| RUNES
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Mannaz: The Self
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
significator, self, family, community, relationships, social concerns
MAGICAL USES:
Used to represent a specific person or group of people; to establish social relationships
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Ask and Embla, Midgard
ANALYSIS:
Mannaz represents all of humanity, and therefore the entire realm of Midgard. In actuality, it is those with whom we have personal contact, from our family and friends to the world around us. It is our reminder that we are social animals. It also represents our connection with the Gods, and nature. It reminds us of those we affect with our deeds both magical and mundane. Mannaz is our home, and speaks for all those whose lives we touch when we use the gifts we have been given through the runes.
- (M: Man, mankind.) The Self; the individual or the human race. Your attitude toward others and their attitudes towards you. Friends and enemies, social order. Intelligence, forethought, create, skill, ability. Divine structure, intelligence, awareness. Expect to receive some sort of aid or cooperation now. Strength and courage to walk on one's own path, develop self-awareness. Know thyself: seek within for blockages and wonders, face your inner demons and divinity with clarity and honesty. Forge a truthful and knowing relationship with self: from this flows all possible healthy relationships with others and with the divine. Mannaz Reversed: Depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion. Cunning, slyness, manipulation, craftiness, calculation. Expect no help now.
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Gebo: Partnership, A Gift
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
gift, offering, relationship, love, marriage, partnership, generosity, unexpected good fortune
MAGICAL USES:
To strengthen a relationship, for fertility, to mark a gift or offering, to bring luck
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Sigurd & Brunhild; Aesir & Vanir treaty
ANALYSIS:
Gebo is a rune of connection, especially between people. This rune represents where our path will intersect with others, and allows us to begin to form conscious relationships. Such relationships are strengthened and sanctified by the exchange of gifts. The use of the gift as a symbol of an oath or a bond is an ancient one. Gifts or offerings given to the Gods represent the giver's love for or loyalty to their Gods. The giving of a gift implies the acceptance of a debt with the understanding that the debt will not be repaid. It is this imbalance which forms the bond.
- (G: Gift.) Good things come in return for good deeds. Gifts, both in the sense of sacrifice and of generosity including the gift of freedom, indicating balance. All matters in relation to exchanges, including contracts, personal relationships and partnerships. The gift of Freedom signifies true partnership of self with Self, self with Divinity, self with other - the union of whole beings who retain their individual gifts. (Gebo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Greed, loneliness, dependence, over-sacrifice. Obligation, toll, privation, bribery.
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Ansuz: Signals, Messenger, Loki
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
authority figure, leader, mind & body balance, justice, shaman, clairvoyant
MAGICAL USES:
for wise decisions, success, leadership; to help in divination and magic
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Odin
ANALYSIS:
Ansuz is a balanced rune. As with fehu, many people choose to remain at this point in their journey. It represents power, both secular and magical, and this power can be quite seductive. Odin has learned the lessons of the first three runes, thus gaining the wisdom to rule wisely, but this is really only another beginning. He has only gained temporal power, and has only a few of the tools he will need to perfect himself spiritually. There is a certain lack of compassion and perspective in this rune. Odin sits high above his world, looking down and making decisions, but he doesn't yet have the capacity to really care about or understand his people or himself. He still needs that emotional connection to become a truly great leader.
- (A: The ancestral god) A revealing message or insight, communication. Signals, inspiration, enthusiasm, speech, true vision, power of words and naming. Blessings, taking advice. Good health, harmony, truth, wisdom. Clarity in speech and thought, receiving messages, signals and gifts. Objective understanding of motivations. Ansuz Reversed: Misunderstanding, delusion, manipulationby others, boredom. Vanity and grandiloquence. (Odhinn is a mighty, but duplicious god. He always has his own agenda.)
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Othala: Separation, Retreat, Inheritance
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
property, land, inheritance, home, permenance, legacy, synthesis, sense of belonging
MAGICAL USES:
Used for aquiring land or property, to complete a project, to strengthen family ties
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
the nine worlds of Yggdrasil
ANALYSIS:
This rune brings us to the centre. It is the meeting place between Midgard and Asgard; between ourselves and our Gods. It is the axis around which our lives revolve. The idea of land or property is only a symbol - we must all find our own "centre" to give our lives meaning, and this is really the ultimate goal of the runic journey.
After all of our many travels and adventures, we all eventually end up going home. However this doesn't mean that the travels and adventures are pointless. On the contrary, it is only through these explorations that our 'home' or spiritual centre can have any real meaning for us. We must come to truly understand what and where our home is.
- (O: Ancestral property.) The truly important. Group order, group prosperity. Land of birth, spiritual heritage, experience and fundamental values. Separating paths, shedding old skin, discarding of outmoded relationships and habits. This is the beginning of preparation for birth (or death), when one prepares to adjust to a new circumstance and a new understanding of self. The gift or inheritance is bought with the honest, willing sacrifice of the old. Inherited property or possessions, a house, a home. Aid in spiritual and physical journeys. Source of safety, increase and abundance. Othala Reversed: Lack of customary order, totalitarianism, slavery, poverty, homelessness. Bad karma, prejudice, clannishness, provincialism.
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Uruz: Strength, Manhood/Womanhood, Ox
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
passion, vitality, instinct, wildness, sexuality, fertility, the unconscious, primitive mind, irrationality, shamanic experience, rite of passage
MAGICAL USES:
to strengthen the will, increase sexual potency and energy; for hunting
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Ullr, Loki, Odin (as shaman)
ANALYSIS:
Uruz is the rune of the God of the sacred hunt and his shaman/priest. Following the boring day to day survival represented by fehu, it is the first time man recognizes the divine in nature, and it is his first attempt to control it through the use of sympathetic magic. It also represents an awareness of death and our own mortality, which may well be the only thing which truly distinguishes us from other animals.
- (U: Auroch, a wild ox.) Physical strength, endurance, assertiveness and speed, untamed potential. A time of great energy and health. Freedom, energy, action, courage, strength, tenacity, understanding, wisdom. Sudden or unexpected changes . Sexual desire, masculine potency. The shaping of power, formulation of the self. Termination and new beginnings: here begins the passage from one state to another, from one life to the next. This is the death of the old and birth of the new; understanding the cycles of loss and renewal. The strength to undergo the passage into darkness which characterises birth and rebirth. Uruz Reversed: Weakness, obsession, misdirected force, domination by others. Sickness, inconsistency, ignorance. Lust, brutality, rashness, callousness, violence.
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Perth: (Perthro) Initiation, Secrets
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
rebirth, mystery, magic, divination, fertility, sexuality, new beginning, prophecy
MAGICAL USES:
Used to aid in divination and magic, fertility, easing childbirth, enhancing psychic abilities
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Freya, Angrbode
ANALYSIS:
However you decide to interpret the meaning of perth ( nobody really knows what it is), the basic symbolism is that of a vessel, nurturing and giving 'birth', keeping hidden and secret all those mysteries which can be uncovered only after the initiation of death. The rune is closely tied in with fate, that the road we travel, regardless of what we choose to do along the way, is pre determined from the moment of our birth. The very act of being born sets us along a course of cause and effect, action and reaction that we may choose to follow blindly, or try to divine through the runes so that we may better understand the lessons we will learn.
- (P: Lot cup, vagina.) Initiation, knowledge of one's destiny, of future matters, determining your future or your path. Feminine things, feminine mysteries including female fertility. Good lot, fellowship and joy. Evolutionary change. Intense initiation, sometimes involving the total loss or death of one's prior life. The time of complete self-absorption as one assimilates the hidden processes of becoming whole in an entirely new mode: what you learn here cannot be shared with or explained to others. Uncertain meaning, a secret matter, a mystery, hidden things and occult abilities. Perthro Reversed: Addiction, stagnation, loneliness, malaise.
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Nauthiz: (Nauthiz/Naudiz) Constraint, Necessity, Pain
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
hardship, frustration, poverty, responsibility, discontent, obstacle
MAGICAL USES:
Used to represent a need to be filled
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Freyr & Gurd, the Otter's Gold
ANALYSIS:
Nauthiz is a gentle reminder that all is not as it should be. Life appears to be out of whack, and nothing seems to be going right for you these days. No matter how much you have, it is never enough, and there is an ever present desire for something better. On the positive side, this dissatisfaction can serve to draw one away from the relative safety of wunjo and motivate them towards change. Nauthiz represents an imbalance between one's desires and one's assets. How you resolve this situation will influence the results of the journey, but the awareness of the imbalance itself can also be illuminating. It causes you to closely examine and perhaps reassess your values and priorities, and forces you back onto the path of your own happiness.
- (N: Need.) Delays, restriction. Resistance leading to strength, innovation. Distress, confusion, conflict, and the power of will to overcome them. Endurance, survival, determination. A time to exercise patience. Recognition of one's fate. Face your fears. Face yourself. Limitation, constraint. This is the time of repaying debts and redressing the balance of your life, in order to move on freely. Nauthiz Reversed: Constraint of freedom, distress, toil, drudgery, laxity. Necessity, extremity, want, deprivation, starvation, need, poverty, emotional hunger.
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Ingwaz: (Inguz/Ingwaz) Fertility, New Beginnings, Ing
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
balance, work, productivity, bounty, groundedness,connection with the land
MAGICAL USES:
Used in magick dealing with fertility, farming, growth, general health, balance
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Freyr / Ing, Nerthus, Thor, the Vanir
ANALYSIS:
Ingwaz reminds us not to lose contact with the earth and nature. This rune represents the harmonious relationship between ourselves and the four elements. Ingwaz also reminds us of that ancient connection between the Gods and the land, and reunites us with our spiritual natures through the realm of the physical. It is quite literally a grounding rune, and by reintroducing us to the earth, it reconnects our bodies, our minds and our spirits.
- (NG: Ing, the earth god.) Male fertility, gestation, internal growth. Common virtues, common sense, simple strengths, family love, caring, human warmth, the home. Rest stage, a time of relief, of no anxiety. Listen to yourself. The completion of beginnings, emergence. Ingwaz embodies the need to share, the yearning to be desired, a search after similarities: this is the time of forming new relationships with those who become your 'family', of preparing the ground on which the seed of yourself can flourish. (Ingwaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Impotence, movement without change. Production, toil, labor, work.
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Eihwaz: Defence, Avertive Powers, Yew
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
turning point, change, initiation, confrontation of fears, death, transformation
MAGICAL USES:
Use this rune to bring about profound change, to ease a life transition
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Yggdrasil, Hel
ANALYSIS:
Eihwaz is the thirteenth rune in the fužark, and marks the middle of the alphabet. (It is interesting to note that the Death card in the Tarot is also the thirteenth card.) This rune is associated with the yew tree. and is considered the turning point in the runic journey. It represents transformation. All rites of passage, particularly those marking the transition into adulthood, contain the symbolism of death, the idea being that one's former 'self' has died and has since been reborn. Eihwaz is the passage through which we must enter the realm of Hel in order to gain the knowledge and acceptance of our own mortality, as well as those mysteries which can only be learned from the dark Lady of the dead. The process is truly frightening, but it is something we must go through if we are to confront our deepest fears and emerge with the kind of wisdom that to learn it must be experienced.
- (EI: Yew tree.) Strength, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness. Defense, protection, enlightenment, and endurance. Indicates that you have a reasonable target in view and it is now possible to achieve your goals. Keep learning the best ways to defend against the malicious actions of others and strive never to be caught off-guard. An honest man who can be relied upon. Patience and perseverence. Foreseeing consequences before taking action, taking responsibility for choices made, eases one's path into growth. Eihwaz Reversed: Confusion, destruction, dissatisfaction, weakness.
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Algiz: Protection, Sedge/Rushes, Elk
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
protection, assistance, a mentor, an ethical dilemma, defence, warning
MAGICAL USES:
Use for for protection and for hunting
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Heimdall, Gjallerhorn
ANALYSIS:
We have passed through death and rebirth, and must now face the Guardian before returning to our world. It is he who charges us to use our new-found power wisely. We can no longer be simply concerned with our own personal development, but must now consider the effect that our actions may have on others. This is a crucial turning point, and we must either choose to adopt a system of ethics or ignore the effect on others and only work to serve their ourselves. The sword is inour hands now, but we must decide whether to use it for defense or offence.
- (Z or -R: Elk, protection.) A shield. The protective urge to shelter oneself or others. Defense, warding off evil, a guardian. Connection with the gods. Follow your instincts. Hold onto success or maintain a position won or earned. Emotional restraint: during transition, it is important not to collapse into the emotional highs and lows, and to retain distance from unhelpful influences without withdrawing from life. Temperance and courtesy are the sinews of the rune's protective powers. Algiz Reversed: Hidden danger, consumption by divine forces, loss of divine link. Taboo, warning, turning away, that which repels.
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Fehu: Possessions, Nourishment, Cattle
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
prosperity, money, wealth, concern with physical and financial needs, goals, promotion, self-esteem, centredness, karma
MAGICAL USES:
for money, business, promotion, finding a job, achieving a goal, starting new enterprises
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Freyr, Brisingamen, Gullveig, Dwarfs, Sigurd & the Otter's Gold
ANALYSIS:
Fehu reminds us that weneed to be secure in our physical situation before embarking on spiritual journeys. In many ways, we have become as domesticated as the cattle, living our day to day existence without wanting or even being aware of anything more being possible. The first step in breaking away from this situation is to catch a glimpse of what is possible, without dwelling on what security we may lose to attain it.
- (F: Domestic cattle, wealth.) Possessions won or earned, luck. Abundance, financial strength in the present or near future. Sign of hope and plenty, success and happiness. Social success. Energy, foresight, fertility. Fulfilment, satisfaction, archievement; also conservation of what has been gained to date. Nourishment both given and received: it is proper both to give thanks and to share, enhancing one's joy by so doing: this applies to both spiritual and material matters. Fehu Reversed: Loss of personal property, esteem, or something that you put in effort to keep. It indicates some sort of failure. Greed, burnout, atrophy, discord. Cowardice, stupidity, dullness, poverty, slavery, bondage.
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Wunjo: Joy, Light
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
achievement of goals, recognition of achievements, reward, joy, bliss, success, contentment
MAGICAL USES:
Success in any endeavor, to motivate, to complete a task.
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Baldr, Asgard
ANALYSIS:
Wunjo represents both the end of one cycle and preparation for the next. It is a very positive, stable rune, and is another place where people tend to get stalled along their journey. Christian poets related it to heaven, but in fact it more closely resembles the Pagan Valhalla, since this particular paradise is not a permanent one. The glory of wunjo is only an illusion. We have achieved success on one level only, and there are many more lessons to be learned. It is, however, a welcome respite which allows us to rest, re-charge our batteries and prepare ourselves for the remainder of the journey. It also gives us some perspective, allowing us to look back and reflect on the roads we have traveled. Wunjo gives us a glimpse of what is possible, but if we try too soon to reach out and grab it, it will disappear between our fingers.
- (W or V: Joy.) This can mean joy in many different ways, but it is mainly the lack of need and lack of pain. It is the final realization of all you have worked for and the
temporary enjoyment of it. Joy, comfort, pleasure. Blessings, coming of age or to maturity, the joy of aligning ones self to Self. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going "over the top". If restrained, the meaning is general success and recognition of worth. Creative and loving energy: the shift from mere knowledge to the true understanding which illumines the soul. Wunjo Reversed: Stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation. Delirium, intoxication, possession by higher forces, impractical enthusiasm. Raging frenzy, berzerker.
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Jera: Harvest, Fertile Season, One Year
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
change, motion, productivity, cycle turning, reward, inevitable development
MAGICAL USES:
Use to bring about change; for fertility and growth
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Sif, Thor, Freyr, Granni
ANALYSIS:
In the olde days, before we had central heat and air, constant change was the norm, and the object was to become attuned those changes, not to fight against them. Jera follows isa just as spring follows winter. The frozen stagnancy of ice is now broken by the turning of the wheel, and things are once again moving along as they should. We have now broken out of the cycle of winter. This has been accomplished not by fighting to escape the ice or railing against the unfairness of fate, but by learning from those experiences and simply waiting for the inevitable thaw. Jera is the product of the joining of opposites bringing life. Storms may come and go, but the sun is always there and life is generally pretty good. Enjoy it while you can.
- (J or Y: A year, a good harvest.) The results of your earlier efforts are finally realized. A time of peace and happiness. Hopes and expectations of peace and prosperity. The promise of success earned. Everything changes, in its own time. Commitment, patience and perseverence promise a fruitful harvest. The wheel brings rewards for hard work in its proper time. Trust in the processes which guarantee growth. (Jera cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Sudden setback, reversals. A major change, repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict.
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Kenaz: (Keno, Kano,Kenaz) Opening, Fire, Torch
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
wisdom, insight, solution to a problem, creativity, inspiration, enlightenment
MAGICAL USES:
for creative inspiration, aid in study, fertility, dispelling anxiety and fear
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Mimir, Muspellheim, the Dwarfs
ANALYSIS:
This rune should be interpreted as to "know". Today, light, inspiration and knowledge are often associated. To bring light is to make the invisible visible.
Kenaz only allows us to take bits and pieces of this knowledge away with us as we need it, usually at the discretion of the Gods. This knowledge will generally come in the form of a sudden inspiration, and we will be able to see clearly the answer that was once hidden from us. This form of wisdom is more closely associated with the right half of the brain than the left, since it does not come through conscious effort but rather through passively opening one's self
to it. Thus, a more feminine element is added to our journeyer's experience.
- Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Opening up, renewed clarity, dispelling the darkness that has been shrouding some part of your life. The creative and destructive fire both: light-giving, dross-burning, empowering - all essential at the beginning of any work. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love. Kenaz Reversed: Disease, break-up, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope.
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Tiwaz: (Teiwaz/Tiwaz) Warrior Energy, Tiw
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
the warriors path, responsibility, duty, discipline, self-sacrifice, conflict, strength, a wound
MAGICAL USES:
Used for protection, victory, strength, strengthening the will, healing a wound
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Tyr and the Fenris Wolf, Odin's ordeals
ANALYSIS:
This rune begins with a loss. Hail is imposed by the Gods to force the sacrifice of those things which aren't really vital to our development. Tiwaz, on the other hand, represents a voluntary sacrifice, made by someone who understands exactly what they are giving up and why.
This rune is named after Tyr, one of the oldest of the Norse Gods. He sacrificed his hand to allow the binding of the Fenris Wolf. Tyr's rune is one of the oldest in the fužark, and it represents all those qualities associated with the God: strength, heroism, duty and responsibility. But it also represents a deeper mystery - that of the wounded God. The pain of tiwaz focuses the attention and forces discipline. However, in this case the effect is more conscious and the wound carries a greater significance. Uruz has been confronted and bound, and the lessons of tiwaz and hagalaz have been learned. This is the path of the warrior.
- (T: Tyr, the sky god.) Honor, justice, leadership and authority. Analysis and rationality. Knowing where one's true strengths lie. Willingness to self-sacrifice. Victory and success in any competition or in legal matters. Spiritual Warrior; one who has the courage to get rid of the old and face the new. Self-conquest is the key here: overcoming lifes conditioning and standing firm against going backwards when a path seems too rocky, learning to spend energy wisely. Tiwaz Reversed: One's energy and creative flow are blocked. Mental paralysis, over-analysis, over-sacrifice, injustice, imbalance. Strife, war, conflict, failure in competition. Dwindling passion, difficulties in communication, and possibly separation.
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Berkano: Growth, Rebirth, Birch
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
new beginnings, growth, fertility, health, conception, plenty, clearance
MAGICAL USES:
Used for healing (especially infections), conception, and making fresh starts
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Frigg, Idunna
ANALYSIS:
Berkana represents fertility, the path of the mother, the healer and the midwife, bringing new life after death just as the birch puts out the first leaves after winter. While Tyr's wound is acquired through his encounter with death, berkana's wound is that of menstruation, and her ordeal is that of childbirth. The birch is abundant and all providing, and heals through nourishment, cleansing and empathy.
- (B: Berchta, the birch-goddess.) Birth and general fertility. Mental and physical and personal growth. Self- liberation. Renewal, promise of new beginnings, new growth. Arousal of desire. A love affair or new birth. The prospering of a venture. This rune denotes growth in all spheres, a deep sure touch of encouragement. Cleansing away the old, searching for truth. Berkano Reversed: Family problems and or domestic troubles. Anxiety about someone close to you. Carelessness, abandon, loss of control. Blurring of consciousness, deceit, sterility, stagnation.
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Ehwaz: Movement, Progress, Horse
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
transportation, motion, assistance, energy, power, communication, will, recklessness
MAGICAL USES:
Used for power, aiding in communication, transportation; and to boost a spell
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Sleipnir, Freya's feathered cloak
ANALYSIS:
Algiz is the symbol of the horse and is a powerful symbol. The mare symbolizes fertility fecundity, and the stallion is the epitome of virility and raw energy. It is an animal that never lost its power by being domesticated.
Ehwaz represents energy and motion. This is not merely an impersonal energy source - it is a living, breathing thing whose needs and desires must be taken into consideration. This is the power given by the God at algiz, and this rune reminds us of our oath to use it to help, never to harm. It is a powerful tool but must be carefully controlled to avoid harming yourself or other. It is tempting to just go barrelling along recklessly, but to do so is to risk loosing that power forever. This balance must be achieved.
- (E: Horse, two horses.) Transportation. May represent a horse, car, plane, boat etc. Movement and change for the better. Gradual development and steady progress are indicated. Harmony, teamwork, trust, loyalty. An ideal marriage or partnership. Confirms beyond a doubt the meanings of the runes surrounding it.Transition and movement. Improvement of a situation, steady progress. Physical changes, a new home, a growing relationship, new attitudes; all come under the sphere of Ehwaz. Conserve energy: one does not arrive any faster by running one's horse into the ground. Ehwaz Reversed: This is not really a negative rune. A change is perhaps craved. Feeling restless or confined in a situation. Reckless haste, disharmony, mistrust, betrayal.
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Laguz: Flow, Water
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
emotions, fears, unconscious mind, things hidden, revelation, intuition, counselling
MAGICAL USES:
Used to enhance psychic abilities, aids in confronting fears, stabilizing mental or emotional disorders, uncovering hidden or lost items
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Njord, Midgard Serpent
ANALYSIS:
Laguz should be thought of in terms of the lighter and the darker sides of the element of water. It speaks to our primal fears of the dark, the cold, and all those terrifying things hidden deep within our subconscious minds. Laguz forces us to examine the underlying causes of our behavior, and allows us to modify those aspects which are hindering our spiritual development. The understanding and wisdom gained through eihwaz and the runes which followed have prepared the journeyer to face this darker side and accept it as an integral part of their lives. Laguz also readies the person to take on the task of helping others through this self-examination process, allowing them to empathize and share their own experiences, making it the rune of the spiritual counsellor.
- (L: Water, or a leek.) Unseen powers, flow, water, sea, a fertility source, the healing power of renewal. Life energy and organic growth. Imagination and psychic matters. Dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the hidden, the deep, the underworld. Success in travel or acquisition, but with the possibility of loss. The ebb and flow of nature's tides, creative inspiration, fertility. Cleansing, knowing one's inner rhythms, intuitiveness and instinct. A balance which comes as instinctively as floating. Laguz Reversed: An indication of a period of confusion in your life. You may be making wrong decisions and poor judgements. Lack of creativity and feelings of being in a rut. Fear, circular motion, avoidance, withering. Madness, obsession, despair, perversity, sickness, suicide.
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Hagalaz: Disruption, Elemental Power, Hail
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
disaster, destruction, an ordeal, sudden loss, clearance, testing, karmic lesson, drastic change.
MAGICAL USES:
Breaking destructive patterns, removing unwanted influences.
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Ragnarok, Loki, Frost Giants
ANALYSIS:
First you must understand the idea of the destruction of the old being necessary to the growth of the new, as contained in the Norse myth of Ragnarok. Hagalaz is only a negative rune if we choose to view it that way, and refuse to learn its lessons. It marks both a beginning and an end, and knocks us out of the safety and complacency of wunjo. Whenever things appear to be going too well, you can expect a good, healthy whack in the head from the Fates, just to make sure you're paying attention. These 'wake-up calls' from the Gods will happen frequently throughout a person's life, but are often misinterpreted as divine punishment for some imagined wrong when in fact they are merely a way of drawing your attention to a recurrent pattern in your life. Unfortunately, these types of events have a tendency to repeat themselves with greater and greater severity until the lesson is learned and the pattern is broken.
- (H: Hail.) The wrath of nature, destructive, uncontrolled forces, especially the weather, or within the unconscious. Tempering, testing, trial. Controlled crisis, leading to completion, inner harmony. We cannot control everything that goes on around us. Learn to let go. The great Awakener: change, freedom, invention, liberation. Change thru disruption or 'disaster' challenging acceptance of a new phase of significant growth. (Hagalaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Natural disaster, catastrophe. Stagnation, loss of power. Pain, loss, suffering, hardship, sickness, crisis.
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Raido: Communication, Union/Reunion, Journey
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
journey, pilgrimage, change, destiny, quest, progress, life lessons
MAGICAL USES:
protection for travellers, to ease or bring about change, to reconnect
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
the Norns, Sigurd's journey
ANALYSIS:
The complex network of relationships formed by the threads of fate can be thought of as a web. Every chance encounter forms another thread or connection in the web, and by tugging on one thread you affect everything else in the system. Most people do this completely unconsciously, but by becoming aware of the pattern of the threads surrounding you, it becomes possible to recognize and follow up on the kind of catalytic events that seemed to happen to us randomly back at fehu. In this way, we can find our way more easily along the path of our own journey, thus deriving the greatest benefit from its lessons. Raišo reminds us that, although it may seem that we have accomplished our goals, life and change continue and we must always go on. We will eventually end up where we began, but on a higher level and with a better perspective. The journey never really ends.
- (R: Wagon or chariot.) A journey of the soul, vacation, relocation, evolution, change of place or setting. Seeing a larger perspective. Seeing the right move for you to make and finally making the decision. Personal rhythm, world rhythm, dance of life. Communication, inner worth. The journey toward self-healing, self-change, perfect union: trusting one's own processes and discarding illusion. Objective and communicative distance from one's peers and family; this is a solo quest.Travel, both in physical terms and those of life-style direction.
Raidho Reversed: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.
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Thurisaz: Gateway, Place of Non-Action
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
hardship, painful event, discipline, knowledge, introspection, focus
MAGICAL USES:
aid in study and meditation, self-discipline, clearing out a bad situation
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
the Frost Giants, Loki
ANALYSIS:
Perth is the first of the 'obstacle' runes. These obstacles are not necessarily destructive things, but are placed in our path to strengthen and teach us.
The lesson of this rune is 'to learn you must suffer', meaning not only literal suffering, but also in the biblical sense of 'allowing' - allowing one's destiny to unfold as it should, and allowing one's self to experience all that life offers us. What may at first appear to be a negative, destructive event, may well turn out to contain an important lesson. Evil and destruction may seem to be daunting , but they bring about change, and eventually clear the way for a new age.
- (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism. A tendency towards change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.) There is a dark side that we must take control of in ourselves and break free of it. Contemplation, confronting the reflection of one's inner self, examining one's soul and intent in preparation for emergence into a new area of growth. Reclaiming power from the past to fund strength for tomorrow.Thurisaz Reversed: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?
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Dagaz: Breakthrough, Transformation, Day
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
happiness, success, activity, a fulfilling lifestyle, satisfaction
MAGICAL USES:
Used to bring about a positive outcome
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Sunna, Baldr, Nerthus, Yggdrasil
ANALYSIS:
Dagaz concludes with light and hope. It has a balance of masculine and feminine power and the four elements, but šagaz makes further connections to the celestial and the realm of nature. Like inguz, it symbolizes harmony with one's environment. but again takes it a step further, implying a harmonious relationship with the spiritual environment as well. It is a bringing together of all six cardinal points - the four compass directions, the celestial realm above us where the Gods are thought to dwell; and that which is below - all the spirits of the earth and of nature. All of these things are balanced and integrated through šagaz and brought into our daily lives.
- (D: Day or dawn.) Daylight clarity as opposed to night-time uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Ideal hope and happiness. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet. A breakthrough in the process of inner change, a transformation of attitudes and outlook. Darkness is behind us now. Daylight comes, and with it the unfolding of one's new-grown wings. Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. (Dagaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): A completion, ending, limit, coming full circle. Blindness, hopelessness.
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Isa: Standstill, Impedence, Ice
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
stagnation, potential, patience, inactivity, blockage, reflection, withdrawl
MAGICAL USES:
Use to aid in stopping a process
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Aušumla, Nifelheim
ANALYSIS:
Isa primarily represents a period of rest before activity, and it forms the material from which life can be created. It is matter, inert by itself, but transformed into the stuff of stars when wedded with energy. It is the immovable form acting upon the irresistible force. The Norse recognized that everything in their world contained both fire and ice (energy and matter), and that the relationship between the two defined the processes of life itself.
- (I: Ice.) A challenge or frustration. Blockages, frustrations and any hindrances.There are dangers of the cold. This is a powerful rune for the rune spell caster, for the one who understands this force can have great power of influence. Psychological blocks to thought or activity, including grievances. Standstill, or a time to turn inward and wait for what is to come, or to seek clarity. This rune reinforces the runes around it. Winter, the freezing of activity and delay of plans, stillness and silent waiting. Refusal to let go of memories of summer will cause depression and pain: patient hibernation, quiet assimilation of what has gone before, subtle 'detoxification' of one's self all leading to the thaw of spring. Surrender to the cycle, knowing that even in darkest winter lays the dormant seed of new life. (Isa cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Ego-mania, dullness, blindness, dissipation. Treachery, illusion, deceit, betrayal, guile, stealth, ambush, plots.
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Sowelo: (Sowulo/Sowilo) Wholeness, Life Forces, Solar Energy
DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
power, success, positive energy, activity, fertility, health
MAGICAL USES:
Use to gain energy, strength, success, healing, fertility
ASSOCIATED DEITIES:
Sunna
ANALYSIS:
Sowulo is the sun rune and represents motion and energy. It is also representative of success and glory. The sun is very much an active symbol. We have reached the end of this part of our journey successfully, and the conclusion is a positive one, but in this case we are fully aware of the changing and transient nature of the universe. We can see the wolf at our heels, and we know that we must eventually move on. Here, though, the traveler may pause briefly in the warmth and light of the sun, absorbing and applying its energy to the work ahead. This time we will choose to leave before too long in order to continue on the journey.
- (S: The sun.) Success, goals achieved, honor. Life-force and supreme health. A time when power will be available to you for positive changes. Victory and success is yours now. Contact between the higher self and the unconscious. The wholeness and self-realisation which is the goal and quest of every 'spiritual warrior', the coming to consciousness of the essential completeness of the self and one's place in the cycle. Giving up the childish luxury of lying to yourself and others, learning to express one's personal myth creatively and with the truth. Strength and wisdom to recognise when to expend energy and when to retreat. The courage and trust to open the doors to the light of day and face its secrets and terrors. Restraining the ego and allowing divine will to work through you without either attempts at manipulation or smugness about one's 'advanced' soul. Even in loving, it is Love that loves through us. (Sowilo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): False goals, bad counsel, false success, gullibility, loss of goals. Destruction, retribution, justice, casting down of vanity. Wrath of god.
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Divination Index
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