The Runes, being a set of symbols encoding the Mystery, one needs to immerse oneself in their known meanings in order to use them for practical work. In the Rune-Gild we always start with the known because, to start with one’s own ideas without this approach, will just lead inexorably into cloud cuckoo land. This is easily tackled by referring to any reputable book containing the various Rune Poems. In translation, if needs must, but better yet, by learning the old tongues and understanding the original.
Once the traditional meanings are memorised and understood, the next stage is to fit them into one’s own mindset in a contemporary context. These are a few of my musings on how one might go about this or, at least, how I would do that: you should take these and adjust and adapt them to fit in with your own particular way of thinking and acting; we are all different.
I will only consider the first Rune, Fehu, (Cattle and thus wealth,) as the method should then be clear. Assuming you have followed a properly designed training system, you will have studied and analysed your own psyche, and should be aware of your inner feelings and desires, and so on.
What does money mean to you? If you are, or have ever been, somewhat poor, it may mean a great deal. On the other hand, if you have always been able to live the high life, it may be something you have hardly ever given a second thought. Either extreme has its pitfalls. Are you jealous of the rich or, conversely, unable to understand why some struggle to make ends meet? Do you even go forth without any cash in your pocket, relying instead upon a card to pay for everything? How much attention do you pay to your bank balance (bear in mind that any mistakes by your bank or even fraud will not be apparent to you if you don’t keep an eye on this?)
Most, if not all, countries have a considerable national debt, often in the trillions. That is a number so great, it is hard to imagine; and whom is it owed to?
Such considerations will draw you closer to understanding your own relationship to money, on both a personal and societal level. But is money always wealth? Some few people abjure the world of horrors and choose to live hand-to-mouth and on their wits. Are they bonkers or lucky souls, given that they might have a lot of time to pursue what are, after all, strange pursuits to most people in the ‘ordinary’ world. Of course, one can be in the world but not of it, and work in any job, and that can be a way of being wealthy for those who prefer it.
A wise man once told me that: ‘It isn’t what you earn that matters, but what you spend.’ This is worth considering, if one wishes to be wealthy on one’s own terms, despite being rather poor by another’s reckoning. An old saw goes that one should: ‘Cut one’s cloth according to one’s means.’ In any case, it seems that those who spend their whole time worrying about earning the next million are rarely happy; although one wit once opined that it was better to be unhappy and rich than unhappy and poor. What do you think about these points?
Consider the comments above and add any that might come to you. Then pour these ideas into the concept of Fehu. It will move from the Universal Fehu, known to Runemasters in ancient and modern times, and Become your particular Fehu. Continue this method with all the Runes in your search for the Mystery, and you are on the way to mastery.
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I. Read, London, GB