a Rune a day

[Madame Marigold]

5/19/2016

fehu: cattle
Phonetic equivalent: f

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: prosperity, money, wealth, concern with physical and
financial needs, goals, promotion, self-esteem, centredness, karma

MAGICAL USES: for money, business, promotion, finding a job, achieving a goal, starting new enterprises

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Freyr, Brisingamen, Gullveig, Dwarfs, Sigurd & the Otter's Gold

ANALYSIS: Fehu is both the day-to-day reality of our lives and the catalyst that awakens us to what lies beyond. It is whatever we think we are which frequently bbears no resemblance to what we will eventually find. It is also our home, for after all our wanderings we will need to attend to our physical needs and ground ourselves in the simple pleasures of home, family, and good work. Oz might be a fun place to visit, but after a while all you really want to do is go back to Kansas.

Fehu reminds us that we must be secure in our physical situation before embarking upon any spiritual journey. We all must begin with the mundane reality of our lives, although many people never get beyond this. In many ways, we have become as domesticated as the cattle, living our day-to-day existence without wanting or even being aware of anything more being possible. The first step in breaking away from this situation is to catch a glimpse of what is possible, without dwelling on what security we may lose to attain it.

[Madame Marigold]

jera : year, harvest
Phonetic equivalent: y (but may be used in place of 'j')

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: change, cycle turning, reward, motion,
productivity, inevitable development

MAGICAL USES: to bring change; for fertility and growth

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Sif, Thor, Freyr, Granni
ANALYSIS: In this modern age of central heating and oranges in February, it is difficult to imagine the close ties that people once had with the cycles of the year, particularly in the more Northern climes. The changing seasons affected not only the weather, but also the to day activities and even the diets of ancient peoples. Constant change was the norm, and the object was to become attuned those changes, not to fight against them. An ancient farmer (or even some modern ones) wouldn't need to look at a calendar to tell him when to plant, or read a weather forecast to know when the snows were coming. The changing seasons were a part of his blood and bones, and his very existence depended on adapting to change.

Jera follows isa just as spring follows winter. The turning of the wheel breaks the frozen stagnancy of ice, and things are once again moving along, as they should. In fact, we have now broken out of the entire set 'negative' runes with which we began this aett. This has been accomplished not by fighting to escape the ice or railing against the unfairness of fate, but by learning from those experiences and simply waiting for the inevitable thaw. Jera is the communion wine - the product of the joining of opposites bringing life. Storms may come and go, but the sun is always there and life is generally pretty good. Enjoy it while you can

[Madame Marigold]

ansuz : Odin
ansuz.wav
Phonetic equivalent: a (as in 'fall')
DIVINATORY MEANINGS: authority figure, leader, mind & body
balance, justice, shaman, clairvoyant
MAGICAL USES: for wise decisions, success, leadership; to help in divination and magic
ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Odin
ANALYSIS: This rune represents the instinctive, primal energy of uruz tempered with the discipline
and experience of þurisaz. These elements are combined in the personage of Odin, who exhibits the
characteristics of both chieftain and shaman - a god of wisdom as well as war. Odin is also a shaman,
travelling between the worlds on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.
Ansuz is a balanced rune. As with fehu, many people choose to remain at this point in their journey.
It represents power, both secular and magical, and this power can be quite seductive. Odin has learned
the lessons of the first three runes, thus gaining the wisdom to rule wisely, but this is really only another
beginning. He has only gained temporal power, and has only a few of the tools he will need to perfect
himself spiritually. There is a certain lack of compassion and perspective in this rune. Odin sits high
above his world, looking down and making decisions, but he doesn't yet have the capacity to really care
about or understand his people or himself. He still needs that emotional connection to become a truly
great leader.

[Madame Marigold]

5/23/2016

gebo : gift
Phonetic equivalent: g (as in 'girl'

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: gift, offering, relationship, love, marriage, partnership, generosity, unexpected good fortune

MAGICAL USES: to find or strengthen a relationship, for fertility, to mark a gift or offering, to bring
luck

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Sigurd & Brunhild; Aesir & Vanir treaty

ANALYSIS: Gebo is a rune of connection, particularly the connections between people. Up until
now, our journey has been a solitary one. This rune represents those places where our path intersects
with others, and allows us to begin to form conscious relationships. Such relationships are
strengthened and sanctified by the exchange of gifts.
The use of the gift as a symbol of an oath or a bond is an ancient one. When a lord wanted to ensure
the loyalty of one of his subjects, he would give that person a gift. The gift would create a debt on the part of the person receiving it, and this debt would ensure his readiness to serve his lord.

Similarly, a gift given between lovers, especially that of the ring symbolizes the bond between them. Originally, only the man gave the ring in a marriage for much the same reason as the lord giving gifts to his vassals, but today the arrangement is usually more equitable. Gifts or offerings given to the Gods often carry the same meaning, representing the giver's love for or loyalty to their Gods. The giving of a gift implies the acceptance of a debt with the understanding that the debt will not be repaid. It is this imbalance that forms the bond.

[Madame Marigold]

Property
Othala represents ancestral property or personal possessions. Two meanings are possible: Heritage and core values are referenced, or physical assets and personal property. A house or home. Family. Security.

[Madame Marigold]

sowulo : sun

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: success, positive energy, increase,
power, activity, fertility, health

MAGICAL USES: energy, strength, success, healing, fertility

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Sunna

ANALYSIS: The sun is held sacred by almost every religion in the world. Its light and warmth symbolize life and growth and all that is good. Norse cosmology describes the sun being driven around the heavens in a chariot and chased by a great wolf, which will devour at Ragnarok. Throughout Indo-European Paganism, the sun has frequently been associated with the horse, often described as being carted around the sky by a horse. Both are symbolic of life and fertility, and are usually considered 'masculine' in polarity, although in Norse myth the chariot is driven by a girl. The swastika or sun wheel is a constant motif in rock carvings dating Neolithic times, and occurs throughout Europe and Asia.
The sun rune itself is a variation on this symbol, and represents motion and energy.

Sowulo marks the end of the second aett, and like wunjo represents success and glory. However, unlike the rest and relaxation of Valhalla, the sun is very much an active symbol. We have reached the end of the aett successfully, and the conclusion is a positive one, but in this case we are fully aware of the changing and transient nature of the universe. We can see the wolf at heels, and we know that we must move on. Here, though, the journeyer may pause briefly in the warmth and light of the sun, absorbing and applying its energy to the work ahead. This time we won't need to be blasted out of our safe position, but will rather choose to leave it in order to continue on the journey.

[Madame Marigold]

7/6/2016

laguz : water

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: emotions, fears, unconscious mind,
things hidden, revelation, intuition, counseling

MAGICAL USES: enhancing psychic abilities, confronting fears, stabilizing mental or emotional disorders, uncovering hidden things

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Njord, Midgard Serpent

ANALYSIS: When most people think of water, they generally think of its more pleasant associations - peacefulness, love, compassion, intuition, and the emotions in general. However, we must remember that, to the Norse, water most often meant the sea, and the sea was a terrifying, unpredictable place, home of the Midgard serpent and the grave of many sailors. Laguz, then, should be thought of in terms of the lighter and the darker sides of the element of water. It speaks to our primal fears of the dark, the cold, and all those terrifying things hidden deep within our subconscious minds.

Like eihwaz, which forced the journeyer to confront his or her mortality, laguz makes us examine the underlying roots of our and behavior, and allows us to modify those aspects which are hindering our spiritual development. The understanding and wisdom gained through eihwaz and the runes that followed have prepared the journeyer to face this darker side (represented by laguz) and accept it as an integral part of their selves. Laguz also prepares the person to take on the task of helping others through this self-examination process, allowing them to empathize more strongly and share their own experiences, making it (among other things) the rune of the spiritual counsellor.

[Madame Marigold]

7/17/2016

sowulo : sun

DIVINATORY MEANINGS: success, positive energy, increase,
power, activity, fertility, health
MAGICAL USES: energy, strength, success, healing, fertility
ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES: Sunna

ANALYSIS: The sun is held sacred by almost every religion in the world. Its light and warmth symbolize life and growth and all that is good. Norse cosmology describes the sun being driven around the heavens in a chariot and chased by a great wolf, which will devour at Ragnarok. Throughout Indo-European Paganism, the sun has frequently been associated with the horse, often described as being carted around the sky by a horse. Both are symbolic of life and fertility, and are usually considered 'masculine' in polarity, although in Norse myth the chariot is driven by a girl. The swastika or sun wheel is a constant motif in rock carvings dating Neolithic times, and occurs throughout Europe and Asia. The sun rune itself is a variation on this symbol, and represents motion and energy.

Sowulo marks the end of the second aett, and like wunjo represents success and glory. However, unlike the rest and relaxation of Valhalla, the sun is very much an active symbol. We have reached the end of the aett successfully, and the conclusion is a positive one, but in this case we are fully aware of the changing and transient nature of the universe. We can see the wolf at heels, and we know that we must move on. Here, though, the journeyer may pause briefly in the warmth and light of the sun, absorbing and applying its energy to the work ahead. This time we won't need to be blasted out of our safe position, but will rather choose to leave it in order to continue on the journey..

[Ouroboros]

Hi MM, I just took up learning the Runes, and by chance or Karma I just refound you Runes post. I like the full details best, so thanks for posting. I am your student. I just made my own set of Runes and am enjoying them very much.