Customer Reviews

A Practical Guide to the Runes: Their Uses in Divination and Magic (Llewellyn's New Age)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is a good book for beginners. No, I don't say it because it has a lot of good info. I say it because this book covers many different topics, although not at all in depth.

I have a few complaints about it: 1) There are no pronounciations for the rune names (except for wyrd). This can be VERY confusing to the beginner. 2) The rune definitions were very, very short. She covered this up a bit by saying that you should meditate on the rune's meanings to see what they mean for yourself. 3) She doesn't mention that the rune syumbols may vary-- this can get confusing when doing other research. 4) She doesn't mention the other names there are for the runes. Again, nothing horrible, but it can get confusing.

I only scanned over the uses for the runes in magick, but they were quite short as well...

I would only recommend this book if you were trying to figure out if you wanted to use the runes in divination. If you already know you want to use the runes, and are looking for information to help get you started, don't get this book. It only tells you the frame of things, so I would recommend getting other rune books along with it or doing some internet research.

This is a great introduction to Runes without spending a lot of $. It is short sweet and easy to read. The book is fully illustrated and there are a few referance charts in the back. For somebody that knows NOTHING about runes this is a great beginning. I would, however, purchase more in depth books if you persue Runes further.

This is not a book I would recommend for those serious about the runes. It is very shallow and not up on its runelore. For those serious about learning the runes, you would be better off purchasing "Northern Mysteries & Magic" by Freya Aswynn, "Runelore" by Edred Thorsson, or "The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Runes" by Sirona Knight.

I don't enjoy trashing anyone's work, but this book is quite simply bad. The rune meanings seem to have been derived from a certain other less than accurate Rune book put out circa 1982. Personal interpretation is one thing, assigning new and unrelated meanings to symbols over 2000 years old is another.

For esoteric meaning, try Thorsson, Aswynn, or King, and for historical perspective Ralph W.V. Elliot and R.I. Page are your best bets. Leave this one by the tabloids at the checkout counter.

Is the runic system an alphabet? Is it a pictographic system used for divination and magic? How many runic systems are there? There are numerous texts which examine the history of the various runic systems, their characteristics, their uses, and the like - however; for a good introductory look at the Elder Futhark Rune set and its use in divination I recommend A Practical Guide to the Runes by Lisa Peschel.

The book begins with a no-nonsense introduction geared towards individuals with little to no experience with runic work. Using explanations that are neither too advanced for beginners nor devoid of meaty, intellectual content, Peschel easily pulls the reader into the first steps of runic study. The introduction is then followed by a description of the tools involved in working with Elder Futhark divination.***

What follows is a prompt, apt description of each of the twenty-five runes. (I include WYRD as a rune, whereas the author - Peschel, considers WYRD to be a non-rune.) The descriptions are concise - meant to give the reader a feel for each rune as a concept. Various layouts and tips follow, designed to familiarize the beginner with the important beginning aspects of rune reading as a whole.

All in all, this is a book I highly recommend for someone just beginning. (I only just finished it myself. 11/5/05)



*** Amhrán's Note: Peschel advises making your own set to work with. She doesn't distinguish whether to do this at the start, or after you've become more familiar with the runes. My advice? Wait.

Get a set either of wood or of stone to work with in the meantime. Consecrate it. Imbue it with your energy, and carry it with you as much as possible. Get a feel for the runes first. It is important to be very familiar with the runes, before making your own - due to the power and level of self-trust involved.

This book taught me a lot about runes. Their uses in magick, divination, and in making talismans. Lisa gave a thorough and concise description of the meaning of each rune and how they read when they are spread out in a reading. This was easily the best $5.00 I ever spent!

This was the first book that I ever bought on runes. and it is still one of the best that i have read. The author gives you a good introduction with a style that reminds me of Scott Cunningham, its easy to read and has room for individuality. All at the same time remaining for the most part historically accurate, I think that the only thing that isnt accurate is the blank rune, which has little to none signifigance to the Elder Futhark and i would reccomend getting rid of it (like another reviewer said, "tear it out! ". Otherwise this book is one of the best introduction books on runes that i own. And i would reccomend this to anyone interested in runes.

This little book is quite practical for traveling due to its small size. It contains usefull information about the runes as a divination tool. but if you'r into runes for more practical uses it won't be as helpful as books like "futhark" by Edred Thorsson. I used this book as a traveling book while the more practical books were left home...

This book was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a book that gave a brief history of the Nordic Runes, the meanings behind the runes, uses in divination, and the creating of tailsmen.

I have several books on the subject of Nordic Runes, but this one is the primary one I use in practical application. It might be a brief book, but it really packs the important information needed. It is as the title states "A Practical Guide to The Runes".

For those who have little or no knowlege of Nordic Runes and Magick, I would suggest reading up a bit to better familiarize yourself with the subject. But even if you have no knowlege on the subject, but would like to give it a try, this is definately the one to get.

This is not a book I would recomend for anyone serious interested in rune casting. It tells nothing of the history of runes and it seems if the writer figured out what tarot card closely matches each rune and then wrote the book based off that info. There are much better books out there for rune casting.