[Update: We're now beta testing the new social network for rune study! WANTED: Volunteers ... click here!]
Have you been as frustrated as me in finding an online community exclusively for studying the runes? What is the solution?
Most people I talk to — and I include myself among them — seem dissatisfied with the old forum-style community. Now that we have powerhouses like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, social interaction on the web has been redefined. Forums become obscure places lorded over by passive aggressive admins and small cliques of users who dominate any discussion to the point where the discussion doesn’t happen often because it descends into arguments.
But I don’t think that’s the main reason there’s no ‘major’ (ie. central) rune community online. We’re a diverse bunch of misfits, clearly dissatisfied with the mainstream and rightly distrustful of anything that looks mainstream. I can’t help but giggle the odd time I get feedback that suggests that Rune Secrets is somehow mainstream (as if I were secretly Justin Beiber?)
Some of these forums and cliques are thinly veiled online focal points for dogmatic cults, which of course I’ll have nothing to do with. I am a solitary and anonymous practitioner, period. That Rune Secrets has become so popular is a freak occurrence. Readership decided that — I never bothered with advertising, search engine optimization, link exchange or any of that nonsense. I’m interested in one thing only: deep understanding of the runes.
The runes saved me from the brink of oblivion, reorganized my mind, and revealed such touching wisdom… but demanded I repay the favor by sharing what I’d learned. It was only after I gained a deep understanding of the runes that I developed a strong sense of responsibility toward the global community.
But there is no functioning and healthy community, no social network, for people who share this interest in the runes themselves, directly. The symbols. The meanings. The uses. That’s all… no cryptic utterings, no mysterious play-acting, no exclusive ‘club’ and no one claiming they have some private monopoly on rune wisdom.
I demand clarity, order and honesty, and so should you.
So what do we do?
I dislike Facebook — the system is geared toward turning users into advertising revenue, not toward actual community. Their design philosophy is abhorent and their privacy policy so unethical that I felt I had to delete the rune secrets fan group in order to protect my readers.
But there is a framework I could use once I have generated some revenue from booksales (it costs a couple hundred dollars per year on top of other expenses I already pay to run this site). We could set up our own social network, and begin an ambitious project: the first collectively written study of rune meaning.
The internet allows us to collaborate in a way that dozens and perhaps hundreds of people could purposefully come together and hash out a brilliant work of genius that one person could not possibly hope to write themselves. Then we could release this work under a creative commons license (free to use, distribute, modify, build upon — but never sell for profit), format and self-publish it as a hardcover/paperback and offer it at cost for collectors or at nothing as a pdf or on a website dedicated to it.
We’d need to come up with a contemporary, forward looking, rune system, based soundly in psychology and philosophy, that would profoundly inspire anyone who was exposed to it, regardless of prior beliefs. With a properly discussed methodology and a carefully programmed social network (personal blogs integrated with activity feed, twitter/facebook/youtube integration, the works — I’m thinking NING.com at the moment) and a core group of dedicated people we could easily generate an open, crowd-sourced manuscript of some size.
I’ve made major inroads with “The Book of Rune Secrets”, which is almost ready to hit the press. I’m confident that the work will speak for itself. If it is worthy, I know it will reach the people who need it — after all, this website has. But after focusing and channeling, I have come face to face with my own limitations. In order to exceed them, a community will be necessary, and a community that works, not just some obscure forum.
I just wanted to talk that over with everyone, and try to generate some feedback. I can build this, and make it work with your help. But I need discussion!
What are your thoughts on the online rune communities you’ve encountered? Are you a part of any? Would you share their URL in the comments? Any experiences, positive or negative?
What kind of things do you wish a community could DO or BE, on the net? What would help you the most? What features would you like to see? What kind of people would you hope to find there — like minded, or very diverse?
My thanks for considering this,
Tyriel
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55 Responses to A Social Network Exclusively For Rune Study?
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Hi Tyriel
I would be very glad to participate in such an effort. The architecture of such a social network, though, seems to me very challenging. The decisions that are to be made in the beginning would be very critical.
For example, a good way for a community to compose a study for the runes would be to follow an article-oriented discussion like in Runesecrets site plus a concatenation/post-correction procedure like in Wikipedia. The problem here is that study over runes consists of global and personal aspects. How would they be diversed? Or should they be combined in the same text?
I am used to think that when dealing with the runes I never think of “right” and “wrong”. Could a social network work in the same way? Shouldn’t some rules apply?
Moreover, in my personal aspect of magic, the runes “dominate” but I can think in terms of Tarot and Zodiac Signs as well. Would this site be restricted on the runes study only, or would it be about magic overall?
Just some thoughts to set off.
Vanr, thank you, I can always depend on you.
This is the platform I’d like to use, called NING.
It costs about $199 a year, but that should come easy from sales of the book and I don’t mind covering that cost to continue to support you guys in your studies. I’m sure there’s a free alternative though, and I’ll look into it.
In this model, each member would have a blog. All activity on the site would go through an ‘recent activity’ filter. There could be one or multiple forums (I’d probably lump everything in one forum). Comment system, private messaging, twitter/facebook integration, and the ability to easily share youtube videos (so we could get some vlogs going too, I know some of my audience already does that).
I am resistant to the ‘like in Wikipedia’ idea because there’s already something that does that: It’s Wikipedia. We can discuss how to get more involved in Wikipedia on the side, but I’m disinterested in the wiki format currently — a community substructure has to exist for a wiki to evolve from pain-in-the-ass to useful. So we’ll build the community and see about a wiki at a later date.
Some rules will apply. The community will have a purpose other than just socialization. We are generating discussion and developing ideas, in order to produce the equivalent of a VERY large tome or anthology on rune wisdom. Could you imagine an 8-book collection made up of hundreds of enlightened contributors all about rune philosophy and psychology, exploring both history and proposing a ‘future’ rune system, even going so far as to developing something closely related to contemporary scientific research? I can. I can imagine much more, too, but that gives you a taste at least of the possible.
The site would be focused around rune study, but not restricted to. That is, if you want to talk about other things, it is in the context of the runes. I often refer to taoism or zen, even buddhism and yoga — I’ve studied those things. But I’m a rune fellow when it comes down to it, and this is a rune “dominated” site. However, I think a fair amount of the community would be fluent in Tarot and Zodiac that metaphors drawn from it could work. I know little about Tarot and Zodiac though. Should be cool though.
Magic overall? I talk about what magic may be in a book, briefly. I’d like to talk about magic overall — but to me, good science and working magic are virtually indistinguishable. Whatever works and gets people to go deeper.
The one ultimate rule for the community will be that of an undying loyalty to CLARITY. I can’t stand convoluted, elitist and specialist language. If the aim is to COMMUNIcate with a COMMUNIty, I wish people would make themselves understood. Poetry and prose are one thing but there’s real magic in clarity. Wouldn’t that be a great ‘ultimate rule’ for a community centered around magic? So many new age books, even science, I say: “WTF is this guy on about?”
I’m ruthless with myself in catching that, maybe we can make it one of the Prime Directives :D
This is the kind of site that is needed,for people of like mind.The runes are after all about the fifth century AD ,so i would think a lot older than Tarot.If the runes are to be studied on here then that is all that should be studied.thank you for this New site
Hi Tyriel (and Vanr)
On one hand I understand, what you are trying to express in your article and on the other hand I have my doubts. I will try to explain this.
My (very primitive) work with the runes has shown me, that they (the runes) both represent a system of old wisdom and offers challenges and advise from a more or less unknown source AND in the same time represents a long time forgotten coherent system for keeping a society, a tribe or another group of people together mentally, socially and spiritually.
I think I fully understand your longing for a kind of network to connect the wisdom and magic part of the runes. What I feel from you is the connection between kindred spirits who find the runes meaningful and exciting to explore. Mayby in an intellectual way?
What I long for – and would like to contribute building – is a rune society, who includes not only the “intellectual” part (writing and charing) of the use of runes, but also what I will call “the individual path along the rune way”. When one uses the runes and communicate with them (and the driving force behind them – the rune wisdom), in my childish “rune wisdom” I seek much more than the intellectual meaning. I want to absorbe as much of the behind-above-beneath-laying layers. I want to let the “rune-language” go deeper and penetrate more of my daily life. And to feel confident in this process I need someone to turn to, to show my work and express my thoughts to. And this will not be satisfied by twitter-like sentences on a social network – what I need (but do not know if others need the same) is a true virtual “home” for rune thinking. A “home” that might og might not develop material for others to download but a virtual home, which gives me a “base” and a support while I develop my own path WITH the runes and my “rune-tribe”.
This says a lot about my longing but not so much about how to do the work. But I am excited to hear more from you all about the project.
Dan
I think an intellectual, contemplative approach is great. It leads to ideas that lead to new action and creation and discovery in our lives.
But I also want to move things into a realm they’ve never been ‘allowed’ to officially go, and that is to declare that the runes are IN FACT a living language, old in origin but that 21st century society has decided to pick up the symbols and start using them again to talk about important things.
Your talk about ‘the individual path along the rune way’ strikes a chord. I see them that way as well, and hopefully that will come across enough in the book. In the book I will detail a form of alchemy that the individual can use to very deeply explore him or herself, privately, and peer profoundly into the depths of his or her being. I think you will like it very much, it is very akin to what you’re describing, Dan.
And the structure of the community will allow you to wrestle out a more custom and personalized niche for yourself, while also allowing others to benefit from your insight. It won’t be like a simple forum. Check out my above response to Vanr for more details on the platform I’m looking at to ‘build’ the R.S. community on top of.
So I have been doing some looking around and decided to pursue Ning alternatives. Ning got a new CEO a while back and suddenly forced users using their free service to either pay or leave. Got an email saying the place had a bad vibe.
On the other hand, Drupal is open-source, and since I’m no stranger to code and design, I should be able to use this platform. The open-source, free model is much more in line with my own principles, and it will be safer than trusting a company that is willing to fuck its customers over on a whim so that they can fund their ultra competitive data mining op.
I’ll keep you all updated.
Check this out: Drupal Overview … I’ve been using wordpress for Rune Secrets since 2008. I’ve become increasingly aware (as part of my always on-going design/programming education) that wordpress, that is the traditional ‘blog format’ is already a dinosaur.
I’d like a site that shape shifts in accordance to the needs of a growing, collaborative community. I’d like to gut Facebook, Twitter, WordPress and Youtube, smash them together, sew them up with Drupal, in a minimal and custom tailored, scalable way, then hand it back to the Rune Secrets community to play in. Might require a bit of learning, sure, but it’s the future and I’ve always been on board before!
Hi, I like your way of thinking and I wish I had access to a really good Rune website/community in the past. I do not always have the time, energy or inclination to visit sites or contribute but I certainly have an interest and I am always willing to learn about the Runes as they are of great interest to me and have been for some years now. I would also consider my knowledge and understanding of the Runes to be “primitive” as I really do not believe that they are a source of instant knowledge or understanding and require many years of practice and/or learning, understanding, etc. They are wonderful and I would also like to be able to fully integrate them as the very basis and soul of my life, just as I also wish for this with crystals, etc. I do not know however if this will be possible in my life time. I can only hope and pray for this to occur.
Still, I would be willing to be part of your community Tyriel and I applaud your willingness and desire to attempt this.
All the best and the greatest of luck!
Thank you, Kristen! I’ve long shared the desire to incorporate them deeper into the very basis and soul of my life. I shouldn’t think it’ll take a life time though. And it won’t take prayers, just your continued support — I have a lot of free time right now and I’m in excellent health, so stuff is getting done over the next few months as I work exclusively on this exciting project. :D
I think you can keep this a Rune centered site and allow all other traditions to flow through the runes them selves. The elder Futhark can be understood as 24 Principe. Defining them through there lore and mythic prospectives should allow them the ability to be fully expressed.
Example. Jera = completion of a cycle, a season, or a year.Representing the dymanic rotation and changes of the cycles.
The form being two Kenawz = energy. Facing each other polarized creating dynamic spin.
This rune reveals everything from fractal recursion to the fourfold division of the medicine wheel. In other words each rune is a tome in its self starting with its basic geometry of structure and extrapolating out into the thermal dynamics worlds of Fire and Ice to the practical applications of daily life to the depths of Jungian psychology.
As to form the wiki idea might work in part if you limited it to the number of runes like the 24 Elders in two interlocking icosahedron. Thus every link would cross reference other runes within the 24 volumes.
However there should also be a comment section with comment to comment o that dialog can emerge among members.
Drupal has a module for ‘Book’ pages, which are like wikis in a way. It also has various user permissions, so I can select individuals (like you) who are trusted to maintain the integrity of the project. :D
The Runes as a historical truth might lead to the same kind of fundamentalism religions run into the tendency of hate groups to lock into rune sites looking to exploit them will happen here to. So some form of standers of conduct will need to be established.
The site should reflect a set of ethics that reflects free speech yet dampens down hate speech.
I have zero-tolerance for hate speech and am quite secular in my approach to the history of the runes. As this project will not be a democracy, but a meritocracy, with myself as the administrator, any attempts by other groups to derail my project will be met with merciless banning.
I’m from Canada, as well, where hate-speech is not a part of our free-speech laws. Shouldn’t be a problem Darren :)
But yeah, a kind of constitution or standards of conduct for the site will be explicit! Good call.
The group could use Google docs as a collaboration tool.
Drupal has a similar design methodology and the wiki/google docs open aspect should be doable, along with many other things.
Google docs was, I found, difficult to use (it may have improved, just wasn’t impressed). Dropbox plus bookonastick, (wiki) a nice combination for collaboration.
What kind of features should exist on a collaborated document? We could start there. What kind of problems end up happening with that?
I’ll check out Dropbox/bookonastick.
The Drupal platform has a ‘Book’ core module that behaves like a hybrid googledoc/wiki. It also allows people to have their own blogs, a forum, activity stream, comments on nodes, etc. So we can do anything, at this point :D
I use Google docs all the time and now they can sync to Word and open office so it make no difference what software you use on your pc.
only people who are approved by the author can collaborate. And is someone becomes a puts they can be removed leaving Google security to manage blocking. A nice feature when dealing with schmucks.
What kind of features should exist on a collaborated document?
Problems might arise out of culture, language, mythological bias, historical bias, historical uses of runes and modern power struggles who employ runic iconography.
“Words” A glossary of terms may need to be thought of as some ideas may have multiple interpretation.
Just to chime in and say I am very excited by this – I would love to participate in such a project. As for the primary kind of content on our new social network, I don’t think we have to worry; the more I study the runes the clearer it becomes to me that, collectively, they are a philosophical means of defining “everything.”
The 24 runes, between them, allow for the abstract expression of any concept. There are 24 vertebrae in the human spine – 24 is six fours, and we know that a part of ancient European culture’s astronomy involved “splitting the sky into quarters” – There are the four cardinal directions, then of course up and down – split these six poles into mathematically equal quarters and you have a perfect sphere.
There’s always the chance of course that I am reading too much into things, but what I’m trying to demonstrate is that it doesn’t really matter if the material draws on Taoism, Astrology, etc etc. The runes as a sacred language has the facility to understand and incorporate these concepts, and, indeed, any concepts, because, well, they ARE those concepts.
So as for the content I don’t think you should worry too much. People will inevitably come to their own understandings, and these things, Tarot, Astrology, etc, are just frameworks, languages, methods of translating abstract and untranslatable concepts in a means which we can begin to understand. The runes are no different in this, but I find they are more encompassing, complete, exciting and engaging. They are not limited to the sky, or even what is ordinarily understood. They are also ancient, and it speaks to my vanity I suppose that I am enjoying the same mysteries that once perplexed my distant ancestors.
So, again, very much looking forward to your book, and excited to hear about what comes of this project so I can get involved as soon as possible. Thank you again for all the work you have done on Rune Secrets, I assure you it does not go unappreciated.
Hah – I meant this only to be a quick comment. I’m late for lunch.
Best regards! :)
Yes, I agree, James — I am not too worried about content. What concerns me now is the particular site infrastructure that will serve best. Drupal looks so promising though, because of the flexibility it allows me in creating the network’s architecture.
Glad to have you on board! :D
(A note – when I said the runes are ancient, I mean they are ancient, but timeless! Like a song from the 60s, or a fine wine, things as good as this only get better with age. Slainté! :D)
Drupal’s looking like a real chore — I’d rather be writing about the runes than fiddling with some content management system unnecessarily. Hmm….
Set up a pay-pal for the site, let us help you.
I appear to have solved the problem with BuddyPress, and may be able to integrate the social network right into the current rune secrets site, though it’ll require a template change. That’s not much extra work and it costs me nothing but time. My book is off with an editor at the moment so I might as well do it myself ;)
But thank you for the suggestion, I’ll consider it if some obstacle comes up with finances.
Thinking about user profiles Why not skip managing that by allowing people to link in preexisting profiles from the Google or Yahoo or what ever. This would allow then the freedom to share more of them selves through there own interests with out building yet another profile just for this sit. it would also cut down on bandwidth and site management.
So for example under my site photo it would say (Loclynn’s profile) but the link would open a new tab to what ever profile I chose to link to. Same with things like (my pick, my music, my none-runic writings) and so on.
So a place to share about me, would allow for grater sharing without re-inventing the wheel. Video Vloging as embeds from Youtube will likely draw new viewers to the site. And again saving your servers extra Mb’s.
We’ll definitely outsource videos to youtube. Youtube is the biggest search engine next to google, people don’t realize that but it’s true, so you’re definitely spot on about it being better.
I really appreciate the feedback everyone, and today Darren especially.
@Darren Lynn: Registration will already be needed for use of the forums, sharing, activity streams, etc. Because of the general need for user accounts anyway, at least for participating community members, profiles may flow naturally — especially if I can give users their own blogs hosted as part of runesecrets.com! I will make sure to build in options that, at very least, allow people to link how they wish to their other profiles, whether google, facebook, twitter, other blogs, IM, email, etc.
I’ll try to integrate facebook/twitter and the youtube embeds should be no problem. We’ll see what I can do and what becomes necessary. Kind of a bootstrap op. Buddypress looks really promising as I’m already familiar with the WordPress CMS and I’ve already integrated it right into the site. Just have to worry about the theme!
I’m a minimalist though, so we’ll just take it step by step and identify the needs we have to meet as we go. Stay tuned.
Thanks I don’t mind at all and have already started promoting you. moving on, I have been a member of Gather.com for about 6 years now and have always liked its basic lay out. It started as a writers site but then changed in the pursuit of add $$.
Looking at it now we might use it and other networks as templates of sorts. Things I like….
1.Reply to post and reply to comment. This is essential for clear dialogging..
2.Tagging and searchable tag libraries. (often when digging into a subject its nice to be able to click a tag and find all related)
3. shareable link libraries for sharing research referencing. With reliability ratings. (we all get are info from many sources compiling and rating the sources will both make this site the go to reference source for credible info and act as an incentive for sourced sites to improve their ratings.)
3. privet folders for ongoing work with option to share to scrap library. For fragmented ideas or unresolved thought experiments. (one of the mystical perks of working with runes is there ability to free associate. Often these may make no real sense or the ideas they reveal are jut beyond our reach in the moment, but these fragments may open new worlds to others. our facilitate chat on complexities.)
As to the runes them selves, it makes little sense to have 100 different writings on a single rune. The internet already has that. Better to have a structure. With many linked blogs to deeper ideals along a continuum. so that there is a feeling of uniformity. Example: you might start mythology of ice and fire to clarify the two basic structures in the runes. that is the Isa and the Kenaz.fallowing the structural iconography of the rune and extrapolating out from there. maybe here at this point would be links to blog meditation to help with the process of embedding the rune image in the mind. Next might be a myth or Edda that gives insight into the meaning of the rune. here again we might link to blogs related to the story or thoughts on the Edda in question. This would help embed the complexities of runic thinking in the reader. Next we might write the basic common understanding of the rune. perhaps here we might link to discussion groups on the rune in question. This would reveal to the reader the idea that we are never at the end of growing. At this point we can get into the realm of practical application.
This is a lot to think about. I’m going to get working on a minimal framework soon — just waiting for v1.3 of PlatformPro to come out so I can use it with BuddyPress and bbForum.
If I can locate a shareable link library with user ratings, in the form of a buddypress plugin, that would be perfect. There’s gotta be one out there, it’s a matter of sifting through them I wager.
About structure: it evolves if the system is shaped right, despite an initial appearance of chaos. This is something I learned from twitter and some more distributed projects.
One advantage will be the Book of Rune Secrets and the Rune Alchemy Course (a new newsletter). My writing will hopefully act as a focal point that works alongside the structure of the site, or at least push things in the direction I believe things need to go.
Indeed, I agree with your take on structure… but clarity is needed before complexity is introduced, and the realm of practical application is a priority, not an eventuality. I perceive these two needs as what distinguishes successful sites from stagnant ones.
I’ll keep adding ideas as they come. I know not everything fits :) but the more ideas you get the more likely the site is to reach your goal of out flanking Facebook at-alt
I hope others will add more.
You might look over http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/ to see a (mostly) functioning community, with various levels of newbies, established users, and a subscription-only service for those who go for that level of commitment. (I do not.) There have been issues — one really rogue user had to be banned a few months back — and there is often some jostling among personalities. Overall, an interesting model for what might be done with Runes.
I’ll take a closer look, of course, G. On first impression, I can do better on the visual presentation side. I’ll have to look closer at the actual infrastructure. Looks like a forum so far?
I agree that visually Clarity pretty uninspired, and not easy to navigate until you get used to it…. but it is an ongoing community, friendly and helpful to newcomers, and with spaces for experienced users to take up their issues.
Looking back on sad experience with tendentious individuals on other sites, how might these issues be addressed in a post-forum site?
I Ching/Taoism is a philosophical system and lifestyle choice. Can the same argument be made of Runemal? And if so, how might this be encouraged?
I guess this page felt right about introducing myself to the website. I’ve never been a part of any online Rune community, because, as you said Tyriel, they’re to disguise dogma, and like you, I’ll have none of it.I’ve always done my own research into things, especially looking at things from my point of view, has gotten me farther than those I know who are a part of a group. But I like your idea, and I guess the only thing I have to say is that not only be honest and open, but also be selective of who comes to your website/blog and reads the information you put up. I feel the attraction of the runes only time again, I guess, when I strongly need their help. Maybe it’s because they’re so simplistic, but have a zillion ways a person can look at them, and derive meanings and support from them. Maybe because they’re geometric, sort of. Your information here (I’ve already read some of it) is brilliant, to say at the least, and I shall look here for direction now and again. Thanks a lot for putting them up :)
Thanks for piping up, Selek. I’m not particularly concerned with being selective. People select themselves, I needn’t interfere … if I present information as transparently as I can, visitors chose for themselves. Thank you for the praise, but may I retort by quipping “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” ;)
Yeah, I haven’t, lol. Oh, and about your link to Wardruna – Wardruna is a really, really cool act put together really well and thoughtfully. How’d you find ‘em? And another thing – where do I actually start browsing this site? >.<;
Which site, Wardruna, or Rune Secrets?
I found Wardruna when they released their album. I’ve been dying for their second album to come out, so much so that I decided I would beat them to the punch. I plan to finish songs for all 24 runes before they do, but that’s my next project for Rune Secrets, after the Book is released and the Community up and running.
Ah well, then it looks like I have a competitor :P. I want to write a poem for each rune before they finish all of theirs. And I meant this website, sorry for not being more specific >.<;
I’m really excited about this project! I’ve been teaching myself runes from books for years, and haven’t found many resources online for study. The thought of joining an exclusive group like the Gild was always too daunting for me, I just want to study. I’m just now cracking the info on YouTube, but other than that and a scant number of thoughtful blogs (like this one), the info out there is just so.. fluffy. Personally, I’d love to see study groups and/or mentoring as so much of my progress so far has been solitary. I feel like, after 15 years, I’m still at the stepping-off point of my rune journey, and it feels better (for me) to journey in a group.
I also study tarot, and I’m active on a few tarot sites online that may or may not be similar to what you have in mind. First I joined the Tarot Guild, which is a Ning site I believe, and aside from having horrible graphics, the layout of the pages and the groups and everything leaves a lot to be desired. Too confusing to navigate. Not a fan. I also joined tarot-town.com, which is a lot easier to use. I don’t know if it was original setup or the platform they use, but it just makes more sense to me. I can log in to see blogs by everyone, join study groups, trade readings, and even chat with others that are online. Not perfect, mind you, but much better. Hope this helps…
It does help, Kim and thank you for commenting! It’s exciting to me to hear from people who have been, unknown to me, using my ‘notes’ that I happened to ‘toss up’ online a couple years ago to advance their own understanding of the runes. But I’m finally ready to make some bigger promises. The Book will be a real treasure, and I’m confident enough in my programming skills to set up a community tailored to the needs of solitary practitioners, like yourself, and people who really aren’t interested in fluff, dogma, etc. or anyone, really, from any walk of life, who wants to know and use the runes. I was reading some Ralph Blum today, and realized that the key to the success of his stuff is its accessibility, and his humble, transparent attitude. I may not agree with the rune interpretations, but the spirit he brings to his work is very profound. Blum is, contrary to his critics, a wise man… and I’m sympathetic to anyone who started there! Anyway, hope to see you around!
Blum! Have to admit, I started there too… I think a lot of people did. It didn’t take long for me to make the determination that (even though I had no idea what I was doing) I disagreed with a lot of his descriptions, however what you say about bringing things to an accessible level is so true. For that I am grateful to him.
Hey – I study Tarot as well. Maybe we can collaborate? :)
I’ve been studying the runes for many years, have read many books and have been developing a powerful relationship with them.
I’ve had many revelations thanks to the runes, and have been teaching the runes to many over the years. People know to approach me in times where they have questions, about the runes or life.
I would be honored to be a part of this community, if I may.
Sounds good Don. Subscribe to the mailing list (which is really just an RSS delivered by mail at the moment) if you haven’t already and I’ll let everyone know when the sign-in is up and running. Working on making the login app right now so you can log in with Facebook, Twitter, OpenID etc.
I was trying to integrate and code something into the site. I’ve decided that going with a professional, paid service like NING is the right option after all. It will cost me $200 a year, consider it my gift to the community. :)
I will post a separate announcement when it’s ready. Make sure to Subscribe to the Blog’s Mailing List to keep up to date! Cheers!
a pro site is best hopefully scalable. If we all kick in with content and what ever else is needed this site will rock.
I’m excited, and for the comments about whether it will include references to tarot, and perhaps magic in general, I am thinking that it would (at least in my life). Tarot has never been my thing, but magic, spirituality etc have played an important part in where I am now in my walk/path/journey etc. As for me, you couldn’t separate my runic study from that part of me.
I think as people naturally talk about where they started, and where they have come from/where they are and insites they have, out own personal gnosis will show through soon enough. I would be very surprised if the runes played a part, as if in a vacuum. Since I don’t believe in coincidences any longer, I would think that all of these things that sort of lead the way to the runes added a base of knowledge that can be drawn from. Backgrounds and culture, experiences etc all colour how we see the world, and how we will hear the runes speak. :) In their dynamic voice though, I am also certain that there are commonalities. I am excited to hear how understanding and wisdom made itself manifest to different people.
I would absolutely looove a social network for Rune Study! and would most certainly be an active participant.
Like other commenters I find myself excited by the prospects offered here.
I’m not comfortable with tarot, crystals and such but have always been attracted and drawn to the runes as a key to something deep inside.
I’ve tried several times to ‘learn’ them using the traditional methods but found the systems dry and unworkable. I would be delighted to be part of an active community of this type!
I look forward to becoming a useful member of the group.
Many thanks for taking the time and making the effort to do this for us. :-)
To everyone still following this comments, I posted a WANTED: Volunteers article, and a message to the Newsletter. Check it out!
Question? Do runes have a mine of there own and if yes can they communicate with you, I am interested in finding out?
Many people might tell you yes. They can indeed seem to, sometimes. Myself, I treat them as a mirror into my unconscious — which is almost the same as saying they have a mind of their own. Not quite though. They reflect the hidden parts of our own mind, so that with patience and practice we might see ourselves indirectly.
You’ll find a different answer from different practitioners though. Hope mine helps!
I’d just like to offer up Ravelry as an example of a topic-specific social network (for knitting and crochet fans). People can share patterns (think runes), or just post about what they did with those patterns (rune stories?) organize into groups, have discussions about techniques, sell or trade yarn from their “stash”, etc. I think it’s nicely organized, and people seem genuinely engaged and mutually helpful. It’s also much nicer to look at and use than most online forums that I’ve seen. Check it out for ideas!
hey guys
found this site earlier, amazing
i have my own runic alchemical process in the works, a stage by stage guide and am currently revising it. i am here to learn and would greatly share any of my work.
regards
That would be great to hear about Robbie. Why not jump over and sign up to runesecrets.NET and join the community. We’d love to hear what you’ve been cooking up!