Why did the Hafskjold family pass on Stav for so long? Why did they so value this “knowledge of the rune staves?” Ivar says it was because it was the basis of their education system, a training for survival in Norway, a part of the world where just surviving, let alone prospering can never be taken for granted.

Stav is a system which makes you self-sufficient and aims to create a state of mind and abilities which don't require constant access to a library or any other external source of knowledge. You should learn as much as you can about anything that is useful when ever you get the opportunity. But by creating the web of associations in your memory you should be able to recall whatever you do know when you need it and piece together a practical way of dealing with whatever situation you find yourself in.

Lets take as an example the runic tree associations. This is an aspect of Tein Seid or knowledge of plants. Since plants provide us with food, medicine, building materials, raw materials for all kinds of tools, weapons, utensils, implements, ropes and textiles and don't forget fuel and ritual objects then having a broad knowledge of where to find them and what to do with them is going to be invaluable to survival. However, unless you are using knowledge daily it is very hard to carry random knowledge in the brain without simply forgetting it, or at least forgetting why you remembered it in the first place. Of course we are used to writing important stuff down or looking it up on the internet but, as I stated before, Stav is s system which can be carried inside your self and doesn't require anything that can be lost or stolen from you.

So here is an exercise for you. Take the seven major tree associations which are: Hazel, Rowan, Ash, Oak, Apple, Birch and Yew. There is an association for each rune and by all means learn all of them but I would recommend starting with this seven. Look them up on Wikipedia and get a knowledgeable friend to point them out to you and then start getting to know them. Take walks in the country and greet them like old friends when you see an example of each kind (you don't have to do it out loud) and keep your eyes open everywhere, when you are tuned into recognising trees you will spot them in gardens, parks, on waste ground and all kinds of places you wouldn't have noticed before.

Find out which runes they are associated with and you have done two things, begun to build up some rune-lore and learned where to find sources of food, excellent fuel, tool handles, staffs and cudgels, shelter, material for making protective charms and even an alternative to paper. I do realise that these messages are going out to at least five continents so you may have to see if you can work out which are the equivalent trees where you are but the same principle applies. Also be aware of the trees around you when you do the stances, living timber plays a major role in cleansing and energising the surroundings and you will benefit both from their production of oxygen and from their megin energy.

Tomorrow I will take the runic education theme a bit further by looking at bind runes.

Regards,

Graham