Runes 101 - Runes in History - The Blank Rune

Occasionally, I am asked about the blank Rune.  Is it a thing?  What does it mean?  Should I use it?

The simple answer to the latter question in my view is no, but the real answer is more complex than that and has to do with historical facts, which I can explain by addressing the other two questions.

Is the blank Rune a thing?  Yes and no.  Yes the blank Rune is a thing, but only since the 1970s at the earliest.  Is the blank Rune a thing in the Elder Futhark or any of the other furtharks?  No.  There is no evidence in the eddas, sagas or any other relative historical documents that even suggest that such a thing existed.

The first mention of a blank Rune comes in Ralph Blume's 1982, "The Book of Runes".  This is where the controversy around the blank Rune begins.  So, let's talk about Blum's take on it.

Blum refers to the blank Rune as "the unknowable", "the Divine, Odin, the Allfather".  Both of these descriptions are entirely inaccurate.

The unknowable.  The whole point of Odin sacrificing himself to himself was to gain the knowledge of the Runes.  So, the idea that there would be a Rune that represents the unknowable goes against Odin's actions.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem for Óss

The Divine, Odin, the Allfather.  All Runes are linked to Odin, because of his sacrifice to gain their knowledge.  If there is a single Rune associated with him, it would be Ansuz, and I say that only because the Old Icelandic Rune Poem refers to Óss (the Younger Futhark) as god (Odin) is progenitor, Asgard's chief, and Valhalla's lord.

I won't even venture into his detailed explanation of the meaning of the blank Rune, where he gives no less than eight different things that it represents.  It further demonstrates his lack of understanding of the cultural history in which the original use of Runes formed.

For those of you who aren't so concerned about the blank Rune's complete disregard for the historical and mythological contexts, consider this simple point.  The Runes are an alphabet.  The term "Futhark" is literally the word formed by the first six letters:

To suggest that an alphabet would have a blank in it is ridiculous.  It would be a non-letter.

So, yes the blank Rune is a thing, a very recent thing.  Should it be used when seeking guidance from the Runes as an oracle?  No.

Runes 102 - Book Reviews - Icelandic Magic

Icelandic Magic: Practical Secrets of the Northern Grimoires, by Stephen Flowers, left me wanting more, but not for the reasons you might think.  The book is divided into two parts.  The first part provided a backdrop into which Icelandic magic occurred and it was informative.  But, it was the second part (beginning with chapter 9),which is supposed to be "a unique book of magic in the traditional Icelandic form", that I felt was lacking guidance and that is where I really wanted more.

In Part One, Flowers provides an overview of the world in which Icelandic magic developed and existed.  He covers some chronology and includes information on how Christian and southern magical influences played roles in it as well.  It was interesting to see how they merged in many regards; for example, he talks about a medieval Rune stick (yes, carved in Runes) that uses "a Christian magical formula to allow for easy childbirth".  Even though the words were carved in Runes, the words themselves were Latin and talked about Christ, Elizabeth who gave birth to John the Baptiste, and the Lord.  Flowers also notes that single spells included references to Norse gods and goddesses, alongside the Christian god and Christian demons.

During his chronology, he highlights a few key Icelandic magicians, all of whom had ties to the church as bishops, vicars or predating Christianity and serving as goði (priest, chieftain) and whom are described in greater detail later.  This leads into a discussion of the Icelandic books of magic, which I felt was the most enlightening pieces of the book.  If you read only one chapter of this book, choose this one.  Although it is just an overview of magic books, it helped to paint a picture of the important historical magic books and their influences.

After this, the book began to get confusing for me, but I thought things would fall into place when I got to chapter 8, which covers preparation and inner work and they begin to.  Flowers claims the outer preparation - setting the ritual space - requires less effort than the inner preparation.  This made sense.  With regard to inner work, he says, "These skills of concentration, visualization, and memorization that are the ones that the ancients took for granted and that modern people almost entirely neglect."  By taking them for granted, he means that the ancients understood that they had to undertake these preparations.  It went without saying.  When we don't do that today, the result is "magical failure".

Chapter 9 is the last chapter before part 2 of the book and it is also where I began to lose interest and feel like I am being deprived of some pivotal information that would help me understand his overview of the process better.  I found many of his explanations lacking and his focus on invoking Odin incomplete.  I confess that I work with the Elder Futhark and acknowledge that the ancient magicians would have used the Younger Futhark, but that is secondary to my ability to understand the process that he lays out in terms of the inner work.  While I understand Odin's role in the Runes, when I invoke a god for Rune work, I choose Heimdall.  So, what does it mean to use another god or even the goddess Freyja and incorporate aspects of seiðr?

The final piece, Part Two - Gray Skin - was really disappointing.  Flowers states that it is a unique book of magic in the traditional Icelandic form and it contains work done in the Rune-Gild, a group that he formed in 1980.  The struggle that I have with this piece is that he doesn't provide a single example as to how these spells were derived or arrived at or how to enact them.  It is that understanding that I need where this book falls short for me.

This book is not the kind of Rune work that I do or am interested in and, with a few exceptions, was not for me.  That doesn't mean that you would not find some benefit in it.  I did find the historical context to be helpful.

Runes 401 - Rune Rituals - A Simple Blessing

Back in May, my kids and I went for a bike ride and stopped at a beach by the lake.  I don't usually pick up shells or rocks or things like that to bring home; I'm of the take only pictures, leave only footprints frame of mind most of the time.  However, I was drawn to this piece of drift wood that I just couldn't put down.  I knew I had to have it and I knew I had to have my name and my Rune (Jera) carved into it.  My carving skills aren't great, so I asked a friend to do it for me, which he graciously did.  Nothing fancy.  Here's what it looked like when he gave it back to me:

It was the perfect starting point.  Then, I went through a ritual, similar to when I made my own Runes.  It needed to be painted and sealed.

First, I thanked Njord for providing the wood to me.  Soaked by the lake, smoothed by being rolled around near the shore, and left to dry on the beach.  It is perfect.

After I selected my paint, I invoked Heimdall and Odin, because they gave us the Runes.  Then, I pricked my finger and put nine drops of blood into the paint.  The sacrifice was to them.  As the drops fell into the bowl, I thanked Heimdall for sharing the Runes with Jarl and thanked Odin for his nine-day sacrifice to obtain the Runes, all their secrets and mysteries.  The blood was also my way of making the carving my own. 

This process strengthened my connection to the carving and to the gods.  Even though there wasn't enough blood to noticeably alter the color of the paint, I know that a piece of me now resides within the wood.

I let the paint dry over night, then sealed it with a non-toxic varnish, but not before I expressed my appreciation to all of the gods and goddesses.  This piece of Rune art and the process to create it was important for me in strengthening my connection to the mythology that I love.

I was especially pleased that, when I drew Runes as the final piece of this ritual, I got Perthro, Jera, and Berkana.  Simply put, Perthro represents my friend in this process who did the initial carving for me.  Jera is my guiding Rune; that's why it's on the carving.  And even though Berkana comes at the end, it symbolizes for me that this work of art represents a new phase in my relationship to the gods and the Runes.

Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - The Waiting

I have to laugh as I begin this post about 'the waiting', because my first inclination was to write that I have been 'waiting' a long time to write it.  It also brings to mind one of my favorite songs of the same name, The Waiting, by Tom Petty wherein he assures us that the waiting is the hardest part.  Given this truth, I asked the Runes what they wanted to show us about managing the waiting.  How do we address that moment in time, that part of the process, when we feel the momentum wanting us to move forward, but we must resist and wait for someone else to make the next move?

The three Runes I drew in response to this question get right to the heart of the matter.  Although Ansuz's meaning in this situation and as the first in the draw may seem unclear at first, a short pause clarifies it very well.   When we see Ansuz, we relate it to the gods, particularly Odin. Of course, it is always good to have Odin with us from the start, but it means more than that here.  I view Odin as stepping in only at critical moments, which signifies to me that this is one of those moments and drawing a Rune that represents him reiterates the importance of waiting through it.

However,  there is another meaning for this Rune, that of an estuary, which is equally important. As I've mentioned before, an estuary is a place of transition between rivers and the ocean, placing us in a position of transition and making 'the wait' a necessary part of it.

That being said, Ansuz has one other meaning that lends us the best way to manage this time.  We know that Odin places significance on the situation and that we are in the middle of a transition, but how do we manage it?  The third meaning associated with this Rune is communication, which tells us that, instead of doing nothing while we wait, we can prepare for the next step, for that moment when the waiting ends and the next step in the process begins.  It is that preparation that will carry us through not only the waiting period, but the next step as well.

Why is that important?  Why should we prepare, especially if we might be unsure what the next step will bring?  Raido, the riding Rune, as the second Rune in this draw tells us that the waiting is part of the journey.  It highlights the transition we are in and that we must approach it in an intentional way, but it also says that waiting does not negate our ability to move. This lends support to what Ansuz says about preparing for the next step this journey is leading to. We can sit and let 'the waiting' happen to us and fill us with angst or we can take control of 'the waiting' so that we are ready when it ends.  Besides supporting the latter, Raido assures us that greater movement is on its way; it is coming and the better prepared we are, the better able we will be to manage it and complete this transition phase smoothly.

The final Rune, Berkana, unquestionably tells us that the result of actively waiting (doing what we can to prepare for the next step while we are waiting for others to move) leads us to a beginning.  Berkana represents the birch tree, and the Old English Rune poem, in particular, highlights one of the most interesting aspects of this tree - though it doesn't flower or bear fruit, its boughs are green and beautiful.  This fits well into our journey's transition and tells us that, even though there is no obvious flowering in our process, the end result will still provide a full bloom.  We just have to wait for it... actively wait.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Chestnuts

Chestnut Runes

This may be one of the most creative Rune sets I've seen in a long time.  They are made of chestnuts. My friend, Amanda, made them after she was nudged by Odin to create this unique set... from seeds.

"Using tree seeds seems to fit, since Odin hung from a tree for nine nights to gain the secrets of the Runes," she explains.

Of course, chestnuts are not easy to carve into.  Unlike the ash key Runes I shared last month, once dried, chestnuts are quite hard, like dried beans.  In fact, after trying to use a dremmel to carve the Runes into the chestnuts to no avail, Amanda switched to painting the Runes onto them and found that gold, copper, and silver looked the best and most natural against the rich brown color of the seeds.

To many of us, myself included, the box or pouch  that holds our Runes is just as important as the runes themselves.  The 'pouch' for this set is no exception.  Amanda says, "I wanted to create a pouch to hold them that resembled a nest."

Chestnut Runes nestled in their nest.

As you can see from the picture to the right, she clearly succeeded.

Amanda plans to make other unique Rune sets too, using mediums such as shells and antlers.  She also has plans to make a chestnut set using the Ogham alphabet.

She is in the process of setting up an account on Etsy for her Rune sets and the other work she does through her craft business 9 Nights Forge & Loom.  When the site goes live, I will share links on my pages on Pinterest, Facebook, and Google+, so you can check out her work.

Until then, if you have a set of Runes you'd like to share, please put them in a comment on this post or contact me directly and I will do my best to share them in a future blog post.

The Ogham Alphabet

Ogham, Image credit:
vrindavana / 123RF Stock Photo

Today is March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland, which got me thinking about their ancient alphabet, Ogham.  I didn't know much about it before I researched it for this post, but it does seem to share more similarities with Runes than the Theban Alphabet does. However, what makes this alphabet most interesting to me is its link to trees.

Just as Berkana represents the birch, so too does the 'b' in Ogham.  In contrast, while Isa, the 'i' Rune represents ice, the Ogham's 'i' is the yew tree, which is Eihwaz in Runes.  For a full listing of Ogham names, you can check out this link.  I should also mention that the use of Ogham for divination purposes relates primarily to these meanings and is referred to as the 'tree Ogham'.

With potential origins ranging from being a secret code used by Irish Christians to an invention of Druids in Gaul, the Ogham's origins are shrouded in uncertainties. It is believed that Ogham was modeled after another script, with the Runes listed as one potential source, but Latin and Greek are also listed as possibilities.

Another uncertainty is the timing of its onset.  The range I found begins with the Gaulish Druids around 600 BCE through the 4th Century, although the earliest inscriptions that remain date to the end of that time frame - the 3rd or 4th centuries.

Whereas 'Runes' tend to be related to similar meanings, such as 'whisper' or 'secret', Ogham's potential meanings present another similarity to them.  They include a reference to the Irish god Ogma and an Irish phrase that means point seam, which is the seam made by a sharp weapon.  Both of these do have potential.  As much as the Runes are associated with Odin during his famous sacrifice hanging on the tree for nine days, before snatching them up, so too, in Irish Mythology, Ogma is credited with creating the alphabet named after him.  However, the idea of the seam carved by a weapon carries equal if not more weight given that (as we shall see shortly) Ogham is written along seams on stones.

Both Runes and Ogham are carved into natural fibers, such as wood and stone.  Moreover, just as many Runestones are carved in honor or memory of someone and establish lineage, so too do Ogham inscriptions, with most having a formula like - X son of Y.  Although Runic inscriptions are found in a larger geographical area, from Italy to Greenland and Sweden to Russia and Romania, they share ground with Ogham inscriptions in Scotland, England, and on the Isle of Man and Ireland, the latter being where Ogham dominates.  Within these countries, nearly 400 Ogham inscriptions have been found.

However, where Runes are carved on the face and/or sides of stones, Ogham is carved at the edge; this relates to the 'weapon seam' noted above.  For example, the figure to the right, shows what my name would look like carved or written in Ogham.  On a stone, it would be carved vertically along the edge from bottom to top.  In a manuscript, it would be horizontal from left to right.  The vertical version would have been carved into stones and is referred to as the orthodox version.  Due to its manuscript format, the horizontal depiction is called the scholastic version.

As we celebrate St.Patrick's Day today, it should be noted that while the earlier Orthodox version of Ogham would have no longer been used in Saint Patrick's time, the Scholastic Ogham would have.  In fact, it was used until the 16th century.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes - Ash Keys

Ask-Key Runes

 "Crying out loud, I grasped the Runes." She heard these words from Havamal during a seidr trance.  At the same time, she saw Odin hanging from Yggdrasil.  As he hung there, he reached out for bunches of ash keys from the branches of the great tree.  On each key, a Rune was marked, glowing red, like coals.

This seidr trance image and words from Havamal, inspired my friend, Polly, to make this shimmering set of ash-key Runes, which she says are not as fragile as they look.  She keeps them safe in a special box, but pulls out three Runes as she needs them.

For those of you wondering or unsure, ash keys are the winged seed of an ash tree.  In the US, the maple key is probably the most familiar kind of key.  When I was a kid, we called them helicopters; others called them whirlybirds.  How ever you identify them, if I saw Polly's ash keys floating to the ground, etched with Runes, I'd scoop them up straight away.

Polly's experience and success in making these Runes has inspired me to attempt making another set of Runes for myself.  I love lilacs and love the leaves on lilac bushes almost as much as I love the flowers and their fresh, spring time smell.  The shape and rich color of the leaves have captivated me.  So, this spring, I will pick some lilac leaves off the bush in my yard, dry them and paint them with the Runes.  I will let you know how it goes.

Polly told me to dry them on a paper towel on a cookie sheet, turning them each day, so that the towel doesn't get damp.  She was worried her ash keys would crumble, but, as the picture above shows, they clearly did not.  In fact, though not red like coals, her ash-key Runes do almost glow.

If you'd like to learn more about the Runes and Heathen history from Polly, you can 'like' her facebook page, Seidkona's Hearth.  She also writes a blog of the same name with lots of interesting history of England, including articles she submits to magazines.  That link is here.

And, if you have a set of Runes that you'd like to share, please post them in a comment below or email them to me with the subject - Runes to share.

Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Ansuz

Ansuz, like Ehwaz, signifies many important aspects of life.  Ansuz is considered the mouth Rune (mouth of a river), the mouth Rune (the origin of language and, by extension, communication), and the god Rune.  What makes this especially interesting is that each Rune poem (Old Norwegian, Old English, and Old Icelandic) depicts a different meaning.  In looking at the complex Rune, I want to address each of these features.

Let's begin with Ansuz as the mouth of a river as explained in the Old Norwegian Rune poem.  I like beginning here, because the mouth of a river can mean the beginning, middle or end of a journey, depending on the direction you are heading; it can mean arriving in a new land or returning home.  It symbolizes an adventure, embarking on or completing something new or representing something familiar.  For the Vikings, for example, the seas were roads; it is how they traveled between lands and explored their world.  I mentioned this last week in terms of creative exploration and Laguz.  However, here it can go beyond exploring to settling and managing.  By starting with this aspect, we can determine which path we are on - a new path or strengthening a familiar one - and build from there.

With our chosen path in mind, we can look at Ansuz as it relates to language and communication.  Back in April, I undertook a Rune Ritual around Ansuz's communication feature.  I chose Ansuz for this reason, because I want to make a living off of my writing, a major form of communication.  Moreover, I have used Ansuz to help couples remember that communication is vital to any relationship.  These uses show a beginning (my career) and something familiar (relationships) demonstrating the importance of how we use communication in our lives and how our word choice, the tone of our voice, our gestures, and facial expressions impact them.  Ansuz tells us to be aware or increase our awareness of the way we communicate.  In support of this idea, the Old English Rune poem focuses on this interpretation of Ansuz and puts special emphasis on how wisdom gives warriors comfort (in the sense of happiness) and confidence.  The important thing to remember here is that wisdom is gained not because communication is a one way street, rather includes interpreting and understanding the messages being communicated to us.

On an even more personal level, Ansuz links us to our deity.  In this regard, the Old Icelandic Rune poem points specifically to Odin as the the head of Asgard and the one in charge of Valhalla.  It is fitting that Odin is represented here, because he is the god of poetry and wisdom.  These characteristics of Odin are just as important, if not more so, than Odin as god of war, because they not only imply our own spirituality in communicating with our deity, but they also in highlight, once again, the importance of communication in all its forms.  What is equally important to recognize is that Odin, the chief Norse god is tied directly to communication, implying or reinforcing the importance of the latter throughout the world and and the role it plays in the journeys we take and paths we follow in life.

Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Laguz

This week, I choose to honor Laguz, the Rune of water.  The saying, "Go with the flow," has been crossing my mind a lot lately, so I decided it was time to investigate why.  My question is how can we work with Laguz to go with the flow?  For me, in particular this week, this represents many potential shifts coming my way both personally and professionally.  I hope this relates to something in your life as well.

 Laguz has the position of prominence in the accompanying image, since it is the Rune I seek to work with this week.  Just briefly, this Rune represents water and the mysteries associated with it.  In some ways, it is the unknown depths of the water that I am focusing on here.  This also represents the subconscious.  Perhaps we must summon our subconscious to successfully "go with the flow".

When I received Ansuz first, I was unclear about its relationship to Laguz in this situation.  This Rune represents the gods, more specifically perhaps, Odin.  It is also the Rune of communication.  I was confused by this draw, because, while I appreciate Odin, I have never felt an affinity towards him.  I decided I needed to draw another rune to provide me with guidance on how to interpret Ansuz.  I got Eihwaz, the Yew tree Rune.  The yew tree represents protection in the sense of toughness, standing one's ground.  This helped me to realize that, for me to go with the flow of Laguz, all I need to do is use my one of greatest strengths, relating to communication - the power of speech and articulation.  These attribute flow most freely from me.  What is your best communication tool?  Remember, it should come effortlessly to you and align with letting things flow.  It can be art work, a compliment, a gesture; communication happens in many ways, some obvious and others quite subtle.

I was pleased to see Fehu in second position, especially after my Rune ritual of two weeks ago using this Rune.  (On a side note, I believe the ritual worked well and I plan to do more ritual posts and also repeat the Fehu ritual personally.)  While we refer to Fehu as the money Rune, it doesn't have to mean only money; it can mean wealth more broadly.  Whatever form of wealth we are seeking flows to us more easily when we are using our most positive characteristics.  That is why I reach for speaking and articulation as my communication strengths.  These are the tools I use to communicate most effectively.  Using that aspect of myself will bring wealth to me easier than if I try to paint a picture or run a computer simulation, because those are not my strengths.

Finally, we have Gebo, the gift Rune.  This is more the idea of giving a gift than receiving one; it's giving without expectation of reciprocity.  Maybe we should think of it as karma Rune.  Giving  gifts will attract its own rewards and give its own benefits.  The question is, what are we giving?  We are giving our greatest tool, the best mode of communication we have.  Simply put, when we want to communicate (or participate) with the world and we utilize our greatest strengths in a giving way to do it, not only do these gifts flow out of us, but they will flow back to us in the form of the greatest strengths of others.

Try to let things flow this week and let me know how it goes.

Runes 301 - Making Your Own Runes 2

As promised, last week, I cut the wood for my Runes.  The tree was in the early stages of blossom, with lots of little white blooms popping out on the branches.  The process began with a cleansing of the saw, using the water I had collected a couple of weeks ago and stored in a glass jar (see Rune 301 - Making Your Own Runes).  The incantation I spoke was in two parts.  First, I expressed gratitude to Freyr for the water.  Then, I requested a sharp blade to cut the wood.  The incantation went like this:

"Thanks to Freyr for the cleansing water.  I am grateful to receive your gift."

After speaking these words, I poured the water over the saw, especially the blade, and laid it on an organic cotton cloth to dry in the sun.  When it was dry, I turned to the tree, held up the saw and proclaimed:

"I believe in the power of Odin to make this saw sharp, not for gain in war, but gain in wisdom from the Runes that will be carved into this fruited wood."
 
I climbed the tree and cut the branches I had selected earlier as being the best size for the Runes.  They ranged in diameter from 1-2cm.  In addition to cutting the wood for the Runes, I cut an extra branch (a dead one) to use for practice before I start the actual Runes.  I don't want to make any mistakes on the fruit-bearing wood and I felt that using wood from the same tree would give me a better sense of the feel of the wood than using, say, cedar or some other wood.

I sawed off the branches as close to the main artery of the tree as I could.  After the wood was cut, I thanked Freyr for the wood with the following gratitude incantation:

"I am grateful to you, Freyr, for the fertile wood you have provided so that my Runes will carry fruit-bearing power of wisdom within them."

As an extra sign of appreciation, when I cut the smaller branches, bearing the blossoms, from the larger ones that will be used for the Runes, I put them into a vase on my kitchen table, where they are still blooming and leaves are forming.  They give the dining room a completely different feel, making it much more earthy.

This week's goal is to select the best tools for carving the Runes into the branches, which I will discuss when I begin the first practice round.

For now, it is important to remember that this is my process for making Runes and that many exist.  One of the things I like most about this endeavor is that it is very individualized.  In fact, I feel it must be.  If you don't make your Runes in the way that makes sense and feels right to you, you are doing them and yourself a disservice.  You don't have to recite my incantations if they don't feel right to you.  The basic things that you must do if you want to make wooden Rune staves is find a wood that feels right to you, cut it to appropriate lengths and carve the Runes into it.  Throughout this process, please feel free to ask me any questions or clarify things for you that my not be clear.  If you've made your own Runes, please share your experience with us!

The Role it Plays

Sometimes we think we have great life-altering ideas.  Maybe they are life-altering, who is to say?  However, not every great idea we have works out as we planned.  So, when this happens, how do we process it and give it its rightful place in our lives?  I asked the Runes this very question, because I have tried plenty of things that have not fulfilled my vision of what they would do.  I asked this question, because this situation can, often times, be one of the most emotionally charged things in our lives.  It can make us feel like we are on top of the world or like we've been crushed by a rock, though it's usually something in-between these two extremes.

Laguz is the Rune of the sea and represents the overview of this situation.  So, what does Laguz say about our current circumstance if it is represented by the entire expanse of the water on Earth?  The sea is deep and mysterious, every-changing.  It has stormy areas and calm bays.  There are warm and cold currents, smooth flowing water and torrents that bash rocks at the shore and ships at sea.  Yet, each of these parts works together to balance the ocean.  I can relate to this.  In my life, there are stormy, unsettled areas and places where I can go to have calm, peace.  There are aspects of it that are warm and inviting and others that I must tread carefully.  Sometimes, I feel like I am being bashed against the rocks by the force of the sea.  Traditional interpretations liken Laguz to our subconscious, while new age explanations refer to the ebb and flow of life and the idea of unknown forces at work.  In other words, our current overall situation is very complex, some of it conscious, some not; some areas going really well, others not so much and it's all happening for a variety of reasons from many different influences.  So, how do we balance all of these aspects so that we can function as well as the sea does?

Our challenge is Tiwaz, our old friend the warrior Rune, the Rune of the god Týr.  This is the third time I've drawn this Rune in two months.  (The other two posts were The State of the World last month and, two weeks ago, Opportunities in the New Year.)  We are still in self-sacrifice mode, but we must remain focused on longer term or overarching goals.  Our short term sacrifices support those long term plans.  This is the challenge: to put those short term steps in order, realizing that not every one of them is going to play the role we had intended, but they will play some role, even if it means learning from our mistakes.  It's not always easy, but if we stay strong, we will get through the stormy waters and into that calm bay... successfully.

Although Tiwaz remains our challenge, our action has gone from one of necessity and guidance (Nauthiz) to strength (Uruz) and now, we have arrived at Ansuz, the Rune of Communication.  We began by showing restraint, while we formulated our ideas. Next, we recognized that we have the strength to take our ideas and transform them into plans toward accomplishing our dreams.  Now comes the time to communicate them.  Well, that can mean a lot of things.  New Age beliefs around this Rune lean towards receiving information and, sometimes, refer to Ansuz as the Messenger Rune.  They recommend paying close attention in all interactions, in meetings, relationships, chance meetings, and with "wise" people.  Essentially, be open at all times, because you never know when an opportunity will present itself.  Traditionally, this Rune is associated with Odin, the chief of the Norse Gods.  Odin is the god of many things, not the least of which is the Runes themselves, a tool for magic and communication.  How do we communicate our plans then?  And to whom?  The Runes suggest that, by paying extra attention to things, looking for opportunities and taking advantage of those things that present themselves, we will know how and when.  Perhaps the challenge of Tiwaz's self-sacrifice is that, when we recognize those moments, those openings, we must be brave and present our plans knowing that they may or may not be accepted as we intended.  Only in doing this, in knowing this is true, and accepting it, will we be able to assign things their rightful role in our plans.

Occupy Valhalla

As many of you are aware, there is a movement called Occupy Wall Street, which, although it started in New York City, has become an international phenomenon.  You may be asking yourself what on Earth this could have to do with Runes.  Well, the movement has spread to the gods.

I'd like to thank my friend Drew for passing this along to me and the Pundit Kitchen for coming up with it.  A little levity this week.  Next wee we go back to Runes 101.

One last thing, I feel I should point out though that Odin doesn't drink mead, only wine.

Runes 101 - Runes in Mythology 5

I am very excited that, in a few days, I will add three new books to my Norse Mythology library that were recommended by people who have read my blog and the books are all about the Runes.  I look forward to the added insight they may provide me about the Runes.  I admit that I am a relative newcomer to the world of Runes, but I am cautious and careful with the things I say about them and, especially, when I 'read' them.

That brings me to this week's post.  A few years ago, I bought a book of Norse myths, which I have read and, many myths I have reread several times.  Each time, I notice some new aspect about them and, most recently, I have noticed a couple of uses of Runes that I questioned.  You see, because I am limited to the English translations of the Prose and Poetic Edda, I have learned the importance of cross-checking questionable terms in particular.

One of the myths in this book of Norse myths is The Lay of Vafthrudnir.  In this myth, Odin, who is always seeking knowledge, goes to visit the giant Vafthrudnir, because he hears this giant has no equal among the other giants.  Odin wants to challenge him to a battle of wits.  In the end, he tricks the giant to win the contest by asking him a question he cannot possibly answer.  However, when Odin asks the giant how he knows so much about the gods, this author translates or implies that Vafthrudnir can read the Runes.  He suggests that Odin recognizes this ability in Vafthrudnir and that Vafthrudnir concurs and says that he can, in fact, read the Runes of the gods and giants.  Reading this now, as opposed to almost two years ago when I understood little about the Runes, I halt.  The more appropriate term, in my opinion, is that he knows the fates of the gods and giants.  I have two versions of the Poetic Edda, so I checked both books and neither gives any indication of the giant claiming to know the Runes.  I could be wrong on this, but what I am saying is that the use of the term "Runes" in this instant seemed out of place.  I happily welcome clarification of this point in the story.

The second instance is the myth of Idunn and her apples and how Loki tricked her into leaving Asgard so that the giant Thjazi, in his eagle's cloak, could capture her.  Of course, Loki did this to save his own life.  Once the gods realize what's happened, they threaten Loki with torture and death if he doesn't find Idunn and her apples and bring them back.  You see, without Idunn's apples, the gods begin to grow old.  Loki uses Freyja's falcon cloak to travel to Thjazi's hall in Jotunheim and get Idunn and bring her back to Asgard.  He transform her into a nut so that he can carry her easily in his claws.  Thjazi chases Loki back to Asgard in his eagle suit.  When Loki lands safely within the walls of Asgard, he transforms Idunn back into herself.  Here's the part that seems wrong to me.  When Loki transforms Idunn into a nut, the author says that "Loki murmurs the Runes, says the magic words".  When he transforms her back into herself, the author says that Loki "softly spoke the Runes".  This stood out to me as I have found no other indication that Loki knows the Runes.  When I checked my copy of the Prose Edda (Skaldskaparmal), all it says is that Loki turned Idunn into a nut.  Obviously, she was turned back int o herself, but there is no mention of that at all in the actual prose and no mention of Runes.  That Loki possessed some sort of magic there is no doubt, but the Runes?  I say no.

Am I wrong about these instances?  Or am I on the right track?

Runes 101 - Runes in Mythology 3

Welcome back to Runes 101.  Who, in Norse Mythology, knows the Runes?  We know that, for the Aesir at least, Odin grabbed the Runes and learned them.  The poem "The Sayings of Har", also called  "The Sayings of the High One", tells us this.  What happens once Odin has the Runes and gains insight and knowledge from them?  Does he share this information with the chiefs of the other kingdoms in the world of Norse Mythology or do they acquire the knowledge in some other way?  The former seems unlikely to me; Odin does not strike me as wanting to share knowledge with other chiefs.  After all, he was willing to sacrifice his eye so that he alone would have the knowledge held within Mimir's Well of Wisdom.  The latter option - the other chiefs learning the magic of the Runes in another way - remains a mystery.  We don't know how they came to understand the Runes; we know only who they are.

In verse 143 of the same poem, it says that Odin among the Aesir, Dain for the elves, Dvalin for the dwarfs, and Alvith/Asvid for the giants.  These lines suggest that these are the "Rune Readers" for each of these kingdoms.  The last line of this verse says basically, "I carved some for myself."  Based on the other references to "I" in the poem, it appears as though this is Odin saying he carved his own Runes.  There is no mention of how the other three gain their knowledge of the Runes.  Interestingly, no Vanir (the other kingdom of gods) is mentioned as having this ability.

The Vanir are defined, typically, as fertility gods, gods/goddesses who have the ability of seidr (a form of witchcraft and trances).  They can see the future.  Can they, too, read the Runes?  This is a question I cannot answer, but I can offer some food for thought.  Some scholars and researchers suggest that Heimdall may have been part of the Vanir kingdom.  We know that Heimdall knows the Runes, because the Rigsthula myth tells us how he comes out of the forest and greets Jarl, his son.  Rig, who is Heimdall, teaches Jarl the Runes.  So, could Heimdall be the Vanirs' Rune Reader?  One last bit of fodder for those of you who don't know Rigsthula - Jarl is a human, a king.  Who gets credit for giving the knowledge of the Runes to humans then?  Heimdall or Odin?