If it's not too much trouble, would you be able to give a list of the Diety/Dieties each of the runes is associated with, and what they are the god/goddess of?
The three aettirs represent a god/goddess. The first aett is Freyr's, the second aett is Heimdall, the third is Tyr's.
Thurisaz ~ Thor (sometimes considered Loki)
Anguz ~ Odin (or the Aesir in general)
Tiawaz ~ Tyr (the rune is also called Tyr sometimes)
Laguz ~ Njord (Niord)
Algiz ~ Freya (warrior goddess)
Eihwaz ~ connected with Ullr who came from the yew dales and used a bow made of yew.
Berkana ~ Berchta or just "earth mother"
Inguz ~ Ing (or Ingui) or Frey
The others are rather ambiguous and can be connected with any Norse god or goddess that associates. The runes are particularly associated with all aspects of life in general, so many times the aesir and vanir associations is up to heavy debate. As we know, gods and goddesses of all cultures are given associations with various aspects of life, and this is where many rune association stem from. I would not so much look for associations of others (unless they are obvious such as the ones I have mentioned. I would recommend you read as much as you can about Norse mythology and find them through your own perspective. Much of what I've seen on the internet regarding deity associations to runes is just that -- personal opinion. And I disagree with much of it because I see each rune in its own personality and meaning based off of the literature of the Norse people.
For instance, the pertho rune is fertility, the vagina, and feminity as a whole. This could be associated with any of the various fertility goddesses, mostly agreed to be Frigg(a). But then Frigga as a mother can be seen as Berkana! Uruz is considered an aspect of Thor, because of its heavy masculine meaning (that of an ox's, the dark side of the stave being a very destructive force). Thurisaz can also be Thor when concentrating on his destructive warrior aspect, due to the discord between Thor and Odin, and the very sound of it "thur vs thor" yet has also been seen as Loki, due to Loki being an enemy of Odin, a Giant, and destructive in nature.
So in short, the runes are associated with the gods and the nature of them that you wish to employ through the use of the particular runes. Only a few are "set" to a particular god or goddess and those are the incredibly obvious ones. Even then, the deity association can be ignored and the aspect in nature it represents can be the focal point.
Those who associate the runes with the norse gods and goddesses mean to honor those gods and goddesses. But I feel this is unnecessary unless you truly do believe in the deities themselves. The runes can stand alone as a complete embodiment of Nature as a whole, each one holding the power of a part of that whole.
Feel free to continue posting questions on this thread that pertain to the runes. Its easier for me to answer questions, rather than try to think up what people may be interested in learning. I will only go into "basic" information here, because I do feel that to enter more advanced rune magick, it is necessary to learn the rune meanings thoroughly, memorize them, recognize them in nature, and have a sound understanding of the cultures behind them.
Placed in the hands of an amateur, more advanced uses of the runes, seidr, and galdr can be disastrous.
Runes are a passion of mine, even though I would never identify myself as someone who follows the Norse ways. The runes are tools I use to connect to nature. I don't personally use them in connection with the Norse gods, but I do study the mythology to understand as much as possible about the people who originally used the runes and what they believed.
I feel that all mythology is discussing the same deities/higher spirits from a different viewpoint based on time period, location, and society. I only found a love for Odin, who I feel is the closest representation of the "Father" in my eyes. I've never felt closer to a deity more so than the archetype of Odin. I continue to learn all I can about the culture because I find it fascinating.
Much of magick is the same from around the world, merely done under a different perspective of the spirit world. I don't like to limit myself, my knowledge, or my understanding. Our earth, our nature, our spirit world, and our Source is one in the same. Learning from other perspectives is a wonderful way to expand our minds. I don't feel that personal belief should create personal limitations.
Thank you so much for your articles! They really helped me out. I have a question though, could I print these out and put them in my Book of Shadows for further reference?
It would be an honor. By all means. You may also wish to copy down or print the images.
Ah, you've made my day! I feel that the runes are one of the most overlooked forms of magick. And it is such a pity because there is so much potential within them for personal growth and spiritual practise.
Blessings to you and yours! I hope this information can guide you into a life long relationship with the runes. They are truly great friends to have.
