Tales from the Ironwood

This essay was written between 6 and 25 July 2021. It is a record of my current thoughts and practice related to Armanen Rune Ritual. Besides documenting this theory, it is offered especially for the student beginning on the path of rune mastery. As I note in the body of the essay, this is but "a theory," and does not suggest to be "the theory" on how such ritual may or should be performed. ********* In this essay, I set out to establish both a theory and a practice of ritual and ceremony that may be applied when performing magical work with the 18 Sacred Futhorkh Runes, better known as the Armanen Runes. Here I will largely use the term “ritual” but the theory that follows applies as well to Armanen ceremonies. Generally ritual refers to a set of fixed actions and words that are performed regularly or as part of some tradition. The ritual may be part of a ceremony. A ceremony is a set of formal acts also repeated according to a particular tradition or religion – a...

This essay began as a progress report of my continued studies of the Armanen Futhorkh. Originally written on 1 January 2021, it was representative of my understanding of the runes generally, and the TYR rune specifically. This essay was substantially rewritten on 5 February 2022 based on my current understanding of the runes and to enable to better serve as a part of a cohesive book rather than a standalone essay. ********* TYR is the twelfth of the Armanen Runes. I begin my mediations on TYR by focusing on verse 157 of the Hávamál . Karl Hans Welz translates verse 157 as follows: “A twelfth I know: If I see the hanged man shaking in the wind on the tree, Then I cut and stain Runes. Now the warrior talks And descends from the tree.”[1] Initially this verse doesn’t appear to align with the more straightforward reference to the god Tyr in the Norwegian Rune Poem ( NRP ): “TYR is the one-handed god; the smith is often [busy with] blowing.” [2] The god Tyr is clearly indicated...

Sometimes articles appear fully formed in my mind before I commit them to the page. At other times they develop chaotically through a strange creative dance of research and revelation. This one, appropriately, developed through the latter method. Nietzsche wrote in Also Sprach Zarathustra that "one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." This star appeared in the heavens during Yule 2020. ********* Even within Ásatrú circles, some of the least understood of mythic beings are the giants. While their role in Norse cosmogony, eschatology, and even magick is essential, most Ásatrúars take an overly simplistic and perhaps naïve approach to these figures. In fact, most kindreds and tribes that I know mandate that no giants be toasted—no horn may be raised during the ceremony of sumbel to these awesome beings. The basic line of reasoning is that giants are opposed to the Æsir gods, that they play a destructive role in the events of Ragnarök ...

I began work on this article on 28 June 2020. It has taken nearly four months to complete. During that time my views on the matters that served as the original catalyst for this article evolved. Initially I embraced an exclusive approach thereby seeking to eliminate texts that might be contaminated by non-Heathen poets. Perhaps the runes themselves suggested a better alternative. By the time I completed this article, I embraced an inclusive approach whereby not only are the ancient works utilized for their wisdom but inner work too is leveraged for increased clarity while seeking answers to these great mysteries. ********* While most academics embrace a profane explanation of the runes, many in the Heathen community believe that the runes possess a special power and may be used in magical ways. Such magical uses include divination and influencing or making actual change in the subjective and even objective universe. Runes may be called on for victory, for health and healing, or for a...

"Becoming Odin" was written on 12 January 2020 although the key ideas have been forming in my mind over the past couple of years. I recall many of these thoughts taking shape while touring Columcille Megalith Park during the spring of 2018. ********* For Ásatrúars the two primary texts are Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda and the anonymous compilation known as The Poetic Edda . It has long been my contention that Snorri’s thirteenth-century work contains secret messages and meaning for those who understand or are able to decipher the text.[1] The first part of Snorri’s Edda contains the well-known Gylfaginning (“The Tricking of Gylfi”), one of the most important early accounts of the Norse gods. On the surface, Gylfaginning recounts the tale of a wondrous visit to Asgard (ON: Ásgarðr ) by King Gylfi of Sweden. Once in Asgard Gylfi poses a long series of questions to its rulers, High ( Har ), Just-as-high ( Jafnhar ), and Third ( Thrithi ) --three of the many names of O...