2012-11-27

Perusing the Book of Runes has made me realize the similarity of all the existing systems that use a random generator to produce results. Whether it's runes, or tarot, or I Ching, or numerology, astrology, or graphology, the method used for divination is the same: produce a random spread, then apply a system to read "meaning" into the results. The system applied to read the results is what separates divination from true science: you apply a system of symbolism to the results, then you then apply those results to yourself, personally, using intuition and faith. This, I think, works best when you use a system you create yourself: because you're basing it on your own intuition and experience, it makes it easier for you to apply the results to yourself. Fortunately, the tendency of the human mind to evoke patterns and meaning into seemingly random occurrences allows many people to apply the same results to themselves, as well. The end result: when you apply this reading to someone else, there is a good chance that person will feel as though it applies to himself or perself, personally.

For example: today I've been assigned by my employer to leave the house at 5 AM and drive 45 miles to go to a job. Out of curiosity, I looked for a reading of the Runes and asked a simple question, "What will happen today?" I ended up with the following:

The rune spread was three runes laid in a triangular layout. This is known as a "Fork." The Fork spread is used at critical turning points, to understand the dynamics of an important decision. Stone Runes are most commonly used for questions about the natural world and things beyond human control.

The left rune represents the first possible outcome. Uruz symbolizes the Auroch, a member of the ox family that became extinct long ago. This rune represents the strength, bravery, and endurance of this animal of old. Uruz portends the ability to meet problems head on and to overcome them. When the world was new, warriors used to test their strength against the Auroch. Hence, this rune has come to represent the masculine principle and the capacity to meet a challenge.

The right rune represents the second possible outcome. Nyd represents many things, most of them unpleasant - heed it well. Constraint, delay, loss, need, and sorrow are all frequently seen in this rune. Nyd speaks most strongly of pause, the hallmark of the both the timid and the patient, and is often interpreted as foretelling a delay in the effect of other runes that it accompanies. Fortunately, even where there is misery and danger there are valuable lessons to be learned - the trick is to learn them before you are overtaken by despair.

The bottom rune represents the critical factor that determines what will come to pass. Inguz is the rune of completion and fertility. The presence of this rune suggests that tasks which have been initiated will come to fruition. This rune is associated with Ing and Frey, it is this connection that explains its connotations of both fertility and sexuality. The variant of this rune shown here is reminiscent of the twin strands of life, and of the challenge and rewards of bringing together things complimentary.

Now, I could apply this to myself as a warning that today's job is going to be more difficult than expected. Given that is a common occurrence with my work, that would not be especially surprising. If it does turn out to be a difficult job, I could say this was predicted by the Runes. And if it turns out to be an easy job? Then I could just brush aside the results and apply it to something else, perhaps with the excuse that "applying a strict time frame of today to the prediction makes it less effective." That's how the vagueries of fortune telling and cold reading work.

Nonetheless, I still have an urge to go ahead and create my very own Alphabet of Desire, based upon the Runes plus a special system of writing that I've taken very personally since junior high and high school: J.R.R Tolkien's tengwar Elvish writing. More on this later.

Update: The road trip turned out to be one of the easiest I've ever done: I drove an hour and 40 minutes, walked into the place, and had the entire job finished in ten minutes. So as I left, I figured the runes were wrong. Then this afternoon at the office turned out to be one of those crazy days where every call coming in was a nightmare. I ended up being on the clock from 5:00 AM to 6:45 PM. So who knows?