Rune Magick - Ansuz

This post is going to grow quite a bit, much like Thurisaz. The first talisman - Witch-Link - requires a month long binding and so I am posting the binding now whilst I finalise the details of the talisman bags. Please check back for regular updates and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate...
Blessed Be x

Magick requires many things: communication, inspiration, imagination, eloquence, certain flair; these things can all be enhanced by the Ansuz rune. I consider it a conduit of magickal energy and as such use it much in my practice for the messages I receive from spirit to be all the more powerful and less difficult to interpret. The magicks I shall list here will be only a sample of what Ansuz can do but I share them direct from my subconscious and newly added to my Book of Shadows; as such they are imbued with my personal energies too. As seems to have become standard, I will begin with talismans:

Ansuz Talisman

With Ansuz being the rune of communication and wisdom, the talismans I have come up with mirror those traits. The Witch-Link talisman is a delicate way of energies communicating between witches. I am particularly proud of this talisman as it has taken me weeks to get correct. The second talisman listed is used to gain wisdom from the subconscious; I have devised this talisman to provide a very spiritual encounter. I have concentrated on communication as the focus of this Talisman ‘section’ of Ansuz magick because it is arguably the most prominent trait and power of the rune. It has taken much soul searching to deliver and create these talismans because communication is an exchange and I consider it necessary to give something of yourself to receive wisdom. What I have given is time; many hours of research into the rune and its associations, frantically reading tome after tome and a hundred websites to finally reach this moment

Witch-Link

This talisman is inspired and in fact originally thought up Shiann Raven Moon, who for those who have not seen my blog before, or hers, is my best friend and sister witch. We live in separate parts of the country and although we speak on a daily basis, we only get together about twice a year. This talisman is being created so we call each others energies into our private circles when coveted or required.

You will need:

·       2x small Dark Blue charm bags (organza or velvet)

·       2x Small Conch Shells

·       A 2 of Wands Tarot Card

·       Myrrh Essential Oil

·       A photograph of yourself

·       A photograph of the other witch

·       Scissors/athame

What to do:

Step 1 – Shell Binding

The shells need to be bound together for a full month, both physically and magickally. This is accomplished in circle and I would add extra protection to the circle with The Thurisaz Guard from Thurisaz Meditations post.

a)       Mark the shells with an Ansuz symbol on each one.

b)      On the full moon, anoint the shells with myrrh oil.

c)       Perform a ‘Light Binding’ by reciting this chant three times under the moon whilst physically binding the shells with white cotton:

Dear Goddess, bless this binding rite

With your power, this moonlit night

I bind these shells for future use

Let your light, the bind infuse

d)      Keep the bound shells on your altar until the Dark Moon two weeks later. Under the dark moon, anoint the shells once more.

e)       Perform a ‘Dark Binding’ by reciting the following chant three times, under the dark moon and physically binding black cotton over the white cotton:

Dear Goddess, bless this binding rite

With your power, this moonless night

I bind these shells for future use

Absent light, the bind infuse

f)        Return the shells to your altar until the next full moon.

g)       Use the second full moon to finish the binding: Use a morning glory vine as a third and final binding wrap, whilst reciting:

Bound the same in light and dark

By Goddess blessing and Ansuz mark

Connected now in the astral plane

With physical sever, the bind won’t wane

h)       Focus on the shells form, bound completely by the energies of the Goddess at the most bright and most dark phases. Visualise the earths power binding them through the morning glory. Once you feel that these shells could be magickally bound no more, move on.

i)         Cut the bindings to physically release the shells from each other

On this night, the binding’s done

I cut the ties but harm no one

Your separation forms a route

For these two witches to commute

So mote it be

I personally feel that the full talismans from this point should be made and charged at the new moon, therefore, keep the shells on your altar, wrapped in a blue cloth with the 2 of wands tarot card until that time. The energy of this tarot card, the symbolism of two wands, is an ideal metaphor to charge the shells with magickally linking two witches.

Step 2 – The Herbal Blend

This herbal blend is for the talisman bags; it will not be crushed down so there is no need for a pestle and mortar, just a small bowl to hold the blend until you are going to use it. As you add the ingredients, recite as follows:

Magickal Ash your leaves I add

This blend is now protection clad

Star Anise, give psychic sight

From circle to circle, bring your might

And Apple wood upon my soul

Make the witch connection whole

Stir, the blend 3 times Deosil, 3 times Widdershins, and 3 times Deosil again. Incant:

Stirred together, three times three

To combine my sister witch with me

Step 3 – Talisman Bag

1.          During the new moon create your circle, I personally choose a protection circle, using lavender incense for an extra boost. Ground & Centre yourself while the lavender incense burns out.

2.        Cleanse the talisman bags with sage, incense or smudge. I like incense for convenience and minimal levels of SRS (smoky room syndrome). Open the bags up ready to add their contents.

3.        The first thing to add is the Herbal Blend; divide it equally between the two bags. As this is a new ‘make’ to me, I also added an incantation to this step:

Protection formed by leaves of Ash

Star Anise for a psychic splash

With apple wood the link’s complete

Botanic blend now aid this feat

4.       Time for the conch shells. Have one in each hand and hold them together so the ‘open’ sides are touching; visualise their bound state in the astral plane. Pull them apart slowly and see a passage forming between them – this can be as simple as a corridor or you can go more extravagant. Again, I have added an incantation; once your hands are shoulder-width apart, recite the words below before placing one shell in each bag.

This passage formed from shell to shell

Is active only for rite or spell

Be dormant when you’re not in use

For protection from abuse.

5.        The last item to add to each bag is the photographs. Your photograph into the bag you are giving to the sister/brother witch; and their photograph into the bag you are keeping. More rhyming (I do love my rhyming). Hold one bag in each hand and recite:

In perfect love we now combine

With perfect trust our powers align

Admittance only for us two

This route of magick to travel through

6.        Last step is to tie the bags and send the one with your picture to the other witch.

Using the Link

Shiann Raven Moon is a very good friend of mine as well as a sister witch and she helped to create this idea. I will therefore use us as an example of how to activate the link. If I needed her energy to help with a spell or rite, I would use the talismans in the following way:

a)       We would start by arranging a time when we would both be available to be in circle. At this time, we would both wear the talisman around the neck (although on a belt is another way to go). Also, as timing is important to be synched up with each other, it is also handy to have an alarm of some sort, such as an egg timer.

b)      We would cast our respective circles, ground and centre. I will note here that I consider it important to be wearing the talisman before the opening ‘ceremonies’ of casting so that the corridor/passage is opened within circle.

c)       Once centred, we would each open our respective ‘end’ of the passage by activating our talisman. This is done via meditation and incantation. A pre-approved time would be set, for example 8pm. At this time, we would both set the alarm/timer for 60 minutes and go into meditation.

d)      Once in a meditative state, we would both hold our respective talisman and visualise the corridor between the two shells – this would take approximately 5-10 minutes but all times can be extended or reduced depending on your own practices.

e)       I chose an incantation to activate the corridor as Shiann and I are both very fond of the rhyming.

Shell to shell a path is open

A route which will remain unbroken

In perfect love the link is made

Witch to witch for help and aid

In perfect trust, essence flow

Witch to witch, let it glow

f)        Once the link is open on both sides, the next step would depend on if we both wanted to do workings or just one of us. If only I was doing a working, Shiann would visualise her energies being sent to me, whilst I would visualise receiving them. If we were both practicing, then there would be energies sent and received, I like the idea of turning the corridor into a dual carriageway for this.

g)       At this point, the talisman maintains the link and we would do our different things.

h)       Once ready to disable the link, we would return to a meditative state. Timings for this will have been arranged beforehand.

i)         Disable the link in rhyme, as it was enabled. Visualise the energy in the corridor dissipating and returning to its owner; the corridor getting darker and collapsing in on itself. Recite:

Shell to shell the path is broken

Route now dormant, until reopen

In perfect love, help was gained

Witch to witch, unrestrained

In perfect trust, with magicks sent

I thank you dearly for energies lent

j)         Once the corridor is completely dissolved, bring yourself out of meditation.

Sylph Wishes

I knew when I started studying Ansuz that I wanted to do something relating to the element of Air and after some thought I came up with this spell to send your wishes out to the Sylphs (Elementals of Air). I am very aligned with the element of Air and so this came to me very naturally and is possibly one of the simplest spells I have ever written.

Stave ofKnowledge Talisman

There is a plethora of information which is received by the subconscious, it picks up on details that we do not even comprehend we are seeing. It creates your inner voice and intuition, it is the place where visualisations are formed and it is the catalyst of meditation. For those of us who believe in a higher power, Gods and Goddesses, deities of all sorts and other unseen realms, the sub conscious is where these beliefs are realised.