Tales from the Ironwood

This short biography was written on 30 April 2023. It is intended as the first of a series of "portraits" of important figures in the twentieth century runic revival. It was written specifically for Knights of Runes and is included on their website. ********* Guido von List (5 October 1848 - 17 May 1919) was born in Vienna, Austria. Throughout his youth, List was an avid outdoorsman. He spent considerable time boating and mountaineering. He also dedicated himself to the study of history, archeology, and anthropology. His thoughts on a wide range of subjects were recorded in numerous articles.[1]The youthful List was already demonstrating his interest in the mystical world. He later described an episode that occurred when he was only fourteen years old: “After much asking, [I] received permission from my father to accompany him and his party who were planning to visit the catacombs [beneath St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna] which were at that time still in their original cond...

I've been planning this article for some time. Clearly there is much more to explore on the topic of Rune-Zodiac correspondence as well as indications of Zodiac references in the old lore. With this article, I only begin to scratch the surface.  Written on 7 and 8 April 2023. ********* Various Rune Masters have long associated runic systems with the Zodiac. This has been accomplished in different ways, however, through the years. Siegfried Kummer provided such correspondences in his Holy Rune Might: Rebirth of Armanendom through Rune Exercises and Dance . His system aligned a single rune with each of the 12 Zodiac signs over a three-year cycle, for example, he aligned Aries with FA in the first cycle. Kummer used this method, in part, to address the challenge of aligning 18 runes with only 12 Zodiac signs. Hence, over three years, the 36 Zodiac signs (12 x 3=36) align evenly with two sets of the 18-Rune Futhorkh (18 x 2=36). If one reviews the diagram of Kummer’s rune circle, you ...

The article that follows served originally as a chapter of my Treatise on the Armanen Runes that was submitted as my masterwork to satisfy one requirement to become a Runemaster in Knights of Runes. The Treatise was written between 3 June 2019 and 15 August 2021. Edited on 7 April 2023. ********* The Armanen Runes stand out among the various rune systems in that, by nature, they are esoteric. The other systems, especially, the Elder Futhark may be studied and used in mundane ways, for example conveying a simple message – or even writing lengthy articles or books. I recall a project in which an organization was planning to produce and publish a copy of the Poetic Edda  written entirely with Elder Futhark runes. As questionable as such a project may have been, it would certainly have been foolish had the plan been to use the Armanen Futhorkh. The Armanen Runes are found originally in the Hávamál – "the words of the High One." Many tend to forget that this important lay from ...

What follows are my initial thoughts on the Vindelev Bracteate. These were written between 11 and 12 March 2023. ********* The Vindelev Bracteate (discovered in Vindelev, Denmark in 2020) has been all over the news recently since it was announced that the previously undeciphered runes on the fifth century golden disc were, at least partly, determined.[1] Reports from around the world took special notice of the discovery of the sensational phrase, "He (is) Odin's man," perhaps the earliest reference to the chief god of Norse and Germanic mythology. In English letters, this phrase is rendered as iR Wod[I]nas weraR . For those attempting to match the English to the runes visible on photographs of the bracteate, the key phrase appears around Odin's head near the bottom of his hair on the right side and is read from right to left. It is important to note that there are other runes on this piece. It is not fully clear in images that I have seen, but the runes may go around ...

This work was written between 27 August 2022 and 20 February 2023. During this time, I overcame many challenges and obstacles to bring this work to fruition. Through this study, I have come to better understand Siegfried Kummer. I appreciate his enthusiasm, his approach, and his lamentations over the destruction wrought by those black magicians who chose to take the easier, inviting path. ********* Tucked away at the end of Siegfried Kummer’s Runen-Magie ( Rune-Magic ) is the Runen-Futhorktafel (Runic Futhork Table).[1] The Futhork Table lists 21 Rune rows and provides important insight into Kummer’s knowledge of the various rune systems known at the time of the publication of Runen-Magie (1933). Such analysis reveals not only the variability of the known Rune rows at the time but provides greater clarity of the depth of understanding that Kummer and his fellow Armanists had of the runes. Kummer’s Table is basically divided into two halves. The first half (columns 1-9) lists kno...

Seventeen November. The anniversary of my birth. The thought that follows entered my mind as the veil of sleep lifted in the wee hours of the morning. ********* The Runes may be viewed as a narrative of life itself with three stages of life indicated. With HAGAL evenly placed between RIT and IS, we discover a world of of our own making. In HAGAL, we have a subjective universe created by ego, IS through the creative energy of RIT. The source then of HAGAL’s ”hail” is oneself.  Only through TYR is the subjective world sacrificed revealing the objective. This appears in full focus through our rebirth in BAR and attainment of the spiritual and the final aett- the last stage of this life. For those who reach this level, it is important to realize that many have not yet- and perhaps never will. Some will forever remain among the first or second aett. There the danger of HAGAL is believing the subjective is the objective universe. Then the dark side of HAGAL reveals itself, bound by limi...

This essay was composed on 22 August 2022. On 20 August, I taught a Rune Yoga class to a large number of students. At the conclusion of the class, I was asked why one should discharge runic energy. Why wouldn't the practitioner want to store up this power? The essay that follows constitutes my research to properly respond to such a query. It is also a good reminder to master and beginner alike as to why such a practice is recommended and how it reduces the chance of undesired consequences of Rune practice. Minor edits on 26 February and 3 and 14 July 2023. ********* Masters of Rune Yoga, especially Armanen Rune Yoga, have long suggested that accumulated runic energy be discharged at the conclusion of one’s yoga work. It seems that the first Armanen Master to advocate the importance of this step was Siegfried Adolf Kummer in his Runen-Magie ( Rune-Magic ) of 1933. Most practitioners have continued this practice without pausing to understand why this act is necessary and strongly re...