Galdramal

Galdramal; a Practical Guide to Rune Magick and Spell Work
André Jooste
Crossed Crow Books
ISBN 978-1-964537-50-4
$22.95

Galdr is an Old Norse word that conveys the idea of singing, chanting or incanting for magical purposes. It is simultaneously magical and poetic, and is closely interwoven with the related Norse magical arts of seidr and runic magic. These practices are referred to but not thoroughly described in the eddas and sagas, leaving many modern practitioners interested in engaging in spellwork in a Norse framework at a loss as to how to actually do it. Some texts focus on minimal references that provide workable techniques but don’t offer a comprehensive system while others patch in various methods from other cultures and other branches of the modern NeoPagan movement, leaving readers with workable systems that are not necessarily authentic to a Norse cultural context. In Galdramal—a title meaning book or speech of galdr—André Jooste fills that gap with a thorough treatment of Norse magical practice including galdralag, seidr, the creation of bindrunes, spirit work and runic divination.

Instead of relying on borrowed techniques, Jooste thoroughly elucidates the source material on which each method he describes is based. He also includes important practical information, for example instruction on syllabification and stress rules are incorporated into his directions for incantation, in addition to a thorough discussion of poetic structures and kennings.

As an example of the depth of his approach, in Jooste’s treatment of the runes, he includes a comparison of meanings across runic systems and also provides Norweigan, Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon rune poems in the original languages as well as in modern English. He discusses the meaning of each rune as an ideograph that symbolizes a primal concept as well as carrying phonetic value, and instructs the reader in how to connect personally with the energies of the runes and begin to use them for divination and magic. With Jooste’s exhaustive research, thorough descriptions and detailed instructions, Galdramal serves as a comprehensive guide to Norse magical techniques.