Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic is a comprehensive guidebook that delves into the ancient Norse runic system known as Futhark. Authored by Edred Thorsson, this book offers a detailed exploration of the runes, their meanings, and their magical applications. The book begins with an introduction to the runic alphabet, Futhark, and its historical origins. The author takes the reader through a journey of understanding the runic symbols and their significance in ancient Norse culture. Thorsson highlights the connection between the runes and the Norse gods, elucidating how each rune represents a specific deity and possesses its own unique energy. Furthermore, this handbook delves into the divinatory aspects of the runes.
Post by Bernie » Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:30 am
Please use this forum to ask any questions you may have about yoga in general or Yin Yoga in particular, or to discuss anything you have discovered that may be of general interest. In the Warring States period, the Yin Yang school served as the national teacher of the state of Qin, and contributed a lot to the unification of the state of Qin.
Furthermore, this handbook delves into the divinatory aspects of the runes. Thorsson provides a comprehensive guide to casting and interpreting runic readings, enabling practitioners to gain insight into various aspects of their lives. The author emphasizes the importance of attuning oneself to the runes and developing a personal relationship with each symbol in order to unlock their full potential for divination.
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Aesthetics verses Function
Post by Bernie » Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:30 am
I recently received the following questions:
I have been pondering aesthetics and functional yoga. Something that I had never heard of until your course! Which quite frankly I wish I had. I am naturally quite flexible, but I have also worked on this too. I do not do yoga for the aesthetics, I do this to ensure that I am healthy and have full mobility and motion. However, I am “track 3" in your classes. Is it possible that that one can be both functional and aesthetic in order to gain sensations? I am finding myself feeling less sensations over the years of practice and having your variations for poses are really helpful.
I predominantly teach athletes some of which are very stiff (professional cyclists, long distance runners , triathletes, footballers. ), others are very supple; each one is unique. I know however they like to go for the “perfect posture”. The club’s cultures are very much “be the best”. I plan on changing my teaching to allow for “aesthetic postures”, if their body allows but also working more to understand compression and tension and their own uniqueness and bodies. Whilst I am trying to rationalise my views around aesthetics and function, and I do not think that I can compute that these are two separate entities, I think there is greyness here. Or have I missed the mark? As I am using blocks to gain more sensations, then perhaps this isn’t seen as aesthetic?
I just wondered what your views are on this.
The reason I particularly raise this, is during the classes that I took with you virtually, I did feel like a bit of a “performer” but this was due to the way the class was communicated. I wouldn’t want my students to feel it is necessarily a bad thing (or a circus performer) to be selecting “track 3” just as I wouldn’t want to alienate someone who chose the first track. I use the word options in my classes, to allow for them to select what is right for each pose.
It is an important consideration: aesthetics or the functional approach? Most people are not aware of these distinctions and so unconsciously fall into the aesthetic realm simply because that is the way teachers present the postures, and that is the way the teachers were taught. It is easier to move bodies around than to really investigate what is happening on the inside of those bodies.
You are like most students when you say, “I do not do yoga for the aesthetics, I do this to ensure that I am healthy and have full mobility and motion”. This is the functional approach to the practice: have an intention, then pay attention to see if you are getting what you intend. Unfortunately, while this may be the students’ real intention, because it is unconscious, they never question the directions they are given. You have started to do this. Great!
It is possible for aesthetics to be the intention of the pose. If you are a gymnast or dancer, how you look while performing is important. So in this way, the functional approach would lead to a focus on aesthetics because the intention is to look good. But, remember, looking good is not really your intention. Looking good while doing a pose may happen but it is side effect of the practice, not the reason for it.
You asked, “Is it possible that that one can be both functional and aesthetic in order to gain sensations?”: the short answer is yes. Students focused on the aesthetics of the pose may still experience sensations. That’s fine. But, if there is no other intention beyond placing your body into a certain position, the odds of achieving your real goal of optimal health is less likely to be achieved.
Whether someone is track 1, 2 or 3 is irrelevant to their health. It simply a tool to guide their practice. I jokingly say that track 3 students are “cursed by being flexible” and thus have to go deeper to find their edge. Some track 3 students feel nothing due to their flexibility. (Thus the curse!) They may still benefit from going to this edge, if only to maintain their flexibility as they get older, but they may not get all the stress they are seeking. Being more flexible doesn’t make them better people or healthier, but in the aesthetic world, they look cooler. In the functional world, who cares? Any depth in the pose is simply a way to create a stress in the tissues. Go to where you need to go to create a stress, but with no pain.
For your athletes, you have to redefine for them what “best” means. “Best" in functional yoga is the depth in the pose that makes them healthy and thus will improve their life, which may include improved performance in their chosen sports. Best does not mean being super flexible. (Remember the basketball player: she doesn’t want really loose, stretchy hamstrings! She wants healthy hamstrings which will help her jump higher.) If you can reframe what best means to your students, they may be more motivated to adopt the functional approach and not worry so much about aesthetics.
I never care aesthetically how someone looks while using blocks. I care about what their intentions are and what they are feeling. Who cares what they look like as long as they are getting the stress in the targeted areas and there is no pain. However, how they look in the pose can give me some clues as to whether they are optimizing the stress: there may be options I can offer that will increase/decrease the level of stress they are experiencing, so yes — watching the students is good. Seeing how they look is good. But, we don’t judge the student based on some idealized posture and try to get them into that shape. We judge by asking the student what she is feeling and if the sensations are not adequate or appropriate, our visual senses may give us some ideas of what to try next. If you see someone struggling to stay in a pose, very tense and uptight, these visual cues can guide you. Maybe you are thinking these are aesthetics, and you may be correct, but we are not evaluating these aesthetics against some pre-determined dogmas. They are at best in service to the functional approach.
In addition to divination, Futhark also explores the magical and spiritual applications of runes. Thorsson delves into runic meditation, ritual, and spellwork, unveiling the ways in which one can harness the powers of the runes for personal growth and transformation. The book offers numerous examples of runic rituals and spells, providing readers with practical instructions on how to incorporate runic magic into their spiritual practice. Moreover, this handbook delves into the esoteric aspects of the runes, exploring their connection to the realms of consciousness and energy. Thorsson discusses the cosmological implications of the runic system and offers insights into the realms of existence and the interplay between the physical and spiritual realms. This section allows readers to delve deeper into the mystical aspects of the runes and expand their understanding of the runic system beyond its surface-level meanings. Overall, Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic serves as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in delving into the ancient Norse runic system. With its comprehensive exploration of the runic alphabet, divination techniques, magical applications, and esoteric implications, this handbook offers a holistic and in-depth understanding of the runes and their significance in Norse culture. Whether one is a beginner or an experienced practitioner, this book provides the tools and knowledge necessary to embark on a transformative journey with the runes..
Reviews for "Unleashing the Elemental Forces with Futhark Rune Magic"
1. Karen - ★☆☆☆☆
I was really disappointed with "Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic". I found the book to be extremely confusing and lacking in clear explanations. The author assumes that the reader has prior knowledge of rune magic, which made it difficult for a beginner like myself to follow along. Additionally, the practices and rituals described in the book seemed too abstract and esoteric for me to grasp. I was hoping for a practical guide that would help me understand and incorporate rune magic into my daily life, but this book fell short of my expectations.
2. John - ★★☆☆☆
As someone with a genuine interest in rune magic, I was excited to dive into "Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic". However, I found the book to be rather dull and lacking in engaging content. The author's writing style is dry and academic, making it difficult to stay engaged with the material. Moreover, the book offers little insight into the historical context and cultural significance of the runes, which was something I was particularly interested in. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for an accessible and captivating introduction to rune magic.
3. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆
"Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic" was not what I expected it to be. The book is filled with complex and convoluted explanations that made it hard for me to follow along. I was hoping for a practical guide that would teach me how to use runes in my daily life, but instead, I found myself tangled in a web of theoretical concepts. While the book may be suitable for those with a deep understanding of rune magic, it falls short for beginners like myself. I would recommend exploring other resources before turning to this book.