by
Rick
With every person with whom we form a relationship, we exchange small bits of ourselves, soul-shards, if you will. This is as reflexive as breathing; it just happens. Generally, these pieces are very small, and of relatively negligible importance, especially in casual relationships. We tend, however, to give much larger pieces to very close relationships, such as lovers, parents, children, best friends. Sooner or later, most of us will reach a sort of ‘critical mass’ point, where we’ve given away more than has been returned (exchanges are rarely exactly equal). …

OK, it’s time to discuss rune casting. There’s really no wrong way to cast runes, and many right ways. The Roman historian Tacitus tells us that the ‘slips of wood cut from a fruit-bearing tree’ were cast like lots upon a white linen cloth (although no specific mention of runes is made, it is generally accepted that runes are of which he speaks). In different books, you’ll find as many different layouts for runes as you’ll find for tarot. Are these traditional? In some cases, probably not; in other cases, absolutely not. Does this invalidate these methods? For the most part, I’d say no. In my experience, where problems in interpretation might occur using, say, a Celtic cross layout is in trying to ‘pigeonhole’ each rune to fit a certain perspective.