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Prompt 12. Sunday 11th February 2018 - The 12th prompt will be... Runes, Symbols, Sigils & Cyphers +Alphabet
There are many different types
and kinds of Runes, Symbols, Sigils, Cyphers and such.. Some use ancient alphabet, alphabet of
different languages and cultures, some are symbolism, some are words, some are
something all of their own entirely. - In
this blog I’m going to try and give you some food for thought so you can go and
learn for yourselves..
Basics by Google Dictionary.
What are Runes?
A letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet, related to the Roman alphabet.
What are Symbols?
1. a mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g. the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation.synonyms: sign, character, mark, letter, hieroglyph, ideogram
2. a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.synonyms: emblem, token, sign, representation, figure, image, type; More
What are Sigils?
an inscribed or painted symbol considered to have magical power.a seal.a sign or symbol.
What are Cyphers?
a secret or disguised way of writing; a code.
Symbols & Sigils.
Symbolism is everything and it's everywhere it's in icons, apps, logos, branding, packaging, signs and so much more. Symbols are often used in place of words and sentences to quickly give information. It's like they say "a picture is worth a thousand words" well maybe not a thousand but the warning falling rocks sign is much more easier to read than the text "Warning falling rocks ahead!" don't you think?!! So like I said it's everywhere and everything.. I touched more on Symbolism in this blog I wrote a while back about two kinds of Sigils. - Which if you're interested in Sigils I recommend you check out and learn about as said I only wrote about two (more commonly used) kinds.
I wanted to touch based a bit more on symbolism looked at from a Witchy / Pagan aspect and I know I mentioned symbolism when talking about The 3rd prompt... Pentacle / Pentagram meaning & The 4 Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water. As we mentioned the Pentacle and Pentagram, also the 4 Elements. I also touched on symbolism in The 4th prompt... Tree of Life / Grounding Meditation / Whiteroom /Prayer and also in The 8th prompt... Zodiac along with a few others.. But here's some other 'Witchy' symbols to learn and study about maybe.. or at least get you started!!
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| Sadly outside of Tumblr and Pinterest I can't find a source for this image (please if you know let me know so I may properly credit thank you!) |
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| Image Source = http://www.4symbols.com/symbols/pagan-symbols-d7e7e3.html |
Cyphers.
Cyphers are still very commonly used between people of power, great importance or simply teens.. Yes almost anyone and everyone will at some point have created or used a secret 'code', 'hidden message' or other kind of encryption. - It's even in our phones, images we use, software.. Cyphers otherwise known as codes or in cryptography a cipher / cypher is an algorithm of data used for performing encryption or decryption. This is usually follows a pattern or a well designed series of steps that can be followed to unlock / lock.. Track, be a digital thumbprint, reveal or keep secrets and other kinds the coded messages or information.
Runes.
What are Elder Futhark Runes?
Elder Futhark runes are a set of
24 (sometimes 25) runic alphabet symbols.
The Elder Futhark (also called Elder Fupark, Older Futhark, Old Futhark
or Germanic Futhark) dates back to anywhere from the 2nd to 8th
centuries!! It is known to be the oldest
form of the runic alphabet. The runic
alphabet itself was a form of writing used by the Germanic Tribes for Northwest
Germanic dialects in the Migration Period (2nd – 8th C). These runic alphabet symbols / runes would
have been carved into bone, wood, stones and various other materials such as
clay and metal. These runes each were
said to hold a value and a meaning as well as later being used as part of an
alphabet. These runic alphabet / runes
were often inscriptions (and are found upon artefacts still to this day)
including weapons, armour, jewellery especially amulets and talismans, tools,
other item and of course rune stones/runes themselves. From
the 8th Century these runes were highly associated with a more simplified
version (known as Younger Futhark) adapted by the Anglo-Saxons and Frisian in
the 8th but for now we're just going to focus on the Elder Futhark but please
feel free to study at your leisure!
Runes were used for a great many
things (as we will cover in symbolism). An
example: The symbol of an up pointing
arrow is runic alphabet symbol is called teiwaz and was the symbol of the god
Tyr. (And later represented the letter t
or T) this runic symbol was engraved into warriors chest, chest armour, right
hand and even weaponry before battle to give them the strength and abilities of
the god Tyr and not forget what he stood for - for the Norse God Tyr is the ancient god of War and said to have been
the bravest as it was he who sacrificed his own right hand to show strength of
human sacrifice. Tyr was once said to be
the great leader of the Norse Pantheon, much later to be supplanted by Odin. (Feel free to look into Norse Pantheon and
such).
Other uses for these runes or
what they are used for more commonly today we’re still engraving the symbols
into jewellery and such but much less common that way back when and it’s more a
niche market. These days’ runes are more
commonly used as casting stones. There
are multiple different types made from varying materials too from semi-precious
stone, wood, bone, ceramic and so on.
Casting stones can also be used in a variety of ways most common I
believe to be (or at lease how I use them) a circle is drawn upon the ground and
the stones are drawn from a bag and thrown to the ground while asking your
question. Stones outside are not counted
and face down are reversed meanings and the direction the stones are facing,
groups of stones together / near each other and such can be read too. This is just one way of casting and reading
stones which people interoperated this in a variety of ways. They can also be read for their symbolic meaning or alphabetical (similar to how you might use spirit dice to form words!)
Elder Futhark runes are a great
traditional source of divination. If you
wish to learn the stones and their meanings YouTuber Tarot Tribe Beyond Worlds has a great set of learning the Rune meanings by making your own flash card prompts and rememberable ways of learning them. Video 1 / Video 2 / Video 3 / Video 4 / Video 5 she also has a video on Casting Runes.
As said there's 24 runestones but sometimes a 25th is included in the set which is a blank stone meaning unable to answer, unknown, blank, nothing, not yet determined etc.
Elder Futhark Runes look as follows:
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| Image source = http://glenavalon.com/futhark/elderfuthark.html |
Runes / Runic Alphabet is also used for other things, that can also be combined to create more powerful combination rune or bind rune which I believe there are two types of bind rune but please do some research for yourselves on this subject.
What are Witches Runes?
Moving on from Futhark the other more common to use set of runes will be those known as the Witches Runes. They don't date back anywhere near to even Younger Futhark but they have a similar purpose. Now while there's only 13 of these they're not the same as the Witches Alphabet. 13 symbols again carved / engraved into wood, bone, stone etc.. and cast in a same/similar ways and read in similar ways too. In honesty Witches Runes is something I've learnt a bit about but not practiced.
Witches Runes look as follows:
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| Image source = https://witchesofthecraft.com/2014/04/02/graphic-images-descriptions-of-the-witches-runes/ |
I hope that has given you a small insight to runes, what they are and of course how to learn and use them. I hope this gives you food for thought and that you go do further research and learn this wonderfun Divination tool.
And for anyone curious while Witches Alphabet is nothing to do with runes but often used in making Sigils so I thought I would show you here..
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| Image source = http://www.evolveandascend.com/2017/06/26/six-magical-alphabets-to-know-and-use/ |
Activity..
- Follow up on the paths where I left off. Read the other blog posts I suggested. Study more. Don't just stop at the materials and prompts I gave you here in this blog. Take it further and learn more.
- (Optional) Perhaps even have a go at making your own Sigils, Cyphers, Runes and such forth.
Book Activity..
- (Optional) Copy down any information from above you think you will find useful. Even if it's just some basic symbolism, a page or two for for Elder Futhark Runes, Witches Runes or other kinds of Runes.
Interact with me Activity..
- (Optional) on the Fb Page https://www.facebook.com/BookOfShadowsPrompts/ feel free to add any information you deem worthy..
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Imogen x
Next weeks prompts No.13 - Spirit guides / animals & totem animals & Familiars
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