What is FUTHARK?
What is the FUTHARK? The FUTHARK is the first six characters of an
alphabet-like system found in the North lands and Germany. Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz,
Ansuz, Raidho, Kenaz. The Elder, Younger, and others were used to both
understand the seen and unseen as well as communicate with each other. Many
other books have been dedicated to showing where they have come from. We will be
focusing on a new way to use the Elder FUTHARK.
Why bother with learning it?
What is there to learn from the runes? What is the cost of this knowledge? By
learning how to use the runes by seeing the patterns and using them for your own
purposes, you will get a new mind set as well as a new way of looking at the
world around you. It will cost you the freedom of being lazy, the joy of being
irresponsible, and the luxury of blaming others for where you are in your life.
What you will gain is self-empowerment, and with that comes self-responsibility.
Each rune is like a word more than a letter. Symbols and meanings lay behind
them and are very powerful. Much like the words STOP or GO. Learning the runes
by themselves is quite an accomplishment indeed. However, to learn them, then
combine them in various "sentences" grants the ability to create POWER PHRASES.
Such as GO NOW! If nothing else, we hope you learn how to do that.
We
recommend you keep a notebook for Rune working and as a log of your thoughts and
feelings as you go on this journey. You will see the difference in yourself when
you are done.
A NOTE ON MAGICKAL USE...
Many people have either
read the sagas and seen the magickal use of runes or have read in modern age
books about the use of runes in magickal work. It is the opinion of the author
that what is needed is a definition of magick as it relates to runes.
Consider this: Modern man sits down and makes blue prints of what it is he
will be building or writes out his speech he will be giving. Now go back 1500
years. Asa-man has a version of this too - the rune stave. Remember, runes are
more than a letter. They are each a concept.
Commitment and Desire are
not only needed but are REQUIRED to learn the runes as it is not just learning
an alphabet but a way of thinking, a way of life.
The First Aett Runes
The first rune is Fehu. Often referred to as the rune
of fertility, this rune is so much more than that. It's historical background
refers to cattle. When a man had cattle, it gave him potential for so much more.
He could ensure there would be meat for his own family and could sell or trade
it for other necessities and desires. Also, with large number of cattle, a man
was empowered by the community due to his ability to maintain them. Thus, it
gave him a stronger voice at a community meeting. Later, in Germany, the
importance placed upon cattle was transferred to gold. So Fehu becomes fee or,
"the amount of money." This solidified the notion of mobile wealth for the Fehu
rune.
For our ancestor, as with us today, the accumulation of wealth - gained
honourably - was and is a positive thing. Wealth in its rawest form (that of a
steady food source) is one way of insuring survival. Measurements of wealth in
the world of today includes the best medicines and medical treatment as well as
other health and social benefits. PROSPERITY IS A BOON, NOT A SIN.
Now
let us discuss the true aspect of Fehu. It is the Rune of potential, fertility,
stored and moveable wealth. So Fehu is by this definition the rune of CAN DO.
With Fehu being the rune of CAN DO this doesn't make the rune of "doing." It is
more of the seeds that haven't been planted, the willing student that hasn't
applied what he has learned. Fehu is the money in the bank that will buy the
house or car. Fehu is ABILITY, but not the action. In the Havamal, Fehu is
referred to in this way:
The first charm I know is unknown to
rulers
Or any of human kind;
Help it is named,
for help it can give in
hours of sorrow and anguish.
Let us consider what this stanza is
saying. Why does it say that Fehu is unknown to rulers and all human kind?
Perhaps it refers to the actual potential of stored wealth. Look around you and
take a count of how many people are very successful in life in at saving money
and managing it thoughtfully. So why follow this up with referring to as help?
Again, we see potential, for it is not the actual act of helping, but the
ability that is there. This makes Fehu "Stored energy."
The second
rune is Uruz. Uruz is a rune to which many different properties are
given. Let us examine its historical background first. This rune represents the
auroch beast. It was a huge bovine creature that resembled a bull on steroids.
Uruz is its horns. Although in society today we do not use a beasts horns, our
ancestors saw the horn as a symbol of strength. It was used to swear oaths upon
and make friendships. So as you can see, Uruz is a rune of strength and will
enforcement.
Let us now look at the magickal side. Uruz is a rune that is
drawn from the bottom up. It therefore comes to represent the physical movement
of things on our world as well as ideas.
On the physical side, we see this
rune as rain, gravity, and age. Rain because it starts on earth goes into the
sky and returns to the earth. It is the drawn formula for gravity: What goes up
must come down. As for age, Uruz is a road map of life, we are born, we live,
then we die. Like the auroch, we are the beasts in charge of our life. Therefore
we have the ability to physically control what happens in the material world
around us.
On the mental side, we see Uruz as a fine example of thought. An
idea starts within our subconscious and then comes up out of it into our active
mind, then into our physical world.
The Havamal has this to say about the
second rune:
I know a second that the sons of men
Must learn who
wish to be leeches.
So, what is being said here? First of all, a
"leech" is a term for a doctor referring back to when the use of leeches were
common practice. Why would this rune be important to a doctor? When you look at
Uruz, understand it nature is to works its will upon the world around it. Does a
doctor do any less then change the very nature of our bodies? So for a doctor to
be successful in his "magick" he must understand the essence of Uruz. This makes
Uruz "Energy released."
The next rune is Thurisaz. Historically,
you will find Thurisaz is the rune of Giants, Thor, Thor's hammer, Thorn,
Protection, Attack, and several other seemingly paradoxical interests. So, a
question to be asked here is: "How can it be both the lion and the lion
tamer?"
First, lets look at the Giant/Thor relationship that this rune
represents. Giants were powerful, strong, and formidable. It would take someone
their equal to keep them in check. So let us suppose at this moment that the
giants and Thor are equal. What would be needed to shift the balance of power
would be something of awesome energy. That energy is Thurisaz. And Thor's
Thurisaz is the results he receives with Mjollnir, his mighty hammer.
So, it
is not the "ability" as in Fehu, or the "action" as in Uruz, but it is the
ENERGY released by the action. Mjollnir itself is but a tool, but the energy
released by it is what is important. Another example could be: a bullet is Fehu,
pulling the trigger is Uruz, and the movement of the bullet is Thurisaz. One
more example of the relationship of runes thus far: You get an idea to build a
house(Fehu). So you draw out the plans for building the house (Uruz). Then you
begin building the house (Thurisaz). This makes Thurisaz "Energy in
motion."
Now let us look at what the Havamal has to say about this
rune:
"I know a third: in the thick of battle,
If my need be great
enough,
It will blunt the edges of enemy swords,
Their weapons will make
no wounds."
When you have motivation you make things happen. What we
see here is what the power of motion can do. Moving fast enough can allow you to
"blunt" your enemies weapons by stopping them, thus disallowing them the
opportunity of wounding you.
Think of a time when you were meeting an equal
on any "battlefield." It was the person who could release more of the right kind
of energy who won. Thus making the challenge not that of "how bad will you beat
a person" but an internal challenge of "what will it take to win."
In the
forth position is Ansuz. This rune is referred to as the Rune of Odin,
the Rune of the Ash tree, and the Rune of Release. In traditional references it
is the "god rune." Looking at the concept of a god rune we must first define
what "god" is.
Being a god is representative of the effect your changes have
made on the world. Spent money is god; it makes many things happen. Parents are
gods thru action and inaction; they rule a child's life thru the very early
stages. So, too, are all of us gods in our world. By either our action or lack
of it we are responsible for what happens around us.
Ansuz is the rune
representing our responsibility to ourselves and our world around us. It is not
the action itself (as in Thurisaz), but the result of that action ansuz is the
Effect of Energy.
The Havamal has this to say about Ansuz:
I know a
forth:
It will free me quickly
If foes should bind me fast
With strong
chains, a chant that makes Fetters spring from the feet,
Bonds burst from the
hands.
Effect of energy on the world. Ansuz will quickly bring
release when used. Many people see themselves trapped or tied down in a
situation that they feel they cannot escape from. Most of the time, escape is
never tried. When it is, however, the effect of the energy released is Freedom.
Physically, mentally, or spiritually, freedom can be achieved with a strong will
and desire for escape.
Using our gun example:
Ansuz is when the bullet
hits its target. It is the hole created, the damage done. It is not, however,
the response the damage will have to its surroundings.
Using the house
example:
It is the house built, but not the effect the house will have on the
neighborhood. That is our next rune.
In the fifth place is Raido.
In most books Raido is assigned the properties of movement, law and order,
spiritial development, and counciling. In what can be seen in the runes offered
before this one, we can add in these properities and make show cause and
effect.
Issac Newton said that for every action there was an equal and
opposite reaction. This statement is Raido incarnate. The movement between
actions is Raido. When you act as Ansuz, you caused an action to happen. Raido
is the effect of your action.
Sixth in the first Aett is Kenaz.
Historically, this rune can be seen as a representation of fire and disease. The
fire aspect comes from an item known as a Cyn, in which a piece of pine was
burned. It also represents the funeral pyre. The other reference to disease
comes from literal translation of "boil" and represents a burial
mound.
Other areas Kenaz seems to represent are sexual matters and that
which is learned. This last part is one of importance. If you look to the basis
of each of the above examples, you see that each is knowledge of an effect. It
is the "Wyrdic" outcome – that which is learned. Death, of course, is the
ultimate outcome of life. Sexual concepts are those things that signify the end
of childhood.
It has been said that experience what we get when we do not
get what we wanted. This is a true statement, but it is also true that
experience is gained by getting what we want. Kenaz is that experience.
In
our gun example:
If you are shot, you may die. That would be Kenaz. If you
lived, you would probably have a scar, and know what being shot felt like. This
would also be Kenaz.
In our house example:
You would know what it
cost to build a house and how much time it would take to build it.
Here is
what the Havamal says about Kenaz:
I know a sixth. If some thane attacks
me
with the wood of a young root,
he who says he hates me will get
hurt,
but I will be unharmed.
In this stanza, we have a thane (bad
guy) trying to use a sapling tree as a weapon and hurling insults at the author,
but he says he will not be harmed. The knowledge gained by battle allows the
person about to be attacked to know how to, not only stop the aggressor, but
insure that the aggressor will gain knowledge via pain. Showing directly: "What
comes around, goes around."
The next rune it Gebo. Here we will show how
this rune comes to be the wisdom of an action. Traditionally this rune is known
as the "gift" or "gift giving" rune. To some, it is the rune of Odin. The
Havamal places much importance on gifts, gift giving and the returning of gifts.
The root concept in Gebo is not the gift, or the giving of gifts, but the
fruits of the giving. As this is the rune of Odin, thinking of it in the
receiving of fruits of our labor context is not a long stretch. Just as he
received the runes after his labor, so do we receive the product of our
doing.
In our gun example:
The outcome of a shooting a gun is the food we
receive from it or the enemy that we have over come.
In our house
example:
The gift of having built a house is lies in the comfort of being
protected from the elements and things that would be a threat in the world.
Therefore, as we see in our examples, planting a seed of any kind give
you some kind plant to harvest. From this we able to eat or receive money for
our labor. This is Gebo.
The last of the first Aett is Wunjo. This rune is
known to represent joy. In defining "joy" in the case of Wunjo, we find a point
of balance, a sense of fulfillment and transformation. It is to remain in
harmony with the flow of events. The Anglo-Saxon word is Wynn, which we know as
winning in Modern English. Wynn meant "peaceful" in the Anglo-Saxon
definition.
You cannot know joy or winning without knowing sorrow or losing.
So to understand the value of good things your experience must be as great in
both directions.
Wunjo is the wisdom learned by the gift of Gebo. This rune
is the goal in life that most people in the world miss. They see the obtaining
of the product (Gebo) as the end of the process. It is sad to think so many
people see winning a lottery as a way of bettering their life. The winning is
only the beginning. So many winners end up back at the job after a few years or
even sooner because they did not understand that winning was the not what they
needed.
The wisdom of the gift, the food it could put on the table, the
clothes it could put on your back, the power of controlling one's life more than
ever, is overlooked in our world today. It is not money that we receive (Gebo)
but how we use it that should be our goal.
Putting it all
together…
The First Aett: The Life Cycle
In Fehu, we see potential; ideas,
a seed or bullet.
In Uruz, we see ability; education, planting or a loaded
gun.
In Thurisaz, we see movement; application, a seedling or a bullet
fired.
In Ansuz, we see connection; a finished product, grown plants and a
target hit.
In Raidho, we see reaction; changes caused by a product,
processing of plants and the movement of the target when hit by a bullet.
In
Kenaz, we see knowledge; seeing results from the changes of product, knowing
what the processed plant looks like and knowing the quality of the shot.
In
Gebo, we see outcome; benefits of the changes by product, money of sold plant,
food from the animal shot.
In Wunjo, we see wisdom; using the benefits to
better the product, putting part of the money back for more seed, and
understanding the animal gave of itself so you may live.
Alternatively,
we could say:
Fehu: idea of life
Uruz: can bring life
Thurisaz:
impregnation
Ansuz: birth
Raidho: growth
Kenaz: adolescence
Gebo:
life lived
Wunjo: legacy of life
With that, we come to the end of the
first Aett runes.
The Second Aett
Here in the Second group of eight runes we will see
external forces that put themselves upon us. In most cases these are not ruled
by intelligence, rather they are forces of nature.
Hagalaz is the ninth
rune. It is seen as potential energy of neutral power. Very similar to Fehu in
concept of potential energy, Hagalaz differs in its nature by being an external
force. It is seen as hail.
A rune poem reads:
(Hail) is cold grain,
and
a shower of sleet
and a sickness of snakes
Therefore, it has potential
of being harmful as sleet and helpful as a snake killer. This rune, above all
others, truly represents the concept of balance – of yen/yang. Truly nature in a
raw form, Hagalaz represents external influences outside of our control.
You
can see this as a hailstone, water in a hard static form, moving toward us from
the sky. It has been associated with Urd (that which was) the elder Norn, and
rightly so. The past appears to be frozen but is forever moving into the
present.
Nauthiz is number ten and second of the second aett. It is need
in all its forms. We find that need creates invention. Therefore, when life says
you "need" to eat, you find a way to do it.
Another rune poem
reads:
(Need) constricts the heart, but often serves
as help and salvation
to the sons of man,
if they attend to it in time.
It is a hard place to be
when you are in need. If you understand your needs, you can work to fulfill
them. If your need is great and you do not fulfill it, that need may kill you.
Needs such as hunger and shelter are good examples of the dangerous kind.
In
this way, Nauthiz is an agent of your wyrd or orlog, depending on the severity
of the need. It can be represented as Skuld (that which will be) the third Norn.
In this way, we see that Nauthiz is a signpost of the future, letting us know
what will happen based upon our ignoring or acting upon our
need.
Isa, third of the second aett, and eleventh over all, is ice. Our ancestors
say much of this frozen element. Its ability to give what appeared to be
permanence to all things was very powerful. Isa is a signature of a perfect
order. It is a complete lack of chaotic elements.
How you view what is
external and how the external views you is found in this rune. Think back on
someone you have not seen in 15 years. Now let us say you see them tomorrow.
Suddenly, this person is not that kid you knew in high school, they look
differently and act differently. Up to this point, your view of this person, and
they of you, was frozen from 15 years ago. This is Isa, and in this way can be
associated with Verandi ( that which is) the Norn of the present.
Isa is
suggested by Thorsson and Gundarsson to be representative of ego. This appears
to come from the symbol of "I." Even if this "I" was the same as modern man
perceives it (there is no proof to this claim), the "I" of the self is not
simply ego. Indeed, the "I" of the self encompasses the body, the emotions, the
mind, and the ego. Therefore, without more proof of the concept, to view Isa
simply as ego is inappropriate.
Number five of the second Aett is Jera. Here
is the symbolism of the spiral pattern of time. Although it is cyclical in its
concept, and appears to drum on and on in the same way year after year, it is
not a circle that meets end to end.
Jera is the movement of time. This is
both the movements forward and backward in time. Forward through our hopes and
fears and backwards through our memories. The length and width of our lives in
this movement is represented in the next two runes.
On the concept of
"yen/yang" presented by Gundarsson, only the shape of this rune gives way to the
comparison. The spiral movement of Jera and the changes of the seasons bear very
little resemblance of the concept of the duality of the universe put forth by
the teaching of Tao. As said earlier, Hagalaz in its duality would be the
closest rune to yen/yang. Taoism is an alien philosophy in comparison to the
runes. Therefore, to say that any of the runes embodies the concepts of yen/yang
would be a trap of generalization.
Where Jera represents time, the sixth
rune of this Aett, Eihwaz, is the physical manifestation within time.
Traditionally, Eihwaz is the yew tree. Staying green all year long, useful for
burning, bow making, and achieving shamanic-like visions, it is no mystery why
this tree represents "Nature's Immortality." In its evergreen qualities, and
longevity the yew is a perfect example of the living things that exists in
space/time. It lives a very long time and yet does die, as do all things. This
is also known as being alive but not necessarily living, that is Perthro, our
next rune. In its shape, we see a "measuring tape" of life, from Midgard to
Asgard, from conception to death.
Perthro is the seventh rune of the second
Aett. Traditionally, it is either a lot cup or a game piece. In its essence,
this rune represents mandatory changes brought about by external forces. Whereas
Eihwaz is the "length" measurement of life, Perthro is the "width" measurement.
Simply not how long you lived, but how well you lived it. In the rune poem
referring to the Warriors in the Beerhall, or the Women in the Birthhall
(depending on how you read it), we see happiness of being alive and a joy of
living.
In the games we play in life, be they dangerous high stakes
games or just for fun games, we experience and learn. Therefore, Perthro is the
rune of experience. To know life is to know pain, and to know pain there is
wisdom. Perthro is a rune of wisdom. An example of this would be the joy of
birth, which is very painful. Perthro is the experiences dealt in the game of
life.
Our next rune is Elhaz. Its traditional meaning is protection, stemming
from Elk-Sedge. Elk-Sedge is a water plant that cuts a person who is entangled
in it. The poem for this rune is: “Elk-Sedge grows mainly in the fenlands.
Flourishing in the water, it grimly wounds, running with the blood of any who
try to grasp it.”
It is also found in the peace symbol of our time. This,
when examined, does make sense in that “peace” is the absence of threat or harm.
Elhaz can also be seen as an open hand, as if saying: “Stay back!” Therefore,
this rune is that which comes between us and harms way, in both the physical
world as well as the spiritual.
In the physical world, we see Elhaz as
possibly a sword, protecting with a sharp edge. In the spiritual world, Elhaz is
our beliefs in the gods (or a god) and that which is beyond our five senses.
This rune holds importance in our world today. We can see people reaching for it
(by wearing the peace symbol) even though they truly only understand that it is
a call for peace. What is really being displayed is the subconscious desire to
put SOMETHING between them and harms way. Elhaz is the rune for this
purpose.
Sowilo is the final rune of the second Aett. It is the power of
the sun. To the Norse, the sun was known as Sunna, and it was considered
feminine. This was due to the warm and nurturing nature of the sun. As a
representation of power, nothing in the world compared to the sun. Seamen hoped
it shine every day they were sailing. Its presence was considered protection
from the dark, and all the things that might come from it. The sun also helped
guide them to their destination.
Therefore, we can see that Sowilo comes to
represent someone or something that is a “guiding light.” This can be seen as a
mentor or person who teaches. It can also be seen as road map.
Now let
us recap the Second Aett of the runes.
In Hagalaz, we have hail, an external
force outside of our control. It is a neutral power.
In Nauthiz, we have
“needs,” external forces that drive us forward. Like hunger, lust and
fear.
In Isa, we have ice. It is how the world sees us. Its view static and
unchanged until exerted upon.
In Jera, we have the cycle of time: External
force of entropy and its effect upon the world.
In Eihwaz, we have the yew
tree and its apparent immortality representing that of nature’s own.
In
Perthro, we have the lot cup. It is the force of luck.
In Elhaz, we have
protection by an external force.
In Sowilo, we have a mentor or guide that
encourages a feeling of safety.
With that, we come to the end of the Second
Aett.
The Third Aett
In the Third Aett we will see that the last
set of runes are internal forces that help us deal with the external forces of
the Second Aett as we travel the path outlined in the First Aett.
Tiwaz is at
the head of the final aett. It is the rune of the god Tyr. Like him, this rune
represents inner strength and morality. It is a rune of order, self sacrifice,
stability, lawfulness and courage. To be like Tyr is to be ‘Straight as an
arrow.” We see this example appears to have been based on the design of the
arrow or spear shape of this rune.
In the phallic shape of this rune, we
find the embodiment of “masculine energy” which resides within both men and
women. However, we see the qualities of Tiwaz exerted and looked for in men as a
way of measuring them much more than women. Tiwaz is the rune of
fatherhood.
The second of the last aett is Berkano. This is the rune of
the birch tree. Like the young birch tree, Berkano is the power to be flexible
without breaking. It was branches also represent being fertile.
There is much
speculation that this rune represents various goddesses at the same time, to
include Freya, Frigg, Hel, Nerthus, Holda, and Berchta. Certainly, this rune
shape lends itself to the concept of being womanly. It represents the ability to
give birth, to be motherly, and the sexuality of breasts. Berkano also comes to
represent the burial mounds in which we return to after we die. It is the rune
for “Mother Earth.”
Berkano is the rune in which we find the embodiment of
“feminine energy.” It can reside within both the male and female, but the
qualities of it are generally looked for in women.
The third rune of the
Third Aett is Ehwaz. This is the rune of the horse, or more specifically,
horses. The rune has a double meaning. The first represents “horse power,” the
ability to carry the load. This is the inner strength from which we draw from. A
great example of this is found in a Smithsonian artifact of a horse’s hoof. The
hoof belonged to fire horse remembered only has No. 9. On a way to fight a fire,
No. 9 got his hoof stuck in a railroad track. When he pulled up, the whole hoof
was torn from the leg. This was not noticed until after the fire was put out and
several lives saved. Unfortunately, the horse had to be shot there at the scene.
No. 9 was given a firefighter funeral and was remembered for a very long time.
One of the human firefighters retrieved the hoof. It was kept around the station
for nine years. The Smithsonian Museum then came into possession of it. It is
the power of No. 9, and the strength of will to perform ones duty, that Ehwaz
represents.
In FUTHARK: A Handbook of RUNE MAGIC, Thorsson makes reference to
Ehwaz meaning Stallion and Horse, where Aswynn says in Leaves of Yggdrassil it
could mean Stallion and Mare. Contemplation of this leads us to the second
meaning of Ehwaz: Duality. More directly, Ehwaz comes to represent the duality
of man in his ability to deal with his world. On one hand, we have the Stallion
aspect - headstrong and virile, looking to face the world head on and on our own
terms. On the other hand, we have the Horse or Mare aspect. Here we see a
creature that works with others, often time’s looks for guidance before acting.
Sometimes, we must lead. However, to be a good leader, we must know how and when
to follow.
Forth of the last aett is Mannaz. This is the rune of Man, but
“Man” as in Human kind, not male gender. It is said to represent the “perfect
human.” This appears to be based on the thought that we are genetically linked
to the gods. There was a Germanic god named Mannus that fathered the three
classes of mankind. In the Eddas, the Lay of Rig tells us Heimdall does this
same thing. He comes to Midgard under the name “Rig,” which means King, and
creates the Thralls, Freeman and Earls. The creation of social classes in one
thing, but the rune Mannaz represents much more than a person’s social standing.
Mannaz also represents the intelligence, memory, rationality and traditions
of humankind. In a word, it represents our Humanity. This rune exposes both the
strength and weakness of being human. It is the essence of what we look to pass
down and teach our children: Be smart, remember your ancestors, act fairly and
honor the gods. Mannaz is apart of the soul of the human race, the part that
says, “we are man.”
Laguz is the next rune. It represents water in all
forms and the leek plant. First, let us look at the water representation.
Without water, for drinking and for fishing, many people would have died.
However, when set out across, many people did indeed find a watery tomb as their
final resting-place. In the Eddas, Hel is said to have water all about
it.
In addition, the universe is said to have been created by the melting
of frozen waters of Nifleheim. Therefore, water was, and still is, very
important to all living creatures. Within the waters, however, often times lay
very dangerous and sometimes deadly things.
With the leek, we see a plant
that also has hidden parts. Its shoots grow green above ground but a bulb of
great potency fuels it. The power of hidden things is seen in both the water and
leek aspect. Within humans, this is our subconsciousness.
In Beowulf, we find
Grendel, a symptom of sickness, coming out of the waters. He attacks the hall
called the Heart. Upon further inspection, we find the cause of the sickness:
his mother. What we have here is a representation of guilt and anger (Grendel)
coming out of our subconscious (water) to attack a happy hall (our heart).
However, the guilt is a symptom of a bigger problem (Grendel’s mom) that must be
faced.
Therefore, what we see here, in a classic Germanic story, is Laguz –
water of the subconscious. This rune represents not only the subconscious but
also that which is within it. All things that have been created or thought of
initially starts within our dark recesses of subconsciousness.
Laguz also
represents the waters within the well of Mimir. When we are strong, enough to
face the sacrifice asked for wisdom, we find the well is within us, its waters
dark and its secrets hidden.
The twenty-second rune is the Ing. This is
forth rune within the Third Aett that represents a deity directly. Ing is a god
who has also came to be known as Frey. He, as well as the rune, are the
embodiments of fertility that is drawn from in order to create. The rune is
shaped similarly to the DNA helix. Although this was not done knowingly, it is
interesting to note how Ing represents the very essence of creating.
In the
Ing-Nerthus cult, the god aspect was sacrificed to the goddess aspect. This
represents the relationship of the plants, which grow in the fields. They must
be cut and the seeds replanted in the next cycle. Within us, we nurture ideas
and plans. This is the Ing aspect working within us. We can also see the pattern
in the wedding of Frey and Gerd. Frey gives up his symbols of manhood, that
being his sword and horse, in order to win over the earth incarnate, Gerd.
The energy of Ing is cultivated and built up slowly. It can then
be released at one time in a burst of activity. This is seen within the actions
of a seed, which suddenly sprouts, as well as the sexual energy of any male.
Therefore, the aspect of Ing is both in the storing of such energy and the
releasing of the same.
In the oldest set of runes known to exist, the next
rune is Dagaz, followed by Othala. This is on the Gotland stone found in Sweden
(423C.E.). Some modern rune masters have Dagaz last, based on other sets found,
while others (this author included) follow the Gotland stone example.
Dagaz
means Day. The question is, what does day mean? Is it, as some say, the time
that divides the darkness, or is it the twenty four-hour periods that must be
dealt with every twenty-four hours? Is it the spiritual light shining from a
cosmic consciousness? Modern rune masters have brought up all of these points.
Why is day important enough to warrant a rune? Perhaps it is all of these
reasons.
Logically, day is the time you get things done. It is the time you
give yourself to accomplish your daily goals. It is more than just a date, such
as setting a goal. It is an allotted amount of minutes or hours you allow for
your work. The Norse and Germanic peoples were primarily hunters, farmers, and
fishermen. These crafts were really only able to be accomplished during the part
of the day when there was sunshine.
Therefore, the Dagaz rune is
representative of the personal time you give to accomplishing goals and work
schedules – no matter what the actual time of day.
The final rune is Othala.
This rune represents ancestral property, innate personal quality or a person’s
homeland. Because this rune was used to mark off a personal homestead, it is
also seen as a rune of boundaries.
Othala, found internally, is the areas of
life in which we feel most comfortable. To say you feel at home in a particular
endeavor is a good example of this. Conversely, to know where our boundaries are
in life is extremely important. This is not to say that we should not, at times,
push those boundaries for the sake of growth. However, it does allow us the
ability to make good judgement.
Othala is our home turf, whether this is
physically, emotionally, of spiritually. The areas are clearly marked and
defended with extreme vigor.
Now to recap the Third
Aett:
Tiwaz- is a rune of order, self sacrifice, stability, lawfulness and
courage.
Berkano- is the rune of “feminine energy.”
Ehwaz- is the rune
that shows the duality of man in his ability to deal with his world.
Mannaz-
represents the intelligence, memory, rationality and traditions of
humankind.
Laguz- represents not only the subconscious but also that which is
within it.
Ing- represents the very essence of creativity and the act of
creating.
Dagaz- is representative of the personal time you give to
accomplishing goals.
Othala- is our home turf, whether this is physically,
emotionally, of spiritually.