Most books on the runes are either written
from a linguistic point of view looking at the runes as little more than an
alphabet, or they approach the use of the runes from the religious and mystical
side, concentrating on the symbology. The texts by R. I. Page fall in the first
category, while the texts by Edred Thorsson and Ralph Blum fall into the second.
I would like to thank and acknowledge all three of these authors for the work they
have done in keeping the knowledge of the runes alive.
The cosmology of a person is the way that
person thinks about the cosmos, its relations and its interactions with the
individual. This is just a bit more all encompassing than the world view
concept in literature and psychology since it also includes the religion
and the internal aspects of the person's psyche.
This book is about the runes and how they
can fit into the cosmologies of people today. To do this it is necessary
to examine the cosmologies of the cultures that used the runes in the past.
In this endeavor we will cover aspects of linguistics, psychology, anthropology,
theology, and physics, covering a broader scope than most other books on
the runes. The end result desired is to show you how the runes can be the
symbols in a language you can use in working with your subconscious, fitting
them into your cosmology you use in dealing with the events in your life.
The runes are more like a computer language
than a language spoken by people. The runes are the symbols or syntax of the
language, but the structure that forms the rules of how the symbols are to be
used is provided by your cosmology and your subconscious. In other words, the
rules are completely subjective and change slightly for each individual.
To help with your understanding of the
symbology in each rune Silver Crow has created a mandala for each rune for
those more visually oriented. She also deserves thanks for the wonderful
work she did on the other illustrations showing the Eddic universe and runic
symbology.
Finally, as pointed out later, the Germanic
tribes believed the fates work behind the scenes of reality to bring the pattern
into being. Thus, Kapitan Schaus and I were drawn together to work on bringing
back DER WIKINGER, and the runic ring of a Viking chieftain. As I worked on the
draft of this book he supplied me with a cast of the ring, with the plans for DER
WIKINGER, and with other information from his trips back to Germany and Northern
Europe. For his assistance I must thank him and the fates which set us working together.
