The Season of Giving

This is a special blog post.  It' s part of the
Pagan Writers Community: Winter Solstice Blog Hop

A whole array of holidays mark this time of year as we approach the winters solstice in the north.  Whether you celebrate Yule, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or another holiday, the idea of giving gifts to those we love is a common thred among them all.  we give gifts to family and friends and gather together for meals and to spend time with loved ones, who are, in and of themselves, the most wonnderful gifts in our lives.  If they are the greatest gifts we receive, what are the greatest gifts we can give?

While any number of possible answers exist for that question, I want to approach the idea of giving through the lens of Gebo, the gift Rune, in general and its Old English Rune Poem in particular.  (This translation is from The Rune Primer.)

Gyfa (Gebo) is for men adornment and complement,
support and dignity; and for all the dispossessed
forgiveness and sustenance, who otherwise would have nothing

The words of Gebo's poem are so strong - adornment, complement, support, dignity, forgiveness, sustenance.  It embodies the idea not only of giving to loved ones, but of helping those who are not as fortunate as we are.  The empowering words in this poem are the truest gifts we can give.  Yes, it's nice to receive adornments (material things), but that is only one word in a long list of words that imply basic desires.  Who does not want support, dignity and forgiveness? Yet, why are these greatest and simplest of gifts sometimes so hard to give today?

This brings us to the heart of the idea behind the season of giving - making it meaningful on a very basic and necessary level.  This holiday season, think of Gebo and be of two minds.  First, to those you love, be forgiving, show them extra support and encouragement.  Let go of anger and ill feelings.  Chances are that will matter more to both of you than something wrapped with a bow.

Second, while you are out shopping, think of gifts you can give to others - other than loved ones.  Buy an extra bag of groceries for the local food bank; buy an extra toy and donate it to the local children's hospital or a shelter.  Volunteer to help feed the homeless.  Invite a new neighbor or colleague to a party or for dinner.  The list of things we can do to spread this wonderful season of giving is extensive.

In keeping with the spirit of Gebo, and to encourage your participation in this idea, I will donate a canned good to my local community food bank for the first 25 comments on this post (Between December 6-10, 2013) that support the idea of the season of giving.  Simply leave a comment on this post sharing something that you do each season in the spirit of giving to others or that you will do this year.

In addition, to show my gratitude to everyone who reads and follows my blog, I will give away up to three copies of my novel, The Son of Nine Sisters, and three Rune readings to you.   Simply email me something that you plan to do this season in the spirit of giving to others and I will enter you into a lottery to win one of these prizes.  Please make the email subject line: Gebo's season of giving

Finally, I hope that you will try to carry the essence of Gebo with you into the new year.  The world needs more kindness and generosity and Gebo's gift can help build it.

Return to Pagan Writer's Community: Winter Solstice Blog Hop

Runes for the Solstice

At the end of the week, we will celebrate the summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere).  Back in March, I embraced the equinox and the increased daylight, by looking at Sowilo, the sun Rune.  With the sun reaching its annual zenith in the sky, I want to acknowledge this cycle and ask the Runes - How can we incorporate this warm energy into the next three months (until the autumnal equinox)?  How can we engage this vibrant time of Earth's annual cycle?

Although I was drawing three Runes, four came out; Ingwaz stuck tightly to Mannaz, which I will come back to shortly.  For now, let's look at the first two Runes - Gebo and Berkana.

Gebo is placed perfectly as the first Rune in this draw.  The gift Rune reminds us to be grateful for the gifts we receive as part of the solstice.  It is summer, the season of warmth, fun, and high energy.  These are the aspects of this time that we should engage.  It is as if the Runes are saying, "You have been given this amazing time of year, full of long, warm days.  Go out and enjoy it, make the most of it; use the energy to lift your spirits and propel you forward."  What a wonderful gift.

Berkana was second.  I would have expected this Rune in March, as the Rune of beginnings, but we must remember that it is also the Rune of birth... of life.  In this view, it supports what Gebo tells us.  This is a time of pure potential, full of life and, once again, energy.  I feel as if the energy is encircling us, just waiting for us to reach out, touch it, swim into its flow... to share it.  We have spent the time since the equinox planting our seeds, nurturing and tending to them.  Now, things are beginning to happen.  Our seeds have sprouted, are flowering, and some are already bearing fruit.  This is what we build on and celebrate in the summer.  However, we must also recognize that the process is not complete, but like the zenith sun, is reaching its high point.

Our third Rune is Mannaz, the Rune of the self, the higher self, and humanity.  I struggle with this Rune sometimes, because it seems to encompass everything from who I am and aspire to be to everything that makes us human and creates humanity as a whole.  How do we focus this Rune to a particular thing?  Of course, I realize, we can't.  What this Rune says is that the experience is not only about us.  It has to be about all levels, because we shape humanity and humanity also shapes us.  Whether we think so or not, we are constantly playing a role in defining what humanity is and how it works.  While we must approach things through our own experiences, our actions affect more than our own outcomes.

Here's the really interesting part of this draw.  A fourth Rune, Ingwaz, attached itself to Mannaz, which sends a very powerful message to me about the state of humanity and our ability to impact it.  Ingwaz is Freyr's Rune, a fertility Rune.  While I am consciously drawn to Tiwaz and Tyr, Freyr seems to appear out of nowhere, when I am least expecting it.  Yet, his approach is gentle, but confident and comfortable, and it reinforces the idea that "now is the time".  In this instance, I believe that Freyr's essence represents a reminder or reassurance that supports everything symbolized in the other three Runes.  Not only are we entering a time of warmth, energy, and fun, but a fertile time, which makes the gift of the solstice even greater.  The seeds we planted during the last few months have become fertile, thanks to our care.  And, finally, as we engage and acknowledge the solstice, the pieces begin to come together for us as individuals and to shape our world.

As we embrace the solstice and express our gratitude for its gifts, we must carry it one step further and take the feeling it gives us and share it widely.  Share the warmth, the fun, and the energy.

Runes 403 - Rune Interpretations - Time

Over the weekend, I had a conversation with a friend about time and Runes.  When she arrived at my house, I was just putting away my Runes.  She was curious about them and how I found time to do anything besides the big three - working, taking care of the kids, and cleaning the house.

To that end, I posed this question to the Runes for her: How can we best manage our time?

The response from the Runes was more than I had anticipated.  It focused on the true intent of the question which, on a basal level, was how can we spend time doing things we enjoy without feeling stressed, like we should be working or cleaning or doing something else?

The Runes pointed out that time is a special gift, showing us Gebo, the gift Rune.  Gebo does not mean only a physical gift, rather the act of giving.  With respect to our question, Gebo refers to both, because time is a precious gift and, when we give it, whatever or whomever we give it to is receiving that important aspect of us.  This begs the question, who or what appreciates my time?  Following on that, if I am giving my time to someone or something that doesn't appreciate it, why am I doing it?  The second question matters not necessarily because our time has to be appreciated directly when we give it, but more so that we understand why we give it to that person or thing.  For example, we may not feel appreciated at work, but we work so that we can provide financially for our families.  So, when considering how you manage your time, consider why you're doing what you're doing and how is it appreciated.

The second Rune is the hail Rune, Hagalaz.  Hagalaz reminds us that, no matter how much planning and effort we put into managing our time, it will not always be smooth sailing.  Things will happen that will disrupt our schedule.  When something interrupts our schedule, it can have the frustrating effects of throwing us off our mark.  That is the first part of hail; it damages things.  However, if, instead of fighting the disruption, we accept it and are open to the fact that we may be a little behind in other things for a while, we find that we are less stressed about the storm and more able to get back in the swing of things once it passes.  This is the second part of Hagalaz, because while hail causes damage initially, it is also a source of moisture.  Applying that idea to today's world, we can use interruptions as opportunities to look at how we use our time.  this relates to one of the biggest problems I find my coaching clients dealing with.  They are simply trying to do too much at once.  Hagalaz simply breaks down that precarious situation and says, "Reassess what you're doing," to which I would add... and the time frame in which you're trying to accomplish it.

What is the point of recognizing that time is a precious gift and that no matter how well we try to plan the ways we use/spend it something will go awry?  Othala, the Rune of the homestead and inheritance holds the answer to that aspect of this situation.  Simply put, do you live to work or work to live?  This is where priorities come into play.  Everyone has different priorities and sees different benefits in the same situation.  What is important to remember is that everything has good and bad components, trade offs if you will.  If you work 60-80 hours a week, you aren't at home as often as you might like to be, but maybe working that extra time allows for very special family vacations.  Neither is right, nether is wrong, but only you can decide which is the best way to spend your time.

After my friend and I did this draw and I interpreted what I believed the Runes were telling us, she said it made sense, but she didn't feel like the Runes were really giving her any details.  I smiled and reiterated that the Runes were telling her that her time is a precious gift and that when her time gets disrupted, it is an opportunity to evaluate how you spend your time.  More over, only she could determine how to use it or where to spend it, but that what was important in determining how to spend her time was figuring out where her priorities lie.  She already knew her personal details; she just needs to sort them out.

In honor of her question, later today, I will be creating my own weekly schedule to help me make the most of my time.  How about you?  What do you use to manage your time? 

*This post was written with the permission of the friend to whom I refer.  I never use any Rune readings without consent of the person for whom the reading is undertaken.

Peace, Love, and Happiness

No matter what holiday you are celebrating this month or, if you celebrate no holiday, I still wish you peace, love, and happiness for the coming year.  Occasionally, I give Runes to people.  By that I mean, I share a Rune with them that best represents a message I want to give them or a meaning I wish for them.  Therefore, today, rather than draw three Runes, I decided to select three Runes to represent this wish  of peace, love, and happiness for you.

To wish you peace, I chose Sowilo, the Rune of the sun and good fortune.  I hope that the great light of the sun warms and lifts your spirit.  Being in good spirits is a key component to finding peace.  May you also find good fortune in the coming year. 

For love, I decided to give you Gebo, the Rune of gifts.  We give gifts to honor or show respect, but also out of admiration and affection.  While giving a gift is more akin to generosity, giving without expectation of receiving anything in return comes closer to love.  When I give a gift simply because I choose to, I feel good inside.  When that gift is appreciated, I feel even better.  When we feel good and make others feel that way too, we build bonds that approach love.  Remember though, a gift is not necessarily a physical thing; it can be spending quality time with someone, paying them a compliment or doing something special for them.

Wunjo is the easiest and most obvious of the three Runes I chose.  It is, after all, the Rune of joy.  What better Rune for wishing you happiness?  Of course, a major component of this requires you to be grateful for all of the things you do have in your life.  Essentially, happiness begins with gratitude.  Moreover, the greatest happiness is found in simple ways, simple pleasures and comforts, not in excessiveness.  That is why I wish you simple happiness.

There it is, the Runes I chose to wish you peace, love, and happiness.  I hope you will carry these good wishes with you this week and I hope your week is wonderful.

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.

The Road Less Traveled

While there is nothing wrong with the road that most people travel in their careers, it is not a road that suits me.  I'm not sure it ever has.  Now that I am attempting to exit permanently the well-traveled road, I find myself confronted with a variety of challenges.  Many of my friends and family struggle with understanding my need to "derail my career" to accommodate my hobbies.  While I argue that what I am doing is correcting the situation and pursuing what should be my career while letting go of stop-gap jobs, I wanted to double-check with the Runes and make sure I am supposed to get on the road less traveled.  The Runes had some very interesting guidance for me.

Gebo, the Rune of gifts and appreciation, also conjures up the term 'partnership' in new age interpretations.  Traditionally, the gift relates to the idea of giving without expecting anything in return, generosity being its own reward.  In this regard, Gebo gives a good overview of the situation, because it reminds me that it is important to be generous.  If new age meanings affixed to this Rune are true, I must examine what 'partnership' means, for I do not believe it has a traditional meaning in this instance - one with another person.  For me, the partnership is with my craft - writing.  When you have the correct partner, everything flows as it should and happiness grows; that is the gift you receive, but it enables you to give your gift freely too.  I offer my writing for others to enjoy in many ways and, by writing, I feel happy and complete.

Therefore, I can understand why Wunjo, the Rune of Joy, is the challenge in this situation.  Doing what makes you happy and brings you joy, is challenging enough without being surrounded by "nay-sayers".  In fact, I wouldn't necessarily call them "nay-sayers", rather simply people who don't view the world from a perspective similar to mine, people who follow the straight and narrow.  When people don't understand what you want to do or when they can't see how you intend to get from point A to point B, they become critical.  That is why Wunjo is the challenge, because being happy in this circumstance is really not very easy.  What is easy is to feel defeated, to make any barriers bigger than they need to be, to make barriers at all.  The challenge is to be happy and know that, if the path works for you, you can't worry about what others think.  Have faith that you know which path is best for you in the long run.

I simply love Berkana, the Rune of beauty, birth and beginnings.  What more do I need to say?  The meanings say it all.  What is more beautiful than being able to follow your chosen path successfully?  What feels better than the first step on that path, than initiating/beginning your chosen future?  The action required here is to realize that the road less traveled or, more specifically, crossing over to it, offers just what I believe it will.  It puts me on the path to the future I want, the future that I see as providing happiness, security and feeds the things I have always wanted to pursue.  I have to be confident in my choice to step fully, squarely onto the less-traveled road and walk proudly and happily forward.

Oh, the Possibilities

When Ehwaz is the overview in a questions about how to deal with possibilities, you have to smile.  Three weeks into 2012, I am feeling very fortunate to have so many opportunities coming to me.  To be fair, most of these these opportunities are the result of a lot of leg work, but others are simply word-of-mouth or being in the right place at the right time.  Still, I don't want to get ahead of myself with these possibilities, so I asked the Runes what should be made of them.

What makes Ehwaz such a good overview for this situation?  Ehwaz is the Rune of the Horse, sacred to many Germanic tribes.  It represents a pilgrimage of sorts through the lens of a horse-rider relationship.  This is a partnership.  Moreover, as any rider will tell you, there is a special bond between horse and rider, especially when you find the right match.  Contemporary interpretations suggest progression and transitions when this Rune is drawn.  Coupled with the comfort of undertaking a journey on horseback, rather than on foot, this moment becomes one where you can feel a slight sense of comfort or confidence in moving toward the future.  Just make sure it doesn't turn to overconfidence.

Perhaps that last bit about confidence is why our challenge with the possibilities that lie just in front of us is Nauthiz, the Rune of Need and Necessity.  While we must not create obstacles for ourselves, our own hubris can become the greatest obstacle we face in accomplishing goals or turning possibilities into realities.  Even though we may move forward with confidence, we must still move forward with discipline.  No matter how badly we need (or want) something, we must remain focused and calm if we expect to bring it successfully to bear.

Gebo, the Rune of the Gift is the required action to address this challenge.  This draw gave me pause for a moment, but I realized that what the Runes are saying to me is that we must offer our ideas (the things we see as possibilities) without expectation, for that is the truest gift.  By offering it in this manner, the gift (possibility) will attract its own benefits.

This week, I have at least three major undertakings in the works, two that are just beginning and one that I hope to expand/extend.  I must be confident in the gifts I give (possibilities I put out there), but put them out there without the expectation of anything more than taking them from theory to practice.  What possibility will you move forward this week?

Following Your Bliss

Anyone familiar with Joseph Campbell should also recognize this week's title - Following Your Bliss.  In today's world, "Follow you bliss" might be Joseph Campbell's tagline.  It is certainly a philosophy worth considering.  I decided to do just that, because in looking back over some of my older posts, I noticed that many of them had to do with finding balance, keeping balls in the air, basically doing what you need to do to get by.  Of course, I am not always one to d that, because I am driven so much by the things that I enjoy, things that evoke my passion.  Of course, this perspective can be problematic, which is why so many of my posts have to do with managing multiple things at once; I need to work on that.

This week is different though.  This week, I say embrace your passions and follow your bliss, for if we don't do things that bring us joy, we will not be truly happy.  I know it is not easy to do this.  I am guilty of it too.  However, this month, I am taking part in NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month.  Taking this challenge has reconnected me to my love for writing in a way I could not have imagined.  I don't want to lose this feeling of bliss when November and the challenge end next week.  To that end, I asked the Runes how can we follow our bliss?  What do we need to be able to do to follow our bliss?

Hagalaz provides the overview for this line of questions.  The Rune of Hail, which is a destructive force that creates disruption, but where creativity may exist in its wake defines Hagalaz.  Traditionally, this Rune represents hail and is viewed in both positive and negative ways.  For, although it is cold and can destroy crops, once it melts, it provides nourishment.  It is a change agent, disrupting life as we know it, but providing an opportunity for new ways of doing things.  New Age interpretations of this Rune seem to fall in line with this assessment, claiming it represents change, freedom, invention and liberation.  I agree with this, because by having our lives disrupted, we are forced to look at things differently.  It gives us the freedom to consider following our bliss instead of returning to the old path.

The challenge that awaits us in following our bliss is - ourselves.  Algiz, the Rune of Self-Defense and Protection is the Rune drawn here.  Fulfilling our dreams or even attempting to fulfill them is quite a scary undertaking, so our natural instinct is to protect ourselves.  From what though?  We go with what we know, even when it doesn't make us happy.  We are afraid to take a chance and believe that, by taking the safe route instead, the familiar route, we are doing what's best.  The challenge then is to try a different route and follow what makes us happy; even if we don't do it completely, that is to say full time, we need to incorporate it into our lives.

How in the heck do we do that?  Breaking old habits is hard.  Feeling true or content happiness seems like a largely foreign idea these days.  Gebo, the Rune of Gifts is our call to action.  It represents not only a gift in the physical sense, but everything related to a gift, such as the appreciation you feel when receiving one or the fact that gifts are given as a sign of affection or appreciation.  The action required to overcome the challenge of protecting ourselves from ourselves and doing those things which make us blissful, is this - appreciation.  We must appreciate that which makes us happy, be proud of the gifts we possess and support those gifts by pursing the joy they bring.  I'm not suggesting we should change our lives in a moment.  Try to commit to one thing that you truly enjoy doing and do it once a week from now until the end of the year.  Come January 1, 2012, let me know how it's working for you.