The author’s intent for this book is to provide a comprehensive overview of the runes – their history, mythological connections, meanings, and techniques for usage.
The book is divided into three parts: Part I is the introduction and includes the history of runes as well as links to Norse mythology. Part II explores rune meanings, and Part III shares options for divination and personal magic. Chapters conclude with a page of “key takeaways,” a short summary of the most important points in the preceding text.
Part II: “Reading the Runes” is divided into three sections. Each section contains one of the aetts (8 runes) of the Elder Futhark. This division is becoming increasingly common in runes books. The first eight runes belong to Freyr’s Aett (personal growth and advancement), then Hagal’s aett (overcoming challenges and obstacles, also called Heimdall’s aett), and finally Tyr’s aett (cooperation and patience). Each rune has a page describing its meaning in divination and a page describing the rune’s correspondences to Norse gods, stones/crystals, herbs, colors, and a tarot card, and a short list of magical uses for the rune. The source for the correspondences isn’t shared. They’re certainly modern and perhaps reflect the author’s original thinking. Rune correspondences to Major Arcana cards were sometimes very strange – for instance, Brekke associates the Tower card with Fehu, a rune of financial growth and development. Without any explanation of why particular cards were chosen, some readers may be puzzled. The rune meanings are relatively but not entirely traditional and appear to be written from the author’s own use and experience of them.
Part III opens with suggestions for acquiring or making a set of runes. Further advice includes recommendations for taking care of runes as well as consecrating new runes and charging rune sets. Chapter 8 gives preliminary advice for creating a setting for divination and then options for random rune casts. Chapter 9 focuses on rune spreads. Examples of one-, two-, three-, four- and nine-rune spreads are illustrated with position meanings. Chapter 10 is called “Practicing Rune Magic.” The author provides a page or two of suggestions for each rune that may include spells or ideas about how, where and when to carry a particular rune, and incense recipes for evoking a rune’s powers.
End matter includes: a list of resources – additional books and websites; references (bibliography); a rune index and a regular index.
The Complete Guide to Runes does a respectable job of fulfilling its mandate for providing a comprehensive overview of the runes. It’s nicely formatted and the information is well-organized. It provides a well-rounded collection of information for beginners and includes material that may be enlightening for more intermediate readers.
~review by Elizabeth Hazel
Author: Wayne Brekke
Rockridge Press (Callisto Publishing), 2023
172 pgs
$15.99 PB, $9.99 Kindle.
