Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - Momentum

After about a three year struggle, things are starting to align for someone I know well.  She has had some long awaited and unexpected successes recently.  She feels relief and gratitude and wants to make sure she keeps this positive energy flowing.  Now, her challenge is how to manage that momentum, without getting ahead of herself and without losing the balance she's worked so hard to regain in her life.  Anyone who has been in this sort of position before recognizes that keeping that momentum going is not easy to do.  Using the Norn Cast, I asked the Runes how she can accomplish this; how can she keep the positive momentum going?

Remember, the Norn Cast looks at Urd (the past), Verdandi (the present), and Skuld (what should be - not exactly the future, because the future is open for you to decide based on your choices and the path you follow).  With that in mind, these are the three Runes that addressed this question.

Hagalaz represents Urd, Mannaz represents Verdandi, and Skuld is (or should be) Ansuz.

Two weeks ago, we looked at Hagalaz in detail and it showed us that this Rune is a cycle within itself, representing negative experiences from which we have an opportunity to learn.  Essentially, we can take what we learn from our experience and empower ourselves, which means the cycle ends positively.  This was, more or less, this woman's experience, signifying Urd incredibly well.  In other words, the past few years have included many negative experiences for her.  However, rather than give in to those experiences and let them rule her energy, she empowered herself to manage these situations, take what she could from them, and apply that knowledge to her circumstances going forward.

Mannaz represents her present circumstance and, I believe, signifies more empowerment.  This is the Rune of the self and, remember, within that idea exists all aspects of self and what shapes it.  Mannaz is not only the physical, mental, and emotional self.  It is also the higher or spiritual self.  Beyond that, it is the way that culture and society influences who we are.  In this second position, Mannaz signifies perfectly where she is right now (Verdandi).  She has used those things that have influenced her life over the past few years to empower herself and make her self stronger, to better define who her self is and what that self wants.  Essentially, through the past struggles of Hagalaz, she has reached her current, more confident situation and is more knowledgeable about her self.

Ansuz addresses our main question most directly.  She has gone through and learned from her experiences and empowered her self (Mannaz).  As a result, she is beginning to realize the benefits of that Hagalaz cycle.  Now, how does she keep this momentum going?  Ansuz is a surprisingly good fit for her.  While this Rune represents a god (specifically Odin, according to the Old Icelandic Rune poem) and communication, it can also represent origins, wisdom, and (from the Old Norwegian Rune poem) even estuaries.  Together, these three interpretations form a strong and powerful response to our question.  In a way, she is at a beginning or origin as she takes her new found knowledge and moves forward with it.  She has the opportunity to turn that knowledge into true wisdom if she can continue to build on it and apply it effectively to her life and, perhaps even guide others in applying it to theirs.  However, I find the estuary to be the best reminder of the situation, because an estuary is a place of transition between rivers and the ocean.  In many ways, although she is at a beginning of sorts, her beginning takes place in a position of transition, where she is just starting to regularly apply her knowledge to her situation.  If she stops, she could fall back into her old position, but if she keeps going and turns that knowledge into true wisdom, she will navigate through the estuary and into the open sea.

What's important to remember - choice.  What you take away from any experience you have and how you proceed with it from there is your choice.  That's why, Skuld is "what should be".