What Are the Ráðbeining Bein?
Pronounciation-
"Ráðbeining": Rath-bay-ning
"Ráð"pronounced like "rath" with a rolled "r."
"Beining" sounds like "bay-ning" with the "e" in "bay" sounding long.
Bein: Bane
"Bein" is pronounced like "bane," rhyming with "rain."
So, it would sound like: "Rath-bay-ning Bane."
The practice of casting bones—known as Ráðbeining Bein, or "Bones of Counsel"—is an ancient and sacred form of divination. This ritual was once employed by seiðfolk, cunning folk, and the solitary witches who roamed the northern wilds. It is believed that the bones, once marked and empowered by those who wielded the craft, carried the whispers of the spirits from the animals they came from. These bones became more than mere remnants of life; they were the vessels through which the hidden forces of the universe were called upon. They became oracles—quiet, powerful, and sometimes cryptic—offering answers to questions of fate, death, omens, and the unseen truths that weave through the fabric of reality.
The practice of bone casting is deeply intertwined with the animistic beliefs of the Norse and other pre-Christian cultures of Scandinavia. These beliefs held that every part of a living being—their bones, blood, and breath—possessed intrinsic power. In this view, the very essence of a creature lived on in its bones, even after the flesh had rotted away. The bones were not simply fragments of the dead; they were sacred relics, imbued with the spirit of the creature that once inhabited them. This belief extended beyond the realm of animals—human bones, too, could be used in divination, provided the spirit of the deceased gave its consent. Thus, bones gathered from the wild were treated with the utmost reverence, carefully marked and inscribed with runes or sigils to empower them for their role as messengers of fate.
Bone divination was not a common practice in the halls of kings or the courts of learned scholars. It was an art kept largely in the shadows, practiced by those on the fringes of society—hermits, outcasts, and those who sought knowledge hidden from the eyes of the world. In a time when the wild and untamed lands of the North were believed to be teeming with spirits—both benign and malicious—the casting of bones was seen as a powerful method of communion with the unseen. To cast the bones was to open oneself to the wisdom of nature itself, listening to the subtle guidance of animal spirits, ancestors, and the forces of the land.
In the most sacred of rites, the bones were carefully inscribed with runes—symbols of power and protection—or were marked with specific signs to channel particular energies. Each bone carried its own significance, and the way they were cast, as well as their position upon landing, would offer insight into the question asked. Some practitioners would cast the bones into a circle or a specific pattern, interpreting the relationships between the bones, their orientation, and the signs they formed. Others may have used the bones in a more fluid, intuitive way, trusting the spirits to speak through the randomness of the cast. In either case, the results were often vague, requiring deep knowledge of the signs and the ability to interpret them correctly.
Ráðbeining Bein was more than a mere form of fortune-telling. It was a spiritual practice, deeply embedded in the animistic worldview of the Norse people. It was a way of tapping into the ancient, primal energies of the world and communing with forces that most could neither see nor comprehend. To the seiðfolk and those who practiced these arts, it was an intimate, personal connection to the mysteries of the world—an act of deep reverence for the spirits of nature and the ancestors who had come before. To cast the bones was to invite the unknown into one's life, to ask the spirits to reveal what had been hidden, to lay bare the strands of fate and destiny that wound through the tapestry of the world.
Though it has largely faded from mainstream practice, the tradition of bone divination still holds a place in the hearts of those who walk the old paths. The bones, whether animal or human, remain powerful symbols of the connection between life and death, the seen and the unseen. Those who understand the language of the bones continue to practice their art in secret, keeping alive a tradition that has endured for millennia—an ancient form of counsel from the spirits, borne of the bones.
Proper Terms in Trolldómr for Bone Divination
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Ráðbeining Bein – “Counseling Bones” or “Bones of Counsel”
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Beinrunur – “Bone Runes” (when marked with specific runic or sigillic signs)
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Beinlagnir – “Bone Laying,” a term used for the casting of bones
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Beinspár – “Bone Prophecies” or “Bone Omens”
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Beinaskugg – “Bone Shadow,” a poetic term meaning divining through ancestral or animal spirits via bone.
What Bones to Use & Where to Gather Them.
You should never purchase bones; they must be earned, found, or gifted by nature. Only bones freely discovered in hidden, liminal places hold power: forest dens, root-riddled earth, burial mounds, abandoned cairns, mountain caves, or the high moors where birds of prey feast.
Suitable bones include:
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Raven, crow, or magpie bones (especially wing bones or wishbones)
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Fox toe bones or small metacarpals
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Deer ribs or vertebrae
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Wolf phalanges or mandible pieces
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Hare skull fragments
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Owl foot bones
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Snake vertebrae
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Human finger bones (rare; used in grave-sourced necromantic rites only with permission from spirit)
Do not use plastic or machined bones. Each piece should be imperfect, rough, and resonant with death's stillness.
To turn wild bone into Ráðbeining Bein, you must carve or stain each one with a sacred mark, calling forth its spirit. Choose a set of 9 to 21 bones for a full set. Each should be marked with one of the following:
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One of the Elder Futhark runes (especially Ansuz, Laguz, Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Perthro, Isa, and Eiwaz)
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Bindrunes specific to your lineage or magical intention
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Shadow sigils from your personal gnosis or daemonic alphabet
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Tríhyrningr (three-horned symbol of Óðinn)
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The veiled eye, the shadow mask, or wolf’s spiral—all traditional Trolldómr glyphs
Tools:
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Antler knife or obsidian blade (never iron)
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Natural ochre, blood, or ash mixed with spring water to stain engravings
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Bone needle to prick your finger if blood consecration is used
Markings must be carved during the dark moon or waning crescent in silence.
Blessing & Awakening the Bones (Activation Rite)
Once the bones are marked, they must be awakened. This is done at night, under a black or dark gray cloth, with incense of juniper, pine resin, or wormwood burning.
Rite of Awakening:
Spread the bones in a circle around a candle made from black beeswax or animal fat.
Whisper:
❖ Pass your breath over each bone.
❖ Offer three drops of your own blood or spit into the center of the circle.
❖ Let the bones rest for one full night in moonlight, then gather and wrap them in black linen.
Storage of Ráðbeining Bein.
Your bones must be kept in a pouch or box of natural material—preferably felted wool, tanned hide, or carved wood. Wrap them in a cloth when not in use, and keep in a place of shadow—never exposed to sun.
A bone pouch may also include grave dirt, crow feathers, and a vial of storm water for added potency. They must never be touched by strangers.
How to Cast the Bones – Beinlagnir
A casting session (Beinlagnir) must be performed in silence or with low chant. Begin by sitting cross-legged in a circle marked with ash or ironwood. Prepare the space with smoke from wormwood or crow feather smudge.
Ritual Steps:
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Speak aloud your query to the spirits.
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Shake the bone pouch gently three times over your heart.
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Pour or cast the bones from waist height onto a dark cloth or raw earth.
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Let them fall as they will. Do not move them.
Interpretation:
Each bone’s meaning is tied to:
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The symbol carved upon it
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The bone’s origin (crow bones speak of fate and omens; fox of trickery; deer of life path, etc.)
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Its position relative to others (central bones speak loudest; ones outside the cloth are discarded signs or hidden truths)
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Upright vs. inverted marks
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Bones touching or crossing indicate entanglement, alliance, or conflict.
An example reading:
Closing the Rite:
Once your reading is complete, whisper:
Wrap the bones and store them. Do not use them again until the next moon phase.
In the silence of bone and shadow, we are reminded that Ráðbeining Bein is not merely a practice, but a profound communion with forces that stretch beyond the realms of the living. It is the language of the earth, the murmur of the beast, and the ancient whispers of spirits long passed from this world. These bones, weathered by time and steeped in mystery, are not to be taken lightly. They speak not for entertainment, nor for the amusement of those unprepared for their truth. They are the keepers of forgotten knowledge, the forgotten paths that once tied the living to the land and the beyond.
To walk this path is to embrace the shadows, to honour what is often left unspoken and feared. It is to acknowledge that there are truths not meant to be bathed in the light of day, but hidden beneath the surface, carried within the quiet rustling of the earth, under the moss, and within the cryptic symbols etched into bone. Only those who are truly shadow-anchored, those whose hearts beat with the ancient rhythms of wolf-song and raven flight, can hear these truths without losing themselves to the darkness.
For those called by the spirits of beast and land, by the silent song of bones that have lain forgotten for centuries, this art is not ephemeral—it is eternal. The bones remember, and through them, so too do we. In their silence, we find wisdom. In their whispers, we find guidance. For those who dare listen, the path is open—but tread carefully, for this is a journey that demands reverence, strength, and a willingness to face that which others fear. The art of Ráðbeining Bein is a gift, a legacy, and a reminder that the shadows have always held their own light.
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