Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Othala

I spent the weekend with my siblings (all six of them), some nieces, nephews, and a couple of cousins where we all grew up.  I knew it would be great to see them all again, but I also knew that there would be challenges in getting through the three day event.  Still, it got me thinking about Othala, the Rune of the homestead and inheritance and I decided to ask the Runes how to work with Othala so that I could enjoy thoroughly the time with my brothers and sisters.

I had quite a chuckle when the first Rune that I drew was Laguz, but was surprised that I did not draw Perthro as one of the other two Runes, because it is the Rune of social gatherings and games of skill, which seemed to fit into the way our family functions usually go.  Instead, after Laguz, came Ehwaz and Dagaz, the Runes related to a pleasurable journey and clarity.  Let's sort them out.

I laughed at Laguz, the water Rune, because the saying that I associate with this Rune is, "Go with the flow."  This is good advice whenever you're interacting with a large group, but especially when dealing with family.  Essentially, in this instance, Laguz reminds us that we are not going to see eye-to-eye with everyone (in the group) or everything and we can choose to get along and be respectful or fight and argue over every little thing.  This is sage advice and something I strove to do over the weekend.

Ehwaz is the horse Rune, signifying two things, travel and the relationship between horse and rider.  Travel fits in this situation, because we traveled from the northwest and west of the US and from Canada to the place where we grew up.  Although we did not travel by horse, what we need to recognize is that the horse represented easier and safer travel than walking.  The second aspect of Ehwaz is that the relationship that a rider has with his/her horse is one of trust and closeness.  Interestingly, no matter what disagreements may exist among family members there is a trust that, if push come to shove, your family will be there for you.  This provides the underlying strength in returning to Othala's homestead.

Dagaz is the Rune of the day.  Although this Rune represents the idea of clarity, in this instance, I believe that clarity can come only through contemplation and reflection first over what transpired during our three days together.  It gives us pause to realize the importance of Othala in representing homestead and heritage, in recognizing family traditions and how each of us interpreted those traditions and experiences into our own lives.  Dagaz allows us to realize what we've learned, how we've grown, and how we appreciate not only where we came from, but that we shared that experience with each other and can relate to it in our own way as a group and as individuals.

Othala's importance reminds us of our connection or bond to our roots, our family, our past, and how those things influenced and shaped who we are today.