Q. Why use the runes in Stav?

A. The use of runes in the Hafskjold tradition is as a teaching system to try to make one see reality, basically to learn to trust one's own intuition. This makes it galder based and mostly used by men.  We always use 3 runes to read, never the tarot card spread that I have seen in several books on rune divination. We also use 24 wooden slips or stones with runes carved on both sides-3 times 16 so each rune is carved 3 times. It is therefore possible to get the same rune in all three positions. Rune reading was/is
used at Yule to assess the possibilities of the New Year, as a device to get a patient talking during counseling/psychological treatment and to sharpen one's judgment of a difficult situation. It can of course be used as a parlor game for fun or to make money from gullible people, too, but this is not the real use of the runes, though I am afraid this is the only way most people use them today.

Q. So how is it actually done?

A. People were shown a fairly simple way that is good for learning to use the runes. But this was how the family did/does it. The staves are double sided.

Take 24 staves and begin cutting from fe to yr then start again from fe to is, then turn them over and start again from Ar to Yr then from Fe to Is.

This would give the relationship:Fe-Is; Ur-Ar; Thor-Sol; As-Tyr; Rei-Bjork; Kreft-Mann; Hagl-Laug; Nod-Yr throughout the whole 24 tiles.
It doesn't matter what is on the back so long as it is not the same rune as on the front.
As to which to carve look at the different rune stances for each class.
What matters is the relationship between the runes that are displayed, what is on the back is not important. What matters is that it is possible for any one rune to be displayed up to three times at once. It doesn't really matter what order you cut them in so long as (a) you have 24 staves (b) all runes are cut 3 times and (c) no rune is cut twice on the same stave.

Q. So saying all of that, another question has then arisen about the way you handle the runes for a reading. Because there are runes on both sides, are you then "throwing/casting" the runes into the air once selected, or is it a simple matter of which side you place them down?

A. The way Ivar does it is to take them out of the bag one at a time and place  them in order, that way only three come out of the bag at a time, so they are not 'cast' as such, more picked out, but without looking at them first.
 

Q. What are the implications of pulling the same rune for each position........ ?

A. I suppose you could look at it this way: if the first rune is Is then you were stuck. If the next rune is Is then you are still stuck. If the final rune is Is then you are liable to remain Stuck. Not too hopeful really...

To make it more interesting it is also possible to make the rune set using other ways of representing the runes apart from the normal symbols. For example the first aett of Ivar's set is marked as follows. (I hope he doesn't mind me giving this away but I don't think its a secret, we are not supposed to have secret techniques in Stav.)   -.   -..   -... -....  -.....
The first rune of the first aett is indicated by a line -and a dot .  The second rune of the first aett is one line- and two dots.. and so on.  Of course if you are using the Karl order of the aetts then -. indicates Fe, and ---..... indicates Yr. But Ivar's rune set is made using the Jarl order, so -. is hagl. If you made a Konge set it would be different again.

Or if you are really artistic you could make one with an image of a stag, a bull, a goat etc.

Q. I suppose I am asking about the method you use to obtain information from  the rune readings. How you "question" the runes. How do you approach this?  Is it in the form of asking a question, or another way? Like, if it is for  someone else (counseling etc). do you simply focus on the person as you are selecting the runes? More intuitive, or structured?

A. Again, it depends on the situation and your personality. As for myself I tend to not ask a direct question, but use the runes to get a general feel for the situation or person. Just trying to see which way the flow is going.
 

Ivar will be teaching the use of the runes for counselling at the summer course in August. Click here for more details