Winter Solstice Runes 2

On Sunday we celebrate the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.  Last year, I also wrote about this solstice by asking the Runes what they wanted to share with us about it.  This year, my question was more specific. I wondered how did we arrive here?  What was the path we followed over the last year and how have we realized it?

I think the response - Jera, Tiwaz, Dagaz - builds on last year's post, which presented Berkana, Laguz, and Othala.  What the Runes told us last year was that we were poised at the beginning of something and that we had to be creative and not be afraid to try new paths and realize that, while those paths may include personal gains, that we should look beyond ourselves in the process and recognize that the things that we do affect and are affected by others as well.  The three Runes this year are offering us guidance in looking back over the past year. 

Jera was the perfect first Rune, because it is the Rune of the year and represents, more so than any other, the idea of process and cycles.  It calls on us in this time of silent reflection during the winter solstice to look back over the year and realize how we arrived here.  Did we follow the wisdom the Runes shared with us last year?  Were we creative in choosing the steps we took that formed the path we look back on now?  Were we conscious of the ways in which our steps (choices) affected others?  As I look back over the year, I can say that, for me, these are some of the most important questions I can ask and I realize that not only was the Rune's guidance last year exactly what I needed, but that in a completely unconscious way, I followed that advice and had wonderful though not always easy outcomes.

The second Rune for this time of silent reflection is Tiwaz.  Now, I confess that I have an affinity to these two Runes (Jera and Tiwaz) more than I do to any others, but their positioning here still holds true.  Tiwaz is the warrior Rune, a Rune that represents strength and sacrifice.  We don't always think about both sides of that coin.  When we are exhibiting strength and making tough decisions or just standing up for ourselves, sometimes we don't acknowledge that sacrifices are being made along the way, especially if they are not our sacrifices, but sacrifices of those who support us.  This comes from Othala last year and the fact that whatever choices we made during this year were supported by others around us.  Rather than think only about the strength that you showed this year in making hard choices, think about who supported you in making those choices.  What strength did they show?  How did they support you?  Did it involve a sacrifice on their part?

Just as Jera was the perfect first Rune, Dagaz is the perfect third one, because it almost presents us with another beginning - the day - but it also reminds us to look back over the past year and find those bright spots that helped us get through the rough ones.  It shows us where we were strong, but it also calls to mind its own set of guiding questions.  What made those bright spots bright?  How did they come about?  What did you have to do to achieve those bright spots?  Think of your creativity.  Who helped you achieve those moments?  How did you on your own and with help from others build on those bright spots to make them more enduring?

Interestingly, these three Runes also set the tone for the coming year.  Jera says remember that there is a process for everything that happens during the year.  Tiwaz reminds us of the strength we carry through that process and that there will, at some point, be a sacrifice required.  Dagaz supports these ideas with a focus on the light, which I take to mean the positive.  By focusing on the positive, when we face a challenge, it will be far easier to over come.

With that practical, but important guidance from the Runes, I will wish you all well in the coming year and Happy Yule!  Gleðileg Jól!

Runes 401 - Rune Rituals - Face Fears

Last month, I experienced one of the most traumatic moments of my life.  I was confronted by a fear whose depth I had not fully realized.  To some, it may sound silly to say that I had a panic attack driving over a big bridge, but that is where I found myself.  I am still not sure how I managed to get across it and it still seems as though the three to five minute drive took an hour or more.  What's worse, the experience began snowballing the week after the event and I found myself becoming fearful of driving over any bridge, big or small and, like it or not, I have to cross a big bridge on a fairly regular basis.  I knew I needed help, guidance; so, I turned to the Runes.

When dealing with situations of facing deeply felt fears, we need something that will make us feel calm, instill a bit of confidence, and maybe give us the slightest sense of empowerment or ability to succeed or overcome.  In essence, we need something that will give us the strength to face our fears and some of you may know what that is for you.  I had no idea what it was for me, but the Runes offered me the best chance of finding something.

The first step of my ritual was contemplation.  Lying in bed, I relaxed and thought about all the Runes and their meanings.  Through that process, I narrowed it down to five Runes - Jera (my guiding Rune), Uruz, Wunjo, Thurisaz, and Eihwaz.

Next, I took each of these Runes and held them in my hand one by one and focused on what they represent.  Jera is about process and getting from point A to B, which is a big part of what I needed to do driving across a big bridge.  However, I did not feel the courage I needed to have as the other part of it.  Uruz represents physical strength and freedom, but I needed mental and emotional strength.  Wunjo, though a strong emotional Rune, did not offer quite the right emotion for this situation.  I really thought Thurisaz would be the Rune, but when I held it in my hand, I felt the power behind it would turn to disaster, because the great power that comes out of this Rune has to be controlled and I did not believe I could control it in this situation.  Then, I held Eihwaz and, immediately, I was calm.  This was my Rune.

It has been a year and a half since I wrote about Eihwaz, where it served as a symbol of bravery and a reminder to be mindful.  The fact that it represents a tree, firmly rooted to the earth (as opposed to being suspended high over a large body of water) resonated well with me too.

Finally, two weeks later, I had to cross another big bridge.  I carried Eihwaz around with me for a few days before having to drive over another big bridge. As I carried it, I thought about its meaning and it helped calm me down, so that I could focus. When the time came to cross the bridge, I held Eihwaz in my left hand and chanted "Eihwaz offers me strength.  As a tree, it is rooted and as a tool its arrows shoot straight from its bows."  I needed the reminder of the tree being rooted to the ground, but I also needed the focus of the arrow being fired from the bow and following a straight path to get me over the bridge without acknowledging one side or the other.  Thank you, Eihwaz.

What Rune would you use to help you get through an anxious experience?

Runes 402 - Rune Dialogues - Learning New Tricks

I've never been a fan of the saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks", especially when you're talking about teaching a human new tricks... or skills.  I think, in most cases, if you are committed to learning something, "you can learn whatever you set your mind to".  It's a much more empowering line of thought anyway.

I entered into a dialogue with the Runes about the idea of learning new tricks, because I wanted to know what drives us to learn new things, what barriers we put up for ourselves along the way, and how to overcome them.

Note the sword shape of the Runes as
they were laid out during the dialogue

Me:  Do you believe that people can learn whatever they set their minds too?

Runes:  Sowilo is a good place to start.  It gives cause for hope.

Me:  Thank you for starting us on this positive note.  Sowilo does lift the spirit.  It is a very positive and empowering Rune.  So, does it give us incentive to try something new?  That is to say it important to have the incentive if we want to be successful?

Runes:  You must have a desire to accomplish it, for it is akin to undertaking a journey.  Raido tells us that.  Raido also reminds us that such journeys are not always easy.

Me:  But, once we complete them, the results are satisfying.

Runes:  That is not always the case.  Tiwaz shows us that there is always some sacrifice that must be made.  As the warrior Rune, it is also good to have here, because you need to remember that you are capable of completing the task, that it will not necessarily be easy or as easy as you hope, and that there may be times when you want to quit, but those are the times you need to be strongest to see the journey through to the end.  If nothing else, you can say you completed the task before you.

Me:  That is an important reminder; thank you.  When things become challenging or we consider quitting, what can help us to continue?

Runes:  Fehu is the reward.  It is wealth in some form, whether it be financial riches or something else.  Sometimes we think you undertake new things for some sort of financial compensation, but, in the end, the actual reward can be a friendship that develops along the way.  It can be discovering a new way to do something, it can help you to better understand an aspect of who you are or make you realize that the mental, emotional or spiritual growth from the experience is what matters the most.

Me:  That is a great way to view the experience and to remind us to keep our expectations open.  I appreciate that guidance.  Along the way, we may come up against barriers.  I think we are more determined to overcome the barriers placed in front of us by others than we are those we place in front of ourselves.  What can we do to overcome internal blocks?

Runes:  For this, I give you three Runes - Wunjo, Uruz, Isa.  When you undertake something new, it is because you believe that by mastering it or gaining a better understanding of it, you will be more content.  It is important to remember that ideal.  When you set out on Raido's journey, you feel empowered by Sowilo's light and that energy carries you forward for a while.  Part of what drives you forward is Uruz.  Uruz is strong and free; in some ways fearless, but sometimes a pause is required to examine the steps you are taking on the path to make sure you are going in the right direction and how quickly you should move forward.  Isa gives you the time you need, the pause.  You must remember that it is okay to sit and contemplate before taking another step.  The trick is not to sit for too long.  Hesitation for too long can prove to be the biggest barrier to completing a task; it allows fear to develop and creates a snowball effect that can stifle the entire process.

Me:  That is great advice; thank you.  Will you show me Jera now to remind me that learning something new is a process.

Runes:  No, but it is good that you realized Jera is part of it.  Learning something new takes time and Jera is definitely about that.  What I give you here, though, is Ehwaz, to remind you of a few other equally important things.  No matter what you are doing, you are not alone and Ehwaz symbolizes relationships and partnerships.  Do not be afraid to ask for help.  It is also about loyalty and how you get from point A to point B.  At its most basic, Ehwaz is the horse, an extremely important mode of transportation and a loyal companion.

Me:  I appreciate your wisdom.  Is there any final information you would like to share?

Rune:  Ansuz.

Me:  Of course, wisdom, communication.  All important things to bear in mind as we endeavor to learn new tricks.  We gain wisdom through these experiences and the benefits and experience will be greater if we communicate through the process.  Thank you for your wisdom.