READING THE WORLD THROUGH RUNES

A review of Imelda Almqvist's Portals, Patterns and Pathways.

Many people look askance when I step into the field of Northern Studies, but I am not unacquainted in this area, having been fortunate to have two wonderful colleagues who opened this way. In terms of Seidh and trance work, I look to my trance-sister, Diana Paxson, whose work in this field is very deep indeed, while my studies of the runes have been led by the work of Nigel Pennick, my dear colleague in the British mysteries, whose writing and teaching are so wise. Now I can add another teacher to stabilise and expand my studies in Imelda Almqvist, whose new book, Portals, Patterns and Pathways, explores the world of the runes.

First of all, I have to state that this is not a book which looks deeply at runic divination, although the rune-reader will find very helpful, authentic sources within. The author has taken a much broader brief to envision a world in which runes are the mythic interpreters to the universe. For those who are interested in deepening their skill and wisdom of the runes, then Imelda’s in-person teachings are a wiser way.

Imelda explores the deep mystery of the runes, looking primarily at the Elder Futhark,. She pursues them through the mythology where they strongly resonate together, and into the roots of language with writing, where the initiation of inscribing what you say and mean meets with much deeper wisdom. She introduces us to the runes of the Milky Way, and into aspects of the soul and medicine.

Imelda approaches the runes as living presences whose wisdom speaks to the soul. This makes me feel very secure, I have to say, as so many superficial books often go straight to divination with runes without much consideration of what lies behind them. When we learn something for the first time, the nature of our induction really matters because we live in a time where little indigenous wisdom is received with any respect: it is all ‘out-there’, available and ready to grab, like a quick sandwich eaten on the hoof. Going slower helps us to assimilate, as does mindful repetition to acquaint ourselves with the mysteries.

How runes speak when they combine is something that makes this book unique: Imelda takes us straight into the deep mythology that arises when runes come together. She also explores runes in a healing context and how the stars and constellations may be seen through the runes, including the great myth that is revealed from a study of the Milky Way - so important to all northern peoples as a wider path for our understanding. Here the microcosm meets the macrocosm of runes.

I loved the book, which will join with the other volumes on Runic lore on my shelf, but I was frustrated with the lack of an index (a problem which besets almost all Moon Books), and by the un-alphabetic bibliography, neither of whose authors or titles were in order. The book could have possibly used a short glossary which would be a helpful thing for the new reader. But these are my only niggles.

Portals, Patterns and Pathways is written with humour, real practical knowledge, and good sense, and is in no way a New Age presentation: as the author says, the living presences of the runes have their own wisdom, some of which is pleasant for us to acknowledge, as well as difficult for us to hear or understand. After all, runes are part of ørlog, the law of necessity, and that sits differently with individual wyrd. We each follow our own path, but how we track our path will open one door for one person, but a very different door for someone else. This is all part of the integrity of the Northern tradition which some have found forbidding, but for those who like their wisdom ungarnished with cosmic get-out-of-jail free cards, it is part of human resourcefulness and heroism.

This book opens the way to the runic universe as way-markers to life where its practical mysteries come into our hands as guides and living presences. It provides deep insights that could only come from a teacher who has spent her life deeply engaged with the runic lore.

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To find more details of Imelda’s teachings, books and courses, please look here, bearing in mind that, like myself, she has had to reschedule and consider her teaching due to various factors. I hope that some on-line classes on the runes might be among her plans when things settle down a little! https://www.shaman-healer-painter.co.uk/info2.cfm?info_id=240047

See Imelda speaking about the runes and her book here in this interview:

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A SMALL FAVOUR

It’s the annual Carta Awards for which you can vote below. In the Oracle category is The Magic Lantern Sibilla by myself and Anastasia Kashian - please vote for this oracle, which is the first complete Vera Sibilla learning book and deck in the English language.

It has taken me 8 years to write it, so that no-one had to struggle with an Italian dictionary again, and the new cards - which are faithful to the content and meaning of the original decks was painted by hand over one whole year by Anastacia.

This 52 card oracle gives us chatterbox cards that often cheekily pull the question out of your head and answer your unspoken question.

There are just three categories to vote for this year’s Carta Awards, and you have until mid July to register a vote: the Magic Lantern Sibilla is in the ORACLE category. Please vote here:

https://tabi.org.uk/carta-awards_/