Ingwaz -Part 2
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 around the North Sea pairing him with Nerthus. She depleted her energy in her work with the land, supporting the continuation of life. The god replenished her energy with his. This is part of a yearly cycle of death and rebirth. Both deities were said to be carried about the countryside in wagons.
The Norse tale of how Freyr gives up his sword (phallic symbol) to win Gerdr is sometimes said to represent "gelding" or castration. Castrated sacrifices may have been part of his worship, as they are said to also have possibly been part of Skadhi's worship. At least that is one interpretation given to the story of how Loki tied his balls to a goat in order to make her laugh.
(Futhark, 63-64)
There is an interplay between Ingwaz, Berkano, and Jera. Ingwaz is the force needed to give us the harvest, the cosmic food. Berkano is both the power of gestation but also the power to break the seed open in order to bring forth the harvest or (rebirth). It is the progression of withdrawal-transformation-return.
(Runelore, 132-133)
The Elements:
Kenaz and Isa play about with this rune, Ingwaz is said to be a consolidated fire and ice, the time at the beginning of creation when absolute potential existed. Inside the seed is the fire of vibration and heat building and waiting to break through. The husk of the seed is the protection of ice, solid and still, keeping safe what is inside while it develops. (Futhark, 75)
The Eights:
Row 1: Mysteries/Tools to learn
Row 2: Trials and Tribulations / Conflicts and paths to success
Row 3: The realm where the student works (Runelore, 140)
In the row of Tools to learn above Ingwaz is Kenaz. Ingwaz can be viewed as two Kenaz runes facing each other joined in a closed circuit. This is held fire, the force of life within the seed. The fire in Ingwaz comes from these two cycling power between them.
In the row of conflicts and paths to success is Perthro. This is a rune of the Norns, of taking risks, of layers of orlog (cause and effect that lead to one's future). In it's relation to Ingwaz it indicates the connection between the planting of the seeds (cause or our past actions) and whether that planting will result in our intended harvest (the effects from our past actions). This layering of cause and effect becomes wyrd.
In the row of environment is Ingwaz. This could for some people be very literal in the case of farmers and agriculture. But it is also a reminder of "we are our deeds". If we plant in this world carefully and act justly, then the environment we create will be one of positive wyrd. If we allow ourselves to be corrupted by greed or inhospitality, we could contribute to the creation of destructive wyrd. In the ancient world it was more a matter of chaos/destruction polarized with order/creation, instead of the good and evil we have been exposed to through the Abrahamic traditions.
Before Ingwaz is Laguz. This rune is water or waterfall and deals with the vertical energy flow, mostly from above and downwards. Literally, it could be interpreted as the water cycle, the rainfall that helps nurture the seed. Esoterically it points to the subconscious and possibly death. In myth is a reference to the well of wyrd, where layers of orlog collect to create "fate".
After Laguz is Dagaz, which is a rune of daybreak, symbolically representing enlightenment, the awakening of consciousness. There is a sort of higher level consciousness that the student can obtain after years of study in integrating knowledge of self, the world, and the lessons of the runes. In connection to Ingwaz, this could be the germination of the inner mind, leading to the sprouting or birth of a new insight, a new being.
Alternatively, in other rune rows, such as in the Old English, Othala comes after Ingwaz instead of Dagaz. The seed beneath the earth, the reference to burial, death and rest/gestation before rebirth does tie into the meaning of Othala. Othala is a reference to ancestral land, inherited land, and the burial mounds of ancestors. As I have described before, Othala represents ancestors but also the inner temple of the self, and eventually how we use this cornerstone of who we are in connecting to the outer world and enriching our community. The emphasis is on the "return" as mentioned above in the fertility cult reference under the Mythology section. It is not enough to be a seed in the ground, to have a strong inner temple, if one does not emerge from this inner place to engage with the world. In this alternate rune row, Dagaz follows Othala, and daybreak would then represent the rebirth of consciousness, such as emerging from the home and interacting with the world, learning and evolving.
Final Thoughts:
The Rune Poem:
This stanza directly references the god Ing and his chariot. He was said to travel in a wagon across the land as Nerthus was known to do as well. This particular stanza references his eastward journey. Perhaps his worship traveled from the Baltic area, to the North Sea, and then to Sweden where similar fertility cults and fertility gods were worshiped.
3 Paths Through Midgard:
This stanza begins with a comments about death. All people and gods die. A time comes when the mind and body rest in the barrow, hidden in the soil. "He must plant his dreams in solid earth to reap a crop, else the seed sleeps on." There seems to be a connection being drawn between the mind, dreams, and rest so that one may begin again to seek out one's goal. This seems to point to the seed's place in the trinity of birth-life-death/rebirth. The seed is the moment of death before rebirth, a necessary sleep for replenishing energy.
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 around the North Sea pairing him with Nerthus. She depleted her energy in her work with the land, supporting the continuation of life. The god replenished her energy with his. This is part of a yearly cycle of death and rebirth. Both deities were said to be carried about the countryside in wagons.
The Norse tale of how Freyr gives up his sword (phallic symbol) to win Gerdr is sometimes said to represent "gelding" or castration. Castrated sacrifices may have been part of his worship, as they are said to also have possibly been part of Skadhi's worship. At least that is one interpretation given to the story of how Loki tied his balls to a goat in order to make her laugh.
(Futhark, 63-64)
There is an interplay between Ingwaz, Berkano, and Jera. Ingwaz is the force needed to give us the harvest, the cosmic food. Berkano is both the power of gestation but also the power to break the seed open in order to bring forth the harvest or (rebirth). It is the progression of withdrawal-transformation-return.
(Runelore, 132-133)
The Elements:
Kenaz and Isa play about with this rune, Ingwaz is said to be a consolidated fire and ice, the time at the beginning of creation when absolute potential existed. Inside the seed is the fire of vibration and heat building and waiting to break through. The husk of the seed is the protection of ice, solid and still, keeping safe what is inside while it develops. (Futhark, 75)
The Eights:
Row 1: Mysteries/Tools to learn
Row 2: Trials and Tribulations / Conflicts and paths to success
Row 3: The realm where the student works (Runelore, 140)
In the row of Tools to learn above Ingwaz is Kenaz. Ingwaz can be viewed as two Kenaz runes facing each other joined in a closed circuit. This is held fire, the force of life within the seed. The fire in Ingwaz comes from these two cycling power between them.
In the row of conflicts and paths to success is Perthro. This is a rune of the Norns, of taking risks, of layers of orlog (cause and effect that lead to one's future). In it's relation to Ingwaz it indicates the connection between the planting of the seeds (cause or our past actions) and whether that planting will result in our intended harvest (the effects from our past actions). This layering of cause and effect becomes wyrd.
In the row of environment is Ingwaz. This could for some people be very literal in the case of farmers and agriculture. But it is also a reminder of "we are our deeds". If we plant in this world carefully and act justly, then the environment we create will be one of positive wyrd. If we allow ourselves to be corrupted by greed or inhospitality, we could contribute to the creation of destructive wyrd. In the ancient world it was more a matter of chaos/destruction polarized with order/creation, instead of the good and evil we have been exposed to through the Abrahamic traditions.
Before Ingwaz is Laguz. This rune is water or waterfall and deals with the vertical energy flow, mostly from above and downwards. Literally, it could be interpreted as the water cycle, the rainfall that helps nurture the seed. Esoterically it points to the subconscious and possibly death. In myth is a reference to the well of wyrd, where layers of orlog collect to create "fate".
After Laguz is Dagaz, which is a rune of daybreak, symbolically representing enlightenment, the awakening of consciousness. There is a sort of higher level consciousness that the student can obtain after years of study in integrating knowledge of self, the world, and the lessons of the runes. In connection to Ingwaz, this could be the germination of the inner mind, leading to the sprouting or birth of a new insight, a new being.
Alternatively, in other rune rows, such as in the Old English, Othala comes after Ingwaz instead of Dagaz. The seed beneath the earth, the reference to burial, death and rest/gestation before rebirth does tie into the meaning of Othala. Othala is a reference to ancestral land, inherited land, and the burial mounds of ancestors. As I have described before, Othala represents ancestors but also the inner temple of the self, and eventually how we use this cornerstone of who we are in connecting to the outer world and enriching our community. The emphasis is on the "return" as mentioned above in the fertility cult reference under the Mythology section. It is not enough to be a seed in the ground, to have a strong inner temple, if one does not emerge from this inner place to engage with the world. In this alternate rune row, Dagaz follows Othala, and daybreak would then represent the rebirth of consciousness, such as emerging from the home and interacting with the world, learning and evolving.
Final Thoughts:
The Rune Poem:
This stanza directly references the god Ing and his chariot. He was said to travel in a wagon across the land as Nerthus was known to do as well. This particular stanza references his eastward journey. Perhaps his worship traveled from the Baltic area, to the North Sea, and then to Sweden where similar fertility cults and fertility gods were worshiped.
3 Paths Through Midgard:
This stanza begins with a comments about death. All people and gods die. A time comes when the mind and body rest in the barrow, hidden in the soil. "He must plant his dreams in solid earth to reap a crop, else the seed sleeps on." There seems to be a connection being drawn between the mind, dreams, and rest so that one may begin again to seek out one's goal. This seems to point to the seed's place in the trinity of birth-life-death/rebirth. The seed is the moment of death before rebirth, a necessary sleep for replenishing energy.
Comments
Post a Comment