Quilt Runes: History of Runes
All About Quilt Runes
Welcome to the first post of my blog series about Quilt Runes. Quilt Runes is a term I made up to name the collection of mini quilts I’ve been working on since 2020. The quilt patterns of the collection are inspired by Nordic Runes.
It all started as a project of self-exploration. I was thinking about my Scandinavian heritage and came across an image of a Circle of Healing Runes. I loved the shapes of the runes and loved the idea of focusing on certain aspects of life for healing.
After some digging, I found that the image was from a book called The Healing Runes by Ralph H. Blum and Susan Loughan. The book was written in the 1990s through a lens of helping people recover from grief, trauma, PTSD, addiction, etc. and I found it very interesting. From there I read a few more books about runes, my favorite being Runes Made Easy by Richard Lister, and became hooked on the mystery and history behind them.
The goal of this blog series is to give you a little more information about both Nordic Runes and Quilt Runes. About what they are, why you might use them, and how you might use them. I am by no means an expert of Runes but I would love to share what I know and the resources I’ve learned from.
This post will be the “about” part of the series. I’ll cover just some basics about Runes and share some books I’ve enjoyed that can give you more detailed information.
Photo by Håkan Sundblad on Unsplash
A Brief History of Nordic Runes
Runes have been found mainly in modern-day Scandinavia, but also as far south as the Mediterranean, all over Britain and France, and, possibly, as far west as Canada. Although not all scholars agree it seems they were first in use before Christianity arrived in the North, about 1,700 years ago.
The legend is that Odin hung from the Tree of the World. He was wounded by his own blade and endured that pain as well as hunger and thirst for nine nights. He was helpless and alone for that time until he fell. When he fell he saw the runes, and with great effort grabbed the runes. Later, he gifted the runes to humankind.
Depending on the source, it’s generally agreed that there are 24 Nordic Runes in the runic “alphabet”. Just as we call the Alphabet after the first two letters; “alpha” for A, and “bet” (or “beta”) for B, the series of Nordic Runes does the same. It is called the Elder Futhark, built out of the sounds of the first six runic symbols. F, U, Th, A, R, and K.
These symbols were carved into bone, metal, rock, or wood to create for all sorts of reasons. To commemorate lost loved ones, to send notes, to graffiti “I was here”, to label belongings, and to create talismans for good luck or to ward off evil spirits. With each rune associated with a certain type of energy, the people carving these symbols would choose a rune they felt would best help them in their situation and carry the talisman with them. Or they would cast them like dice, and read them to interpret how to best handle a situation, much like Tarot cards.
Rune Families
The Futhark is divided up into three groups, or families, of eight. It’s believed that the three families tell a story about the journey of life, and reflect the ancient Nordic mindset where family, community, and the interdependence between the two were of utmost importance.
The first family, made up of the first eight runes represents an individual. The energies of resources, strength, personal responsibility, communication, wisdom, trust, safety, and joy are all part of this family.
The second family, made up of the middle eight runes represents the trials and tests of an individual. The energies of change, the will to survive, swift movement, success, potential, protection, defense, and guidance are all part of this family.
The third family, made up of the last eight runes represents how an individual becomes part of their community. Morality, regrowth, companionship, humanity, health, fertility, family, and initiation are all part of this family.
Today, Runes continue to captivate and inspire individuals on their own personal journeys. Whether used as a form of divination, a means of self-reflection, or simply as a connection to our ancestral roots, the symbolism and guidance offered by these ancient symbols transcend time and cultural boundaries. As we explore the meanings and symbolism of each rune in the next section, we will gain a deeper appreciation for their power and relevance in our modern lives.,
Photo by petr sidorov on Unsplash
Runes of the Elder Futhark
Each rune of the Futhark has its own associated energy and meaning in addition to being a part of a family. In this section I’ll breakdown all of this and share their original or ancient meanings, the healing aspects that I reference for my Quilt Runes, and a modern interpretation of the original meaning. Because, let’s be honest, things are a lot different now than they were a thousand years ago.
Fehu
Ancient Meaning: cattle, wealth, possessions, nourishment
Modern Interpretation: resources, abundance
Healing Aspect: honesty
Uruz
Ancient Meaning: wild ox
Modern Interpretation: power, strength
Healing Aspect: gratitude
Thurizaz
Ancient Meaning: thorn
Modern Interpretation: focus, direct action
Healing Aspect: wisdom
Ansuz
Ancient Meaning: god
Modern Interpretation: inspiration, intuition
Healing Aspect: guilt
Raido
Ancient Meaning: ride, journey
Modern Interpretation: adventure, excitement
Healing Aspect: surrender
Kenaz
Ancient Meaning: fire or torch
Modern Interpretation: illumination, insight
Healing Aspect: acceptance
Gebo
Ancient Meaning: gift
Modern Interpretation: gift, trust
Healing Aspect: trust
Wunjo
Ancient Meaning: joy
Modern Interpretation: joy, contentment, safety
Healing Aspect: serenity
Hagalaz
Ancient Meaning: hail (the precipitation)
Modern Interpretation: disruption, change, “this too shall pass”
Healing Aspect: anger
Nauthiz
Ancient Meaning: need
Modern Interpretation: will, tenacity
Healing Aspect: shame
Isaz
Ancient Meaning: ice, frozen
Modern Interpretation: standstill, withdrawal
Healing Aspect: fear
Jera
Ancient Meaning: year, harvest
Modern Interpretation: success, completion
Healing Aspect: patience
Eihwaz
Ancient Meaning: yew-tree
Modern Interpretation: potential, harnessing energy
Healing Aspect: denial
Peroth
Ancient Meaning: uncertain meaning, a secret matter
Modern Interpretation: luck, fate, love
Healing Aspect: love
Aligiz
Ancient Meaning: elk, protection, defense
Modern Interpretation: protection
Healing Aspect: boundaries
Sowolio
Ancient Meaning: sun
Modern Interpretation: guidance, “seeing the path”
Healing Aspect: compassion
Tiwaz
Ancient Meaning: the god Tiwaz/Tyr, warrior
Modern Interpretation: morality, ethics
Healing Aspect: courage
Berkanan
Ancient Meaning: birch
Modern Interpretation: recovery, regrowth, healing
Healing Aspect: prayer
Ehwaz
Ancient Meaning: horse
Modern Interpretation: travel, companionship
Healing Aspect: forgiveness
Mannaz
Ancient Meaning: man
Modern Interpretation: humanity, human-ness
Healing Aspect: innocence
Laguz
Ancient Meaning: water, lake
Modern Interpretation: life, health
Healing Aspect: humor
Ingwaz
Ancient Meaning: the god Ingwaz/Ing/Yngvi
Modern Interpretation: new growth, creativity, fertility
Healing Aspect: faith
Othala
Ancient Meaning: heritage, estate, possession
Modern Interpretation: family, friends, community
Healing Aspect: grief
Dagaz
Ancient Meaning: day
Modern Interpretation: the present moment, transitions, transformation, doorways
Healing Aspect: hope
A deck I enjoy called Runes for Modern Life, designed by Theresa Cheung
How To Read Runes
The Futhark can be read just as these letters and words can be read, or they can be read, as I mentioned above, in the same manner as Tarot cards. Pulling, one, three, five, or as many as you want, then looking up each meaning, searching your own subconscious, and creating a personal interpretation.
Reading runes in that respect requires in-depth understanding and immersion. It's not just about the symbols themselves, but the deeper meaning, context, and personal interpretation.
I am no where near an expert on this and would highly recommend you do your own research and feel into your own intuition when reading runes. There are also practitioners who give rune readings to others if you’re interested.
If you’d like to start your own practice of reading runes here is what I would suggest:
Familiarize yourself with the Elder Futhark: get to know each rune’s phonetic sound and symbolic meaning. Find yourself a set of rune stones, or a deck of rune cards that appeal to you. Make sure they are interesting to you and that you want to hold them, shuffle them, look at them, and spend time with them.
Understand the context: take into account the cultural, historical, and religious context of runes as well as modern and personal contexts. Soak up as much information as you can, then use what works for you.
Practice rune readings: start by pulling single rune readings and gradually progress to more complex readings as you feel more comfortable. Close your eyes, clear your mind, shuffle your runes, and then pull one. Focus on a question or issue, then interpret the drawn rune in relation to that. This takes practice, but over time, you’ll develop a relationship and an understanding with the runes.
Remember that, similar to learning a new language, reading runes requires time, patience, and practice. It’s more of an art than a science, one that requires both intuition and knowledge.
Continuing Your Own Research About Runes
As I mentioned above, this blog series is to give you more information about Nordic Runes and Quilt Runes. While this post was more of the history behind Runes, I’ll be expanding upon my Quilt Runes and the “why” behind them in the next blog post.
By understanding the history, symbols, and meanings of Runes, we are able to gain insight into our lives and gain clarity on present circumstances. Whether you want to use them for divination, healing, or to learn about where they sit in history, runes can be a powerful tool for self-discovery. For anyone interested in exploring the world of runes, I’ve compiled a list of sources I’ve enjoyed learning from :
History and Linguistics of Runes:
The book Runes, An Introduction by Ralph W.V. Elliott, M.A., is a bit hard to find but is full of great insight into the origins of runic writing.
Episode 16 of the Gone Medieval podcast is a great interview with runology specialist and Viking expert, Judith Jesch. She discusses the different uses of runes in Viking times.
Episode 25 of The History of English podcast explores how runes influenced the development of the English language and how they were used post-Viking era and into Medieval times.
Runes as Healing and Self-Discovery Tools:
The book Runes Made Easy by Richard Lister is probably my favorite source because he covers the mythology and folklore surrounding Nordic Runes and presents the information with a critical, modern, inclusive approach.
The Book of Runes by Ralph Blum goes into detail about different spreads you can use for specific situations.
The Healing Runes by Ralph Blum and Susan Loughan, another hard-to-find book, is the book that originally spurred my interest and sent me down this strange and fascinating path.
Warning and Disclaimer
It breaks my heart that I have to say this but I need to you to know where I stand. Unfortunately, there are hate groups out there that are culturally appropriating Nordic Runes as symbols for fascist agendas. I completely condemn this and am in no way associated with them. If you decide to do your own internet research, please be cautious of the source. I’ve found the best sources to be from academics or self-help experts. To make sure you’re finding inclusive, reliable knowledge, I would steer clear of uncredited blog posts or articles.
