Mannaz

“We are each a savior, each a god.
It is the fear of what this means which binds us to the realm of humankind.”

Mannaz – “Man-az” – Literally: “Mankind” – Esoteric: Humankind, awareness

Rune of the Divine structure of intelligence in the human soul or psyche. Rune of the horizons of human existence and collective potential.

Psi: mind & memory (Hugin & Munin), the difference between human and all other life, development of the intellect, rational mind, perfected intelligence

Energy: psychic order of the gods reflected in humankind, projection of Self into time

Mundane: thinking, planning, analysis, the human condition, people at large (contemporary: the masses)

Divinations: Divine structure, sustainability, intelligence, awareness, social order, divine influence in life; or depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion, collective suicide, bigotry, elitism, intellectual arrogance.

Governs:

Self-Actualization
Realization of the divine structure in humankind
Increase in intelligence, memory and mental powers (passing tests)
Unlocking the third-eye hvel, the “mind’s eye”
Activating the dynamics of your own inner Christus, or Higher Self
Awareness of our roles as co-creator with the gods and nature
Mental and spiritual potential

 

Ehwaz

 

“The mind will trust the body, the body will trust the mind.”

Ehwaz – “eh-was” – Literally: “Horse” – Esoteric: Trust

Rune of harmonious teamwork and trust. Rune of pairs of entities working together for a common goal.

Psi: trust between individual entities, sexuality

Energy: trust, cooperation, the Fetch

Mundane: animals, teamwork, friendship

Divinations: Harmony, teamwork, trust, marriage, loyalty, a friend; or duplication, disharmony, mistrust, betrayal, nightmares, indecision, an enemy.

Governs:

Activating the energies of your inner Fetch
Ability to detect deceit and uncover subtle queues
Facilitates swiftness in every regard
Establishing trust and bonds with animals (ie. horse whisperers)

Berkano

 

“The most obvious Truth is hidden deep within, and only you will ever know it.”

Berkano – “Burr-can-oh” – Literally: “Birch Goddess” – Esoteric: Birth, Sanctuary

Rune of continued growth and continual rebirth or renewal in all things. The rune of becoming.

Psi: secrecy, silence, safety, mature wisdom, dependence

Energy: container/releaser, female fertility, trees and plantlife

Mundane: motherhood, healing, gardening, child raising, the womb

Divinations: Birth, becoming, life changes, shelter, liberation, sanctuary, secrets; or blurring of consciousness, deceit, sterility, stagnation, conspiracy, insecurity

Governs:
Rebirth in the spirit
Strengthens the power of secrecy
Works of concealment and protection
To contain and hold other powers together
Realization of stillness, the Now-ness of all things
Bringing ideas to fruition in the creative process

Tiwaz

What is higher than the self is the Self become Higher.”

Tiwaz – “Tea-waz” – Literally: “The god, Tyr” – Esoteric: Justice, Sacrifice

Rune of the balance and justice ruled from a higher rationality. The rune of sacrifice of the individual (self) for well-being of the whole (society).

Psi: spiritual warrior, honour, righteousness

Energy: sovereign order, sacrifice, right decision making

Mundane: the rule of law, fairness, peace keeping

Divinations: faith, loyalty, justice, rationality, self-sacrifice, analysis, victory, honesty, even-handedness; or mental paralysis, over analysis, over-sacrifice, injustice, imbalance, defeat, tyranny.

Governs:
Obtaining just victory and success in battle, litigation or legal matters
Building spiritual will and development of sound judgement
Develops the power of positive self-sacrifice
Develops the “force of faith” in magic and religion

Sowilo

“The guide leads you to the doorway, then waits for your return.”

Sowilo – “So-iölo” – Literally: “Sun” (Sol) – Esoteric: wholeness, success

Rune of guidance, goal setting and success.

Psi: central nervous system, seat of the soul, revelation, wholeness

Energy: sun-wheel, strengthening the hvel/charka, cosmic energies, motivation, life-giving force, action

Mundane: sunlight, fire, meeting of goals, confidence, taking action

Divinations: Guidance, hope, success, goals, honor, life purpose, faith in outcomes; or false goals, bad advice, false success, gullibility, loss of goals.

Governs:

Transmutation of thought into energy for action
Activating highest values
Strengthening of psychic centers (hvel aka Chakras)
Increase in spiritual will and optimal health
Guidance through the pathways, “enlightenment”
Victory and success through individual will

Algiz

“Fear has its place in every heart. Courage is only a response.”

Algiz (or Elhaz) – “Al-jiz” – Literally: “Elk” – Esoteric: Protection, Higher Self

Rune of the essential link or connection with the patterns of divine or archetypal consciousness, such as the Valkyrie. Rune of the possible danger of realizing this link when unprepared.

Psi: divinity, higher self, the state of listening

Energy: protective teaching force, the divine plan, Valkyries

Mundane: protection, safety, spirituality

Divinations: Connection with the gods, awakening, higher life, protection; or hidden danger, consumption by divine forces, loss of the divine link, fear.

Governs:
Strengthening of hamingja (personal gravity, ‘luck’) and life force through courageous deeds
Mystical and religious communication with non-human sentient beings
Communication with other worlds, especially Asgard
Protection/defense
Receiving instruction on the magical potential of the runes
Banishing the fear of death

Perthro

“The beginning and end are set. What’s in between is yours. Nothing is in vain, all is remembered.”

Perthro – “Per-throw” – Literally: unknown – Esoteric: The Norns, Fate, Lot-Cup

Rune of fate and the unmanifest. Rune of probability and the role of luck in the evolutionary process of the all things. Universe at play.

Psi: co-incidence, living with the unknown, the art and magic of guessing, pattern recognition, prophecy

Energy: evolutionary force, luck, nothingness, the unborn, the unmanifest

Mundane: gambling, random occurrences, guessing

Divinations: Good omen, knowledge of örlög, fellowship and joy, evolutionary change; or doom*, psychological or emotional addictions, stagnation, loneliness, delusion, fantasy, unknowability.

*Doom is the way in which the uncontrolled aspects of our self conspire in our destiny. It does not necessarily mean death.

Governs:
Perception of the layers of örlög and wyrd
Manipulation of cause and effect
Placing runic forces in the stream of Nornic law
Alteration of probability and dependence on luck
The creation of favorable circumstances
Chance, gambling, divination and the art of guessing

 

Ihwaz or Eihwaz

“The path is hard and lonely and there is no end to sight.”

Ihwaz (also: eihwaz) – “Yew-was” – Literally: “Yew” – Esoteric: Yggdrasil or Kundalini

“The axis or process of spiritual becoming.” Upper and lower worlds meeting in Midgard (earth). Rune of the mysteries of life and death.

Psi: death mysteries, the timeless, kundalini,

Energy: axis of heaven-earth-hel, secrecy, encoding, immortality, the chakra system (hvel)

Mundane: longevity, initiations, trees

Divinations: movement toward Enlightenment, endurance, initiation, protection; or confusion, destruction, dissatisfaction, weakness, death

Governs:
Initiation into the wisdom of the World Tree (Yggdrasil) and hvel (chakras)
Liberation from the fear of death.
Development of spiritual endurance and hard will to gain initiative
Spiritual vision
Communication between levels of reality – the Worlds or Yggdrasil

Jera

“Patience up to a point. Know your time, but work your wyrd always.”

Jera – “Yehr-ah” – Literally: “Year” – Esoteric: Harvest

Rune of harvest and reward for, or reaction to, right actions in a horizontal (naturally ordered) cyclical process. Rune of peace on the land and in the heart.

Psi: psychological time, patience, the measurement of time

Energy: good harvest, orbits, cycles, progress, biorhythms, right effort

Mundane: waiting, gardening, farming, the seasons, harvest

Divinations: Reward for positive action, plenty, peace, proper timing; or repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict, regression.

Governs:
Fertility, creativity and harmony with the land
Peace, prosperity and plenty
Realization of the cyclical nature of the multiverse, invoking the power of time and cycles
Bringing other concepts gently into material manifestation
Initiating gradual and lasting change in flow of life

Isa

 

“Ice only appears to stop a river’s flow.”

Isa – “Iss-ah” – Literally: “Ice” – Esoteric: Stasis, Stillness

Rune of concentration of things in a static or frozen state. Rune of stillness and the Ego-Self.

Psi: mental faculties, focus, ego, self-image/self-identity

Energy: stillness, contraction, stasis

Mundane: cold, self-preservation, harsh reality

Divinations: Concentrated self, ego-consciousness, self-control, unity of being; or egomania, dullness, blindness, dissipation, immobility, self-centeredness, lack of change, psychopathy.

Governs: 
Development of concentration, will and focus
Halting of unwanted dynamic forces as an act of self-defense (ard against demonic influences)
Basic ego integration within a balanced multiversal system
Power of control and constraint over other wights (entities), emotional outbursts
Focus of the will into single-minded action

Nauthiz

“Consciousness is the Necessity.”
“That which does not destroy me makes me stronger.” – Nietzsche

Nauthiz – “Not-this” – Literally: “Need-fire” or “Necessity” – Esoteric: Constraint, Friction

Key Concepts: Need, resistance, constraint, conflict, drama, effort, necessity, urgency, hard work, need-fire, life lessons, creative friction, distress, force of growth, the consequence of past action, short term pain for long term gain

Psi: resistance, need, effort

Energy: necessity, coming forth into being, urgency

Mundane: doing what must be done, chores, hard work

Divinations: Resistance (leading to strength), recognition of örlög (ultimate law, primal truth), innovation, need-fire (self-reliance), personal development and life lessons, achievement through effort; or constraint of freedom, distress, toil, drudgery, laxity, warnings, worry, guilt, moral cowardice, unfulfilled or unrecognized needs.

Governs:

Overcoming distress or negative örlög
Acceptance of the unchangeable
Development of magical will, the manipulation of wyrd
Understanding the dynamic force of “resistance” in the process of creating
The generation of creative energy for problem solving
Protection of one’s own needs
Recognition of personal need
Love magic; especially to obtain a lover

Hagalaz

“Don’t try to fix what we should break before it breaks us.”

Hagalaz – “Hag-all-az” – Literally: “Hail” or “Hailstone” – Esoteric: Crisis or Radical Change

Key Concepts: hailstones, crisis and catastrophe, disruption, radical change, destructive elements of nature, severe weather, the uncontrollable, unavoidable unpleasantness, Jungian shadow, psychoanalysis, regression, acceptance of the unalterable

Psi: disruption, change, personal past

Energy: power beyond human ability to harness, perfect pattern, seed formation, objective confrontation, destructive natural forces, chaos

Mundane: bad weather, obstacles, surprises, shelter

Divinations: Change according to ideals, changes for the long-term good, controlled crisis, corrections, completion, inner harmony; or catastrophe, crisis, stagnation, loss of power, loss of property, short-term disappointment, victim-consciousness, obsession with the past, blame.

Governs:
Completeness and balance of power, integration of unconscious shadow elements
The inevitability of Fate, Wyrd, Orlog
Evolutionary progress and operations of becoming
The outworking of a perfect pattern
Protection through banishing or exorcising disharmonious patterns, protection
Awareness of the unconscious ideas for eventual processing
Causing discomfort in others by awakening their own subconscious ‘garbage’

Wunjo

“Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ.”
“Be careful what you wish for…”

Wunjo – “Won-joe” – Literally: “Joy” – Esoteric: Hope, Harmony, Perfection

Key Concepts: joy, perfection, the art of correct wishing, correct application of the will, well-being, contentment, hope, expectation, relationship, family, bonding, trusted kinsfolk, shared ideals or aims, group harmony, symbols of shared identity, optimism, cooperative effort, like-mindedness, friendship

Psi: contentment, optimism, like-mindedness, wishful thinking, shared identity

Energy: harmony of like forces, effortless ease, fellowship, fulfillment, wishing, genuine friendship,

Mundane: parties, friendship, family, community

Divinations: Joy, harmony, fellowship, accomplishment, prosperity; or stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation, warns of caution, blindness to danger, deception, betrayal.

Governs:
Strengthens links and bonds
Invocation of fellowship and harmony.
Banishes alienation and other inharmonious impediments to trust
Creating joy through the use of true will
Realization of the link and multiplicity of relationship of all things
The art of correct wishing, ‘law of attraction’

Gebo

“For every gift a curse.”

Gebo – “Gay-boo” – Literally: “Gift” – Esoteric: Fair Exchange, Sacrifice, Sacred Marriage

Key Concepts: gifts, giving, taking, trade, sacrifice, process of exchange, balance, compensation, equilibrium, law of reciprocation, altruism, the gravity of equals and opposites, generosity, hospitality, honor

Psi: gratitude, forgiveness, appreciation

Energy: Exchanged powers, sacrifice, dissolution of barriers through gifting

Divinations: Generosity, gift, magical exchange, honor, sacrifice, divine vision; or influence buying, greed, loneliness, dependence, over-sacrifice, unbalanced behavior, dishonesty

Mundane: material gifts, thankfulness, trade

Governs: 
Sex magic
Mystical union and ‘Sacred Marriage’ between partners
Understanding of the true meaning of gifting and binding
Giving of oneself from within
Harmony between brothers and sisters and lovers
Favours, contracts, obligations, debt and oath-taking

Kenaz

“The student surpasses the teacher.”

Kenaz – Literally: “Torch” – Esoteric ‘Ken’ or Knowledge

Key Concepts: torch as a symbol of knowledge and intellect, illumination, searching for enlightenment, shedding light on matters, quest for truth, skills and abilities, creativity, art, craftsmanship, cunning, acquisition and application of knowledge, occult female secrets, intuition, enthusiasm in teaching/learning, study, kin-fire, opportunity, playfulness

Psi: observation, clarity of thought, cognitive faculties, humility

Energy: Controlled energy, transformation (pheonix fire), teaching/learning dynamic, illumination

Mundane: art, technique, improvement of skills, school, the stars

Divinations: Artistic or technical ability, craft, transformation, offspring, new information; or disease, decay, breakup, inability, lack of creativity, ignorance, arrogance, elitism, over-conceptualization

Governs:
Illumination (torchlight) when exploring transpersonal pathways
Creative inspiration, enthusiasm for learning
Exploration of paradigms in the search for truth
Exposing the hidden to gain new knowledge, esp. through study, reflection and new information
Strengthening of abilities in all realms
Female occult secrets
The light within, the observer

Raidho

“The journey is the destination.”

Raidho – “Ride-ho” – Literally: “Ride” or “Wagon” – Esoteric: Journey

Key Concepts: the journey of Life, stories, heroism, means of transportation, right action, movement, motion, taking charge, being in control, initiative, adventure, decision-making, direction, counsel, the right path, the inner compass, leadership, kingship, nobility held by merit, moral responsibility, integrity, respect for the rights of others, innate knowledge of right and wrong, celestial procession, rituals

Psi: the story ‘form’ in the psyche, freedom from imprisonment, self-mastery

Energy: cosmic cyclical law, rhythm, presence (active)

Mundane: street-smarts, common sense, travel, movement, taking action

Divinations: Rationality, sound advice, action, justice, ordered growth, journey; or crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality, control freak, hypocrisy, wrongful imprisonment, restlessness.

Governs:
Living in the present
Access to “inner advice” and our inner compass, following the heart
Movement within one’s natural limits
Blending with personal and world rhythms, consciousness of right and natural processes
Mastery of circumstance and control of situations, taking the lead
Establishment of creative rhythm in activities
Protection while traveling
Decision-making followed by immediate action

Ansuz

Find your ears before you search for words.”

Ansuz – “Anne – suhz” – Literally: “Woden” – Esoteric: “Breath” or “Ancestral Sovereign God”

Key Concepts: order, gods, Odin, transmission of intelligence, communication, reason, inspiration, language, breath, sound, origins of language, the Voice of the Universe, spellsong, casting, chanting, ancestors, passing of the breath along the ancestral line, evolution of gods, speech, poetry, discussion of runes, memetics, semiotics, etymology, linguistics.

Psi: mental stability, communion, inspiration, listening

Energy: sovereign ancestral god, animating spirit, breath, communication, exploration, order, answers

Mundane: words, conversation, symbols, elders, music

Divinations: Divine inspiration, word-power, synthesis, transformation, intellect, open paths of communication; or misunderstanding, delusion, manipulation by others, boredom, bad advice

Governs:
All powers of naming and conceptualization
Convincing and magnetic speech and writing, and the power of suggestion and hypnosis
Acquisition of creative wisdom, inspiration, ecstasy and divine communication
Reason, analysis and good advice
Connecting and networking
Listening to oneself and one’s own particular inner-voice

 

Thurisaz

If we must fight for peace then let us find our peace in battle.”

Thurisaz – “Thor-is-as” – Literally: “Thurses” or “Giants” – Esoteric: Strong one, Resistance

Key Concepts: Unconscious forces, sociological forces, Thor, Loki as giant, chaos, destruction by natural forces, complexities of aggression, conflicts, disputes, psychological problems,  lightning, breakthrough, aggressive male sexuality, battering down barriers, thorn of awakening, trouble, enthusiasm

Psi: enthusiasm, struggle against unconsciousness, male sexual prowess

Energy: enthusiasm, self-empowerment, chaos, active defensive force, breaker of resistance, destructive storms

Mundane: storms, tools, weapons, conflict

Divinations: Reactive force, directed force, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst, constructive conflict; or danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness, disease, explosive violence, annoyance, strife

Governs:
Destruction of enemies, curses binds and fetters
Awakening of the will to action
Breaking resistance of blockages in body, mind and spirit
Increased potency and prowess in romantic relationships
Understanding of the division and separation of all things
Aiming the use of psychic force
The combination of right/left brain processes for generating powerful realization

Uruz

“Mind over matter – matter over mind”

Uruz – “Oo – Ruse” – Literally: “Aurochs” – Esoteric: Endurance, Formation, Manifestation

Key Concepts: life force, physical health, courage, organic structure, manifestation, formation, healing, vigor, endurance

Psi: determination, persistence, freedom, courage, will, territoriality, independence

Energy: Vital formative force, archetypal patterning, raw primal power, survival, healing, endurance, manifestation, organic structuring

Mundane: physical health, stamina

Divinations: Strength, constancy, vitality, tenacity, pattern, luck, health, pragmatic knowledge, understanding; or weakness, obsession, misdirected force, inconstancy, sickness, ignorance, uncontrolled rage, insensitivity, brutality

Governs:
Shaping and forcing fortunate circumstances creatively through will and inspiration
Self-healing and maintenance of good mental and physical health
Assertion of home ground, personal space, independence and freedom
Strength and tenacity, courage, persistence against all odds
Ability to control aggression and take responsibility
Rites of passage, especially into adulthood

Fehu

“Every beginning has within it the seeds of its own end.”

Fehu – “Fay-Who” – Literally: “Cattle” – Esoteric: Mobile Property, New Beginnings, Wealth

Key Concepts: Wealth, money, food, sustenance, Hamingja, luck, personal power, circulation of power,  financial strength, prosperity

Psi: Beginner’s Mind, presence, freedom, first impressions, young love

Energy: mobility, luck, charisma, dynamic power, liquid and mobile transferable energies, abundance, circulation, ‘mana’, sexual attraction

Mundane: money, recent purchases, reputation, freshness, fashionability

Divinations: New beginnings, social success, foresight, energy, travel, money, control; or greed, failure, atrophy, poverty, endings.

Governs:

• Delegating your energy to another, power transference or projection; the sending rune
• Drawing gravity into the personal sphere
• Promotion of personal and social evolution, changing circumstances of importance
• Increase in personal monetary wealth
• Beginner’s mind and presence as a tool for consciously creating a fresh start