Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.
- B.K.S. Iyengar

Runic Yoga or Stádhagaldr, is inspired by Yogic traditions stretching back thousands of years, and has combined the mysteries of the Runes - uniting two ancient and cherished traditions. The practice of Stádhagaldr looks very much like someone performing a simple Tai chi form; although I don’t believe there to be any recent or direct connection between the two.

Yoga (Sanskrit) refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. In Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal toward which that school directs its practices. In Jainism it refers to the sum total of all activities—mental, verbal, and physical.

Inspired by the works of Guido von List in the 19’th century, the early 20th century German runemasters (F.B. Marby , S.A. Krummer, and Karl Spiesberger) developed runic yoga, or Runengymnastik, as a means of harnessing the streams of power present in the earth and atmosphere.

Following their development of Runengymnastik in the 1930’s, there seems to be a gap of about fifty years with no mention of the practice. In 1984 Edred Thorsson (aka Stephen Flowers, Ph.D.) published his book FUTHARK - A Handbook of Rune Magic. In Thorsson’s book, (pp. 124-132), he describes his discipline of stádhagaldr and it’s basis on Runengymnastik.

In parallel with the development of Runengymnastik and Stádhagaldr, evolved a holistic tradition in Norway, called Stav, which incorporated “Rune Stances” into it’s daily practice.

Cover of Marby's Runengymnastik from 1932 

Stav

The Hafskjold tradition of Stav is the only formal European Mind, Body & Spirit system that I am aware of. One of the core components of Stav is the practice of the Rune Stances based on the sixteen Runes of the Younger FUTHORC; Stav was my inspiration for further study into Stádhagaldr. Indeed, Stav has had a large influence on all aspects of this book, and although the Stádhagaldr I present here are based on the Elder FUTHARK, I embrace Stav and its principles and aims.

In 2005 I had the great honor and pleasure to have Graham Butcher, a Stav Master from Oxford, stay with our family and teach me the basics of Stav while he opened the American branch of his Ice and Fire Stav School. (Ice and Fire also has a branch in Canada)

During my time with Graham, I conducted an interview which outlines the Stav tradition - read the full interview here.

 

Runic Yoga Posture for the Rune Berkana (same stance as Bjork in Stav)

 

  Please buy a copy of the book for a full explanation of Runic Yoga and diagrams for all the stances!