The main consensus of understanding of the runes has changed quite a bit over the last 20 years. This overview is not meant to represent that consensus, it is rather one Wicca elders understanding of the Runes. The Crone that has written this text is as a Elder as usual able to relate her knowledge and experience directly to the practice of a Gardnerian witch.
The uthark theory, were one places the Fehu rune at the end, was much used some years ago, and The Crone adheres to this theory. She also uses this order to find the numeric value of the rune, and that is spot on.
("Negative" refers to when the rune falls upside down in a rune oracle.)
uru - UR - urrunen - numerical value: 1, phonetic: u
Germanic: uruz
Anglo-Saxon: ur
Old Norse: ur
meaning: aurochs
Ur stands for the original creative primordial forces, and for the will to live and the survival instinct in all that is, making it a good healing rune. It helps against illness, grief and dispute, according to the Hávamál.
UR means the primal ox or primal cow, the wild, untamed cow. In Norse mythology, the primordial cow Audhumla is the first living creature to give milk to the primordial giant Ymir, and to lick out of the ice the primordial god Bure.
There is enormous creative power in this rune and it heralds the beginning of a new cycle or process, representing new strength, growth and development, and our ability to overcome obstacles. The rune can also stand for rebirth.
The changes signalled by the rune may involve sacrifice and difficulty, but with UR we move in the right direction, towards order in chaos, towards harmony, and UR can strengthen us with its qualities: patience, perseverance and courage. It is also associated with our ability to make the decisions necessary to move forward.
On the negative side, the rune can be associated with unwillingness to change, to abandon the old and evolve, and with fear of the unknown.
thurs- THURS - thursrunen - numerical value: 2, phonetic: th
Germanic: thurisaz
Anglo-Saxon: thorn
Old Norse: thurs
meaning: giant, jotne, troll (Icelandic today: thurs = giant)
(English Saxon: thorns)
While UR is the primordial force that builds and creates, Thurs is the primordial force that destroys, the forces of chaos, and in Norse mythology they are called turser / tusser or jotner.
They are all giants. The Rimtuss originated in the icy Niflheim, and the Firetuss in the blazing hot Muspelheim. The primal giant, Ymir, was killed by Odin, Vile and Ve, and from his body the earth was created.
Destructive power may be necessary from time to time, in the same way that we prune a tree or remove a cancerous tumour, whether literally or socially, and this rune can therefore also be used in healing. We also reap this year's grain to get seed for next year's crops, and so the rune points to death and rebirth.
The rune is not evil (no rune can be evil), but it should still be used with caution.
It is the most powerful rune to use if you want to magically harm someone. But sometimes it can also be necessary to use it in so-called white magic (THURS was one of the runes we used in a rune work to end the war when NATO bombed Serbia at its worst).
The rune can also protect, like the thorns on a rose.
In a runic oracle, it can stand for energy or power that is being directed in the wrong direction.
It calls for attention and vigilance against negative forces, and it can point to destructive tendencies in ourselves that we should get rid of. In this way, it can also represent what Jung calls the shadow in our subconscious.
It is easy to be afraid and shy away from the dark and repressed and horrible, because you can never know what is hiding in the dark shadows. But we should not forget that the giants, as the oldest creatures in the universe, also harbour infinite wisdom.
If it appears upside down in a runic oracle, look out!
aska - ASS - rune of the aesir / rune of the gods - numerical value: 3, phonetic: a
Germanic: ansuz
Anglo-Saxon: os
Old Norse: ass
meaning: god, ås (as in on of the Aesir)
(Anglo-Saxon: os, estuary, mouth)
ASS is the rune of the Aesir, the gods, and is traditionally associated with Odin.
It is a symbol of the divine, including the divine in humans, and it is associated with the sacred number 3.
The rune is associated with ecstasy and spiritual inspiration and can be used to connect with the gods. The first two runes, the creative and destructive forces, are united in the third, ASS, where they are controlled by the gods.
It also symbolises the element of air, breath, thought and wind. In Norwegian we have the words ånd and ånde (spirit and breath), both of which come from the Old Norse word ond, which thus has a double meaning. In the Norse creation story, Odin gives Ask and Embla (the first two humans) ond, the breath of life, which the Hindus call prana. But Odin also gives them the power of consciousness and spiritual inspiration. Odin represents the power of thought and the ability to communicate, the spoken word, the song, galdren - the sound that needs air to be heard.
In a rune oracle, ASS can stand for divine inspiration, insight and knowledge, or indicate a blessing from the gods on what you are doing.
Negatively, the rune can stand for the absence of wisdom and contact with the divine, or it can point to too much "spirituality" when used as an escape from dealing with concrete problems in everyday life (Mum doesn't have time to talk to you because she's going into her closet to meditate!)
reidR - REID - chariot rune - numerical value: 4, phonetic: r
Germanic: raido
Anglo-Saxon: rad
Old Norse: reid
meaning: chariot, wheel, riding, rider, travelling
Reid is associated with the chariot god Thor, who travels across the sky and creates lightning and thunder with his hammer. The number four is associated with Thor, and it is also associated with the four elements and the physical material plane. Thor constantly battles the Jotuns and the forces of chaos, and REID therefore also stands for order and structure.
The rune is also associated with the human will (in the telemic sense: the human higher will), the ability to make decisions and carry them out, and to have control of where to go and in which direction, just as a rider must have control of the horse. (This is much the same as in the card "The Chariot" in the tarot).
When REID appears in a rune oracle, it often indicates travelling and communication, but it can also be travelling on the inner planes, e.g. shamanic journeys, and it shows that we are on the right path.
It can represent spiritual inspiration (lightning) and ecstatic delight. But regardless of the type of travelling, REID is a good and very strong protection rune to have with you!
In magical work, it can be used to direct energies in the desired direction, e.g. as one of the runes in a binding rune (several runes bound together), and it can be used to bring order to life. Negatively, it can indicate stagnation or too much order. But it can also indicate that you are heading in the wrong direction, or that you are losing control, or disorder and clutter.
kaunak - KAUNA - torch rune - numerical value: 5, phonetic: k
Germanic: kenaz
Anglo-Saxon: cen
Old Norse: kauna
meaning: torch, light
Kauna represents the primordial fire, the spiritually creative energy, the life-giving fire. It symbolises our inner light and the path to enlightenment. It therefore also stands for our ability to learn, to know, to be able to know, to have knowledge of the occult. It can illuminate and reveal what is hidden, including our secret thoughts and hidden motives.
Another aspect of the element of fire is its purifying and transforming effect, as we see it symbolised by funeral pyres (one of the reasons given by the church in its time to explain why burning was the ideal method of execution of witches was precisely that through fire they would be purified, and thus have a chance of being saved after all).
KAUNA is the inner flame that ignites our enthusiasm and gives us inspiration and fervour. But it is important that you have control over the fire so that you don't burn up inside either.
The inner fire in the human being that KAUNA represents can also be seen as a parallel to the kundalini force in Eastern religion - the energy that lies coiled like a snake at the root chakra, and which can be trained to travel up through the chakras.
In a runic oracle, KAUNA can indicate opening and lightening in a situation.
Negatively, it can stand for the darkening of an area or aspect of life, denying the light to enter. Or it can indicate an inability to utilise and allow this inner power to flow through. Of course, it can also indicate the absence of warmth and light - everything is dark.
gyfug - GIFU - the gift rune - numerical value: 6, phonetic: g
Germanic: gebo
Anglo-Saxon: gifu
meaning: gift
Gifu means gift and can also mean the gods' gifts to humans, but a gift is a two-sided affair, and according to Norse custom and practice, a gift required a return gift. This is also how humans sacrifice to the gods, but it is voluntary. GIFU is thus balance and equilibrium.
Hávamál has several stanzas about the exchange of gifts. It says, among other things:
For his friend
one shall be a friend
and return a gift with a gift;
but if one laughs at you,
laugh in return,
reward him with lies for betrayal.
GIFU is related to all forms of partnership, to engagement and marriage, legal agreements, etc. It represents the union of opposites, e.g. woman man, and it acts as a reconciler of opposing forces. It also says something about human sacrifice and the ability to give of oneself.
It can also suggest that one must make a sacrifice in a particular situation.
It stands for hospitality and generosity, highly valued qualities in ancient Norse society.
But GIFU is also linked to karma (or wyrd). As witches, we also learn that everything we give or send out, sooner or later comes back to us in some way, in this or another life. This is the now famous law of karma. In the same way, GIFU can also be used as protection against magical attacks, so that it is sent back and hits the attacker instead. In "Odin's Troll Songs", the following is written about the sixth rune:
The sixth I can
if I am wounded with root
of magic tree;
whoever wishes
to stir up my hatred,
...will get hurt by it...
more than I.
The number 6, which is GIFU's number, stands for the six directions of space (the four directions of the sky plus up and down).
The rune is also associated with Frigg, the goddess associated with marriage, among other things. Our word contemnporary word for marrige is related to the word gifu.
wyn - WYNJA - joy/ecstacy rune - numerical value: 7, phonetic: v,w
Germanic: wunjo
Anglo-Saxon: wynn
meaning: joy
Wynja, which has a numerical value of 7, includes the third rune, ASS, and the fourth rune, REID, i.e. both the divine and the material world. It is a sacred and auspicious rune. It represents joy, ecstacy and peace, and joy also stands for the absence of grief and loss.
As A. Grimsson says, it is also the rune of humour and self-irony. The ability to laugh, even at yourself, is a true gift from the gods! Laughter can be the best therapy in the world, and we have all experienced how laughter can dissolve a tense situation. (For those who are afraid of ghosts - laughing at them is a very effective way to get rid of them, so perhaps WYNJA is also effective against ghosts).
It is a playful and sensual rune.
In a rune oracle, WYNJA can refer to positive possibilities that lie ahead, a happy solution to a problem.
On the negative side, it can mean that you tend to trivialise real problems or dangers, or that you are just trying to surf a wave of happiness and pleasure. Or it can mean that you have lost the ability to enjoy life, to see everything you have to be happy about.
But WYNJA is a wish rune, and magically it can be used to realise one's true will, and it is a very magical rune indeed.
It is associated with Odin.
hagalaz - HAGAL - haglrunen - numerical value: 8, phonetic: h
Germanic: hagalaz
Anglo-Saxon: haegl
Old Norse: hagall
meaning: hail, crystal
Hagal is most often associated with hail and snow and destructive forces of nature, and has many similarities with the card "The Tower" in the tarot deck. But this is a very complex rune: HAGAL also means crystal, and we all recognise the beauty of snow crystals. It is also the rune of the rock crystal, and thus represents a heavenly light force and the rainbow bridge that leads to the upper worlds. It is associated with Heimdal, both as the guardian of the bridge and because Heimdal can provide higher insight, but often through quite shocking experiences.
HAGAL can turn your entire existence upside down. It weeds out what needs to be removed, what stands in the way of one's development, which can be quite painful while it is happening, and for some it may be more than they can handle.
HAGAL represents the cosmic forces that we cannot counteract, the forces of nature and fate.
The rune can be used for negative magic to create confusion and breakdown, and for astral attacks and invasion of other people's dreams.
HAGAL can also be used to provide protection against bad weather.
The rune's association with witches and witchcraft can be seen in the High German word "hachel", meaning witch, and "hag" in English, meaning old witch.
naudn - NAUD - the rune of great need - numerical value: 9 -phonetic: n
Germanic:nauthiz
Anglo-Saxon: need
Old Norse: naudr
meaning: need
NAUD is a highly magical rune. It is associated with Odin's nine nights hanging in the tree and the hardships he underwent while hanging there. (Any initiated witch will recognise this, because during the first degree initiation you are asked, among other things, the question: Are you willing to suffer to learn?) NAUD is associated with initiation, like Odin's initiation in the runes. The number nine is the most sacred number in Norse mythology, and it also illustrates the connection between initiation and being born again - nine days in the tree, nine months of foetal development.
NAUD is, of course, also associated with real distress, being in a difficult situation, with fate bearing down on you, and it is strongly associated with fate and the norns and Urd's web. It can often represent hardship and sacrifice, but there is usually a necessity behind it. What is meant to happen happens. It often heralds problems, but also challenges.
But NAUD is also a rune you can get help from when you are in need. In the ninth troll song of Odin it says:
The ninth I know
if in distress I am,
and must save my sinking boat,
storm on the sea
I stand still,
and calm the whole sea.
It was carved into the rudder blade, stem and oars, and can be used in wind magic.
Otherwise, NAUD is primarily used in defence. It can be used to stop and bind negative influences and diseases, and can therefore be used (along with other runes) in healing. It can be used as a defence against magical and other attacks, rendering the actions of others impotent and ineffective, and it can amplify the effects of other runes. In many ways, this rune also represents the survival instinct within us.
It can also remind us to concentrate on what is necessary and not to waste time on unnecessary nonsense.
In the old days, fires were lit on mountain peaks to warn the neighbouring village when there was danger, emergency fire / naudild. F. Aswynn writes that this has its origins in the ritual lighting of the fire at the major pagan festivals such as Beltane, Midsummer, Christmas and Samhain, and that the rune is associated with the element of fire.
isi - IS - the ice rune - numerical value: 10 - phonetic: i
Germanic: isa
Anglo-Saxon: is
Old Norse: is
meaning: ice
IS - the element ice is the fifth element in the Nordic esoteric tradition. IS is associated with the icy realm of Niflheim and stands for the life-giving flow from Hvergelmir which, together with the heat from Muspelheim, created the world. It is a strong magical rune that, like Kauna and Hagal, requires a certain amount of control and caution, as it can be quite damaging. Negative powers that can be invoked with this rune are the frost giants. But the ice crystals can also bring clarity.
IS - i - also stands for "I", - a single upright staff, - cf. the English word "I", - the upright straight power of man.
When IS appears in a runic oracle, it may indicate stagnation in some area, that something has stalled. It can also stand for emotional coldness between people, for emotional rigidity and armouring. IS often represents resistance to change, it wants to freeze things as they are. But it can also be used magically, for example to "freeze" a person's actions and block their effects, and to stop aggressive and destructive forces. Therefore, this is also a rune that can be used for protection and to stop magical attacks from others. With its static power, it can keep things from going wild (e.g. a cancerous tumour).
It is also linked to the self-preservation instinct and can sometimes indicate the need to withdraw and be alone for a while.
jaraj - JARA - yearly growth - numerical value: 11, phonetic: j
Germanic: jera
Anglo-Saxon: ger (jara)
Old Norse: year
meaning: year, good year, crop, yearly growth
Jara stands for the cycle of the year with the four seasons where we sow in the spring, watch everything grow and mature in the summer, bring in the harvest in the autumn and follow nature's rest in the winter. But JARA represents a good year, the harvest, and if it appears in a rune oracle, it may indicate that we are now reaping the fruits of our labour.
JARA is associated with Frey and symbolises the marriage between Frey and Freyja, between heaven and earth, light and darkness, day and night. In this way, it is also a Nordic parallel to the Yin and Yang of the East - the signs even have a similar appearance. JARA stands for fertility, sexuality and pregnancy. (But what you "give birth" can also be a "magical child" or some other project.) Our Beltane celebration is linked to ancient rituals where young couples in spring went out and made love in the fields, like Frey and Freyja, to ensure fertility and annual growth.
JARA also says something about having patience and letting nature take its course and take the time it needs. One must also remember that for something to grow, it needs care!
On the negative side, this repetitive cycle can provide such comfortable security that you get stuck in an eternal circle. For life to be dynamic and evolving, this circle must become a spiral!
JARA can be used to bring about positive change, and in everything to do with the aspect of time. It is also good to use (e.g. together with BJARKA and others) in connection with complications during pregnancy and for a successful birth.
In a runic oracle, it often indicates a change for the better - the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one.
According to Odin's troll songs, it protects friends in battle.
pertrap - PERTRA - klipperunen - tallverdi: 12, fonetisk: p
germansk: pertho
anglosaksisk: peorth
usikker betydning: klippe, arne, innvielse (?)
Pertra har tallet tolv som er tallet for det fysiske, det jordiske, for form og fasthet. Den er forbundet med jordgudinnen Perchta som bor i bergets indre. Den er jordens og mineralrikets rune, og er også forbundet med de underjordiske, dverger og vetter, og det som er skjult inni jorden. Dvergene var kjent for sin smedkunst og evne til å transformere råe mineraler til magiske våpen og ringer.
PERTRA står også for kunnskap som er skjult eller fortrengt og glemt gjennom generasjoner. Den kan være fin å bruke hvis man skal gjøre regresjonsarbeid. Den kan bane veien til det kollektive underbevisste. Den kan også brukes hvis man trenger denne runens fasthet i en situasjon, være balansert og stå fast som en klippe.
I et runeorakel kan den ha en esoterisk mening og peke hen på en innvielsesopplevelse, eller den kan vise til skjulte sider eller talenter hos den det gjelder. Eller den kan si noe om nødvendigheten av å ha begge beina plantet på jorden.
Negativt kan den tyde på rigiditet eller lammelse i en situasjon (eller i det hele tatt).
PERTRA er mysterierunen, kanskje den mest obskure av dem alle. Den har også en tendens til å komme opp når det ikke er meningen at du skal vite det du spør om, at det foreløpig bør være skjult, og slik sett fungerer den som en "blank" rune.
eiwaz - EOH - barlindrunen - numerical value: 13, phonetic: eo
Germanic: eihwas
Anglo-Saxon: eoh
meaning: yew
Eoh is the rune of the plant kingdom. It represents the world tree Yggdrasil that stretches through the worlds. It also stands for the human spine. It is associated with Vidar, who rules over the wild plants. Since it is associated with the plant kingdom, it also represents man's helpers in the plant kingdom, especially plants that have consciousness-expanding properties.
It is also associated with the god of hunting and trapping, Ull. Yew as a type of wood was widely used for bows, and the rune is therefore important in connection with sorcery and magic. It is also a strong protection and defence rune.
Yew was a much more common tree in Norse times than it is now, and many believe that Yggdrasil was not an ash tree, but a yew, which is evergreen.
On the negative side, it can indicate an imbalance in relation to one's own growth, that one is so firmly rooted in the earth that one is unable to transcend one's own limitations.
meaning: moose, protection
Elgr is the rune of the animal kingdom and wild animals. It also represents the fygljas, i.e. our power animals and guardian spirits. It stands for the ability to walk in harmony and balance on Mother Earth, and for inner strength and clarity.
ELGR is the most commonly used protection rune - it provides divine protection and can also be used in the four directions instead of the pentagram ritual. It has also been common to make a bindrune composed of four ELGRs in a cross with the horns pointing outwards. It was called a "horror helmet", which says something about its meaning and impact!
But ELGR can also be used for healing.
In a runic oracle, it will often indicate protection from "above", but it can also stand for spiritual initiation and transcendence and knowledge of the gods. This rune is mentioned in Odin's troll songs:
The fourteenth I can
if for the people I shall
mention the names of the gods;
all the Aesir and Elves I know;
no unwise man can do such things.
Negatively, it can indicate a lack of protection, obscurity and disharmony, and a lack of contact with one's own guardian spirits.
Phonetically, ELGR has been given different values (e.g. z and r). It has been used as an r sound exclusively at the end of a word to magically amplify the runes.
sowulo- SOL - sun rune - numerical value: 15, phonetic: s
Germanic: sowulo
Anglo-Saxon: sigil
Old Norse: sol
meaning: sun
Sol is naturally the rune of the sun and summer, and is associated with the bright god Balder and the light elves. It is the rune of the heart and love, here in the form of the life-giving power of love that provides warmth and care without imposing conditions.
It is often used for healing and provides strength and solar energy for a healing spell. In Odin's 15th troll song, it's about singing galdrer (special songs of power and magic) at sunrise.
SOL is also associated with happiness and wisdom and humanity's higher consciousness, and thus also with spiritual guidance and leadership. It is linked to our sense of self-worth and self-respect.
In a runic oracle, SOL can refer to a period when one's creative energy is fully expressed, and a period characterised by light and vitality.
Negatively (inverted), on a personal level, it can stand for self-aggrandisement and self-righteousness.
SOL tells us to walk with humility and generosity among people.
teiwaz - TYR - tyrrunen - numerical value: 16, phonetic: t
Germanic: teiwaz
Anglo-Saxon: tyr
Old Norse: tyr
meaning: the sky and war god Tyr
Tyr is the rune of the sky and war god Tyr and the mystery god Mithras or Mith-Odin. It is the rune of the spiritual warrior, whose characteristics are courage, initiative and devotion. It is the rune of heaven and stands for initiation and transcendence.
TYR stands for victory in battle, and in ancient times it was carved on the hilt of a sword to win a battle. It can be used to achieve justice and to win, for example, in a court case (preferably together with REID). But it can also be used to defeat one's own dark side.
TYR represents the masculine and the active male sexual force, and based on Odin's troll songs, the man can also use it to win his mate:
The sixteenth I can
if with a cunning woman
I will possess all her lust;
I will turn her head
To the whitearmed maiden,
and turn her whole
mind.
In a rune oracle, it may reflect a legal conflict or similar, but like all runes it has many sides, and the interpretation will depend on the question and context. TYR is a positive rune that stands for courage and strength, and the ability to face challenges. According to the myth, Tyr is the only god who dares to stick his hand into the Fenris Wolf's mouth to save them all. He loses one hand, but achieves invincibility.
Negatively, it can indicate uncontrollable anger, inability to face adversity or
overpreparedness. Or it can stand for cowardice, lack of initiative and impotence.
berkana - BJARKA - The birch rune - numerical value: 17, phonetic: b
Germanic: berkana
Anglo-Saxon: beorc
Old Norse: bjarkan
meaning: birch tree
Bjarka is the opposite of the masculine sky god TYR, it is the rune of Mother Earth, the earthly female force. It is associated with fertility, birth, new life and reincarnation, and with motherly love and care. The birch is Frigg's sacred tree, and BJARKA is also associated with fertility beings such as black elves and disirs, and is important in the feminine mysteries. It was previously widely used by women on jewellery and amulets for protection and childbearing.
It is also associated with healing plants and healing power.
BJARKA can be used with great success in connection with all female diseases and ailments.
(When one of our coven members got pre-eclampsia, we used the runes JARA, BJARKA and SOL, which we drummed, chanted and sent to her, to good effect).
It is also good to use if you want to get pregnant. It is in every way the rune of femininity, and it is also said to have a rejuvenating effect.
According to Odin's troll songs, it can be used by a man to keep his woman.
The rune represents fertility and growth, and is also linked to our ability to grow in a spiritual and magical sense, and BJARKA has strong shamanic connections.
Negatively, it can represent illness and self-imposed matriarchy, or a misguided form of motherly love that becomes self-destructive. It can also point to disturbances in one's own personal growth or frigidity.
ehwas - EH -hesterunen - numerical value: 18, phonetic: e
Germanic: ehwas
Anglo-Saxon: eoh
meaning: horse
Eh is associated with Odin and his horse, Sleipner, the magical horse that carries the shaman and other magical travellers to other worlds. It is one of the strongest magical runes, and it stands for ecstasy and death and the ability to reach beyond everyday consciousness, for astral travelling and shapeshifting.
When I read the eighteenth (and last) of Odin's troll songs, I can't help but associate it with tantra or love oaths, which was our ancestors' form of sexual magic (I interpret the word "sister" as an initiated fellow sister):
The eighteenth I know,
as I never learn
maiden or man's woman -
all is well
if only one knows it,
Such is the end of the Galdr
without the one
who embraces me,
or my own sister.
As the rune mediates communication between worlds, it can also be used to strengthen communication and connections in general (or conversely, to divide them).
Negatively, it can indicate misfortune or death or inner stagnation.
It's important to remember that travelling to other worlds always involves danger - it doesn't always have to be a "dream trip" of the pink variety. It's important to know what you're doing, how to defend yourself if necessary, and how to get back home!
mannaz - MADR - menneskerunen - numerical value:19, phonetic: m
Germanic: mannaz
Anglo-Saxon: man
Old Norse: madr
meaning: man, human being
Madr is the rune of enlightened man and stands for the specifically human aspects of creation, thought, consciousness and the ability to recognise oneself. It is also the rune of humanity and connects us to our ancestors. It is the rune of Midgard, the physical world of humans, and the social structures we create and live by.
MADR is one of the hug (mind)-runes and relates to the power of thought and consciousness, which is why it can be successfully used in exams and to win verbal conflicts, even in court, or when you need to be eloquent. It represents our ability to make decisions and choices, and thus to shape our own future.
MADR symbolises the development of a person's personality towards a balanced, whole and integrated human being. Almost all the magic schools I know of have as their first "commandment": Know thyself, and in this process MADR can help you to achieve clarity of thought.
Knowing yourself also means being aware of your own place in the big picture, in the cosmic geography, both on the inner and outer planes: "As above so below".
Negatively, it can point to a paralysing humility towards ancestors and traditions, or a sense of superiority towards all other species on earth, as humans have shown for a long time now, resulting in environmental destruction and the extinction of countless species. Or it can represent a lack of self-esteem and poor communication skills.
laguz - LAGU - water rune - numerical value: 20, phonetic: l
Germanic: laguz
Anglo-Saxon: lagu
Old Norse: logr
meaning: water
Lagu is the rune of life-giving water, and while MADR stands for the conscious part of the human psyche, LAGU represents the subconscious. It is linked to the Moon, to night, sleep and dreams - and it is the rune of emotions.
LAGU is the rune of Vanaheim and is linked to the goddess Nerthus and the sea god Niord and water as a source of fertility and life. LAGU is the earth's amniotic fluid and blood vessels.
Water has a cleansing effect, which is why it is used to draw the circle in Wicca and in Christian baptisms. Tears can also have a cleansing effect on our spiritual and emotional life, but we must be aware of the danger of drowning in emotions. We all know how wonderfully refreshing the spring rain can be, but the rain can also be so heavy that it causes flooding and major destruction.
As mentioned, LAGU is linked to our dreams, and as we all know, dreams can provide great insight. LAGU is also strongly associated with the occult.
Another of water's qualities is its malleability, its ability to mould itself to and adapt to its surroundings. In this way, it also represents our ability to adapt and flexibility, our ability to flow with life, and our patience and intuition.
On the negative side, it can indicate a dangerous laissez-faire mentality, where you just go with the flow without taking control. You can both adapt and tolerate yourself to death. Water is known for reflecting and mirroring its surroundings, but it becomes boring in the long run to be a reflection of, for example, other people's expectations of you. It can also indicate a lack of contact with your own emotions, or pent-up emotions that are not allowed to come out.
LAGU can be used to connect with another's subconscious and to invade another's dreams. It can be used to attract love. F. Aswynn says that if you project
LAGU between the eyes of a person you make a request to, a positive response will be much more likely.
inguz- ING - the ing rune - numerical value: 21, phonetic: ng
Germanic: inguz
Anglo-Saxon: ing
meaning: the god Ing / Frøy, phallus
Ing stands for the male fertility and sexual power, and it points to ancient birth and fertility mysteries. It is associated with the fertility god Ing and with Frøy, who is often depicted with a large and erect phallus. It is the god of spring and fertilisation, and ING also symbolises the marriage between heaven and earth and physical love.
ING stands for our inner creative power, our ability to create and to realise ourselves.
When it appears in a runic oracle, it shows that we are on the right path, that we are at a new beginning that will bear fruit.
ING is one of those runes that looks the same no matter how it falls, and therefore does not appear "negative" in a rune oracle. However, you should bear in mind that it is not always spring, that things need to mature and be worked on, it is not enough just to sow.
ING has been associated with all forms of nature magic and the worship of magical springs and trees.
It is of course included in all fertility magic, such as if you want to have children.
dagaz - DAGR - dagrunen - numerical value: 23, phonetic: d
Germanic: dagaz
Anglo-Saxon: daeg
Old Norse: dagr
meaning: day
Dagr is the rune of daylight and the god of light, Balder, and is associated with midsummer. It stands for insight and alertness and literally "to see the light", including the light of the gods.
At the centre of the rune sign is the crack between worlds, and DAGR is one of the strongest transformation runes - it is also associated with initiation. It is a rune for change and development, and thus also for daring to step outside the fixed, safe circles and plunge into the unknown and uncertain. It may cost a lot, but it's the only way to move forward!
When DAGR appears in a rune oracle, it can indicate a breakthrough, and it stands for good luck, progress and fruitful development.
This rune also looks the same up/down, but like all runes, the rune of light also has a dark aspect to it - the illusion that everything will always be light, that light is "better" than darkness, without realising the necessity of the balance between light and darkness. In this way, you can choose a life where you only see the bright and so-called positive, and thus miss out on countless opportunities for development.
DAGR can be used to shut something out, and to make yourself "invisible". If you don't want to be noticed, it helps to visualise that you let DAGR surround you.
DAGR can otherwise be used against sorcery and black magic. Sometimes it can stand for clairvoyance or clairsentience.
fehu- FE - rikdomsrunen - tallverdi: 24, fonetisk: f
germansk: fehu
anglosaksisk: feoh
gammelnorsk: fe
betydning: buskap, rikdom
Fe står for fe og buskap, den temte kua, i motsetning til UR som står for den ville og utemte kua, uroksen. Slik ser man utviklingen gjennom runerekken som starter med UR og slutter med FE.
FE blir kalt for rikdomsrunen, og står for alt det man har av materielle goder og eiendeler, den står for velstand og jakt- og fiskelykke. Den står for oppnåelsen av mål man har satt seg, og slik viser den fullbyrdelsen og avslutningen på en syklus. Sirkelen er sluttet.
I den norske runesangen (fra middelalderen) står det:
Rikdom volder strid mellom frender;
ulven lever i skogen.
Negativt kan runen peke på overdreven fiksering på materielle ting, og vi har vel alle sett hvordan en arvestrid kan ødelegge en familie. Den kan selvfølgelig også vise til fravær av materielle goder og økonomiske problemer.
Her som ellers må runen tolkes ut ifra sammenhengen og spørsmålsstillingen.
The Crone