Update: Rune Cloth

Well, I have been working on my rune cloth a lot lately, and it's really looking great! I have most of the outlining done for the symbolic representations of the different sections of the cloth that are connected to the worlds of Norse mythology, the worlds supported on different levels of the world tree, Yggdrasil. I am pretty sure I've totally butchered the spelling there, but if you're familiar with the worlds I'm talking about, you get the idea.

At any rate, the symbolic divisions of the space make for a really detailed rune cast! I am excited to test it out soon. The thing is, I intend to work on this thing for years, making it into a masterpiece of magical and artistic creativity. What could be better than that for connecting with the great mystery, the spirits, the gods, whatever you want to call it, that divine entity outside of yourself that can see the nature of all things. That connection is definitely fueled by the mind, so by connecting my logic (my thoughts/question that I hold in my mind while casting) and my creativity through the cloth and the runes, I can devote my whole mind, my whole spirit to the connection.

I am ready to at least test the cloth out soon though, as the basic ideas behind the divisions of the space are represented well now both in my mind and on the cloth. It helps that I made it myself, since I have a really good understanding of the meaning of each because I had to think of something I can sew that represents that section, and then after thinking of it, I had to actually sew it. Due to the time invested, it's pretty much cemented the meaning of each for me.

I will edit this post to add pics once I get a chance, I mostly write in my blog at work so I don't have the cloth handy to take a picture!

The rune cast I do will probably first just be a general cast to get acquainted, and it's fun to see what the runes tell you when you don't focus on a specific topic, especially when you are able to delve into such detail due to the many things that will be taken into account in the cast. Obviously, the section where a rune lands will be connected, the orientation of the rune, and it's relationship with the other runes! Yep, it's a lot to interpret, but I think the more I do it the better I will be at it. I suspect I may still use the simpler casts from time to time, but this type of rune casting will be preferable since hopefully this cloth will increase my precision and therefore increase my understanding of the messages I receive. I'm excited, this should be great, I'll post about my cast after.

Stormy Day!

Last night it was so windy here! The wind was extremely powerful, and it was making so much noise at my house I had a hard time sleeping this morning! Also I wasn't that sleepy, but I was really windy. It also happens to be my fiance's birthday today.

He has dreams from time to time which come true, so I was hoping that with all the energy from the storm he would have some interesting dreams maybe, but when I asked him this morning he sleepily replied in the negative. I really did feel the energy from the storm myself while I was getting ready and also somewhat last night, though last night I felt more calmness than this morning. This morning it was like everything around me was affected by that wind. It was swirling and gusting and whistling everywhere!

Generally I can sense the mood of the storm, like whether it is a destructive storm or a life giving storm. This one was clearly destructive, but I am unsure of whether there was really a strong mood of that, to me it was mostly just a chaotic mood, not so much destruction but instead just a feeling of whirling power. I felt excited and happy about it actually.

Which reminds me, I haven't mentioned in my blog about some new events that are important. This last Friday I met with the 2 other witches whom I know and we talked some and I did some rune casting as well. It was neat because one of my witch friends asked a questions which complements the one that I asked of the runes recently, albiet from her perspective not mine, so of course it was not the same question, but rather about the same topic, which is whether to keep being solitary now that we have the option to join together.

I had reservations about it, so I asked the runes, and she has different ones of course, so it was just neat that we are both thinking of that. Nothing has really been set in stone at all, it's more that we are all slowly getting to know each other's preferences and sort of feeling it out. It was really cool to talk about it and show them both my book and runes and everything which I have been studying, making, and learning. I hope it works out, it would be very cool if it did.

Speaking of things I am making, I have been continuing to work on my rune cloth, it is coming along pretty well. I am unsure of how much detail I want in the cross stitching, and so I am simply doing outlines for now and leaving the decoration for after the main parts are in so I can get a feel for how much of an undertaking that would be.

I will take some pictures and make a post about it this week.

Anyway back to the maybe I'm going to form a coven thing. Well, I guess it might be a good call to set something up. I should look at my schedule and find a good night for that type of thing, or maybe we can each take turns having it at our houses and each person sets the day and time. There are only 3 of us so it wouldn't be like we would need to have a "leader" or priestess or anything, but we should really have like, plans for what we want to accomplish. I think what I will do is make a list of things I want to learn from them/learn as a group, and goals for my witch life as far as what I want to accomplish. It would be a good starting off point for us as a group to each make something like that and then we can come together, compare, and make plans for helping each other reach our goals.

I am also thinking that I will do some reviews of different books I have read about being a witch. Honestly I have a hard time calling myself "Wiccan" because I feel like it's not really what I am. Partly because I tend to just read things and take what I want only from it and I'm not really following in anyone else's footsteps, so I didn't feel like I'm a follower of Wicca, more of just someone who identifies most closely with that group. But I do feel comfortable calling myself a witch. At least when I am talking about it anyway.

I am not open about it actually, except with my fiance and my two witch friends. My family and most of my friends have no idea. One of my witch friends, she asked about how I would handle it if someone asks me what religion I am or something like that, and I told her I don't know, because really no one asks that. Plus, I was raised Methodist, so it's not like I can really say that I'm against all religion, I think it's great for some people, it's just not what is right for me. I just can't beleive in it, and so it becomes nothing but something that I felt like I should beleive in, not something that I actually did.

Once I let that go, I have been so much more free and happy, and also more creative and I am starting to see things. But I haven't really shared my secret with anyone, people who knew me before just assume I'm a Christian and I have never really refuted it to them. I don't want people to become concerned with it so I just let it be. I know who I am, and that's all that matters. This post is getting long and off topic so I'm going to let it be as well, for now!

To be continued!

Creating a Rune Cloth

In my earlier post I wrote about my first rune cast which I completed last night. I am currently in the planning stages of creating a rune cloth for rune casting. The cloth I am planning will have two sides, one with an embroidered mural of sorts with divisions between the different worlds in norse legend. I found this layout to be interesting because there are so many different interpretations possible, and I thought it would be pretty!

Here is a rough layout of that side of the cloth:

This is not what colors I will be using, and instead of naming the worlds I plan to make cross stitch illustrations of them. Like I said I am in the planning stages so I am still working on that part. It's going to be awesome though!

The other side will be three circles that intersect, representing the three norns for that type of rune cast. I figure either side can be used for other casting as well, but they will both have specific purposes to the designs on them. For that one I think I am going to use a couple different fabrics and also add some embroidery to it.

I am excited to see how it turns out once I have it finished! I will be sure to post pics.