The Blank Rune

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Subject: The Blank Rune Sat Apr 01 2006, 05:00

I'm on a posting spree hehe here we go:

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The use of the Blank Rune in a rune set is the subject of much debate. It is said, and I am willing to agree, that ancient rune masters did not use the Blank Rune. I'm not certain that our Teutonic forebears would have recognized a blank stone or wooden disc as a rune, because runes by definition are symbols or glyphs of some kind.

Runes are thought of as mysterious, as secrets, and the Blank Rune is the biggest secret of all-the secret of Fate. It stands apart from the rest of the runes, even as it has become a part of the divination system. It represents the X in the human condition.
The Blank Rune is also called Wyrd (pronounced "weird"), which is the collective name given to the Norns, the three goddesses or fates of Teutonic mythology. Their individual names are Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld; they represent the three aspects of time-past, present, and future. The Norns rule over the karma that each person has accrued during his or her incarnation.

Wyrd indicates fate-those events that are fated or inevitable. They cannot be evaded, no matter what you do. Those events indicated in the reading may be good or bad, and the other runes in the cast will determine the nature of the event.

Wyrd also indicates fatefulness. When it falls in a prominent position, it indicates that if a particular step or choice is taken, life will never be the same again. Again, this could be good or bad. The rune or runes in the result position will often guide the caster as to what move he or she should make.

Finally, the Blank Rune in a reading can indicate anything that must be kept secret for the good of the caster. It can signify things relating to others that the caster has no business knowing. Wyrd is often prominent in rune casts where the caster is asking for information that is none of his business

Here’s another look at the of the existence of the "blank rune", "Odin Rune" or "Wyrd Rune". There is no historical evidence that runemasters of old ever used a blank rune. It's self-evident because a rune is a symbol, not the token that carries it. Have you ever seen a blank symbol? Of course not, that's an oxymoron.

In runic writing, a space, a single dot (.) or two dots [:] may break the symbols or words. Sometimes no break was used and the rune symbols all run together. Runic writing can run from left to right, or from right to left; some times even from top to bottom or the opposite. It makes interpretation of runic writing difficult, especially since runic symbols and the languages changed over the years. Even the futharks changed over time. This is why ancient runic inscriptions are often often obscure or may be interpreted several ways. What follows is a "nid rune", a harsh magical script curse, that demonstrates the breaks.

Regardless of the language used, or the futhark used, or the style of writing used, no one ever used a "blank" rune.

We can thank Ralph Blum and his commercially popular but historically inaccurate Book of Runes for the introduction of the "blank rune" in the 1980's. While Blum's books are the most readily available rune books found in bookstores, use of his flawed interpretations reveal the user as a novice and lacking in knowledge of true runelore. If you've bought one of his books or another of similar ilk, keep the runeset (and save the blank one in case you lose another) but toss the book in the trash and get one of the books I've recommended instead.

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Sources for this paper once again is my rune book and knowledge - this is a debated topic but if you want a little background from a site use this: http://www.runeschool.org/topics/rs_t_blank.htm

Mind you the site only gives SOME idea of the Blank Rune - it's collected information.

Subject: Re: The Blank Rune Sat Apr 01 2006, 05:35

You're a little scary sometimes lily - another 50 points.

» The Blank Rune
» The Blank Rune: 10 questions
» Discussion: The Blank Rune – does it really exist?
» New Rune
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