Tales from the Ironwood

This essay is offered to describe a practice that may help to align one's life rhythm with the energies of the runes. It is intended for those already familiar with the practice of Rune Yoga, Mudras, and Meditation.  ********* What follows is a description of a technique and approach to ritualizing Rune Yoga on a daily schedule. I shall assume that the postures are already understood through familiarity with the works of Kummer, Marby, Spiesberger, Welz, or Thorsson. It is important to understand what I intend by the use of the term, “ritual.” Ritual is, by definition, a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, or actions performed in a specific sequence. From a magical perspective, each element of a ritual should be meaningful or sacred. The inference here is that by setting aside each element or aspect of one’s rune yoga practice that more meaningful results may be attained. The ritual that follows may be used for either Rune Yoga or Rune Mudras ( Runen-Griff ) or some ...

This essay was written in a blinding flash worthy of SIG itself on 23 January 2022. It was subsequently revised on 20 February. It marks an important point in my "Untimely Meditations" as it is the eighteenth such essay. In the past the "conquering" imagery associated with this rune was too brash and superficial. SIG does provide hope and victory in battle against all odds --but such battles are not necessarily of the material world, rather they may also take place in our daily lives in the realm of the spirit.  ********* I begin my meditations on the eleventh rune, SIG by considering Hávamál verse 156. Here Odin reveals how to be victorious in life’s battles. “This I know as eleventh: When I lead Into battle the friend, The beloved; I sing it in his shield: He will win in battle And good luck around him Wherever you look.” [1] Once again we are presented with a Hávamál verse that on the surface does not appear to align with the traditional rune poems. Ea...

This essay was completed on 22 January 2022. It's been in the works for awhile. Like many of the essays in this series, I can no longer accurately say when I began to write it. One point that I failed to discuss in this essay is that AR is one half of the composite word "AR-MAN." In that important word, I have come to understand that the light --the streaming sun power-- of AR is joined with MAN's energies to enable those on the Armanen path to perceive the spiritual plane. Together these runes are surely a formula for personal enlightenment. ********* I begin my meditations on the tenth rune, AR by considering Hávamál verse 155. Here Odin reveals how to eliminate spiritual darkness and uncertainty. “A tenth one I know: When ill-witching spirits Fly high in the air. I shall cause them to turn Back to their homes, Deprived of their covers; Back to their homes, Bewildered their minds.” [1] On the surface this verse speaks of fending off “ill-witching spirits” o...