Mannaz -Part 1 and 2
I'm not going to do two separate posts for this one. The rune I pulled this time didn't seem to have any special timing or significance at this point. I have four more runes left to do in this series before I begin again with a different set of books.
If I were to stretch a bit to pull some meaning out of this it might be a reference to dealing with mundane things, the task of being human. For the past four months I have been dealing with rolling illnesses. From October to just two weeks ago I was sick every few weeks. It really sucked and I couldn't get anything done. My kid got sick too. She missed the entire last week of school before break.
We are all fine now. I'm still a bit slow and tired but I think my immune system might be recovering enough that I might be okay from here on out. I certainly hope so since I have New Hampshire coming up in 4 weeks.
Maybe I should take a closer look at Mannaz's murkstave properties. Perhaps that is what is at work here and I need to figure out what is the root of this and how to correct it.
I think the thing that is also slowing me down is being turned off from Thorsson's works because of his association with McNallen. I didn't realize that the connection was still on going and much more tight than I realized. I had come to the understanding that there was a falling out and Thorsson left the group. I thought it was over McNallen's racism. Apparently Thorsson is cool with the AFA's white-only policy. He just maintains a civil persona to help him sell more books. I did not realize how deep the racist rabbit hole goes. Ugh!
So I will finish this work since I'm so closed to the end of the 24 runes and then I will find other resources to continue this study. No sense tipping over the whole apple cart when I can see the gates of the city from here.
********************************************************************
Translation:
Germanic: Mannaz
Old Eng: Mann
Mod Eng: Man
Phonetic: M (Handbook, 57)
Physical: (3:4)
(Futhark, 12-13)
Divination:
+ Divine structure, intelligence, awareness, social order
- Depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion (Handbook, 58)
Magickal Uses:
Divine structure in humankind
Increase intelligence, memory
Balance poles of personality
Unlocking the mind's eye (Futhark, 61)
Mythological Connections:
In Thorsson's interpretation, he sees Heimdal as a disguise of Odin. Heimdal/Odin is the progenitor of mankind and divided people into three classes based on social function: Provider, Warrior, Kind/Priest.
Thorsson also writes that there is a genetic link between men and Gods. There are sagas where the main character or family claims to be descended from one of the Gods, such as Odin or Freyr. Freyr was actually said to be Ing who was an ancient King whose rule brought luck and prosperity to his people during his life and they continued to make offerings at his burial mound after he died. He was elevated to a god. The Ynglingasaga is the story of his descendents.
This genetic link to the gods means that humans are a manifestation of divine energy. It is possible for humans to channel divine consciousness from the gods, especially Odin as the god of consciousness.
Sadly, this angle is also used by "volkisch" types to excuse their racism and exclusion.
Thorsson makes a brief reference to Manni, he god of the moon, and how he represents a synthesis of intuition and reason.
(Futhark, 60)
(Runelore, 130)
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 first row beneath this rune is Ansuz. the rune for the god Odin and divine consciousness. There are many references to the connection between humans and Odin in the above description and in Thorsson's writing. Perhaps the key to understanding this rune as a tool and the state of experiencing a human life is through a connection to Odin, and obviously a connection to breathing and communication.
The second row is Jera, the harvest. This could indicate a trial or a path to success. The student must learn how to or succeed in harvesting what they have planted earlier. It is the connection between cause and effect, the doing and the results. Perhaps in this sequence it references the act of creation. Odin put into play the cause/effect of the world by creating mankind.
Mannaz would be the harvest of the creation if following that line of thought. The divine power of the gods become manifest in the physical plane through people.
Final Thoughts:
There are ways of breaking down the shape of Mannaz.
One way is by seeing Isa, small Gebo, Isa. I describe this form as Dagaz with legs. Dagaz is divine enlightenment, awakening, or the dawn. The back and forth flow of gift giving that supports inspiration and enlightenment (and our relationship to the gods itself) has been given legs, or frozen into a concrete form by the power of Isa.
One of the ways that I look at Mannaz is of Dagaz with legs. It helps me remember the meaning of Mannaz. This is as if to say the the human is the embodiment of divine enlightenment or awakening. This does tie into the belief that humans are a physical manifestation of the divine and could point to divine DNA inheritance. Our minds make is possible for us to engage in ritual, develop and maintain relationships with the divine, with each other, and also to engage community with the divine. We maintain kindreds, churches, share resources and support community. We are little pieces of the divine walking around, bouncing off of each other like particles in the universe.
Another breakdown of the shape of Mannaz is of two Wunjo runes facing each other, looking kind of like people looking at each other. Wunjo is both a fellowship/tribe rune and a rune of joy. Joy is found through a common cause and working together as a unit. This breakdown of Mannaz could be symbolic of many tribes working together, taking it a step further to a unified nation from individual tribes.
3 Paths Through Midgard:
This stanza described man's relationship to gods and to men. He is the eyes and the hands of the gods to enact their will or their purpose on Midgard. Among other people, he needs friends and enemies, and he works as other men do. His life is short.
The Rune Poem:
Enjoy life while you have it.
Certain death betrays everyone eventually.
If I were to stretch a bit to pull some meaning out of this it might be a reference to dealing with mundane things, the task of being human. For the past four months I have been dealing with rolling illnesses. From October to just two weeks ago I was sick every few weeks. It really sucked and I couldn't get anything done. My kid got sick too. She missed the entire last week of school before break.
We are all fine now. I'm still a bit slow and tired but I think my immune system might be recovering enough that I might be okay from here on out. I certainly hope so since I have New Hampshire coming up in 4 weeks.
Maybe I should take a closer look at Mannaz's murkstave properties. Perhaps that is what is at work here and I need to figure out what is the root of this and how to correct it.
I think the thing that is also slowing me down is being turned off from Thorsson's works because of his association with McNallen. I didn't realize that the connection was still on going and much more tight than I realized. I had come to the understanding that there was a falling out and Thorsson left the group. I thought it was over McNallen's racism. Apparently Thorsson is cool with the AFA's white-only policy. He just maintains a civil persona to help him sell more books. I did not realize how deep the racist rabbit hole goes. Ugh!
So I will finish this work since I'm so closed to the end of the 24 runes and then I will find other resources to continue this study. No sense tipping over the whole apple cart when I can see the gates of the city from here.
********************************************************************
Translation:
Germanic: Mannaz
Old Eng: Mann
Mod Eng: Man
Phonetic: M (Handbook, 57)
Physical: (3:4)
(Futhark, 12-13)
Divination:
+ Divine structure, intelligence, awareness, social order
- Depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion (Handbook, 58)
Magickal Uses:
Divine structure in humankind
Increase intelligence, memory
Balance poles of personality
Unlocking the mind's eye (Futhark, 61)
Mythological Connections:
In Thorsson's interpretation, he sees Heimdal as a disguise of Odin. Heimdal/Odin is the progenitor of mankind and divided people into three classes based on social function: Provider, Warrior, Kind/Priest.
Thorsson also writes that there is a genetic link between men and Gods. There are sagas where the main character or family claims to be descended from one of the Gods, such as Odin or Freyr. Freyr was actually said to be Ing who was an ancient King whose rule brought luck and prosperity to his people during his life and they continued to make offerings at his burial mound after he died. He was elevated to a god. The Ynglingasaga is the story of his descendents.
This genetic link to the gods means that humans are a manifestation of divine energy. It is possible for humans to channel divine consciousness from the gods, especially Odin as the god of consciousness.
Sadly, this angle is also used by "volkisch" types to excuse their racism and exclusion.
Thorsson makes a brief reference to Manni, he god of the moon, and how he represents a synthesis of intuition and reason.
(Futhark, 60)
(Runelore, 130)
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 first row beneath this rune is Ansuz. the rune for the god Odin and divine consciousness. There are many references to the connection between humans and Odin in the above description and in Thorsson's writing. Perhaps the key to understanding this rune as a tool and the state of experiencing a human life is through a connection to Odin, and obviously a connection to breathing and communication.
The second row is Jera, the harvest. This could indicate a trial or a path to success. The student must learn how to or succeed in harvesting what they have planted earlier. It is the connection between cause and effect, the doing and the results. Perhaps in this sequence it references the act of creation. Odin put into play the cause/effect of the world by creating mankind.
Mannaz would be the harvest of the creation if following that line of thought. The divine power of the gods become manifest in the physical plane through people.
Final Thoughts:
There are ways of breaking down the shape of Mannaz.
One way is by seeing Isa, small Gebo, Isa. I describe this form as Dagaz with legs. Dagaz is divine enlightenment, awakening, or the dawn. The back and forth flow of gift giving that supports inspiration and enlightenment (and our relationship to the gods itself) has been given legs, or frozen into a concrete form by the power of Isa.
One of the ways that I look at Mannaz is of Dagaz with legs. It helps me remember the meaning of Mannaz. This is as if to say the the human is the embodiment of divine enlightenment or awakening. This does tie into the belief that humans are a physical manifestation of the divine and could point to divine DNA inheritance. Our minds make is possible for us to engage in ritual, develop and maintain relationships with the divine, with each other, and also to engage community with the divine. We maintain kindreds, churches, share resources and support community. We are little pieces of the divine walking around, bouncing off of each other like particles in the universe.
Another breakdown of the shape of Mannaz is of two Wunjo runes facing each other, looking kind of like people looking at each other. Wunjo is both a fellowship/tribe rune and a rune of joy. Joy is found through a common cause and working together as a unit. This breakdown of Mannaz could be symbolic of many tribes working together, taking it a step further to a unified nation from individual tribes.
3 Paths Through Midgard:
This stanza described man's relationship to gods and to men. He is the eyes and the hands of the gods to enact their will or their purpose on Midgard. Among other people, he needs friends and enemies, and he works as other men do. His life is short.
The Rune Poem:
Enjoy life while you have it.
Certain death betrays everyone eventually.
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