The focus of this discussion will ultimately be placed on Icelandic practices, due to the fact Iceland is the last standing Nordic culture to continue any workings from the old ways. Thus far in my research anyway. Much like speech, magic is utilized with a spiritual sense of interpretation that follows a slightly consistent set of guidelines. The lack of documentation when dealing with Norse practices can be attributed two factors, one being the violent take over by Christianity. As the old ways of the Vikings adopted this new culture, much of their practices were left to memory. And in other places, such as Iceland, people fled to seek refuge from this cultural takeover. Even still, Christianity found its way to their homes and either punished or killed all those who practiced the old ways. For this reason, it had to be done in secret. In the streets, the towns people were fellow Christians, but at home they practiced what their forefathers had taught them. To this day, Iceland seems to retain more of its Pagan roots than their mainland ancestors. There are some books that argumentatively still hold true the traditional runic meanings and practices. The Galdrastafir & The Galdrabók are two prime examples of Icelandic runic magic that have survived most of the Christian influence. Though in some of the workings it is very overwhelmingly present. When utilizing anything for a spiritual purpose there are distinctive key elements to them, and runes are no different. There are 4 characteristics to keep in mind: Form, the shape of the rune; Phoneme, the sound; Number of which it appears in the Futhark sequence; and the Esoteric meaning, that is, the inner meaning. There are many ways to practice magic, just like religion, when dealing with runes knowing the meaning of the material you’re working with is just as important as knowing how to use it. The magic user can cast runes like tarot cards for divination, make staves, and bind runes. The way to use all these is too extensive to write in a single article. I suggest looking through several different books on the subject to help you figure out which form fits your purposes the best. As a reference, Ragnarok’s Valkyr rune is a stave, much like the AEgishjálmur (Helm of Awe), Vegvisir (Sign Post). The use of Staves or bind runes have essentially the same goal in mind, but with a slightly different execution and tools available to do so. A bind rune differs in its form more than anything. By taking a few runes to channel your purposes and combing them into a single rune. When it’s complete it should look like a single long straight rune with many “branches” on it.
As previously stated, the Valkyr rune is a stave. The way a stave is perceived, is the magic user is at the center of a stave, "wheel/snowflake" design, and the energy is radiating outwards. In the case of the Valkyr rune, it was designed with the purpose of ultimate protection; To shield the user from external forces and never yield, to bring all matters to and end, to use great power and affix the results by imposing the users will on the universe.
This is a solid look at Icelandic runic traditions and how these symbols have endured within Icelandic culture over the centuries. It’s encouraging to see well-researched content that respects the historical and spiritual depth of these practices. Iceland holds a unique place in preserving old traditions, especially in the face of outside influences over time. This post does a good job of blending historical insight with genuine appreciation for Icelandic magical practices. Thanks for sharing!