City Magick: Urban Rituals, Spells and Shamanism - Christopher Penczak 2001

20th-Century Runes

ANCIENT MAGICAL CULTURES each had their own systems of symbols and glyphs. They were carved and painted onto the rocks and trees, in temples and caves and on items of importance. These symbols embodied forms of communication, storytelling, record keeping, and magick making. Much of what we know from these cultures comes from such pictures. We all still recognize the stag dabbed in primitive paint on a stone wall. What we will never know for certain is the meaning the stag had to the people who painted it.

One of the most recognized systems of esoteric symbols, largely due to the influence of New Age mystics, are the Norse runes. The runes appear to be 24 symbols made up of straight lines. The word “rune” does not actually mean “symbol.” Its meaning is more synonymous with secret, hidden knowledge, or mystery, much like the meaning of the word “arcana” from the system of wisdom known as the tarot. The mystery, the ever-evolving concept behind the symbol, is the true power of the rune. Each rune has an easily identified mundane meaning, like ox. The rune can simply mean ox, or the concept behind the ox. For the Norse people, the ox was a form of money, of wealth. Wealth leads to the concepts of desire, of those resources you have, and those you want. What you need, want, and have can be far removed from monetary measures.

Although the physical beginnings of the Norse runes are unknown, mythically, the system was discovered by the Norse God Odin, who hung upside down from the World Tree for nine days and nights, until the branches revealed these symbols to him. The symbols were, perhaps, not the most important thing that Odin gained here, but rather, the mysteries he learned in this Hanged-Man position. The wisdom of the runes is making its way back to the world. Rune necklaces and bracelets are found in kiosks at most shopping malls. Hopefully, the fashion statement will later cause the wearers to seek out the lore and history of the symbols they wear.

As we pass the millennial milestone and look back on the culture of humanity as a whole, we see that we have created many new, almost universally accepted, symbols. Some are unique to a given society and point in time, but most people recognize that a green light on a street means go and a red one means stop. Another commonly accepted symbol is the skull and crossbones, marking poison or danger. This symbol is, hopefully like a magical ward, barring all from danger. Other symbols come from our popular culture. A heart with an arrow through it is a familiar Valentine’s Day love symbol. Golden arches indicate a particular dining experiences. If you look around your city streets and in your home and office, a whole pictorial language of labels, street signs, and everyday objects emerges. The range and scope of this language goes unnoticed by almost everyone.

Not only has modern society created these simple symbols to be easily recognized, they have created their own system of runic lore. These symbols all have their mundane meaning, the meanings most recognize, they also represent other evolving concepts. At least, for the city magician they do.

Modern magick has reclaimed old runic traditions. Primarily, they are used in two ways. The first is divination. Divination is the act of reading the past, present, or future. Scrying exercises, like looking into a crystal ball, are a form of divination. Divination with symbols occurs when we read tarot cards. Each symbol answers a question or series of questions, as interpreted by the diviner.

The second use of runes is to create magical items, charms created with specific intent. Through various methods of combining runes, much like creating city sigils, you create a power object that can be used for spells of protection, love, and success.

Now let’s take these methods a step further, and create runic traditions from the modern symbols all around us.