Take six small squares of mirrored material and assemble five of them into a box, using them as the bottom and four sides. Please be careful that you leave no cracks at the seams. This means that you have to be very careful to finish the edges as well as humanly possible. If you have a hard time with that, use silver reflective tape NOT DUCT TAPE to seal inside edges of your box.

Into the box place a poppet or a photograph of the attacker – yes, you can do this on behalf of others. Be certain that if you use a photograph you have also identified it by writing the person’s name on it and, if possible, attaching any identifying materials you can. Now name the person as you put their effigy in the box and state your purpose for placing them in the box. Now seal the box with the sixth mirrored piece.

Now that can be the end of it if you will BUT if you really want this to work you can raise a little energy and direct it at the box, stating your purpose and the length of time you want the box to remain charged; the longer the time the more energy it will take.

Finally, bury the box during daylight hours with the sun shining on you and the hole you have dug for the box.

Again, no real responsibility as all this box does is reflect the person’s work and ideas back on them.

If you can’t build a box, take a photo or a drawing of the person and put it on black paper. Next, put the paper with the likeness against a mirror and attach it well. Next, place the mirror, reflective side towards the wall, on a wall so that it faces roughly in the direction of your attacker. Work all you can to identify the likeness before you attach it.

According to ancient tradition, Odin, the king of the Norse gods, was given the runes after handing from a tree for three days.  And what a great and magical gift they were.  With the runes one person could converse with another, hundreds of miles and many weeks apart.  But even more importantly, the runes, being the gift of Odin, were full of magic and power.  By working with single runes or combinations, known as rune bundles, someone adequately versed in their lore could actually make things happen, they could work magic for themselves or those around them.  And with enough experience a person could even go so far as to be able to know both the future and the will of the very gods themselves and thus guarantee themselves riches, fame and long life.

It really doesn’t matter how many of these ancient traditions and myths we accept or reject, the fact is that runes are a wonderful tool for meditation, for the study of the self, and for divination.  Even though the symbolism of the early runes may be lost or ignored to a greater or lesser extent, that doesn’t detract from the fact that there is still a power there to be respected.  Each of the symbols, in each of the more than one hundred and twenty plus different runic alphabets, was originally an ideogram or mark indicating a thing which idealized an idea.  In this way it’s similar to the Chinese alphabet which uses the same system.  Thus, each rune or symbol actually had several layers of meaning.

For instance, the rune “Feu” which was originally a symbol for cattle or livestock was, in fact, an ideogramatic drawing of an animal with horns.  Conceptually, this rune developed the meaning of “riches” or “security” and “provision”.  Likewise, “Ilhs”, which may at first look like a tree, was the symbol for elk, a migratory animal.  Here the later meanings differed from people to people depending on the part the elk played in their lives.  For some, the rune came to mean “travel” while for others it took on “good fortune”, or even “gathering” or “celebration”, reflective of the celebration held at the end of the hunt.  The sign is nothing more than a rough drawing of the tined atlers found on such animals.  “Tir”, shaped like a spear, is the symbol of the Norse god Tyr and, reflecting him, stands for his attributes; honour, sacrifice and defense throughout all Norse culture.  So it goes with nearly every rune though, due to alteration over time, some of the original meanings can be quite difficult to ascertain.

The Stone Circle Rune Reading System was developed in 1985 by Dane Dupuis, an extraordinarily talented and gifted student, as an assignment for a class in Divinatory Techniques, one part of the Occult Studies Training Program he was taking under the direction and instruction of Charles Arnold.  Dane was given the Stone Circle Rune System in a dream and, upon waking, drew the diagram that became the basis for this technique.  He handed in both the diagram and a full description of the dream to his teacher, an internationally respected occultist, psychic and adult educator.

Charles spent hours going over the material with Dane, discussing the system generally, looking for and dealing with various practical problems such a system was bound to contain, and adding refinements that led to a more easily understandable Rune reading system.  It was Charles who also explained the importance of the numbers of stones in each circle, the direction in which each circle was read, the starting place for each circle and the deeper mystical symbolism involved.  Dane then donated the material to his teacher as a thank-you for what he had learned, both in that class and in others.

Charles first published Dane’s original material, along with a number of his own additions, in the Leitha, 1985, issue of “Rags to Witches”, one of North America’s most respected Pagan magazines.  Response to the article was overwhelmingly favourable, especially from a number of respected Rune readers. Charles continued to further refine the system and currently presents it to students in his “Runes and Rune Lore” courses which have been offered at a number of Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology.

It was clear from the beginning that the Stone Circle was a powerful tool, yielding the type of reading that, like the Wheel of the Year in the Tarot, grants the greatest benefit to the subject when used sparingly, perhaps only once each year.  Common sense indicated that times likely to be appropriate for such a reading would include the subject’s birthday or anniversary. Based on research, Charles determined that there were also other traditional Celtic and Norse holidays on which such a reading could be at least, if not more, appropriate for such readings. These dates are the Summer Solstice, on or about June 21, as close to sunrise as possible, and the night of October 31.

The first of these dates fits into Rune lore through the example of many of the long barrows in Britain and Scandanavia where, by the light of the rising sun entering into the barrows, sacred symbols can be read therein.  October 31st is important as that is the night when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and spirit guidance may be at its strongest.

Unlike various other Rune systems that require the use of only a few Runes at any one time, the Stone Circle requires a set of 24 Runes plus a blank stone, 25 in all.  And, while it isn’t required, a Stone Circle Rune board or a similar design on cloth, will make the laying of the stones, as well as their reading, easier for both the reader and the person for whom they’re reading.

For those of you who make your own Runes or who feel a desire to be more personally in contact with your tools, the construction of a Stone Circle Rune board could be an exciting project. To create a Stone Circle Rune reading board you need to create a square of approximately 24″ by 24″ or larger.  Traditionally this should be made of oak and can be done by glueing several oak boards together.  One method that will produce a strong, long-lasting board is to create two such boards, then laminate the first to the second with the seams perpendicular.  Failing this, use a sheet of plywood, preferably with a layer of oak veneer or add the veneer yourself.  The importance of using oak is that, in mythology, it was from an oak tree that Odin hung for three days before he learned of the magical alphabet that is the Runes.

After creating the board, begin by marking the central point.  Then, being careful to leave enough room to place your Runes, circumscribe it with three concentric circles.  With a router or wood chisel, carve a niche at that central point large enough to hold one Rune.  Before you begin carving you have to decide between allowing the Rune to lie flat or to have it stand on end.  If you choose the former you need carve only a shallow depression, slightly larger than your Runes.

For the latter you will have to carve a deeper depression, perhaps 1/2 – 3/4 of an inch deep, just a little larger than the cross section of your Runes.  Here it is important that the sides of the cup be straight so that the Runes will stand properly.  It is this latter method that seems to possess the greater power.

Now go on to the innermost circle where you carve three niches.  These should form what is known as a Goddess or female triangle (see illustration).  Moving outward, carve eight such niches in the next circle, aligning them evenly around the board and taking care to make align with the compass points indicated on the illustration. Finally, carve thirteen similar niches in the outermost circle, being careful to ensure that the thirteenth is in the North position.

If you choose to use the Runes laying flat, it is important that all of these niches be aligned so that they seem to radiate outward from the heel Rune rather than all facing the reader as do the numbers on most clocks.  And, it using the standing stone method, all the Runes should face the heel Rune.

To begin a Stone Circle Rune reading you should first orient the board so that the North point on the board is pointed, as closely as possible to True North.  If you’re not sure how to go about doing this, time should be spent with both maps and a compass.  Eventually you, as a Rune reader, will begin to develop a strong affinity with that direction, the source of knowledge and wisdom, and will be able to automatically sense it no matter where you are.

Next, it’s necessary for the subject to place the Runes in their proper positions or at least hand the Runes, one at a time, to the reader, indicating an upper and a lower end.  This is important, not only because of the location of each Rune on the chart but, also, due to the fact that Runes have different meanings depending on whether or not they are inverted.  The Runes are placed around the board in the same order in which they will be read.  If you are using the first type of board mentioned, be sure that the bottom of each Rune is toward the heel Rune.  If, on the other hand, you happen to use the second type of Rune board, simply have the subject place each Rune upright in the appropriate niche.

The first Rune chosen will be the heel Rune (#1), placed at the centre of the circle.  When reading, this Rune is read both first and last as it defines the current situation to which all of the other information relates as well as setting the path to be followed.

Next comes the inner circle of three Runes, read beginning with the Rune at the top left (#2), then going on to the top right (#3) and finishing with the Rune at the bottom (#4).  These Runes relate to the spiritual nature of the situation.  The first Rune indicates the events leading up to the present.  The second indicates the spiritual of divine forces in operation.  And the third tells the subject what is expected of them by way of spiritual growth or development or of any trial of the spirit with which they may be faced.

The second circle, consisting of eight Runes, reflecting the eight major points of the compass, is read next.  The Runes in this circle relate to the various mental interactions, thought processes, understandings or visualizations that are at work in the given situation.  This reading begins with the Rune to the extreme left (#5), or west, and ends with with that Rune as well; the reading progressing in a clockwise direction around the circle.  Each of these Runes can be seen parallel to one of the progressive stages in human development, leading to an appropriate conclusion of the year.  These Runes represent, in order: fertilization (#5), birth (#6), childhood (#7), adolescence (#8), puberty (#9), adulthood (#10), middle age (#11), old age (#12), and death (#5 again) or the closing of the circle.

The outer circle, related to the various physical aspects of the situation is also reflective of the various influences that will wax and wane with each lunar cycle around the wheel of the year.  Since there are roughly 13 lunar cycles to the year, this circle is composed of 13 Runes, set out like a clock face. This rings begins with the Rune to the right of the top (#13) and continues clockwise, ending with the Rune at the very top.

Finally, as indicated earlier, the reader returns to the first Rune; now being re-interpreted in light of all of the additional information is gained through the three circles of life that surround it.

Interpretations of the various Runes will be left to the reader, based on the information given earlier.

An excellent learning aid for beginners wishing to become competent Rune readers, The Runic Workbook, published by Arkana Press of Great Britain.  As well, for anyone seriously interested in Runes and Rune reading, it is seriously recommended that considerable time be spent studying Norse mythology and legends so that Rune symbolism may be understood in its original context. Any of several excellent collections or Norse mythology are generally available in most public libraries.  More a better understanding of the peoples and their culture, Penguin Books publishes a number or Norse sagas in Modern English.  The Prose Edda and Elder Edda are especially recommended.

And, remember, not all Runes are Norse.  Most of the Celtic peoples of Western Europe, from southern Spain to Scandanavia, and from Central Europe to the West Coast of Ireland used runes.  Some Runic inscriptions have even been found in North America, often in New England but actually going as far west as Minnesota and as far north as, supposedly, Baffin Island.

SUGGESTED READING LIST

Blum, Ralph:  The Book of Runes, St. Martin’s Press, New York, N.Y., 1982

Buckland, Raymond:  The Tree; The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft, Samuel Weiser, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1974

Koch, Rudolf:  The Book of Signs, Dover Publishing, New York, N.Y., 1955

If you wish to attract someone to you, make two poppets, one of yourself and one of the other person. Now place them face to face and wrap thread around them 40 times, deosil. If you want them as a friend, use yellow thread. If you want them as a lover use pink or red thread. If you want them as a business partner, use green thread. You’ve got the idea.

If you wish to bind a person so that they are not free to act, just make a poppet of them and then wrap it 40 times, deosil, with black thread. If they are more than a little nasty, use 80 or 120 wraps. And if they are really trouble in high hells, just start wrapping and keep wrapping until either there is no thread left or you can’t see the poppet for all the wrapping.

I think I’ll skip over wax poppets for a while and, next time, talk a little bit about mirrors and mirror boxes.

A cloth poppet is generally easy to construct but the more essence it holds of the person it represents the better. And one of the best uses, and probably the one you should first try, is the creation of a witch’s jar for your own protection.

To make a poppet of yourself you need to take an old garment that only you have worn, that has been worn against your bare skin, and has not been washed since you wore it last. To produce the ‘skin’ of your poppet, double the material and cut out a doll. Don’t worry if it looks like a gingerbread person, it doesn’t have to be all that accurate on the outside – after all your size and shape will probably change with time.

Make sure, when you sew the two sides together that the inside of the garment is on the outside of the poppet then, once you are finished sewing the two pieces together, with the exception of a place left unattached at the top of the head, turn your poppet inside out.

Next you have to stuff it and while stuffing it, identify it with you. Your stuffing be shredded undergarments which have been dabbed with a drop of two of your blood. If you’re female, you might want to add some menstrual blood as well as a drop or two from your fingertip. A nail clipping should also be added.

Now sew your poppet completely closed and then continuing with your identification. Draw a face on your poppet and make it as close a copy of your face as you can. Don’t think you can do a very good job? Then glue on a cut out photo of your face. Next glue a few of your head hairs to the top of its head, public hairs in their proper place, etc.

Next comes a very important step – naming your poppet. You have to tell the poppet that you are naming it and then give it the exact name you were given at birth. If you know the exact hour and minute of your birth you can name your poppet at that time. After you name it do not use its birth name again unless you use that same name in your day-to-day life. Many of us use nicknames or shortened forms of our birth names, use that same name whenever you refer to your poppet.

Now you have a poppet of yourself you can use AND you know how to make a poppet of anyone. You don’t have to have all of the ingredients listed, some can be hard to get but try to be as accurate as you can.

To make a jar for your own protection you need to find a glass jar with a glass lid, something like an old canning jar. You might find one at a flea market or farmer’s market. A metal screw collar to hold the top in place is fine but the jar and lid themselves must be glass.

Take some old rusty IRON nails, bits of barbed wire, or other sharp, iron items and put them in the bottom of your jar. Next, carefully place your poppet in the jar and then, just as carefully, add more IRON items around the poppet so that it does not touch the glass. The more iron you add, the better. The sharper and rustier the iron, the better.

Now for an important step that some of you will not want to follow. You don’t have to, your poppet just won’t be as powerful. The step I want you to take is to urinate in the jar. You don’t have to fill it, just add as much of your urine as you can. Once you have taken that step seal the jar and wrap it in black cloth.

Keep the jar wrapped until the next new moon when you will take it out of your home and bury it, preferably at midnight. MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT NO ONE SEES YOU OR KNOWS WHERE YOUR POPPET IS BURIED! If someone else finds it they can use it agains you in hundreds of ways. If you are going to move, dig up your jar at midnight, wrap it in black cloth, take it with you and rebury it later near your new home.

HOW IT WORKS: That poppet is you and because it is outside of your home it is an easier target than you usually are. Anything aimed at you will automatically target the poppet instead. But once finding the poppet and attempting to target it, the negative magick with hit the iron and bounce, and bounce again and again. Finally it will be repelled and will return to its sender with just a touch of attitude because of all that bouncing against all that cold, rusty iron.

KARMIC DEBT: Absolutely none. You haven’t done a thing. Someone attacked you and failed and their magick came back and bit them in a sensitive area. they took all of the actions while you were completely passive.

If you absolutely can’t find a glass jar you can use a porcelain or pottery vessel instead.

Wow, free magick, what a concept! And it is free so long as you practice it. But there is one simple catch – isn’t there always? If you want me to do the work for you it will cost you, dearly!

Oh, you read in some book that it’s against some rule or tradition to charge for magickal work? That is absolute nonsense and I challenge you to offer me an example of a traditional magickal system where the practitioners are not rewarded and rewarded highly, so long as they can produce results.

Like I said, before you even pick up a piece of string or twine, you have to know what it is you want to accomplish – EXACTLY, don’t you settle for generalities. And you have to have raised the energy that it will take to make your magick work. The power isn’t in the string, it’s in you; the cords are just a focus to make your job easier.

In order to raise the energy you will need you might decide that it would be easier working in a group and, to be honest, cord magic is generally best accomplished by two or more people though that isn’t necessary.

I know that I said that the string really isn’t important, and it isn’t, but one of the ways you can make the work a little less taxing it to choose a particular color that symbolizes what you want to accomplish and find a piece of string in that color. Most of the time you’ll probably work with red because that is the color of will, but you can use any other color you like.

One of the best uses of cord magick is in bringing couples or groups or communities together. For instance it’s traditional for couples being handfasted to not only be tied together at the ceremony but to braid their binding cord beforehand. And, if there are already children in the family you might want to get them involved in this as well

Now a Handfasting cord does generally have traditional colors, red, white and green, and each of these are generally cut to a length of nine feet. The bride will usually put the three cords together and tie a knot at one end. After that the bride and groom will take turns braiding the cord until it is completely braided. Then the husband will usually tie the knot at the finished end. A hint here – don’t braid the cord too tight because both of you need stretching and growing room but don’t braid it too loosely either, you need the support of one another.

I know, what about binding people, promises and all the rest? Yeah, you can do that as well, again usually with red. If you want to take the chance of binding a person (look our for the backlash if you fail) make a poppet of them and wrap it forty times, preferably in red silk, going clockwise around the poppet.

You can do the same thing around any document.

Oh, you should know a little about the different types of knots since you will be using them as well.

A granny knot is progressive. Tied several times in succession, it will create a spiral. Granny knots are usually seen as being permanent.

A square knot stays flat. It remains balanced and gives back as much as you put into it. Square knots can always be untied so they are seen as temporary.

A clove hitch is a way to bind one cord (person, energy, etc.) around another. This can either simplify or complicate the straight cord around which the hitch is tied.

If you have a question, post it and I may answer.

My first session with you is to tell you that magick has three necessary ingredients.

1. Energy – raw power, and it generally takes a lot of it. It’s easier to generate in a group than it is by an individual and I’ll share a few ways to do each a little later on.

2. Focus – you have to have a target and that means that you have to know precisely what it is you want to accomplish.

3. A time limit. This is the point that all the wannabees seem to leave out. You have to have a deadline for your working. How else do you know whether or not you are accomplishing anything? After all, magickal working without a time limit is nothing more than wishful thinking and is a total waste of time and energy.

Am I getting through to you yet? Or am I just wasting your time and mine?

Don’t expect me to be a kindly old man; I’m not. I’m a Witch and a Hexenmeister and a Cunning Man and all the rest of that stuff and none of those titles have “being nice” as part of their job descriptions.

I’ll share what I know and leave it to you to decide whether or not to use it, when, where and how, knowing that there is a price for everything.