How to Choose, Cleanse and Charge a Rune Set
Choosing and cleansing runes is simpler than most guides make it sound: pick a set with clear, correct symbols in a material you like to touch, clear it in a way that won't damage that material, and spend a little time with each rune before you read.
In short: Choose a set of 24 Elder Futhark runes (a blank 25th is optional) with clean, correctly shaped symbols and pieces of even size. Cleanse it with a method that suits the material: smoke, moonlight, sound or a bowl of dry rice work for almost everything, while salt and water suit only some stones. Then charge the set by handling each rune and stating its name and meaning, and start with a one-rune daily draw.
How to choose a rune set
The right set is one you will actually use. Before you look at price or packaging, think about how you plan to read: at a desk, outdoors, on the go, for yourself or for others. Then check the material, the symbols and the size.
Stone, wood, crystal or clay: what each material is like
Wood (birch, ash, oak, beech, fruit woods) is light, warm in the hand and quiet when you cast. It is probably closest to how runes were cut in everyday Viking Age life, since most everyday carving was done in wood and little of it survives. Wood needs gentle care: no soaking, no salt.
Natural stone (river pebbles, slate, jasper, agate, onyx) is durable, has a pleasant weight and survives travel. Engraved symbols last longer than painted ones.
Crystal (clear quartz, amethyst, rose quartz, obsidian) is beautiful and popular, and many readers like to match the crystal to their intention. Keep in mind that some crystals fade in strong sun and some chip easily.
Clay and ceramic are affordable and often handmade. Glazed pieces are easy to care for; unglazed clay absorbs moisture and oils.
Bone and antler have a long history as carving materials but are less common today. If you choose them, ask about the source.
There is no historical rule that one material is more powerful than another. Pick the one you enjoy touching, because you will be handling it often.
What to check before you buy
All 24 runes are there and correct. Compare each piece with an Elder Futhark chart. Common mistakes in cheap sets: Kenaz drawn as a full "K", Ingwaz drawn too large or as two crossed lines, Sowilo reversed, Eihwaz and Perthro confused.
The symbols are clear and the pieces are even. Runes of very different size or weight make some pieces easier to grab, which skews your draws.
You can tell top from bottom. Nine runes look the same upside down (Gebo, Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Sowilo, Ingwaz, Dagaz). For the other fifteen, the symbol must clearly show which way is up if you plan to read reversed runes.
The back is blank or plain. A pattern on the back can make some pieces recognizable when you draw.
There is a bag or box. A cloth bag lets you draw by touch without looking.
A blank rune is optional. It was added in the 1980s and is not part of the historical alphabet. You can leave it out.
Buy, receive as a gift or make your own?
You will often read that runes must be given to you or made by you. That is a modern superstition, not a historical rule. A bought set, a gift and a handmade set all work the same way once you have spent time with them. If you like the idea of making your own, see our guide to how to make your own runes.
Have a set but not sure what to ask it? The Reading Room gives you four guided spreads with prompts for each position, so your first readings have a clear structure. One payment of $9, yours to keep.
How to cleanse runes: methods by material
Cleansing is a modern practice, not something described in Norse sources. Think of it as a reset: it removes the traces of the shop and other hands, and it gives you a clear starting point. Choose a method that will not damage your set.
Methods that suit every material
Smoke. Pass each rune through the smoke of a herb bundle or incense: juniper, mugwort, rosemary or pine resin all fit the Nordic mood. Open a window and keep the flame away from cloth bags.
Moonlight. Leave the runes on a windowsill or outdoors under the full moon overnight. Bring them in before the morning sun if your set includes crystals that fade.
Sound. Ring a bell, a singing bowl or a tuning fork over the set for a minute, or simply clap three times over it.
Dry rice or dry salt in a bowl. Bury the runes in dry rice overnight, or set a small bowl of salt beside the bag. Salt should not touch wood, clay or painted symbols.
Breath and intention. Hold the set in both hands, breathe out slowly onto it and say what you are clearing. This is the method I use most when I travel.
Methods for hard stones only
Running water. A short rinse under cool water suits quartz, agate, jasper, onyx and similar hard stones. Dry them right away.
Salt water. Use it briefly and only on hard, non-porous stones. Avoid selenite, malachite, hematite, pyrite, turquoise, opal and anything painted or gilded.
Earth. Bury stones in a pot of soil or in the garden for a day and a night. Mark the spot.
What to avoid
Soaking wooden runes or leaving them in the sun: they crack and warp.
Strong sun on amethyst, rose quartz and other colored crystals: they can fade.
Salt and water on painted, burned or gilded symbols: the marks wear off.
How to charge runes before your first reading
"Charging" is also a modern term. In practice it means getting to know your set and giving it a clear purpose. Here is a simple ritual that takes about 30 minutes:
Sit somewhere quiet with your cleansed set and an Elder Futhark chart.
Take the runes out one by one, in alphabet order from Fehu to Othala.
Hold each rune, look at it, say its name aloud and say one or two key words: "Fehu, wealth and what I earn."
Trace the symbol with your finger in the order you would draw it.
When all 24 are done, hold the whole set in both hands and state its purpose, for example: "This set is for honest answers and clear guidance."
Put the runes back in the bag and leave them on your altar, desk or by your bed overnight.
If 24 runes in one sitting feels like too much, charge one rune a day for 24 days. It is slower, but by the end you will know every symbol well. Some readers also charge their runes under the full moon or near a candle; that is a matter of taste.
How to store and care for your runes
Keep the set in a cloth bag (linen, cotton or wool) or a wooden box. A bag is easier for drawing by touch.
Store it somewhere dry and away from direct sun and heat.
Wipe wooden runes with a soft dry cloth; once a year you can rub them with a little beeswax.
Keep the set separate from everyday clutter. Many readers keep it with a casting cloth and a notebook.
If a rune chips or cracks, you can repair it, replace it or make a new one. A damaged rune does not "ruin" the set.
Your first reading with a new set
Start small. A single rune a day for a week or two builds your relationship with the set faster than a complicated spread.
Shake the bag gently while you think of your question.
Reach in without looking and take the first rune that feels right.
Look at it before you check any book. Notice your first impression.
Then read its meaning and write down how it applies to your day.
In the evening, check whether the rune made sense.
When one rune feels easy, move to three: past, present and future. Our guide to rune casting for beginners and the collection of rune spreads will take you further.
Common mistakes with a new rune set
Waiting for the perfect set. A simple set you use every day teaches more than an expensive one kept in a drawer.
Using a method that damages the material. Salt and water ruin wooden and painted runes.
Reading straight from the booklet. Most booklets that come with sets are short. Learn the runes from fuller sources and from your own notes.
Cleansing after every reading out of worry. Cleansing is a reset, not a protection ritual against fear. Once a month or after a heavy reading is enough.
Reading reversed runes on a set without a clear top. Decide whether you read reversals, and check that your symbols allow it.
What history says about rune sets
It is worth being honest here. We have hundreds of runic inscriptions on stones, weapons, jewelry and wooden sticks, but archaeologists have not found a Viking Age bag of 24 rune stones used for divination. The modern rune set is a 20th-century form.
The most cited early source on Germanic lot-casting is the Roman writer Tacitus (around 98 AD). In "Germania" he describes cutting a branch of a fruit-bearing tree into slips, marking them with signs, scattering them on a white cloth and picking up three, one at a time, to interpret. He does not say the signs were runes, and his account comes from a Roman outsider. Still, it is the clearest early description of something close to a rune reading, and many readers echo it today by casting on a white or linen cloth and drawing three runes.
The Old Norse poem Hávamál also speaks of knowing how to carve and how to stain runes, and later sagas mention runes cut into wood and reddened. Rituals of cleansing and charging, crystal sets and the blank rune all belong to modern practice. That does not make them wrong; it simply means you are free to adapt them to what feels meaningful to you.
The best way to bond with a new set is daily use. The 30-Day Rune Challenge takes you through all 24 runes, one a day, in 15–30 minutes. By the end, every stone in your bag will feel familiar. $49.
FAQ about choosing and cleansing runes
Is it bad luck to buy your own runes?
No. The idea that runes must be a gift is a modern superstition with no historical basis. Most readers buy their first set themselves, and many later make their own. What matters is that you choose the set with care and use it with respect.
How often should I cleanse my runes?
Cleanse a new set once before first use. After that, many readers cleanse after an emotionally heavy reading, after someone else has handled the set, or once a month (some like the full moon). If the set feels fine to you, there is no rule that says you must cleanse it more often.
Can I cleanse runes with salt water?
Only hard, non-porous stones such as quartz, agate, jasper or jade tolerate a quick rinse in salt water. Never use it on wood, bone, clay, painted or gilded symbols, or on soft or water-sensitive stones like selenite, malachite, hematite or pyrite. Dry salt in a bowl next to the bag, or a bowl of dry rice, is a safe alternative for every material.
Which material is best for runes: wood or stone?
Neither is better for reading. Wood is light, warm and closest to how runes were most likely cut in daily life; stone is durable and pleasantly heavy. Choose the one you enjoy holding, because you will handle it every day.
Should I let other people touch my runes?
That is a personal choice, not a rule. Some readers keep their set strictly personal; others let the person they read for draw the runes. If someone else handles your set and it bothers you, simply cleanse it afterwards.
Do I need the blank rune?
No. The blank rune was added in the 1980s and is not part of the historical Elder Futhark. Many readers leave it out; if your set includes one, you can keep it aside or use it, as long as you decide in advance what it means for you.
How do I know my runes are charged?
There is no test. Charging is a way of building a personal bond with the set and of learning the symbols. If you can pick up any rune, name it and say what it means to you without hesitation, the set is ready to read with.
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Written by Julia, rune reader since 2020. More about me →
