to write and chant the songs of power so that you yourself may shape the windings of your life. Learn the secrets of magical poetry, of ritual, of the Teu- tonic herbs and trees of enchantment, of the Nine Worlds and the ways between them, and of faring forth in the spirit to learn things hidden and work your will. Learn of the gods and wights known by our ancestors, whose might will aid you in your magic and your life: Odhinn, Thorr, Freyja, Freyr, Tyr; the elves and dwarves; the spirits of your family and those who follow you. Take back the might of your ancestors, that you may grow in strength and wisdom and aid in the knowledge and healing of the earth.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

1: THE NINE WORLDS OF YGGDRASIL

The Nine Worlds of the Teutonic cosmos are arranged in two major patterns: the horizontal and the vertical (see figs. I and 2). The two are not complementary: the vertical model represents a refinement of the horizontal, which shows the traditional levels of being-the Overworld, the Earth, and the Underworldpassed through in the spiritual journey.

The most significant aspect of the horizontal world-pattern is its emphasis on boundaries: the ocean which separates the world of humans from the worlds surrounding it the second fence protecting Midgardhr (lit. “middle enclosure�) from the foes without and the inner circle of Asgardhr (“enclosure of the gods�). The basic idea is shown in the practice of putting up a fence around the farmstead Gardhr) which divides the innangardhs (the social space within) from the uncontrolled, unknown, and hence dangerous utangardhs (the wild space without). [1] The term Utgardhr refers to the entire area outside the ocean surrounding Midgardhr, in which a number of uncanny and often woe-working beings dwell. The ocean itself represents the spiritual plane which is the boundary between worlds. It is, however, notable that in the legends one can fly, ride, or walk to these worlds. Your precise vision of this plane will vary according to your personal awareness, but the root idea of the journey will not.

The horizontal world-view shows the location and arrangement of the “elemental worlds,� which are considered to be on the same level as Midgardhr in the sense that beings from any one of these worlds can cross into another without a great deal of spiritual preparation. Alfheimr and Svartalfheim do not appear on this map at all because they share the central space with Midgardhr, Asgardhr and Hel; they are considered respectively to occupy the upper and lower realms of Midgardhr itself. To view the vertical diagram (fig. 2) correctly, the elemental world Niflheimr, Jotunheimr, Muspellheimr, and Vanaheimrshould still be pictured as horizontally arranged, with the Asgardhr/Hel axis passing through the center of
Midgardhr at right angles to the flat plane. This diagram shows the pattern contained in the tree Yggdrasill, which defines the organic structure maintaining the shape of the cosmos and holding the worlds in the proper relationship to each other, manifesting the shape of being concealed in the well at its foot. The worlds are connected by the multiple “roots� and “branches� of this tree; these are the roads which may be travelled between them and the channels through which the forces of each world pass to interact with the others.


ASGARDHR
The highest of the Nine Worlds is called Asgardhr, “enclosure of the gods.� In the Prose Edda, Snorri Sturluson describes this inner gardh (enclosure) as being built in the center of Midgardhr, the hallowed space within the enclosure of human society. Asgardhr’s place above the horizontal plane shows its separation from the elemental worlds; it requires either the aid of the valkyrja in crossing the bridge Bifrost or exceptional strength of purpose and will to reach Asgardhr by any other means. Bifrost is composed of air, water, and fire, burning with a purifying flame. It is warded by the god Heimdallr, the personification of the hallowed air/water/fire triad and father of the kin-bindings between gods and humans. The crossing of this bridge is only for the initiated; its fire guards Asgardhr against the thurses, and neither the warriors who come to Valhalla nor Thorr, least spiritually refined of the Aesir, can cross it, but must instead force their way through the rivers surrounding Asgardhr.

Thund roars and fish live
in the flood of Thiothvitnir.
That river’s current seems too strong
for the throng of the slaughtered to wade...
Kormt and Ormt, and the two Kerlaugs,
these Thor shall wade each day
when he fares to doom at the ash Yggdrasil.
The bridge of the Gods
is all ablaze with fire
and the holy waters seethe. [2]

The river Thund (“the noisy�) represents the passage through water of death. Only the strongest of soul can force theirway upward to Valhalla; the rest sink to the still realms of Hel while strength and determination are enough for the warrior, it is the goal of the vitki to gain the valkyrja’s aid and be able to cross over Bifrost Within Asgardhr are the halls belonging to the various gods, described in detail in Grimnismal. A knowledge of these dwellings is good both for the clues they provide to the nature of the gods and for invocational precision. These halls are Thrudheimr, the dwelling of Thorr, Ydal (Yew-dale) plains for Ullr, Valaskjalf for Odhinn, Sokkvabekk for Saga (possibly a hypostasis of Frigg) and Odhinn, Gladhome where Valhalla is built, Thrymheimr for Skadhi, Breidhablik for Baldr, Himinbjorg for Heimdallr, Folkvangr where Freyja keeps her half of the battle-slain, Glitnir for Forsett Noatun for Niord, and Vithi, where Vidar dwells. It has also been suggested that each of the twelve halls represents a different sign of the Zodiac/month of the year, beginning with Thrudheim as Capricorn, since the Teutonic year starts on Mother-night (Dec. 20-21). Colors associated with Asgardhr are gold, silver and white.


ALFHEIMR
Alfheimr is the dwelling of the Light Alfar. It is close to Asgardhr, being listed among the halls of the gods (though not numbered among the twelve). A frequent refrain in Eddic poetry is “How fare the Aesir? How fare the alfs?� [3] Alfheimr is ruled by Freyr and characterized by the higher aspects of light and air. Alfheimr is the realm through which the flows of energy from Asgardhr are often transmitted to Midgardhr. In this world, the highest energies of the realm of humans mingle with the lower energies of the realm of the gods. It is the highest realm which can be reached from Midgardhr without the necessity of makinga crossing. The colors associated with Alfheimr are yellow, light blue, light green, and white.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

SVARTALFHEIM
As Alfheimr, the dwelling of the Light Alfar, overlaps the highest reaches of Midgardhr, so Svartalfheim, the dwelling of the Black Alfar, interpenetrates the subterranean regions of the earth. In this realm are found the mysteries of earthly manifestation, represented by the matchless smith craft of the dwarves. Svartalfheim contains the lowest frequencies of Midgardhr and the highest of Hel, standing in much the same relationship to Hel that Alfheimr does to Asgardhr. This realm can be reached with ease from Midgardhr, often inadvertently, as described in a number of tales. The colors of Svartalfheim are dark brown, gray, and red-gold.


HEL
The lowest of the Nine Worlds is Hel, ruled by the goddess Hel, mistress of the chthonic mysteries. As Asgardhr is at the crown of Yggdrasill, Hel is at its base. Like Asgardhr, Hel cannot be reached directly from Midgardhr one must “ride over a bridge,� or travel between worlds with the aid of one’s fylgja. The bridge to Hel crosses the river Gjoll and is guarded by the giant maiden Modgudh. As Bifrost is fiery and narrow, the bridge to Hel is icy and wide. Hel is also called Nifelhel, meaning “Misty Hel� or “Dark Hel,� which refers to the goddess’ primary aspect of concealment. Hel borders very closely on the world Niflheimr; it is located “down and to the north,� and it is the implied location of the venom-filled halls on Na Strand and home of the dragon Niddhogg, embodiment of the concealed powers of destruction/transformation within Hvergelmir, the original source of which was Niflheimr! Hel is the hidden root to which all things sink, as all the waters wend their way to Hvergelmir, and from which all things rise again. Although the realm of Hel is described as horrible in part the lifeless, lightless, joyless dwelling of the dead-it is written elsewhere that Hel is brightly bedecked to welcome Balder after his death. This dual nature can be seen in the figure of the goddess Hel herself; she is half a beautiful woman and half a corpse, her concealment both that of the womb and that of the tomb. Hel receives those souls who cannot struggle through to Valhalla, but in time, as her name “Mother Holle� suggests, she bears them forth again. The colors of Hel are black, dark green, and dark brown.


JOTUNHEIMR
The most characteristic world of the utangardhs is Jotunheimr. This land is the dwelling of the thursar, rises, and etins (various types of giant; see chapter 19, Outdwellers), the children of Ymir. It is frosty and rocky, lashed by violent winds and storms. Jotunheimr is located in the east, the direction (roughly) from which the Teutonic peoples have migrated; the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem describes the ancestor-hero Ing faring forth from the east. Jotunheimr is the land of primeval ancestry; Thorsson mentions that “to go into the east� is a term used to describe the act of faring into the realm of preconscious forces.[4] It is inhabited by beings of great wisdom such as the etin Vafthrudhnir, from whom even Odhinn can learn, by the giants and by the semi-sapient hrimthursar or ice-giants who continually seek to break and destroy the walls of the ordered world. It is these beings specifically against whom Midgardhr has been walled off and against whom Thor wards us; they characterize one aspect of the foes dwelling outside the gardh. Jotunheimr is the turbulent world of elemental air which, through its endless seething and struggling, both breaks down and fertilizes. Its nature is seen in the shattering, icy might of the wind from the east. The colors of Jotunheimr are red and gray.


VANAHEIMR
Jotunheimr is balanced by Vanaheimr, which is characterized by peace and plenty. The Vanir are gods of fertility, riches, and joy. Vanaheimr represents the world of water, its nature being shown by the lifebringing and gentle winds from the west. As well as ruling over fertility, the Vanir are also described as “the wise Vanir�[5] and are noted for their powers of foresight. Seidh-magic is the power used and taught by the Vanic Freyja. It is characterized by the journeying of the spirit and the power of prophecy. While the Vanir are not without their warlike aspects, they are not generally considered gods of war but of peace, prosperity, and harvest. The Vanir are also gods of death, and Vanaheimr, the watery world of the west may be associated with the “final far-faring,� the ship-voyage of death. The colors of Vanaheimr are dark green, dark blue, brown, and red-gold.


NIFLHEIMR; MUSPELLHEIMR
Niflheimr and Muspellheimr, the worlds of primal ice and primal fire, are set respectively in the northern and southern parts of the utangardhs, through which their mights are filtered and mixed to bring about the forces working through Midgardhr. Both worlds and their inhabitants, being the pure forces of fire and ice, would be endlessly destructive if released onto the worlds of the innangardhs. As the High One (an Odhinnic hypostasis) says in Gylfagynning, “there is nothing in the world that can be relied upon when the sons of Muspell are on the warpath.� [6] Muspellheimr is ruled by Surtr, who will meet Freyr in battle at Ragnarok. The color of Niflheimr is black; the color of Muspellheimr is red.


MIDGARDHR
The central world of all is this earth, Midgardhr, also known as Middle-Earth. This world brings together and melds the might of all the other worlds and is connected to them by the roots, branches, and trunk of the tree Yggdrasill. This world represents the element earth, which in Teutonic thought, as in establishment Western magic, encompasses all of the other elements. Unlike the earth of establishment magic, however, the earth of the Teutonic tradition also incorporates the workings of spirit as received directly from Asgardhr by way of Bifrost and indirectly through Alfheimr. It is essential that the vitki be able to maintain her/his footing in Midgardhr and preserve the middle world’s balance of power within him/herself; otherwise he/she runs the risk of being over- come by the energies of a world with which she/he has worked too closely Folklore is filled with the stories of those who have become “captive� in other worlds; i.e., so closely attuned to the energies of those worlds that they went mad or became otherwise unable to function in this world.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

2: URHDR’S WELL: THE WORKINGS OF WYRD

Perhaps the most notable difference between modern thought-patterns and those of the ancient Germanic people, which relates to the most essential theory of runic working, is the concept of time and being in relationship to time. Modern Western culture has absorbed the threefold Greco-Roman concept of time as “past� (that which has gone before), “present� (that which is), and “future� (that which will be). It is easy to associate these concepts with the three Norns Urdhr, Verdhandi, and Skuld. It is also incorrect. The Germanic time-sense is not threefold, but twofold: time is divided into “that- which-is,� a concept encompassing everything that has ever happened-not as a linear progression, but as a unity of interwoven layers and “that-which-is-becoming,� the active changing of the present as it grows from the patterns set in that-which-is. That- which-is is the Germanic “world,� a word literally cognate to the Norse ver-öld, “age of a man.� One will notice that even in modern English, there is no true future tense; the future can only be formed through the use of modal auxiliaries. For the Teutonic mind, all that has been is still immediate and alive; the present only exists as it has been shaped by the great mass of what is, and the future only as the patterns of that which is becoming now should shape in turn. Without this understanding of time in the Teutonic world, your power of reading and writing the runes will be at best limited, at worst in error and unpredictable in result.

The Teutonic conception of time and being is fully expressed in one of the most ancient images of the Germanic peoplesthe ever-green tree with the well at its foot. This is best known as the Norse

Yggdrasill, described thus in the Poetic Edda:
I know an ash that stands, called Yggdrasil
a tall tree, wet with white dews,
dews dripping down into the dales.
Ever green it stands over Urth’s well.
From there come three maidens, deep in lore,
from the water that stands under the tree.
One is called Urth, the other Verthandi,
the third Skuld. Scores they carved,
laws they laid, lives they chose.
They worked Orlög for the sons of men. [1]

The tree upholds the Nine Worlds; it is the ever-growing manifestation of that-which-is and thatwhich- is-becoming, rooted in and shaped by the well which defines and contains time as the tree defines and contains space. The tree represents the body of Ymir, the set form and space; the well and the nourishing, shaping waters flowing up from through the tree and back are the powers embodied, at the beginning of all things, in the cow Audhumbla. The maidens referred to are the three Norns; their names mean “that-which-has-become� (Urdhr), “that-which-is-becoming� (Verdhandi) and “that-which shouldbecome� (Skuld). Urdhr is the greatest of the three, the other two being extensions of her power. Her name is cognate to the Anglo-Saxon Wyrd or modern English weird, the root of which means “to turn� and from which several Germanic verbs meaning “to become� are derived. The word “Wyrd� has been translated as “fate,� but the essential concept behind it is entirely different from the Greco-Roman idea of fate.

In the Prose Edda, Yggdrasill is described as having three roots with a well under each:

“The third stands over Niflheimr, and under that root is Hvergelmir, and Nidhoggr gnaws the tree from below. But under that root which turns towards the Rime-Giants is Mimir’s Well, wherein wisdom and understanding are stored; and he is called Mimir, who keeps the well... The third root of the Ash stands in heaven, and under that root is the well which is very holy, that is called the Well of Urdhr.�[2]

In The Well And The Tree, Bauschatz suggests that this is an overspecialization, that in fact each of the three wells represents a certain level of the single Well of Urdhr or Wyrd. The name Hvergelmir means “seething kettle�; it is obviously the containment of the primal rivers (laguz) flowing from Niflheimr at the beginning, whose names appropriately denote their seething, active nature. This is the source of the power pushing the waters upward through the Well-the special “active� quality indicated by the term brunnr which is usually applied to this well, the “brunnr� or burne being a well which is built around an active, flowing spring rather than the standing water of an ordinary well.[3] The term implies both force and containment, which makes possible the accumulation of the events of becoming and hence the maintaining of the ever-growing world of being. The creation of the world out of chaos indicates the restraint of the well around the seething waters and the binding of Audhumbla’s proto-force to make her power an integral part of the preservation and ordered growth of the world. Hvergelmir is associated with the gnawing of the dragon Nidhoggr, who on one level represents the venom of corrosion present along with the yeast of life, in the primal waters, and on another embodies the concealment integral to the understanding of the well of Wyrd (see Wyrm).

The second level of the Well of Wyrd is the well of Mimir, whose name means “memory.� Mimir is described as “wisest of the etin-kind,� having gained his wisdom by drinking every day from this well, which is to say, by the continual internalization of the entire temporal unity of the ever-growing world It is significant that Mimir is an etin and that the description of Mimir’s well places it in Jotunheimr, the dwelling of pre-conscious forces, when you consider the nature of this level of the well: the primeval forces welling from Hvergelmir are here filtered through the awareness of every- thing that has happened since the first union of fire and ice. It is in this level of the well that the intertwined layers of that-which-is may be found and understood; students of general occultism will see a resemblance to the Akashic Record here. Everything that has happened-all the events and patterns making up the entirety of the world (“ver-öld�) exists within Mimir’s well. This is the aspect of the Well to which one comes in order to reawaken the ancestral memories, as described in the Rite of Mimir (See Section V: Appendices).

The Well of Urdhr, the “top� level, or that which most directly affects manifestation, is the aspect by which that-which-is continues to form that-which-is-becoming. The Norns are described as sprinkling water and clay from the Well over the tree Yggdrasill for the purpose of healing and nourishing it. This may be seen as analogous to the lög leggja, the laying of laws which literally means “laying layers,� the layers which form the structure of the world. The Norns also orlög seggja, “speak the primal layer,� which is to say that they have the power of determining which layers of action within that- which-is shall be the mightiest in shaping becoming.[4] The process of becoming is a process of accretion; the patterns of the layers below determine the pattern in which the layers now being laid shall fall and the patterns that should result. The shaping waters, their path determined by the patterns already formed and the choice of the Norns, flow up through the roots of Yggdrasill, whkh are deeply sunken in that-which-is, to shape the growth of its branches-becoming within the manifest realms of the tree, and then drip back from its leaves into the Well (the cycle described by the rune uruz), adding another layer to the world and providing the continuation of the patterns which shape the next cycle.

The understanding of Teutonic thought is that the continuum of being is essentially organic and interactive, with each part growing naturally from the other. Bauschatz suggests that only those actions which are directly derived from the major paths of the water from the Well are significant in shaping the turnings of Wyrd [5], but it would seem more fitting to suggest that, since the Well of Wyrd encompasses all of being, that the distinction lies in the level of the Well upon which various types of action operate. In this context one rnay see that the major actions determined by the Well of Urdhr flow back to Urdhr, their outcoming in becoming determining the shape of major events that should follow. Those lesser events, which are shaped by the greater turnings of Wyrd but which do not affect it except insofaras they bear out the patterns determined by the actions derived from the workings of Urdhr, flow back into the Well of Mimir, where they are incorporated into the general world. Finally, the force from all the events which do not flow directly into Urdhr sinks to Hvergelmir (from which it will push upward again in due course); “from there all waters have their way.� [6]

The individual weird is that pattern which the actions of your ancestors and previous lifetimes have shaped for your own life. It is not in any way predestination; your own actions can be consciously changed for the sake of shaping your own weird.

This process of actively shaping the patterns of Wyrd is done by, among other things, cutting and coloring the runes, which has the effect of writing them straight into the Well of Urdhr, from which they will flow to directly influence the manifest worlds of Yggdrasill. Because of the all-holding nature of Mimir, what has been written can never be unwritten-Wyrd is inescapable; but it can be written around. You may see this in the story of Starkadhr, in which Odhinn and Thorr take turns writing and rewriting the weird of Starkadhr, one writing for weal and the other for woe. Odhinn says that Starkadhr will always be victorious in baffle, Thorr replies that he will always be wounded grievously; Qdhinn gives Starkadhr the gift of poetry. Thorr decrees that he will never remember his own staves; Thorr dooms Starkadhr to be the last of his line, Odhinn gifts him with a life three times as long as an ordinary man’s, Thorr adds that Starkadhr must do one dastardly deed (of betrayal) in each lifetime1 and so forth. This same idea shows up in the Germanic children’s story of Sleeping Beauty, in which one of the fairies (a survival of the lesser Norns who attend each person at childbirth) cannot take off the other’s curse of death for the young princess but can only modify it to a hundred years of sleep. This is precisely the power of the runes: to write Wyrd, and write around it at need (nauthiz), For this reason, it is good to cast the runes several times in a working so as to avoid unknowingly writing your own doom. You should read the runes before acting to see what is likely to happen if you do nothing, again if you do the work as planned, and a third time after the work has been done to see what is now written.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

3: THE TEUTONIC MAGICIAN: BODY, SOUL, AND MIND

In Teutonic thought, your being is divided into several different parts which work differently, but must all function harmoniously if you are to do well on any level. As Teutonic magical workings call for the working of these several sides of the mage’s being, it is necessary to know the form and function of each. Preferred terminology varies greatly with practitioners; Old Norse, archaic English, and modern English will be used as seems fitting. An index of terms is provided in the Glossary.

LICH (body)
The Teutonic magician is expected to be strong of body as well as mind and soul. The body is the earthly vehicle for your magical force, and it must be capable of carrying, sustaining, and feeding that power as mightily as possible. Physical control is important; you will do well to take up the study of martial arts along with magic, if possible.
Fasting is useful only as an aid to meditation and vision; active magic requires your fullest energies. Hence it is good to eat two to four hours before a ritual, so that you may be receiving the strength of your food, but not suffer any loss of sensitivity (food does tend to close down or dull psychic activity). It is also healthy to eat something with a lot of protein when you have completed your working. Vegetarianism is wholly outside of any Northern tradition; while a meatless diet that contains a full ration of protein and other nutrients will not be harmful to Teutonic workings, it will certainly not aid your spiritual growth in any special way as it would in most Eastern traditions. Alcohol should be drunk in religious and inspirational rituals, but not before or during works of active magic where the vitki’s control needs to be at its fullest. With the possible exception of the highly poisonous fly agaric, there is no clear tradition of using mind-altering substances in Teutonic mysticism. There are hints in the Eddic writings concerning the use of various parts of the yew tree (taxus baccata), but all parts of this tree are exceedingly poisonous. I personally know of one modern rune-worker who almost killed himself by inhaling smoke from burning yew berries. DO NOT experiment with these plants.
Hair and beard, as the signs and embodiments of your life-force, play a great role in Teutonic thought and mysticism. These should be grown as long as your circumstances permit and carefully tended. Before rituals, you should brush till the hair literally crackles and sparks with electricity, concentrating on the might of the hamingja-force (life energy/mana) you are bringing forth to readiness, Hair, blood, and bodily warmth are all the earthly embodiments and the vehicles of the hamingja-force.

SOUL
The term soul is used in this book to include all the non-physical aspects of the magician: hamingja, hide, fetch, valkyrja, and mind are all parts of the soul.

SPIRIT
The term spirit is used descriptively here to distinguish that which functions on the earthly realm from that which functions in the hidden realms: “vision of the spirit� as the capability to see the non-physical, for instance.

HAMINGJA
The hamingja will be somewhat discussed under Ritual. It is your personal reserve of power, roughly analogous to the general concept of mana. In later sources, the hamingja is sometimes confused with the fylgja (fetch). It is certainly the source of the fylgja’s power, so the strength of that spirit is always relative to the strength of your hamingja, though the exact degree of relation may vary with a number of factors. The hamingja power can certainly be separated from the fetch, or that part of the soul can be given extra might. The hamingja is characterized as fiery energy.

HAMR (hide, shape)
The hamr is the subtle body underlying your earthly body, which normally has the same shape as the physical form, though it can be changed. It maybe compared to the astral body of traditional Western workings. It is the shape in which the soul-complex fares forth from the lich.

FYLGJA (fetch)
The fylgja is the animal-form showing the soul’s inner nature and the person’s condition. It can be seen by those gifted with spirit-sight; to the unmagical, it only appears just before one’s death. It is usually a guardian, whose might works-both in magickal and in physical struggles, the outcome of which often depends on the strength of the fylgja-form and the hamingja which empowers it. The fetch is often confused with the disir (see Wights, chapter 18) or the valkyrja, and the fact that some fylgjur appear as women rather than animals adds to this confusion. For the same reason, the hamingja is also confused with these, especially with the kinfylgja who holds the reservoir of a family’s ancestral hamingja and wisdom (see Othala, chapter7). The disir, however, are independent wights, while the valkryja, unlike the
fylgja, cannot be commanded or seen by spirit-sight at any given time. The knowledge told you by the fetch should not, unless it is a message from another being, be taken as any sort of higher wisdom; its judgment is that of an animal, which may sense antipathy or danger and can perceive information that is not normally available to the vitki. It should be treated only as a guide in a limited sense, like a seeingeye-dog rather than a teacher.

VALKYRJA
The valkryja is the highest aspect and the guardian and guide of the soul. She is the source of spiritual wisdom and the intermediary between Asgardhr and the individual. She acts at all times like an independent being, and it requires a great deal of spiritual effort to reach a state of conscious communication with her. Her nature is highly complex.

MIND
The term mind is used in this book to describe the awareness and cognitive ability which encompasses both hugr, “thought,� and minni, “memory� (embodied by Odhinn’s ravens Hnginn and Muninn). The hugr is consciousness and analytical reason; the minni, the storehouse of all forms of memory, including that of the semi-independent parts of the soul, ancestral memory, and the Jungian collective unconscious. This memory is eidetic and endless, and one of the greatest goals of the Teutonic magician is to bring forth the wisdom that lies hidden in its darkness - to learn from “Mimir’s Head.� Until the hugr has been trained to receive knowledge through the sight and hearing of the spirit, messages from the hidden wights about one will reach it only through the minni, often surfacing as “feelings� or seemingly irrational choices. Although one’s thought and memory seldom communicate fully, they are never separated from each other.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

4: EARTHLY HISTORY OF THE RUNES

The runic alphabet, or futhark, seems to have come forth into earthly being sometime between the third and first centuries B.C.E. (Before Common Era). Before that, the Germanic people had no writing as such, although they did have the holy and magical signs such as the quartered sun-wheel, swastika, ship, and so forth, which they carved in rock in their burial mounds and other ritual places, and which they may have carved into wood for purposes of divination.

The Elder Futhark as we know it seems to have grown largely from the North Italic script of the last few centuries B.C.E., although Latin and Greek influences can be seen in it as well, as can some of the native Germanic holy symbols. It is thought that the knowledge of the runes must have spread northward and eastward from the alpine area; though no runic artifacts have survived along the path of the migration, the North Italic origin is virtually certain.

Runic symbols may have first been used on perishable materials for casting lots, a practice with which the Germanic peoples were already familiar. The art of carving them into stone and metal would then have come later, although a helmet (the Negau helm) exists which bears a North Italic inscription in a Germanic language, reading HARIGASTI TEIWAI, a usage which is typical of runic working. The inscription may mean either “to the god harigast� or “Harigast and Teiwaz� (Odhinn and Tyr).[1] The oldest known runic inscription is that of the Meldorf Brooch, which was found in western Jutland and is dated at roughly 50 C.E.

The Elder Futhark developed into a number of slightly differing runic alphabets as a consequence of sound-shifts in changing languages. In Scandinavia, some of the symbols were dropped and others were used for more than one sound, while many of the runes were simplified or altered. This eventually led to two slightly different sixteen-rune futharks, the Danish and the Swedish-Norwegian. The Danish form, dating from the ninth century to the eleventh, is considered to be roughly the standard, and is generally referred to as the Younger Futhark. The Anglo-Saxon Futhark added nine runes to the Elder Futhark and’ changed some of the stave-shapes and sound values slightly. The reason for expanding the futhark instead of condensing it may lie in the fact that the Anglo-Saxon Futhark was becoming more and more used for writing and mundane purposes, while the Younger Futhark remained largely a magical script for a long time, making readability a secondary concern. As this purpose diminished in Scandinavia, a system of dots to distinguish phonetic value evolved.

The runes seem to have reached Scandinavia and the eastern part of Europe sometime around the third century C.E. [2] It is thought that they were spread by wandering tribes, in particular the Heruli, who were known for their runic wisdom and whose name, ErilaR, seems to have become a title for someone especially skilled in runecraft. The Scandinavian inscriptions which show the full Elder Futhark date from the fifth and sixth centuries. These inscriptions have been found on both bracteates (medallions) and stones. The futhark order is consistent except for the last two runes, dagaz and othala, which are frequently inverted both in the oldest and more recent futharks, and a single inscription which reverses the thirteenth and fourteenth runes, perthro and eihwaz. The division of the aettir (“eights� or “families�) is also consistent. The 24-rune futhark is divided into three aettir of eight runes each, and the attributions of runes to their aettir was preserved even when the futhark no longer contained three sets of eight runes.

With the slow growth of Christianity in the north, the use of runes in magic was forced to diminish, although the evidence of memorial stones that were carved in nominally Christian times shows that some of the old lore remained above ground centuries after it had supposedly been suppressed. In the more isolated parts of Iceland and Scandinavia, the practice of the native magic survived among the folk for a long time. Some hints of runic knowledge also survived in rural areas in Germany, but such lore as might have been hidden in the traditions of the German folk was largely destroyed by the immense upheavals suffered by that country as a result of World Wars I and II. [3]

The magical revival of the runic system was begun by Guido von List at the beginning,of the twentieth century. Von List guided by the Havamal and a mystical experience he underwent during eleven months of blindness (following a cataract operation), worked the Younger Futhark into an eighteen-rune system which is known as the Armanen Futhark. The magical groups working with this system were generally suppressed during the Nazi regime; the Armanen Orden was not revived until 1969.

Although a fair body of writing on runic magic existed in German, there were no reliable books on runic workings published in English until Edred Thorsson’s Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic came out in 1984. As well as reviving the oldest and most magically powerful runic system, the Elder Futhark, within the traditional context of Germanic magic and world-view, he made the most useful elements of the German system available to the English-speaking public. Thorsson is the founder of the Rune-Gild, an organization formed for the systematic teaching and study of runecraft.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

5: MAGICAL HISTORY OF THE RUNES

While the time of human discovery of the runes can be charted and analyzed, it is only a small part of runic lore. Far more important is their origin outside of human time and workings, which holds the mystery of their power-their discovery by Odhinn, the gift of the runes to humankind, and the use made of them by those who were heir to the full body of runic lore, a body which the modern vitki seeks to both reconstruct and expand.

The runes existed in a potential state within the ice of Niflheimr, the fire of Muspellheimr, and the void of Gingunnagap before the world was created. The interaction of ice and fire created the protobeing Ymir, whom Thorsson identifies with hagalaz, the rune which is the “seed crystal� of the order of the Teutonic cosmos,[1] and the cow Audhumbla, the shaping force working to bring forth the full runic order and manifestation. This process was completed when Odhinn/Vili/Ve’ slew Ymir and shaped the cosmos from his body, bringing the runic forces into full being by setting them forth into form. The runes can be found in all things, especially things of power, as listed in the Sigrdrifumal:

on the shield that stands before the shining god . .
On the paw of the bear and on Bragi’s tongue,
on the wolf’s claw and on the eagle’s beak,
on the bloody wings and on the bridge’s end,
on the loosening palms and on the healing step... [2]

Some of these items literally have runes written on them; others seem to be mighty carriers of the power which is that of the runes.Although the workings of the runes in coming forth into being had guided the shaping of the cosmos, they could not be known by conscious beings until the final union of thought with form, which was realized by Odhinn’s sacrifice of himself on Yggdrasill. By hanging himself on the World-Tree, which held the entire shape of being, he performed a rite of shamanic initiation that enabled him to fare downward into Hel-the silent keeper of the roots of the World- Treeand in a single instant of inspiration, realize the entirety of the runes. His sacrifice of self to self-of the god to the greater needs of the god-gave him the might which he needed to carry forth this faring, remaining aware through his death and descent.

I know that I hung on the wind-tossed tree,
all of nine nights, wounded by spear,
and given to Odhinn, myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows
from what roots it doth rise.
They dealt me no bread, nor drinking horn.
I looked down, I drew up the runes
Screaming I took them up,
and fell back from there.� [3]

This cry was the first galdra single proto-word of power that encompassed the entire essence of the runes, filling Odhinn’s whole being with their might.

Having learned the runes, Odhinn gave them to other beings through a draught of holy mead, which was probably Odhroerir, the mead of poetry.[4] The potential to learn and use their power was given to humankind at their creation by Hoenir, one side of Odhinn’s being (see Odhinn, chapter 16) as the gift of odhr, godly inspiration. This potential was brought forth fully by Heimdallr, who, after fathering the three classes of human society, taught runic wisdom to the first noble and his youngest son, Kon. Runic wisdom is also taught directly by a hero’s valkyrja, by Odhinn in some of his many disguises, and, it is hinted, by Mimir.

Magical lore was usually, though not always, passed down through direct family lines or the family ties of fostering. There were no particular restrictions on gender in learning, teaching, or practicing runic magic; the common modern belief that wisdom must pass from man to woman and woman to man has no place in Teutonic tradition, with the theorized exception of certain teachings involving sexual exchange together with and as a part of magical lore. [5]

Most of what is known today about the historical use of runes in magic is either reconstructed from the inscriptions on surviving items or from references in the sagas, which hold a number of useful descriptions of the method of practicing runic magic. The entire futhark was written on some items, particularly bracteates, which might have been worn as talismans by practicing runemasters or used as symbols of the Odhinnist cult, since a number of them also bear images which are characteristic of Odhinn-worship. [6] Most of the inscriptions state their purpose or a part of their purpose, although encoding is common even within these writings. You must remember that, especially in the earlier runic period, that which was written was meant magically and could be read only by hdtiates; even seemingly ordinary memorial inscriptions were not to be read by the general public and often contained a number of layers of meaning hidden beneath the known words. Other inscriptions are wholly secret and cannot be understood except by considering the magical purpose of the individual runes.

Runic magic in the sagas is done by carving and coloring the runes, together with magical chanting, as written forth in the Grettis saga: A woman cuts runes on the root of an uprooted tree, reddening them with her blood, sings over them, and walks backwards and widdershins about the tree while casting her spell. She then sends it into the ocean, saying over it that it shall go to Drangey and do Grettir harm. The tree floats up on the shore of the island; when Grettir tries to cut it for firewood, his axe bounces off and gives him a wound which becomes mortally infected, and his foes are finally able to kill him. [7] This is characteristic of the working of Teutonic magic: rather than the fireballs of Tolkien’s Gandalf, it is the subtle turning of Wyrd. Of course, as your experience and power grow, you will be able to cause results more swiftly, depending on the complexity of your working. Egill Skallagrimsson, the greatest rune-master of the Viking Age (d. 990), was able to cause a horn of poisoned ale to burst with a carving composed of a single rune repeated several times (see laguz, chapter 7), and by scraping off and recarving runes written by an unskilled boy, was able at once to heal a girl who had been suffering under the miscast spell for some time. The swift effect in both these cases was due to the simplicity and immediacy of the situation, and also to the fact that Egill was working a counter-magic which broke the effect of bale at once. However, when he carved a nidhing-pole to drive Eirik Bloodaxe and Queen Gunnhild out of the land, a much more complex formula and ceremony were needed, and the spell took some time to work, as it involved a great turning of Wyrd for a whole country.

The most direct and effective workings are those which affect mind and soul, such as the laying of battle-fetter (frozen panic in a crisis) or the seeming change of a person into an animal that occurs when the animal-fylgja is forced (or allowed) to take over that person’s body and mind completely (as described in the Hrolfs Saga Kraka when the witch Hvit turns the king’s son Bjorn into a ravening bear by striking him with a wolfskin glove). In most cases, these workings belong more properly to the class of seidh-magic, which deals directly with affecting soul and consciousness rather than the turning of external events and circumstances. However, it is possible to use runic magic for these purposes. Odhinn caused frenzy in Vali’s mother Rind by touching her with a rune-written piece of bark, and a rune-written horn of mead was given to Guthrun so that she could recover from her sorrow over Sigurdhr. [8]
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

6: RUNIC THEORY: LEARNING THE RUNES

The goal in runic workings is to control the power of the runes so as to create the effect you want. For this purpose, it is first necessary to have a deep knowledge of the runes themselves and secondly necessary to understand the ways in which they may be used and the reasons why they work as they do. Something of this has already been spoken of under the Well of Wyrd; this chapter will deal with the more active aspects of runic theory. The runes may be thought of as forces which come forth into being and shape it: collectively, they embody the entire that-which- is/is becoming/should become. There are many different ways of coming to know and use their might, but all of these come down to the drawing of these forces into yourself and guiding them forth to work your will. Some forms of runic magic require no tools other than the trained mind and will. The most durable and complex, however, call for an earthly vessel into which the runes may be carved so that their might continues to flow from it until the streams of power are actively broken by the destruction of the “body.� The advantage of these practices is sometimes offset by the fact that it is more difficult to carve and color runes unnoticed than it is to shape and send their force out to your target; but something which is properly charged with runic force and bound can hold the charge as long as is needed for most purposes, though it cannot renew its flow as a carved taufr (talisman) does.

While the nature of Teutonic terminology may make it seem rather paradoxical to talk about setting the runes into the Well of Wyrd in one chapter and about using their forces directly to achieve an end in the next, there is actually no paradox implied. When you make a medicine to heal someone, for instance, you may have laid a layer in the process of writing them a weird of health, but until you have caused it to be used for that purpose, you will not have completed the writing of that weird. To be effective, the magic of the runes must be applied and directed according to their own rules and the basic laws that rule all forms of esoteric power. To write weird is to act; but to write it wittingly, you must understand your actions and their effects.

In learning the runes you will find that there are two ways by which you must approach them; the way of the mind and the way of the soul. The way of the mind is that of research, logic, numerical calculation, and experimental evaluation; the way of the soul is that of meditation, feeling, and practice. Neither way alone can teach you the workings of the runes. The first by itself leads to barrenness, the second to delusion. In this book I have striven to present a well- rounded basis for the vitki to build her/his own working and understanding on, but as this is largely a work of the mind, it is needful for each person to balance what he/she learns here with personal thought and practice.With all the methods of meditation, as with one’s practical workings, it is necessary to keep a galdrabok (magical diary) in which one records new lore and rites, all that one experiences in meditation and practice, as well as everything that happens in daily life which seems to touch on one’s path as a vitki.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

MEDITATION

The first step in understanding the runes in one’s soul, after one has set them firmly in one’s mind, is meditation. It is best to begin by meditating on each rune on your own. This can be done in many ways, each of which has a somewhat different effect. It is good to begin by staring at the shape of the rune and intoning either its name or the galdr-sound (mantra) associated with it. Thorsson suggests that each rune be painted in red on an index card [1] and this is likely the easiest way to set them into one’s awareness. This should be done for five minutes or so, at a rate of one rune a day. It is best to do it in the morning when getting up, trying to visualize the rune at intervals during the day; or else just before going to bed, writing down one’s dreams in the morning. Of course, meditation can be performed at any time.

Another practice which some people find works well is the use of stadhagaldr or runenyoga (standing with one’s body in the shape of a rune for the purpose of drawing in its force). This practice was developed by the Armanen-runeworkers in Germany. Its antiquity is not too well known, although artifacts showing the human body twisted into shapes like those of the runes, and the modem Icelandic practice of teaching children the alphabet by having them stand in letter-shapes, may support it. This method is beyond the scope of this book; a full description of how to use it and its effects, together with the positions, may be found in Edred Thorsson’s Futhark: A Handbook of Runic Magic. Meditation may also be done by simply sitting and concentrating one’s entire self on a single rune to see what one can feel or find within it. The key to successful meditation of any sort is the ability to concentrate on one’s object in all ways. To do this, it is necessary first to clear the mind and body of what is unwanted, and then to fill them with what is wanted. True concentration-letting nothing within or without pull one from one’s goal-is one of the hardest things to learn and one of the most necessary in any kind of magic. When your concentration breaks, do not be angry or upset; this will only make your distraction much, much worse. Settle down and try again. In practice, the aim of full concentration can best be reached by good meditative breath control, such as is used in yoga and some martial arts. Inhale deeply, not with the chest and shoulders, but from the gut. Your stomach should swell outward, your shoulders staying utterly still. Pull the breath in slowly, filling your lungs from the bottom; hold the air in for a couple of seconds, then let your breath out just as slowly as you let it in, and hold it out for a couple of seconds before breathing in again. It will help to begin with a slow, regular mental count which is the same for the inward and outward breath, and for the short holding of fullness and emptiness. The exact number is not important, although it should be the same for each cycle; a number may be chosen according to personal convenience and understanding of Teutonic number lore.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

GUIDED MEDITATIONS

The purpose of the guided meditations supplied in this book is to provide a footing for an emotional and psychic understanding of the runes, in addition to the mental understanding gained by study and rational contemplation. These meditations may, and indeed should be used in conjunction with individual meditation as scribed above, so that you can balance a personal understanding of each rune with an understanding of the runic force and cultural background evoked by the guided meditation. These meditations offer a series of images and mental processes designed to aid your spiritual attunement to the force of each rune and to use the understanding of each rune’s essential nature to tie together some of the various levels on which and ways in which it operates. Using them should serve to bring your personal awareness (consciously and subconsciously) closer to the mindset of the Teutonic world in which the force of the runes was expressed and defined, thus making it easier, both psychologically and psychically, to tap, channel, and control the might of the runes. The meditations may be thought of as a psychic tuning fork, which you use initially to achieve the desired vibrational quality and level (the vibration of the rune) for the purpose of being able to recognize, touch, and use that particular stream of power at will.

The guided meditations offered here may be changed to fit your individual needs; they are certainly not meant to limit anyone in any way. If you do not choose to use them as guided meditations, you may find it worthwhile to simply think on the images within the context of the rune with which they are associated. I created these meditations for the benefit of my first rune class in order to synthesize the historical and magical data I was giving them into a form capable of speaking to heart, mind, and soul at once. I had previously observed the effectiveness of pathworkings in my own assimilation of Qabalistic symbolism and lore, and felt that some of the techniques used in that school would also work in runic studies. These guided meditations are based on images and understandings reached by myself in my own contemplation of the runes, combined with my research into the thought-patterns and imagery (both visual and poetic) of the Teutonic folk.

If you choose to use these writings as guided meditations, you may either tape yourself reading them aloud or have them read by a friend or one person in a small group. To perform them, you should sit or lie with your eyes shut in a comfortable position which is not likely either to become cramped or to encourage you to fail asleep. Wear clothes which do not bind, particularly about the chest and abdomen. Allow a little time in which you can breathe in a deep, regular rhythm, letting all your tension and distracting thoughts flow out, before you begin the meditation itself. At the end of the meditation, it is very important to picture yourself in your own body again with your feet firmly grounded on the earth, as written forth in the text. This is called grounding, and it is done to prevent the psychic and mental disorientation which occurs when your awareness, having functioned outside of your earthly body, is not fully brought back into it; or when you have brought a great deal of magical energy into yourself which, unless it is directed to some purpose at once or settled by the act of grounding which brings one back to full earthly functioning, can disorder the mind - sometimes severely.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

GALDR-SONGS

In the Norse texts, runic magic is often described as galdr-magic, as opposed to the more shamanic forms of spae- and seidhmagic. The word galdr comes from a root meaning “to sing or chant,� which shows the needfulness of vibrating the rune-sounds and magical songs on all levels in order to bring their power into full being. As a meditative means, the chanting of the galdr-sounds will cause your very body, as well as the world around you, to vibrate with the might of the rune upon which you are calling.

You should begin training yourself by practicing meditative breathing for some time until it feels quite natural. When you are able to control your breath and establish a strong regular rhythm, you should start singing the galdr-sound (given individually with each rune) on the outward breath and subvocalizing it on the inward breath, being sure to continue to breathe from the diaphragm. The sound should, at least at first, be sung on a single tone. This should be as low and loud as is comfortable for your voice, in order to create the maximum resonance within your body. You should be able to feel the resonance within and around you growing in power as you sing the galdr-sounds on the outward breath of each cycle, while the subvocalized songs of the inward breath intensify the runic might in your spirit so that you can bring it forth more mightily on the exhalation. After a while, you may find alterations of tone to be more powerful; once you have mastered the basic skill of galdr-singing, this is a worthwhile path of experiment.

If the full rune name is used, each of the sounds should be prolonged as long as possible, so that one complete exhalation is required to sing the name once. This should hold true in magical rites when one is using runic sounds or names as well as in meditation. The use of galdr-sounds in meditation is also a good way to learn to vibrate one’s galdrar (“magical songs�-vocal part of the enchantment) in active magic so that the words resonate through your body and all the levels of being, bringing the silent and hidden force of the runes on which you call and of the words which shape and guide their might forth into earthly being. The resonance of the song is one of the major gateways through which power is brought between the worlds!
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

BRINGING THE RUNES FORTH

When you have worked your way through the futhark in one, or all if possible, of these manners, you will be ready to begin using the runes outside of yourself. Meditation and seeking, of course, never end as long as you live, but after you have brought these basics within yourself, your individual path is up to you. The best way to start bringing the runes forth is by sitting in a dark room with your eyes open. Choose a rune with which you have done well in meditation and begin to breathe, singing the name of that rune until you can feel its might within. Slowly stretch out your strong hand, index finger out, and trace the stave-shape in the air. The shining power, in red or a fitting color, should flow through your hand and eyes in a brilliant beam so that you can in some manner see the rune you have written there. Should this not be easy for you, close your eyes and visualize its bright lines before you, looking through the eyes of your soul. When you can see it in this manner, open your eyes again. This may take some practice, but in time you should be able to see at least the shining ghost of the lines of power you have written. Once you have finished your practice, you should either draw the rune’s energies into yourself or dissipate it back into the universe. It is bad practice to leave about any sort of magical energy which is not clearly bound to a specific goat and done over a period of time it can be dangerous.

This should be practiced until you are able to do the Circle Rite easily and comfortably. When you are comfortable with the basic internalization and theoretical function to the point that you can use this simple ritual to ward yourself you will be ready to begin performing active runic magic.
_________________
"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."

[Kia Ekaya]

RUNIC WORKINGS

“Know’st how to write, know’st how to read,
Know’st how to stain, how to understand,
Know’st how to ask know’st how to offer,
Know’st how to supplicate know’st how to sacrifice?�
(Havamal, 144)

The most traditional means of puffing runic magic into effect is the carving and coloring of a runic inscription. This may be done on any suitable material-wood, bone, stone, and metal were the most common materials of the early days, but this should not cause a vitki to feel limited. Although synthetic materials lack hamingja-force of their own, by the same token, they are suitable for taking any sort of charge which you want to impress upon them. Anything which can be carved, engraved, and/or painted can be made into a runic talisman. It was usual for Germanic people to have the items which were most important to them, such as their weapons, written with fitting runes of success; this practice can easily be adjusted to fit modern needs. If wood is used for the talisman, or taufr, the following should be done. Go out into the woods with a bottle of ale or mead and a small loaf of bread. Quietly whisper your purpose and the runes of the rite to the earth, asking Mother Nerthus to show you a suitable tree. Wait silently until you feel an urge to walk in one direction or another, and then follow the feeling until you come to a tree that you sense is the one chosen. Perform the first part of the Rite of Tree-Gift and leave without looking back or speaking to anyone until you are home. Return in the same silence to your tree at sunset or just after or sunrise or just before, and perform the second part of the rite. With your ritual knife or, if needful, a hallowed axe, strike off the twig or branch you have chosen; it should be one bending to a quarter of the earth or an aett of the heavens, north and east being preferred. Cover the wood with a black cloth and carry it home, again without speaking in any way. In a ritual of healing or other rite concerned with a person’s growth and well-being, it is actually better to cut the runes into the living tree, on a bough bending towards the east. When carving the runes, you should sing the name or galdrsound of each as long as you work on it, prolonging the initial sound as long as possible. This should be done in a slow rhythm of deep, regulated breathing from the center of your body, as should all galdr-singing. As you inhale, you should feel the streams of power flowing into your body, filling you with brilliant, tingling might; as you carve and sing, you should be able to see the power flowing forth into the grooves you cut, shining brightly in the runes, and feel it thrumming through the sax-knife in your hand. The coloring of the runes is the most important part of the process, as it is through coloring that they are brought to life. They are almost always colored red. The blood of the vitki is the most traditional pigment for the runes, as it fills them with her/his life and hamingja-force. Red ochre is also a traditional pigment for the runes; its Anglo-Saxon name, teafor, is cognate to the Old Norse word for talisman, taufr, and the German word for magic, Zauber. The root of all of these words means “to make red,� showing the essential tie between the act of reddening the runes and the working of magic. Red ochre is sometimes difficult to find in America, though usually art stores will carry either the dry pigment or an ochre-based paint. Red madder is another good traditional coloring that is much easier to come by in the pure form (though somewhat expensive). If red ochre or madder is subsituted for blood, you should grind the raw pigment with linseed oil, singing the names of the runes and charging the pigment with them through the pestle as you would charge recels (incense) during its grinding; this may also be well-empowered with a single drop of blood. The blood or ochre should be laid into the runes with the point of the sax or, if you prefer, with a special tool. While doing this, you should sing the lines of galdr for each rune by which you are guiding the sphere of its workings, feeling the runic might flow ever more powerfully through your body to glow in the newly livened runes. It is best in every way to have the entire ritual thoroughly memorized so that you may concentrate fully on the might which you summon and guide into the runes written on the taufr. Further steps are more or less optional depending on your needs and level of experience with rune-magic: someone who has worked with runic energies and ritual for many years will naturally have less need of outward forms than someone who has just been doing it for a while. The practice of full ritual is of great benefit to the beginning and intermediate students, both because the change sit makes within the worker. As with all skills, constant practice and testing your limits are the keys to growth and success.
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"... лошадь захромала, командир убит, конница разбита, арми� бежит. Враг в�тупает в город, пленных не щад�, потому что в кузнице не было гвозд�..."