Public interest in the Runes has been increasing continuously over the past few years.
However, many persons who became seriously interested in the ancient art of harnessing cosmic energies from the realms of the Runes must soon realize that scarcely anything tangible was known in the English speaking world.
This unfortunate situation was well reflected on the shelves of metaphysical bookstores. Until quite recently, there was virtually no book available where the serious student could find any information about the esoteric aspects of Runes let alone practical suggestions on how to harness the incredible powers that come forth from the realms of the Runes.
Today it is possible to find many more books about Runes. The authors of these books usually limit themselves to discussing Rune readings and divination with possibly a few hints on how to use Runes in other ways: most of them are unashamedly materialistic. Some of them indulge in reveries about reviving the old Odinistic religion.
Unfortunately, it is also true that none of these well-meant works have as their foundation the 18 Sacred Futhork Runes, which are based on the hexagon with its three inscribed diameters.
In these books, you will find discussions of arrays of 20, 24, or even more "Runes" which have little to do with the 18 Sacred Futhork Runes. More than one author even includes a newly invented blank "Rune" in his system.
The blank rune, of course, was unknown to true runic tradition. These arrays of "Runes" certainly cannot be symbolisms, since they have none of the criteria of a true symbolism.
In a true symbolism, the position of each symbol in relation to every other symbol is of key importance. When no such interrelation exists, we speak of an "incoherent array" of symbols.
