Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Tag Archives: norse

A Guide to Reading the Runes, by Laura Daligan

A Guide to Reading the Runes: Harness the wisdom and power of the ancient Norse symbols, by Laura Daligan
CICO Books, 1800654537, 144 pages, September 2025

About a decade ago, I received a message during a channeled reading that I was meant to work with a wooden rune set. Nearly a year after, through synchronistic events, a wooden rune deck came my way, and I knew it was the one the channeler had foretold.

However, unlike astrology and tarot, which have ample information to study, the runes always felt more cryptic. The material I could find swung between overly complex or much too simplified. There isn’t solid information online and the books I found were too heady –all text without any stimulating visual content to bolster my intake of the information. Needless to say, my rune set often goes through periods of being quite dusty from lack of use.

A Guide to Reading the Runes by Laura Daligan has completely re-sparked my interest in the runes! For the first time, I have an accessible, fun to read and easy to understand book to guide me  through learning how to work with my set. I love how Daligan transcends the gatekeeping I often find when trying to study the runes and has chosen to make this knowledge accessible to those who feel a calling to learn more.

While Daligan does have an impressive academic background (she holds a  master’s degree in Viking Studies with a focus on Viking Age magic and mythology – how cool!), the content within this book serves as an entry point for modern practitioners to integrate the runes into their spiritual practice. Daligan blends her scholarly, informative writing with practical, hands-on magical ways readers can work with the runes, creating a balanced approach.

Daligan frames runes not merely as letters from the Elder Futhark but as dynamic energies that can “open doorways to understanding.”1 She shares so many ways for readers to start and or strengthen their connection to the runes, ranging from learning their mythological tales to finding runic correspondences in nature, inviting readers on an esoteric adventure.

The book begins with a history of the runes, covering the rune’s origins, along with a colorful depiction of the runes in order by Ætt,”which is an Old Norse term for clan for family.”2. Daligan shares insight on rune poems and eddas as well as giving an overview of Old Norse cosmology, specifically the Nine Worlds and Yggdrasil. There’s even a meditation to meet Odin and have him pick out the rune that is the gateway for your journey. This first chapter is very grounding and sets a good foundation for what’s to come.

The following chapter, “Meeting the Runes” by far the longest, as it introduces readers to each rune grouped by Ætt. At the start of each Ætt, Daligan provides an overview of the deities associated with it and the overall focus of the grouping. So far, I’ve found it very helpful to study one Ætt at a time, focusing on the eight runes that compose it and their similarities and differences.

The structure of each entry makes it very easy for readers to get a feel for the rune. At the top, there is an image of the rune and a general meaning for it. Underneath is the name of the rune with pronunciation and insight about the run. Daligan provides keywords along with the corresponding letter, deities, elements, colors, animals, tree, oil, and crystal and mineral. There are then mini-sections which provide specific insight into the rune. For all entries, Daligan shares how the rune can be worked with in practice and divination meanings.

The information on each rune spans about 2-3 pages, yet it’s more than enough to gain relevant insight for reflection, meditation, and further research. I really appreciated how Daligan also includes a page on the blank rune, even though she admits she doesn’t use it in her own readings, because little did I know my rune set has a blank rune that I pulled in a recent reading! I was very confused about it at first, and then thrilled when I discovered the entry for it in this book. Daligan’s writing on the blank rune in practice was spot on for me, and I connected deeply with the rune’s connection to “wyrd, fate, and the unknowable.”3

“Chapter 3: Divination with the runes” teaches readers how to get started with this practice, including useful items and how to ask questions. There’s meditations to settle into calmness, connect to one’s personal roots and star, and meet the Norns. Daligan also provides different rune spreads, guidance on casting runes, and tips for reading runes for others.

The final chapter, “The runic path”, focuses on customizing your personal journey with the runes. Daligan shares information about creating one’s own rune set, suggesting different materials that can be used. She also offers a guide to tree lore that shares the corresponding deities and magical properties of different trees. There’s also content about meeting the runes in nature, where Daligan teaches how readers can work with land spirits through the runes. Some topics covered are signing the runes, noticing the messages from animals, plants, and clouds, and doing environmental projects. My favorite is Daligan’s suggestion of witch walks, or “an intuitive walk, wander, or experience that opens us up to the spirits of the land.”4

My favorite aspect of this book, aside from Daligan’s approachable writing style that makes for wonderful content, is how the book’s design makes readers feel comfortable engaging with the runes. There’s plenty of colorful illustrations all throughout, the text has different style and size fonts to keep things engaging, and the images of the runes are featured over and over, helping readers to become familiar with the symbols. This aesthetic approach makes the information so easy to absorb and integrate.

Overall, A Guide to Reading the Runes is a wonderful introduction to runes that is filled with tools for creating your own intuitive relationship to these sacred symbols. Daligan provides a good mixture of Norse historical and mythological background with insightful ways to tune into the spiritual guidance the runes hold for those ready to undertake the journey of working with them. This book is perfect for beginners eager to learn more or season practitioners who are seeking a visually appealing reference guide. I’ll definitely be keeping this book handy for my future rune readings!

Loki, by L. Dean lee and The Saxon Storyteller

Loki: An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God, by L. Dean Lee and illustrated by The Saxton Storyteller
Red Wheel, 1590035747, 128 pages, April 2025

Loki: An Illustrated Guide to the Trickster God is illustrated by The Saxon Storyteller and written by L. Dean Lee. First off, I have to say the illustrations are awesome. Page 68 is my favorite depiction of Loki in this book, the snakes for each chapter were very nice as well. I love how almost every page also has an illustration, from objects to creatures to more depictions of Loki. The Saxon Storyteller has done a truly amazing depicting Loki to life in these pages.

At the beginning of this book, Lee starts by teaching about how to define a god. We learn that the Norse gods are similar to us in certain ways and that instead of being the rulers of certain aspects, it’s just their personality. For example, Loki would rule over chaos and mischief, but that’s not the case for the Norse pantheon. After some more pre-reading knowledge, we are introduced to the first piece of lore on Loki, which is about where his parents are from, Jotunheim, the land of giants.

At the beginning of this book, Lee starts by teaching about how to define a god. We learn that the Norse gods are similar to us in certain ways and that instead of being the rulers of certain aspects, it’s just their personality. For example, Loki would rule over chaos and mischief, but that’s not the case for the Norse pantheon. After some more pre-reading knowledge, we are introduced to the first piece of lore on Loki, which is about where his parents are from, Jotunheim, the land of giants.

Lee has done an outstanding job with research because everything I read about Loki checks out (I have prior knowledge of Loki, as I have read the Poetic Edda and have done extensive research on the Norse pantheon). I haven’t found many books on the Norse pantheon that have been accurate, but I can happily say that you will get accurate knowledge on Loki from this book.

Moving forward to the end of chapter two, we learn about Loki’s decently large family. There’s an illustration that shows you Loki standing next to each family member, and there’s also a helpful family tree diagram.

In chapter three, Lee turns to the folklore and mythology that surrounds Loki: the story of when Loki stole Freyja’s necklace, the one time Loki cut Sif’s hair off, all of Loki and Thor’s adventures, when Loki saved the son of a farmer by hiding him, when Loki made Skadi laugh, and then to when Ragnarok breaks out.

That brings us to chapter four now, which is about Loki in the world. Lee covers Loki during the Viking age, his origins remaining a mystery. Loki in medieval times (from the 1000s to the 1700s), discussing Loki in the Prose Edda, which was created after the Christian Conversion. Then Lee shifts focus to Loki in modern times. Around the 1700s and 1900s, the interest in the occult grew, bringing back the Norse gods to mind. Then we move forward once more to Loki in Europe and America and then the pop culture surrounding Loki. Lastly, closing this chapter, Lee lists Loki’s kennings, which in Old Norse poetry is an indirect phrase referring to someone.

Chapter five covers venerating Loki and the different avenues you can take to worship and work with Loki. Lee writes:

“You do not need to be a Heathen or a Norse Pagan in order to venerate Loki.”5

I appreciated that this is explained first and foremost. In this chapter, Lee describes how to build an altar dedicated to Loki. He doesn’t specify what to put on Loki’s altar, but me personally, I have a pirate rubber duck that was randomly handed to me in a Sheetz while I was on vacation in Virginia a month after starting to work with Loki, a little packet of mistletoe, a few rubber snakes, pinecones, a small statue of him, a green candle, a couple joke books, and some spider themed jewelry.

Next we learn about Blót, which means offerings. Lee goes over how to make an offering as well as what to offer Loki. I can attest personally that Loki appreciates the junk food offerings. There’s also a great list of days to honor Loki on as well. Lee provides an amazing amount of information that tells you how to communicate with Loki and make sure you’re actually communicating with Loki, so if you are a beginner with deities I highly recommend giving this book a read. I’d like to pass on the best piece of advice that this book gives on Loki for those seeking to work with the trickster god:

“Just as we give fire a space in our lives, in the form of the hearth, the space we give for Loki must have a boundary.”6

Loki has overall been a very good and informative read. The information was correct to my knowledge, very well presented, and the illustrations were just so awesome and very fitting for the book. This is one of the best books I have read on Loki. I highly recommend this series of books to any who want to work with the Norse Pantheon.

Odin, by L. Dean Lee and The Saxon Storyteller

Odin: An Illustrated Guide to the Allfather, by L. Dean Lee with illustrations by The Saxon Storyteller
Red Wheel, 1590035755, 128 pages, April 2025

Odin: An Illustrated Guide to the Allfather is illustrated by The Saxon Storyteller and written by L. Dean Lee. This book is extremely beginner-friendly and very helpful for learning about Odin.

As I said in my other review on a book in this series, Loki, I absolutely loved and adored the illustrations by The Saxon Storyteller. This book is full of magnificent artwork ranging from Odin, to ravens and objects, as well as creatures representative of Odin, the rune-carver and chief of the Aesir. Every illustration in this book is just really too cool, especially all of the raven imagery; each chapter has a raven with the face of Odin drawn on their body. I just can’t get over how fitting The Saxton Storyteller’s artistic style is for these books. My favorite depiction of Odin has to be on page 94–he really, truly is giving cowboy vibes.

In chapter one, Lee gives us a solid introduction and a great description of who Odin is. The head of the gods is known by many names, but he is best known as Odin. The Norse people recognized Odin for war, leadership, wisdom, and honor. But he’s more than just that, and as you learn about him, you’ll recognize his other qualities more. Another part of Odin is the madman, and you will also come to find out more about this in the book too.

After the introduction, Lee teaches the purpose of folklore and mythology, which goes over the different sources of Norse mythology. Then we learn about how to define a “God” before diving into the Norse Cosmos and discussing the nine realms of the world tree Yggdrasil. Now that brings us to Valhalla and Asgard. Valhalla is Odin’s hall, located in the home of the gods, Asgard. Valhalla is where warriors who meet their fate in battle get carried off to by the valkyries. To end this chapter, Lee lists various Norse entities, explaining their significance.

Now this brings us to the nitty gritty of who exactly Odin is in chapter two. We first start by learning how he got the name he has along with his other known names and their meanings. We also learn more about Odin’s personality: curious, wise, fatherly, and duplicitous. These are most definitely very fitting for Odin. Lee also explains Odin’s characteristics, in which we learn he is a master of disguise and a wanderer. As for his appearance, Lee describes how Odin has two ravens as familiars known as Huginn and Muninn, which mean Thought and Memory, respectively. To note, there’s an awesome depiction of Odin hanging from Yggdrasil on page 27.

This chapter also covers Odin’s other associations. Yes, of course, ravens are one of the most popular and well-known associations, but some of my favorite associations of Odin are madness, magic, and poetry.

Next up on our knowledge quest of Odin, we now find ourselves at a marvelously illustrated depiction of Odin’s family tree. We get a brief description of each family member. Outside of the two ravens Odin has, thanks to this book, I now know that he has two wolves named Geri and Freiki, whose names mean “the greedy one” and “the ravenous one”.

Now we move on to chapter three, which is Odin in mythology and folklore. Lee dives into many stories: the Birth of Odin, the time Odin stole the Mead of Poetry, Odin sacrificing himself upon the World tree, and even the one time that Odin disguised himself as a ferryman to annoy his son Thor, all the way up to Ragnarok.

The next chapter brings us knowledge on Odin and his relationship to the world. First, Lee explores Odin during the Viking age. Then he moves into Odin in modern times, covering Europe and America specifically, along with his role in pop culture.

That now brings us to chapter five which talks about venerating Odin. Lee teaches how to establish a working relationship with Odin. He suggests building an altar for him and sharing Blót, or offerings. He even notes what Odin’s favorite offerings are.

Then we have a few pages that teach us about runes–Odin’s gift to humanity. There is a guide teaching you the meaning of each rune, which is awesome to have on hand, and it’s also accurate! Outside of the handy guide, you are also taught how to create a bind rune in this neat section as well. After this, we come to learn about Odin’s special days. Lastly, Lee teaches how to communicate with the Allfather via different methods of communication like divination, clairsenses, and through synchronicities.

For anyone seeking knowledge on the Norse gods and goddesses, Odin is definitely made for the beginner. To those who just want to brush up on their knowledge, this book is a quick and knowledgeable read. I recommend it for all of those looking to connect more with Odin, especially if you enjoy descriptive artwork and not just a bunch of text in a book.

The Eye of Odin, by Per Henrik Gullfoss

The Eye of Odin: Nordic Mythology and the Wisdom of the Vikings, by Per Henrik Gullfoss
Crossed Crow Books, 1959883259, 140 pages, May 2024

Mythology is often viewed as whimsical in the way the stories that are told reduce deities’ power to superstition. This book pulls back the veil of that notion of superstition to disclose ideas that mythology is directly related to many other facets of magic and not all amusing stories and fairy tales. In fact, if you are a practitioner of any kind there is a good chance that most of the ideas presented here will resonate deeply. 

Per Henrik Gullfoss’ book, The Eye of Odin: Nordic Mythology and the Wisdom of the Vikings, takes the reader on a journey and sets up the idea that Norse mythology is not as primitive as Christianity has portrayed. Christianity is a much younger religion by comparison, and delving into the root of the Norse beliefs reveals a startling amount of thought and competency that many cultures have been told didn’t exist within the barbarian tribes of old. By combining classic astrology with Norse mythology to get a deeper understanding of human consciousness itself, Gullfoss has crafted a remarkable book that appeals to a wide range of practitioners.

As one of the leading experts in the field of Norse myth and astrology in Norway, Gullfoss brings together both of these topics to show how these old stories led to the development of human consciousness and mystical thought. It’s a fascinating look at how the two are connected, and Gullfoss’ writing certainly illustrates in detail how similar the two concepts actually are.

Gullfoss writes, “… I have used astrology as a map that one can utilize to learn about and understand Norse myths.”7 He continues, “In the following chapters, I will show how Norse mythology can give a coherent and logical view of the world, which is just as marked by common sense and insight about cosmic laws as other belief systems.”8

This book is glorious and marvelous in the way that it seamlessly moves through what appears to be difficult concepts of creation, consciousness, awareness and ties these concepts together using Norse mythology. His language is that of a practiced storyteller, weaving together the stories of the old gods and marrying them with modern astrology. One of my favorite parts of this book, and examples of this are peppered throughout which is joyous for me, is the direct way he connects specific planets and other deities with Norse gods.  He says:

“Odin is the highest god of the heavens in Norse mythology, filling the same space as Uranus in Greek mythology. Consciousness and the element of Air are both the hallmarks of Uranus and Odin… Odin (Uranus) thus becomes the one who mediates the cosmic laws of creation and the universe to humans.”9

There is no question that Norse mythology is dominated by the values of men and relates to a warrior set that is almost exclusively male. Gullfoss deftly inserts the feminine aspect, stating that the power of femininity consists of an enormous force that is equal to the male counterpart. His writing is not dismissive of female power; rather, he uses feminine examples to show balance. One part focuses on the Norns, three mighty maidens not unlike the three sisters of fate in other stories, with this archetype continually referenced, along with others, throughout the book. It’s moments like these where the reader begins to realize just how interconnected these stories really are. It matters not what time period or culture, there is a resonance of similarity between them that can’t be dismissed.

There is so much in this book, it’s difficult to pull out specific parts to showcase. The mention of Tyr, a mighty warrior god representing a pure form of Mars, is a god that is barely talked about. I personally didn’t know he was a god, I thought Tyr was a rune and didn’t realize there was a whole backstory. Such realizations like this happened quite frequently as I read through this book, and I am so glad I took the time to digest the work. 

The Eye of Odin is a great book for anyone who loves astrology and Norse mythology and is interested in seeing how deep the connection is between the two. It presents some concepts that might feel a bit radical or out of place in today’s society; understand that this is not a rewrite of history but a comparison. While I personally did not find anything that particularly caused my hackles to rise, I can see how the overlay of masculinity could be seen as disregarding the feminine. My hope is that as the reader delves more deeply into the book and the subject as a whole, they come to the same realization as I did: no matter what, there is no male without female, especially in the world of mythology.

Icelandic Folk Magic, by Albert Björn

Icelandic Folk Magic: Witchcraft of the North, Albert Björn
Crossed Crow Books, 978-1-959883-28-9, 338 pages, August 2024

Albert Björn’s Icelandic Folk Magic: Witchcraft of the North is a deep dive into the magic that has its basis in the folklore, forests, fjords, and glaciers of this enigmatic place called Iceland. The book is encyclopedic in the information that is availed to the reader with the goal of imparting the “tools they need to add elements of Icelandic folk magic and witchcraft (Fjolknngi) to their own practice, to connect or reconnect with the magic of the island, and to build upon their own craft with magic taken from both folklore and living practice.”8

Author Albert Björn currently lives in Reykjavik and focuses his research on the magic of Iceland and his homeland Sussex, England. His other publication is Icelandic Plant Magic: Folk Herbalism of the North. For more information, you can check out his Patreon.

As with most magic, elements are influenced by the environment in which it’s practiced and in the case of Iceland, the extreme seasons and harsh weather play a large role. The long winters are noted for ice and darkness and creatures such as the trolls that live underground. Summer brings rituals for fertility and foraging. As Björn explains, “winter in Iceland is very much aligned with the time of women… Winter is ruled by the disir, or female forces of fate and often death.”9

He goes into detail about the powerful giantesses such as Skaoi and Gryla, who is accompanied by her cat, Jolakotturinn, or the Yule Cat. The flip to summer is where Freyr reigns and his life-giving forces are evidenced. There is no hiding in the 24 hours of sunshine. Energy brought from the sun inspires luck and fertility. If desired, one can partake in the energies of both summer and winter forces; Björn invites the reader to choose which aspects of Icelandic magic they are most drawn to. 

Björn comments that the magic traditions of Iceland differ from those of the rest of Europe. Covens, witches sabbat, and places where witches gather are not found in Icelandic lore. However, there is a common belief in the huldifolkio, or the hidden people, who are to be both feared and respected. Bonfires and specific festival days are related to the hidden folk, believed to be the original children of Adam and Eve.

The largest section of the book titled “Folk Belief” delves into a multitude of topics such as planetary timings, trolls, dragons, giants, ghosts, spirits, dream magic, foreseeing and far-seeing, shapeshifting, weather working magic, tools of Icelandic magic, stones, and Mary, Freyja, saints, and sinners. For example, the magic of dreams is important to the Icelandic, including the dream visitors, or draumvitjanir, be they in the forms of humans, animals, or elves. They bring warnings and important information. He also gives tidbits of information that showcase the uniqueness of Icelandic energies, such as that ghosts in Iceland behave differently than how one normally attributes ghost behavior as they are forced to follow rules.

Another part of this section is about how to work with the Wheel of the Year, which differs from seasonally-inspired Wiccan wheels because Iceland basically has two seasons, summer and winter. He writes about special days of which the reader might be familiar such as Candlemas and Paskar (Easter) but also those such as Harpa, Goa, and Porri and the meaning of the day and related rituals. As I read this book in August I focused on the special days of this month, Mariumessa (August 15) which focuses on the Christian Mary and Tvimanudur (August 22 – 28) which focuses on harvest. 

The other large section of the book is “Galdranök: Grimoire” which covers staves for farmers, fishermen, and luck. It also includes topics such as birthing spirits, healing and helping, curses, magical alphabets, and incense, oils, brews, and blends. For stave-making, Björn reminds the reader that it is an art and that practice does make perfect. If this topic interests you, Björn gives very detailed methods for creating magical staves.

I was particularly drawn to the section on healing and helping and was surprised to read that “healing works in Iceland had long been a mix of magic and medicine. With herbalism being illegal in Iceland until recent times, the use of herbs has long been held as mystical.”10 Björn shares healing chants and a cleansing prayer which is in Icelandic. More doable, at least for me, are using the recipes included in the book to create planetary oils and incense blends. The blends can also be used to anoint candles.

The book closes with an appendix that contains prayers and words and names of Norse deities. There is also a glossary and a section on Icelandic pronunciation, as well as a bibliography for further reference and reading.

Icelandic Folk Magic is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the mystical traditions of Iceland. Björn’s passion for the subject shines through, making this book a valuable addition to the library of any aspiring witch or student of folklore. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or a curious newcomer, this book offers a captivating journey into the enchanting world of Icelandic magic. It’s by far one of the best books I’ve read on the topic.