One thing that I always do when I cast the runes is to record the results so I can look back at each reading at a later date. In order to do this you want to make sure to write down as much information as you can. The best way that I’ve found to do this is to use a rune cast record sheet. They’re so useful to me that I’m sharing them here.
All downloads listed are PDF files.
Download all record sheets in a ZIP file: [download id=”12″ format=”2″]
At the top of each sheet there are spaces to record the date and time, for whom the rune cast was for, information about the surroundings (or setting) and the question being asked. Next will be a section that will allow you to draw in the rune symbols that you picked for each spot. You are then given an overview of what each space in the rune cast stands for or means in relation to the layout. You can scribble down what each rune means or general notes on what the rune is trying to tell you for each spot. Lastly, there is a section for any additional notes you may have – the weather, your health condition, which rune set you were using
We see in the story the Havamal1 that the God Odin hung on a tree (possibly Yggdrasil – the World Tree) for nine days and nights. The first six represent the God himself and the last three make up his spear, Gungnir. The set up looks like so:
The layout image isn’t much the way it looks here. Numbers 1 and 5 are suppose to be Odin’s legs and feet, numbers 2 and 6 are his arms and hands, number 3 is his body and number 4 is his head. The spear is standing up at Odin’s side and consists on numbers 7, 8 and 9. If you use a great deal of imagination you may start to see how the picture is suppose to look. To read this layout follow this guide.
The column with numbers 1 and 2 represent the past factors that have acted on the question you have asked.
The column with numbers 3 and 4 represent the present forces on the question.
The column with the number 5 and 6 represent the outcome of the question.
The last column that shows Odin’s spear represents the powers you have or need to deal with each of the previous three columns.
If you wish to record your rune casts I’ve created a a printable recording sheet for the Odin’s Nine Layout rune cast.
[download id=”9″ format=”1″]
This is more often referred to as The Grid of Nine and is slightly adapted from Nigel Pennick’s book The Complete Illustrated Guide to Runes. You cast out your runes and pick up nine runes placing them in a grid as follows:
If you add up the numbers from any row or column or even diagonally, they add up to the number 15. In order to read this you should do the following:
Read the lowest horizontal line first – it represents the past factors that have acted on the matter at hand. The runes go as follows…
Read the middle row next – it represents the present forces on the question. The runes in this row are read as follows…
Finally read the top row – it represents the outcome of the question. Read its runes as follows…
If you wish to record your rune casts I’ve created a a printable recording sheet for the Grid of Nine Layout rune cast.
[download id=”8″ format=”1″]
Here again we have a rune cast that makes use of Norse Mythology. According to Norse Mythology, Bifröst is the bridge that connects two worlds together, the world of the gods and the world of the humans. Since Bifröst acts as a connection between the humans and the gods we get a sense with this layout that our answers and the help the runes give us are coming straight from the gods themselves.
The order for this layout is again a simple one. Bifröst is often said to be a rainbow bridge between two worlds so we make use of the basic colors of the rainbow for the position. You may have seen the “Roy G. Biv†trick taught to children to help them remember the colors of the rainbow. This is where we come up with the positions and names for this layout.
This cast is pretty straightforward and there’s not too much you need to be aware of. You just want to make sure that you’re reading the correct runes for the position you place them in. It’s basically a “Past, Present, Future†layout with a few exceptions. More often than not in a “Past, Present, Future†layout we are only dealing with the effects of each and not the attitudes of those positions. The attitude portions of this cast help to give us insight into why the effects have taken place, are taking place or may take place. If you’re not sure what I mean by this let’s look at a simple example.
We’ll pretend that you’ve cast this layout to find out about a possible promotion at work. When you start to read your runes for this cast the first rune you select will be for the “Attitude of the past†– meaning your attitude about past promotions you may or may not have received. In the past, if you had been a hard worker with a positive outlook and have received a promotion, the runes may be able to let you know that it was, in fact, your outlook and work efforts that helped you get the promotion.
One other thing you need to be aware of is the last rune for this cast, “Violet: Overall Outcome.†For most “Past, Present, Future†rune readings you won’t have an overall outcome because the “future†position will usually represent the outcome. For this rune layout the overall outcome position is there to help provide a more in-depth look at the outcome. We still need to make sure that we look at the overall meaning to the cast by taking all the other runes into consideration, but we must not forget that there is also a rune to show us the overall outcome. Such a rune can be very helpful to us at times so we should not take it too lightly.
If you wish to record your rune casts I’ve created a a printable recording sheet for the Bifröst Layout rune cast.
[download id=”7″ format=”1″]
Rune layouts and spreads help us to figure out what the runes are saying to us. Where as the runes themselves tell us what they mean, we need to know what and where those meanings come to play in our lives and the questions we ask of them. The layouts and spreads provide us with such a structure as well as that information.
You may be asking yourself, “What’s the different between a layout and a spread?” Well to be honest there isn’t much. While reading and finding out more about different rune layouts I have come to find the similarities between rune layouts and tarot card spreads. Some authors even adapt tarot card spreads to use with the runes. I find nothing wrong with this but choose to call such casting structures “spreads” instead of “layouts” so that I can remember that these “spreads” where not created specifically for rune casting.
Choosing a layout or spread will not be a difficult thing to do. If you have a question that’s going to need some in-depth information you will want to pick a layout/spread that uses more tiles. This way you’ll get a more specific reading and better guidance. On the other hand if you have a question that is more general then you can get by with a smaller layout/spread.
Since the runes have a solid base in Norse Mythology the names for each of these positions is named after each of the dwarfs that are said to hold up the sky, which (according to Snorri Sturluson) was the skull of the giant Ymir.
The idea for this layout is simple, just a North, South, East and West pattern to place your runes in. The meaning for each position is just as simple…
This cast is very similar to a three-rune layout because we have the past, present and future involved with it. However, be aware that the third rune (Austri) is not the one that “predicts†the future for you. Its mission is to try to make sure you’re aware of any obstacles that may come your way as you try to reach your goal. The last position (Sudri) takes on the role of the usual “future position†for a three-rune layout.
Another thing you should be aware of is that the outcome position is only one possible outcome. You may end up with a rune here that, by itself, makes little or no sense in relation to your topic. If this is the case you need to make sure that you look at the reading as a whole and see what it is the runes are trying to tell you.
If you wish to record your rune casts I’ve created a a printable recording sheet for the Four Directions Layout rune cast.
[download id=”4″ format=”1″]
I once read that the ancient Germanic people, unlike some cultures of that time (Roman, Greek), believe in a twofold concept of time as opposed to a threefold concept. There wasn’t a past, present, and future, but a “that which is” and a “that which is becoming.” The two rune layout is based on that idea. The first rune you pick will represent “that which is” and the second rune will represent “that which is becoming.”
1 – “That which is” – this includes things in the past as well as the present and how they impact the question being asked.
2 – “That which is becoming” – this is how the events or the future as well as the future in general will impact the question being asked.
If you wish to record your rune casts I’ve created a a printable recording sheet for the Two Rune Layout rune cast.
[download id=”2″ format=”1″]