Sowilo ~ Satisfaction of the Sun

Sowilo is the last rune of the second aett of the Elder Futhark.  This is the rune of the light and glory of the sun.  Interpretations claim that Sowilo is the rune that illuminates what is needed, within, and without.  I find this energy to be a perfect Rune for success in life's endeavors, for making what is possible, possible.  For lighting the way, for uncovering hidden darkness in our lives.  I galdr this for people when they're feeling a lack of self-confidence and it always produces a good outcome.  What are your possibilities?  Sowilo might just help you find that out.

Here are some English nouns and other words that have the S sound in Sowilo:

success, son, sun, sacred, simple, sales, salary, salt, satisfaction, save, savings, safe, safety, sorrow, sinister, sick, sanity, struck, song, salvation, sing, salutation.

Winter Solstice Ritual ~ Bless the Woodland Creatures

Solstice is a time of giving.  What better way to thank Mother Nature for her bounty this year than to feed winter birds, deer, raccoons, squirrels, and all of mother nature's other children who are cold and whose food source is scarce.

Some suggestions of foods that the woodland creatures would like are: corn on the cob, nuts, celery stuffed with peanut butter, apples, seeds, peanuts without the salt, pine cones dipped in peanut butter and then dipped in birdseed, carrots, cheese, bread, and birdseed are some that come to mind.  Add a big bowl of water (hopefully hot water that will temper in the cold weather).

On December 21st write a Yule blessing/greeting poem and gather your goodies.  Pick a good place in your yard or local woods to lay down your gifts.  Some can be hung from tree branches.   You can create a circle, call in the quarters, and then read your poem or simplify the ritual weather permitting.  The poem doesn't have to be elaborate, just make it a nice Yule blessing/greeting.  Go your way and the animals will come when you're gone and enjoy the food.

To those of you who think, leave the wildlife alone!  Remember, you are the wildlife, one of Earth's many beings.

This is a very spiritual exercise and ritual in keeping with the season.  May you all have a blessed and peaceful Yuletide full of joy.

Algiz - Armor of the Aesir

Algiz, the Rune of protection.  All kinds of protection.  This is a Rune you want to galdr over a child before they run out to play.  We all want and need protection in life.  We may want to galdr this Rune for financial reasons to make sure we always have a home to live in and food on the table.

This is said to be the Z Rune.  For whatever reason, consensus in modern Runic lore says that this Rune makes the Z sound.

Let's look at some modern English words that begin with the Z Rune:

zeel, zoom, zonk, zany, zipper, zest, zinc, zoo, zebra, zealot ..... I'm not getting too much of a feeling of protection in these words.  What do you think ?

Maybe this Rune doesn't have the Z sound.  More study on this Rune will be required.  Possibly a thesaurus would help and I am going to look now.

Back.

If this rune has the 'A' sound, I'm finding words under "Protection":  armor, ammunition, aegis (which means a breast plate), attack, offence, apron, affront, air. (google more of these A Rune words to find the energy of Algiz.

The True Meaning of Yule

Some people think that the Yuletide Season is all about getting and giving gifts, spending money, decorating, and sending cards, blah, blah, blah.

Every year after Thanksgiving (in the USA) but in any christianized nation, we face the end of the year with both joy and trepidation. Our thoughts are, 'Can I make it through another holiday season with its shopping and chores and into the New Year with that lay ahead ?'   But this type of thinking is a metaphor for something larger.

We spend the year on projects, paying bills, raising children.  Farmers plant vegtables and raise livestock.  We toil and sweat and worry about outcomes and current conditions.  We form bonds with new people and lose some others.  We make decisions that will either make us, break us, or become neutral.  Through our experiences we grow hopefully stronger, wiser, older and often a bit bruised along the way.  

Yule is a time to be reborn, to reflect, to say to ourselves you did it -- you made it !   We acknowledge the experiences of others and the bonds we have formed throughout the year.  We look to both the past, present, and future for guidance.  We become a year older.

So love of life, love of others, love of rebirth and celebration are all in order at Yule.  It's a time of reflection and stock taking.  It's a time to acknowledge those who took this last journey around the sun with us, and a time to embrace new beginnings that lie ahead.

At Yule we come full circle.  This is why we have the symbol of the wreath on our doors this time of year.  It's a pagan symbol that represents the wheel of the year.  Now it is done and we decorate it in honor of the occasion.  The ancient Norseman would light a wreath on fire and roll it down a hill as part of the Yule celebration as a way of sending the old year away to make way for the new one.
Notice 'wreath' has the R Rune sound, which means to 'journey.'  As in a journey through a year.

Be well this Yule Season.  Toil and growth on planet earth is a hard job so may you find peace and strength during this season of rebirth.

Perthro ~ A Powerful Plan

Perthro, according to many interpretations, is the cup of destiny.  What we do with our destiny is both fixed and mutable (can be changed).  The law of the Norns as well as the power of cause and effect all come to mind.  The P Rune is the Rune of The Web of Wyrd working on us in the past, present, and future.  We are born with set genetics but our lives unfold either this way or that, depending on the decisions we make.

Some interpret this as a cup to throw the dice in a gambler's game.  But every decision we make in life is a gamble and subject to an outcome.  And the cup, being called a lot cup, could very well be our lot in life with the gamble of decisions being the dice.  Some people interpret this Rune as the cup of mystery because the unfolding of our lives (or business/job, relationships, or any endeavor) is a mystery.  A woman on Facebook wrote in a comment that this is the Rune that makes a blank Rune in divination obsolete as it is like a blank piece of paper that our decisions write on.  Each of our lives comes is our lot.  It's our personal likes/dislikes, initiatives, and decisions that create within that lot.

Here are some nouns and mostly verbs now as I go alone (energy and action words seem to fit very well) in the English language, that may help us to pick up on the energy of Perthro.

pleasure, pain, plan, play, procrastinate, pessimism, party, pursue, puberty, procreate, possible, prorate, patronise, polymer, powerful, program, paradigm, pool, pooling, plethora.  (search google for more nouns and verbs beginning with the P Rune sound).

Perthro seems to represent our lives and what we do with them is partially up to us.

Eihwaz - Earth and Eternity

Eihwaz is the Rune of the World Tree.   Some say it's an Ash tree, others say it's a Yew.  But as we know trees are both metaphors and actualities for the meaning of as above so below.   It's both a protective Rune and a rune of balance.   Feet on the earth, head in the clouds, having help from the divine, and the union of the arcane and the mundane all come to mind with this Rune.  Also the rune of astral travel and a rune to bring along for protection on lucid dreaming and astral travel.  Eihwaz/Eiwaz is used to enter the astral plane of the world tree but it is also used as a shield once in there.  Always hold onto this rune for protection while in a trance state.

Yew tree with berries, an important wood to the ancient Norse peoples.

Eihwaz has the E sound as in 'eh'.  Let's look at some English nouns and other similar words, to see if we can find the Eihwaz energy.

eternity, everlasting, entwine, entertain, enrich, enlarge, engulf, ever, esoteric, erotic, Erulian, economy, ecstasy, ego, effort, ecstasy. (google more words beginning with the E sound to find the energy of Eihwaz).

Read more on phonics and the Elder Futhark.

Jera - Rune of the Yielding Year

Jera is traditionally thought of as the rune of the year and a good harvest.  This encompasses every part of the year from seeding, to growing, to harvesting.  Rune authorities also state that this is the Rune of cause and effect.  You reap what you sow.

Norse wheel of the year.

As before, let's examine some English nouns.  The J Rune has the J sound in English but the Y sound in other Northern European languages.  So we'll examine both sounds, the J sound as in the word jump and then the Y sound as in the word yellow.

First with the Y sound:

yacht, yachtel, yachtsman, yachtsmen, yank, yard, yardage, yardstick, yarn, yawl, yawn, yeah, year, yearbook, yearning, yeast, yell, yelling, yellow, yelp, yen, yesteryear, yield, yearling, yielding, yodel, yoke, yokel, yolk, yore, young, youngster, youth, Yule, yam. (Google for more Y words that carry the energy of Jera, the J Rune)

Now with the J sound:

jab, jacket, jade, jag, jail, jalopy, jam, janitor, jar, jargon, java, jaw, jawbone, jay, jazz, jazzmen, jealousy, jedec, jeep, jejunum, jelly, jeopardy, jerk, jersey, jest, jet, jewel, jeweler, jewelry, jiffy, jig, jinx, jitterbug, jog, job, jelly, jester, jug

Conclusion:

I think, from looking at the above, that the Y sound of the J rune fits the closet energy to the traditional interpretation of Jera.  Do you agree ?   The set of the J sound also has an energy but not the traditional one.

The energy I do see from the Y sound, consist of very natural things, the earth, wildlife, the land, with a bit of increase added as in growth.  How things can, overtime, grow they increase.  Getting back to the traditional interpretation, this Rune represents raising young ones, crops, and livestock in a year.  The energy of increase and growth.

Isa - Rune of the Immobile Infant

Isa is traditionally the rune of ice.  When we think of ice we think of something that is made by an outside influence, like cold weather or a kitchen freezer.  Unlike water, ice stays in place until an outside influence like warm weather or room temperature makes it mobile again.   When the police tell the criminal to 'freeze' !  They mean for him to stop his movement.  

Now again, we are going to find deeper meaning of the I Rune by finding English nouns (and other worlds) that begin with the sound of a long or even short 'i'.  What do those words mean to us ?  

An infant is a helpless little person that can do nothing without outside help.  But over time the infant learns mobility as in how to roll over, lift up the head, and eventually walk.

Where is the I Rune energy, the energy of being immobilized in these words?

industrialization, industry, inefficiency, inequality, inertia, inevitability, inexperience, infamy, infancy, infant, infantry, infantryman, infantrymen, infarct, infarction, infatuation, infection, image, imagery, imagination, imaging, imagination, imbalance, imbecile, imbroglio, imitation, immaturity, immediacy, immensity, immersion, immigrant, immigration, imminence, immobility, innocence, innovation, innuendo, inoculation, inposition, input, inquest, inquiry, inquisitor, insanity, inscription, inscrutability, insect, insecticide, insecurity, insemination, insert, insertion, inset, inside, insight, insignificance, insinuation.  (google more nouns that begin with I if these are not enough).

Immobility.  I see this rune in many ways as the opposite of Fehu.  Where Fehu moves, Isa is immovable (at least for the time being).

Nauthiz - Rune of Needful Knowledge

Nauthiz, or the N Rune is traditionally all about needing something and how to fulfil that need.   In life we must work to fulfil our needs and those of our loved ones.  We might need a job, need to put food on the table, need to pay the bills, and so on.  We all have our share of needs.  

I've read many Rune authors discussing an ancient tradition called a need fire or a force fire.   This was the practice of creating a sacrificial forest fire (or other type of fire), to meet the desperate needs of the community.  They believed there would be help for an outbreak of illness, starvation, or impending war if the burned down the woods.  (google it:  Need fire).

The N Rune has the 'nnnn' sound as in the word 'need'.  Lets look at other words in the English language that begin with N to find the inherent energy in this Rune.

namesake, news, newcomer, napkin, nadir, name, network, neurotic, nipple, nickname, niece, night, nightmare, nickle, not, nobleman, nympho, nut, nose, nostril, nomad, nursery, nutrition, nephew, number, nurture, nudity, know, knead, knowledge.  (google more English nouns that begin with the N Runic sound).

Some needs are great and some are small and need always comes with a the challenge of finding a solution.   What are we going to do ?  Where are we going to find what we need ?  Who is going to help us ?

Look around you.  How can you find the energy of Nauthiz in all objects that start with the N Rune sound ?  

Hagalaz - Rune of Hurricane Healing

Hagalaz is hot !  Or is it cold, as it is said to be associated with hail ?   Hail destroys crops, but it also provides ionized water that when melted feeds thirsty roots and seed.   There is always sunshine after the rain.  So the traditional meaning of Hagal, is to teardown in order to build up better and stronger than before.  In life, death brings forth new life.  Although it might not feel that way while going through an ordeal, many of us believe that everything happens for a reason.  Hagalaz is an interruption to the status quo for the greater good.

The H Rune begins with the hhhhh sound as in 'hot'.  Remember, very hot water always turns cold again but any bacteria that was in it before is now dead.  People out camping know that after boiling river water for 5 or 10 minutes can be safely drunk as all the organisms will be destroyed in the process.   This is the traditional energy of the H Rune.

Let's examine some English nouns and other words beginning with the H Rune sound and see if we can expound on our understanding of the energy.

hat, hand, head, healer, helm, head, heyday, hit, high school, hill, hero, hail, heroin, hex, highball, history, hold, home, hoax, hobo, holy, help, hormones, holiday, hair,  (search a dictionary or google for other words that begin with the H Rune sound to get a greater glimpse of its energy.)

Recovering forested area of West Mesa after Cedar Fire (May, 2004), Photo by Linnea Spears

The duality of the H Rune is one of what goes up must come down and what goes down must come up.  There is balance in the energy of this Rune and I believe if we study many, many English words including adjectives, nouns, and verbs, we will get a better understanding of what this energy means and how it can be used in our lives.

Read more of my posts on the etymology, phonics, and singing to find the energies inherent in the Elder Futhark.  Say The Magic Word

Gebo - Rune of Giving and Getting

Gebo is said to be the Rune of the gift, the giver, the recipient and the contract.  Years ago, people actually used this Rune as a signature when signing many kinds of contracts.  At Yule we exchange 'gifts'.   This kind of exchange carries with it energy.   You give me goods, I give you money.  I give you services, you give me employment.  I give you a load, you agree to pay me back with interest.  I give you 10 chickens you give me a piglet ... and so on.

Gebo has the gggg sound, conveniently, as in the word 'gift'.   My Norse rituals consist mainly of galdr, using sound, song and dance.  Read my post on Galdr (gaul-der) Singing Runic Energies 

Short Galdr and poetry on Gebo by Sigha Manning, my favorite Dutch seidth woman.

Again, we are going to search for English nouns that begin with the G Rune sound, to hopefully get a better idea of what the Gebo energy really consists of.

grab, grabbing, grace, grad, grade, grader, gradient, gradualist, graduate, graduating, graduation, graffiti, graft, graham, grain, graining, gram, grammar, granary, grandchildren, granddaughter, grandeur, grandfather, grandma, grandmother, grandson, grandstand, granite, grant, granting, gulp, gun, gum, garbage, granite, gift, giver, goat, gore, gather, get-together, game, 
 (search a dictionary or google for more English words that begin with G)

Taking the word goat for instance.  The farmer takes care of the goat and the goat gives the farmer milk.  Looking at the word gore, the matador taunts the bull and in return the bull gores the matador.  A gun for instance, 'your money or your life' ?  The energy inherent in Gebo would be a good one to call forth in order to find a job -- your services for steady employment.

Sound is key to finding the energy of the runes.  Sound is all around us in what we say, what we hear, and the names of the things we use.   Read more of my posts on Runic energy and the meaning of words that begin with their sounds.  Say the Magic Word

Kenaz - Rune of the Crucible of Creation

Kenaz.  Many have interpreted this rune as meaning a torch, and have gone on to say that it is the light of the craftsperson, the light of knowledge.  But the Icelandic Rune poem with the English interpretation has always baffled me:  Kaun (ulcer) is fatal to children: death makes a corpse pale

Ancient Civilizations of the North of Europe thought crows to be an omen of death.  Crow begins with the K rune sound.

Let's examine some English nouns (and other parts of speech) beginning with the K rune sound, to possibly find out what this energy really is:

combination, combo, cat, calico, comb, kite, coral, collusion, colonel, captain, call, command, christ, comfort, crack, cake, call, crime, kick, king, kill, cancer, karma, combustion, corrosion, criminality, crimson, cripple, crisp, criteria, criterion, critic, criticism, critique, critter, croak, croaking, crocodile, crone, crook, crop, crossing, crossover, crosswalk, crouch, croupier, crow, crowbait, crowd, crowing, crown, crucifix, crucifixion, crudity, cruelty, cruise, cruiser, cruising, crunch, crupper, crusade, crusader, crush, crusher, crushing, crust, crutch, crux, cry, cryostat, crypt, crystal, crystallite, crystallization, croup, cancer, crystallography, crypt, can, coffin, cauldron, creator.  (again, search google for more words beginning with the sound of the K rune).

I see many things associated with authority, knowledge (meaning a lightbulb going off in someone's head), craft, and fire in looking over some of the words.  I also see many words associated with death and destruction.  I see the energy of calculating, cunning, craft,   I see a crowd, carrying touches and pitch forks looking for a criminal in a forest.  The crowd criticising a criminal.  Catching a criminal.  I see many words associated with death.  Possibly the torch many intuit in the Kenaz Rune is a metaphor for knowledge.

Could Kenaz harness the energy of how to authoritatively cause sickness and death ?  Could it be like the call of the commander during an execution ?   Let me know what you think in the comments.

Etymology and Runic Energies

Raido - Rune of Riding Rhapsody

Raido is known as the Rune of the ride or journey.  We like to galdr or offer a rune of Algiz and/or Raido to our loved ones who are on a long physical trip.    Paxson says that this Rune brings order to chaos in a journey.  Each of our lives is a journey both physical and spiritual.  Raido is what we learn along the way as we grow older and wiser.  Raido can be both an itinerary and a journey, a plan and the enactment of that plan  Every endeavor we take in life has a beginning and an end.

The energy of Raido is like the beating of feet on a pavement and how our shoes wear out.  It's how we get old.  It's a walk to the local store or a drive.   It represents time, seasons, and how long it takes to get from point A to B.  The wheel.  Looking at my R words, I came up with the word 'rag".  There is definitely measuring energy to it a measuring of time and stamina.   It's been worked out by its many uses day in and day out.  I came up with the word radio how it changes over the years how the transmission journeys through the air to the car so, we can enjoy the music while we drive.

Of course this Raido, like all other Runes, has a sound, rrrrrr, and this sound calls forth the energy of the rune.  Read my post on Galdr (gaul-der):  Galdr - Singing The Runes

According to wikipedia, "a rhapsody in music is one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations."  *Remember, rhapsody is a noun beginning with the R rune sound and depicts what I consider the Raido energy.


Here is a list of English nouns beginning with the R-Rune sound:

rhapsody, rest, raisin, ranking, ransom, rap, rattle, rhythm, rowing, raspberry, rip, wrong, roll, relax, roar, wreath. (google more r nouns and other words to discover the inherent, energetic beat of Raido)

Ansuz - Rune of Arcane Authority

Ansuz has always been associated with "a god" or a spirit.   It could be a god of woe or a god of weil...but nonetheless a god.  It has been said of the aborigines in many cultures throughout the world, that the knowledge they gleaned in healing, bead-work, tool-making, and weaving were given to them by nature spirits whom they worshiped.  The medicine man of the tribe would go into the wild and learn which plant cured which ailment ... in fact anytime there was any kind of problem, the medicine man would find his answers in nature.  Which is probably where the legends of elves, fairies, ghosts, angels and other spiritual hosts were partially derived.  It is said in some traditions that it was the elves who first helped man create clothing.  Also, to get the attention of an elf, wear clothing on inside out or backwards ! 

Peruvian woman weaving a traditional rug, a skill said to have been given to humans by elves.

The A rune has a specific harmonic sound.  So again, as in my past blogs, we are going to examine words and specifically nouns that begin with the letter A in English.

apple, alligator, automobile, accent, arcane, argument, autumn, authority, author, army, area, appear, ant, aunt, activity, acetone, ache, achievement, acid, acidity, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, acolyte, aconite, acquaintance, acquiescence, acquiescence, acquisition, acquittal, acre, acreage, acrobat, acrylic, act, acting,  action, activation, active, activism, activity, actor, actuality.
(google more A words, especially nouns)

I find a recurring energy in A words has to do with learning, networking, receiving, partaking and creation.  I also see a lot of protection words, words of honor, help, hurt, connection and words of promotion or worship.

The runes are hiding in plain sight.  I would love for people of other Norse languages, Icelandic, Swedish, German also examine their dictionaries for words that carry the energy of the runes in their meanings.

Thurisaz - Rune of Thoughtful Thrashing

Say The Magic Word

Thurisaz the Rune most people equate with a good pounding !   Thor's hammer, giants with clubs, and smacking an enemy in the head is what comes to mind.  But by studying words in the Norse languages, mine being English, we can see that the energy of Thurisaz is one of a directed, purposeful strike, a strike that has a goal in mind.  Thurisaz is a rune of work, action, striking the iron each day, planning, exacting, figuring things out, writing things down.

Even a thorn is protecting something precious by pounding it's sharp point into predators.  It's strike has purpose.


Each day we go to work to pay our bills and feed our families.  At the end of the day we may sit and think of everything that happened during to the day, maybe making sure we make changes for tomorrow.   Each day we pound our hammer, put our nos to the grindstone all with purpose, thoughts, and goals in mind.

Giants in many of the sagas, were the keepers of treasures of wisdom, magical wells, and magical powers and potions that humans did not possess.  The giants were far more knowing than man.

Here are some nouns and words to examine using the Th Rune phonic in English:

thread, thorn, thumb, thimble, thought, thinking, thrashing, thrall, thump, throat.  (google more nouns and verbs that begin with the th sound)

Words are magic.  And if we believe the story of the Norse people, about Odin bringing the Runes to mankind, we might all begin to see that these energies and mysteries he brought are hiding in plain sight in the written word.


Read my other blog entries here:  Say the Magic Word

Uruz - Rune of Urgent Undertakings

We all agree that Uruz is the Rune of strength.   But to take it a few steps further, in studying nouns in English that begin with the U Rune sound, we'll see that Uruz is a strength that comes with push.  It's a protective rune, that provides strength when it is needed most.   This could be during illness, in an emergency situation, during times of deep strife.

I could almost simplify this rune, looking at the many English nouns that have the "u" sound and call this rune "Emergency."   A powerful energy.

An umbrella is a powerful tool to have when you're walking on the street and it starts to downpour.


let's look a just a few nouns beginning with the sound of Uruz in English:

upbringing, upgrading, upheaval, upholstery, upkeep, uplift, usage, umbrella, under, udder, uranium, ukulele, ugly,  undertaker, undertaking, undertow, underwear, underworld, underwriter, underwriting, undoing, unease, unemployment, unfoldment, unfortunate, unfrocking, unification, uniform, uniformity, uninitiate, union, unison, unit, unity, universality, universe .

(google more nouns that begin with the letter U and see if you can find the Uruz energy inherent in it's meaning in your reality) .

So the U Rune, Uruz is a sudden necessary power in times of trouble, emergency, necessity.

Read my other blog entries here:  Say The Magic Word

Fehu - Rune of Flowing Fertility

Fehu is the rune of increase.  This could be money, fertility, material goods, speed, station in life, moving from place to place, changing from one thing to another, changing from a regular man to a fireman.

We could increase our income as well as our expenses using Fehu.  So know the energy  Most of us like to think Fehu is only about  increasing money because most of us want to do that to ensure our own and our family's security.   We all want to work with energy that will bring more wealth our way.  Make no mistake, Fehu is not just about money !

Thorsen says that Fehu is the "sending rune."   I feel he senses this because the power of Fehu is that of increase.  When send something you increase it's position.  When we change the ordinary to extraordinary we increase it's present location.  So Fehu is all about increase and even change. 

Again, it could be a lot of money, a lot of children, a lot of friends, a lot of energy !    Fehu combined with Uruz could mean a lot of strength.

When it comes to Runes and their phonic sound, Fehu for instance has the "F" sound, I try and think of how words in the English, Norwegian, Icelandic, and German languages that have that sound.

Since English is my language, here are just a smidgen of nouns starting with the F sound.  In each random F noun below, you will find some energy of increase attached to it.

fiance, fiasco, fiat, fiber, fibrin, fiction, fiddle, fiddling, fidelity, fiefdom, field, fielder, fielding, fieldmice, fieldstone, fieldwork, fiend, fiesta, fig, fight, fighter, fighting, figment, figure, figuring, filagree, filament, filbert, file, filibuster, filigree, filler, filling, fillip, filly, film, filter, filtering, filth, fin, final, finale, finalist, finality, finance, financier, financing, find, finder, finding, fine, finger, fingerprint, finial, finish, finisher, finishing, finite, fir, fire, firebug, firecracker, firelight, fireman, firemen, fireplace, firepower, firing, firm, firsthand, fish, fisherman, fishermen, fishery, fishing, fishpond, fission, fist, fit, fitting, fix, fixing, fixture.


Examine each of the words above to fully understand the energy of increase associated with the F rune.  Study as many F nouns out on google that you can and see this doesn't help you understand the energy of increase and change that is Fehu.

Read my other blogs on discovering runic energies using the study of words and language.  Say The Magic Word