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apiswitchcraft · 2 days ago

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understanding norse runes: a historical and modern perspective pt. 2

Here's part two! If you need clarification on anything please lmk! <3

For part 1 click here.

ᚺ hagalaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Hail is the whitest of grain;

it is whirled from heaven's loft

tossed about by wind gusts,

then melts into water."

NORWEGIAN:

"Hail is the coldest of grains:

Christ created the primaeval world."

(not the Christian Christ, just an epithet for Odin)

INTERPRETATION: Starting out strong, hagalaz thankfully only has one meaning, and that's "hail." Unrelatedly, this rune is also one of the first overtly negative runes (of course, the meaning truly depends on the surrounding staves you pull, but nevertheless), representing uncomfortable change, possibly a crisis. Associated with the goddess Hel, it represents both her aspects: the cold goddess of death, and the plentiful goddess of life. Hagalaz shows us that change is on the horizon, but that it will be a time of learning, of becoming evermore wiser. Similar to The Moon card in tarot, this stave also represents the secrets of the runes, the dark side. A side we nevertheless have to confront in order to overcome great stressors. Doubtlessly, this transformation will cause us some pain, but hail is considered the seed of possibilities. Though in solid form it may hurt or harm us, when melted it may nourish the struggling sapling. It has great potential, especially considering this is the ninth rune, a number that appears repeatedly in Norse Mythology. This stave has us confronting our worst fears and suffering, and telling us to learn from them, to become a better person. We have to create our own inner harmony, despite whatever may get in our way.

ICELANDIC:

"Hail is cold grain

and driving sleet

and sickness of serpents."

KEY WORDS: Disruption, upheaval, catalyst, potential

ASSOCIATIONS: Hel, the Norns (specifically Urdh, the past), Heimdall

ᚾ nauthiz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Need is nearest to the breast,

yet often proves to children of men

a source of help and healing

if they heed it betimes."

NORWEGIAN:

"Need leaves little choice;

the naked man is chilled by frost."

INTERPRETATION: A rune often associated with the Norns, especially Skuld (the future), nauthiz is all about "necessity" and inevitability. The future is inescapable, but it can be used to our advantage. To understand this rune, we have to understand our own needs and purpose(s) as well. Usually, these are outside of our control. A lack of food caused by war creates a necessity for food. It is outside of the individual sufferer's hands. However, it can spur a person to act in whatever way they can, it's the spark of what is called the "needfire," vital to cause and effect. Need defines action defines life. Yes, this rune can be interpreted as a negative one, no doubt. But, again, runes are not as simple and straightforward as Tarot. If you pulled kenaz with nauthiz, you might look more closely at the "needfire" aspect of this reading, or if you pulled wunjo you might see this as more of a needs to an end. Which, really, that's all this rune represents: the needs to an end. You are not stuck in this state of lack, rather it is the lack that will turn the Norns' bow-drill to usher in a new era. Whereas hagalaz is more of a rigid, set in stone, nauthiz is about moving on from that suffering.

ICELANDIC:

"Need is distress of thrall-woman

and state of oppression

and hard work."

KEY WORDS: Necessity, inevitability, the future, constraint, hardship

ASSOCIATIONS: The Norns (specifically Skuld)

ᛁ isa

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Ice be overcold, unmeasurably slippery,

glisteneth clear as glass, to gems likest;

a floor by frost wrought, fair to be seen."

NORWEGIAN:

"Ice we call the broad bridge;

The blind man must be led."

INTERPRETATION: Isa, true to its similar pronunciation, just means "ice." In this way, it has two divinatory meanings: one as an unmoving, unwavering shield, and one as a static, frozen object/individual. It can help to lessen disturbances and chaos, to soothe the fires of the earlier runes. This stave can mean stasis, but it can also mean clarity, a deep concentration. Stuck in the ice, you would have an awful long time to think, no? Rest is important for all things, but especially so in times of chaos. When the fires of kenaz or thurisaz get too hot, isa is there to cool things down. Furthermore, though, this rune can represent an unwilling stagnation, a frustrating situation or relationship. Stuck quarreling with a lover, this rune would be emblematic of how the reader would be feeling in that moment. Similarly, we can take this rune to represent the present, the Norn Verdandi. As a rune of advice, the reader is being told to watch and wait, to get a lay of the land before continuing onward. As much as a swirling blizzard can freeze you out, an igloo can keep you safe from the perils of frostbite, so it all depends on the adjacent runes in the reading. What do you need before you can continue? What is the crux of what's holding you back? All of these are things you need to consider.

ICELANDIC:

"Ice is bark of rivers

and roof of the wave

and destruction for doomed men."

KEY WORDS: Stagnation, pause, waiting, patience, preservation

ASSOCIATIONS: The Norns (especially Verdandi)

ᛃ jera

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Summer is called joyful, when God lets,

holy heaven's king--shining fruits

be born from earth for rich and poor."

INTERPRETATION: An often encouraging stave to pull in a reading, jera's literal translation is "year." In the harsher climates of the North, it is easy to lose track of the four seasons, and have the warmer and colder months blend together. In this way, jera represents not only summer, but also a good harvest. Every year, as the wheel of the year makes its rounds, crops must be yet again sown, cared for, and yielded. The old is reborn and the young turns to old. A symbol of dance, play, and marriage, this rune can also be associated with Freyja and Freyr, two deities strongly associated with the summertime. In divination, jera advises us to see everything as a constantly moving cycle. As soon as bad things come, they will leave, and good things replace them. Nothing is permanent, not even our most cherished. If blocked or neglected, a poor harvest is almost assured, and suffering is indicated. But when nurtured the right way, it can heal the deepest wounds and give rebirth to the greatest joys. An emphasis is also placed on creating new relationships and strengthening existing ones. Cherish your friends and family whenever possible.

NORWEGIAN:

"Harvest is a blessing to men;

I say that Frodhi was liberal."

ICELANDIC:

"Harvest is a blessing to men

and good summer

and fully ripe crops."

KEY WORDS: Harvest, cycle, repetition, plenty

ASSOCIATIONS: Freyja and Freyr

ᛇ eihwaz

ANGLO-SAXON:

"The yew outside is a rough-barked tree,

but strong and firm, guard of fires,

by deep roots upheld, joy to the home."

NORWEGIAN:

"Yew is the greenest of trees in winter;

when it burns, it sputters."

INTERPRETATION: Eihwaz is known as the "yew," and often represents Yggdrasil, the World Tree that Odin hung himself from over nine days and nine nights for the knowledge of the runes. Because of this, this stave often represents spiritual enlightenment, and connection between the physical and metaphysical realms. As the yew was consistently used for bow-making, this is a rune also associated with hunting and the wild (and furthermore masculinity, but I find that to be a bit sexist). A bridge between life and death, sky and earth, the heavens and the Underworld, eihwaz is a great rune for communing, divination, or necromancy. It is a connection between paradoxes, between opposites, and is also associated with graveyards. But no matter what, these connections have to be made thoughtfully, and with great trepidation. Carelessness has no place in this space, as it could just as easily turn from good to bad. -==32

ICELANDIC:

"Yew is bent bow

and brittle iron

and Farbauti of the arrow."

KEY WORDS: Enlightenment, transformation, connection, paradox

ASSOCIATIONS: Odin, Yggdrasil

ᛈ perthro

INTERPRETATION: Considering it was a letter commonly used, perthro has a fairly ambiguous meaning of "lot cup" or "game piece." Either way, the literal interpretation involves the drawing of lots, and chance. Divination wise, perthro is said to represent both the dice and the mode of throwing the dice, simultaneously mysterious and all-knowing. Considering this wealth of knowledge that perthro is said to contain, it is no wonder that it is heavily associated with Mimir, who is renowned for his wisdom. Furthermore, because of it's association with vessels (odd, I know), this stave also represents with the female womb and childbirth. For this reason, it is also associated with Frigg, a seeress and goddess of childbirth. Frigg, though she is said to know all, she also tells nothing. This doubles down on the mysterious, hidden powers of perthro, being both the runes themselves and their meanings. Additionally, being a rune of fate, it represents the Norns as a whole, and their powers.

ANGLO-SAXON:

"The chess piece means play and laughter

where in the middle, the warriors sit

in beerhall blithely together."

KEY WORDS: Fate, luck, mystery, secrets, feminine energy

ASSOCIATIONS: Mimir, Frigg, Norns

ᛉ algiz

INTERPRETATION: Aha! My favorite rune, how exciting. A rune meaning "elk," algiz is a powerful protective symbol. Considering the imagery of an elk, we can draw connections to god of the hunt, Freyr, who is often depicted with antlers. From Freyr we can then discern meanings of sexual awakening, the fighting spirit, and divine communication. With it's three pronged appearance we can create a number of different interpretations: the elements, a sacred forest grove, masculinity/femininity, the Yggdrasil, and even the Bifrost. I've also seen people consider it as a double-edged sword of a stave, a protective symbol but only as long as you have enough power and discipline to wield it. This is especially pertinent if we consider this as a rune of divine protection, as it would be doubtlessly foolhardy to demand protection from the gods while giving nothing in return. A weapon that can be wielded by you or against you.

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Elk-sedge is found most often in fens,

waxes in water, wounds grimly,

with blood burns whatever warrior

that goes to grasp it."

KEY WORDS: Protection, guardian, sanctuary, the hunt

ASSOCIATIONS: Freyr

ᛊ sowilo

ANGLO-SAXON:

"Sun to seamen is a hope on high

when they ferry over the fishes' bath

until the sea-horse brings them to land."

NORWEGIAN:

"Sun is the light of the lands;

I bow to heaven's doom."

INTERPRETATION: Alright! Last one for this aett, sowilo means "sun." Not only the literal sun, this stave represents the force of the heavens, the wealth that it provides and the harm that it can cause. It brings illumination and clarification, as it also shows us where our path lays--what our goals may be. If we consider a connection between the sun god Apollo (a bright, beautiful youth) and Baldr (also a bright, beautiful youth), then new aspects can be revealed to us such as victory, strength, life force, and energy. It encourages us to have hope in our future, and to look towards the horizon. Just like the wheel of the sun whirls around the cosmos, so too does sowilo encourage us to break our stagnation and act. What we desire is within our grasp, all we have to do it reach out and grab it! This rune is one of great positivity and encouragement, and is a pleasure to see in a reading.

ICELANDIC:

"Sun is shield of the sky

and shining ray

and destroyer of the ice."

KEY WORDS: Success, illumination, achievement, energy

ASSOCIATIONS: Baldr

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