What are runes? Origin, meaning, archetypes and their use

Runes are not just an ancient script, but living symbols that bridge the past with the present. For centuries, they have carried names, messages, and quiet appeals from those who engraved them onto wood, metal, or stone. Each rune acts as a small shrine of attention: when you pause before it, it reminds you that words carry energy and intention, and that a symbol can be a bridge between what the mind understands and what the heart feels.

What are runes and where do they come from?

Runes are the original script of early Germanic peoples—a set of characters known as the futhark after its first six letters. The oldest inscriptions date back to around the 2nd century AD, and their use spread across northern Europe, Britain, and especially Scandinavia.

The origin of the word itself is intriguing. “Rune” originally meant not only “letter” but could also be understood as “mystery,” “whisper,” or “trust.”

The oldest complete system is the Elder Futhark with 24 characters, traditionally organized into three “ætts” of eight runes each. During the Viking era, it was replaced in Scandinavia by the Younger Futhark with 16 symbols.

A complete list of runes from the Elder Futhark along with their meanings and risks can be found at the end of the article.

The meaning of runes and their symbolic energy

Historically, runes primarily functioned as a script, so where did the “magical” associations come from? The sources are mainly Northern literature and their sagas, which talk about the use of runes for victory in battle, easier childbirth, safe voyages, etc. In short, they were believed to have the power to help or harm. However, it is important to remember that these are literary sources—not guides or scientific facts.

To work with runes practically and sensitively, it helps to view them through thematic circles:

• Prosperity and cycles: resources, harvest, heritage (Fehu, Jera, Othala).
• Strength and growth: life energy, birth, fertility (Uruz, Berkano, Ingwaz).
• Movement and transformation: journey, partnership, water, dawn (Raido, Ehwaz, Laguz, Dagaz).
• Order and protection: law, sun, “protective” image of the deer (Tiwaz, Sowilo, Algiz).
• Challenges and limits: hail, need, ice, confrontation with “giants” (Hagalaz, Naudiz, Isa, Thurisaz).
• Word and insight: inspiration, speech, torch-knowledge (Ansuz, Kenaz).

These circles are excellent for meditation or reflection: they offer insight while leaving space for perception, experience, and understanding of the situation.

Working with runes: activation, charging, and cleansing

Hold the set in your hands, and slowly run your fingers over each rune as you take a deep breath. For each rune, internally say its name and archetype—for example, Berkano as birth and growth, Raido as journey, Wunjo as joy. Don't rush.

Activation: safe methods you can master immediately.
Choose just one method; treat the others as alternatives. Less is more.

• Breath – Hold the talisman in your palms. Inhale through the nose, and on the exhalation, quietly say the rune's name and let the intention flow into the symbol.
• Sound – Ring a bell or gently resonate a Tibetan bowl. One pure tone, one spoken rune name, one sentence of intention.
• Herbal smoke – Pass the rune through a few puffs of smoke (juniper, rosemary, lavender). It's effective after or before a new draw.
• Light – Lay the runes for a moment under moonlight (night) or gentle morning sun (stones only briefly; wood preferably under the moon).
• Water (symbolically) – Drip a few drops of clean water onto the stone talisman and wipe dry; work with wood using air and light instead.
• Earth and tree – Place runes near a tree’s roots or on natural wood/fabric for 10–30 minutes. Ground the intention.

When you feel the runes need a “reset,” engage in small, gentle rituals. Hold them in your hands, lightly tap them on a wooden surface a few times, and grant them a clear tone (bell or Tibetan bowl). Let the sound “cleanse” the space and mind. If you have herbs (e.g., juniper), give them a brief smoky scent. Then allow them to rest: lay them on a natural material (wood/fabric) for a few hours to “ground” the symbols and restore their balance. Return to them, sort them through, and name each one out loud again.

Rune divination and safe interpretation

Perceive runes more as a tool for reflection and meditation on a theme, not as a fixed verdict. When you draw a rune, ask: What does it reveal to me? Where do I need more attention? Stick to what you can influence—not to fixed statements about the future.

Here are three methods you can master right now:

1) Rune of the day (short meditation draw)
Every morning, draw one rune and allow yourself 2–3 minutes of silence. Look at the rune and notice what it evokes in you: what quality, image, or feeling? Questions can help: What does it remind me of today? Where do I need its energy? Finally, write down one small, concrete step in its spirit—let it be specific and realistic.

2) Three runes – theme, support, release

Set your intention with one sentence (“What do I need to see in this matter?”). Draw three runes and place them left to right.

• Theme: root of the situation—what's fundamentally at stake.
• Support: position/resource to strengthen.
• Release: obstacle to release or transform.

Mini log entry: Root is... I'll strengthen... I'll let go... + one concrete and realistic step.

3) “Casting” on canvas: spatial map

How to: prepare a light (white) surface or canvas. With a clear intention, shuffle the runes in your palms and gently scatter them on the surface. Pay attention to their proximity to the center (what is most important now), mutual pairs/trios (themes that are related), and any orientations (if your set uses double-sided rune representation). Choose 3–5 runes that “call” you, and for each, state one sentence + one step.

Runes as protection and personal talismans

Runes primarily served as a script, but archaeological finds suggest their protective and healing use as well. A common denominator is always intention. Runes thus carried not only names and messages but also wishes for protection, health, or favor.

The following runes are traditionally associated with protection:

Combine with care: e.g., Algiz + Othala (protect home and heritage) or Algiz + Eihwaz (boundaries + patient resilience). Always keep readable shapes and one futhark.

Themes of talismans (examples of rune choices)

• Protection: Algiz (protective/guardian archetype), possibly Tiwaz (honor/law)—as a pair, supports firm integrity.
• Health/healing: Berkano (birth/renewal), Laguz (flow/water)—a reminder of gentle growth and circulation.
• Relationships/love: Gebo (gift/reciprocity), Wunjo (joy)—emphasis on reciprocity and goodwill.
• Abundance/prosperity: Fehu (property, resources), Jera (harvest/cycle)—work and gather at the right time.

Bindrune – bound rune

If you want to connect shapes into a monogram, do it so that recognizable lines remain. The best solution is a shared vertical, with the arms of other runes “attached.” Always stick to the purity of shape and readability—so that even after some time, you can remember what exactly you wrote.

Did you know? Perhaps the most famous modern bindrune is the Bluetooth logo—it combines the runes ᚼ (Hagall = H) and ᛒ (Bjarkan = B) from the Younger Futhark, which are the initials of the Danish king Harald Bluetooth. It's a neat example of how historical shapes can be translated into contemporary design—a reminder to always maintain readability and context when binding runes.

Runes connect two worlds: the precise language of shapes and the silent language of intention. Once they were bearers of names, deeds, and even served as the memory of a community. Today, they serve us as a gentle mirror, reminding us of who we are, what we seek, where we are going, and what matters. When we work with them with respect and understanding, they become practical guides. Remember: master one alphabet, keep a short journal, and approach the runes with sensitivity. This way, you maintain balance between tradition and the present. May runes remind you that strength lies not in complex spells or magic, but in clear intent, attention, and daily practice.

Elder Futhark

The "Risks" column should not be seen as curses but as warnings of what may occur when we act with an unaware or negative intention.

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