Practical Magic: Bindrunes

witch-of-the-dragon:

Today, we wrap up our exploration of the Elder Futhark. The uses of the runes are varied and can be applied to all aspects of life. They provide insight and wisdom in divination and in meditation, and according to lore, hold the secrets to the workings of both gods and men.

Most often when we come across these runes, they are being used for divination. However, their use in an historical context very rarely involves casting. Instead, they were predominantly used in spellwork in the form of “bindrunes.” Or, runes bound to a specific purpose.

It is important to note here that most aspects of Norse magic involved on self-reliance. Compared to many other cultures and beliefs, the magic used in this culture placed very strong emphasis on working hard to get what you want, instead of asking the gods to give it to you. You fought, bled, and strained to achieve your desires. Magic was frequently used to basically say, “Hey, Odin! You see how hard I’m working? Can you help me out just a little? Just a nudge, really!”

This isn’t to say that curses were never used. There are stories of some areas inscribed with Norse runes which, when disturbed or violated, cause misfortune to befall the offenders. This was very rare, however, and in modern rune magic cursing is almost never used because it is exceptionally potent and considered dangerous (remember, runes often have multiple meanings).

Throughout the last twenty-six weeks, we’ve covered each rune in series, and took a look at the magical uses of each when used alone – carved, drawn, sewn, et cetera, by itself to impart its associations. Bindrunes take this concept a bit further, and is a more refined method of making use of multiple runes in tandem.

The process is similar to making sigils in that it is done to be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Take two or three runes with corresponding purposes to your intent. Most runes have a vertical stroke, called a stave, from which the rest of the rune branches off. In this process, you overlap the staves, arranging them in such a way as to be capable of seeing each rune involved.

Whether the rune is vertically inverted or not does not matter, and there are plenty of historical examples in how runes were often arbitrarily written vertically, upside down, and even right to left.

Another thing to keep in mind with bindrunes is inverse meanings. Remember that to write a rune backwards is to change its message and its association, so unless that is the intent, try to avoid doing so in crafting your bindrune.

These rune spells can be worn on jewelry, sewn onto clothing, carved or drawn. Their versatility is definitely helpful for spellcasting! However… always, ALWAYS, be sure to research any pre-made Norse bindrunes and symbols before getting them as a tattoo! There were certain rules regarding the meanings and locations (and the meanings of the locations) on the body and how they were to be properly tattooed. Furthermore, adding them is like adding a permanent spell, so be sure to verify that you are applying something with certainty before doing so.

That said, bindrunes can make for attractive tattoos in addition to great substitutes for conventional sigils!

Blessed Be! )O(