Runes: Three Rune layout, "Hammer Spread (9 Runes)"

I usually do my divination in the afternoon after I have my tea. The ritual of afternoon tea puts me into a reflective frame of mind. After tea, I would cleanse my divination space, lay out my cloth, put crystals out for clarity of signal, and finally light a candle. After doing the Hammer Rite for protection, I arranged myself to do Runic divination. After asking my question, I would pull each Rune out of the bag. When I laid them on the cloth, I would ask the Norns to bless my reading.

 For the first divination, I did the Three Rune drawing. I asked, “What guidance can you give me about having a high profile blog?” I was nervous about blogging about animals on a public platform.

As I was shuffling the Runes in the bag, Uruz jumped out. I put that Rune aside; then I drew out Eihwaz, Gebo, and Kenaz. To interpret the Runes, I consulted Galina Krasskova’s book, “Runes: Theory and Practice.” The standard meanings for Eihwaz is “yew,” Gebo “gift,” Kenaz “torch,” and Uruz “strength.” Going deeper into the Runes themselves, Eihwaz became for me the Yggdrasil, the axis mundi of the Worlds, the World Tree itself. Gebo, then, is the gifts from the Gods, with the “X” indicating that we are acting in a partnership. Kenaz is now the spark of the Divine leading me. Uruz is important since it grounds these other Runes by establishing boundaries for Them to work in.

From these Runes, I formed the sentence for my reading: “From the World Tree, I am given the gift of connection with the Divine. Therefore I can write knowing that there are firm boundaries to protect me. The Runes answered my deeper issue of being able to deal with the public.

For the next two divinations, I used two spreads featured in Krasskova’s Rune book. However, now, I set up a small altar in my divination space. The Runes informed me that They were more than simply divination tools, and wanted to be accorded the proper respect. To explore in depth, about being in the public eye, I used the Hammer Spread. I asked, "What spiritual challenges are there for me for being so public." The Hammer Spread has Runes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9 in a vertical line with Runes 5, 6, 7, and 8 crossing at Rune 4. Runes 1 through 4 are the spiritual lessons for me to learn, Runes 5 through 8 are the physical manifestations of this spiritual lesson. Rune 9 at the top is for anything else that the Runes may have to say.

The Runes detailing the spiritual lesson were (1) Wunjo, (2) Hagalaz, (3) Othala and (4) Algiz. (The traditional meanings for these Runes are “joy,” “hail,” “family estate” and “elk” respectively.) Wunjo, for me, is the mystical Tree working through me whilst Hagalaz is the shadow work with the Dead. (After my brain injury, I have been blogging about extinct animals.) Meanwhile Othala becomes the protective boundary that the Ancestors surround me with, strengthened by Algiz, for things of the spirit. These Runes are telling me that the Great Tree will bring forth my work with the Dead (including animals), with the protection of my Ancestors.

For the physical manifestations of this lesson, I drew Thurisaz, Ansuz, Gebo, and Uruz. (Traditional meanings are “thorn,” “God,” “gift” and “strength.”) I interpreted Thurisaz to mean swift and contained fortitude, with Ansuz, opening my voice. Gebo gives balance for my struggle, whilst Uruz gives me strength to transform. With fortitude, my voice will become balanced and strong.

 For Rune 9, I drew Tiewaz (“Tyr”), which means for me, “moral clarity.” When I blog, I should be scrupulous in what I write. The Hammer Spread helped me to gain insight in what was bothering me about blogging. I was counseled by the Runes to forge ahead in this endevour.