The Witches' Runes: History, Creation, and Use — Tarot Divination

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🃏 Tarot & Divination

The Witches' Runes: History, Creation, and Use

Name: The Witches' Runes: History, Creation, and Use
Price: 18.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780738781778

✍️ Josephine Winter, Jason Tremain, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$18.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

This compelling guide unveils the long-obscure system known as the Witches' Runes, or "Stones O'Leary." Originally transmitted by the esteemed Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, this book, penned by Josephine Winter and Jason Tremain, makes this powerful divinatory method accessible to a wider audience for the first time. It provides an in-depth exploration of each of the ten unique symbols, offering practical steps for interpretation, meditative practices, and guidance on crafting your own set, making ancient insights readily available.

Winter, Josephine; , Tremain, Jason; , Ashcroft-Nowicki, Dolores

🃏

Tarot & Divination

Praise for this book

“The Witches' Runes by Jason Tremain and Josephine Winter is nothing short of a triumph! This is an authentic and inspiring work dedicated to a rare and powerful divination system rooted in the lore and praxis of magic and Witchcraft. Within these pages, the authors uncover a seldom-seen method of magical meaning-making!”

— Nathan King, author of Awakening the Witchblood

“The Witches' Runes is an accessible, practical, working guide for learning a unique system of divination. Tremain and Winter lay out history, folklore, myth, and magic to help the would-be Witches' Runes diviner become intimate with these special stones. This unique and elegant system is given a home in these pages and many will find sustenance and inspiration here. A magical guide to mysterious symbols that will offer clarity, power, and meaning.”

— Fio Gede Parma, author of Ecstatic Witchcraft and The Witch Belongs to the World

“The Witches' Runes teaches a versatile and deceptively simple divination system. Readers will find practical, down-to-earth answers to their questions in these pages, as Tremain and Winter present a modern take on a form of divination uniquely suited to a witch's needs.”

— Jack Chanek, author of Tarot for the Magically Inclined

🏛 Llewellyn Publications 📅 2026 📖 220 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780738781778

Fun Fact

This volume brilliantly demystifies the Witches' Runes, making a historically significant, yet previously obscure, system wonderfully accessible. Winter and Tremain excel at guiding the reader from creation to interpretation with clarity and warmth. While those seeking a deeply academic or comparative study of runic systems might desire more, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone desiring a practical, intuitive, and personal divinatory tool. It firmly establishes the Witches' Runes as a distinct and user-friendly oracle in the world of esoteric practice.

📝 Description: The Witches' Runes: History, Creation, and Use

Master this Historic and Powerful Divinatory SystemStep-By-Step, Rune by Rune First presented by famed occultist Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, the Witches' Runes, aka Stones O'Leary, are a set of ten marked stones that have traveled the world by way of occult teachers and students. Now, for the first time ever, this obscure system of divination is presented in its original form for a general audience. Josephine Winter and Jason Tremain present each rune in its own in-depth chapter along with meditations and journal prompts. Josephine and Jason encourage you to explore each rune's traditional meaning and how it connects with you on a personal level. You will also learn how to create your own Witches' Runes and interpret the symbol combinations. Much simpler than tarot or the Elder Futhark runes, anyone can pick up this system and find that the future is just a stone's throw away.

📑 What's inside

Foreword by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki xi
Introduction 1
Chapter One: Discovering the Witches' Runes 7
Chapter Two: Meeting the Witches' Runes 21
Chapter Three: The Eye Stone 33
Chapter Four: The Sun Stone 47
Chapter Five: The Moon Stone 61
Chapter Six: The Rings Stone 73
Chapter Seven: The Birds Stone 85
Chapter Eight: The Waves Stone 97
Chapter Nine: The Wheat Stone 113
Chapter Ten: The Crossed Spears Stone 127
Chapter Eleven: The Star Stone 141
Chapter Twelve: The Sickle Stone 153
Chapter Thirteen: Making Your Stones 165
Chapter Fourteen: Reading the Runes 175
Conclusion 195
Acknowledgements 197
Appendix: Quick Reference Guide 199
Bibliography 201

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This title serves as a vital repository for the obscure 'Stones O'Leary' system, offering clear instructions on rune creation and interpretation. However, it does not suit readers seeking purely academic historical analysis or those who prefer digital divination tools over physical artifact engagement. It also may disappoint seekers of mainstream Tarot or I Ching methods, as this specific ten-symbol system requires a distinct mindset focused on material crafting and meditative association rather than complex narrative archetypes. It is best for hands-on practitioners ready to invest time in learning a niche tradition.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a tangible connection to lesser-known divinatory systems will find immense value in this accessible guide. It is particularly suited for those interested in the intersection of witchcraft history and practical spellwork, offering a unique path to foresight through the Witches' Runes. By demystifying the 'Stones O'Leary' tradition originally transmitted by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, the authors empower practitioners to craft their own sets and engage in meditative practices. This book is ideal for witches and diviners who desire a structured yet mystical approach to interpreting symbols, providing both historical depth and immediate practical utility for enhancing spiritual insight.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you're seeking a straightforward yet profound method of divination, or if you've been intimidated by more complex systems, this book is for you. It's perfect for beginners in witchcraft or experienced practitioners looking to explore a unique, historically significant, and accessible oracle.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This title serves as a vital repository for the obscure 'Stones O'Leary' system, offering clear instructions on rune creation and interpretation. However, it does not suit readers seeking purely academic historical analysis or those who prefer digital divination tools over physical artifact engagement. It also may disappoint seekers of mainstream Tarot or I Ching methods, as this specific ten-symbol system requires a distinct mindset focused on material crafting and meditative association rather than complex narrative archetypes. It is best for hands-on practitioners ready to invest time in learning a niche tradition.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Witches' Runes consist of ten distinct symbols, created with a specific focus on intuitive and personal interpretation, making them less complex and often more immediately accessible than the Elder Futhark's twenty-four traditional symbols with their extensive historical and linguistic associations.

Absolutely! The authors have crafted this guide to be incredibly beginner-friendly, providing step-by-step instructions for creating and interpreting the runes, along with meditative exercises, making it an ideal starting point for anyone curious about divination.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Unveiling Witches' Runes

Discover the unique history and structure of this distinct set of ten divinatory stones. Unlike other rune systems, this tradition, once passed down through occult circles, is now thoroughly documented, providing a comprehensive understanding of each symbol's origins and specific significance within the Witches' Runes framework.

Mastering Divinatory Practice

Learn how to effectively utilize the Witches' Runes for personal insight and guidance. The book offers clear, step-by-step instructions for interpreting individual runes and their combinations, simplifying the divination process so that even novices can quickly grasp the art of forecasting and self-reflection through this powerful system.

Personal Creation & Connection

Engage deeply with the runes by creating your own set, fostering a profound personal bond with your divinatory tools. The authors encourage introspective meditation and journal work for each symbol, guiding readers to explore how these ancient meanings resonate with their individual life experiences and inner wisdom.

📜 Historical context

The Witches' Runes, also known as Stones O'Leary, represent a distinct divinatory tradition within occultism, first brought to wider attention by the influential Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki. This system stands apart from the more common Elder Futhark runes, offering a different lineage and symbolic language, rooted in a specific stream of esoteric wisdom that has traveled quietly through various teachers and students before this public presentation.

📚 Glossary

Witches' Runes
Divination
Elder Futhark

📔 Questions to reflect on

Choose one of the Witches' Runes. How does its traditional meaning manifest in your current life situation, and what insight does it offer you today?
If you were to create a new symbol for a Witches' Rune, what would it represent, and how would it relate to the existing ten?
Reflect on a past decision. If you had consulted the Witches' Runes beforehand, which rune do you think would have appeared, and how might that guidance have altered your path?