I'm a great believer in keeping things simple. Nice clear rune shapes, a plain white casting cloth and a simple three-rune spread. I know sometimes people like much more complicated layouts, but I believe that since there are only 24 runes in a set (well, 24 in the Elder Futhark, 30 or 31 in the Anglo Saxon runesets) you have a better reading with fewer runes.

I also make it a point never to ask what the question is about. I don't want to know. I find that way that people are free to ask what's really in their hearts, without worrying whether or not I'm going to sit there judging them. It gives them privacy especially if they're accompanied by a friend or relative.

And the funny thing is that my readings seem to work better this way. Without knowing the question, I can get to grips with the runes in a way that I couldn't if I was looking for certain trends. I just read the runes and leave it to the querent to decide whether or not it answers their question. If they're still not sure, I ask them to pull out another rune and ask for clarification.

Is this the way the runes were read years ago? Who knows. Personally I don't think it matters. The Runes have adapted to many different languages, many different situations. They have been used for writing, for riddles, for charms and for divination.

The very best runes are those you make yourself, preferably from natural materials such as stone or wood. The rune symbols can be engraved, carved, scratched, burned or painted. Some even say you should colour the runes with your own blood. Certainly it's a good idea to cleanse and empower them every so often, otherwise they begin to feel 'stale' and unpleasant to handle.

But the most important thing to do with your runes is to use them. Little by little, day by day, you coax them to give up their secrets, remembering that the lessons they bring to you could well be quite different from the lessons they bring to me.