The Armanen Futharkh The Armanen Futharkh is both the newest and the oldest of the four runic systems. It was officially published in 1908 by Guido von List, the most prominent runemaster of his generation, and the central figure in the revival of the Germanic pre-Christian esoteric traditions. However the true origins of these runes go back far further, at least as far as the Elder and Younger futharks, and likely far further to the very beginnings of Nordic civilization before the Migration Age. The Armanen rune row is the only one which contains precisely 18 runes, the same number mentioned and described by Odin in the Hávamál. And despite what many ignorant "purist" camps today claim, it is indeed a valid and historically based rune row. The first sixteen runes are simplified versions of the Younger Futhark, many of them identical to their Elder Futhark forms; and the last two are very primitive ancestral "branch" forms of the Elder Futhark runes Ehwaz and Gebo (rendered as Eh and Gibor in the Armanen system). Based on his decades of runic research, List considered these runes to be the same 18 "sacred runes of Odin" mentioned in the Hávamál, and that all other rune rows ultimately derived from these. The following are the Armanen runes along with their corresponding Hávamál verse below, and meanings to the side as elaborated by List and subsequent Armanen runemasters (Gorsleben, Spiesberger, Marby, Kummer, etc.) Keep in mind that the superficial meanings of some runes, while sometimes omitted by Armanen masters, are NOT necessarily invalid for the Armanen system. Ur can still refer to the Aurochs, as Thorn and Tyr refer to famous Aesir gods, as they did in the Elder and younger Futharks - but in a metaphorical sense (as they always did; Asatruars and other followers of the Norse tradition are always quick to point out that they do not take the lore and mythology 100% literally - Armanen applies the same fact to the superficial apparent meanings of runes). The runes can be interpreted as positive of negative depending on their position/orientation when cast or drawn from a bag. The positive positions (see chart at the bottom of this post) can be interpreted as either exoteric or esoteric. More advanced rune casting methods which discriminate between these two positive meaning sets are a subject for another time. NOTE: all of the Armanen rune images on this page are my original work. ASK before using them.
FA Exoteric: Changes, new beginnings, growth, change of residence, travel, animals, movable possessions/wealth, fire. Esoteric; Original fire, creative father principle, guidance, help, Father-God principle. Negative: Set-backs, failures, destruction, blockage. Those songs I know, which neither sons of men nor queen in a king's court knows; the first is Help which will bring thee help in all woes and in sorrow and strife. (Hávamál, verse 145)
UR Exoteric: That which is permanent, that which lasts, good fortune, money, physician, medical help, healing powers. Esoteric: Original cause, origin, root of all cosmic and material phenomena, contact with the transcendent, contact with the dead, life after physical death, Mother-God/creative mother principle. Negative: Instability, bad influence, disease, ignorance. A second I know, which the son of men must sing, who would heal the sick. [It chases disease and all pain, It cures hurts and all wounds.] (Hávamál, verse 146)
THORN Exoteric: Will to act, setting of goal, power to become. Esoteric: Return, new emergence from the apparently old and driedup, formative power of the seed. Negative: Demonic influence, damage, deception, perishing, enemies. A third I know: if sore need should come of a spell to stay my foes; Then I sing that song, which shall blunt their swords, nor their weapons nor staves can wound. (Hávamál, verse 147)
OS Exoteric: Speech, discussion, charm, success as a speaker, Aesir, God-speech, breath which evolves, suggestion, freedom, uterus. Esoteric: Idea of that which is given, of that which is evolving. Negative: Ill fortune, failure of the word/work, negative suggestions, misuse of knowledge and wisdom. A fourth I know: if men make fast in chains the joints of my limbs, Then I sing that song which shall set me free, spring the fetters from hands and feet. (Hávamál, verse 148)
RIT Exoteric: Right, order, the judge, advice, salvation, money, truth. Esoteric: Original law, that which flows away, religious feeling, ritual action. Negative: Injustice, lawlessness, violent act, black magick practice. A fifth I know: when I see, by foes shot, speeding a shaft through the host, flies it never so strongly, I still can stay it, if I get but a glimpse of its flight. (Hávamál, verse 149)
KA Exoteric: Art, capability, artist, genius, being favored, that which is established. Esoteric: Female principle of the universe, as executive power of balancing justice. Negative: Refused procreation, injustice, decay, incapability. A sixth I know: when some thane would harm me in runes on a moist tree's root, on his head alone shall light the ills of the curse that he called upon mine. (Hávamál, verse 150)
HAGAL Exoteric: That which cares for, maintains, preserves, protects; that which is motherly; wisdom, harmony, salvation, blessing, protects from hail and fire. Esoteric: Eternal change, caring and maintaining principle in the universe, Higher Self, God in us. Negative: Exposed to ill fortune, not protected, bad weather, destruction by storm, hail, and fire. A seventh I know: if I see a hall high o'er the bench-mates blazing, flame it ne'er so fiercely, I still can save it, I know how to sing that song. (Hávamál, verse 151)
NOT Exoteric: The Inevitable, separation, stress, karmic debt, karmic need, but with outlook for change of karma, banishing ill fortune/strife by accepting karma & cooperating with karmic law. Esoteric: Decision of the Norns, karma paid for, cause-effect flow. Negative: No hope for change, exposed to fate due to revolt against karmic nature, inevitable fall and decline, ultimate negation. An eighth I know: which all can sing for their weal if they learn it well; where hate shall wax 'mid the warrior's sons, I can calm it soon with that song. (Hávamál, verse 152) IS Exoteric: Self-aware ego, positive attitude, activity, will, selfdomination, influence, magick, personal power, to banish evil. Esoteric: Unity in the universe, duration, magickal powers, action in the cosmos. Negative: Passivity, lack of will, being dominated, medium and mediumistic activity (being possessed by another). A ninth I know: when need befalls me to save my vessel afloat, I hush the wind on the stormy wave, and soothe all the sea to rest. (Hávamál, verse 153)
AR Exoteric: All that which is beautiful and Sun-like, change to good, virtues, honor, glory, rewarding work. Banishes darkness. Esoteric: Completion, light, Divine spirit, Sun. Negative: Ugly, sterility, corruption to evil, shame. A tenth I know: when at night the witches ride and sport in the air, such spells I weave that they wander home out of skins and wits bewildered. (Hávamál, verse 154)
SIG Exoteric: Victory, success, gain, triumph, achieved goal, school. Esoteric: Salvation by light, inspiration, soul, power of the sun. Negative: Destructive light, lightning, hopeless fight, defeat, failure, exploitation, blocked soul powers. An eleventh I know: if haply I lead my old comrades out to war, I sing it 'neath the shields, and they fare forth mightily safe into battle, safe out of battle, and safe return from the strife. (Hávamál, verse 155)
TYR Exoteric: Beginning, creation, excitation, power, success, wisdom, duties fulfilled, art/act of concealment and hiding. Esoteric: Re-birth into the light - life of the soul, the power to make situations turn completely around. The phoenix reborn. Negative: Perverted beginnings, tarnished beginnings, falsified knowledge, failures, dying. A twelfth I know: if I see in a tree a corpse from a halter hanging, such spells I write, and paint in runes, that the being descends and speaks. (Hávamál, verse 156)
BAR Exoteric: Becoming, birth, being protected, help in birth, son, bread, song, fountain, mountains, Birch tree (layers of safety). Esoteric: Meaning of life on this planet, in this world. Negative: Not-becoming, perverted birth, miscarriage, lost son, bitter bread, vulnerablility, outcast, vain wishes, death-bed. A thirteenth I know: if the new-born son of a warrior I sprinkle with water, that youth will not fail when he fares to war never slain shall he bow before sword. (Hávamál, verse 157)
LAF Exoteric: Life, experience, initiation, test, temptations by life circumstances, water, sea, good management, natures of things. Esoteric: Test of life, school of the lives, laws of nature, relations. Negative: Succumb to temptation, deception by mate, failure to learn from mistakes, downfall, emptiness, corpse. A fourteenth I know: if I must needs number the Powers to the people of men, I know all the nature of Aesir and of elves which none can know untaught. (Hávamál, verse 158)
MAN Exoteric: Man, increase, masculinity, health, plenty, magick. Esoteric: Spirit, truth, God-Man, male principle in cosmos. Negative: Demonic spirituality, left path, growth through improper practices, black magick. A fifteenth I know, which Folk-stirrer (Volkrast) sang, the dwarf, at the gates of Dawn; he sang strength to the Aesir, and skill to the elves, and wisdom to Odin who utters. (Hávamál, verse 159)
YR Exoteric: Woman, femininity, desire, sensual love, passion, perfection. Esoteric: Woman, mother, chaos from which creation emerges, female principle in cosmos, God-Woman. Negative: Perversion, unbounded passion, error, maya, failures as a result of wrong action. A sixteenth I know: when all sweetness and love I would win from some artful wench, her heart I turn, and the whole mind change of that fair-armed lady I love. (Hávamál, verse 160)
EH Exoteric: Marriage, wedding, partnership, permanent bond, binding decision, hope, duration, horse. Esoteric: Permanence and marriage as a law, unity of ego and YOU, sister-souls, soul love, God-Man-Woman. Negative: Mismatch, unlucky love, ego and you can not find each other due to karma, prevented from finding your partner. A seventeenth I know: [if the fair maid's love I have, and hold her to me; that song I sing] so that e'en the shy maiden is slow to shun my love. (Hávamál, verse 161)
GIBOR Exoteric: Fulfillment, giver, gift, sacred marriage, being ONE with the sister soul, protection against evil forces. Esoteric: God-all, death-life cycle, seeing of the Divine, Being the Divine, union of Creator and created, deepest cosmic mysteries. Negative: Vain desires for fulfillment, hopeless search for soul mates, god-less-ness. An eighteenth I know: which I ne'er shall tell to maiden or wife of man save alone to my sister, or haply to her who folds me fast in her arms; most safe are secrets known to but one – Thus comes the end of the songs. (Hávamál, verse 163)
*** Now the sayings of the High One are sounded in the Hall for the weal of mankind, for the woe of Jötuns, Hail, thou who hast spoken! Hail, thou that knowest! Hail, ye that have hearkened! Use, thou who hast learned! (Hávamál, verse 164)
Interpreting the Armanen Runes - Positive and Negative Readings: The modern method for casting the Armanen Runes allows for both positive and negative ("murk") interpretations of any rune depending on its position - this system was codified in writing by Karl Spiesberger, a disciple of List's rune school in the 1950s, though it was allegedly in use as early as List's time. Like it or not, EVERY rune-casting system which allows for positive and negative rune positions, even those used by "Elder Futhark-only purists", is ultimately based on the Armanen system and Spiesberger's method (which undoubtedly will shock said purists to the core, when they learn how little is actually known about ancient Norse rune casting methods, and what little does have a link to history was actually rediscovered by Armanen masters!) There is no direct forensic evidence that ancient Norse people interpreted runes as positive or negative based on their orientation, although "murk" runes or rune-staves are often spoken of in the Norse Sagas, particularly Egil's Saga, so the concept does have some theoretical basis in history. Some of the runes are symmetric and cannot be reversed or turned upside-down, and thus only are "negative" if they are cast sideways. Others are asymmetric and reversible, and are negative with reversed and when turned horizontally either left or right, but are positive when horizontal in the opposite direction. The reasons why some of the asymmetric runes are negative-left and others are negative-right are multiple and complex, and will be discussed in a later post.
Casting the Armanen Runes - why the diversity of positions? Now we come to the fundamental nuts-and-bolts of modern Armanen rune-casting. As mentioned before, the interpretation of the positions of these runes may vary depending on the rune in question. Those which are asymmetric and can be reversed also have a horizontal-negative and a horizontal-positive position, though which is a left (counterclockwise) rotation and which is a right (clockwise) rotation will differ depending on the individual rune. This is of course the so-called Spiesberger method, which is used by all modern Armanen rune masters (and apparently even others who use systems besides Armanen - we must remember, modern rune-casting techniques as a whole were all but invented by the Armanists in the early 20th century). Karl Spiesberger is credited with publishing the comprehensive positive and negative Armanen rune positions in his book Runenmagie ('Rune Magick'), published in 1955. However it is believed by many rune practitioners that these positions were already in use by Gorsleben and even Guido von List, far earlier in the 20th century. Since a few of the "merkstave" or negative-horizontal positions published by Spiesberger are not possible with a rune symbol carved on an opaque material like wood, I have had to adjust them from Spiesberger's diagrams, for use with traditional wood casting tiles (or stones). Nevertheless, the esoteric meaning and symbolism of the negative positions is unchanged. So look below:
You will notice that some of the runes are negative if you turn them 90 degrees left, but others are positive in that same orientation. And the same discrepancy or diversity of meaning happens when you look at how the runes are to be interpreted when turned 90 degrees right. For example, if you look at Fa and Os, they are negative when turned left. But to make Thorn negative, you have to turn it right!
Why is this? Looking at the structure and shape of the runes provides a critical clue. I found there is a pattern here. You will notice that the open "cup" runes that have two parallel branches (Fa, Ur, Os) are negative if rotated left. (Fa and Os are 180-degree reversals of each other, and hence each only have one positive and one negative position - rotate them right and they become the negative form of the other rune). However, enclosing "spike" runes which contain closed triangles (Thorn, Rit, Bar) and "fork" runes with triangle-corners or incomplete triangle-forms and no parallel branches (Ka, Ar, Tyr, Laf, Man, Yr) are negative when rotated right. (Ka and Ar are 180-degree reversals of each other, and hence each only have one positive and one negative position - rotate them left and they become the negative form of the other rune). And finally, "hedge" runes with radial or diagonal symmetry, which are "nonreversible" - i.e. they look no different if reversed (Hagal, Not, Is, Sig, Eh, Gibor) are always positive when vertical and always negative when horizontal, no matter which direction you rotate them. But why these patterns? Why this apparently strange system of the horizontal readings, differing based on the shape of the runes, on cups, forks, triangular spikes and symmetric hedges? To understand the reasons behind that, we have to look at the runes in a decidedly un-modern way. Although List, Spiesberger and other Armanen rune masters did have to invent a great deal of modern rune-reading practice (as no historical accounts of rune-casting among Germanic peoples - other than than the extremely vague story of Tacitus - survive today), they nevertheless tried to base as much of their method on ancient wisdom and old Norse understandings of the runes as possible. In fact, despite the depredations of organized Christianity against occult and native folk wisdom in the Nordic and Teutonic nations, a great deal of information on runic mysticism did survive in the form of Icelandic grimoires such as the Galdrabók, which cover the uses of many different galdrastafir, para-runic charms and talismans. Other documents such as the Huld Manuscript (which details the symbolic meanings of the various parts of the Vegvísir or 'runic compass') give further clues. While none of these manuscripts date back to the time of the pre-Viking Norse, it is universally agreed that they are copies and compilations of far older works - they draw on far older oral and possibly written traditions of rune-carving and casting handed down by the masters for centuries and even millennia. Some of the Viking sagas, such as Egil's Saga, appear to support the most primitive (and angular) parts of the Icelandic magick-stave tradition.
Based on the knowledge preserved in the Icelandic magickal texts, it becomes clear why some runes are negative when rotated left and others are positive. The runes (and this can be applied to other systems as well as Armanen) need to be understood, among other ways, as visual representations of catchers and deflectors of the primal energies - both positive/orderly and negative/chaotic - of the universe. (If you are unclear on the reasoning of why a rune is a catcher or a deflector, read the Hávamál verses associated with each of the 18 Armanen runes.) This is exactly the same way the Icelanders and their Norwegian ancestors saw runes and galdrstafir as devices for gathering, deflecting, converting or storing spiritual energy. Out of the various galdrastafir stave-modifiers, only the oldest two types (which avoid all curved lines) are primitive enough to be authentically runic in an Odinic sense, rather than later medieval interpolations:
Hence, the runes can also be understood in this way. The "cup" runes are receivers of energy for the practitioner, i.e. in simplified terms, Fa receives wealth, Ur receives health, Os receives esteem, status and social confidence. Traditionally in Indo-European culture and cosmology, the fortunate one receives with the right hand, the unfortunate with the left, hence when turned left these receiver-runes are negative. The enclosing "spike" runes and the "fork" runes are deflectors of energy for the practitioner. Thorn, Rit and Bar cancel out the energy of enemies, errors and calamities respectively, while Ka, Ar, Tyr, Laf, Man, and Yr essentially convert negative energies into positive ones and/or redirect them back at their
source in some way. Traditionally the warrior deflects attacks with the left hand (the shield hand) hence if turned right these deflectors or shield-runes are vulnerable or negative. The radial and diagonal symmetric "hedge-runes" (Hagal, Not, Is, Sig, Eh, Gibor) essentially are double-sided clusters of fork-branches. The fact that they are double-sided acts as a substitute for parallel branches, hence these runes can be though of as a combination of the tendencies of both "cup" and "fork" runes, and thus can be either receivers or deflectors of energy, as their Hávamál meanings indicate. These are the only "simultaneous dual-use" runes. Thus, in positive position, Not both attracts cooperation with karma and deflects one's futile discord and resistance to it, as Sig attracts victory and banishes weakness simultaneously. When upright (even if turned upside-down 180 degrees, they remain upright due to their symmetry) the hedge-runes are receivers and refiners of positive energy (as plants receive light and water and perform photosynthesis) - and they also deflect the negative like sharp thorny hedges. But when horizontal (either tilted left or right, again it makes no difference, due to symmetry) they are impotent to catch positive energy or deflect the negative with their shape, and may actually lose or repel good energies and attract bad ones - much as a bush or hedge stunted sideways must fight the wind or fall uprooted, gets less sunlight, is more vulnerable to diseases and parasites, and loses flowers and thus forfeits reproductive potential as a result - no matter if it leans left or right. The symbolism of Hagal, as the Hag-all, the All-Hedge, the all-symmetric defensive hedgerune and Mother Rune, is particularly telling in this regard. Like the boughs of an overarching hedge, if it is knocked down either left or right, there is no protection from hail or fire. Also you may notice that there are only three purely "peaceful" runes in the entire sequence. Such is also true of the "Elder" and "Younger" futharks. By contrast there are three times as many "warrior" runes (the deflectors) and twice as many "protection" runes (the symmetrical hedge types). That should make the message loud and clear - runes and Northern paths are not for cowards or weaklings. I am sure this would send a chill up the spine of so many hippie-like "new-age" and "wiccatru" folks who casually use "rune stones" for divination without really knowing their deeper meanings. So for those of you who want to delve beyond the "what" of the historical reasons for the Spiesberger method being as "odd" as it is, and into the "why" of it all, hopefully this goes a long way towards answering your questions.
Galdr: Just How Was it Done? The practice of Galdr, or sacred singing, was essentially the core of rune-magick in ancient times. Without exception, to be skilled in the Runes, one had to be a master of Galdr. It is generally considered that Galdr was a "masculine" art, whereas Seidhr was "feminine" although these were not defined as gender roles per se and there was plenty of overlap with Seidhr-men and Galdr-women. Galdr can most easily be described as chanting or singing a rune, its associated sounds and concepts, and even the associated lore (i.e. rune-poems). Since only the runepoems of the Hávamál are true esoteric descriptors of the Runic powers (the later Norwegian, Icelandic, and Anglo-Saxon poems being mainly secondhand mnemonic devices), it is the verses of the Hávamál that should be used if one is going to attempt Galdr with any of the rune-poems in the first place. The words of Odin himself are a far more direct route to the esoteric mysteries of Runelore than any of the watereddown colloquial rune-poems copied down by monks in the post-Conversion era. As a result, although this is certainly not the only way to do Galdr, one may want to do it using the appropriate Hávamál verse for each of the 18 Armanen runes, as delineated by Guido von List. The complete set is HERE, with corresponding Hávamál verses and meanings. Traditionally it would be sung in either the original Old Norse, or a German translation as List was citing in The Secret of the Runes. However, in simplified form, Galdr is simply the essence of the very sounds and vibrations of the runes, and does not necessarily require recitation of any poems at all - and thus can be formulated for any and all of the 4 runic systems. Galdr is typically done when carving runes, though it can also be employed for meditative purposes and to strengthen the will and tap into the primal Runic energies. When chanting the Galdr, it is advisable to be in a secluded place, meditate on the rune selected, and envision the rune and its associated properties. An even better action would be to mentally anchor the state of feeling the rune and its raw elemental energy, as one chants it out loud in various forms, and then be able to habitually activate that mental anchor with the visualizing and reciting of that rune. Later on as the student grows more skillful, more advanced Galdr can be learned, including for carving bind-runes and spells of power. There are of course Galdr-curses as well, which should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, as Egil's advice about not carving runes without knowing their full effects is very pertinent here.
What follows below is a modified form of the standard Galdr formulas for the Armanen Futharkh. You can also use the first 16 of these for the Younger Futhark runes (or course) and even expand on them for the "Elder" and Anglo-Saxon systems following similar intonation patterns. This is a framework, not the be-all and-all of Galdr. In fact the subject is actually far too deep and extensive for one post, there are many types and uses of Galdr, and I will have to elaborate later on more complete Galdr practices, but here are the basic formulas:
Fa fffffffff fa fa fe fi fo fu ffffffa ffffffe ffffffi ffffffo ffffffu Faaaaaa feeeeee fiiiiii foooooo fuuuuuu fa far fiu feo fehu feu
Ur uuuuuuuuuuu ur uuuuurrrrr ur uruz urus uros uras
Thorn tttttttttttt ta te ti to tu dddddddddddd dha de di do dhu thor thorr thorn thurs thuris thurisaz thyth Tat
Os ooooooooo Os Aus Ouss Oss Aass os ol odh As ask ast ans ansuz asa asha
Rit rrrrrrrrr Ra re ri ro ru Rad reid rit rod raidho ruoth rita rota orta arta
Ka kkkkkkk ka ke ki ko ku kien kun kaun kona kuna kena
Hagal ha ha ha ha ha he hi ho hu Hag-All All-Hag (All-Hedge) hag haal halga heil haug
Not nnnnnnnnn na ne ni no nu not nit nyd naut norn nurnen [aepandi nam]
Is iiiiiiiii iiiiiisssssss iiiisssssiiiissss is iis isa ich
Ar Aar aaaaaaaaa a e, a i, a o, a u e a, i a, o a, u a ar jar re jera asa erja arya
Sig Siiiig sssssssssss sa se si so su asss esss isss osss usss sal sel sil sol sul sowilu sigil si-gi-il sal und sig
Tyr ttttttttt ta te ti to tu tiu tau tat tet tit tot tut tar tur tor tri tre ter-zer Tyr Ti Tiu Tu Tyr-Tyr Ti-ur Ti-ur Ti-ur Tiuvar Sig-Tyr Sig-ta Sig-te Sig-ta Sig-to Sig-tu (Sing quietly and hum)
Bar bbbbbbbbb ba be bi bo bu bar bar bor bir birk biörk björk bjarkan beork berche brikal berkane
Laf lllllllll la le li lo lu al el il ol ul Laf; L-a-f lagu laguz laukr lögr lagor laas log lög laug
Man mmmmmmmmm Ma me mi mo mu ammm emmm immm ommm ummm mam m m m (..... mem, mim, mom, mum) man mon men Ma mad madhr mathr Manna mannaz Lam Mimir Mamre OM
Yr yyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yr yr irr eir yb W-ybe Eibe Eihu
Eh eeeeeeeee ehe eh ehe ehu eoh eys ehwaz
Gibor ga ge gi go gu ag eg ig og ug gibor gibor gibur; gefa gifa gefu; gea geo gebo gigur geuua Gibu Auja Gibur Arahari
