#runethoughts

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Runethoughts: Gebo & Ehwaz

Hello friends! I’ve been making a lot of runes lately, and whenever I do that I seem to create a new connection or gain a deeper understanding. A few weeks ago, I was able to dig deeper into Gebo and Ehwaz. They’re both relationship runes - but what is the difference in quality of the relationship?

(Images from Wild Harmonic)

As I thought about the two runes and the different relationships they represent, one strong idea came into my mind. Gebo is the rune about generousity for honor, and really is associated with building relationships through your actions. It represents the beginning of relationships, where people are still carefully tallying the “score” - how much am I putting into this relationship? How much is the other person contributing? This rune often represents the sacrifice that can come to build strong relationships. So when this rune comes up, I think of it as more of a new relationship or perhaps one that needs some work to rebuild trust. It is still a beautiful part of relationships, just a different phase from ehwaz.

Ehwaz, on the other hand, is beyond the part in the relationship where people are concerned about petty issues or keeping score. The runic poem talks about the relationship between a person and a horse- this is a state of complete trust. Domesticated animals often represent those bonds of simple, pure love between an animal and a human. This is, I believe, a part of why eihwaz is associated with marriage. There needs to be a trust and bond there beyond worry and doubt. Ehwaz is that phase where you and the other person are in a phase of moving together in the same direction, filled with trust and love.

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Runethoughts: Dagaz and Jera

As we enter the new year, I have jera and dagaz on my mind.

Dagaz rune poem:

“Day is Odin's messenger, dear to men, The Ruler's glorious light, Mirth and hope to prosperous and poor, Useful to all. “

Today is the first day of the year, a marking of our Earth’s trip around the sun and a time for new beginnings. Dagaz, the rune of light, centers around the change and hope that comes with a new dawn. What will you make of this day?

Jera rune poem:

“Harvest is the hope of men, then the gods, Heaven's holy Kings, Allows the earth to yield To prince and pauper, glorious fruits.”

Jera, the rune of harvest, is also connected with the sun and cycles of the Earth - it encompasses all of the season and reminds us that a harvest doesn’t just happen. We must be intentional with our planning and actions, plant seeds, and toil in order to reap the benefits. What intentions are you setting for your new year?

The Anglo-Saxon poem for both of these runes mention hope, which is a very important feeling to have at this time. Keep in mind, though, hope doesn’t amount to much if you aren’t willing to work for the outcomes you want. Let’s roll up our sleeves and craft ourselves the year we desire.

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Runethoughts: Isa

I’ve been thinking a great deal on Isa lately.

Two of the rune poems for Isa:

“ Ice is very cold and immeasurably slippery; it glistens as clear as glass and most like to gems; it is a floor wrought by the frost, fair to look upon. “ - Anglo-Saxon

“ Ice is called the broad bridge; the blind man must be led. “ - Old Norwegian 

Many people focus on the ice and constriction of Isa, and little on the aspect of the bridge. After all, ice can freeze a river or lake, allowing one to cross. Of course, you must be alert and in tune with what is happening to safely traverse the path. 

It can even look like a bridge, viewed from above.

Isa is the now, the ego. And often we feel constricted by our every day problems, the burdens of reality that seem to weigh us down. Yet all we have is now. And now is a bridge to the future, a chance to forge our way through potentially difficult circumstances to achieve new successes. While the future may hold wondrous experiences, we need to stay in tune with each breath we take, with the moments we live in. That way, we can wisely choose which bridge to cross, and be mindful to try to not slip from this path. 

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Runethoughts: Nauthiz

"Need is oppressive to the heart; yet often it proves a source of help and salvation to the children of men, to everyone who heeds it betimes.” - Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem.

Nauthiz has been churning in my thoughts and weighing on my heart lately, and the contemplation of it has helped me be more open to the message.

I am doing an unpaid internship for this year, essentially a full-time job with courses and homework, and yet life (read: bills) doesn’t magically get easier when we lack resources. 

So I feel need, often and deeply. And I’m uncomfortable with it, as I assume most are.

Because I’ve been in need, those around me have shown me generosity and kindness in ways that have surprised me. I’ve been humbled by those people, and I’m grateful in a way that I have never experienced before.

I’m also becoming more disciplined and resourceful. Any free time away from my internship or my family is normally spent creating art, since I might be able to gain some funds from the work. I’ve been producing more art than ever, and in my opinion, I’ve become a better artist during this time. I’m finding creative ways to cut costs and realizing things I “needed” were unnecessary. I’m discovering some of my truths about need versus want. 

Because I need, I am learning greater humility.

Because I need, I am pushing myself harder.

Because I need, I am improving.

Suddenly, Nauthiz doesn’t feel so terrible. It feels like growth.

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Runethoughts: Jera

Sometimes, the universe throws you some terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. Sometimes, it likes to keep them rolling for so long that it is easy to get frustrated and, perhaps, feel compelled to lash out. We’re only human.

When the mean reds roll in, I try to calm and center myself with whispering “jera, jera, jera.” I hold it in my mind, contemplate how beautiful the flowing shapes are. 

(Sometimes I wish Tumblr would let me make the photo smaller, c’est la vie. Here’s a bit of algiz for protection, too.)

And I try to remember that no matter how many bad days I have, I need to be sowing seeds for the good days to come. We cannot see all of the changes that are occurring around us. We’re too limited in that way. So keep planting and tending to yourself, your relationships, your dreams. It takes time for a farmer to eat the first apple from the tree he planted. 

Life is a cycle, we learn from it all. And sometimes the lessons are hard. But sooner or later, the cycle turns again, and we see how the good things we’ve done have been growing and blooming all along.

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Runethoughts: Ingwaz

The rune of Ingwaz is both a beginning and a completion, it is all potentiality contained in one form. The seed of a tree is still a tree, held tightly within a tiny pocket of life. Ingwaz is an extremely fertile rune, encouraging you to grow yourself to your fullest potential, your relationships to healthy balances, and to see the hidden potential in life around you. If you’re still breathing, you can still be growing.

More pyrography and painting at my art blog, Wood Fire Ink.

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Runethoughts: Laguz

Laguz, the rune of water and emotions. The deeper the emotion, the higher the crest. Do not fear the depths of your sorrows, for it shows how high your joys can reach. The flow of these emotions are vital - without the tides, the ocean would be stagnant.

Pyrography by Wood Fire Ink. Art blog here.

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Rune Thoughts: Thurisaz

The other day I was working out in the front yard, where some previous resident had planted several rose bushes. It was a beautiful, warm day. I was clearing out dead leaves underneath them when I was caught by a thorn and I began to bleed. I began thinking intensely on Thurisaz, the thorn & Thor’s rune. As I worked around the bushes, I repeated “Thurisaz, Thurisaz” over and over in my mind. Suddenly, the day began to darken as heavy clouds rolled in. What was a sunny sky quickly turned into a thunderstorm right above me. Lightening flashed and the ground shook as thunder rumbled. I was caught by the extraordinary coincidence of my experience - working with the thorn to chanting the thunder god’s rune, and feeling that presence all around me in the storm. It was a beautiful experience.