The Rune Realms
Before you begin your practice with Runes it is good to establish within yourself a space where you can work. It is also useful to set up a symbolic arrangement outside yourself, in your room. This arrangement may be a circle of Runes, of crystal runes, candles, incense burner, etc. You use this set up to facilitate your drawing and projecting of Runic energies.
The set up outside yourself, or your temple room, is your outer Rune realm. The workspace that you establish within yourself is your inner Rune realm. The Rune realm of creation is the realm from which you draw your Runic energies. With your imagination you connect all three Rune realms.
When your capability of visualization will be sufficiently advanced you may see the tree Rune realms connected with the axis of the (multidimensional) world tree, where the distance between the three Rune realms is perfectly equal. At that point you will also aware that your inner Rune realm is not completely inside yourself, your outer Rune realm is not completely outside, and by no means is the Rune realm of creation some isolated entity far away. Quite to the contrary, the three Rune realms permeate each other.
With your practice you will more and more see these three realms as different expressions of one and the same thing. As you progress in this way you will increase your power to harness the Runic energies for anything you desire.
The Outer Rune Realm
For the time being, you set up your outer Rune realms with the appropriate utensils. As a future Rune Master you need to know that repeated use of the same utensil attaches to them energies of a higher order. Once these energies are attached to the utensil, you need no longer call on them when you desire to use them. Being aware of the utensil does the same much faster. This allows you to have your conscious mind free for other things. Consequently your magic is more powerful. Ceremonial utensils compare to machines on the material planes. Contrary to material machines, ceremonial utensils are machines that reach into the planes beyond the material ones. In this respect, you can see ceremonial utensils as focal points that you use to have impact upon planes of finer densities. Later you will learn how to establish utensils of subtle energy. These subtle utensils make material ones unnecessary. To understand this better, I recommend that you study the course "Magic of the Future." This course will also give you a good understanding of the CFP (common functioning principle) of all magic and of the energetic background of magical operations: life energy. With this course you will have a significant tool to advance rapidly towards your goals of magical and runic mastery!
A very good set of utensils is one that symbolizes the four elements. Such a set should be on every altar. I suggest the following utensils for the elements:
Use candles to represent the fire element, the causal plane, and your will.
Use a cup with water or wine to represent the water element, the astral world and your emotional powers.
Use a dagger as an active representation of the air element, the mental planes, and your mind.
Use incense as a passive representation of the air element, the mental planes, and your mind.
Use the Hammer of Thor as an active representation of the earth element, the material planes, and your consciousness.
Use earth, bread, or a crystal as a passive representation of the earth element, the material planes, and your consciousness.
When you align the four elements of will, emotions, mind, and consciousness, you can perform anything. To align these elements means to direct your will, emotions, mind, and consciousness, at the same goal.
To achieve the skill of alignment of the four elements, I recommend that you study and practice the six lesson course "A course in Cosmic Consciousness".
A very important feature of the outer Rune realm is protection. In most magical traditions protection is symbolized by a circle that is traced, or imagined, around the practicing magus.
For the protection to be powerful, your imagination needs to go beyond a mere circle. The least you need to do is envision a bubble that surrounds you. The Runic circle represents your universe of which you are the Divine principle in the act of continuous creation of the universe and its gods. Consequently you rule the creative energies of this universe.
To make a very strong outer Rune realm you should use a set of Rune Staves. You arrange these staves in a circle around yourself. You begin with Fa in the North. Then you continue counterclockwise with all eighteen Runes all the way through GIBOR, which will be on the right side of Fa.
If you practice with one or more Runes you take them out of the circle and put them on the altar in front of you.
You should make your Rune staves yourself if you have the time and patience to do so. You find instructions of how to make your wooden Rune staves in the Rune Reading course.
The Rune staves in the circle represent the creative energies in the universe. They connect with the Runes in the realms of creation as well as with the Runes in your inner Rune realm.
In later lessons you will learn other rituals that are useful to establish and strengthen your outer Rune realm. At present it is sufficient if you set up this realm and focus shortly on each Rune, one by one, before each Runic practice. This will gradually increase the power of your outer Rune realm and its utensils. In group work this focus is done by chanting the eighteen Runes, one by one.
The Inner Rune Realm
After you established the outer Rune realm you continue with establishing your inner Rune realm. Later you will be capable of establishing your inner Rune realm without establishing the outer Rune realm first. If you do so at present, the effects will be more on a mental level. If for some reason you cannot set up an outer realm, light a least a candle as a focal point or miniature Rune realm and draw the eighteen Runes around it. Failure to properly establish an outer Rune realm can easily lead to failure in beginning Runic work!
You shape your inner Rune realm with your powers of imagination. Within yourself you set up a workspace. In this space you see the Runes around yourself. You know of the connection of both, the inner and outer Rune realms, with the Rune realm of creation.
You need to practice so that you can establish your inner Rune realm. You continue as follows:
1. Bring yourself in a comfortable position. If you do more than practice, set a circle of Runes around yourself as an outer Rune realm.
2. Relax your body and mind. You may use some form of progressive relaxation. Much better yet, use methods autogenic training. These methods are superior to the progressive relaxation methods.
3. Imagine yourself being in a place that you consider to be appropriate for the inner Rune realm. This place may be a peaceful clearing in the woods, perhaps with a brook running through it. It may be on a quiet beach, on to of a mountain, in an old temple, or anything else that suits you. This place is your place of power and you are the ruler of this your universe.
Once you have established your inner Rune realm, you see yourself fully protected. This protection connects with the protective measures in your outer Rune realm (the bubble). In your inner Rune realm, you imagine a circle of Runes around yourself. These Runes may be giant stones, wooden staves, crystals, or anything else on which the Runes are inscribed. They are arranged in the same manner as the Runes in your outer Rune realm.
Sometimes it is helpful to imagine the Runes around yourself in a glowing light. This glowing light indicates that the Runes draw their charge from the realms of creation. This charge flows over to the Runes of the outer realm. Being the Rune master of the universe that you have established in this way, you are aware that you are its absolute ruler. Better yet, surround the Runes with light that pulsates. This way the Runes get their own life much faster!
After you have established your inner Rune realm, you may operate from there on a purely mental level. If your outer Rune realm is also present, then you keep awareness of the inner Rune realm present and you can now begin with any Runic, or other, ritual of your choice.
It is necessary that you practice the establishing of your inner Rune realm until you have mastered it to the extent that you can establish it within a few seconds. To reach this point, the mastery of autogenic training is far more advantageous than the usual progressive relaxation methods.
Body postures and hand positions of the Runes.
By now you should know that Runes are creative energies that connect with simple structures. In other words, specific structures will trigger Runic energies from the realms of creation.
The graphic representation of each Rune fits the hexagon with the three inscribed diameters. This figure is often referred to as the World Crystal.
The realm of structures, however, is not limited solely to structures that we can draw with a pencil. Structure appears to us in many forms in any sensory perception to which we are able and in any combination of sensory perception.
Therefore, if we have a system of structural representations such as the Runic alphabet, the cabbalistic system, or the Tarot, we can express the same structural system in a myriad of media other than pencil and paper.
You know already of a few of the structures that give you access to Runic energies:
The graphical outline that fits the hexagon with the three inscribed diameters.
The Runic sounds that you can express with your voice, i.e., the system of Runic mantras.
The connection with the field that surrounds the Earth. This connection is the basis of a natural zodiac of 18 creative energies.
The connection with the numeric system that ascribes one specific number to each Rune.
You need to learn other structures that connect with the Runes. Among the most important are:
Runic sound pitches that are expressed with a Runic scale: Eighteen creative energies within the octave.
Runic colors that connect with the spectrum of colors. Red for FA through red-violet for GIBOR.
A connection with the periodic system of elements: 2 - 8 - 8 - 18 - 18!
A system of smells, as expressed by specific Runic incenses.
Hand positions that connect with specific Runic energies.
Body postures that you can use to draw and project Runic energies.
Specific breathing rhythms that connect with Runes.
Poems and Songs that connect with Runes.
And a lot more! The imagination of the Rune Master is the limit!
In the following you will learn about body postures and hand positions of Runes. This way of expressing Runes is a very powerful method to gain access to their creative energies.
Any combination of Runic structures will enhance the effect of the Rune. Therefore, if you visualize the graphic shape of the Rune in the color of the Rune while you chant the mantra of the Rune, you will have more power available than you would have by visualization alone. If, along with this, you practice the body posture of the Rune while you have the exact sound pitch of the Rune played in the background, you gain even more power. Add to this a good amount of life energy (see the course "Magic of the Future" where you learn how to perceive and direct life energies) and you will be ready for a magical action so powerful that hardly anything can withstand it!
Body and hand postures connect you with the Runic energy they represent. You draw Runic energy into yourself and into the space that surrounds you when you practice a body or hand posture. These postures establish a direct link to the Runic realms of creation. You are the Rune while your body is in a posture that represents it.
Body postures of Runes are very powerful tools in a ceremonial setting when several persons stand in such a way that they form the graphical outline of the Rune on the floor.
In the following you will learn the hand and body postures of the Runes from FA, UR, IS, and MAN.
The Rune FA
Body Posture: Standing upright, with the feet together, you point both arms forward and upward at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. The left arm is slightly higher than the right arm. Both palms are open to the front, drawing in energy.
Hand Position: The left arm points straight up. The thumb and ring finger form the two side-branches of the Rune FA. The other fingers point upward.
The Rune UR
Body Posture: Bending over, your arms and fingertips point toward the ground.
Hand Position: Practice with the left or with the right hand.
Position #1: Form the U-shape with your fingers. The open end of the U is pointing downward. Hold the hand approximately 8 inches from the center between your eyes.
Position #2: Thumb and index finger shape the UR pointing downward. The other fingers point in the same direction as the index finger.
The Rune IS
Body Posture: Standing upright, your feet touch each other, the arms hang down on the sides.
Variation: Same position, but the arms point upward, with the palms facing each other.
Hand Position: Make a fist, with the index finger pointing upward.
The Rune MAN
Body Posture: Both arms are stretched upward to the side, at an angle of 30 degrees. You feel the influx of energy on both sides. Direct the energy to the ground.
Variation: Kneeling, sit on your heels. The arms take the same position.
Hand Position: Thumb, index and middle fingers shape Man.
Rune Mantras
A very powerful way of harnessing the creative energies of the Runes is the singing of Rune mantras. Especially the beginning student of Runes will experience the power of Runic energies in a very short time when she or he practices the singing of the mantras of Runes that are in harmony with the student's personality.
For a small fee we can derive your personal Runes from your name and birth data.
To sing Runes is to sing mantras of power. Once you sing a Rune consciously and the correct way, then you turn on a switch that gives you access to the transcendental energies of the Rune. This will happen whether it is your intention or not. Then the Runes will communicate to you gradually how you can manage and how you can use these energies, provided you are spiritually ready to accept the Runes and to overcome the bondage of the self imposed limitations and restrictions of the world tree. Once in tune with the creative energies (yes, this takes some practice!) you may harness them for your goals. Singing Runes will advance you on your path to mastery of these powerful creative energies.
Practice of the Rune Fa
You should use the following practice for all eighteen Runes. It will bring you in contact with the realm of the Rune and with its creative energies. You proceed as follows:
1. Make sure that there is no undesirable outside interference.
2. Sit in a comfortable position.
3. Bring yourself into a relaxed and meditative state.
4. Establish your inner Rune realm.
5. Sing "fffffffffffaaaa" while strongly visualizing the outline of the Rune Fa.
6. Say the Song of Fa (see at the end of this lesson) in a low, murmuring, voice.
7. While you murmur you see yourself in your inner Rune realm.
8. Imagine that this inner Rune realm is filled with the energy of Fa.
9. See the symbol of Fa in your inner Rune realm.
10. Imagine that more and more energy of Fa flows into your inner rune realm.
11. Stand up and practice the body position of Fa.
12. Sing the mantra of FA ("ffffffaaaaaa") five times while you draw the energies of FA through the palms of your hands into your body.
After this practice sit down and wait for thoughts and insights to come and feelings to develop. You may get some body sensations of your inner eye may see pictures. Perhaps sounds manifest in your inner ear. It is not necessary that you dwell on any of these experiences. Should there be less of an effect than you anticipated you need not worry. Keep practicing!
After a few minutes of meditation you should imagine that the energies of Fa that surround you drain into the ground and flow back to the realms of creation. This practice of grounding all surplus energy is a good way to avoid overcharging yourself and the space around yourself.
As you keep practicing your understanding of the realm of the Rune will increase.
Exercises:
The following is a set of exercises that you should practice before you continue to study your next lesson.
1. Murmur the Song of Fa in a good setting, at least twice a week.
2. Practice the body posture and hand position of FA and feel the energies in your body.
3. Learn to establish your inner Rune realm.
4. Practice FA as described in the previous chapter.
5. Draw the Rune FA with full attention. Put it on the well of a Chi Generator. Turn the generator on and run it at a speed of 7.83 Hz. If you do not have a chi generator, call me for a free hookup.
6. Send your progress report to your Rune Master and write about your first experiences with this course.
Source: Karl Hans Welz - Armanen Rune Course
https://www.talismanmagick.com/runecourse/rune_magic01.html