Stone, wood, horn, bone, leather/hide, and any other readily available materials were used in ancient times for inscribing runes. The method depended on the material — the runes had to be carved. They were coloured with blood (a dye always at hand) or ochre. That is a very brief, simplified overview.
Today, there are many more ways to inscribe runes. And although it makes no difference where or how you inscribe them, the topic remains relevant. Every runologist has their own perspective and approach, so there can be no absolute “right/wrong” here.
Everything depends on the purpose of the runic arrangement. Is the working intended to act quickly and once only, or over an extended period? Is it for yourself, or is it directed at another person? If you create your own bindrunes, questions of where, how, and with what generally do not arise. If you are a beginner, you most likely use ready-made workings created by other practitioners. The description usually includes instructions on where and how to inscribe the runes; in that case, it is worth following the author’s guidance. If there are no instructions, let the purpose of the working itself guide you.
Photograph
A photograph is the best option for influencing someone else. It serves as an energetic link to the target person and helps you attune to them. It is also convenient for workings directed at yourself. If you do not have a photograph, you can use a piece of paper with a drawn human figure and the target person’s personal details written on it.
On Your Own Body
Inscribing runes on your own body is used for workings directed at yourself here and now. It is not the most convenient option for long-term effects, because the runes wear off, and there is no need to display them unnecessarily to others. Particularly interesting questions include: I inscribed runes on myself, and the instructions say to deactivate them with fire — what should I do? Think everything through beforehand and choose a different medium.
Any Permanent Medium
Any permanent medium — stone, wood, leather, clay, metal, and other natural materials — is excellent for amulets and long-term workings. A physical medium can also be used to influence a target person. In that case, the item bearing the runic working is secretly placed among their belongings, or an item belonging to them is used. Contact magic has always been, and will always be, more effective.
Other Methods
Earth – you can draw runes on the ground if you want to cleanse or protect a space. For example, when preparing to perform a ritual outdoors.
Water – runes are traced in water with a finger, wand, or knife, for example when preparing cleansing baths.
Candles – often have a short-term effect, lasting while the candle burns. They are convenient for protection during rituals or divination, for example.
Everyday Objects – dishes, perfume (yes, beauty glamour spells are used), soap, jewellery, wallets, belts, shoes — anything that suits the purpose of the working and the need for this method.
Visualization – not the most convenient or easiest method, but it has its place if you have no difficulty visualizing. Visualize a rune in front of you, in the air, or visualize the target person or object with runes on them.
What to Use to Inscribe Runes
What you use to inscribe runes always depends on the material of your chosen medium. An engraving tool, knife, woodburning tool, marker, oils, pen, saliva, blood, natural “dye” (cuttlefish ink, berry or leaf juice, tar, charcoal), and so on. Anything that suits the “here and now” and the medium. It is important to “manifest” the runes in this world to set them to work.
Colour, Direction, Phases
Colour itself does not play a role in working with runes. However, colour does have a role in magic, and if you consider it fundamentally important for yourself, if it evokes certain associations and helps you attune, you can use colour in your rune work.
Drawing from top to bottom or bottom to top likewise makes no difference. The belief that drawing a rune from bottom to top brings good, while drawing it from top to bottom brings destruction, is the personal gnosis of certain modern practitioners. The same applies to drawing runes on yourself and deciding whether they should face towards you or away from you.
Runes are not tied to the phases of the Moon. Besides, everyone has their own “clock” and biorhythms. So there is no point in waiting for a waning Moon to perform a cleansing, or for a waxing Moon to attract blessings. This is especially pointless when time is pressing and you need to carry out a working here and now. If you have the opportunity and desire to take every possible factor into account for a ritual, and you feel this is necessary, then it makes sense to give it some thought — wait for the right phase, prepare ink of the desired colour, specific candles for activation, and so on. Still, none of this is obligatory.
Magic is creativity: the ability to construct your own ritual in the circumstances you find yourself in and to show ingenuity.
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🌠 © Helga_V
Master of runic practice, researcher of the Northern tradition
