The power of embodying Tarot & Rune

When I was taught the runes a core part of the teaching was making the shape of the runes in a meditative and focused practice, referred to as the ‘stances’. This isn’t something done once, but as a regular practice. And over time it has influenced my understanding of, and relationship with, the runes.

I was taught the younger futhark runes, and they all have a central axis, the axis mundi, the divine channel between earth and sky. When we make the shape of a rune our spine, and legs (or in some cases leg) becomes the axis mundi. We step into the rune.

Runes are more than lines on a piece of paper, and they can mean more than any memorised meanings. Creating the shape of the rune in a reflective way allows us to experience their lines, energies, movement and shape. Our axis mundi becomes the axis mundi of the rune, for that moment we are the rune.

Perhaps you get meaning through the feel of your body, through the energy (or megin) that flows. Perhaps you are accessing meaning through the archetype, the collective unconscious, or ancestral memories. What you are doing is taking the rune off the paper, getting out of your head, and at the very least creating a muscle memory of how the rune feels to you.

I loved my runic training in Orkney. Based on Stav it was focused on martial arts training to deepen the understanding of the runes, shamanic journeying, siedr, and included large amounts of alcohol. Along the way I met my partner, moved into his off-grid croft, and in time became pregnant. Now I had a problem- suddenly weapons training, alcohol and seidr just didn’t sit well. I had months to fill - little money and lots of time. I needed a project.

In the back of a cupboard, I found my copy of the R.W.S Tarot, and Rachel Pollocks book, ’78 degrees of wisdom’. This felt like a project I could lean into. I was still in full ‘rune mode’ so it made perfect sense to embody the cards, stepping into the people in the cards as a way of forging a personal understanding.

Now obviously not every card has a person, and there are some- like the Tower or Hanged man where you can imagine the embodiment, but not actually ‘step into’ the card.

I started with the suit of wands, carefully reconstructing the 2 of wands by looking out of the window- and over my shoulder at the door- whilst holding a plant pot in my right hand. In only a few moments I felt tense, stressed, and pretty exhausted. There is strain held in the body in this card, perfectly matching the feeling of hope and anxiety this card of opportunities can hold. Compare this to the calm confidence in the 3 of wands (where I just stood watching the view from my window, no stress or tension) and the difference between the two cards becomes very clear.

Obvioulsy this technique really helps with the court cards.  The king of wands seems distracted, bored even- and quite literally about to edge of his chair. Whilst the king of pentacles, with his foot resting on the boars head, seems posed for a picture-totally proud of his role. The Queen of wands has a masculine style of sitting, her inner confidence shining through her posture, the page of swords looks more like he should be playing base ball than wielding a sword!

Body language is a huge part of communication, so reading the body language of the cards only seems sensible. But it also, like with the runes, allows you to step out of your head and experience the cards in a different way.

With the Tower I imagined jumping from a high place, taking the time to meditate climbing high stairs, then consciously connecting with how I felt in the meditation as I stepped off the top. I felt my stomach drop- a feeling I still get at times when I look at the Tower, a scary powerful feeling I’m sure we have all had at terrible times in our lives.

There are a handful of cards where the body posture directly relates to a rune.

The 2 of swords is hagl from the younger futhark runes, connected with Heimdall. Heimdall sacrificed his ear (as Odin did his eye) to gain enhanced hearing. And in the 2 of swords the blindfold would heighten the sense of hearing in the person sitting. I imagine the water would sound very loud.

The magician makes the shape of the nud rune (as does, to a degree, Justice & The Devil). The nud rune is linked with the three Norns, and the lines (or rules) of the universe itself. The magician knows how to use these to manifest succesfully.

It is so easy with the runes and tarot to store memorised information, and reading becomes a memory test rather than a chance to integrate and understand on a personal level. So I invite you to physically step into a rune or tarot card, let your spine be the axis mundi for you- and the card/rune.

Step out of your head and allow yourself to experience instead of remember.

Grab a broom.... try holding it one handed like the person in yellow to the left of the 5 of wands. Now hold it like the person in the 7 of wands. Which feels stronger, more stable? How did you feel as the 5, and the 7? Does this change your understanding of the card- or deepen what you already thought?

There are of course Tarot cards with no people, and you could gaze at the card, connect with how being in the landscape would feel. And this technique works with the younger futhark with a lot more ease- because each rune has that central axis for you to step into.

With huge thanks to everyone who organised the TABI summer conference in York, I really enjoyed sharing this topic with you all.