Rune Spirits Prayer Beads
If you click on the image at left, it will open a larger version of itself so you can see more details of the individual beads.
I made this set for the rune spirits of the Elder Futhark. I put more advance planning into this one, but it still turned out somewhat differently from the way I had planned. It’s a more formal, traditional set, with round gemstone beads (instead of the odd mix of shapes that make up my first set). Originally I had in mind that there would be three colors—red, black, and white—for the three Aetts, with eight beads in each color to represent the individual runes. Because of the choices available at the bead store, instead I ended up with red (carnelian), dark green (green agonite), and white with red inclusions (red quartz). I separated these with black glass spacers and, as a final inspiration, set the Aetts apart with bone skulls—as a reminder of Odin’s ordeal on the Tree and the fact that all wisdom comes from the dead. I am very pleased with this set, although I forgot to include the pendant (a sterling silver Ansuz rune) I had originally planned to use with it. I don’t have formal prayers to use with this set either, but I often go over the beads while galdring or otherwise working with the runes, and I wear them during rituals involving the runes and the rune spirits.
© 2008
wodandis@gmail.com