The Hávamál is one of the poems of the Poetic Edda. It sets out a set of guidelines for wise
living and survival. The Hávamál
consists of a number of poems, which shift in tone and tenor and narrative
position. Numerous English translations
exist of the text. Stanza 144
Original -
Veiztu hvé rÃsta skal?
Veiztu hvé ráða skal?
Veiztu hvé fá skal?
Veiztu hvé freista skal?
Veiztu hvé biðja skal?
Veiztu hvé blóta skal?
Veiztu hvé senda skal?
Veiztu hvé sóa skal?
Veiztu hvé rÃsta skal?
Veiztu hvé ráða skal?
Veiztu hvé fá skal?
Veiztu hvé freista skal?
Veiztu hvé biðja skal?
Veiztu hvé blóta skal?
Veiztu hvé senda skal?
Veiztu hvé sóa skal?
Translation -
Do you know how to carve them?
Do you know how to read them?
Do you know how to blood them?
Do you know how to test them?
Do you know how to invoke them?
Do you know how to blót?
Do you know how to cast them?
Do you know how to prepare the ritual slaughter?
-Hávamál: Stanza 144
Do you know how to carve them?
Do you know how to read them?
Do you know how to blood them?
Do you know how to test them?
Do you know how to invoke them?
Do you know how to blót?
Do you know how to cast them?
Do you know how to prepare the ritual slaughter?
-Hávamál: Stanza 144
This
stanza is where much of our ritual knowledge of the runes use comes from. Some
of the rituals here are still known, others have had to be recreated for modern
worshipers.
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3 - Many translations will say “Do you know how to stain them?”. The phrase is
thought to refer to the practice of ritually staining the runes with blood. Generally
your own, or that of a ritual sacrifice made at a blot. The tradition
of 'blooding' the runes is an ancient tradition that differentiated runic
inscriptions from runes used for divination.
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5 - In this line we see a reference to ritual invocation. However the
ancients might have accomplished this ritual, the knowledge has been lost. The
modern tradition, however, is fairly well known and widely practiced. Many
believe that one can invoke the runes through a ritual chant. Slowly
droning the names of each rune, each name in spoken for the length of one
breath.
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6 - The ritual of the blót is still alive and well! The blot
was a Norse Pagan sacrifice to the Norse Gods and the
spirits of the land. The sacrifice now often takes the form of
a sacramental meal or feast.
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7 - The knowledge of “casting” the runes was actually preserved by the Roman,
Tacitus. While studying the Germanic peoples he wrote about the practice,
saying:
“They attach the highest importance to the taking of auspices
and casting lots. Their usual procedure with the lot is simple. They cut off a
branch from a nut-bearing tree and slice it into strips these they mark with
different signs and throw them at random onto a white cloth. Then the state’s
priest, if it is an official consultation, or the father of the family, in a
private one, offers prayer to the gods and looking up towards heaven picks up
three strips, one at a time, and, according to which sign they have previously
been marked with, makes his interpretation. If the lots forbid an undertaking,
there is no deliberation that day about the matter in question. If they allow
it, further confirmation is required by taking auspices.”
This was written around 100
CE and is one of the only known accounts of ancient runic divination.
While
verses like 144 might not contain the beautiful philosophical advice of the Havamal that
so many of us love, it’s verses like these that help to preserve our history.
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