Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Sowilo

Welcome to March!  This month, in the northern hemisphere, we really begin to see the return of the sun, reaching a balanced point around the world on March 20th - the equinox, when all of Earth receives twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness.  This year, I hope to make the most of the sun's return and, with the approaching equinox, I inquired about Sowilo, the sun Rune.  How can we embrace the returning sun and make the most of the increased energy and light we receive?

Sowilo, the Rune of the sun offers good fortune if properly utilized.  I especially like the way that Sven Plowright explains it in his book, The Rune Primer, as "a sign to lift the spirit".  In essence, the sun gives us energy literally and figuratively.  How can we incorporate that energy into our lives as we move forward this year?

The three Runes that offer to guide us in this endeavor are Perthro, Tiwaz, and Fehu.  I find this group to be particularly interesting and fitting.

We begin with Perthro, a Rune whose meaning is social; it encompasses friendly games and competitions that take place in social venues. It requires social interactions and, on some level perhaps, a rite of passage.  Essentially, it provides us with an opportunity to engage; engage with others, engage in a process of initiation and acceptance.  Through Perthro, we realize the power of Sowilo energizes and inspires us to accomplish goals and move forward.

Thankfully, we have Tiwaz supporting those efforts.  This is one of my favorite Runes, Týr's Rune, Norse Mythology's sky god, the left-handed god.  In this draw, both aspects are important.  The relationship to the sky is an obvious one, but it is the latter that we must look at in more detail.  I have recounted the story of Týr and his sacrifice in past posts (Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Berkana, A Rune for Time), but what I would like to look at now is why he might have put his hand in Fenrir's mouth, why he would take that risk, knowing what the outcome would be.  I believe the bottom line is that the gain was greater than the loss.  What this Rune, in this instance, tells us is that part of embracing Sowilo involves taking risk to move forward, but not risk for the sake of risk, rather a calculated risk, where you comprehend the potential outcomes of the risk.  This means that, like Týr, we must understand our actions and a good way to do that is to have a plan.  Channel Sowilo's energy into your plan, which outlines how your rite of passage, through Perthro, will occur.

Our final Rune is an obvious result of embracing Sowilo through Perthro and Tiwaz.  If we allow the sun's energy to carry us forward and we channel that energy through a well-thought out plan, in the end, we reap the rewards.  Bear in mind, however, that Fehu, while representing wealth, does not necessarily mean money in the modern sense.  Fehu literally means cattle, which was a primary measure of wealth in Viking times.  Now, I am not suggesting you will end up with cattle, rather that wealth takes many forms.  Friendship, property, equipment, insight, and wisdom are all forms of wealth.  If money is your goal, make that clear as you begin your rite of passage, driven by Sowilo and supported by Tiwaz, both of which are forms of wealth in their own right.

Sowilo can provide us with energy to pursue and achieve our goals and, if we are smart about it, once we complete our rite of passage, our lives will be more enriched from it.

Runes 201 - Individul Runes - Tiwaz

This morning, I reached into my bag of Runes and asked which Rune I should write about today.  Tiwaz came out and I smiled, because I feel a strong affiliation with this Rune and the god it represents - Týr.  I put the Rune back in the bag and asked the Runes what they would like us to know about the Warrior Rune.  Here are the three key aspects.

Number one:  Thurisaz.  This is a Rune of great power, around which one must be careful.  While it may be good to help us break down barriers, once that power is released, it may become hard to control.  The Rune poems for Thurisaz are a bit varied, for while the old English version talks of thorns and discomfort, the old Icelandic and old Norwegian poems refer to a women's illness.  With regard to the latter, I can't help but think that the reference is actually to menstruation, which was seen as an illness, but it is also quite powerful, holding within it the potential to create life.  These verses make interpreting the Rune more challenging; harder to discern a single meaning, but what is clear is that caution must be used, because of the power this Rune invokes.  With regard to Tiwaz, the same can be said of the warrior.  The warrior is powerful, but, once we realize that power, we must be cautious in how we choose to proceed and use it; a reckless warrior is not a good warrior.

Number two:  Gebo, the Rune of the gift.  The message here is to give without expectation, because giving creates its own rewards.  In many ways, a warrior epitomizes the idea of giving, because s/he is willing to make sacrifices to accomplish the end goal.  Think for a moment of the sacrifice Týr made to make sure that Fenrir the wolf was bound.  He gave his right hand to make sure the gods and goddesses of Ásgard were safe from the beast.  For him, the gift was his bravery, for those he protected, it was safety.  Within this, we must not necessarily think of a warrior as a traditional soldier or our battles as traditional battles.  This is giving on many levels.  We can all stand up for injustices, lend a hand to others, but we must also fight our own battles as we try to give something personal to others, something, perhaps less altruistic, but a gift nonetheless.

Number three:  Dagaz.  The Rune of day and clarity is a good action for Tiwaz, because we need a moment of clarity to give us direction.  We are warriors.  Warriors stand up, speak out, and lend a hand.  Warriors are fair and just.  However, warriors must also be prepared to fight personal battles, stand up for themselves and pursue their goals.  This may be where the warrior within us is most needed.  For many people I know, it is far easier to stand up for someone else, to promote someone else's efforts, than it is to stand up for yourself, promote your own achievements.  Part of what we, as warriors, must realize is that our inner warrior is for our use too. To endure the hills, twists, turns, and obstacles on our path, we need to act like warriors, to be strong, and march forward for ourselves even when the road we're on is anything but smooth.

Tiwaz is the warrior within us all.  It is powerful when we stand up for others.  It must also be so when we are standing up for ourselves.  We can give unlimited gifts to others, from food, clothing, and housing, to books, art, and music.  However, what we must accept is that it is okay to give ourselves some gifts too.

Runes 201 - Individual Runes - Berkana

This week, I entered into a business adventure with a very good friend of mine.  I chose to say "adventure" rather than simply "venture", because she and I have worked together before and we did amazing things.  It was a great adventure and I am certain this time will be too.  To acknowledge this partnership, I wanted to look at Berkana, the Rune of birth and the birch tree.  This Rune symbolizes beginnings and beauty and is linked to fertility, creativity, and, of course, goddesses.  My question for the Runes this week is how she and I can make the most of this beginning.

Tiwaz provides the overview for our adventure and, for me, this is a reassuring draw.  I am strongly aligned with Tiwaz, Týr's Rune.  Not only is Týr the left-handed god (I am left-handed too), but he is the warrior god.  To me, Týr's left-handedness, represents bravery, because Týr lost his hand, because he was the only one among the gods with enough courage to put his hand in Fenrir's mouth while the other gods bound the wolf.  This signifies the necessity of bravery and self-sacrifice in this undertaking.  We must be brave and unafraid to take some risks.  Coupled with this is the warrior, who is someone who does just that - takes risk and is unafraid.  As warriors, we are not afraid to work hard or fight for what we want to accomplish.

As my friend and I live 4,500 kilometers apart, Raido symbolizes what is, perhaps, our greatest challenge in this endeavor - travel or progress.  It is the Rune of riding or a carriage, and reminds us that we must move, literally and figuratively, to advance and achieve our goals.  This means not only can we not allow the physical distance between us to hinder our progress, but we must find a way to use it to our advantage.  Interestingly, travel is a component that she and I have discussed to some degree already and we see it as an important factor to addressing our aspirations and being successful in this endeavor.

 Finally, I was quite pleased to see Sowilo as our action for this question.  Sowilo stands for the sun and symbolizes good fortune.  For me, the sun, in in rawest form, is energy and that is what we need to make our adventure together successful - sheer energy.  One other key aspect to point out about this Rune is that in Germanic traditions, the sun is feminine.  For two women to draw the sun as their action for a working relationship reinforces the notion of the warrior's strength.  Together, we will be a strong force of positive, creative energy.  Look out world!

While this week's draw is more personal for me than my usual posts, I hope that you have gained some insight into either dealing with a new situation in your life, making the most of a beginning, or understanding how the Runes offer guidance.  I am always available to offer you personal readings or to answer questions you have about the Runes.  Just leave a comment on this post or email me.  Have a great week!

No Powering Through

I have been working on another installment of Runes 101 - Runes in Mythology, but it's not quite ready yet.  I'll plan on that one for next week, so stay tuned.

This week, I realized that, very soon, a couple of the major projects I started this year will be coming to an end.  This got me wondering what we do at this point in a process.  When we realize things are almost over, how do we finish them off in an appropriate manner?  How do we keep up the level of attention and detail they require?  The "final push" with a project at work or to complete a class or deal with guests who have over-stayed their welcome can be challenging, especially when we know that, once these things are over, we can move on to something new or something that we enjoy or is more fulfilling.  However, simply powering through the process is not a healthy approach.  There must be a way to get through this circumstance without getting stressed, ignoring our own emotions and possibly creating conflict.  How do we stay composed, maintain quality and not become a giant ball of stress?

Perthro/Perth provides the overview for this situation.  Traditional and contemporary interpretations of this Rune do not seem to align very well.  Still, they complement each other in this instance.  Traditionally, this Rune is referred to as the Rune of Friendly Competition and socializing.  New Age definitions call it the Rune of Initiation or hidden secrets.  If we look at this situation as a game, a coming of age in some way, we can see how it is an initiation.  Where do the hidden secrets come into play?  Again, there is a link in the definitions.  Through this process, we are cultivating relationships (potentially even friendships) and their wyrd (fate or destiny) affects ours and that is where the secret lies if we are not aware of it.  A positive outcome from the class or project or visit will affect what happens next.  This is why we must figure out how to finish this situation with the same quality or hopefulness under which it began.

Of course, there is a challenge in every situation and in this one our challenge is Sowilo/Sowelu.  Sowilo is the Rune of the Sun, good fortune and wholeness.  In Germanic tradition, the sun is feminine and its light a sign of victory.  In today's world, Sowilo is aligned with wholeness and the search for what we are already.  To me, this means that our challenge is to be ourselves in this final stage, to continue what we have been doing, for that is what will bring us victory or satisfactory completion and help us to recognize the wholeness.  With regard to the Sun and feminine qualities, this is a very timely distinction, for it addresses our goal perfectly.  The idea of powering through is a masculine quality, so Sowilo serves as a good reminder that powering through is not what we need to do here, rather our challenge is to disregard that instinct and maintain a consistent pace to finish our project.

But how?  Honestly, when this question came to me, I thought I would draw Uruz, the Rune of Strength and the wild ox.  I thought, if not, which one would I draw?  I drew Teiwaz/Tiwaz, the Warrior Rune, Týr's Rune.  This Rune requires self-sacrifice and mindfulness.  We must focus on and commit to finishing the project strong, because that will work to our favor, if not immediately, then in the long run.  We're almost done.  We can do this and do it well.  Perhaps then, we will draw Othala and/or Gebo and be able to enjoy the fruits of our efforts.

What project or situation are you finishing soon?

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.

Opportunities in the New Year

With the new year beginning, I know it seems cliché to ask what this new year holds for us, but I couldn't resist.  So many of us see January 1 as a new beginning, a time to wipe slates clean, start fresh.  It incites optimism in a daily life that tends toward the opposite end of the hopeful spectrum.  Maybe the start of a new year even strikes an encouraging cord within us.  Therefore, for all of us sappy souls, today I asked the Runes - What opportunities might the new year hold?

Sadly, the Runes have given their usual realistic answer - it's going to be a tough year.  The overview of the year is Algiz, the Rune of self-defense and protection.  Tiwaz/Teiwaz, the Rune of the god Týr, the god representing self-sacrifice, gives us the challenge.  Thankfully, the action is something we know we all possess, strength in the form of Uruz, the Rune of the wild ox.

Do not despair, despite this initial interpretation, because this is our preparation for a tough year; it doesn't mean we won't succeed.  It means simply that our successes will be worth the trials we go through to attain them.

Algiz tells us to be careful, to make our actions in a timely manner, not too soon, not too late.  Although Algiz assures us we have what we need to defend ourselves, it does not tell us that we must do that.  Instead, we protect ourselves by making good choices and thinking things through, not by jumping feet first into icy or muddy water.  If we play our cards right, our opponents will create their own downfall.

That doesn't mean that 2012 will be a walk in the park though.  There will surely be battles and injustice.  That is why Tiwaz, the Rune of the god Týr is our challenge.  As you may recall, last month I drew this Rune and explained how Týr (Tiw) was the only one among all the gods that was brave enough to put his hand in the mouth of the wolf, Fenrir, when the wolf was being bound by the other gods.  Týr sacrificed his right hand to ensure the beast, Fenrir, could not harm the gods. Surely this is a sign that we will be making sacrifices this year.  There are two bright sides to this though.  The first one may not make you feel any better about making sacrifices, but it is important to remember that, through sacrifices, we grow on many levels.  The second is the action Rune we drew with Týr's challenge - Uruz.

Our action calls for courage and determination and, with Uruz, the Rune of the wild ox and strength, to accompany the protective measures of Algiz and the fearlessness of Týr, we have a good draw here.  Uruz is the final piece of this puzzle, assuring us that we possess the strength we need to accomplish our goals in 2012.  We need be only convinced of our own strength and to remember that strength comes in many forms, not just from within us, but from the love and support of our friends and family.

Here's wishing you a happy and prosperous year!  Feel free to let me know how things are going, to ask for guidance or simply enjoy my weekly posts.

The State of the World

All I hear from around the world is bad news, news of corruption and war and violence, of inequality and poverty, of a lack of understanding and acceptance.  I believe the world doesn’t have to be this way.  Because of this, today, I wanted to give the world a Rune.

I asked the Runes, “If I could give the world a Rune, which one would it be?”  The Rune it gave me was Isa.  As soon as I saw the Rune, I knew my question had not been specific enough.  This Rune represents clearly the state of the world today, but I want to give the world a good Rune, a Rune with some positive aspect to it, some hope.  So, I asked how the world can counter the Ice Rune, Isa.  I drew Tiwaz/Teiwaz, the Rune of the god Týr.  This is a better Rune, but I decided one final question was needed.  “What do we do with the Tiwaz?”  Use Nauthiz.  In essence, though it had not been my intention, I ended up with another three-Rune draw with each Rune addressing (in order) the overview, challenge and required action.

The Rune that represents the state of the world today also provides the situation overview – Isa, the Rune of Ice.  I wish I could put a good spin on this draw, but both the new age and traditional explanations for this Rune don’t offer much.  The greatest similarity between the two explanations is the idea of a lack of forward motion, a lack of progress.  Both talk about caution and risk and a lack of awareness of the true situation.  Some people just submit and go along and, those who rise up are met with a backlash and violence.  Finally, the interpretation of this Rune suggests a time of pause.  Maybe the positive side to this is that I see the pause coming with the onset of winter (for those of us in the northern hemisphere).  Perhaps now is the time to plan for the spring when we can come out coordinated, in force and strong.

Then again, maybe this is my resolve and that is why I drew Tiwaz, the Rune of the god Týr (Tiw), who was the only one among all the gods that was brave enough to put his hand in the mouth of the wolf, Fenrir, when the wolf was being bound by the other gods.  Týr sacrificed his right hand to ensure the beast, Fenrir, could not harm the gods.  This fearlessness is what we need now to change the world, but there is something else we must remember.  Týr did not start a war, he did not wreak havoc on anyone, he merely stood up to the problem to make sure that what needed to be done was done.  In fact, traditional associations include justice and self-sacrifice.  More recent definitions link to terms such as perseverance.  Basically, if we expect change to occur in the world, we must be strong.

To change the condition of the world in an effective way, Nauthiz, the Rune of Necessity offers guidance.  Although Nauthiz counsels restraint, it suggests this action to help us make correct decisions in difficult situations.  Perhaps this ties into Isa’s time for pause.  Through consideration and appropriate planning, we can achieve positive change, restore balance and, in some instances, create harmony.

Maybe this draw was for me.  Maybe it’s not a Rune for the world.  Maybe all it shows is my perception of the state of the world.  Whether talking about the state of entire world, my world or any injustice, these three Runes remind me that, if I want to be the change, I must be strong, smart and persevering.  Who’s with me?