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

Rune Yoga
Secret Practices

In my book Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic (Weiser, 1984), I introduced the art of staðagaldr, which is based on the Older Futhark. This technique was originally pioneered by the German rune magicians, especially Friedrich Bernhard Marby, but it probably has its roots in the magical postures and gestures used by the ancient Indo-Europeans. In Scandinavia it is still a folk custom to teach the alphabet to school children by having them strike poses imitative of the shapes of the letters while making the sound each represents. In this way they quickly and thoroughly internalize the shapes and sounds. This may indeed be one of those customs handed down from runic times that is now again understood for the magical technique it originally was intended to be.

As far as the rediscovery is concerned, it seems that Marby was the first to see the practical magical applications of this technique, which he called Runengymnastik. Unfortunately, in his long career he did not fully articulate his system throughout the runic spectrum, so his work often seems uneven and incomplete. Siegfried Adolf Kummer more or less took Marby’s technique and published a full system based on its use in the early 1930s, and thus he has become perhaps better known for the system than Marby himself. Kummer called the technique Runenyoga. This kind of magic was further systematized in the works of Karl Spiesberger.

In this chapter I will guide the reader through the theory and practice of the art of rune yoga as taught by Marby, Kummer, and Spiesberger. If the chapter is worked through, the reader will gain a basic understanding of the technique, which can then be either applied to further rune-work of a more traditional kind, or be employed to deepen other magical disciplines.

Some readers may remain skeptical about the validity of some of the theories of men such as Marby and Kummer. They may seem too “New Age—like” or pseudoscientific, which may or may not be the case. However, I would urge each reader to at least try some of these experiments. The embodiment of symbol, the making of the word flesh, was an essential component of the culture of early twentieth-century German esotericism. It is a way to experience the meaning of symbol beyond the mind alone, allowing the symbol and its meanings to become linked to physical sensation and experience. If at first the experiments take you no further than this, who knows what door will present itself next?

A THEORY OF RUNE YOGA

It is very important to gain some understanding of the theoretical basis of rune yoga, especially as taught by F. B. Marby, because it closely related to the theory of how several other magical techniques popular among early twentieth-century German rune magicians work. In these ideas we get a theory of the full, practical magical use of the mysterious and often obscure streams and fields of power present in the earth and in the atmosphere, streaming to us from the vast reaches of space.

According to Marby, there are five cosmic zones to be reckoned with: (1) inner-earth space, (2) material earth space, (3) wave space, (4) cosmic space, and (5) super cosmic space (see the figure below). The inner space of earth (Marby considered the possibility of the “Hollow Earth Theory”) is a vast but contained zone of tranquil space that radiates energy. This is compared to the outermost zone of cosmic space, which is also tranquil and radiant. Cosmic space, zone 4, is charged with radiations from the zone of cosmic space and is influenced by the physical bodies (stars, planets, etc.) that occupy it. Material earth space is the physical matter of the planet, which is heavily loaded with ancient forms of energy coursing through it in various patterns. Wave space is that zone just above the surface of the earth, which our bodies inhabit. This is the region where energy patterns received from above and below are most freely exchanged.

1. Inner Earth Space

2. Material Earth Space

3. Wave Space

4. Cosmic Space

5. Super Cosmic Space

The Five Zones of the Cosmos

The rune magician makes him- or herself capable of receiving and sending patterns of energy to and from all five of these zones. Using the perhaps now quaint-sounding high-tech language of the early part of the twentieth century, the rune magician becomes an antenna for the reception or broadcast of runic radio waves. By using the proper runic postures in tandem with the intonation of the right runic sound, the magician can draw certain forces or combinations of forces and then reshape and redirect them. This, of course, takes great discipline and much work.

Although these ideas contain much that is traditional and quite ancient, they may be troublesome to those who see them as pseudoscientific. A word of encouragement to such persons might be that these ideas can be used simply to project subjective models onto the objective universe to effect magical phenomena in the subjective and objective universes. The usage of outdated terms is no worse than the use of computer terminology in magical contexts today. In fact, the speed with which the high-tech terminology of the 1920s and 1930s has become outmoded might be a warning as to what is likely to happen to the same kind of terminology of the present day.

The interplay of forces within the various energy zones constitutes the phenomena of the universe. By becoming aware of them, engaging in them, guiding them consciously, the rune magician actively participates in the evolution and reconstruction of the cosmos.

The runes are the keys to the reception, absorption, and projection of these forces. Their first effect is on the transformation and healing of the individual. If a group—especially for the early twentieth-century German magicians, an ethnically/organically authentic national group—engages the runes as a body, that whole body will be gradually purified and strengthened. Marby himself hardly went beyond these motives in his published works. But below this lofty set of aims, these forces can be used to any magical effect the runer wills.

For the runes to be effectively used, several factors must be taken into account: (1) shape (posture), (2) environmental space, (3) location (in relation to the surface of the globe), (4) direction or orientation, (5) stream of breath, (6) vocalic sound (vibration), (7) consonantal sound (vibration), (8) will (patterns of conscious thought), and perhaps also (9) motion (when shapes or postures are made dynamic in forms of dance, etc.). In this chapter we will concentrate on the practice of factor one and the basics of factors five and six. Chapter 10 will be concerned with the ninth factor; chapter 8 will take up factors five through seven in more detail; and chapter 12 will deal with factors of environmental space, orientation, and location.

These nine basic factors, or Nine Mothers as Marby called them, are the keys to using the runes, which are the very qualities or essences of the powers themselves. The individual runic shapes and sounds are then the keys to the engagement and use of the individual qualities of power.

The Exercise of Rune Yoga

The First Runic Exercise

Before beginning any specialized rune-work, the runer should become familiar with some basic techniques. This is best done by means of the fundamental I-rune exercise. This exercise can be performed anywhere and at any time, and in the beginning it should be done as often as possible. The purpose of the exercise, besides the training aspect, is the general strengthening of the body and I-consciousness—a liberation from the dross elements and other limitations on the soul, resulting in an all-around rejuvenation. It can be performed in a standing position (which is most normal), while walking, or even sitting. If standing, you should keep your eyes focused straight ahead, chin down, chest out, with your feet forming a right angle to one another and the heels touching. If walking, keep your feet straight, your elbows slightly bent, and your palms facing forward in a slightly cupped position. The sitting form of the exercise is one where you sit straight in a chair, knees together, with your palms on your knees, and the arms held to the body. The only thought that should pervade your consciousness is “I-am-here.” Practice often and in any location.

Marby’s Eight-Step Introduction

The following eight-step introduction to the technique of runic gymnastics was first outlined by F. B. Marby in the first volume of his Marby-Runen-Bücherei (p. 72). As the intonation of the proper runic tones is also essential to the engagement of the runic forces, the basics of rune-song will also be discussed here and elsewhere in this chapter. The full outline of the practice of runic mantras is found in the next chapter. Remember that the I-rune exercise can be performed in a standing, walking, or sitting mode. Experiment to find the mode most effective for you.

1. Inhale for a time span of approximately five seconds. According to Marby, this should be the equivalent to the time it takes to walk about seven steps at a normal walking speed. Then exhale for an equal number of seconds. The main thing at this stage is to maintain a rhythm of breath that is comfortable for you. Slowly expand your abilities as you begin to be able to inhale for longer periods of time. Maintain a regular rhythm of breath. Practice as often as you can and in as many different places as you can.

2. Softly sing the I (pronounced in English “ee,” as in “fee”) sound. You should sing this in a tone and pitch most comfortable and natural to you. Maintain some tension in your lips so that your mouth is not too lax or broad. Practice daily in conjunction with the I-posture.

3. Once this comfortable and natural tone has been mastered, practice raising the pitch of the note as high as you can. Do not pause in the raising of the pitch. Again, as with all exercises in rune-song, the best measure of whether something is being done right is if it feels right and powerful to you.

4. Next, try expanding the length of the initial I-sound to approximately ten seconds, or for about twelve steps if you are doing a dynamic version of the exercise. Continue to expand this time to your limits. Practice several times daily.

5. As you raise the tone from your lowest point to its highest level, visualize—or feel—the power rising from below your feet out through the top of your head. Each time you repeat the exercise feel the power of the tone rise from below upward throughout the length of your whole body. Then on the next inhalation begin high and spiral the sound down to the lowest level. Spiral the sound up and down your body with each breath. The overall effect of the sound will be something akin to a siren. The time period of the actual transition from the highest to the lowest tone will be relatively short, usually about four seconds, with the end tone being held for however long is comfortable for you at that stage. Practice several times daily.

6. This step is very similar to the previous one, except here you repeatedly jump from the lowest to the highest tone of which you are capable, without strain and without cracking your voice. Practice daily and often.

7. Again, this is the same as the one above, except you similarly jump from the highest to the lowest tone you are used to making. Practice daily and often.

8. Return to the pattern of step six and jump from the low tone to the high tone. In the performance of exercises six through eight, the duration of each of the tones will be about four to five seconds.

To follow Marby’s instructions correctly, the runer would always follow steps one through eight in exactly the order given. In building up to a fully correct performance, you must master the first step before going on to the second. Each subsequent step is added to the repertoire after the previous one has been practiced for at least seven days. According to this schedule it should take at least fifty-four days to complete the program. When the program is complete, the runer will have a solid foundation for the art and practice of runic gymnastics and rune-song.

At some point during this program, the runer should add basic mental affirmations to the routine. Each runer will be able to determine the best time for this addition. Some will have had sufficient training in basic concentration and visualization such that they will not be distracted from the fundamental practice from the beginning, and so will be able to start with these affirmations quite soon. For those without much prior training, mastery of the fundamentals must precede these additions. For the I-rune, the basic affirmation is the contemplation of the fact that your whole body is an antenna—a magnetic conductor of streams and currents from all five zones of the cosmos. All of them flow to and through you, and all are running parallel to your own currents. You guide and channel them (see yourself in the midst of the whole cosmos) with the great distances of outer space and inner space above and below you.

According to Marby, the actual results of this program of exercises should be a feeling of overall vitality and strength; a feeling of lightness of being and rejuvenation of the soul; and a feeling of being effective in action in all that you do, with clearer thoughts and quieter emotions. Furthermore, you ought to be able to increase your charisma—your ability to attract people to yourself—and to be able to settle strife between people in your immediate environment. You will become calm and vital and will emit this quality into your surroundings.

The Working of Individual Runes

S. A. Kummer, in his book Heilige Runenmacht, taught a basic curriculum in the practice of individual runic postures in which the runer undertakes the work of individual runes in a certain unique order. According to Kummer’s curriculum, this regimen will result in profound runic initiatory experiences, most of which he is (rightly) unwilling to communicate in his book. My personal experiments carried out over a two-year period in the mid-1970s indicated that indeed there is much to what Kummer says, so I will simply present the exercises and let the runes speak for themselves.

Kummer’s curriculum consists of a total of 13 runes, performed in the following order.

IS KA MAN UR + NOT EH SIG TYR LAF OTHIL FA HAGAL

According to Kummer’s way of thinking, the mystery of each rune is unlocked by the runer through practical exercise and experience of it, and then that rune opens the way to the rune that follows it. The sequence has an esoteric and Armanic significance that is revealed through practice.

According to the curriculum, each rune is to be practiced for a fortnight (14 days) before going on to the next rune. On average, the runer should be able to sustain the exercise for ten minutes, but he or she is urged to practice as often as possible. Although ultimately the sequence is constructed to form a powerful ritual of combined runic forces (as described in the latter part of this chapter and in chapter 10), each individual rune is to be mastered in its unique expression at this stage. Peculiar to Kummer’s system is the inclusion of the cross posture between the U- and N-runes. This is really a non-runic holy sign of balance and synthesis—a posture bringing all of the gathered forces around the runer into a harmonious whole within the system of the magician. Until the time when this exercise is done, all the runic postures you have practiced in the curriculum should be practiced at least once a day. After that time period, you should take care to practice at least two or three of the other previously learned runic exercises for a few minutes each day. Mix the runes as you wish during these exercise periods. At least once a week you should run through the exercises in the sequence given up to the rune you are working on at the time. In these sessions it may seem that the runes are beginning to speak among themselves.

In the following illustrations of each of the runic postures (asanas), there is an indication of the flow of force patterns as the runic currents from the five zones (zones hardly discussed by Kummer himself) enter the body of the runer and/or are projected from the runer’s body. Attention to these flow patterns and their direct experience is essential to success in rune yoga.

Because the orientation of the body for most of these exercises is to the north, the usual flow of force will be from the right (east) to the left (west). This may seem to run counter to the natural polarization of the body, in which the left is magnetic and draws power, while the right is electric and projects power. When facing east the body will be aligned in a more natural way, with the left to the magnetic north and the right to the electric south. The northward orientation provides greater magical will, which aids the runer in actually feeling the conscious guidance of these forces rather than merely “going with the flow.” These theories are virtually identical to those of Indian tantric cosmology, with which the Germanic cosmology ultimately shares a common Indo-European ancestry.

For best results, the runer is advised to practice as much as possible on the bare ground, with bare feet in the open air. If you must work indoors, do so facing a window (open if possible). Further advice helpful to such practice is given in chapter 12, “Steads of Rune Might.”

The IS posture

IS: If you have followed the instructions on the I-rune given above, the mystery of the rune should already be open to you. Nevertheless, practice it in the posture shown for fourteen days. Use the mantra iiiiisssss, or simply iiiiii. Practice drawing power from both above and below. When drawing force from below upward, the runer sings the I-tone from a low pitch rising to a high one, as already discussed above. The opposite is done to draw power from above downward to the earth. The exercise is to be performed while facing magnetic north. The overall effects of the work, besides those expressed by Marby, are the strengthening of both the ego and consciousness of the unique indwelling self. This is the basis of self and of the work to come—the main stave, or head stave, of the working of rune yoga.

The KA posture

KA: To perform the K-rune posture correctly, begin in the I-rune, and after some preliminary deep-breathing exercises, lift your arms to a 45-degree angle out in front of you. You can also practice by using just the right or left arm, leaving the other arm at your side. The palms should be facing out, aimed at the sun or moon. Sing the rune-name KA and the formula KA—KE—KI—KO—KU while visualizing the influx of force from the solar and lunar zones coursing through the palms to the solar plexus and being grounded into the earth zone. You should practice the K-rune facing eastward as well as northward. This exercise increases the overall abilities of the runer in every endeavor, but especially in the work of harnessing runic forces.

The MAN posture

MAN: Stand erect, and after some preliminary deep breaths in the I-rune posture, lift the arms out to the sides slightly forward at a 45-degree angle. Cup your palms upward to draw force from directly above. This force is also drawn in through the back of the head. The three lines of rune might converge in the thymus region and flow downward to be grounded. To effect this engagement, hum the sound mmmmmmmmm, alternating with the formula MA—ME—MI—MO—MU. The performance of the MAN-rune is among the most powerful in the system, and it is further discussed in chapter 14. In the MAN-rune, forces are drawn from all of the zones through these three heavenly roots into the runer, beginning the transformation into the god-man, which is the ultimate goal of rune-work. During the course of this work, you will realize and come to know the power and character of this entity known as the god-man. Experiment with this exercise facing eastward as well as northward.

The UR posture

UR: Begin in the I-rune posture, and after seven deep breaths bend at the waist with fingers pointed straight down to the center of the earth—to the heart of the inner-earth zone. Remain in that posture for three breaths while singing or humming the uuuuuuuuu vocalic sound in a deep and sonorous manner. Here, force is drawn up from the depths of the inner-earth zone, circulated within the psychosomatic system concentrated in the solar plexus, and returned to the inner-earth zone through the fingertips. The whole exercise cycle of seven breaths in the I-rune posture and three in the U-rune while circulating subterranean streams should be repeated at least three times. At the conclusion of this portion of the exercise, lie down with your back flat on the ground, head toward magnetic north, and conduct deep-breathing exercises in a comfortable rhythm. Visualize and feel yourself floating on the waves of telluric, subterranean steams of force. Drink deeply from the well of organic regenerative force and eternal power.

The cross posture

The cross posture is not a rune proper but is rather a holy sign used to balance collected elemental forces. First perform the I-rune, and after a few breaths, stretch out your arms at a 90-degree angle to form an equilateral cross. Imagine streams of power entering your head from the fourth and fifth zones, coursing through your body into the ground to the middle of the first zone. At the same time, as you are facing north, visualize the streams of atmospheric powers in the third (wave) zone coursing from the east to the west, through your right arm and out your left arm. Your heart is at the crossroads of a confluence of cosmic power. After this exercise has been practiced for seven or eight days, begin to turn in place in a clockwise direction. This is to be done with minimal movement of the feet: keep your knees together and let your feet do the work, turning to your right on the pivot of your right heel. The six rays of the wheel of the magical circle can act as the stations in this turning process. Skills learned here will intensify the power of other dynamic runic exercises, such as the HAGAL working that follows.

NOT: After a few breaths in the basic I-rune posture, lift your arms to form the N-rune shape. Your right arm is at a 45-degree angle to the east, with the left arm forming a straight line with it to the west. Force is drawn through the right hand from the upper zones to the east and funneled down through the body, out the left arm into the ground and the inner-earth streams to the west. At the same time, force is drawn down through the length of the body from the back of the head. Where the two flows of force meet, in the region of the thymus gland (or heart chakra), a toroidal spiral of force begins that descends through the center of the body in a counterclockwise direction. Sing or hum the nnnnnnnnn sound or the vocalic formula NA—NE—NI—NO—NU. After the exercise, contemplation of problems will be likely to yield positive results.

The NOT posture

The EH posture

EH: After a few breaths taken in the basic I-rune posture, and while facing northward, strike the E-rune posture as shown. This is the mirror image (and reverse polarity) of the N-rune. Here, as with the N-rune, the power is drawn from the right (east) and projected through the left (west). The flow of force with the E-rune is from below upward, just as with the N-rune it is from above downward (the force in the wave space in the atmosphere close to the earth usually flows from the east to the west). The runer must willfully draw force from the cosmic zone in through the back of the head and downward through the length of the body, otherwise there will be a natural tendency for the force to be drawn up from the inner-earth streams, which may not be conducive to achieving the purpose of this exercise—the attraction and holding of the ideal contra-sexual mate. However, the runer may beneficially experiment with drawing force from below upward through the center of the body with the E-rune, which is the perfect reversal of the N-rune force.

The SIG posture

SIG: Begin with a few deep breaths in the I-rune posture, then squat down with your thighs and calves pressed together and your heels touching. Sing the name SIG (pronounced “zeeg”) with a prolonged z and ee sound: zzzzeeeeg. This can be alternated with the simple humming of the voiced zzzzzzzzz formula. Practice the posture for as long as you are able, then come back to the I-rune posture to rest for a while before returning to the S-rune. During the entire operation, you should concentrate on the solar plexus region and contemplate the ideas of holiness, salvation, and success and victory. Power is drawn down from the cosmic zone through the top of the head and circulated in the psychosomatic complex at the solar plexus, then funneled into the inner-earth streams. The S-rune can also be used to draw on inner-earth and earth streams.

The TYR posture

TYR: After a few deep breaths in the I-rune posture, hold your arms out at a 45-degree angle from your body in the T-rune posture as shown. Your palms should be pointed toward the earth, as power is drawn up in a spiraling fashion from the depths of the inner-earth and earth streams at the diameter equal to the distance between the centers of your palms. The spiraling force is engaged with the vocalic formula TA—TE—TI—TO—TU, or by simply humming in a low sonorous tone while concentrating on the quality of the T-sound. The power will spiral up around in a circle to the hands and then funnel upward and out through the head, as shown in the diagram. Through the power of this exercise, the secrets of the earth and of its vast history can be unlocked, along with the records of previous incarnations of the individual runer.

The LAF posture

LAF: Following the usual procedure, strike the L-rune posture by lifting both arms out in front of the body at a 45-degree angle. The fingers are pointed with the palms facing downward toward the ground. Power is drawn up from the depths of the inner-earth and out through the arms in a pulsating pattern that rolls through and purifies the body, loading it with vital life force. Besides the rune name, the formulas lllllllll and LA—LE—LI—LO—LU can be used to engage this power. This rune increases overall vitality and solidifies in a living way the progress made up to this point in the exercises.

The OTHIL posture

OTHIL: To perform this posture correctly, stand with hands over head, palms flat against one another, and feet spread in line with the extension of the elbows. Feet should be flat on the ground, toes pointed slightly outward. Facing northward and using the vocal formula ooooooooo, draw earth streams up through the right foot into the body. The power rises to the region of the heart and is diverted up through the left arm and through the connection made between the palms into the right arm, where it descends through the body again and exits through the left foot, back into the ground. This exercise circulates the power of the second (earth) zone in the field of the third (wave) zone, where it becomes a concrete antenna for the freely flowing Odic forces in the atmosphere. The ring shaped by the arms forms an omnidirectional receiver for the Odic forces, and with practice the runer will become progressively more loaded with these powers, which protect and empower one to break all bonds and barriers.

The FA posture

FA: First, assume the I-rune posture and take a few deep breaths. Then raise your arms to an approximate 45-degree angle, but with the left arm slightly higher than the right. Point your palms to the sun. Upon inhalation, willfully draw the rays of the sun from the fourth (cosmic) zone and circulate the power within your body. (So as to not to let the energy flow out into the ground, you may find it useful to lift the sole of one of your feet, probably the right, slightly off the ground upon inhalation.) On exhalation, project the power back to the sun through your palms. You may also experiment using only one hand for reception and the other for projection. The vocalic formula to be used on exhalation is either fffffffffff or the fivefold FA—FE—FI—FO—FU. At least once a week this exercise should be done with the North Star. Experiments can also be carried out with other stars and heavenly bodies. With mastery of this rune, the magician begins to be able to project in effective and willed ways the powers he or she has been gaining.

The HAGAL posture

HAGAL: The final stage of this curriculum of initiation into the practice of rune yoga is the multifaceted practice of the crystalline HAGAL-rune. HAGAL is the synthesis of the collective rune might. To be most effectively performed, the complex HAGAL exercise must be done in a complete thought-vacuum. HAGAL is the form of all thought, or intellect, and therefore cannot correctly be limited to any one particular thought. The exercise is done in four stages: (1) cross-posture preliminary exercise, (2) combination of N- and E-runes, (3) combination of I-, M-, and T-runes, and (4) a cross-posture closing. The first and last parts are identical. Perform the cross posture while turning in a clockwise direction singing the formula ha—ha—ha—ha—ha—ha. This can also be done by simply humming in a deep, sonorous way while imagining the sound of either h or the repeated ha formula. This, and all the other parts of the exercise, should begin and end in the north or east. The second phase of the exercise is done by turning in the circle while performing the N-rune posture and mantra, then the cross posture, followed by the E-rune posture and mantra, and concluded by another performance of the cross posture. The third phase is done by performing the I-rune posture, then the cross posture, then the M-rune posture followed by the connective cross posture, and concluding with the T-rune exercise. The fourth and final phase is a repetition of the first. After one cycle of this exercise, the runer will have turned in position a total of eleven times. Remember to keep your movements flowing and smooth while doing these dynamic exercises. To summarize the complex HAGAL exercise:

Rune-Yogic Rituals

The curriculum of rune-yogic exercises outlined in detail above is really a single, vast rune-yogic rite, but beyond this, the individual runes can also create unique rune-yogic rituals for specific purposes. Once the runic gateways are opened, the individual runer will not only know how to engage these forces effectively but will also be informed about which runes to use to gain the desired result. In reality there is no simple recipe-book approach to this aspect—experience is the best teacher. (As Paracelsus put it: experimenta ac ratio.)

The runes are keys that unlock the doors connecting the realm of ideas to the realm of things. The key to unlocking the runes themselves is found in their sounds and shapes. This secret is so simple, yet so profound, that it is usually lost by those expecting anything else. If the runer has faithfully undergone the complete curriculum of the 13 runes, he or she will have gained the secret of rune might on a firsthand basis. It is, of course, recommended that you become familiar with all parts of this book before undertaking the curriculum and that you incorporate as much of its wisdom into your work as is possible for you at this time.

Formula of Engagement

A daily form of rune-yogic exercise that can be performed to engage the runic forces completely and quickly is the threefold formula I—U—M (MAN). This can also serve as a model for the construction of further rites of this kind. To perform this formula of engagement, first take up the I-rune posture and, after a few preliminary breaths, begin to sing the I-rune sound formula (iiiiiiiii and/or iiiiiizzzzzz). When the feeling of engagement between the zones above and the zones below has been established through the vertical column of the runer, speak dynamically (see chapter 8 on the topic of dynamic speech) the following words: “Self-aware, I am a staff for beams and waves of rune might!” Now smoothly shift into the U-rune posture by bending at the waist, with the fingers pointed to the ground—feel the rune might gathered in the upper part of your body flow out through your fingers back into the ground and, beginning a circulation of power drawn through your feet, continue the circulatory pattern. Sing the sound formula of the U-rune (uuuuuuuuu and/ or the rune name uuuurrrrr). Do this three or four times before dynamically speaking, “Self-aware, I shape the might from the deepest depths, out of the realm of the earth, out of the realm deep below.” In doing this, be sure to engage both the earth streams and the subterranean inner-earth streams. Now swiftly but smoothly straighten back up and raise your arms to the M-rune (older Z-rune, ) posture. Feel the sudden engagement of the forces of the higher zones as you sing the sound formula mmmmmmmmm (or zzzzzzzzz). The first few times you do this rite, repeat the whole cycle until you feel the power begin to lessen from one repetition to another. In this way you will see what it feels like for rune might to increase and decrease in you, and you can gauge further successes more accurately. The more these rites are done, the more rune might is built up in a permanent way in the fiber of your being.

Rune-Yogic Rite of Success

This is an example of a complex rite that takes into account almost all of the factors discussed in this book. Again, it can be used as a model for the construction of further individualized workings. For this rite we are indebted to the work of Karl Spiesberger.

1. Perform the preliminary I-rune posture and song (iiiiiiiii) until the rune might is felt to be engaged, then repeat a dynamic mantra that will engage your will with the will of your higher power. (This is really best done on an individual basis, but one of the forms suggested by Spiesberger is “Vibrating in the primal field of force, I am one with its will.”)

2. Take up the T-rune posture and dynamically say, “Tyr-Tyr, Tyr-Tyr, Tyr-Tyr! Might waxes, well-being spreads, and luck increases—the fruit of the fight: Victory!” (Ger. Sieg)

3. When the word “Victory” (Sieg) is spoken, shift into the Sig-Tyr posture and feel the rune might vibrate from an epicenter around your heart with the circumference of the field of your palms. The centers in the forehead and genitals are also engaged, as shown in the illustration below. Now sing the formula “sig-tyr” at least three times, but you may continue until the vibratory field has been activated.

The Sig-Tyr posture

4. Next, form the hand posture of the S-rune in front of the body at about eye level. When this is done, dynamically say, “The might in me is victorious!” When this is said, you should feel an oscillation of power between the heart center and the S-rune formed by the hands.

The S-rune posture

5. Now smoothly shift your hands overhead to form the H-rune hand posture. The palms of the hands are to face each other. At this point there is a new influx of rune might from the upper zones. Sing the H-rune sound formula, and then dynamically say, “The success-bringing force of the All streams into me!” Now lower the hands to the point where the meeting point of the thumbs is just in front of the heart chakra, and say, “Success-bringing force of the All works within me!” Now turn the palms so that they face outward, keeping the thumbs touching at all times, and say, “Success-bringing force of the All works through me!”

The H-rune posture

6. Draw the left hand in to your solar plexus and lay the palm flat on that center—feel the power stream from the center of your being through your left arm and around and out through your right arm. As the power flows out, trace the H-rune in front of you in the form shown. In doing this, simply imagine the rune being drawn in space before you at a distance of three or four feet as the rune might is flowing out of the fingers of your right hand. This gives an objective projection of your collected rune might centering on the success-bringing forces.

Trace the H-rune in this form.

7. Now grip both shoulders in the older M-rune or D-rune posture ( or ) and softly sing the sound formula mmmaaannn.

8. Next, silently quiet your mind with thoughts of Quiet—Stillness—Silence. Remain in the M posture through the ninth step.

9. If you have a specific desire for success in a given task or situation, you should now visualize that success taking place in the objective world. If you are interested in causing internal changes within your own subjective world (e.g., breaking bad habits, gaining confidence), then repeat a specially constructed dynamic suggestion, or visualize scenes of how your life will be once the transformation has taken place. This is the real working segment of the rite in which the powers gathered previously are wielded according to the personal will of the runer.

10. Release the M-rune posture, slowly let your arms fall to your sides in the I-rune posture, and dynamically say or think, “Holy rune might leads me to my hidden goal!” At this point realize that the goal is already reached.

11. Finally, the excess collected rune force is to be grounded by placing your palms on the ground and perhaps by resting for a while with your back flat on the ground and your head toward the north (as always).