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Ravenari
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Post subject: Ravenari's Rune Files  Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:31 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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A Note on the Runes List
This runes list was written by myself. Some of the ideas contained within are completely my own, made through years of extensive and dedicated work with the runes. Other ideas are far more traditional and you will recognise some of the symbolism from Norse teachings. Yet other ideas come directly from my practices of Vilturj shamanism, and the symbolism of certain gods reflects this.
I am a rune-caster, and these days still learning so much about the runes that this list can never be truly 'complete.' I use this runes list as my own personal reference to build up a reading interpretation, and hope that others can use it as well.
This runes list is copyright under a Creative Commons licence, which essentially means that you may save, print and distribute these runes files as long as you are not making a profit off them. I also require that you credit 'Ravenari', or the address you go the file from. In addition, if you would like to recommend them and/or place them on a site, I would be absolutely honoured, and would love to know where they're going. So if you do wish to repost them, please let me know: ophelias_diary@hotmail.com
Last edited by Ravenari on Wed May 14, 2008 12:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: 01 - URUZ Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:33 am |
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Uruz (OO-ruz or OO-rooz) - (also known as: Ur, Uraz, Uroz, Urzhe, Uros)
Value - U and OO
Numeric Order - 1 or 2
Traditionally Represents - Chaos. Raw Power. Aurochs. Ajckonzi.
Represents - Physical health. Vitality. Strength. Endurance. Stability. Health. Knowledge. Courage. Przewalski's Horse. Ajckonzi.
'Urzhe has the greatest of horns
that brings the blood to the earth.
It boldly nourishes,
only the greatest spears can bring
its blood to the earth in turn.'
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Uruz is a raw energy, not that of the domestic cow, but that of the aurochs, fierce and vital. The stave itself actually symbolizes this great and extinct creature lowering its horns to take a revitalising drink, or graze from the earth. Uruz represents a raw, earthly, primordial and chaotic power. Aurochs were proud and strong creatures, known to take on wolf packs and defeat them in order to protect their herd. They were slightly smaller than the elephant; a giant and fierce cow with striking horns (as long as six feet). Aurochs hunting was often an initiatory rite of passage for men, and defeating and drawing this power within oneself represented the embodiment of Uruz, for one could only defeat the Aurochs if one could embody its chaotic nature.
Because Uruz is chaos, it represents freedom and freedom without limitations (which is by nature, chaotic). It is an outpouring of energy which is strengthening or greatly destructive, but always intensely powerful. Uruz is the energy of creation, it destroys weakness and fertilises all it touches, even if it needs to kill in the process. It is inexorable, and is the point of origin, and the point of end.
Uruz as a mystery rune, represents the primal cow, Adhumbhla in the Norse mythos. Adhumbhla is the mother of manifestation, she sustained the chaos giants (particularly Ymir) and represented the union of fire and ice, or energy and form. In Vilturj, Uruz represents Ajckonzi, the cave-dwelling and primal horse god, in charge of all men's mysteries. His horse was the small, wild przewalski's horse, and all other variations that are now extinct across Siberia and Russia. Ajckonzi, like Uruz, was a deeply intense and powerful god. He dwelled within caves, only venturing out in the form of horses, and disdained and reviled those who kept livestock and 'tamed' horses. He is the reminder of a time before agricultural society, when hunter-gatherers lived in close harmony with the earth, and in close harmony with the chaos of nature.
Uruz represents the element of earth. People often see the element earth as stable, but earth is intrinsically unstable. It is the force of earthquakes, tectonic collisions and is always moving. It is especially representative of the internal combination of earth and liquid fire, both forming and destroying. Uruz is literally revolutionary, and has the power to be 'world-shaping'. Uruz is also associated with nourishment, it is the life-force that keeps life sustained, it is the chaos which keeps order in check.
In readings Uruz often represents an occurrence of great power, and a time of rapid change and sudden evolution. It is characterised by manic energies which refuse to be calmed until they have been used. If it lies close to Haurgl, be prepared for a complete shattering of material and internal structures that you care for. If in close alliance with an upright Berkana, be wary of sex - since it can represent a time when even contraceptions will not hold.
The maleness often associated with Uruz often represents that a strong male figure may be present, male sexuality, and often rights of passage and initiation that may be fatal. If you are spiritual, Uruz can also represent times of initiation into mysteries, or times of connection with forbidding, merciless, and uncompromising gods.
Merk - Uruz as a Merk stave can represent a great many things, usually regarding weakness, misdirected chaos, great inconsistency, sickness and prejudice. It can also represent grave insomnia and the downward spiral of a chaotic breakdown (and the intrinsic power contained within the breakdown).
Uruz can also represent the feeling of falling to the earth, and knowing you're going to hit it hard. It can also represent the feeling of hitting something very solid. It is a battering of energy, one that is not pleasant and will sometimes cause ill health. Uruz reversed warns about rushing into things without thinking. It can also signify an abusive male and domestic violence. If in conjunction with Haurgl, it generally represents someone who is out of control, mental breakdown and disease, psychotic break, and violence with intent to cause harm.
In Ritual - Be extremely certain that you want to use this rune in ritual, its energies are virtually unstoppable. Therefore, if you can foresee that the results may not be what you want them to be, do not use this rune! Also, if you are prone to sleeplessness, do not use this rune, as it is rarely calming.
In spells Uruz can boost energy, and the sex drive. In conjunction with Berkana, it explodes fertile forces. It can speed up the results of spells, and can be a great catalyst when raising energy. It is not recommended for beginners.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: 02 - THURISAZ Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:36 am |
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Thurisaz (THER-i-sahz) - (also known as: Thurs, Thor, Thorn, Donar, Thur'r (goblin)
Value - TH or DTH or Þ
Numeric Order - 2 or 3
Traditionally Represents - Thorn. Thunder. War. That Which Opposes.
Represents - Thunder. Thorn. Lightning. Death. Phallus. Male fertility. Threat. Thor's Hammer. Fate. The Gate of Gold and Misfortune. The number 3. Yellow/Red. Goat. Power. Rowan. Thursday. Burdock. Cursed Women. Demons. Air. Giants. Hrum. Lesavny
'Thorn is the lightning that shatters
all, and opens wounds for illness.
Few are cheered by Hrum
but the warriors that thunder.'
OR
'Thorn strips the flesh from all
spears the babe in the womb
or to the village boundary protects.
Dweller in the rocks and trees.'
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Thurisaz has been known as 'the thorn that aggressively attacks.' It can be quite a vicious or malicious energy, and in Vilturj is represented by the thunder and lightning god Hrum. While often quite benevolent, this god is often overcome with tempers and violence, and can take joy in the pain of others. Thurisaz is also represented by the more malicious aspects of the forest god Lesavny, as well as the forces of his brambles, thorns and all parts of nature which tear out our physical boundaries.
The thorn rune represents a cursed woman and responds poorly to women medicine unless the woman in question has fully accepted her Animus, or masculine self. Once past the idea of the cursed woman, the thorn rune can actually be a rune of great defence, the thorn representing an outward threat to those who would try to breach one's defences.
The thorn can also be turned inward to wound. As such, the pain is a reminder to be alert and vigilant, and to never be complacent.
Thorn is sometimes thought as a creator of energy. Personally I find it not so much a creator of energy, but a conditioner of energy and a container for it. For there is space within it's 'thorn' on the stave to contain, and a point by which to expel. It's energy is cold and bright, and works well with Isa as a stabilising force. The thorn energy, as well as being cold and bright, is the most forceful and violent of all the runes. It is the sudden snap of the dead tree that will no longer stand upright, the crack of a whip, the crunch of jaws.
Thorn warns against hastily trying to grapple against a thorny branch, or the energies of a giant. It tells us to always scrutinise and to not - as the old adage states - take a bull by the horns.
Thorn, because of its phallic nature, carries with it the message of the spark of creativity, that which is contained and released in order to create a specific form of life. It is personified in intense erotic expression, the searing passion of a kiss, the sharp point of orgasm, the moment of ejaculation, or the fiery spark of conception, like lighting a match. This rune, if used carefully, is actually an effective aphrodisiac, though it should be balanced with a rune such as Berkana.
Much of what I have stated may seem negative on the surface, but Thorn is a rune of power, and as such its violence and suddenness may simply seem jarring in a world where we seek consistence and stability. Never fear, for where the thorn is present, there is always some form of rose.
Merk - The thorn as Merk is the dagger in one's back. It can represent betrayal and many forms of treachery, even theft from friends if associated with Fehu. It is defenselessness in the face of the power of a giant or the sting of a thorn. It can also come to represent hastiness without thinking, and a lack of mental awareness. In association with Uruz merked, or Oathola, it can represent amnesia and sometimes Alzheimers'. In general, a Merked thorn-rune is a sign of imminent danger.
In Ritual - Woman's Curses. In a meditation utilise the stave of Thurisaz like a laser beam, to coldly cut away that which is no longer needed. This stave echoes the energy of Loki and the Giants, or Lesavny and his k'acze (elves). Used by a skilled practicioner it can fine-tune the energies of many of the other runes. It can also be used as an aphrodisiac, especially when balanced with the healing and mothering energies of Berkana.
This energy is not of itself either good nor evil, but I will explicitly recommend that people mentally or psychologically (and physically) prepare themselves for working with this rune. Like Uruz, it (and much of the first aett) is NOT recommended for beginners.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:20 am |
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Anossa (Ah-NOSS-uh or Ah-NOAS-uh) - (also known as; Ass, Ace, Ansuz, Us, Oss (Norwegian and Icelandic), As, Os, Ossil, Aniss, Othil, Athil)
Value - Open to some controversy. Generally a sharp 'AH' or 'O' as in 'rock', but also; O as in 'boat'
Numeric Order - 3 or 4
Traditionally Represents - The Mouth-Piece. The Voice. Odin. The Word. Ash. Shaman (Oraite). Lesavny.
Represents - Odin. Wolf. Raven. Eagle. Horse. Snake. Dragon. Ash. Wednesday. Oats. Ash Wednesday. Kingship. Knowledge. Communication. Spoken/Written Word. Wisdom. Ostara. East. Easter. Breath. Well-Being. Word. Rising. Ash. Acceptance. Phoenix. Odinnic/Othinnic Self-Transformation. Intellect. The Shaman. Lesavny. Urt.
A scourge of illness
traps the barren families
but speaking, they go forth
into new cities, to celebrate the sun.
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Anossa is the mouth-piece, the valuable word, and the mouth that speaks the valuable word. For this reason the Anossa rune has come to symbolise the raven and the phoenix/firebird, who both acknowledge the power of the voice and language, and use it wisely. Anossa is the womb of the mouth, the mouth-womb, from it we give birth to words, ideas, and communicate the many mysteries of spirituality.
Anossa is mostly a joyful rune, it represents enthusiasm and inspiration, the rush of energy that one gets during a spiritual or creative 'growth spurt'. Anossa is the force behind suddenly wanting to go on holiday, or wanting to exercise, draw or work ritual.
Anossa as a teacher can teach you to accept what you have been rewarded with. You have earned it. The rewards may be positive or negative, and they always bring limitations. But with the limitations come new forms of freedom, and Anossa helps you to acknowledge where they lie. One of the keywords of Anossa is that of 'acceptance'.
Anossa represents the power of chanting, singing and basically word-power. People who have read The Wizard of Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin as an example, will understand what I mean. Anyone who uses words in ritual can definitely benefit by working closely with this rune. Understanding that every word you utter has power, and that every word needs to be measured with either intellect or emotion, or a good balance of both, begins to intimately change one's life and how you are viewed by others. Anossa is excellent for helping this transition. Remember, according to the runes, the originator of all speech was Odin, or the gods, and as such, everything you utter has the whisperings of Odin behind it. Will you use that power for good, ill, or not use it all and appear foolish?
In Vilturj, Anossa was also representative of the Urt, and the breath needed to carry the Urt back into the body. It is innately associated with healing the soul through the breath. It is also the breath that powers our voice. Because we consider breath to be divine (it contains the soul, and is intimately connected to it), the voice by nature is divine. We must be careful of how we waste our breath on useless words, Anossa in Vilturj can represent someone who either needs to learn how to pay more respect to their inner divinity through voice and breath, or someone who has the ability to teach others this respect.
Anossa in a casting can signify the arrival of a spiritual teacher. Anossa reminds one to listen and learn, but to also remember your free will and personal responsibilities. One can learn from Odin, but it is not wise to trust him, or to forget your own intuitions. It can also signify the power of speech and how it can conquer tyranny. It represents the freeing power of expressing one's spiritual force.
Merk - This rune can represent the presence of propaganda, or powerful use of language being used to lie and manipulate (just think, it's the inverted rune of George Bush, lol). It can also represent misunderstanding within a relationship (particularly when tied with runes like Berkana), and even flat out delusion, psychotic or drug-induced or otherwise. It almost always means that the communication channels have been 'screwed with', either deliberately, or accidentally, by either side.
Inverted Anossa can also represent the dangers of misusing language, and when combined with one of the 'younger' runes can come to represent plagiarism or flat out lying/exaggeration. It represents a heavy bias if people are trying to give you advice, it can even point out a lying, or unknowledgeable rune-caster when lying alongside a Merked Pertho! Though I don't recommend you go about accusing the person in front of you unless you're very experienced. Anossa inverted can also represent a stifling or suffocation of existing intellect, either because of health reasons, or mental reasons.
In Ritual - In ritual, this rune is excellent for both receiving and conducting and sending energies, it is an excellent conduit. Scratched into a quartz point, particularly on wands, adds a fair bit of power to the workings and to the tools. It can also be used for all forms of breath work, acknowledgement of sacred breath and word magic.
When working with healing energies, Anossa works best if the sick or dis-eased client has the rune drawn upon them. Anossa is also a good protective rune for those who work their magic conscientiously. It tends to work best in association with violet.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:23 am |
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Raedjaz (RAIDE-yaz) - (also known as; Rad, Reid, Rei, Raedo, Raed, Raid, Rit, Raido, Rita, Rito, Rede)
Value - R or RH (a more breathy R, less guttural) or URR (guttural)
Numeric Order - 4 (often 5)
Traditionally Represents - Riding. Movement. Justice. 'The Way Things Are Meant To Be.'
Represents - Hel. Loki. Red Rooster. Coltsfoot. Ride. Motion. Journey. Running. Movement. Elder (tree). Speed. Freajr. Nerthus. Oak. Horses. Feet. Legs. Family. Friends. Rhythm. Shaman's Drum. Wheel. Red. Cosmic Law. Travel (inner and outer).
The hidden glory of the deer and horse
that when ridden by the sun-warrior
finds the paths of truth,
the golden way home.
- Vilturj rune poem.
Raedjaz is the riding rune, and the rune of movement, journeys and the fact that the destination IS the journey and the journey IS the destination. It is also about recognising that any flaws or mistakes along this journey are a necessary part of it, and must either be ignored, forgiven or loved. As such, Raedjaz is a family rune (huh? How'd she make that connection?). There are many people along our journey and ALL of them are flawed. In the beginning of the ride of our lives, we are surrounded by family who are hard to accept for many reasons, many flaws. Raedjaz is the rune which encourages us to forgive, accept, or learn, and continue on our journey rather than get stuck in a rut, making up some distant destination that never existed. Raedjaz is also, oddly, a rune of independence, reminding us that we cannot depend on any one thing precisely because it is, or they are flawed. It warns against co-dependence.
Raedjaz also tells us to know our own limitations and flaws, and to recognise them. It can sometimes occur in a reading to show that we're about to learn from our flaws whether we like it or not. We cannot run at a gallop if we have only two legs, we cannot run like a human if we have four. Flaws are not necessarily negative, merely that which reshapes us into accepting ourselves and our limitations.
Raedjaz aspires towards the righteousness of forgiveness and acceptance. It is the journey of human growth and the growth of the ego (though to be fair, it's also the plain ol' rune for plain' ol journeys that involve walking to the plain ol' deli for some milk. Lol). If you are a person who identifies quite strongly with Raedjaz, you are a person with high integrity.
Raedjaz is the beat of the shaman's drum that both sends you and contains you on journey's to the spirit journey. It is also the force which helps you there and helps you back. All forms of spiritual travel first and foremost are the domain of Raedjaz, who is a responsible, eager mare, enjoying the gallop as much as the idea of stopping at any destination.
Raedjaz, with its very humanising aspects is also about the giving of good advice, and of staying rational. It is about righteousness and justice, and represents controlled growth, imagine the gardener who prunes the vine and then arranges it around a lattice to create a profuse blaze of verdant colour and foliage, Raedjaz is that organising force.
Merk - Merked, Raedjaz represents rigidity, a lack of acceptance, inability to forgive, irrationality, crisis, stasis, stagnancy, bad advice, violence, mutancy because of malnutrition (Merked Raedjaz is very common when pointing out people on unhealthy crash diets), sluggishness, lack of safety when traveling, poor timing, unwelcome company, breakdowns, delays, missing deadlines. Phew! Such a positive rune is quite negative when Merked.
Firstly, Raedjaz merked is a sign of negativity whilst journeying. This can include the inability to see past obstacles or navigate around them, perhaps you're moving too slowly or too quickly, perhaps you've stopped completely and you're not moving at all, spiritually or physically.
On the more practical 'present' level, Raedjaz signals car breakdowns, breakdowns of machinery causing missed deadlines, delays, problems with travelling, lateness, unwelcome company, friends giving bad advice and people acting irrationally around you. It can also represent a friend who simply refuses to forgive you, or you refusing to forgive a friend. The other runes around Raedjaz will indicate the direction with which this energy is moving.
In Ritual - In ritual, Raedjaz is actually quite good for healing friendships based on flaws within each person, and also for helping out with relationships. It works particularly well between two people who have been significantly involved in each other's journey for some time.
The astral colours or colours that tend to correspond with Raedjaz are all the warm tones, the tones that 'move' quite fast on a vibrational scale. So we're talking reds, oranges, yellows and even whites. In meditation and ritual this rune is good for accessing hidden mystery knowledge within yourself, and for protecting you or nurturing you on the journey of learning. It is also a great rune for any talismans or rituals that will protect you whilst traveling. It is a good rune to meditate on whilst bashing that immanent rhythm out on the shaman's drum.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:31 am |
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Kenaz (KEN - ahz) - (also known as - Cen, Ken, Kenniz, Ka, Kunst, Kunno, Kaun, Kun, Kano)
Value - K or CH or G or CK or KA (generally K though, lol)
Numeric Order - 5 or 6
Traditionally Represents - Change. Capability. Creativity. Torch. Candle. Cancer. Sex.
Represents - Loki. Spruce. Wormwood. Worm. Wyrm. Change. Soul-light. Creativity. Torch. Sexuality. Sickness. Cancer. Inflammation. Ulcer. Heat. Passion. Artistry. Pine. Zirczekaja.
The man that hurts me
consumes himself and ends
pyre-struck and heart-sick.
I am the burning torch
and the last dancing wolf.
Vilturj Rune Poem
Kenaz, or Ken, is seen as the shaman's rune, or the rune of the shaman's magic. It is the rune which both heals and brings sickness, and the Scandinavian shamans of old were known to do both according to what the spirits, and the people required. Kenaz is a 'higher mystery' rune, and it is a good rune to meditate on during thunder journeys. Historically, or mythologically, Kenaz represents Odin's ordeal between the two fires in Grimnismal. Kenaz has a double meaning according to culture, so much that they have often been hard to reconcile. In Scandinavia 'Kenaz' was thought to mean Cancer or Inflammation. In the Norse Futarc 'Kenaz' meant Light or Passion. In Vilturj, Kenaz is complicated, and encompasses many meanings, including the wiry strength of the underworld god Zirczekaja. Meditating on this shape will bring its meaning closer to you.
I tend to work with three different meanings for Kenaz. The first is the idea of Kenaz as the light or flame of sexuality. This is the one definition which seems to reconcile the passion of the Norse word with the inflammation of the Scandinavian. Passion and unification of the body parts leads to blood rushing to erogenous zones whilst the sacred inner sparks of fire pool and flow. Upright this rune tends to suggest peaking times of sexual energy, and suggest that these particular times are good specifically for sexual healing. This relates back to the Vilturj god, Zirczekaja, who is seen as a dangerous god personified as a wiry youth. He is extraordinarily sexual in nature, in the same way that an adolescent male can sometimes be considered insatiable. His energy inspires sexual union, sometimes devoid of sensuality.
The second meaning is the idea of Kenaz as the inner light, or the torch that is held aloft. This is the most common interpretation (probably because it's the most 'positive' and therefore the most 'fluffy' but I'll let you decide). This torch light was all forms of fertility, particularly the fertility of the artist, as such this rune has been associated with the Celtic deity Bride. This is the Rune of Art, and a good patron rune or rune to use in a 'bind-rune' for artists and those who are creative.
Kenaz, as well as being the rune of art, is also the rune of the noble. It is a flashing torch-fire, respected and heroic. Therefore this rune is the patron rune also of heroes and brave kings. It is associated with the highest and best of society.
The third meaning was that of cancer, ulceration and inflammation, and certainly Merked this rune can predict these things. It tends to show a peaking of the body's energies in areas of functional sickness (if one believes that ALL sickness is functional), and therefore suggests that we are not actually consistently paying attention to ourselves, rather paying attention to the symptoms - such as the illness - rather than the cause of the illness at its root. In a community setting it represents a flaring up or burning up of the community, working itself into a fever in order to 'cleanse' the toxins of society. It can also represent a massive communal burning out, so that society can recharge, or if necessary; die.
Kenaz can be seen as a feminine energy, the anima in all of us. It says that our internal light, our internal fertility and our internal soul are our highest possessions. It suggests the imperative of protecting the family, or that which belongs to our 'grove of trees' regardless of whether the family is being threatened or not.
Merk - Merked, this rune tends to represent sickness and illness, particularly the types of sickness that we do not learn from, or will continue not to learn from. It can represent artist's or writer's block and general burnout that leads to illness. It is the spreading of oneself too thin. Merk Kenaz can represent the decay or breakup of a long-cherished relationship, and the decay of the body. It is dissolution of that which we do not want to be dissolved. It can in extreme cases (particularly when combined with Merked Haurgl) represent sudden death, particularly from terminal illness, or illness.
In Ritual - In ritual this rune is associated with the scent of sulfur and the colour of white and creamy white. In meditation it can be used to uplift the soul, and to realise the reasons behind all functional illness, from a broken arm to cancer. It is great as a support during creative ritual, particularly ones for those who work in areas of artistry.
This rune tends to be associated with all forms of shield-work, particularly those where malevolent energies are reflected back to the one who created them or generated them. Kenaz is associated with a magical fire or projection that deceives others and gets you what you want. In a way, it's function is like that of sickness. Whilst we have a cold, we project inability onto others so that they'll leave us alone, and we use the time to get what we want and need. It is the body's form of deception. Kenaz reflects this. It can be used to strengthen shields and charge them with a very strong energy.
This rune is also specifically employed for all post-death ritual, and all ritual associated with fire that is necessary, such as need-fires, fires of vigilance, fires of cremation.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:33 am |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
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Geafu (Ghee-FOO) - (also known as; Gibor, Gibo, Giba, Gebo, Gifu, Gyfu, Gefu, Giefu, Geba, Geafurzhe (Vilturj), Gigeur, Gigas, Gifa, Gi, Ge, Gea, Geo, Geburah, Geuua, Giuua)
Value - G
Numeric Order - 6 (often 7, sometimes 18)
Traditional Representation - A Gift For A Gift. Odin. Generosity. Grace. The Act of Giving.
Represents - Gift. Reward. Balance. Odin. Earth. Death. Female. Male. Sperm. Ova. Blood. Blot. God. The Swastika. Eternal Love. Rebirth. Geburah (From the Kabbalistic Tree of Life). Generosity. Grace. A Gift for a Gift. Karijiana and D'miezak'r (the union of Sun and Moon).
The earth bled and man came forth
the woman bled and life came forth
a gift for the greatest of gifts
the endless sacrifice.
Vilturj Rune Poem
The Geafu rune can only truly be known by Odin, and like Pertho, resists many forms of interpretation. That said however there is a wealth of information on the Geafu, or 'gift' rune. It is the gifts that Odin bestows upon the earth, and it is in turn the gifts that the earth bestows upon Odin. It is the idea of sacrificing in order to receive, to sow in order to reap, and to reap in order to sow, to receive in order to sacrifice. For this reason, Geafu and Fehu are quite intimately related with ideas of balance, and often, wealth. Yet Geafu also represents Gigur, the gift-destroying frost giant who was death before rebirth, or the flames that would incinerate the phoenix. It is the transition between the receiving and the giving.
Geafu represents skaldic music, and the idea of song (generally represented primarily with the fiddle). The fiddle and the flute were instruments of spiritual awakening, and so connected with rebirth. Their music enticed in people all manner of emotions, and often were the spiritual thread behind many told tales, the fyr (or love) behind the words and syllables (they were eventually banned by the church).
Geafu was symbolic of many ancient Germanic and proto-Germanic customs. Such as the King giving his followers rewards of treasure. The exchange of gifts between bride and groom. The return of food for food, and trade for trade. There is implicit importance in giving gifts back to the gods, and one's friends, for the gifts they give to you. One must understand that these gifts need not be expensive or extravagant, but they must come from the heart, and have meaning and intent behind them. This gift caused a Maegerr, or a link of energy between the two souls. Giving gifts back to the gods therefore, strengthened the Maegerr. Failure to gift, means a loss of the Maegerr, which could mean a lack of food in the winter, a lack of metal for trade.
Geafu is an old rune, an 'elder' rune. It is spirituality rather than religion, it is goodness rather than forced grace. It is the rune which also demands, no, expects blood sacrifice in exchange for gifts from the gods. It is the rune which oversees and lends its energy to the blooding of runes and other sacred objects, and the blooding of animals.
Geafu is a path to happiness, and suggests, at number six, that one must pass the stage of functional illness and suffering (Kenaz), in order to realise that nature is often being a generous teacher in lending its illness to you, and to discover happiness even when it may be impossible to see how any given situation could at all be positive.
Because of its implicit connections with giving and bonding, this is a rune that also tends to represent the healing of personal relationships. It is about all forms of partnership, with Fehu it is a positive business partnership, with Berkana, a positive parent/child relationship and so on.
In a reading, Geafu indicates that the time of sacrifice has come. It can represent a time of contracts, where you commit yourself and sacrifice time for a reward. It is a time to be generous, not only to others but to yourself, and trust that by being generous, generosity will be forthcoming. It also represents the cycles of time, and how time is marked by acts of love.
Merk - Merked this stave generally represents little reward in return for your efforts, and often it signifies greed, or expecting more than you actually need. Geafu merked is stinginess, selfish materialism, greed, pushing others away to benefit yourself, loneliness, severance of partnerships, and acts of hatred. It can also represent being overtly material, and being unable to recognise the gifts you are being given, because they may not be material.
Much of what a merked-Geafu means is worked out according to how it lies in appearance with the other runes. Fehu indicates materialism. Berkana indicates a dissolving of friendships. Isa indicates hoarding to the point of stagnation of wealth. Haurgl indicates catastrophe because of such greed or materialism. It can also be profoundly influenced whether the surrounding runes are upright or merked. Time and practice will reveal more of the meanings of merked-Geafu to you, which are certainly rich and many in this Capitalist world.
In Ritual - In ritual, this rune is fantastic for balancing sacrifice, and during meditation can suggest the best ways to 'gift' yourself to others, and show you how others, and the earth, is 'gifting' itself to you on a regular basis. You may have lost sight of this. Geafu is also good for strengthening known relationships, particularly if both are present during the ritual working. It aids partnership with the higher self and so vibrates well to the crown chakra, as well as the chakra at the base of the spine (always forget the name of this one). It vibrates astrally to the colours white, blue, pink and other pastel tones.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 7:41 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
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Wynjara (WIN - ya - rah) - Also known as Wunjo, Wynja, Wynjo, Wynn, Winja, Vend, Uuine
Value - W (or V)
Numeric Order - 7 or 8
Traditionally Represents - Glory. Joy. Pleasure. Winning. Triumph.
Represents - Spiritual Reward. Glory. Triumph. Laughter. Good Family and Friend Relationships. Cohesion. General Well-Being. Well-Being in the Home. B'gar'da (Vilturj hearth god, or 'Fire')
No suffering, no anxiety, no sorrow
for the blissful, happy, prosperous man
who enjoys his house, enough for him.
Vilturj Rune Poem.
Wynjara, derived from the word Wen, actually means 'to strive for'. With the name lengthened it tends to reach the culmination of what one strives for, or the end of desire, the meeting of desires, and the causation of happiness and joy. It also tends to indicate the presence of positive thinking, general well-being, enthusiasm and good family relationships. Wynjara stresses the importance of striving to achieve joy, and realising that it is not something that comes from nothing, but rather comes from effort and grace.
Wynjara is also essentially understood as the pleasure and pride to be gained in possession. The possession of a good house, of enough wealth to live comfortably, can create a sense of immeasurable comfort, particularly to those who have lived through hard times before, and can appreciate how a humble, clean abode and money to buy meat, vegetables and water can create a sense of self-satisfaction and joy that is rarely achieved elsewhere in life. The emphasis in the rune poem, is on the man who owns his home 'enough for him', it does not need to be a mansion, it just needs to serve his needs. This creation of a niche which is self-sustaining and cohesive creates joy, and sustains all types of relationships.
This rune of glory can also be seen as a the rune of reaping, and shares close ties with Geafu. We give to others, and in turn receive joy and in a sense, glory. There is a strong sense of pride and humility that run concurrent with this rune. Being proud of oneself but also knowing that there is often a time when pride needs to sit on the bench and wait while hard work is placed into the equation.
Often a spiritual neophyte (or any spiritual person) puts in a great deal of work to reach the next spiritual plateau, where wisdom is gained and forms of enlightenment are reached. The moment of wisdom, the flash of insight, and the joy of making it across an old plateau, is a Wynjara feeling. There is a time where one must rest before starting to put in hard work again, and simply savour the end result of their journey. It is sitting on the mountain top, enjoying the view, knowing that it was your hard work and the grace of the mountain which got you there, and enjoying the glory of knowing that you triumphed the personal obstacle. Of course, going down the mountain will also be hard, but the view must be savoured, and Wynjara demands that the joy must be felt, and needs to be felt. It is an important part of life to do so.
In a reading, Wynjara represents good times ahead, or good times in the present. The hard work has been put in, the hard times have been experienced. Wynjara now indicates comfort, happiness, joy and a meeting of needs on a material and spiritual level. It represents the gaining of wisdom, and the joy that can come with 'learning a lesson.'
Merk - Merked, Wynjara tends to represent the deep sorrow that lies in the chasms between experiences of joy. It can represent the feeling of being ostracised and alienated, and the devastating pain that accompanies this, so intense it can genuinely kill a child. It is the sense of losing, but not in the 'oh isn't it terrible that I didn't get first in line', but in the loss of the soul, part of the soul, or flesh family/ancestors. Merked Wynjara can sometimes represent a loss of the soul due to grief or sickness, and that a healing may need to be done to retrieve the missing part of the soul.
Merked Wynjara can represent depression, suicidal preoccupation, and a general occupation on negative thoughts which are destructive. With a Merked Iorija, watch out for suicida. With an upright Iorija, watch out for suicide attempts and self-harm and mutilation.
Additionally, a Merked Wynjara can represent abuse of drugs which generally give a feeling of happiness. It can suggest the deranged delirium, or runaway joy which eventually poisons the querent and suggests detrimental hyperactivity. It can represent the manic side of bipolar disorder, and its inherent destructiveness and its ability to not only cause alienation of the querent in society, but also in relation to the self and the soul. There are many drugs which are purported to cause happiness which also cause intoxication and can lead to disease and death. Alcohol, ecstacy and heroine are examples of these drugs.
Wynjara can also mean that such 'going over the top' can also lead to frenzy and insanity. It literally represents the damage of 'too much of a good thing.'
In Ritual - One of the few runes which is actually a good beginner's rune in spellwork, particularly when working to strengthen family and friendships. It can be meditated on in conjunction with a particular person to understand or help understand why a certain relationship isn't working out, and perhaps the steps that can be taken to reinforce it. It is in this way that Wynjara is a good rune for eliminating a feeling of loneliness or isolation, or if in times of actual isolation, creating a friend, or a source of friendship during the 'down times.'
Wynjara is a good rune for understanding how people believe different things, and what they may be thinking. It helps you to understand what it might be like to be another person you are close to (or wish to understand better), for a certain amount of time.
Wynjara can be used as a 'vessel' to contain energies. It is thought that it contains a strong amount of energy in the drawing itself (though that implies that the letter P holds a fair amount of power), but otherwise this is an excellent 'container', and therefore makes a good talisman to remind us that positive thinking, though sometimes tiresome or inappropriate, has it's place, and is important in our journey to achieving joy.
It is not recommended that you work overly much with Wynjara during times when you're particularly joyful, as you could be summoning too much of a good thing, or that it may turn sour.
This rune can be used effectively for advanced gramarye work.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 7:42 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Haurgl (HORE-gl) - (also known as: Hagal, Hagall, Hagalaz, Hagaloz, Haegl, Hagl, Hagel, Haghall)
Value - H (hard), CH (velar as in the 'Loch'), CH (as in German 'ich')
Numeric Order - 8 or 7
Traditionally Represents - Hail. Change
Represents - Transformation. Growth. Creation. Universe. All-Hedge. Gods. Christ. Othinn. All-Mother. Cailleach. Destruction. Hail. Change. Explosion. Active. Ever-Moving. Vavale. Kaczal'cze (God of hail)
The village blazes furiously
over the prisoners.
So furiously that I cannot save it.
Then the hail.
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Haurgl is the hail rune. In fact, the name literally translates as 'hail' (Old English Haegl, Icelandic Hagall). Haurgl is known as the All-Raune, or the all-rune. In its traditional representation it had six external points, much like a hexiform crystal. It is a good conductor, and often empowers the runes that are around it. If Haurgl actually touches another rune, it lends it an explosive and sometimes destructive energy. Whereas Isa is stable, Haurgl is active, and its energy is ever moving.
Hail has been described in the ancient poems as 'the whitest corn', the hard food which melts and waters the soil, but can also destroy that which lives on the soil. In fact, it is for this reason I believe that the ancient Icelandic poem states that 'hail is the coldest of corns.' It can certainly bring life in the form of water which melts, but it commonly can bring death.
Haurgl ends the first Aett and begins the second Aett, and is the bridge between the worlds. Represented by either fog or a rainbow after a storm. Haurgl is change, the act of one matter turning into something else (in this case, ice into water and then into life). Because of the association with hail, which is often quite a violent force, Haurgl can portend or suggest a time of crisis that leads to transformation. It can also be a good rune in a controlled crisis. So not only does Haurgl bring the force of crisis behind it, more importantly, it brings the assurance that the ice will eventually melt into water, inner harmony WILL be forthcoming. This in mind, Haurgl can also represent completion.
Haurgl is aware and alert, it surrounds and destroys, and also reminds us that we have the internal power to bring disaster to other's lives, even if we have the intention in the long run to heal. It represents introspection and introversion, locking ourselves within ourselves to the point where all our good intentions destroy the results that others have worked hard to bring about. It's not so much raining on someone else's parade, but hailing on it.
Let's look at the hail aspect some more. Hail as an aspect of weather energy represents the need for dark forces, and destructive forces. Hail is often unexpected, destructive for a short amount of time, and then it's gone, leaving behind its fecund water and ionised dirt. Haurgl is the seed of change, the catalyst - good or bad - forcing one to actually change, move on, or transform. It is when the storm of your life becomes forceful and powerfully kicks you up the backside. 'Get a move on' Haurgl says, 're-sow those seeds, look to another project, don't give up.'
Finally, a personal note. Haurgl's meanings, like it's energy, are transient. Many people develop highly personalised meanings after coming in contact with this rune. Remember that the overall power of this rune is not wrathful or malicious, and that whatever change it brings is natural.
Merk - This rune has a few meanings Merked. Firstly, it represents catastrophe and destruction, or change for the worse. It can also represent stagnation, preventing any metaphorical matter within (such as hail) from melting, means that the destruction Haurgl brings stays, but no positives come of the bruising force of the hail. This destruction can also indicate a loss of power, and a loss of prosperity.
Haurgl can also represent destruction just before completion, or just before you are about to reap the rewards of hard work. Though it IS fertilising, it will make you wait longer to once again reap rewards. In a way, Haurgl is disaster, frightening and sudden.
In Ritual - This rune is one of the few that is NOT to be messed with. Employing it in spellwork can lead to chaotic, catastrophic or disastrous results (encouraging huh?). However, if you want to meditate on this symbol, pay special attention to fostering a deep breathing technique that really slows down your brain waves and heart beat. As you breathe out you can say 'haaaaaaaaaaaa' if you like, deeply and calmly. Deep concentration on this rune allows astral travel or astral perception and heightens our awareness of crown chakra based experience. The smell associated with this rune is sulfur. The colour is an indigo blue, or a painful glaring white.
For advanced workers, this is a fantastic banishing rune, and enables focus. It also bridges and provides links between opposing points of view.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:39 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
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Nauthija (NEE - thee - ya) - Also known as Naud, Nauthiz, Naudhr, Nyd, Naut, Nad, Nod, Neid, Nied, Naudiz, Nit, Not, Nauthur, Nauthrz (alternative Vilturr pron.)
Value - N
Numeric Order - 9 (usually 10)
Traditionally Represents - Need
Represents - Need. Norns. Crisis. Crow. Vulture. Raven. Spider. Ash. Alder. Willow. Elm. Black Horse. Dandelion. Nettle. Raspberry. Strawberry. Initiation. Testing. Need-Fires. Beech. Pig. Baba Yaga and in turn, Vavale. Vasilia, the Maiden, in her need state.
The bond-maid grieves,
far from home,
a state of oppression
oh the toilsome work.
- Vilturj Rune Poem.
Nauthija is primarily the rune of fundamental need. In a situation where your life, spirituality or personality is threatened with the resistance of fate and the Norns, Nauthija encourages you to innovate and create until you meet your needs. If you do not act, then it was not a need in the first place. Nauthija is the rune that inspires hostages to find means of escape when there was thought to be none. It is the rune that gives courage to the initiate to complete the initiation. It makes one force themselves to work mundane jobs in order to receive the money that will keep them alive. It is a primordial force, complex and intense, and one that is not easy to voluntarily call up.
Nauthija says 'you are between a rock and hard place, so instead of going forward or backwards, go sideways, you'll find your way one day.' Nauthija can also say 'a rock and a hard place make an excellent brace so that you can climb your way to the top and get what you need.' It's message however brings with it hope, fear and desperation. It comes for a reason and with it brings the negative and positive connotations of the carrion bird - Vulture, and the death bird - Raven. After all, if the Norns are messing with your life, chances are, you're going to need all the Nauthija you can get.
Nauthija can be the rune that reminds you that you need to stay in oppressive circumstances in order to acquire the funds you need in order to get the lifestyle you need. It is the rune of social, political, local and spiritual oppression. There are Vilturj exercises of repetitive toil that are torturous and mind-numbing, but also needful and an expression of one's fate. The Shaolin monk, in order to complete his training, must go through incredibly taxing, repetitive work in order to be able to free his soul and his body, though it may take years to realise.
This rune has an important lesson to teach to spiritual beginners, and that is 'stick with something until you learn it.' One of the most frustrating lessons that the seeker, beginner and learner must learn is that it doesn't matter how interesting everything else looks, you MUST stay with something for a certain time until it becomes boring and tedious, to learn something needful. If this rune is drawn by a person who likes picking up new hobbies all the time, or can never finish anything or learn anything adequately, this rune is a bash on the head, and reminds you that if you don't persevere and stick with the unpleasantness, the Norns will find a more painful way of teaching you.
The shape of the rune is that of a straight line, crossed with an angular line, it represents the potential to move on despite the obstacle in front of us (the angular line). It also represents a crossroads, and the ability to follow the obstacle onto another path which will fulfil its own needs over time.
Nauthija is also the rune of self-initiated change, brought about by a kindling of the need-fire within. When presented with difficult times we often have many (all unpleasant) choices, the bravest and riskiest of changes are often the hardest, but also the ones that meet most of our needs. There comes a time when you need to stick with something, or stop something that supported you, in order to move on, and pass the tests that are presented to you. Remember, life presents you with a lot of initiations, most of these are acknowledged in a way by friends, family and co-workers, consider the ritual of the birthday and the new year. Both of these represent an acknowledgement that one has survived another year, met needs and will move on with a high head to the next initiation. However, there are also the initiations we meet ourselves, privately, where the only others who share our experience are the gods and spirits. These initiations are often failed, sometimes we can see this when someone commits suicide, or walks almost willingly down the path of the abyss. Passing these spiritual initiations of the soul bring us to new places where we meet the needs of our soul, and tell the Norns that we can meet their challenges, and accept our fates.
Nauthija also represents times of intense distress. Those times when we feel a tightness upon our chest, a constriction of breathing because fear overcomes us. Being taken hostage, being robbed or mugged, realising that your house has been burgled or car stolen, can prompt us to better secure ourselves and our territories. This feeling is also one that sometimes is quieter, a little niggling worry telling us to get our vertigo checked out, or telling us that maybe we should get that mole on our arm checked out. Nauthija says if you act on a need sooner rather than later, you may stop illness, injury or atrophy.
Nauthija is the determination of a POW not to let go of his or her integrity even though they know they will be tortured to death. It is still struggling to enjoy life when cancer has turned on you. It is the desperation in not giving up. The Holocaust was a place of Nauthija. Abu Ghraib is a place of Nauthija. These places represent severity and there is no glory in this rune, only the need to hang on while the Norns deal their severe blows.
Nauthija and Haurgl are partnered. There is a need for the destructiveness of Haurgl (hail) and there is, unfortunately for us, a need for terror, destruction, slavery and oppression.
Nauthija represents raw sexuality, the combustible spark which overcomes us and demands physical satisfaction. Why sometimes you find yourself needing the peak of orgasm, or physical contact. Nauthija is never sensual, it is never gentle, it is fast and consumes like a lightning bolt. It is also the raw agony of being separated from someone you love, a lover abroad, or a daughter or son on holiday. This need drives the frenzy of hugs and kisses that often happen before and after departure and leaving. In that sense, Nauthija is also the rune of raw grief, though sadness and grief is usually covered more thoroughly by other runes.
Merk - This rune Merked tends to represent a long, hard drudge through time for very poor or few rewards that barely meet one's needs. It is often a stark warning, 'get out of the lifestyle you live, NOW.' It can warn of hostilities around a person, or people that wish to make the client or rune-worker a slave to their needs. Yet oddly it also warns of taking the easy way out, which is a slave's way of itself
I won't go into too much more detail here, as the rune often acts with very negative as well as positive implications anyway.
In Ritual - Well, firstly, it's worth knowing that this rune has a long history of being employed in curses, and if you lean that way, and wish to bring terrible hardship upon anyone, this is the rune for you. However, it's a hard energy to summon, and simply drawing it on a black candle will not be productive. Secondly, Nauthija has many good sides which can be employed by the person who works with energy. Firstly, it is excellent as a strengthener for those in really oppressive situations. Those with terminal cancer, those with HIV, who seem to be in 'lost situations' or who fight for 'lost causes' are really aided by this rune, and find much innovation and creativity, as well as a sense of comfort and acceptance from its strength.
Nauthija can also be used to help one find the strength within in order to complete a hard project, so for those who have burned out before their end of year highschool, college and university exams, this is also an excellent rune. It fortifies those who are sick of the toil of study, and reminds one that there will be rewards for patience.
Nauthija has been reputed to have been used for divination and protection, but I tend to find it fairly worthless when used for these purposes. I would like it if someone could let me know how they go with this.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:42 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Isa (EES - ah) - Also known as Iss, Iza, Issa, Isse, Is, Eis
Value - EE however, phonetically Isa my represent EE, Y, J or I and even R (though the use of Isa in this form has largely been abandoned).
Numeric Order - 10
Traditionally Represents - Stillness
Represents - Hardness. Ice. Pursuit. Repentance. Skadi. Guilt. Arctic Fox. Polar Bear. Ptarmigan. Snow Hare. Yew. Juniper. Mugwort. The Middle Earth. Scandinavia. R'skjana (snow goddess in Vilturj). D'miezak'r and Karijiana (Moon and Sun).
'The bark of the rivers,
Sharp rain thorn
Destroys the doomed
But flat and fair
Is but a sweet view of life.'
- Vilturj Rune Poem.
This rune is very close to the gods. In Scandinavia, where the sun is represented by woman and the moon by man, ice is seen as the partnership between the two. Ice is the primordial partnering of the female, who was hidden, and provided light only a small amount of the year. Mani, the moon, lit the ice boldly at night-time, and provided more light than his female counterpart. Ice represented the Thurses, the sexless ice giants who were destructive, asexual and bloody dangerous.
The easiest to carve, but perhaps one of the most complex runes in the traditional Uthark (aren't they all?). Isa, or the ice rune, most easily identifies with the word that it represents, the cold hardness of frozen water, and it's ability to stay frozen for a long time. Isa represents frustration, challenges, psychological blocks, grievances, forced or voluntary stillness, and of course a chance to turn inward if we take it. Isa teaches us not to rail against the stillness which must make itself present from time to time.
On this planet we live in constant threat of ice age, and even now as glaciers move ever closer we skirt a smaller age of increased ice. Ice never truly leaves our planets, or our ice caps. It is crucial to our survival, yet can be detrimental in the form of hail stones, and frost. Even winter and the larger threat of an ice age to Europe and Russia is frightening and of course - very real. Ice moves for us and against us. It is an implacable force, and we both rail against it, and see its beauty in a frozen river or lake - when it is convenient for us to do so.
Isa can be seen as a stave of repentance from guilt and from guilt imagined. It is therefore also the stave of pursuit. This stave will bring events from your past to haunt you, and lets those skeletons in the closet give you all the nightmares that you can bear, fringing your mind like sharp icicles. This stave therefore not only teaches one to see the past, but to look closer and understand the reasons for events and for personal feelings.
Isa encourages you not only to see the snow, but to 'feel' for the deep drifts which are potentially dangerous. It encourages you to pay attention to the icicles of negative memory, and hold the warming light of scrutiny to them. However should you fail, Isa represents enough of stagnancy to keep following you around. Cast Isa once, and there is a high chance that you may cast it again for years to come.
The texture of Isa, and even the sharp shape of the rune are quite important. Ice is more than capable of drawing blood, and causing slips, breaks and dislocations. It may be a time of physical injury, or recovery from physical injury. If Isa has fallen in conjunction with a thought rune or memory rune, you may find that it is your mind that has fallen, or is injured.
Isa is coldly seductive. It forms quietly upon surfaces, rendering them thralled by its chill. It is the traits of seduction in a person who has no intention of starting a long-term relationship, or who seduces for the physical pleasure of sex, and nothing more. This 'seductive' nature of Isa is well reflected in its Merk or negative qualities.
Isa is quite famously known for representing the frozen or static nature of ice. I have always found this interesting, for though ice may appear still, it is never truly static. Glaciers three kilometers thick have been known to move at one hundred and twenty metres a year. Icicles melt. Ice sheets grow and break apart. Icebergs melt, merge, grow and crumble. There is actually no such thing as a truly static state. Isa then, is the slowness and frustration you feel when you know that you may be going forward, but far too slowly for it to be recognisable.
When casting Isa, you are drawing the glacier and the icicle into your life. Sure, they will move and change, but you can't control the weather in your life, and it's the weather which causes ice in the first place. The helplessness your personality feels at the presence of Isa, is also a helplessness which will free your inner soul, and get you back on the right path. Isa may be frustrating, it may be frozen and cold, but it knows what it's doing.
Oh, on a less wonderful note (because it's Isa after all) Isa in a casting can represent the cooling off of a relationship and the cooling off of friendship.
In a casting this rune will strengthen the runes around it. For me it imparts the message 'railing against any of these meanings is useless, they are all glaciers falling upon you when I am near them.'
Merk - Isa doesn't really lie reversed (unless you personally paint or carve it so that you can tell the difference) but does lie in opposition. This is the closest Isa becomes to a Merk-stave.
Isa, being a seductive rune, is the rune of poison, betrayal, lies and deception. Oh what fun! Not only that, but the rune can imply this at any point, because it can never truly lie 'right way up.' Therefore whilst you are being cautioned against physical injury, you are also asked to watch out for deception and betrayal, watch out for the poisons of others, and watch out for the poisons within yourself. Isa freezes your intuition and can leave you open for others to 'get' you. Isa however also freezes your ego, leaving you free to find the source of the poisons within you, and to expel them.
Isa can also represent great egotism, either around you (therefore preventing your realization of your inner voice), or more likely, within you. Ice warns that it is more than happy to trip you up, injure you or make you slip on your ass to get your ego to sit down, shut up and pay attention.
In Ritual - In ritual, Isa can impart a lot of power to those who would seek to understand it, but not manipulate it. It gives you the power to freeze the forces in your life that are moving too quickly, or to even 'freeze' memories and thoughts so that you may objectively review them (if that's what the situation at hand calls for).
Isa, as it freezes the ego, represents hypnosis. All methods where one 'quietens' the noisy mind to access a hidden mind relate back to Isa. Isa is also the magic involved when a hunter inspires a startle effect in its prey, freezing it rather than inspiring flight. This startle is the power in the lion's roar, which if heard closely enough, literally freezes an animal and renders it momentarily powerless. Isa's power may be hard to comprehend or utilise, but if you learn it, you will learn fast, and you will learn patience and strength.
Isa also allows you to focus your soul's will. Thorsson, suggested that it was personal will that was focused with Isa, but I personally believe and feel that Isa often frustrates the ego, allowing you direct access to the deeper you, the subconscious you Here you can examine your 'frozen' thoughts, and focus your intentions into the straight line, the cutting edge, that Isa truly is. Colours for Isa that help with focusing are white, blue and transparent. Its colour on the astral plane is red-violet and white-blue.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:29 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Jara (YAH - rah) - Also known as Jera, Jarazh (alternative Vilturr pron.), Jer, Ger, Ar
Value - Y (sometimes J)
Numeric Order - 11
Traditionally represents - Harvest. Cycles. Year.
Represents - Time. Harvest. Cycles. Year. Good Harvest. Fire. Summer. Spring. Yellow. Fruit. Flowers. Success. Change. The Norns. Fate. Beginnings Circles. Major Change. Reversal. Fruition. Freajr (Freyr).
'From Winter, Summer's harvest comes
a bounteous world of fruit and flower
for all the people of all the land.'
- Vilturj rune poem.
The word Jara means 'harvest', or 'good harvest.' It is generally simplified in mainstream culture to mean cycles or culmination.
Jara is the Summer after Winter, when the plants and trees fruit and flower. It breaks through the frozen nature of Isa and reminds us that good times as well as the bad, are decreed by the Norns. Jara tells us that our lives are not just the low points that Haurgl can bring, but the happiness, joy and peace of a fruitful season. This rune breaks through all stagnancy, in the same way the power of sunlight and warming seas breaks up the sea ice.
Jara broadly represents important cycles of change. There are so many ways change can manifest. It can be a change in job. A change in luck. A cycle of life ending and then beginning. It could be the cycles of the moon, sun, plants and trees, the cycle of seasons. It's most specific cycle is that from Winter to Summer, and this change from barrenness to fruit can be applied to other cycles. In other words, Jara is a positive change. A cycle that leads to more positive and enjoyable times.
Jara also represents a vortex, or whirling energy, and sometimes the changes in our lives, even the good ones, can feel a bit like this. Jara can be a bit of an out of control time, everything seems to be fruiting at once, and it can all seem a bit overwhelming. Sometimes this energy takes control of our lives, and for those who are perfectionists, or like control for themselves, this can be very hard to take even if all the changes are positive. It's important to take a step back and look at what's changing, what's good, and what's getting better, and focus on one thing at a time even if multiple things are changing.
Jara is a rune of regeneration, it regenerates what has been lost, and brings back what we felt we'd never feel again. New love. New laughter. Maybe new tears. And certainly new joys and much new happiness. It builds onto our spirits, and it can help us - importantly - to find the lost parts of our soul and bring them back to us in a fruitfulness that will lead to wholeness and better fortify ourselves for the tough times.
Some people can interpret Jara as an inversion of anything, like a high point into a low point, or a low point into a high point. In my experience, this isn't the case, but please keep this in mind when reading and/or interpreting the runes as it is something that other rune-readers have canvassed. However, combined with Haurgl or Isa, it can represent energy retribution (karma, if you will) from bad deeds, and signify a time of 'return' which is not pleasant, but positive in that it may evoke a sense of closure and ending.
Jara and Freajr go hand in hand. Regeneration, rebirth and growth are all the domain of Freajr, god of fertility and brother of Freaje. Freajr's festival was celebrated at the end of Summer with the gathering of the harvest. The act of bringing in food to nourish was a metaphor for bringing in new life to nourish the soul. Jara in a reading can also suggest the presence and energy of Freajr around you, and an emphasis on benevolent masculinity both from within and without. This can also suggest things like empowerment, and strength.
Jara in a reading can indicate an expectation or presence of reward and emotional, spiritual or material prosperity. It suggests that everything changes in its own time, to the positive, to the negative. At this stage in the querent's life, everything is moving towards (or is at) a positive and healthful stage.
Merk - Jara technically does not 'reverse', but can lie in opposition. In this instance it represents a sudden setback when the querent has been moving towards something positive. It's adjacency to other runes will determine the nature of the setback or the reversal.
Jara reversed can also represent a repetition in the lessons the querent is learning and suggests that there is a stagnancy in the cycle itself. Rather than spiraling up or down, there is only a spherical movement that travels no where. Also, Jara can warn against judging others, lest you be judged - it can also signal an exchange of harsh words which ends any kind of positive relationship, friendship or partnership.
This rune can also represent the bad-timing of the positive. It is difficult to celebrate joy, peace and positivity when the people around us may be suffering. Jara can teach us how to celebrate without feeling guilty, but reversed it may caution us that celebration is inappropriate, despite a positive turning of the seasons yet again.
At worst, this rune Merked can represent emotional, spiritual or material poverty, and its adjacency to reversed runes like Fehu and Haurgl will emphasise this particular meaning.
n Ritual - Jara is excellent when used to break old, unhealthy patterns of behaviour and lifestyle, as it represents breaking into positive and healthier cycles. Those who are stuck in negative thinking patterns, who feel messed around because they consistently miss good jobs, or any jobs, people who might want or need a pay-rise, people who want to simply work something better into their lives can really do with creating a Jara based bind-rune, or working with Jara magically on a long-term basis. This rune is also excellent for people undergoing therapy, rehabilitation and who are recovering from 'hard times.' It can help them to see that there is a new Summer really coming into their lives, and it's going to be good. Jara can also bring old cycles into 'completion', it's a good rune for mothers who have just given birth, houses that have just been completed, etc.
Jara is exceptionally good for aiding shamans in soul-retrieval, particularly when it means retrieving lost pieces of soul - as opposed to extracting unwelcome fragments of soul in the body - because Jara helps with regeneration and new life, and will help 'seal' the soul back in and promote positive healing and a positive environment. This is a good rune for healers in general, as it will promote the changes needed to effect healing in the first place.
Jara also assists shamans and energy workers with working directly with manipulating or understanding cycles and time. Those who need to understand how time works in otherworlds, or who wish to view the cycles in their lives more objectively (or the cycles in other's lives), will be greatly assisted by the use of this rune. Jara is a luminous, iridescent rune in otherworlds, and can appear fiery.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:31 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Pertho (PER-tho) - (also known as PERTRA, Peortho, Perth, Peorth, Peorh)
Value - P
Numeric Order - 12
Traditionally Represents - Cup. Lot. Vagina.
Represents - Aspen. Family. Hope. Shields. Whispers. Soft Communication. Secrets. Mysteries. Runes. Wyrd. Initiation. Orifice. Cauldron. Norns. Midgard. Vavale. Vasilia. Womb.
The warriors in the hall
the warrior's ancestors in the hall
under the vaulted ceiling.
A child of trees
that were children of forests.
All joyous, all joyous
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Pertho is an 'original' Rune that also represented a gaming piece. One of its major meanings is that of Wyrd. It also encompasses luck, chance, secrets and mystery. It represents places of mystery. It is one of the more difficult Runes to read or understand because no one can agree on what it means. This is one of the reasons why Ralph Blum perhaps did not see Wyrd within this Rune and created the 'blank rune' to replace it.
Pertho is the rune of mystery religions. It is not easily defined, and is designed to largely be interpreted by the one who meditates long and hard on this rune. However I will share with you my definition as guidance, should you choose to accept these words.
Pertho, when it symbolises the vagina, represents the dark place from which all life pours forth, but also the place from which death can return. It is the darkness within the black cauldron, the gaping orifice of Sheila na Gig, and the sweet succulence of Freaje when she offers herself to Thor. The womb is often considered a place of mystery and secrets, and meditation upon the womb, its symbolism and its nature will often reveal much about this rune. Consider the vagina of a brood mare as compared to a virgin, or a raped wound as compared to something cherished. This is deep, graphic and sometimes repellent to imagine for many, but within all these messages lurks the meaning of the persistent Pertho, the container for Wyrd.
Pertho is another initiation rune, though it is worth noting that almost any rune to do with feminine mysteries will also be about initiation. Pertho specifically represents initiation that allows the imparting of secrets, or initiation into menstruation, and into menopause.
Meditating on Pertho will often lead to the understanding of one's own personal destiny. Not so much the 'I was born to be a doctor' type of destiny, but where your path will take you over the years and lifetimes, not what career you will have, but what your many wondrous functions are. Healer? Shaman? Leader? Mother? Pertho will reveal how Wyrd has also travelled through the ancestral line to you, and how it is likely to flow onto your own children and so forth. Make no mistake, this is a powerful and often overlooked rune.
Pertho is the rune of the future (and if one looks deeply enough, of the past in the future). Meditation on this rune can lead to flashes of insight of your own path, and sometimes of the paths of others, or simply the many paths that the earth is currently moving across. Pertho as a path-working rune contains immense potential.
Pertho, with its emphasis on ancestry and Wyrd, is also the rune of fellowship and family. This is a rune that tends to portend happy times within the family, and the joy that comes from family occasions and events.
Pertho is oddly enough the rune of runes. The rune bag is symbolic of mystery and contains within it wisdom of both the ancestors and of Wyrd. To understand the simplistic staves is to understand the mystery of the runes and the layers and layers of meaning behind a handful of syllables and numbers. In a casting Pertho will often represent a potential within the querent to read the runes, or that the reading in particular will be clear and straightforward. It also suggests that there are many layers to the reading, and that the ancestral function, or function of Wyrd will be significant.
Finally Pertho in a reading is significant of the riches and fertilities of the womb and the place of creation. It is often a time of great richness in one's life when cast, perhaps not in the form of tangible money, but certainly in the form of creativity or new life. This is another reason why Pertho can be associated with joy. It is one of the runes which is by and large positive, though it will likely be difficult to understand. It is also not worth accepting the face value of this rune. Pertho asks that you look deeper at its symbolism, and deeper within yourself.
Merk - Can represent a reading that will be difficult to understand, comprehend or work with. Also a bad time to work with runes, you may not be receptive to the mysteries at hand, or they simply may be hiding their meanings from you. Additionally a Merked Pertho can be representative of stagnancy, the kind of stagnancy that comes when one is not willing to look at secrets, reveal inner mysteries (no matter how unpleasant) or refuses to move forward. Preventing the metaphorical maiden from bleeding will not make the eventual bleeding any easier. Merked, Pertho can represent addiction, particularly to drugs which increase creative urges, from LSD, to Ecstasy, to chocolate.
A Merked Pertho also represents familial loneliness and a feeling of being cut off from one's ancestors. It may also suggest that the reason for this loneliness is self-imposed, and will only be understood with much soul searching. It can also mean that you will be unable to find who 'you' are, and feel the loneliness of being disconnected from yourself and your purpose.
In Ritual - This rune is particularly good when used by psychics who wish more clarity upon what they see, particularly if they are prone to getting random and chaotic images, or if they 'flood' easily. It is also an excellent rune for meditation, whether on the specific symbol, or on the actual theme, or simply as a guiding talisman during a visualization. It will help in rituals that are based in divination.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:25 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Iorija (YAUR - ee - ah or; YAUR - ei - ah) - Also known as Eoh, Ior, Ihwaz, Ihwo, Ihwar, Yew
Value - Yo / Yau (in Vilturj) and Ei ('height'), generally uncertain, highly variable perhaps indicating the existence of different, individual runes.
Numeric Order - 13
Traditionally Represents - Yew. Death. Strength.
Represents - Yew. Strength. Endurance. Reliability. Stability. Protection. Defense. Acquisition. Determination. Purpose. Reasonable Targets. Honesty. Fox. Bear. Coyote. Initiation. Fire. Masculinity. The Spear. The Bow. Weapons. Ull. Immortality. Permanence. Roots. Underworld. Passion. True Love. Fortitude. Death. Wolf. Wolf's Hook.
Iorija, the great burnt tree
over many skies, under many oceans
The fire in the leaf
and the weakest finger.
- Vilturj Rune Poem.
Iorija in Vilturj was the 'strength in the weakest finger.' It was a way of finding a light in the darkness by using strength and resourcefulness. An analogy is made that Iorija is like the winter tree that is used by a man to make a bow. Without the foresight and confidence to assess the resources around us, we may starve physically, emotionally and spiritually in the desolate times of our lives. But Iorija reminds us that sometimes it is our choices that make us starve. A winter tree might just be a reminder of barrenness to some, but to others it is a resource and an asset.
Historically, Iorija was masculine and feminine depending on the culture which was using it. I personally feel that this rune is masculine, but it is up to you to determine which gender works best for you; if you gender your runes. Iorija can also represent a person coming into your life with the qualities of this rune. It tends to be a person with great strength and loyalty, but who may lack imagination and may also be overly stubborn. It can also represent the querent, particularly if falling into the inner circle on the Vilturj rune-mat.
It is sometimes seen as a rune of justice. It represents the natural order of things, and a natural justice that is sometimes difficult for humans to comprehend. It is not the sword of Teiwaurz, and it is not the justice meted out by humans. It can in some worldviews represent karmic justice, that which is out of our hands.
Sometimes Iorija comes into our lives to ask us what kind of legacy we're leaving for the world around us. Everything we put into this world, if we back it with strength and endurance, has the potential to last over generations, for thousands of years. Iorija asks us to examine whether we are proud of what we have put into this world, whether we would want our essence to last in others and in the world for thousands of years. Are we petty, selfish, ethically unstable and cruel? Are we maybe overly proud of our legacy? Are we ever humble? It is not only our children and our children's children that are affected by our actions, but everyone in the web around us. Iorija is a rune of indescribable potential and power, in a reading it suggests that we are now coming into a time where the power to change our whole lives using inner strength and resourcefulness is available.
The yew tree is of particular symbolic importance when we talk of Iorija. This lends much symbolism to this rune. Yew is a poison and also a strength. It can weaken us to the point of death if we consume it unthinkingly, yet it can also be used to make weapons. The yew was the most popular tree for bow-making because it was flexible and strong. It could be bent without breaking. It has been very popular in the making of runic talismans, and also rune sets. It has also been made into rune wands.
Iorija tends to symbolise the roots that stretch down and ground us in our lives. If we were to imagine ourselves as a tree, what would our roots look like? Do they tap adequate amounts of sustenance and water? Do they go deep enough? Do they spread wide enough to support what we present externally? And importantly, do we need to dig out the dead and diseased roots that might threaten the whole foundation itself? Iorija can additionally represent journeys to the underworld for positive self-empowerment and re-building. It is an excellent rune for soul-retrieval, and the banishing of unwanted spirits in the body. It is our roots which make us stable after all, what is our relationship to them?
Iorija is a wonderful rune of passion and emotion, and how these can be incredible strengths when we are defending ourselves and making our foundations stable. It is with the strength of our convictions that we make ourselves a life we can be proud of, filled with power and gentleness, love and determination, honour and humility. Iorija therefore is also the rune of true emotions, true love, true anger, true grief. That which is not hindered by deception or melodrama, but that which lurks beneath the surface. In a reading, depending on the runes around it, it symbolises the addition of real, persevering love in someone's life. With Berkana it can indicate the true bond between a mother and/or father and child.
Iorija is the rune of fire. Not the fire of creativity like Kenaz, or the flame of justice like Teiwaurz, but the solemn burning of ritual fires at all times of year. It can represent the flames on a funeral pyre, and the bonfire at fertility rituals. Its presence in our life often asks us to remember our connection to ritual and religion/spirituality. It is thought that if you don't listen to the lessons of Iorija, the spirit of the Yew will come and absorb your urt and hold it prisoner until you have died, or until you decide to make a difference in your life. This is why shamanising with this rune can be so successful.
There is a more unpleasant aspect to Iorija depending on your perspective, as this rune represents death - physically, spiritually and emotionally. It can be something as practical as cutting away the dead wood in our lives, or it can be the passing on of friends and family. Also watch out for messages that are being transmitted from the dead to the querent, reinforcing the strength and endurance aspect of the rune as our ancestors and those who have passed on live on within us. Despite its definite connection with death, it also teaches us that death is not something to be feared to a point where we never grow and embrace our lives. We must - as the rather clichéd adage goes - 'feel the fear and do it anyway.'
Iorija can also herald new contact from old friends and enemies, a recurrence of old problems until they are resolved (including health and emotional problems), and a false nostalgia and melodrama for the past. Iorija in its positive aspects tells us to make a great foundation, but it can also indicate people whose foundations are based in melodrama, regret and living in the past and neglecting the present. These people are in great need of a healing, and analyse surrounding runes to determine how appropriate an immediate healing or retrieval may be.
Merk - Iorija reversed can symbolise opposing negative traits of dissatisfaction and the opposite of stability. It can lead to destruction of foundations (sometimes literally, when coupled with runes like a Merked Haurgl) or of financial securities (Merked Fehu). It can also represent a confusion in everyday life which leads to a lack of determination and decision-making skills which leaves the querent or aspects of the querent's life vulnerable.
Merked Iorija can also represent a liar, or someone who is being deliberately deceptive. In some instances it can represent the querent themselves, who may be deceiving themselves and others. This can betray a weakness of character and can be an asset in a reading that prompts the querent to actually change their own lives, rather than looking constantly without for the answers to their problems.
Iorija merked can represent a lack of true emotions, a harmful need to live in the past, and phobias which completely destabilise one's life and unable someone from living at all. It can also represent situations where the querent themselves ends positive situations, and causes themselves to constantly live in situations which are negative or poorly nourishing. It can represent people who simply refuse to grow, and clients who become dependent on the reassurance of others. It can represent codependence in relationships of all kinds, and is particularly dangerous when coupled with a merked Berkana where it can represent highly damaging relationships between parents and children ranging from disorders like Munchausen's-by-proxy or child abuse and neglect, or parental abuse by the child.
In Ritual - In ritual, this rune is excellent for many magical aspects. It is essentially symbolic of the 'dark night of the soul' process. It is good for easing transitions from one stage in life for another, and is great for initiations which can represent the death of the old and the rebirth of a new and stronger self. It is excellent for facilitating self-help, self-improvement, self-love and inner truth. It can also help us examine our inner-selves and re-empower ourselves, or start the way to this journey. It is particularly good for those who are obsessed with the past, or who fear death too much to enjoy the present.
This rune benefits shamans and healers who specialise in the more difficult aspects of soul retrieval, including journeys to the underworld which can lead to confrontation with demons, and spirits which wish nothing but harm on the psychopomp. This rune allows us to find our inner strength and be a great and ancient yew tree, evergreen and unable to be pushed over. It also teaches us to find resources when we feel there are none. We are the person who makes the winter tree into a bow, if we choose to acknowledge this power within ourselves.
This rune is good for people who are unstable mentally and physically, or who have problems making decisions and committing to anything. It lends a firm foundation to decision-making and can be relied upon in a time of need. It can also help you to be a reliable person in times of need, if you worry that your personal strength may fail. It's also especially good for dreamers and those of flighty thoughts who might need more sensibility and thoughtfulness. This is a fantastic rune that protects against self-destructive behaviour, and is especially good for those who are transitioning through adolescence.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:26 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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Algiz (ALL - geez) - Also known as Elhaz, Ellaz, Eohl (distinguish from Eoh), Authiz, Autherz, Ansuz
Value - Z (sometimes R, RZH or S)
Numeric Order - 14 or 15
Traditionally Represents - Elk. Protection. Communication.
Represents - Communication. Perception of Divine. Protection. Shield. Defense. Awakening. Instincts. Vilturj. Shields. Calling on Divine for Wrong Reasons. Valkyries. Lesavny. Freajr. Swan. Vasilia.
The branching head of Lesavny
Sweeps all the forest creatures
He talks to every one
And brings them under the shade
Of his bow.
- Vilturj Rune Poem
Algiz is the most important rune in Vilturj, where it is commonly known as Autherz. It is the rune of protection, fertility and defense, and the rune of communication between the shaman or person between their spirit guides. It is the fundamental shaman's rune, and the protective rune of the Turjvhecze, or the person whose function it is to communicate with guardians and spirit helpers on a regular basis on behalf of the community. It attracts great amounts of energy, and is a formidable protection rune, so much so that it is included in the famous rune talisman, the Helm of Awe. The upright form tends to represent the branches of the World Tree reaching for the upperworld. The inverted form represents the roots reaching for the underworld.
There are several Vilturj deities specifically related to Algiz. The first and foremost is the antlered god Lesavny, who in his ancient incarnation was also represented as a bear. Lesavny is a god of terrible power, he can be murderous, but he also lends all those who treat him with respect a brand of protection that only nature can gives. With Lesavny's blessing we have the favour of the forests, the paths, and the land. His reindeer antlers, or bear-like body (in older forms) represented a power which could be tapped by those who had respect and humility. It also warned of the dangers of mis-using this power and having bear-wrath rain upon you in response.
The second deity connected to Algiz, is Vasilia - the maiden goddess of the breezes, swans and spiderwebs. Vasilia is the goddess who presides over inter-communication between two different entities, human and spirit, human and animal, or animal to animal. It is her gentle hands that make sure that the powerful web that Vavale placed over the world to keep everything unified stays unified, and it is her guidance that comes to us in a reading. Vasilia gently guides us to the places where we must communicate, and overcome any communication barriers. At times, Algiz in a reading can even indicate the need to indicate a new language, or the body language of an animal we've never encountered.
Algiz is the rune of luck and generally speaking, positive divine intervention. In Vilturj it represents the presence of spirit guides with positive or healthy intentions. It can also represent guardians, spirit helpers, totems, angels, ghosts etc. depending on your worldview. In this sense Algiz is very clearly our connection to the otherworlds and the divine. Algiz, with its three upward branches, represents our spirit reaching out for the Source and making a very definite connection. Often this connection is rewarded was we notice guides coming to us, under the tenets of our specific spirituality. This connection is constant, an almost 'background hum' of cosmic protection that we can draw upon.
Algiz is a good rune for reviewing and strengthening our internal spiritual structure. It helps us to 'build', and not tear down. It also helps us to balance our spiritual and 'practical' lives, so that we're not just talking the talk, or deluding ourselves into thinking that we're spiritual individuals when - in everyday actions, we're really not. Algiz helps us walk the walk, and indicates that we can build upon our foundations and really awaken ourselves to what a spiritual lifestyle can be like.
Algiz in many non-warlike cultures has represented an outwardly stretched hand, reaching out for help, or to help. In this sense it indicates the rune's connection to protection and communication, but it also shows the very deeply healing aspect of this rune. You might be reaching your hand out to your spirituality, or it might be reaching a hand out to you. In a reading, perhaps you need to support your spirituality by being more active and practical about it, or perhaps its reaching out to support you during a tough time.
An upright Algiz does have a negative side, it tends to represent the dangers of calling upon the spirit and Source at the wrong time - for selfish reasons that might be fed by egoism, narcissism or escapism. In a reading it can caution against a querents who are clingy and needy to do the idea of spiritual support networks in the form of divination, oracles and guides. It can represent a person who wants a 'cool' spirit guide, or who contacts dangerous guardians for the purpose of gaining power and protection in situations where protection might not be called for.
Instincts are so important in determining when the appropriate times for being spiritual are, Algiz helps us to get in tune with these instincts. For those who inappropriately call upon their spirit guides or other spiritual 'crutches' regularly, Algiz can be just the wake up call they need to actually get in contact with their instincts. People will be coming into a fruitful time when it comes to turning within and locating the instincts that help us not only make decisions, but make the most appropriate and healthful decisions for us.
Algiz suggests that we really scrutinise the dangers of our spirituality and really think about it. What is the danger in using or abusing spirit guides or guardians? What is the danger in thinking that they're only there to serve us? What is the danger in using runes and tarot and other divination systems? Do we perceive any dangers? Should we? Algiz asks us to really sit down and apply wisdom and humility to our connection to the divine, and not take it for granted.
Algiz represents a time where we are connecting to our higher self and awakening. It is an excellent rune for those who are spiritual, and endeavour to find enlightenment in their lives. Through this awakening, we are connected to a desire to protect ourselves and others, and we are given the power to do so (or discover it within us). We are also given the ability to channel this energy with precision, each branch on the Algiz can represent a different staff of direction.
The presence of this rune in a reading also represents a time when it's important to protect yourself and your family and friends, and what matters to you. This is what makes it such a good rune for protecting the home, its energies instinctively lend itself to a communal protection, and not an individual protection like Sowelu.
Merk - As a merked rune, Algiz can indicate a person who is spiritually deluded. They might be telling themselves that they are a wonderful, spiritual person, but an examination of how they live their real life indicates a person who is only spiritual on the surface, and within, they are damaged, flawed people who are in desperate need of healing and a cosmic slap in the head to 'wake up' to the delusions that they've probably nurtured within themselves through their actions. It can indicate a querent who is addicted to readings and divination, or who is addicted to hearing the soothing (or not-so-soothing) words that another spiritual person can offer them. These people maybe arrogant, sycophantic, needy or clingy. They might ask for repeated readings, and can turn very sour if they don't receive them.
Algiz can indicate hidden spiritual danger when reversed. It might indicate someone who is reckless in otherworlds and doesn't ever believe they are in danger or could encounter negative, harmful spirits. It could indicate a person who chooses to believe in only the light aspects of spirituality (which can be fine) at a time where this could be to their detriment. With runes like Mannaz, Berkana and Fehu, it can indicate hidden danger to family or to wealth. It can also indicate a person prone to possession, or a person who might already be possessed who is in need of a soul extraction.
Finally, reversed Algiz can indicate a severing of the spiritual link, either because the spirits themselves are dissatisfied with the querent, or because the querent has actively turned away from the spirit world. It can indicate a lost person, who is so disconnected from themselves and the world around them, that they are vulnerable to attack in both the 'real' and spiritual worlds.
In Ritual - This is a very charismatic, and powerful rune to work with, and quite a few people I've talked to about runes say that this one is there 'favourite' rune, and I must admit it's one of mine too. There is something about Algiz which draws you in, it promises a greater connection with yourself and a greater connection to the divine, and for those spiritual people who are ever seeking a greater connection, the energy of this rune holds a fantastic appeal. Though it's worth not getting too bound up in its energy and remembering that there are another 23 fantastic runes in the Uthark too!
Algiz can be used in all grounding ceremonies, particularly when inverted. It is fantastic for protection, either alone or in a bind-rune like the Helm of Awe. It can also be used by people who want to apply their spiritual life to their practical life, and who can't see how to overcome pressures like school or work, and carry their spirituality at all times.
Algiz can also help in all aspects of building, particularly the actual building and structure of houses. When placed under the foundations of a house, it promises a strong foundation and structure that is more likely to withstand natural disaster than houses without Algiz for protection. This rune can also be placed in cars, wallets, etc. and as long as they're charged and not forgotten, the protection of the divine will be around us.
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