A more complicated but beautiful way to inscribe runes is by using a "bind rune". This means adding two or more runes on top of each other to create a unique symbol that can fuse and intensify magical energies. It's also a great way to keep them secret but in plain sight, and to someone unfamiliar it will just look like a pretty sketch. When using a bind rune symbols can be placed in any direction (backwards, forwards, upside down, etc) Don't worry about keeping them in "straight-up" position, and feel free to repeat a rune more than once. Have fun and get creative!
Normally, when people talk about runes, they think of casting the runes in order to get a view into the potential future. The image of the Volva (seeress) sitting in a dark cave with a fire, throwing down the runes, and telling a young adventurer whether his next quest will be profitable (or even survivable), carries with us, even into today.
However, when the Vikings were at their height, the use of runes in magic didn't reach just to the concept of divination. In fact, there are very few references to "runic divination" in historical literature.
Runic magic, does extend into the concept of "active" magic, where one just didn't try to see into the future, but attempting to have an impact on it. A common practice was to combine a series of runes into a pattern that asked upon the gods for a given result. This result could be a blessing, or it could even be a curse.
While we don't focus on this practice today, it's actually still very common.
Here we're going to talk a little bit about "Active" magic in the Northern European Traditions, a little bit about ethics of practice, and then we'll finally get to bind runes, the process of creating them, and how to effectively use them.
On the Nature of Magic in the Northern European Traditions
Magic in many pagan practices (and Northern European traditions are no different) often times is expressed as focusing our will to have an impact on the events that will transpire in the future. We desire a given result, and hope (or expect) that through a given series of actions, these events will happen. Many times there is very little detail with respect to why these practices work, we just believe they do.
One could write an entire book on various magical beliefs, and where the "power to change things" comes from. But I'll leave that to someone else. In fact, I'm not going to talk significantly about the technical details of where the power of Northern European magic comes from because honestly, I don't think anyone is absolutely sure.
However, what we can say is this:
Northern European philosophy rests highly on the concept of self-reliance.
The gods don't bless us because we're needy, they bless us because we've shown them that we're productive,
and are striving to make life better on our own.
Only with our own hard work will the blessing of the gods come.
In short, "The Northern European gods help those who help themselves."
This means that in order for any magical practice to work, we must not only ask them for their help, we must also strive to change the future ourselves.
It's through own will, and our actions, that we begin the magical process, as our will to change things "starts" the gods of the North take notice, and give their blessings if they deem it appropriate.
Bind Runes can be a critical piece to this process. They serve as a visual cue to ourselves of our intent, and the process through which we create them, and display them is a sign to the gods that we're striving for a given set of events, and are asking for their assistance.
So, when creating a bind rune, it's always important to remember that the creation of the bind rune is not the end, it's the beginning. The bind rune is the beginning of a magical (and perhaps mundane) process that may last weeks, months, years, or even decades.
