Romancing the Runes

Translations :                                                           (In progress) Germanic:            Hagalaz Old Eng:              Haegl Mod Eng:             Hail Phonetic:              H                                                                                ( Handbook , 35) Physical :  (2:1)                                                                                                                 ( Futhark , 12-13) Divination : +change according to ideals, controlled crises, completion, inner harmony -catastrophe, crises, stagnation, loss of power                                       ( Handbook , 36) Magickal Uses : completeness balance of power mystical experience evolution in action protection                                                                                                 ( Futhark , 38) Mythology/ Spiritual Connections : Hagalaz is refered to as an ice-egg or a hail-seed.  It contained the crystal of power and the pa

I'm listening to this amazing music by Laboratorium Peisni.  Polish chanting music.  Really tribal and cool. It reminds me a lot of Medieval Babes who sing in Old English poetry and songs from hundreds of years ago.  Anyways, Hagalaz showed up first in my first pull a couple days ago for my next rune so I will deal with that one first. It also showed up today for my galdr rune in my meditation. The first rune I pull is the one that I galdr before my meditation. It helps me focus with the rhythmic breathing and the vibration in my chest from the chanting.  It sometimes provides a theme for my meditation as well. I can use it as a question to ask or with my pendulum, or sometimes it even leads me to a place like what happened with Laguz. During the galdr I pictured the rune and it's alternate forms. At one point the image of the Rune Mother morphed into a yin-yang symbol of fire and ice wrapped around each other.  It reminded me a bit of some of the feeling I got from Ingwaz.

Translation :                                                        Germanic:          Laguz Old Eng:            Lagu Mod Eng:          Lake, Leek Phonetic:           L                                                                         ( Handbook , 59) Physical :           (3:5)                                                                                                      ( Futhark , 12-13) Divination : + Life, water journey, sea of life, sea of unconscious growth - Fear, circular motion, avoidance, withering                             ( Handbook , 60) Magickal Uses: Guidance through initiation Increase in vitality Gathering of Power focused by the will Increase in magnetism Develop 2nd Sight                                                                      Myths : Laguz connects to various forms of water in the myths.  It is the water of Niflheim before it freezes and becomes ice that later is activated by the fires at the beginning of c

I do have other rune books planned as I've mentioned in the first few posts in this blog. I am still acquiring rune books about the runes themselves, different series, and different applications such as rune astrology.  Thorsson in one of his rune studies talks about a spiraling upward in his discussion of Raidho.  I'm taking a similar path in my study of the runes. I'm doing one cycle of the 24 runes with Thorsson primarily.  The second cycle will involve two or three more books of a similar nature. I may do a few more basic books on runes before I move into books about meditation and galdr work. But the process of learning the runes will be a series of turns.  I won't go through the 24 and call it done. I'll go through them again with different authors or a different focus, and try to tie them to what I did in the previous cycle.

This one is personal. Laguz has been following me all week. It has appeared in every reading I have done, about five readings so far.  Yesterday I pulled it twice from two different sets.  I've been trying to figure out what it could mean. Laguz is a rune of deep mystery, waterfalls, the well of wyrd, the subconscious mind.  It could indicate hidden forces at work, or something I need to pay attention to with my subconscious.  More than twice it appeared with Dagaz in the same reading.  This could have something to do with a hidden force, or layers of orlog, contributing to a possible revelation moment. Wunjo and Uruz have appeared multiple times as well, but as a more subtle influence. Perhaps to indicate the work that I am doing with fellowship and my physical health is having as a secondary effect on these things. I'm still pondering this message. Less subtle is the meditation I did when I pulled Laguz as my galdr rune. I've been using galdr to help get me into a

Translation :                                Germanic:  Ingwaz Old Eng:    Ing Mod Eng:  the god Ing (Freyr) Phonetic:   NG                                                                              ( Handbook , 61) Physical :   (3:6) Divination : + Rest stage, internal growth, gestation -Impotence, scattering, movement without change                      ( Handbook , 62) Magickal Uses : storage of power transformation of power fertility rites passive meditation centering thought/ energy sudden release of energy                                                                                                        ( Futhark , 64-65) Mythological/ Spiritual Meanings : This rune is often considered to be representative of the God Ing (Freyr).  There are historical and saga references to Ing being a human king who was deified after his death because during his rein he had brought so much prosperity to his people. There was said to be a fertility cult

The seed following ice is quite poetic this time of year. We have had multiple snow storms and ice storms.  I pulled Isa the night before a blizzard here.  And today we have freezing rain with snow on top of it. We have gone from 60 degrees down to below freezing.  The weather has been quite remarkable.  It actually felt like spring and I could see the plants wanting to germinate. I worried about my tigerlilies that were showing green tips.  I'm worried about the possible damage to any plants that got confused by such extreme warmth in between severe weather events. Climate change has been on my mind quite a bit. From bats in Australia with their brains literally boiling in their skulls, to frozen sharks washing up on the shores of Massachusetts. We are in a very dangerous tipping point for our climate and yet humans still can't see how we contribute to our own demise. As if everyone comforts themselves with the belief that things will always be as they are now, and we are

Edits In Progress Translation : Germanic:  Isa Mod Eng:   Ice Old Eng:     Is Phonetic:    I                                                                                                      (Handbook, 39) Physical :      (2:3)                                                                                                       (Futhark, 12-13) Divination : + Concentrated Self, Conciousness, Self Control, Unity - Ego-mania, Dullness, Blindness, Dissipation                             (Handbook, 40) Magickal Uses : Development of concentration/will Constriction, Halting unwanted forces Ego Integration Power of Control over spirits Elements : Ice: This is a rune of contraction, concentration, and cohesiveness. It is a coming together of forces, a concentration of the parts of the psyche that is necessary for practice and evolution. This is not the same ice as Niflheim. Myths/Spiritual Connections : This rune is connected to the secondary ice that

This one will be a bit short.  I pulled the rune last night and we have a snow day today.  This Bomb Cyclone with 30 below windchills has been expected all week. Locally they closed city schools on Wednesday expecting Friday to be impossible.  It is  fine dusty snow perfect for slipping and sliding in. I think my rune set has a sense of humor. The one thing I will be looking at differently in this rune is the runes that Isa does not appear in.  Isa is found in many other rune shapes. I've even discussed its function in other entries. But it is not found in 6 runes. Unless you count the Anglo-Saxon Ger (Jera), then it is found in 5 runes. I'm going to go back and add the Anglo-Saxon or Old English names of the runes. It appears there are many who use those names in pagan and heathen circles. It might help keep things clear.

Translation : Germanic:     Gebo Mod Eng:      Gift Old Eng:       Gyfu Phonetic:       G                                                                                  (Handbook, 31) Physical :    (1:1)                                                                                  (Futhark, 12-13) Divination : +Gift, Generosity, Magickal Exchange, Honor, Sacrifice -Influence-buying, Greed, Loneliness, Dependence, Over Sacrifice                                                                                                            (Futhark, 32) Magickal Uses : Sex Magic, Mystical Union Increase in Magickal Power Harmony between family Acquisition of Wisdom                                                                                                           (Futhark, 33) Elements :  Fire: This is a rune of heat and expansion. Both because of the Kenaz runes evident in it's shape, but also based on its meaning.  Energy is directed outward e