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A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery & Magic: Wyrdworking, Rune Craft, Divination, & Wortcunning
Discover the secrets of Saxon sorcery, and learn how to craft rune charms, brew potions, cast effective spells, and use magical techniques to find love and prosperity. Exploring the practices and customs of the Anglo-Saxons hidden in English folk traditions, this book shares techniques for making wands and staffs, consecrating and using a ritual knife, healing with herbs (wortcunning), soothsaying, and creating your own set of runes. The meaning and magical properties of the thirty-three Old English Futhorc runes are classified by theme, helping you in your quest to know yourself and influence your world for the better.
Previously published with the title Wyrdworking.
Previously published with the title Wyrdworking.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2017
40 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 8, 2022
Although I had high hopes for this one, and started off thinking it would be getting a whopping 5 stars - the more and more I read of this book the more it reeked of ignorance. I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone with experience in magick, anyone who has established their own opinions and rules on how they practice, however some of the comments made concerning use of native herbs, hexing, and love magic ultimately portrays the writers UPG as fact and could be very easily misconstrued. For me then, whilst I learned a lot from this incredibly dense and knowledgable book, the portrayal of magick as having a morality and therefore passing judgement on the methods of other practitioners just doesnt sit right.
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September 16, 2022Takeouts:
Galdor (incantations), wyrd (destiny), wiglung (soothsaying or divination), wortcunning (the art of working magic with leaves, roots, and flowers, all beyond herbology).
The Hyge (Conscious Thought)
The Lic (Physical Body) (pronounced like “leech”)
The Willa (Willpower)
The Wód (Inspiration)
The Mód (Self-Identity)
The Mægen (Spiritual Strength)
The Hama (Astral Body)
The Myne (Memory and Emotions)
The Fetch (Guardian Spirit)
Q:
Although runes can be used for more than divination, a chapter devoted to wiglung (soothsaying) is essential for a book like this. An aspiring Saxon sorcerer will be much more effective at tackling a problem if he or she can discern potential forces shaping wyrd (destiny) as it unfolds. It is in this later chapter (rather than in the rune chapters) that we will explore runic wiglung, or divination, a topic that tends to dominate the numerous rune books available today. The primary difference between this book and many others is that the Saxon sorcerer will be using the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc runes, which have nine more characters than the Elder Futhark symbols commonly sold as “rune stones.” We’ll also look at a smaller but extremely effective set of symbols that I call wyrd stones. These are usually painted or engraved on small rocks. As an alternative to these symbol-oriented techniques, I will also discuss scrying, as well as methods of “world walking” that were briefly described in Travels Through Middle Earth. (c)
Q:
The chapters on runes are followed by a discussion of galdor, or incantations. This word, galdor, is related to the Old English verb galan, meaning “to sing or call out.” The power of the spoken word is well attested to in Saxon lore, and we have many Old English charms to illustrate the basic techniques for producing effective “sound magic.” We will look at some of these techniques and also explore how to combine galdor with other modalities. (c)
Q:
After this we will look at wortcunning, the art of working magic with leaves, roots, and flowers. This is a favorite topic of mine. It is often called herbalism or herbology, but I feel that these words focus one’s attention specifically on remedial (healing) herbs. Wortcunning includes this aspect, especially when the healing procedure falls into the definition we will establish for “magic,” but it is also much more. (c)
Q:
Magic does not shatter reality. Magic shapes reality to your advantage by subtly shaping your wyrd. (c)
Q:
The Wód (Inspiration)
You Know and you Will, now you must Dare. The part of the Self that corresponds to daring is called the wód. This is your passion. This is what inspires your willa. Pure wód, when undirected, erupts into madness and rage. But when guided by the willa, it becomes a powerful tool. (c)
Q:
The Mód (Self-Identity)
In my opinion, it is the mód that we are usually thinking of when we speak of the “soul.” Our modern word mood comes from this Old English term. Mód can be interpreted equally as heart, mind, or spirit. Your mód is what might be called self-awareness. It is your sense of identity.
The mód does not have an immediate, obvious connection with magic. With the hyge, willa, and wód, you have Known, you have Willed, and you have Dared. (c)
Q:
The Mægen (Spiritual Strength)Mægen (MY-an) is an Old English word meaning “strength” or “vigor.” When we say that someone has a lot of guts, we are speaking of that person’s mægen. (c)
Q:
The Myne (Memory and Emotions)Your memories, all of them, good and bad, are the part of you known as your myne (pronounced MU-neh). I honestly do not think the myne comes directly into play in magic work except when the wyrdworker is memorizing a chant or the meanings of the runes, but it is one of the nine parts of the Self, (c)
Q:
Our emotions are our memories, both painful and pleasurable. Lovers once gave sprigs of rosemary to one another, because that herb strengthened the myne and thus helped ensure that they would be remembered. (c)
Q:
These, then, are the nine parts of the Self: lic, hyge, willa, wód, mód, mægen, hama, myne, and fetch. Most of these will have a role in your magic work at some time or another. (c)
Q:
The Telga (Wand) (c)
Q:
The Seax (Knife)
The seax (SAY-ax) (c)
Q:
Weland is an elf, or spirit, who attained the status of a Saxon god. Known for his ability as a smith, Weland was captured and imprisoned on an island. There he was forced to craft jewelry and other items for his captor. But eventually Weland escaped the island using a pair of wings he had made for himself. (c) Daedalus, is that you?
Galdor (incantations), wyrd (destiny), wiglung (soothsaying or divination), wortcunning (the art of working magic with leaves, roots, and flowers, all beyond herbology).
The Hyge (Conscious Thought)
The Lic (Physical Body) (pronounced like “leech”)
The Willa (Willpower)
The Wód (Inspiration)
The Mód (Self-Identity)
The Mægen (Spiritual Strength)
The Hama (Astral Body)
The Myne (Memory and Emotions)
The Fetch (Guardian Spirit)
Q:
Although runes can be used for more than divination, a chapter devoted to wiglung (soothsaying) is essential for a book like this. An aspiring Saxon sorcerer will be much more effective at tackling a problem if he or she can discern potential forces shaping wyrd (destiny) as it unfolds. It is in this later chapter (rather than in the rune chapters) that we will explore runic wiglung, or divination, a topic that tends to dominate the numerous rune books available today. The primary difference between this book and many others is that the Saxon sorcerer will be using the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc runes, which have nine more characters than the Elder Futhark symbols commonly sold as “rune stones.” We’ll also look at a smaller but extremely effective set of symbols that I call wyrd stones. These are usually painted or engraved on small rocks. As an alternative to these symbol-oriented techniques, I will also discuss scrying, as well as methods of “world walking” that were briefly described in Travels Through Middle Earth. (c)
Q:
The chapters on runes are followed by a discussion of galdor, or incantations. This word, galdor, is related to the Old English verb galan, meaning “to sing or call out.” The power of the spoken word is well attested to in Saxon lore, and we have many Old English charms to illustrate the basic techniques for producing effective “sound magic.” We will look at some of these techniques and also explore how to combine galdor with other modalities. (c)
Q:
After this we will look at wortcunning, the art of working magic with leaves, roots, and flowers. This is a favorite topic of mine. It is often called herbalism or herbology, but I feel that these words focus one’s attention specifically on remedial (healing) herbs. Wortcunning includes this aspect, especially when the healing procedure falls into the definition we will establish for “magic,” but it is also much more. (c)
Q:
Magic does not shatter reality. Magic shapes reality to your advantage by subtly shaping your wyrd. (c)
Q:
The Wód (Inspiration)
You Know and you Will, now you must Dare. The part of the Self that corresponds to daring is called the wód. This is your passion. This is what inspires your willa. Pure wód, when undirected, erupts into madness and rage. But when guided by the willa, it becomes a powerful tool. (c)
Q:
The Mód (Self-Identity)
In my opinion, it is the mód that we are usually thinking of when we speak of the “soul.” Our modern word mood comes from this Old English term. Mód can be interpreted equally as heart, mind, or spirit. Your mód is what might be called self-awareness. It is your sense of identity.
The mód does not have an immediate, obvious connection with magic. With the hyge, willa, and wód, you have Known, you have Willed, and you have Dared. (c)
Q:
The Mægen (Spiritual Strength)Mægen (MY-an) is an Old English word meaning “strength” or “vigor.” When we say that someone has a lot of guts, we are speaking of that person’s mægen. (c)
Q:
The Myne (Memory and Emotions)Your memories, all of them, good and bad, are the part of you known as your myne (pronounced MU-neh). I honestly do not think the myne comes directly into play in magic work except when the wyrdworker is memorizing a chant or the meanings of the runes, but it is one of the nine parts of the Self, (c)
Q:
Our emotions are our memories, both painful and pleasurable. Lovers once gave sprigs of rosemary to one another, because that herb strengthened the myne and thus helped ensure that they would be remembered. (c)
Q:
These, then, are the nine parts of the Self: lic, hyge, willa, wód, mód, mægen, hama, myne, and fetch. Most of these will have a role in your magic work at some time or another. (c)
Q:
The Telga (Wand) (c)
Q:
The Seax (Knife)
The seax (SAY-ax) (c)
Q:
Weland is an elf, or spirit, who attained the status of a Saxon god. Known for his ability as a smith, Weland was captured and imprisoned on an island. There he was forced to craft jewelry and other items for his captor. But eventually Weland escaped the island using a pair of wings he had made for himself. (c) Daedalus, is that you?
June 9, 2025
I re-read my old copy, which was published under a slightly different title. As far as I know any changes made between the two were minor.
This is mainly a book on runes and it does that very, very well. There are so many rune books covering the same material in much the same way. You can waste a lot of time wading through them. This book looks at the Anglo Saxon runes specifically, and his take is a good one that isn't exactly the same as anyone else's. Worthwhile. I've gotten rid of a lot of my books in recent years as I realize that they will never need a reread. This book, keeps its place through multiple visits.
This is mainly a book on runes and it does that very, very well. There are so many rune books covering the same material in much the same way. You can waste a lot of time wading through them. This book looks at the Anglo Saxon runes specifically, and his take is a good one that isn't exactly the same as anyone else's. Worthwhile. I've gotten rid of a lot of my books in recent years as I realize that they will never need a reread. This book, keeps its place through multiple visits.
December 10, 2020
Much different than I expected. I learned a lot and concluded I knew the Futhark runes better than I thought...they're different than the ones written about here...the author writes well and uses language not difficult to comprehend.
April 12, 2025
What a waste of money… this book was utter nonsense.
October 7, 2024
I think it’s one of the best books on Anglo-Saxon and Norse magic that isn’t problematic. Alaric pack full this book of useful knowledge on concepts, language, and magical practice and tools. It’s definitely one of my favorites. He doesn’t sugarcoat, he is straightforward and doesn’t mind people changing things up a bit when it comes to runes and magical spellwork. I think the Runes are the best when it comes to this book very informative and he actually puts the Anglo Saxon rune poem so one can read it and interpret on our own which is so great for a beginner. Great information not just on runes but herbs, Deities, tools like a knife or wands, the concepts of having multiple souls was interesting. I think when I finished this book I truly did learn a lot of things and how to progress into my own practice.
I disagree with him on the topic like Cursing for instance it sounds like it’s his own opinion which is fine, he doesn’t see cursing being immoral rather a waste of time and it will affect your fate and suggested to read his first book on the subject. Which is odd to me because I think when it comes to magic like cursing in a Saxon Sorcery book I wish he went more in depth because of the topic. I have not read his first book Travels Through Middle Earth and don’t know what he is referring to is quite confusing and has a tone of “I already said it, just look it up.” I get it repeating oneself gets old but you’re writing about magic, baneful magic is quite a prevalent thing. Quote from the book when suggesting reading his first book on Wyrd “If you have already read that chapter about wyrd and honorable actions, and still think you need to curse someone, please read it again. Everything you do throughout your life, no matter how justified you believe your actions to be, will affect your destiny.” On page 51. Listen I don’t like when people curse others without reason because that’s messed up but there are very justifiable reasons why someone might curse another person. The only way it can “affect” my destiny is if I’m a bad person and casting curses on innocent people. Alaric explains it’s a waste of time and turn the urge into a healing process like using a incantation to dissolve the hurt which is fine but Cursing is still a valid option at times the only option in some people’s cases like victims of abuse, oppression, bullying, etc. it’s very ignorant in my opinion.
I won’t deny Alaric is very knowledgeable and don’t get me wrong I like how he approaches a lot of these topics however it can come across as being his word being the only thing that is right. On topic of using Blood he says only medical professionals can draw blood which isn’t true, you can get sterile lancets to draw blood from a local pharmacy and just need to be extremely careful when drawing blood. I get it if you’re trying to be cautious of what you’re writing about which I appreciate but then he did a whole section of blood magic which not all readers are medical professionals yes he gives substitutes like red paint but my point still stands.
Even with my gapes it was still a wonderful book and if anyone wanted to learn more about Germanic/Norse sorcery I highly recommend this book. It has very good information about important topics in Saxon culture.
I disagree with him on the topic like Cursing for instance it sounds like it’s his own opinion which is fine, he doesn’t see cursing being immoral rather a waste of time and it will affect your fate and suggested to read his first book on the subject. Which is odd to me because I think when it comes to magic like cursing in a Saxon Sorcery book I wish he went more in depth because of the topic. I have not read his first book Travels Through Middle Earth and don’t know what he is referring to is quite confusing and has a tone of “I already said it, just look it up.” I get it repeating oneself gets old but you’re writing about magic, baneful magic is quite a prevalent thing. Quote from the book when suggesting reading his first book on Wyrd “If you have already read that chapter about wyrd and honorable actions, and still think you need to curse someone, please read it again. Everything you do throughout your life, no matter how justified you believe your actions to be, will affect your destiny.” On page 51. Listen I don’t like when people curse others without reason because that’s messed up but there are very justifiable reasons why someone might curse another person. The only way it can “affect” my destiny is if I’m a bad person and casting curses on innocent people. Alaric explains it’s a waste of time and turn the urge into a healing process like using a incantation to dissolve the hurt which is fine but Cursing is still a valid option at times the only option in some people’s cases like victims of abuse, oppression, bullying, etc. it’s very ignorant in my opinion.
I won’t deny Alaric is very knowledgeable and don’t get me wrong I like how he approaches a lot of these topics however it can come across as being his word being the only thing that is right. On topic of using Blood he says only medical professionals can draw blood which isn’t true, you can get sterile lancets to draw blood from a local pharmacy and just need to be extremely careful when drawing blood. I get it if you’re trying to be cautious of what you’re writing about which I appreciate but then he did a whole section of blood magic which not all readers are medical professionals yes he gives substitutes like red paint but my point still stands.
Even with my gapes it was still a wonderful book and if anyone wanted to learn more about Germanic/Norse sorcery I highly recommend this book. It has very good information about important topics in Saxon culture.
October 10, 2021
Beautiful introduction to the arts associated with Saxon sorcery. I already work runecraft with the Elder Futhark, and I'll continue to do so rather than use the Saxon Futhorc, however, this book provided me with an excellent starting point for wortcunning as well as gives insight to the use of galdor with both of those crafts. The brief description of trance induction will prove quite useful in my daily meditation.
February 27, 2023
I love this book. Alaric Albertsson gives an amazing explanation of Saxon sorcery that anyone with any interest will be able to learn from this great book. If a person wants to actually practice Saxon sorcery and magic than this book is a must. Realistically my physical copy will eventually be worn as I go back to it repeatedly as I learn more and more. Must have!!
May 5, 2024
4.5
Fantastic for those who follow Seax Wicca or Paganism; or for those like myself who are just interested in different paths and practices.
Fantastic for those who follow Seax Wicca or Paganism; or for those like myself who are just interested in different paths and practices.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews