Rune Might: The Secret Practices of the German Rune Magicians - Edred Thorsson 2018

Group Rune Rituals
Secret Practices

The practice of rune yoga, or runic gymnastics, as outlined in the previous two chapters, can be greatly intensified by increasing the number of people involved in generating the field of runic forces. Any rite or exercise that can be done alone can be done in concert with others, thereby increasing the overall effect of the exercise. The combined presence of runers striking the rune postures will draw a maelstrom of runic forces to the place of power, and the collective singing or chanting of the rune mantras will create a sphere of resounding rune might harmonious to the aims of the exercise or rite. Here we are only really talking about increasing the quantity of the available rune force at the disposal of the gathered runers. There may or may not be some transformation in the essential quality of the evoked force. However, certain group practices, which we will discuss in some detail here, are specifically meant to transform the quality of the rune force. No matter if you have practiced the rune long and hard on your own with good results, you will find that in the practice of certain of these combined rune postures and exercises, a wholly new dimension of the power of the rune will be opened to your direct experience.

In the theory of the German runic tradition, the reason for this increase in power and qualitative experience is that the two or more runers taking part in the exercise usually act as positive and negative poles in a pattern similar to that found in electromagnetic phenomena. This quality is most evident when the gender of the runers doing the group work is divided (preferably equally) between men and women. Just as certain shapes or formations in the environment are thought to have innate qualities of power, so too are the genders of the practitioners believed to have influence in runic exercises.

It is best if the individual runers have already done basic work in rune yoga before attempting the combined versions of these runes. The reason for this is that the individual ought to have solid experience of how the forces flow within him- or herself before attempting to share them with someone else. It is just a matter of increasing the chances for a powerful and successful working.

Exercises for Two Runers

Almost all of the runes can be performed in combined versions. Those older runes with two upright (vertical) staves, such as,, , , or , are ideal for this, but as the examples demonstrated below indicate, all the others could also be performed in a combined fashion.

In all other respects, other than the particulars of the actual formation of the combined postures, the criteria for the correct performance of these runic exercises are the same as those for the corresponding single runes. The rune-songs are to be sung and the visualizations undertaken as before. The exact flows of runic force may in some instances vary from the ways they flow in the single version, however. In this, direct experience is the best teacher.

The MAN-rune can be combined in at least two significant ways. The two runers can stand side by side in the MAN-rune posture, with the palms of their right and left hands, respectively, touching the crown of his or her partner’s head as shown below.

Or, the two partners can stand facing one another, each touching the other’s forehead (third eye); or similarly, while facing each other the two partners can touch the other’s hip bone or solar plexus with the right or left palm. This exercise can have the special nuance of binding the partners together in a magically powerful relationship.

The combined performance of the MAN-rune can also be used as a mode of initiatory “passing of power” from one runer to another.

The HAGAL-rune in its older form can be formed by the two partners facing one another with one grasping the upper arms of his or her partner so that the form of the H-rune is imitated.

The older D-rune (called DAG in the German tradition) can be formed with two partners standing next to each other performing the THORN-rune posture with their elbows touching. One partner practices with the right arm; the other with the left arm.

Sexual Practices for Two Runers

It is in the area of contra-sexual practices that the power of the runes can be most increased. The most general and widely practiced of the simply involve a man and a woman performing the rune postures while in close physical contact. Remember that any bind-rune combination can be intensified in power through performance with a member of the opposite sex. The performance of any of the MAN-rune exercises above in this manner are good starting points.

The usual basic rites of a contra-sexual nature are the combined exercise of the HAGAL- and the GIBOR-runes. To perform the combined GIBOR-rune, the two partners stand facing each other in close physical contact with each bodily center pressing close to that of the partner. The posture of the G-rune is taken up (standing spread-eagle), with the palms touching and the feet pointed outward and aligned with one another. The GIBOR is the rune of dynamic, magical combination of sexual energies, so this exercise is best suited to this rune. Similarly, the HAGAL-rune may be struck as a combination of the E- and N-runes. Again, the partners should face one another, with the female partner in the N-rune posture and the male in the E-rune posture. Practice both with the hands clasped together and the fingers pointed in the way these runes are normally practiced. This exercise promotes the collective increase in power between the two partners.

The combined performance of the E-rune in the older form is a powerful symbol of the mystery of the wedding of two persons under the traditional law of the folk. This is performed to strengthen the bonds of love between a man and a woman. To perform it, the two partners stand face-to-face and simply reach out and grasp each other’s hands in imitation of the -rune as shown. This can also be practiced by just touching fingertips.

The practices discussed up to this point are sexual in nature, to be sure, and have as their cornerstone the alternation of sexual current between a man and a woman, but there is nothing of a necessarily overt genital-erotic nature in them. Such practices do exist, however. Obviously these practices can only be effectively undertaken by persons with a strong magico-erotic relationship. The double-THORN or DAG-rune can be performed in this way by both partners facing one another and using their hands to stimulate the erotic center of the other.

Actual runic positions for sexual intercourse have been suggested also. For example, for the K-rune the female partner is in a kneeling position over the male, who is lying stretched out with his hands overhead as shown below. These practices were first published in a public forum in Josef Bienert’s book Raunende Runen (Whispering Runes, 1964).

Exercises for More Than Two Runers

The most powerful of practices involving groups of three or more runers is the formation of huge chains or rings of power into which the rune force can be evoked, circulated, and increased and then projected to do magical work of some kind. This sort of rite is often used for healing purposes, in which case the person to be treated is brought into the current of combined runic forces to effect a revivification, rejuvenation, and rebalancing of his or her psychosomatic field.

Runes commonly used in group work are the MAN- and TYR-runes. These can be performed in geometrical configurations (three runers forming a triangle, four a square, etc.); or in larger groups (six or more), a true ring or circle can be more easily envisioned and used. The point of contact between runers can be the lightest touching of the fingertips, the pressing of palm to palm, or the firm clasping of hands. The important thing is that the group find a method that works best for it its members and that they practice the passing of rune force through this ring until they are comfortable with their abilities to work together. The current should be visualized (most often in a red or a rose-hued light), but more importantly it should be felt as it courses through the arms of the runers and passes from one hand to the other. This can have the general effect of strengthening the feelings of magical bonding among the members of your runic circle; or, once the rune force is built up to a high level of intensity, it can be released to do some external magical task. The use of the runic circle in works of healing will be discussed in chapter 13.

Sexual Practices for More Than Two Runers

When possible, the construction of runic chains or rings should alternate between male and female members of the circle. The exercises with contra-sexual importance mentioned in the section above can also be intensified if the two partners doing the exercise are in secondary contact with two others doing the same exercise or one complementary to it. For example, a male runer and a female runer could be doing the G-rune exercise as outlined above while two others are doing the same thing, only the feet and hands of the other pair are lightly touching those of the first pair. This could then be built into a whole ring of many runers. More overtly erotic practices include combined sexual positions, such as the one illustrated below for the performance of the F-rune. A male lies stretched out while two female runers kneel over him—one over his sexual region (engaged in sexual intercourse) and the other over his mouth (engaged in cunnilingus). The magical utility of such exercises may be limited except for those already trained in the ways and means of sexual magic of this kind.