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Runes are tools used for divination and opening up psychic awareness. They are a set of 24 tiles or stones that contain primitive carvings of characters or letters.

The Runes actually come from letters of early Germanic alphabets. Many Northern European countries used these runic alphabets in the early centuries AD until the Latin alphabet was adopted. The origin of the word rune is believed to come from an old European word “ru” meaning secret as well as the Old Germanic word “runa” meaning whisper. Much like the Tarot, Runes are placed in a spread or pattern of several tiles, and then read. Each symbol has a particular meaning and is interpreted as part of the spread. Inverted symbols also have reverse meanings much like Tarot cards.

Some popular spreads include the Single Rune, The Norns (past, present, future), the Diamond, the Cross, the Circle and the Well of Wyrd. Each spread focuses on a different type of reading or insight. The Single Rune reading helps to answer a simple question. The Norns refer to three sisters in Norse mythology that decided mankind’s fate. This reading focuses on past, present and future. The Diamond reading refers to the shape of the spread and is good for gaining insight into immediate outcomes.

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The Cross spread is also named for its shape and is more of a life path reading. The Circle reading tells about romantic energies between two people. Finally, the Well of Wyrd comes from Norse mythology. The Tree of Life receives its water from this well and it was said that Odin discovered the Runes here. This reading is quite complex giving insight into many questions and possible fates. The 24 symbols each have a particular meaning and interpretation. Most Rune sets come with a booklet containing descriptions of each character.