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The following is an excerpt from The Runes Revealed:
A Beginner’s Guide to Runic Divination by Beth Taylor.
What is an Oracle?
When a
client I have never worked with before sits down at my table for their
first rune reading, I spend several minutes talking with them as they look
over my collection of runes to select the one they wish to have their
reading with.
My first goal is to
attempt to find out what, if anything, they understand about the oracular
process; have they ever had a psychic reading before, and if so, what kind
was it?
Often I find it is
easier in some ways to explain the phenomenon of an oracle to someone who
has no prior experience than it is to gently undo some common
misconceptions about divination that more than a few people seem to have
picked up over time.
In its most simple
terms, an oracle is a tool of self-knowledge. The goal in divination is to
present to the conscious mind what the unconscious mind already knows--or
suspects.
I tell my clients that
we have all the answers we could possibly ever need within us. Our
conscious, or outer surface mind, dominates us with logic. Our unconscious, or inner deep mind, is the source of our
truest intuitive knowledge, and, many believe, links to the collective
knowledge of the universe.
The problem lies in the
fact that we, as "flawed" human beings, usually cannot access
these answers within ourselves without the help of an outer source; a tool;
an oracle. Runes are an ancient oracle in a similar manner as the Tarot and
I Ching are.
An oracle will not
provide the precise answers to all of life’s problems. Nor do they bestow
upon their user magical powers. They do, however, present signposts to
direct us on our journey through life. How we interpret and act on the
messages contained in these signposts is a purely individual response and
differs from person to person.
Some oracles simply
work better than others for people. It is important to listen to what seems
to talk to you or what you feel drawn to. The runes, with their strong,
earthy, northern European, Anglo-Saxon and Germanic history speak volumes
to me. Whether it is my shared cultural heritage with this oracle or
something even more elemental, I can’t say.
As with all oracles,
the runes must be treated seriously and with an awareness and appreciation
of their rich and diverse history. What you put into your efforts to learn
the runes will be ultimately what you get out of the experience. Treat them
lightly or as a game, and your readings will lack depth and resonance.
Remember that the runes
are a tool to tap into your stored unconscious; a lack of seriousness and
respect on your part as you work with them can’t help but affect the
outcomes of your readings!
There can’t be enough
stress placed on the personal nature of the runes and the messages they
will have for you. There is no one way to create,
charge, cast and interpret them. It will be different for each and every
person embarking on his or her own runic journey.
My best advice is to
read and listen and learn, and with that wisdom, find out from the runes
themselves what they mean to you and the guidance they hold for you
personally!
The above is an excerpt from The
Runes Revealed: A Beginner’s Guide to Runic Divination by Beth Taylor.
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