The Rune Forum

I just wanted to cull together some information on the so-called "blank rune", by providing direct links to webpages of some authority and knowledge on the subject.

In short, historically, traditionally, there was never such a thing as a blank rune. For starters, the runes are not the staves, wood chips, or clay cookies that one may buy or make; the symbols themselves are the runes. Therefore, a blank rune is a blank symbol; a contradiction, an oxymoron.  It is also redundant and unnecessary, as the traditional runes more than cover the meaning ascribed to the "blank" rune.

The blank rune was introduced to the world in the 1980s courtesy of one Ralph Blum, who not only came up with the blank rune, but also decided to completely change the order and arrangement of the Futhark! Perhaps even worse, he consulted the i-Ching to help him ascribe meaning to the runes.
 
Needless to say, this horrified traditionalists. If there is one group out there who is opposed to new-age meddlings in their tradition, it's people who follow the Northern ways - Heathens, Asatru, Odinists, Vitkis, Runemasters, etc.

Below are direct links that set the record straight.

http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/blank_rune.html
http://www.mackaos.com.au/Articles/Blank.html
http://www.runemaker.com/futhark/blankrune.shtml
An interesting take, which I personally agree with:
http://runesecrets.com/rune-meanings/perthro-rune-meaning-analysis
And last but not least, a hilarious bit of ingenious parody -don't miss this!
http://www.odins-gift.com/poth/recent/theoriginandsecretsoftheblankrune.htm

just wondering, (I havent read through these yet, but I know you know a fair bit about the Runes! ;)) has there ever been any cases in history of rune tablets being made and being left blank as part of a set (perhaps the blank being given under the mis-truth of being a 'spare', so that the maker could put a 'hidden' rune symbol on it?  I am not talking about the Blume runes though! LOL!

What I mean is, if you were mark a 'rune' onto something, with something invisible to the eye - even just your spit if you were in the nasty-teach them a lesson mood! then this would be a powerful tool in magic, and perhaps because the recipient can't see it it would be quite stubborn in remaining with them - or it could add protection to that person without their knowledge.

Just wondering! ;D

I have no idea, to be honest, WN.
Interesting idea though.  I really don't know if they would've considered a hidden rune potent or not.

Interestingly, I just today stumbled across this page on the Sunnyway site.  They don't seem to be worried about hiding anything here, lol.
Now this is a nasty set of runic curses!
http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/nidstang.html

Really interesting link, Grymdychhe! Can you imagine seeing one of those nidstangs pointed at your house? Eek!

This is an interesting question...
Personally, I think that the physicality of the process of carving/painting runes onto a surface that is thereafter altered permanently by the process contains at least some part of the magic. I take a stick, otherwise pristine, I carve onto it a rune. The result is something greater than the two elements....does that make any sense?

Patrima

To me the greatest argument for no blank ruin is the they are an alphabet. A "secret" or blank letter makes no sense to me.

I agree a blank rune has no purpose, as the rune is the 'symbol' not the tablet

- but a blank tablet with a secret rune washed over it and left to dry, so its not visable to the naked eye - I think may make for powerful stuff. :)

But thats why a set of runes should have no blank 'tablet', as the tablets themselves are only the carrier and not the message. 

The "blank rune" is also a Wiccan/ New Ager concept. What is the purpose behind it's inclusion? Who knows. My only knowledge on it is the aforementioned. I purchased a set of Bloodstone Runestones some months ago and included therein was a "blank rune." I was sour about it and I eventually discarded it several days ago when I purified (I felt it was necessary since you never know what negative energies may have made their way into the stones during the manufacturing and distribution process) my runestones.

This is why I always stick to the original, the real McCoy. It helps avoid any confusion that some self- dubbed "innovators" and "pioneers" stir up. What's i- Ching? Lol.

I-Ching (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching) is an ancient Chinese divinatory method, based on the yin/yang concept, usually using physical sticks of varying length, which are dropped in random and the resulting pattern referenced against a Book of Changes. 
In and of itself, it's as  valid and respectable a system as any other, but, it has nothing to do with runes, and I don't know why new-age authors keep feeling the need to "mix'n'match" like they're shopping at Marshalls. I guess maybe a few are genuinely looking to find some "new" secret, or maybe just a way to combine different interests of theirs, but I suspect most are just trying to cash in on a previously nonexistent niche, like trying to discover a new ice cream flavor by mixing existing ones - without regard for the centuries of traditional use and the culture behind those systems.