No-one knows exactly how old the runes are.  Rune-like symbols appear as cave markings as early as the late Bronze Age (circa 1300 BC). They have been used as an alphabet but their uses in ritual and as an Oracle for consultation certainly pre-date their use as a system of writing.

 

The word "rune" itself comes from the Old Norse word "rún" meaning a secret or mystery, and it seems likely that shamans were considered to have some magic or mystic power in their understanding of the runes.

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Each week we study a different rune, we then guide everyone into a deep meditation while holding a rune.  In this way your energy will merge with the energy of the rune and vice versa.  This will give you a profound connection with the rune, enabling it to communicate with you.   Every rune connects like a telephone line to a deity.  Some runes have several deities linked to them.  The deities encourage and give people strength to face their challenges so that they can recognise their true nature and achieve their full potential. 

 

The focus  of this course is not on divination but instead using the runes as a path to enlightenment, we believe the runes were set out in this specific order for this purpose.  The 24 Elder Futhark runes are divided into three sets of eight runes known as Aetts and are named after the Norse gods Freya, Heimdall and Tyr. 

 

We teach these 24 runes as 1 Aett per module, which consists of 3 hours a week for 8 weeks, (1 rune per week).  These modules contribute towards completion of our IICT recognised Shamanic Practitioner course, read more here!