Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - Commitments Toward Goals

"I don't have time for anything."  "There isn't enough time in my day to do everything that needs to get done."  "What I would give to be able to do that or to have the time to do that."  Do any of these sound familiar?

I know they do to me, but my greater frustration is that I know I do have time.  Many of my friends have made the same proclamations and, listening to what they said, I realized that goals or deadlines tend to be attached to things they want to do, but "simply don't have time for".

So, I asked the Runes what would happen if I made a commitment to something without affixing a larger goal or deadline to it?  Here is what they showed me.

Ehwaz, Dagaz, and Nauthiz

I found Ehwaz in the first position served as an important reminder, especially with regard to two of its attributes.  The horse Rune represents loyalty and a mode of transportation.  What this suggests to me is that, if we really want to accomplish something, we will.  It's an abstract take on loyalty in the sense that when there is something that we really want to accomplish, we stick to it; we are loyal to the idea, not the idea of completing or acquiring it.  Let me give you a quick example that opened my eyes recently.  I want to finish my second novel.  (The Son of Nine Sisters was my first.) I am loyal to the idea of completing it, but I am not loyal to the process.  So, I decided to commit to spending six hours a week writing.  If I write 1,000 words an hours (about 2 pages), I will complete the draft of my second novel within a year, probably less.  This is where the mode of transportation piece of Ehwaz comes in, because, although I did the rough math, the "goal" is not to finish the novel in a year.  Instead, I am committing to the journey, transporting myself along this timeline of six hours a week. This changes my commitment from a goal (outcome) to a process.

The next question seems to me to be where I am going to find the time to write if, as the quotes above claim, I don't have time to do this.  Dagaz is the perfect Rune to address this question.  The day Rune has presented itself to me in a few posts on similar topics (achieving goals, time, and unfinished projects), so it is entirely appropriate that it shows up today.  This Rune in this position reinforces the belief that we can accomplish things we commit to.  It is positive and uplifting; hopeful.  This Rune says, "You can do it."  If we are loyal to something, maybe the best way to approach it is by breaking it down into smaller pieces.  Rather than insisting that we are going to write our second novel by the end of the year, what if we just say that we are going to write six hours a week? Here again, we are changing the focus of our commitment.  Now, how do we find the time to do it?

I find that, when I am unable to meet a deadline or I don't successfully complete a goal that I've set for myself by the time I say it will be done, I feel awful and I get frustrated and angry... and I don't like to feel that way, none of us do.  It isn't helpful.  I think that is why Nauthiz came third, because none of us need the stress that we place on ourselves by trying to force unrealistic goals into our already busy lives.  It is interesting that Nauthiz appears in many of my posts that deal with similar situations (calm and relaxed, pace yourself, unfinished projects, and priorities) and now it is here and telling us two things in this final position.  First, it takes on need in terms of reminding us to let go of stressful approaches to commitments.  That is very sage advice and frames itself in terms of things we do not need, like stress.  Second, it tells us to consider our priorities.  What are the commitments we need to make and what is the best approach to making them?  For me, writing is a very important part of who I am, a definite commitment that I want to make.  However, I need to be realistic about the position I give writing in my life.  Here is my realization.  I was making a goal of writing at night, after my kids were in bed, but that was not working for me.  I was exhausted by then and I have never been a night person.  I am a morning person.  It is far easier for me to get up at 5:30 in the morning and write for two hours than it is for me to stay up until 11pm doing it.  That is what I need in order to fulfill my commitment to writing.  By taking a step back and asking myself how I can accomplish this goal without adding more stress to my life, I incorporated something I need into my life and made a commitment to it in terms of a manageable process.

Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - Achieving Goals

The way we achieve goals changes depending on any number of variables, such as how long it will take.  Our mental and emotional state can impact our success and stress levels related to obtaining them.  Even our age can affect how we achieve goals.  With this understanding in mind, I used a Norn cast and asked the Runes about achieving goals.

I drew Dagaz, Mannaz, and Hagalaz.  What was most interesting about this draw was that I could see how the results affected at least two aspects of achieving goals - the way we achieve them changes with age (and experience/wisdom) and that we approach short, mid, and long terms goals differently.

Norn Cast for achieving goals

What a wonderful first Rune!  Using Urd to represent both our past/youth and short-term goals, I drew Dagaz.  The Rune of the day represents both of these "Urd attributes" perfectly.  Dagaz is a very positive and uplifting Rune, shedding hope through its light. This characteristic applies easily to youth.  When we are young, we are much more optimistic and willing to take risks.  There is less planning, more leaping and trying new things.  Essentially, it refers to clarity; anything is possible during the day when we can see things clearly. 

However, we can also apply Dagaz to short term goals just as easily.  Short term goals are within our reach; they are manageable.  We can see how to get from point A to point B and, since the path is short, it is much less likely that something is going to disrupt it.  In this way, day sheds light on our path and guides us toward accomplishing those short term goals.  Urd links to this, because just as our past is a stepping stone to our present, so too are our short term goals stepping stones to mid and long terms ones.

When dealing with Verdandi in the present, we become a little more strategic when considering our mid-term goals.  We have gained some experience along the way which we utilize, because now we are really starting to plan for the complexities of life.  Mannaz represents this time and our mid-term goals quite well.

Mannaz is the human Rune.  It incorporates the individual, society, even a higher self.   It is very fitting that, as we get older and have a little life experience under our belts, we become more aware of these different levels of ourselves.  We realize that we do not function in a vacuum, that we are affected by our society and vice versa.  We also seem to become more pragmatic.  While we still take risks, we consider their consequences more than we used to.  That is how Mannaz affects our present self when setting, determining, and achieving goals - through greater contemplation of ourselves as individuals and of that self in the larger picture.

How does Mannaz help us accomplish our mid-term goals?  The same way it helps us understand who we are at this stage.  Mannaz begins to incorporate strategy.  It reminds us of the experiences we've had that brought us to this point and how to use those going forward (having learned from them) .  We know now that everything is not a short term goal and that we can't always jump easily from point A to point B.  By understanding who we are and how we function in the world around us, we can accomplish our mid-term goals despite the twists, turns, and obstacles that will make up the path to getting there.

Hagalaz here, in Skuld's position, is my favorite of this draw.  It explains perfectly what the future should be.  We know it won't be easy (or not as easy as we'd like it to be), but we know that we can continue to build on Mannaz to get through the rough spots.  However, the cool thing about Hagalaz is the second half.  Remember, hail is initially problematic, but once it melts, it provides nourishment.  In a way, Hagalaz takes us back to Dagaz, back to the risks and optimism of youth of the past; it fuels our creativity, creativity that now also benefits from life's experience synchronized with Dagaz by Mannaz.

This sets us up perfectly for achieving long term goals, the ultimate goals we want to accomplish, but whose paths get fuzzier as we look forward.  Despite the fuzziness, we know from our experience with Urd/Dagaz and Verdandi/Mannaz, that those fuzzy spots will become clear; we have the ability  and skills we need (if we believe in ourselves) to achieve these long term goals. If we add the creative juices that Hagalaz unleashes to Dagaz and Mannaz, we allow ourselves to accomplish those goals in intentional and fun ways.