When most people hear of yoga the one that usually comes to mind is Hatha Yoga. The several others, for which Hatha Yoga is only a preparation, are largely unknown to the public at large.The same is true of the Runes. If anyone has ever heard of the Runes they are likely to be thinking of the Elder Futhark runes made popular by the effective marketing of Ralph Blum's book, with its splendid set of cast runes. Handling these runes brought back ancient memories to many people with European DNA.The Sacred Eighteen Armanen Runes are the magician's runes. In many parts of Europe these are the runes that come to mind whenever runes are discussed. The immense magickal power of these runes is associated with all their shapes being derived from the hexagon and its associated diameters. Everyone has heard about Solomon's Seal or the Star of David, made by merging two equilateral triangles into one another. This figure is associated with the magick of the Kabbalah and holds the secret of the exact dimensions of the Tree of Life. The Armanen Runes, by virtue of their geometry are connected with the ancient Kabbalistic magick and the work of the alchemists who used the hexagon and its triangles as symbols of the elements.Anyone from any path involving ritual magick could experience the boost given to their work by using the Armanen Runes. Because of the neutrality of their geometric forms they can cross all magickal egregores as a cohesive magickal system.Everything in this book is derived from my own experience and the practical experiences of personal students, men and women, studying the runes to improve their magickal abilities or spiritual insights, and to harness the powers of the runes for personal use.These are the runes that have worked through the centuries. It is my hope that these data and methods of using the runes will inspire the magickal or spiritual work of the reader, no matter what his or her path is, or may become. For the average student the material herein is about two years work. It's not like a newspaper report that you read straight through. Every bit reinforces every other bit whether going ahead, or reviewing. Practicing the exercises makes you a runist. Reading the words only exercises your eyes, and is pretty much a waste of what's left of your current incarnation.Douglas Buchanan.