In August 2019, I wrote for the Czech reader about my experience of working with the Nordic magic manual in a situation where people knew of me as a practitioner of Khemetic magic (heka), but not so much as a practitioner of runes and rune magic. I have described a bit of my journey and also the contribution of this book to my personal journey. I am now translating this post into English.
I had always associated runes only with paganism, and although I was somehow attracted to them, I could not find my way to them. My beginnings were 8 years ago when I discovered with Guido von List that they are perfectly intertwined with the material plane and can be used for many things. But Guido was only an introduction for me, not a systematic learning of rune magic, which was what I was interested in a priori. By magic I always imagined a functional system independent of the Pantheon, because entities, whatever they may be, are always a bonus and a benefit, not magic itself. And so, simply I unpracticed the Armanen futhark, especially the first few runs solved a lot of things and left them alone.
At the time, I had no idea that Guido was kind of the start of it.
In short, for a few years, nothing of substance happened regarding the runes (the reader will recognize the famous line from the sagas) and then in 2015, I ran into a member of the Rune Guild. Through this, I learned about the Nine Doors to Midgard system, which guides the adept of runic magic from start to finish. This is a book by Edred Thorsson: The Nine Doors of Midgard, the revised edition of which was published by The Rune-Gild in 2016, and is available through Amazon or Book Depository (it does not exist today but some people have some problems buying books via Amazon) to pretty much anyone interested in learning how to work with runes properly.
The content of the book is based on a set program to learn how to work with runes, there is no danger of the adept learning superfluous information about Gilda, let alone the book being directed as an advertisement to recruit membership. The book assumes that the reader will not be interested in the Rune Guild a priori.
Once I read the introduction, where Thorsson describes his approach to learning to work with runes, my doubts disappeared. One can be inspired by him and make order in any magical direction or endeavor. What is essential, according to Thorsson, is not only knowledge but also practice. Of course, the reader cannot do without a knowledge of English. Also, the book assumes that the reader will become familiar with the Eddas and Sagas as well as other literature. Fortunately, a lot of the Sagas and Eddas are translated into Czech, and one can find some history as well. Other books by Thorsson are also slowly coming out in Czech.
A few thoughts:
You don't need to be a member of the Rune Guild to use the book, it is for anyone interested in runes. On the contrary, the Guild assumes that the prospective member has been practicing exclusively on their own for some time.
It does not matter whether the adept is a practicing pagan, is engaged in any other magic, or approaches magic only psychologically or through energies.
It is possible to start with this system and have no experience with runes, or magic, or even have not read the sagas, it will all gradually come into play.
It is not a book that the reader reads from start to finish, but a system set up over several years of working to get through every door (or at least as many doors as possible). Personally, regardless of previous experience with magic, I recommend starting from the beginning, getting used to the new terminology, and approach, and not proving your own genius, it doesn't take much to rune. For the first few years, you are expected to work every day (at least for most of the year). At first, it drags, then it drags, but surviving the dragging door is worth it, many things get automated.
Studying is an essential part of working with a book. Frankly, those who take the plunge must expect to gradually acquire other recommended literature. These are the Eddas and Sagas, which can be found in English, and then there is literature in English on the history of the runes, on runes, on runic magic, on the practice of magic in Iceland, on runic positions, on runic mythology... If the adept can endure this, a natural interest will arise in literature other than that recommended. In time, one becomes aware of one's own roots, and history changes one's relationship to one's ancestors, of which one becomes more aware. There is no bookishness like bookishness. At the same time, pursuing other magic is more challenging because, especially in the beginning, there is a lot of new stuff. Then again, it threatens to want to go more in-depth, it absorbs quiet. There is recommended literature for each door, so it can be mastered gradually.
Rune practice is also a daily routine. It starts slowly, one works first with the first 12 runes, then the next door with the next 12 runes. The adept keeps a diary where he makes an analysis, approaches the Odian worldview, learns to breathe with the runes, visualize the runes, meditate with the runes, and gets used to the runic positions. With each door, training in practical skills with runes is added.
Why I find this practice for useful:
The curriculum of the runework is not a short run. It takes perseverance and not giving up. Sure, there are circumstances that force us to stop practicing, but then it's better to do at least a little than nothing. Working with the runes gradually aligns one's energies. Everything unimportant is broken down gradually and smoothly, which is beneficial for focusing on important things.
The natural consequence is to cut down on interests and devote oneself to fewer things. Suddenly possibilities open up in life that one had no idea of before. Personally, I consider this a wonderful gift, because this practice does not lead to a fickle search for oneself, but to a gradual building up in other planes of life than just runic magic.
Interesting experiences in different planes of consciousness gain stability.
The opportunity to make amends for essential things that were not well managed or have become corrupted before.
Creativity and the possibility of self-realization with the runes.
Straightening of handicaps may seem painful at first, but it will gradually settle down.
Opening the door to mystery and mysticism, which not only makes sense of life but has meaning for life.
Also not insignificant is the fact that if one finds oneself in the runes and Norse mythology, one can experience any practice very well.
Conclusion
I return to this review after four years, when I have already practiced the whole book. If the Strarosever runes appeal to the reader, this book is more than a good choice. Because the things presented here are unpracticable.
Like any beginning, it is not easy. Holding the line that almost every day something will be practiced should be normal for any magic, magic becomes part of life. This is the biggest snag at the beginning. Eventually, somewhere near the third or fourth door, you may well want to give up. Such feelings are normal, and it's also normal to question whether there's any point to it all. Nobody's going to give you a diploma saying you've done something.
In the program, you can do a lot of studying, or academics, and you can study different things, and you can also do practical things. It really pays not to skip out and practice everything.
In this magical program, count on studying as well, it's the way of Odhinna, and without studying, and educating yourself, you can't do it any other way.
If you practice, your life will begin to change. Sometimes there will be a breakthrough, and it's hard to say which door, this will be very individual, because the training straightens out the handicaps, and suddenly it all makes sense. And there will be a time when you will begin to fulfill your dreams because events will come your way.
Each door contains a minimum number of days provided you practice all the exercises at once each day, which can be as little as 2 hours of work. I approached this by dividing these things up and doing something each day. There were days when I did everything, other days only part of it. This whole thing took me 8 years. But it is true, since I became a member of the Rune Guild, some days I have devoted myself exclusively to the duties of that. Of course, I did other magic, but I did something for the runes every day, and honestly, it feels very natural to me.
If you're thinking, gee, I don't speak English and it sounds appealing... a lot of people learned English because of magic. It's more challenging, step by step, but that's part of the Odinian way.
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