RUNE STONES:
It is not known for certain where Rune Stones originated though their history can be traced back to 500 years B.C. when Germanic tribesmen crossed the Alps and became familiar with the symbols of the Etruscan alphabet. It is known that these warlike tribes carved signs and symbols onto twigs and into stones, these they used as a divination tool to foretell the future by casting them upon the ground and reading the signs. The stones they created have a name, we know them as The Runes. The runic symbols also have a name "futhark", which is like the word "alphabet", is derived from the first few letters in the runic sequence, which differs considerably from the order of the Latin alphabet and is unique amongst alphabetic scripts. The futhark originally consisted of 24 letters, beginning with F and ending with O, and was used by the northern Germanic tribes of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Northern Germany. This form of the runes is known as the Elder, or Germanic Futhark.
Runic magic was at one time proscribed, banned, by the Christian Church, they decreed that it was of a pagan nature and against the teachings of Christ. In the Bible it is told that the Roman guards at the crucifixion of Christ cast dice, or lots, upon their cloaks as they waited and watched Jesus die on the cross. Hitler, the author of the holocaust, used runic symbols in the design of his military paraphernalia. Indeed one of the Third Reich salutes to this deranged maniac was to raise the right arm at 45 degrees and shout SIGEL;the runic name of the sun meaning master of power.
Being interested in the meaning and use of Rune Stones I thought that I might create one for myself. The idea being to find a huge stone or rock and have it engraved with a runic symbol then place this at the front of my home to bring me some well deserved good luck. I had read quite a bit about the meaning of the runes on the internet and the best site I discovered with all the symbols fully explained was: tarahill.com It was there that I found an explantion for the rune symbol Feoh. FEOH : prosperity, money, wealth, concern with physical and financial needs, goals, promotion, self-esteem, centredness, karma. MAGICAL USES: for money, business, promotion, finding a job, achieving a goal, starting new enterprises. DEEPER MEANING: Feoh is both the day-to-day reality of our lives and the catalyst that awakens us to what lies beyond. It is whatever we think we are seeking, which frequently bears no resemblance to what we will eventually find. It is also our home, for after all our wanderings we will still need to attend to our physical needs and ground ourselves in the simple pleasures of home, family, and good work. Oz might be a fun place to visit, but after a while all you really want to do is go back to Kansas. Feoh reminds us that we must be secure in our physical situation before embarking upon any spiritual journey. We all must begin with the mundane reality of our lives, although many people never get beyond this. In many ways, we have become as domesticated as the cattle, living our day to day existence without wanting or even being aware of anything more being possible. The first step in breaking away from this situation is to catch a glimpse of what is possible, without dwelling on what security we may lose to attain it.
Having decided that Feoh was the right message for me I set about trying to find a big rock or stone to have this symbol carved into and that was no simple task. Eventually I found what I was looking for, a stonemason who owned a quarry. This stonemason was Mr. Jim Gault and his quarry is located high in the Yorkshire moors above the town of Todmorden. On a sunny but rather cool late April afternoon in 2003 I went to meet Jim Gault and discuss with him my idea for creating a large garden feature stone carved with my personally selected Runic Symbol : Feoh. Now visiting a quarry is not for the faint hearted as they are bound, by their very nature, to be in difficult terrain. Jim's quarry was up a steep hill, down a rugged track, along a sloping path and into a slippery, muddy area strewn around with stone cutting machines and boulders. Jim introduced me to one large stone that I immediately recognised as being the rock of my dreams, it was about five foot high and three foot wide weighing probably a ton and a half. I told him what I wanted and Jim assured me that he could cut the Feoh symbol into the stone no problem, the trouble would be shifting this boulder from the quarry to my home near Leyland, Lancs. Jim then solved this by asking a friend who owned a mobile crane if he would shift it, he agreed. Jim Gault wasted no time in preparing my stone and within ten days of visiting his quarry I received delivery of the rock wearing the Runic Symbol Feoh set proud in its centre. The man with the crane carefully positioned it into a previously prepared hole at the top of my front garden and, after a few shoves and pushes, he had it correctly sited. It looks imposing, absolutely wonderful and has certainly created interest from passing people who stare at this stone and obviously wonder what the symbol means. You too could have a personal rune symbol cut into a boulder of your choice by simply doing what I did, contact Jim Gault at his quarry; 01706 816844. Or visit Jim's website: http://www.stonemason.co.uk Tell Jim you got his number from John and I know he will be delighted to help you find your very own rune stone.
FEOH