Rune Song

Working with the runes has been a part of my practice since the beginning. But in the last year, my study of them has grown far deeper and richer, thanks in part to my awesome study group (three years of awesomeness and going strong!). We just finished up about eight months of rune study focused on Freya Aswynn's book, Northern Mysteries and Magick: Runes & Feminine Powers. Next year, we will work through Diana Paxson's Taking Up the Runes.

Sidebar: working with a spiritual study group is a powerful practice and one that supports your own journey in beautiful and unexpected ways. If you get a chance, try it!

One thing I have not conquered so far is the ability to recite all the Elder Futhark at once in the traditional order. The ability to do so is important in magical workings. I'm excited to use it for creating sacred space, for example. I'd also like to use it in meditation and in my practice of Yoga.

Taking Up the Runes helpfully contains a song of the Futhark. An ABC song, if you will. As the resident musician in the study group, I was asked to learn it. This suits me as I'd planned to do so anyway. This led to a hilarious few days in which I learned the simple melody and then giggled endlessly about it. It's curiously mournful. In fact, it reminds me of black metal music.

To help others learn the song, I recorded it. Initially, I was just going to share it with my study group. But in one of those synchronicities that reveal our path to us…Facebook will not upload and share an mp3 file. So I had to convert it to video and post it on Youtube. Which made me realize I need to start my own channel. Hurray!

Anyhoo. Back to the rune song. It's firmly stuck in my head, and after just a few days…I can recite all the runes! The act of singing them with a melody was what I needed to get over the hump of memorization. Belatedly, I seem to recall that this is a technique people use. Spoiler alert: it works!

So take a listen and see what you think. Can you hear some power chords and spooky organ music with it? I can. Stay tuned…that might happen!

May this help you on your own rune journey. And please, like, share and subscribe as the Youtubers say!