Runes 402 - Rune Dialogues - Transitions

Transitions create curves, inclines, bridges,
and crossroads on our life paths

One of the most often asked about situations from people who ask me for readings has to do with transitions.  The largest percentage of transition questions are work or career related, but romance and moving are close seconds with a similar number of inquiries each.

No matter what kind of transition you're going through, it seems there should be a standard set of tools that will help you navigate those transitions and get you through the twists and turns, hills and valleys, and over those dreaded bridges.  That was my line of thinking when I began my latest dialogue with the Runes.

Me:  What tools do we need to help us through transitions?

Runes:  Hagalaz, Raido, Perthro.  Hagalaz serves to remind you that transitions are part of the ongoing process of life.  When they begin, they upset the normal processes that have been in place, but going and getting through them is essential for growth.  Raido reinforces life's journey.  Life is a series of transitions of different duration and intensity.  Perthro offers insight on two fronts to manage transitions.  First, Perthro alludes to challenges, games of chance.  These are key parts and the point of any transition.  Transitions challenge you; transitions provide opportunities to take risks (games of chance).  Second, transitions are easier when you have support.  Perthro speaks directly to support from friends, community.  Don't do it alone if you don't have to...and chances are that you don't.

Me:  This is very helpful.  Can you offer more insight into each?  Being aware of the tools is one thing, but how can we best use them?

Runes:  For Hagalaz, you can find help with Othala, Ansuz, and Thurisaz.  When you face the hail Rune, it is important to remember Othala, for it is fluidity in time.  It represents not only your heritage, but your current family and your legacy.  When these two Runes face off, a lot is determined.  Othala informs how you approach the transition and what you gain or lose by going through it.  Ansuz is simple.  Throughout the transition, communication is vital.  You will gain and use knowledge, and learn lessons.  Growth.  Thurisaz is strength, the power you need to get through.  Call it drive or determination.  Your intention is to not only survive the transition, but thrive.

Me:  That is a lot more depth into how to manage the onset of and get through the transition.  What about Raido?

Runes: Raido is more about navigating when you are in the throes of the transition.  This is when you can use Ehwaz, Laguz, and Gebo.  In this instance, the aspect of Ehwaz that is used is loyalty.  Loyalty is a foundation and, loyalty here is to the intent of the journey.  It means staying true to successfully completing this phase of the journey.  Laguz is another Rune that has two parts that oppose each other, but that are equally important.  You have to know when to relax and go with the flow and when to go into the depths to gain greater understanding, because sometimes its a push and sometimes you just have to ride portions out. That can be hard, but Gebo's gifts can come from unexpected places.  A challenge successfully met is a gift.  The underlying message in Gebo is to look for the positive and build on that.

Me:  That is important guidance for managing the twists and turns and even the unexpected when going through a transition.  And Perthro?  What deeper information can you give us on that?

Runes:  I give you Wunjo, Jera, and once again, Ehwaz.  As always, the ultimate goal is joy - Wunjo.  When you go through a transition, you do it either for the joy that awaits on the other side, essentially because going through the transition is going to make you happy, or because you hope to find joy somewhere along the way.  In the case of the latter, sometimes the best first step is the perspective that Gebo offered with Raido.  A challenge, which is part of Perthro, that is a real struggle usually turns out making us feel a lot better in the end.  Jera is always a good Rune to have.  It serves as a gentle reminder that everything is a process.  How do we get to a bountiful harvest?  Sometimes things are sunshine and butterflies and sometimes you have to spread a lot of manure (and not the deceitful bullshit kind, but rather the actual get your hands dirty, smell it in the air stink kind).  Things aren't always going to be easy, but if you do what needs to be done for good or bad, and don't try to cut corners, it will be worth it.  And, last is Ehwaz.  In this position, we focus on partnership and relationship, even the teamwork aspect of Ehwaz and transitions.  As much as you might think you're doing something alone, you don't live in a vacuum.  What you do affects and impacts others in ways you may not realize, so when you're going around a particularly sharp bend or up an steep incline, remember, you are not or do not have to be alone.  There is always someone there who will help.

Me:  Thank you for this wonderful advice.  Jera reminded me that sometimes transitions take longer than we expect, but we have many tools at our disposal to manage them.  So, whether we are dealing with romance or trying to decide our next career move, we should take stock in those tools and utilize them as best as we can.

Runes 102 - Book Reviews - Runic Book of Days

There are few books that I think hit the mark better than S. Kelley Harrell's Runic Book of Days.  With the exception of wanting a little more history about runic calendars, a point I realize is personal preference, I thought the book moved pretty seamlessly from topic to topic.

In her introduction, Harrell makes a few important remarks and states what she believes this book will do for her readers.  Her approach makes the book feel more comfortable.  "I'm not interested in preaching a method on how to use the runes.  I'm also not going to present my perspective as if it's the gospel according to Freya."  This is important, because she also states that she doesn't believe that anyone knows the original context or rune usage with certainty.  I agree, and Harrell is consistent in regularly telling her readers to explore and do what feels right and what works for them.

Harrell divides the book into two main parts - Engaging the Runes and Living the Runes.  In discussing engaging the Runes, she offers a brief, but thoughtful overview of the history and origin of the Runes with equal time on their more academic beginnings as an alphabet and their mythological story through Odin and the Nine Worlds.  Harrell also makes the point that, "A detailed knowledge of Old Norse history isn't required to study the runes, though it helps tremendously."  Some understanding of the culture in which Runes were derived gives deeper meaning to their engagement.

Chapter two in Harrell's Engaging the Runes section provides a variety of ways to use the Runes, from tools to ways of reading, and galdr methods.  It's a good overview and reiterates her point about doing what works for you.  She concludes the chapter by talking about the aetts.  After so many years engaging the Runes, I am still hesitant to assign the aetts to a particular god, but there is some common practice there and Harrell's explanations are well-linked to her intention in her practice and creates a strong thread within the book.

Getting into the staves (individual Runes) in chapter three, Harrell touches on an important aspect of their meaning, that its direct translation is rudimentary and the indirect translation stems from cultural and timing issues.  "The indirect translations focus on how we experience the literal translation..."  This may be why her detailed interpretations of each Rune are thoughtful and range from recognizing the mundane to looking through the lens of the Norse cosmology.

Harrell concludes the first section of the book with a chapter explaining the Runic calendar, including how it came to be, and discusses sabbats, devotionals, initiations, and affirmations.

Part two is where the year-long experience - Living the Runes - begins.  The year is split into half months with an assigned Rune, and for each, Harrell offers a devotional or affirmation, and each half month also includes an affirmation.  She starts the calendar at the end of June, but since we are at the end of October, I skipped to that part and it explained a lot about the week I'm having.  The timing is interesting, because it is a transition from the first aett to the second - Wunjo to Hagalaz, joy to hail.  It's a tough transition.  October 28th, when Hagalaz takes over, rings in Samhain in the north and Harrell dedicates a few pages to that and another two to the Samhain Sabbat Initiation, ending, of course, with its affirmation.

Hagalaz Half-Month Affirmation

This brings me to Harrell's claim from the introduction about what Runic Book of Days will do for the reader.  "...you will come away equally unafraid to explore the runes as you choose, while [being] comfortably aware of how they are traditionally situated and understood."  Her statement is true, for me.  I have opened myself to exploring and considering the Runes in new and deeper ways.

If you have any experience with the Runes, this book will deepen your connection to them. 

Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - Courage

Sometimes it's hard to find the courage to do things that we don't want to do.  I'm talking about big things here, like standing up when you know others will do their damndest to tear you down, to discredit you; to share a life altering experience in the face of ridicule; and to relive trauma.  I asked the Runes to offer insight into how to not only find that initial courage, but to get through the entire process.  The Runes were spot on in their guidance.  They gave me Tiwaz, Perthro, and Hagalaz.

I really like the order in which these are presented, because rather than give me Hagalaz first, which would have started us off on a low note, the Runes offered empowerment in Tiwaz.  Tiwaz is Týr's Rune and it has three strong aspects to it - Týr as a warrior, Týr as a sky god, and Týr's sacrifice.  Starting with the latter, in this instance, a sacrifice was made once (in the past) and now a different kind of sacrifice must happen, one that is tied directly to the first.  This is the requirement or decision to take a stand.  As a sky god, we have a bird's eye view of the situation.  This means that we can see how all the various parts of the situation come together.  It gives us an understanding of things so that we can be strategic, prepared.  Finally, as a warrior, we are reminded that we can persevere, because being a warrior is about far more than hand to hand combat.  Through this single Rune with these three different, but connected aspects, our individual courage is brought to light.

Perthro, in second position, reminds us that we are not alone.  While our friends may challenge us at times, true friends support us through hard times.  In fact, it is often said that in hard times, we find out who our true friends really are.  I would take this a step further to say that beyond friends who support us, there are strangers who share our experience, who understand what it means and the courage it takes to stand up, and they support us as well.  When we have a wavering moment, we can remember that not only do we have our own courage to rely on, but that we have the support friends and unknown others.

This is important to remember, so that when the hail storm of Hagalaz hits, we can weather it and come out on the other side knowing that we did what we needed to do.  This is why Hagalaz is in the third position; the first two Runes prepare us to be hit by the hail and to not only survive, but come out on the other side with new potential.  Remember, when hail melts it provides nourishment from which new things - ideas, perspectives, opportunities, etc. - can blossom.