The Runes have always fascinated me. A little more known now than they were even 20 years ago, these letters of an ancient people (the Norse) can convey so much. This area is dedicated to all things Rune!

Inguz, the Rune of Fertility

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inguzbInguz energy is the limitless energy of the seed. Whether it is the seed of an idea, or the seed of planting, the energy held within the small kernel of a seed is boundless. It truly is from the tiny acorn that the mighty oak does grow. The longest journey is started with the first step. Inguz is the energy of beginnings and new births.

Inguz is another of those Runes that does not have a reversed connotation. He hits you right between the eyes. Inguz is epitomized by the phrase “life finds a way.” If you haven’t learned your lessons by now, this rune indicates that the lesson is soon upon you. Change is in the offing no matter what you do. Make your choice and set your course, but remember that it takes time for the energy of a seed to be released.

Inguz can be appearing to tell you that you need to make a change. Are you holding onto a relationship – romantic or otherwise – that you really should be letting go? Are you holding on to something that you should just let go of? Are you judging your successes or failures by another’s benchmark?

Inguz speaks of the creativity of masculine energy. It is masculine energy – the probing heat of the sun that causes the seed to split as the plant pokes forth to answer the call to growth. Inguz is asking you to do the same at some level. A forester knows that if there isn’t adequate space between the trees he plants the forest will choke itself not allowing for the maximum growth potential of the seedling. Allow yourself the space to grow. Accept the changes within you as you incorporate them in the outside of your world.

Men who receive this rune in their spread can expect the potential of a new birth in their blood line. Normally this birth is as close as having a child. The child may be a metaphor for a great idea ready to grow over time into full maturity and splendor. However, don’t expect an immediate compensation. The energy of Inguz takes time to develop and grow.

Inguz is said to be the doorway to the astral plane – that place where only the essence of the true self may travel. Inguz challenges you to accept the invitation to go within to be able to see without in a new perspective. Inguz speaks of the perspective of manhood. It talks to us of putting away the things of childhood and youth and accepting the mantle of responsibility of an adult. Inguz challenges us to look to ourselves to see if there is something there that needs to be changed. Is there a bad habit that could best be gotten rid of? Are you stuck in a rut when all you need do is take a sharp turn to the left or the right to obtain a new perspective, new energy and a new direction? Inguz
challenges you to stay your course while connecting with your self. Remember to have good times to keep balance. Inguz is favorable towards vacations and holidays.

Inguz – Fertility

Inguz is a member of Tyr’s Aett.

Key Word(s): Male fertility and energy. Male healing.

Element: Inguz carries the healing element of water. With water Inguz clears away the duff, allowing us the clarity to see from a new perspective.

Inguz is associated with the planet Venus, and, because of the astral connection it has a secondary association with the Moon.

Tarot Link: The Tarot Link to Inguz is the card of Judgment. Judgment calls us to accept responsibility for ourselves and our actions. The ultimate statement of adulthood.

Color: Yellow is the color associated with Inguz. It has actually only been a short period of time that yellow indicated a coward. Today we tie yellow ribbons around trees, doorknobs, and put yellow ribbon magnets on our cars to show our support in wanting all our fighting men and women to come home safely. Lance Armstrong’s stunning victory of beating testicular cancer and then winning an unprecedented seven cyclings through the Tour de France is emblematic of Inguz. To ancient man yellow was the color of the Sun, the color of gold, the color of the light of fire in the darkness.

Polarity: Inguz with the power of the seed carries both the male and female polarities. If both the essence of male and female energy are not held within the seed, there can be no life.

Healing Property: Problems associated with the male reproductive organs.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Inguz is associated with the modern consonants of N and G.

Special Runic Associations: Inguz is the sixth rune in the Cycle of Initiation. Inguz speaks of the fertility of new beginnings, of the power of the universe held in the answer of the seed responding to the warm rays of the sun.

Halgalz

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hagalazbHalgalz (also Hagalaz) is one of the challenging runes in the Elder Futhark. Halgalz represents disruption. Halgalz talks of the capriciousness of the universe. It is Halgalz’s influence that causes people to say “I had the rug pulled out from under me!” Halgalz represents the jolt that brings one to inner truth.

Halgalz speaks to us of our connection with the material world around us and the value we give it on our life. Halgalz is the rune that reminds us we are spiritual beings pursing a higher path while we submit to a human existence. Halgalz may be entering into your casting to tell you that a reevaluation of your relationship with the material goods in your life. Are you allowing yourself to become limited by that which you own, thus allowing it to own you?

Halgalz need not be painful, sometimes unexpected actions or activities are a good thing. The unexpected can hold miracles within itself as well. The unexpected can be a positive aspect. The unexpected need not be an earthquake or a tragedy. Disruption can be created in positive ways too. Sometimes we have become “rutted” in our lifestyle and need a good push to get out of the rut.

The positive powers of disruption can be seen through the relationship between the farmers of the Nile River Valley and the River itself. If the Nile doesn’t flood bringing new nutrients and soil to the fields, the land looses it’s ability to sustain life. The Egyptians of the Upper and Lower Nile River Valley during the age when Pharaoh wore the combined crowns of the Upper and Lower Kingdom depended on the annual flood of the Nile which was so critical to human survival. The flood was disruptive every year, even more so in the years when it did not spill over its banks, bringing the lifeblood of water and nutrients (in the rich Nile mud) to the fields.

Due to its relationship with the elemental forces of the climate, Halgalz is said to be the “weather rune.” Today we watch the local news channel to see our favorite meteorologist tell us of the weather that is coming ahead. We have satellites that circle the globe monitoring weather. Hurricane Katrina (a natural disaster of truly catastrophic proportions) watched for days, tracked, photographed, flown through, monitored and measured by every way humanly possible still destroyed an area the size of Great Britain. Mankind is at the mercy of the weather.

While our ancestors were much more weather wise and could read the storm’s approach in the color of the sky, the way animals bedded down, the way their fellow creatures prepared for the coming disruption. Halgalz speaks of unstoppable disruption whether it is in the microcosmos of the inner self, or the much wider scope of a global scale. Halgalz is a rune for meditation of those who work not only in the field of forecasting the weather, but also those who work or study any of the primal forces of nature, most especially water. Remember that no matter what state of the matter, precipitation is water … hail, snow, sleet, or rain, it is water flowing
from the sky.

Halgalz – Disruption

Hagalz is found among Hagal’s Aett.

Key Word(s): Hagalz’s keywords of Hail, disruption, sleet, constraint, elemental forces of power, and the damages Mother Nature can inflict upon the constructs of man.

Element: Water, in all its states. Whether glacial ice glowing blue on a cloudy day, or the vapor of steam emitting from a hot spring, water is the element associated with Hagalz. Studying the changeable qualities of water as it moves through its various states of solid, liquid or gas, gives greater insight into how the change of disruption can bring a positive result in our lives.

Hagalz is aligned with the long term planet Uranus. It’s existence not even proven until relative modern times (within the last few centuries), Uranus proved that after thousands of years of studying the night sky there was still much to learn. You can bet this caused some disruption in society!

Tarot Link: Hagalz is linked to the card named The World. The World indicates completion in a metaphorical sense. In a literal sense it stands for the physical planet we live upon.

Color: Blue in all its aspects, light and airy, almost green through the changes of the spectrum until it is nearly black due to its depth of color.

Polarity: Disruption happens to us. That is the nature of the beast. It’s unpredictable nature forces us to accept what disruption it places in our path. Hence we are receptive, feminine energy is Hagalz’s gift.

Healing Property: Healers would use this rune considerably during the work following a battle because Hagalz’s energy was best used on disruptions of the skin such as wounds, grazes and cuts.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Hagalz is most closely associated with our modern consonant H.

Special Runic Associations: Halgalz is the tenth rune in the Cycle of Initiation. It is through the recognition of the disruptive powers that exist, and acceptance of the elemental forces that are stronger than we can imagine, we begin to develop a mature understanding of our place in the universe.

Gebo

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gebobGebo appearing in your cast today has many meanings and messages. Be sure to consider the meaning on the rune with direct understanding of the initial question. Gebo’s message is always important, so be sure to interpret it in the context of the question posed. However, it should be noted that one of the modern nicknames for Gebo is “the love rune.”

Gebo is the Rune of Partnerships — of all types. Most people think either business or romantic when it comes to partnerships, but there are partnerships of all types. Although called “supply and demand” the modern economy actually works on the partnership of the seller and the buyer. There is a partnership between friends who walk together. There is partnership between parent and child, sibling to sibling, friend to friend, husband and wife; honestly, just about everywhere one looks there is partnership. In nature an example of partnership is the bees and flowers. The bees fly from flower to flower collecting the bees’ food to take back to the hive. The flower’s pollen becomes a hitchhiker on the bees as they fly from blossom to blossom, ensuring pollination and another generation of the flower to bloom.

Gebo carries caution with it also. In order to be functional in a relationship (of whatever type) you have to be able to stand on your own. Kahlil Gibran’s book, The Prophet, gives a great description “let there be spaces in your togetherness.” Those spaces are the fresh air and sunlight that can come into your inner self and the relationship, feeding both with the promise of the future.

Gebo is also associated with being a good luck charm for organizations that are serving their fellow man. It normally indicates a period of increased activity and the potential of new contracts and forward advancement for the cause. By its very form, Gebo cannot appear “reversed” or up-side down. Whichever way it falls in a cast, it is always in its positive aspect. That doesn’t mean you can’t “screw up” what’s coming…it is just saying that there’s positive energy coming your way. What you do with it, how you use it and incorporate it into the self to strengthen the partnership, is up to you!

Gebo is the Rune that speaks strongly of the flow of energy of the Devine. Gebo may be asking you to give to someone who is truly needed at this time. Conversely, if it is your situation that is in need of assistance, when Gebo the Rune of Partnership shows up in your casting you can trust that the help you need is on the way. Gebo speaks strongly of the flow of boundless energy to which each of us is connected in the cosmic partnership to which we are all a part. Gebo reminds us that if we do our part and remain connected to the flow, the cosmos joins us in ourselves and our partnerships, strengthening the one to solidify the other.

Gebo – Partnership

Gebo is part of Freyr’s Aett.

Key Word(s): The keywords associated with Gebo are: gift and partnership. Gebo is also called “The Love Rune.”

Element: Gebo is associated with the element of air (the higher self), and the element of water (the element of emotions).

Zodiac Sign: When drawn properly, Gebo can also represent perfect balance. Never upside down, right or left, the marking appears the same from whatever aspect it is viewed. This ultimate balance is shown with its association with the Sign of ultimate balance in the Zodiac – Libra.

Tarot Link: Gebo is most closely associated with the tarot card of The Lovers. Look at Gebo! It’s the universal sign for a kiss! “X”

Color: Royal blue, a color of intensity that lends itself well to be blended with other colors, is the color associated with Gebo.

Polarity: Gebo polarity is both masculine (as indicated by the 4 “points” reaching outward) and feminine (as indicated by the 4 “V’s” pointing inward).

Healing Property: The healing property that Gebo has the strongest energy flow with is that of cleansing toxic poisoning. (Remember that a poisoning is the extreme of a negative partnership – the poison in partnership with the workings of your body – works to make you sick or worse.)

Modern Letter Counterpart: Gebo is most closely linked with our modern letter “G.” Some of the Christian Faith interpret Gebo to be the link of partnership with God.

Special Runic Associations: Gebo has many associations. As mentioned above, it is considered a love rune. Gebo also has specific associations with emotional healing, physical healing, and financial help.

Fehu, the Rune of Posessions

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fehubFehu is directly related to physical possessions. Most of us are familiar with the tales of the great warriors who took to ships with dragons on the prow and sails of striped red and white. What we tend to forget in all the warrior discussions of these industrious folk, is that the Viking were also farmers and herders of cattle. Not all Norsemen went a-Viking. At one time a Viking with a herd of cattle was valued even more than a Viking with a ship to go a-Viking in.

Fehu reminds us that comfort is not a bad thing. If we’ve worked for it and earned it honestly, we can justifiably relax and enjoy our just rewards. Fehu reminds us that we need to ensure that we have consolidated the gains we have achieved ere we loose them through neglect.

Linked to the ox, and by extension the cow, Fehu speaks of nourishment. Nourishment can be for the physical body (as in the milk of the cow), but it also can be an emotional nourishment (as in the milk of human kindness). Normally portending a time of good fortune and positive energy flow, Fehu challenges you to live up to the moment.

Fehu is considered by modern Rune Masters to be the “love rune.” Actually it is one of numerous Runes who share this distinction. If Fehu has turned up in your spread today, make sure to look at the love relationships (which need not have anything to do with romantic love) in your life to see if more attention is needed. Fehu reminds you to make time for the important things in life – those people that mean so much to you.

When you see this rune you are being challenged to determine whether or not the balance you create in your life is the balance you want to have. Are your actions truly taking you towards the happiness you feel you deserve? Are you intentionally stopping yourself from achieving the goals you set? In the song, “Southernn Cross”, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang “we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do.” Fehu is asking you to look within yourself to see if you are setting yourself up for failures because for some failure is easier to accept than achievement.

Joy is a treasured state to achieve. However, it is easy to drown oneself in joyfulness and forget that there is trouble in the world. One who drowns themselves in joyfulness doesn’t allow the signals of the world to be seen, and in a short while the bubble they protect themselves with is burst and everything crashes in around them! Fehu reminds us to take joy in the moment while we look to the future with our eyes open and honest intent in our heart. When Fehu appears, celebrate. Your life as is may not be all sunshine and roses, but there sure is a cup of nectar to sip from if you look for it.

Fehu – Possessions

Fehu belongs to the Aett aligned with Freyr.

Key Word(s): Cattle, prosperity, possessions, and nourishment are all keywords for focused meditation when working with Fehu’s energy.

Element: Fehu is aligned with the elements of Fire and Earth and has a special affiliation with the Full Moon.

Zodiac Sign: With it’s obvious alignment with cattle, mighty Taurus from the Zodiac steps into the world of Runes indicating a strong foundation and desire for material comfort.

Tarot Link: Fehu reminds us of her transformational properties by her alignment with the Tarot card of The Tower.

Color: Fehu is aligned with the color red.

Polarity: Fehu is considered a feminine polarity. Receptive in nature Fehu reminds us to receive as well as give.

Healing Property: Those suffering from chest and/or respiratory problems would benefit from Fehu’s energy.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Fehu is aligned with the modern alphabet letters of F or V.

Special Runic Associations: Fehu’s importance is highlighted in it’s being included in three of the four Runic Groupings. Lending it’s energy to Physical Healing, Protection, and Financial Help, Fehu’s strength is the power of the self becoming truly aware, although actual awareness has yet to be achieved.

Eihwaz, the Rune of Defense

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eihwazb“Tis a gift to be simple,
Tis a gift to be free,
Tis a gift to come out
Where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves
In the place just right
We’ll be in the Valley of Love and Delight
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to turn
We will not be ashamed
To turn to turn twill be our delight
And by turning, turning,
we’ll come round right.”

This old Quaker Hymn does much to explain the energy behind Eihwaz. For Eihwaz counsels you to take the joys of the moment while you plan for the future. The hymn talks about being where we are supposed to be even after turning. It hints at the appropriateness of where we are in our journey, no matter where that point in our personal progress may be. Even though we are all subject to the archetypes of birth and, at some point, death. There are also other aspects of life where the archetypes run true.

Eihwaz speaks of consolidation and defense. Of being able to capitalize on what you have developed so far, but without immediate payment for the work. Eihwaz speaks of preparation for the future, of preparing the soil to receive the fertile seed of the future. Eihwaz is also a harbinger of change that may not be wanted or appreciated. Much like the holder of a brand new law degree has achieved a momentous accomplishment but still has a long way to go…passing the bar exam, learning his or her way through the intricacies of the legal profession, choosing the type of law to practice…all these come in good time and are part of the process of becoming an attorney. Each benchmark is important unto itself and should be celebrated, the achievement of a law degree should not be downplayed; but from graduation to practicing attorney can still be a factor of years.

Many believe that Eihwaz protects against storms – both of the weather and emotional kind. With it’s direct association with emotional healing, Eihwaz is a good rune to meditate on when moving forward from a negative relationship. Eihwaz carries the power of healing and the hope of the future. However Eihwaz carries the lesson that by our own actions we create our tomorrows.

Eihwaz counsels that the traits of perseverance, tenacity and determination should be brought in to play. Build your future each day with proper application of effort and intellect.

Eihwaz – Defense

Eihwaz is one of Hagal’s runes.

Key Word(s): Defense, avertive powers, healing.

Element: The element of the Earth explains the long term processes of Eihwaz quite well. The lifetime of a man is not even a blink within the span of geological time. Earth energy is patient.

Zodiac Sign: Aligned with the archer, Sagittarius, Eihwaz’s defensive posture is seen in that of the Archer. Ready to loose his arrow in defense of his stance, the Archer creates a path to his future.

Tarot Link: In the Tarot deck, it is to the Hanged Man that the energies most closely associated with Eihwaz’s are aligned. The Hanged Man hangs upside down. He is not incapable of escape, and he seems to be somewhat resigned to his fate. However, with application and effort he could remove himself from his tenuous suspension from a tree – much like the Norse God Odin when he received the Runes.

Color: Dark Blue is associated with Eihwaz. Dark Blue was considered to be the color of day turning to night. Signifying change in life that cannot be escaped.

Polarity: Contrary to its association with both Earth and New Moon energy, Eihwaz is actually a male polarity rune.

Healing Property: The healing property of Eihwaz along with the important emotional and physical healing in general is focused on the back.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Eihwaz is aligned with one of the most used letters in the English alphabet – the letter E.

Special Runic Associations: When falling in a casting, Eihwaz strengthens the meanings of other runes which land closely to it. Eihwaz speaks of movement…. movement of life’s force which cannot be stopped. Eihwaz is the ninth rune in the Cycle of Initiation. Linked to movement and progress Eihwaz gives us the strength to see the accomplishment of our goals, even if they are far in the future.

Ehwaz, Rune of the Horse

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ehwazbEhwaz is directly connected with the horse. The importance of the horse on man’s culture cannot be overstated. In the Bronze Age artifacts of great beauty were created. One of these is a beautiful piece of artwork in which a horse draws the Chariot of the Sun across the sky. Movement is the message here. Whether or not it will be a bumpy ride is up to us to decide. But movement on some level is in store.

Ehwaz’s message is one of acceptance of the growth you have already achieved. Ehwaz reminds us that after proper reflection upon the lessons of the past (both recent and far) we can turn forward with a lighter heart and stronger determination. If we work with the energy Ehwaz grants we can accept the movement with grace and equanimity.

When this rune appears in your casting pay particular attention to any neighboring runes to gain further insight as to where Ehwaz is exerting the power of movement. Ehwaz strongly influences those runes that fall close to it. Wherever it lands, Ehwaz is guaranteed to indicate movement. It is up to us as to whether the movement is forward advancement or if we loose ground and move backward.

Ehwaz with its relationship to the horse is considered by some to indicate movement in the world of the hard sciences. It may indicate an interest, or a new appreciation of a scientific process. Ehwaz can be poking at you to get your stuff together and get moving on that project before you miss the opportunity. Remember that the study of nature is also considered a science!

Ehwaz is also a rune of awareness. In order for you to appreciate the change that is occurring around you, you have to be aware. To be aware you have to know yourself. To know yourself you have to accept the changes within yourself and your personal movement as you walk your life path. Ehwaz’s movement is the movement toward the higher self. Accept the path even if the stairs seem steep, you will accomplish them.

Movement happens all the time. At a molecular level, electrons move and jostle in continuous motion. They never rest, spinning, circling, exchanging, bonding. Movement carries us with it whether we choose it to or not. Ehwaz is telling us to use our own internal moral compass as a guide to move us forward on our path to self-knowledge and growth…in growth there is movement.

Ehwaz’s transitory meaning is heightened when looked at in the context of movement. By movement we change from one form or place into another. Our mental state is the same. Are we allowing movement in our thoughts or are we blocking our own advancement because we’re not open to a direction other than what we personally want.

Ehwaz – Movement

Ehwaz is a member of Tyr’s Aett.

Key Word(s): Movement is the keyword, along with defense and progress that are affiliated with Ehwaz. A special note should be made that the sun was one of the first celestial bodies, along with the moon, of which their progress through the heavens was tracked. That’s how the zodiac was developed.

Element: Ehwaz is associated with the element of the air. Most of the movement suggested by Ehwaz is personal, hence the element of the higher self is present.

The Planet Mercury is strongly linked with communication. Remember that through communication movement can take place. (Haven’t you ever made reservations? You had communication before movement.)

Tarot Link: The Tarot link here seems a little strange, but The Lovers are the link associated Ehwaz. One has to look to the forces of attraction and repulsion.

Color: Ehwaz is the color of the empty canvas, the blank field of snow before the movement of animals and man draw lines on the landscape, the white of possibilities.

Polarity: Ehwaz is considered to carry both male and female energy.

Healing Property: When healing we move away from that which hurts us towards that which heals us. Whether it be emotional healing or regarding the eyes, Ehwaz does have healing potential within its simple lines.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Ehwaz’s importance the importance of movement is aligned with the modern vowel E. It is interesting to note that Elizabeth I would go “on progress” within her kingdom. Moving from town to town, home of nobility to castles of her own (but wiley Elizabeth was usually smart enough to make someone else pay for her progresses), this extraordinary woman used movement to help control her nobles and her finances. This strong monarch well understood the power of Ehwaz.

Special Runic Associations: Ehwaz is Laguz mirrored upon itself. Ehwaz is found in the Emotional Healing Runic Grouping.

Dagaz

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dagazbFor the Spiritual Warrior, Dagaz is the bright warmth of the sun as it breaks through the final barriers, illuminating the true inner self. Breakthrough speaks of prosperity. Of being able to break through that which held you back from your personal forward progression. Dagaz is also representative of the light of God.

Dagaz is aligned with the Day. In the light of day all is revealed. It is when the light pierces the darkness that the searcher’s path is illuminated. The Latin Phrase “Carpe Diem” (seize the day) is an excellent comment on how Dagaz energy should be used. Each day is a new beginning, each morning a new start. Using each day to it’s maximum potential is part of the message of Dagaz.

Bluntly, you may not understand why you are being pulled in a certain direction, only that you know, deep in your heart that you need to go there. Dagaz encourages you to let go and follow the call and see where the path goes. There are turns in the path, so of course the final result cannot be seen – but it can be dreamed!

Dagaz talks about the movement of being released from a quagmire. The sudden release of energies may well propel you forward in an unsteady stumble. Keep your balance, use your instincts, and embark on the new process you have chosen. Dagaz also tells us of the movement and breakthrough in ways of thinking or being. It only takes a second to change someone for a lifetime. That applies to ourselves too. High ideals are normally associated with Dagaz. You are strengthened with your ambition and desire to achieve a higher goal (whether it be emotional, spiritual or physical). It is in the light of day that we do a lot of the work that makes our dreams happen. Dagaz challenges you to achieve, grow and break through the the barriers of the past to embrace the new future you have designed.

Dagaz may be here to tell you that all the effort and work you have put into a project (physical) or effort (spiritual) is coming to fruition. You may not be able to see the end of the line, but at least you know that the light you see is true daylight…not the light of an on-coming freight train! Success is soon to be realized as long as you cling to your path.

Breaking through brings change to both the inner and outer self. If Dagaz has appeared in your casting be sure to look at the Runes which fall near it…they can give you more information as to what aspect of your life Dagaz is getting ready to bring into the light. Remember that spiritual enlightenment is also a way of bringing light into your life.

Dagaz – Breakthrough

Dagaz is a member of Tyr’s Aett

Key Word(s): Breakthrough, day, daylight, transformation, prosperity.

Element: Dagaz is aligned with both the elements of air and fire. Remember, without air fire can’t burn. Fire, through its transmutive properties changes the very chemical composition of the air.

Zodiac Sign: Dagaz is aligned with the powerful and energetic, fiery sign of Leo.

Tarot Link: Here Temperance stares out at us reminding us to still be wary where we walk. To look ahead and be temperate in our actions is the message of the tarot card of Temperance.

Color: Dagaz is aligned with the color blue.

Polarity: Dagaz, with it’s energy of forward momentum and positive force is aligned with male or masculine energy.

Healing Property: Dagaz allows the light of healing to enter into the darkness of emotional pains. Dagaz helps to relieve fear, distress and problems of nervousness. When dealing with the arena of psychological disorders, Dagaz’s healing light is well placed.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Dagaz is related to the modern consonant D.

Special Runic Associations: Dagaz is the final Rune in the Cycle of Initiation. This is the culmination of the path begun with Ansuz (Signals/Messenger Rune). Now the breakthrough has occurred and your journey forward continues. It is no misnomer that this Runic Cycle of Initiation is called a Cycle. When we complete the cycle and break through to our new future, we are also breaking through to a new dimension within ourselves.

A Walk Through the Runes- Part II

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The next in our series of videos exploring using the Runes and understanding their symbolism! In this video Love Dr Nikki covers the Runes Algiz, Eihwaz, Inguz, Nauthiz, and Perth.

Berkana, the Rune of Growth

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berkanabBerkana is a rune of challenge. Its pointy shape is an indication that when it appears a period of discomfort may be at hand. Remember, growth comes to us whether we accept it willingly or life shoves it down our throat. None of us are allowed to be stagnant as we move through life. Berkana’s primary challenge is how will you react to the changes that life brings to you!

Once planted, a healthy seed knows when it is time to grow. Whether it is a bloom in a desert that happens once every hundred years, or a high alpine meadow ablaze with flowers bright with color every year, the seed knows when it is time to wake up and grow because of the warmth it receives. The warmth is the lesson here. If we can accept our growth with warmth and understanding it is easier to make the transitions from old ways of being to new.

Berkana calls you to be aware! Be aware of the opportunities and growth that can come your way. Be aware that growth brings benefits and rewards even if a period of temporary discomfort may have to be endured. The attributes of patience, generosity and equality come with Berkana. However, if Berkana is challenging you it may be because instead of seeing the good in growth you are holding on to old habits and ways of being that tie you down, rather than prop you up.

Berkana speaks of the passage of time as well. Once the seed is planted it must be given time to grow. Harvested too early and it is robbed of it’s promise. Left in the field too long it ages and rots. Appropriate timing is called for here. Pay close attention to the runes around Berkana in the casting – these are probably areas of your life or aspects of the situation in question that need special attention and may be a wait and see attitude for proper growth to happen.

In the path of the Spiritual Warrior, Berkana is the ultimate in the “Know Thyself” parallel with the Delphic Oracle. Through knowledge of the self, others, and the world in which we live, we grow. Growth is a natural part of the process of life. Berkana is associated with the fir tree. When we built our home, a small fir tree got scraped pretty bad by the construction equipment. Its vibrant green had turned red in many areas the suppleness of the branches was fading. We decided to just stand it up and lean it against a neighbor. Now the tree is over eight feet tall and has an almost fan-like appearance! Life *finds* a way! Berkana reminds us to never under estimate the “life” factor. If we are open to growth the “life” factor feels positive as we go with the flow. If we are closed to change when it enters our lives we see it as a destructive and disruptive force. Berkana calls you to allow yourself room for growth. The benefits of allowing appropriate growth cannot be overstated later. Allow the nurturing energy of the earth to stabilize you as change propels you forth.

Berkana – Growth

Berkana is one of Tyr’s Aett.

Key Word(s): Berkana: Growth. Rebirth. New Life. Fertility Rites.

Element: Berkana grants a stable foundation for change by its alliance with the element of earth.

Zodiac Sign: Berkana with its aspect of growth and momentum, especially on the emotional and internal plane, is aligned with Cancer. Cancer is linked with the Moon in the Zodiac. Berkana is also aligned with the Moon.

Tarot Link: The Empress reigns supreme. She knows that in order to maintain the stability of her reign she must accept the changes of time and people as they ebb and flow. She remains within herself, confident and in control. She knows how to accept growth and incorporate it not only in the otter context of the material world, but also in the deeper depths of the personal self.

Color: When you hear the word “growth” what’s the first color you think of? Most people will say green in one of its various hues. “Spring green,” “hunter green,” “forest green,” and “leaf green” are all colors that speak of the growth associated with Berkana. Even the color green seems to understand the need for adjustment and change when necessary.

Polarity: Some practitioners of rumenal say that you can see Berkana and its feminine energy if you look at the glyph as a representation of the female breasts. Once that assumption is made, it is not difficult to understand the feminine polarity.

Healing Property: Again the feminine is prominent here. Berkana’s healing properties are best used when focusing on fertility issues.

Modern Letter Counterpart: It is easy to see how Berkana can be aligned with our modern letter B.

Special Runic Associations: Of course, growth. Berkana is the eighth rune in the Cycle of Initiation. Without growth we become stagnant and are stuck. If we are stuck and the Universe is moving around us it doesn’t take Mr. Wizard to figure out that sooner or later it is going to get hit with things that hurt! Yet the positive aspect of growth shines through as Berkana is one of the Runes in the Runic Grouping of Protection.

Ansuz

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ansuzbAnsuz is referred to as “The Messenger Rune.” When this Rune is cast, whether right side up or upside-down, be prepared for messages of great import or that bring change into your life. Signals, signs, messages and omens are all things you need to be extra aware of when Ansuz is around you. Messages and signals come in many different ways, so be open and receptive to the flow of bounty from the Universe. Ansuz is most closely associated with the Norse God Loki, nicknamed the Trickster. Loki is an embodiment of the capriciousness of life. Loki is named the Trickster for a reason. Loki is the breath of change and unexpectedness. Many of us fear change, and Loki makes us uncomfortable. He reaches into our comfortable lives and shakes everything up so we have to truly look within to answer the questions coming at us from without.

The confusion associated with Ansuz is seen in the difficulty to put this rune down to a certain association or affiliation. Whether it’s the Tarot, Numerology, Color, or Element, Ansuz has several associations given to it. There are many of the older faiths who call this rune “The God Rune.” (The Christian affiliation to Gebo has more to do with it’s shape than anything else…Gebo is what the Christians call the Saint Andrews Cross.) Here the association to the God Rune is more apropos.

Ansuz signifies the changes that can happen in our lives and is the messenger of their coming. Many of the ancient mythologies (Norse, Roman, Greek, etc.) talk much of how the Gods would play in the lives of men. Whether seducing women or fooling men, the Gods showed their capricious nature. Homer’s Illiad is a perfect example of how the Gods would use the lives of men as their pawns and playthings.

In some of the older belief systems, the winds of change and chance were very much a part of their comprehension of the world. Ansuz represented the holy power and cleansing aspects of change. The change may not be comfortable, but it is coming and accepting receptive behavior is called for. Ansuz calls us to go deep within and examine honestly what it is we hold important. Change is upon us and as we react and interact with that change we change ourselves, growing and moving forward on our path to our futures.

Without Ansuz the rivers would not overflow and bring new life to the land. Without Ansuz the unpredictability of reading the rumanal would be impossible. Ansuz brings the breath of fresh air. Ansuz allows light into areas of our lives and beliefs or emotions that may not be appropriate for us anymore. Change is an essential part of life and Ansuz guarantees that change is on its way. Ansuz also speaks of the change that comes from completion. As the first of the thirteen runes in the Cycle of Initiation, Ansuz speaks of both endings and beginnings. It is when it is viewed in this aspect that the true power of Ansuz can be understood.

Ansuz- Signals

Ansuz belongs to Freyr’s Aett.

Key Word(s): The duplicity of this Rune is seen in the many keywords assigned to it. God, Odin, Holy Pow, Messenger, and the mouth. That’s a lot for a
little rune, isn’t it?

Element: Ansuz’s capacity for change and incorporation is evidenced by it’s association with the elements of air (higher thought), fire (active energy), and water (emotional energy). Depending on the mood or the situation, Ansuz’s meaning could be aligned with any of these three elements. Part of Ansuz’s challenge to you is to keep these three aspects of life in appropriate balance, for it is when they are out of balance that Loki will walk into your life.

Tarot Link: Ansuz’s confusion is evidenced by the variety of Tarot cards to which it is aligned. The Death Card, The Emperor, The Hierophant, and even The Tower are cards that exemplify phases of Ansuz’s energy. The Death Card is indicative of tying ourselves in knots; the Emperor is the reflective controlled man; the Heirophant on his constant quest for learning and enlightenment; and the Tower which speaks of sudden and unexpected change – four phases or faces of Ansuz.

Color: Primarily associated with the color of dark blue, Ansuz has also been aligned with red.

Polarity: Ansuz, with the way he reaches in and gives your life a good shake, is positive masculine energy.

Healing Property: Ansuz is said to have special healing effect on the mouth, teeth, throat and matters of voice, specifically those who suffer from stuttering.

Modern Letter Counterpart: Appropriate to it’s nature, Ansuz is actually aligned with vowels (remember that vowels, because there are less of them, are considered letters that carry more power than their consonant counterparts) A and/or O in the modern alphabet.

Special Runic Associations: Ansuz is the Initiating Rune in the Cycle of Initiation. As such it tells us to consolidate and apply the cycle we have completed to create a new and appropriate foundation for the new future we are set to create. Ansuz is used in emotional healing runic groupings.