The Gods of the Runes: The Divine Shapers of Fate - Softcover

"At last we have a handy reference, lavishly illustrated, that tells the reader which god or goddess corresponds with which rune, for the entire Futhark. Gods of the Runes should be in every occultist's library."--John Tiffany, editor of The Barnes Review

"[Gods of the Runes] . . . gifts us, with a bold new understanding of the runes that resonates deeply with the primal spirituality from which they emerged. The system is easy to learn, a joy to work with and very rich in depth."--Thor the Barbarian, The Barbarian Chronicals, February 2011

"Frank Joseph's Gods of the Runes: The Divine Shapers of Fate is a charming and unconventional introduction to runes. Joseph explores the celestial origins of the runes by revealing the major myths of the twenty-four Norse Gods and Goddesses on which the runes are based. Each rune's God or Goddess is introduced with an engaging story displaying their personalities and key attributes. Ian Daniels provides stunning illustrations of each God or Goddess, including eight full color illustrations, deepen your understanding of this ancient art."--Witches' Almanac, December 2013

"Fully illustrated, Mr. Joseph's work enables access to a personal connection with the 24 Norse deities, the Gods of the Runes. If your interests lie in this direction, I would highly recommend this book."--Inner Light Magazine, UK, January 2011

"It is always a pleasure to review works by Frank Joseph. In this case a double pleasure . . . Mr. Joseph brings a welcome new insight into runology due to his deep research into the origins of the symbols themselves, their names, and the Norse gods they embody in a compressed form. . .This work is enhanced by the exquisite illustrations of well-known fantasy artist Ian Daniels."--Jennifer Hoskins, New Dawn Magazine, May 2011

". . . Joseph has found something quite unique about the runes and their use in the modern world."--Living Traditions Magazine, January 2011

The ancient origins and divinatory power of the runes

· Uncovers the original divinatory meaning of each rune through the myths of its corresponding Norse god or goddess

· Includes beautiful full-color illustrations of the runic gods and goddesses

· Presents rune-casting spreads for divination and character analysis

· Explores the controversial history of runes from the Paleolithic Stone Age to today

Invented long before the appearance of the runic alphabet Futhark less than two thousand years ago, the runes were originally created as symbols for specific deities. Representing the twenty-four Norse gods and goddesses from the Vanir and Aesir pantheons, the runes provide a way to establish direct contact with the divine shapers of fate.

Based on the work of Austrian mystic and runologist Guido von List and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas as well as the oldest rune artifacts to survive from pre-Christian Europe, this book reveals the long history of runes from their appearances in Paleolithic cave paintings through their rechristening in Medieval times to their modern resurgence as a popular tool of divination. It uncovers the original names and divinatory meanings of each rune by exploring the myths, personality traits, astrological periods, identifying colors, and gemstones of the rune’s corresponding god or goddess. It also illustrates and explains five ancient rune-casting spreads used by Norse adepts for divination as well as character analysis. By renewing their link with the divine, Gods of the Runes shows how working with the runes can be a genuine mystical experience, enabling a personal connection with the gods and a rediscovery of their perennial truths.