Bind Rune Thoughts

Bind Runes can look very intimidating. Many of the ones we see floating around - younger and older examples - seem intricate and unlike something a "regular person" could make. It seems to some like a thing that you would have to hire someone to do for you.

Bind Runes, like many things, though, can be simple. *I* think they should be, and mine generally are. Here's how I do it.

The first step is a question, and that question is, "Why?" Not just with Bind Runes, but anything - Why is it you are doing the thing? What do you hope will be the outcome? You need to know what the job is in order to choose the right tools.

In this case, I am hoping for protection for the Ukrainians in their land.

The second step is the choosing of the runes. *I* like to have an "anchor rune" - the object of the working. In this case, I chose Othala; signifying home, homeland, belonging. The next rune is Algiz, for protection. Why Algiz? I take it to mean sedge grass, which is sharp, and offers protection by being something that, if grabbed, will cut you (worse than a paper cut, trust me), but which, if you know your way around, you can take shelter in. The third rune is Tiwaz, for justice and for victory.

The Binding. There are several ways to do this, some prefer the Staves method, which results in what looks like a wand of runes, while some prefer methods wherein the runes radiate out from a center, or... *I* like to layer them.

Above, we see the components - 1)Othala, 2)Algiz, 3)Tiwaz.

Below, we see these same three figures joined (sort of - though the Black of Tiwaz and Green of Algiz would all overlay each other and the Orange of Othala.

As I am drawing or carving the Runes, I galder (intone) the rune names and intention. Example: Othala, Ukraine, Othala. Algiz, Protection, Algiz. Tiwaz, Just Victory, Tiwaz.

If I have carved it on a candle, I hold it, galder some more, and then set it to light. (Tip! If you are using anything other than a tea light candle, carve your intentions close to the top, to ensure burning through.) If you have written it on paper, you can light it on fire, or tear it to small pieces and throw it to the winds at a crossroads. (Be aware of local littering laws, as well as just being a good steward.)

As with any of the entries on how to do things, this is how *I* do things. This might be too simple or too complex for your style of magic. That's okay! I am just offering ideas. Please feel free to alter or - - well, just please feel free!