Carved Leaves

Leaf 08: What You Want

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:40:03 GMT

"The situation's in need of help.
You're getting so you don't know yourself..."
--Richard Marx, 'What You Want'

Well, it has been far too long. Life and the runes handed me a couple of tough lessons, and it's been a little difficult to put pen to paper-- or fingers to keyboard, as the case may be. However, I need to finish my lessons. For myself, mostly. I highly doubt anyone else needs to read this.

This time, the rune we need to study is Naudhiz, also known as Nyd, and Naud. It is the tenth rune in the row and has the phonetic sound of "N." If you haven't already guessed by my over use of the word, the primary meaning is 'need.' 'Compulsion' and 'necessity,' also seem to play a part in the concept, often, it seems, the more unplesant parts of both.

"Constraint gives scant choice;
a naked man is chilled by the frost."
~Norwegian Rune Poem

"Constraint
Grief of the bond-maid
and state of oppression
and toilsome work."
~Icelandic Rune Poem

"Trouble 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

*~Translations from WikiSource~*

As it turns out, Naudhiz remained in the Younger FUThArk, so we have all three rune poems from which to draw. They all give a rather unplesant impression, quite frankly. However, they do give the impression it's something that must be faced and dealt with: you need clothes, no matter how ugly, to stave off the cold and you do need to work for money in order to survive. As the Anglo-Saxon poem points out, those that heed the need, eventually prosper. If you work hard and distinguish yourself, you might be promoted, and get a raise. Sounds good, huh?

This particular rune seems to manifest itself in interesting ways, in my own life. There have been times when I've *wanted* to do something, however, my body *needed* something else. For example, after my step-father's funeral, my uncle hosted a small wake at his house. I wanted to be social and be supportive of my mom. However, thanks to a number of various factors, I had aquired a serious migrane. Therefore, I needed to retreat to somewhere cool and quiet for some rest. There was no getting around it. My family was quite understanding

Also that day, my mom confessed to a need to get home, instead of staying the night with relatives. Intreresting to note, too, she described the need as a compression-- a squeezing and turning, not unlike the coils of a boa constrictor. Other writers (most notibly, Thor Shiel) have described the feel of Naudhiz in a similar manner: squeezing, turning and pressing down. Perhaps, in some way, the feeling is related to the actual shape of the rune, which has been described as the bow and stick once used to light a fire.

The thing with lighting a fire, is that it traditionally implies a kind of hope-- a goal which you wish to attain: Okay, you know you're bloody cold. You've faced that fact. Now, you can continue on being cold and miserable, or you can take action and do something about it-- like light a fire. You get out a flint and steel, a lighter, a bow and some kindling, and start the process. That all is Nuadhiz. Eventually, you'll be able to get beyond it and be warm.

An interesting attachment to the thought of lighting a fire is that Edred Thorrson associates the rune with the Devil in the tarot deck. The Rider-Waite Devil shows a man and a woman being chained to a goat-like being, but their hands are free, so they could easily break away if they want to. I usually interpret this as being locked into temptation and slavery, but holding one's own salvation and freedom in one's own hands. Alister Crowley, in his own writings, has gone so far to suggest that the Devil is actually humanity's salvation, rather than God or Jesus. Looking at him through the lense of the rune poems for Naudhiz, I can see where he might get that.

While being poor and needing money is the most common association with Naudhiz, what other times in your life have you felt it's squeezing-turning-pressing grip? It's generally thought that *needs* are different than *wants*. How might you differentiate? Jordsvin also puts forth an interesting idea that Naudhiz has a lonely, isolating and alienating element to it. Why do you think that is?

Leaf 07: Simple Gifts

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:39:15 GMT

"'Tis a gift to be simple,
'Tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to turn 'round where we ought to be."
--from "Simple Gifts," a Shaker dancing song

Today is the Feast of Saint Valentine, celebrated in modern day with gifts red roses, paper hearts, and professions of love or lust. The Saint Valentine we feast is thought to be a Roman priest, who had been imprisoned and sentenced to death. He befriended and healed his jailer's blind daughter. Before his execution, he wrote her a letter and signed it, "From your Valentine." In memory of that, we sign our gifts to our own beloveds, today, much the same way.

"'Til by turning, turning, we come 'round right."
--from "Simple Gifts"

This time, our study is the eighth rune of the row, Gebo, which is also sometimes called gyfu. It has the phonetic sound of "G" and means "gift." Graphically, it looks like a crossroads, sexual congress, or a hundred other things-- but it does quite look like the exchange of something. It does not appear in the Younger FUThARK, so we have only the Anglo-Saxon Rune poem:

Generosity brings credit and honour, which support one's dignity;
it furnishes help and subsistence
to all broken men who are devoid of aught else.
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

Gift (or generosity, favor, sacrifice) is, for the heroes, ornament and dignity
and impels their grace,
but a support for these with no other (= lonely ones).
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem, alternate translation.

*~Rune Poem Translation Courtesy of Northvegr.Org~*

Gebo has had some interesting lessons for me, of late. I lost a great gift, in the form of my step-father's unexpected passing. In life, he gifted me with some precious lessons. In death, he was equally generous-- gifting me with a family I didn't realize I had. For a while, I found myself wondering for the good he did for me, did I do enough to match it? The Hovamol does say a gift requires a gift.
Although the gods of Heathenism are not celestial accountants, it still bothered me. I could have done more, better, etc. I voiced my doubts to my mother. She told me all of the things that I gave him-- few of which were tangible, but all of which were important as they contributed to his happiness.
And that is what gifting really comes down to: contributing to someone's happiness. Often, too, it only means doing your best by them.

The Hovamol puts it thus:
"No great thing needs | a man to give,
Oft little will purchase praise;
With half a loaf | and a half-filled cup
A friend full fast I made."

*~Courtesy of Sacred-Texts.Com~*

Off course, this is all for gifts given freely and in love. Those that are not given freely, or given because they *have* to or out of guilt, taints the gift for both the giver and the receiver.

And then there is more meaning to our rune than just simple gifts, but it also implies a working together and the exchange of energies-- like in trade, or in sexual congress. Jordsvin, in his article on Gebo also suggested "sacrifice as an internal process, caused by working with the divine."

Some negative meanings might be simple stinginess, or even over-generosity-- giving to the point of self-detriment. "Vows of Poverty" come to mind. Thor Shiel has quite a lot to say on just this topic at his website. (He's got a lot to say, period. Check out his website; it's very interesting.)

For Gebo in your own life-- well, there are things just as ordinary as grocery shopping, making supper, taking someone out to supper, or taking your lover to bed after a very good supper. There's also giving your time, money, or needed items to a worthy cause. Whatever you do, do it in love and not because you feel you *have* to or whatever.

Leaf 06: Family Jewels

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:38:14 GMT

"Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door."
--Mike and the Mechanics, 'The Living Years'

Well, the holidays are over, leaving us with the stark reality of a new year and a new decade. It's kind of wild to be living in 2010, isn't it? We usually think that with the turning of the year, decade, century or millennium, we have an opportunity to start anew with a clean slate. Ah, but soon, despite resolutions to the contrary, we find old habits re-emerging and the consequences of last year's antics biting us in the bum.

"It's not about love; it's about family!"
--from Malcom in the Middle

This is a rather interesting time of year to be studying this rune: Othala. According to most sources, it is the twenty-fourth stave in the rune-row. It has the phonetic sound of "oh" and is said to represent inherited property. Some sources place Othala as twenty-third. While there is some historical evidence of this, I tend to agree with those that put it as twenty-four and thus, the final stave in the row, as my contemplations have lead me to think of Othala as not only a rune of inheritance, but also a rune of conclusions.
Bear with me on this one:
Our last rune was Peorth. We knew the elements going into the dice cup, but we had no idea what might come out. With Othala, we have the final set of results. Author Freya Aswynn points out that Othala appears graphically as a combination of Ingwaz and Gebo, which is to say 'Ing's Gift.' Ing is a god of fertility, among other things, and therefore His gifts might include anything you would inherit: property, attitudes, culture, and genetics-- the good, the bad, and the wonky.

I'd like to emphasize here that it's not just property and genetics that a person inherits, but culture and attitudes, as well. While surfing the internet for inspiration on Othala, I was horrified to see it included on a webpage identifying symbols and signs of various hate groups. Later digging uncovered that this stave was used as an insignia for a Nazi unit stationed in Norway, yet this was not mentioned on the first webpage, making it a prime example of attitudes being passed down without the reason behind it.
Although, sometimes attitudes and anxiety do not respond to reason and intellect. A great example of this came up in conversation with a Jewish acquaintance of mine, who expressed anxiety about attending a school that was built around the turn of the last century that happened to have tile decorated with the fylfot. She knew very well the symbol appeared in a number of various cultures, and was commonly used as a lucky symbol prior to the Second World War. However, she still felt uneasy.

Okay, so now what does history have to say for Othala? Unfortunately, it was dropped in the Younger FUThARK row, and only remains in the Anglo-Saxon row. Therefore we only have one Rune Poem to go from:

"An estate is very dear to every man,
If he can enjoy there in his house
Whatever is right and proper
In constant prosperity."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"Native country (or ancestral home) is loved by each human,
If there the moot (Thing) [rule*] holds, and
That he enjoys justly often the convenience of his sweet home."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem, alternate translation

*~Rune Poems courtesy of Northvegr.Org~*
*I'm guessing at the meaning of "rule." The way most sources describe the Thing, it sounds like a combination of the Supreme Court and Congress.

Hmmm... The rune poems seem to echo a sentiment found in the Havamal:
"One's own house is best, though small it may be;
each man is master at home"

This sentiment is more popularly translated as, "There's no place like home." Home is near and dear to everyone's heart-- it's where we feel the most comfortable; we know where everything is and know all the rules-- right down to the silly ones, like no cat-paws on counters.
Do you remember what it's like to be a guest at someone's house for the first time? How awkward it felt and how funny everything seemed to be? It could be argued that it's a form of culture shock, and it can extend to going into a different neighborhood, city, or country.

And home is both a place of beginnings and endings: it's where we begin our days and lives. If we're lucky, it's where both things end, though our ending "home" might be different from where we began. As far as Othala's traditional meanings of inheritance, a person might inherit his or her original home.
Edred Thorsson suggests that graphically, Othala actually represents the familial homestead, giving it an additional meaning of a division of us/them or within/without. During the times in which the various rune rows were in common use, it was much harder to get along by one's lonesome. Therefore, the family-- this included the extended family, not just the nuclear family- was the smallest, unbreakable unit. Next in importance, was the village/community. The ultimate punishment was to be banished or outlawed from the community, because it often meant eventual death. A negative aspect of this vision of Othala might be taking the us/them mentality too far, and falling into xenophobia.

Knowing one's family history would be greatly helpful in understanding one's present self-- understanding Ing's gifts. After all, one must know where they began, to understand where they are going and how best to get there. Conversely, it's best not to let the past weigh too heavily upon us, lest it hinder our movement.

For further contemplation on Othala, perhaps do some research on your family history or genealogy. Maybe visit a graveyard where family is buried. Take a lunch or snack with you, share some with the family member, and have a little "chat" with them. Or even visit with the oldest, still-living member of your family and get them to tell stories.
Suggestions or comments on this are welcome~!

Leaf 05: Once and for all, dice away

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:37:25 GMT

"Doshaburi no ame no naka
Kasa mo naku amayadori
Kitaishita yuyake wa
Dainashi no GRAY ni"

"In the rain pouring down on me
Taking shelter without an umbrella
The sunset I had been hoping for
Is ruined by this gray."
--Hikari Ono, as Sailor Star Maker, from "Chikara wo Awasete" / Combining Strengths

Winter has finally arrived in my corner of the universe, en force. However, we haven't had much of snowfall accumulation. Just lots of cold. And wind. Although it may sound odd, that's fairly normal for around here; we usually don't get really walloped with the white stuff until January. Emphasis on usually. There have been times when we've been hit with SIGNIFICANT accumulation as early as the first half of October. Weather around here can be pretty dramatic and can turn on a dime. Around here, we say, "If you don't like the weather, wait an hour or two; it'll change." In all, though, an area's weather does really follow certain patterns. However, there's always a good dose of uncertainty. How often has your local weatherman been WRONG?

"Peorth is a source of
recreation and amusement to the great,
where warriors sit blithely
Together in the banqueting hall"
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"Chessboard (the dictionary has a "?" by it) is feast day,
games and casting by lots for
the proud (or "the splendid)
fighters sitting in the bier
hall, happy together."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem, alternate translation

*~Rune Poems Courtesy of Northvegr.Org~*

Our rune for study, this time around, has to do with chance, and according to a number of writers, birth: Perthro/Peorth. It's number fourteen in the rune row and has the phonetic sound of "P." Scholars aren't really sure what Perthro/Peorth actually means, which is probably why there was a "?" in the above translator's dictionary. In fact, the "p" sound is not a terribly common one among the languages where the runes were used. In the younger FUThARK row, Perthro is dropped, and I *think* Berkana was used in it's place. Thus, the only rune poem that survives for it is the Anglo-Saxon.

A lot of modern writers see the shape of the stave, and call it a dice-cup or box used in the casting of lots. Dice and lots were pretty popular games among the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples. A version of chess was popular, as well.

Because of all the mystery surrounding this stave, most people interpret it's meaning as... well... mystery and chance. Some, including writer, Freya Aswynn, have suggested that it also might deal with birth. Aswynn suggested the shape is reminiscent of the lower extremities of a woman in the process of giving birth and rather like a Berkana stave that's been opened up.

In my own studies and after reading THIS (*.pdf warning), I tend to agree with all of these interpretations and add my own suggestion of wells and springs. Let me explain:

I'm probably not the first to point this out, but "b" and "p" are really similar sounds. That's probably one of the reasons that Perthro was dropped in the Younger FUThARK. If you're not really careful about saying it, "Peorth," the alternate name for this stave, sounds an awful lot like the English, "birth." Furthermore, ever notice in English-language movies and television, they're always telling the birthing mother to "Puh-push!"
On the shape of the rune-stave, it does rather look like a woman's legs in the process of birth. It also rather looks like arms outstretched; Berkana seems self-contained, but Perthro is opened for a hug, to catch something, or to spill something forth.

That last-- spilling something forth-- is something that dice/lot boxes, birthing mothers, and springs/wells all have in common. They also have in common the idea that while you know the elements that went in, you can't always be sure how things are going to come out. A roll of the dice might make you a millionaire or put you into slavery. The child of a beauty-queen and a genius might be beautiful, intelligent, have a mental handicap, or simply be average. That lovely, bubbling stream you come across might be sweet, or contaminated with runoff from that super-farm down the road.
The chessboard/chess-piece lacks the literal flowing forth and uncertainty element, but it does have it in a metaphoric form. From the board and the piece, the game flows forth. There are certain elements that actually go into the game, but the progression and the outcome may change.

The same three ideas also are supported by the rune poems: Births are usually cause for great celebrations, often including games and even fortune-telling. (The doljabee of Korea comes to mind, though that's usually on the occasion of a child's first birthday.) And who is most proud or splendid on a birthday than Momma and her baby? As for the "fighters" appellation, there are few things more fierce than an angered Momma fighting for baby. (My own mom likes to say, "We brought you into this world, we reserve the right to take you out!")
A similar interpretation could be offered for the chess piece and the lot box: games are for pleasure, entertainment and for social interaction. The proud or splendid fighters could be those lucky and/or skillful at the games... or even just those playing or waiting to play. Have you ever been around a group of geek playing a table-top RPG or playing video games? Those are definitely feast-days, with proud or splendid fighters sitting about, amiably.
While the stream or well doesn't fit as smoothly, it still fits. Can you imagine how happy someone might be, if they found a well on their property where they needed one? Definitely cause for celebration.

An interesting thing to add, the "bier-hall" line in the second translation... though it was probably a spelling-error on the part of the translator, as "beer" is the drink in English, "bier" actually is the pedestal/platform on which a dead body is laid out for burial. Rotate Perthro ninety degrees counter-clockwise. Kinda looks like a container of another sort. Wakes are another kind of celebration, in which people come together amiably.

One last thing, many authors use Perthro as a very good reason against the whole "blank rune"-thing developed by Ralph Bloom. Uncertainty, and fate are already there, in Perthro. (Another really good reason is that the FUThARK row are letters-- how can you have a blank letter? Isn't that, like yanno, a space?)

Do my readers have any ideas in which one can find Perthro in every day life?

Leaf 04: Joyful music leads us Sunward

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:36:17 GMT

"I don't believe in the apotheosis of pain. I leave room for the experience through joy. there are different traditions. Rabbi Nachman would say you have to go through the shattering. The hasidim knew that you have to force yourself to get to the place of joy. And clearly joy and fun differ."
"I don't know what it would mean to have a path of joy," I said. "You described this to the Dalai Lama. How can you always find a place of joy wherever you are, whatever the situation? That seems very difficult."
"But that's what this exercise I've been teaching you is all about," he said, "this unification. Even the Barukh Dayan haemet (the prayer at death) can be a place of joy if one reaches it with the totality of one's being. Any moment of true mindfulness that involves a unification is a moment of joy. Not necessarily a moment of happiness."
--Roger Kamenetz, Stalking Elijah

Welcome back, dear readers, and welcome to the holiday season. In the United States, the holiday known as Thanksgiving is the kick-off to the season. It's been celebrated on the forth Thursday in November since 1863, but didn't become a federally recognized holiday until 1941. Thanksgiving is pretty much exactly as the name might imply-- a day to give thanks and count our blessings. It is also a good time to be writing an essay about Wunjo-- the runestave usually translated as "joy."

I've been a little hesitant with this essay. It's a simple idea, but one twined with a lot of emotion. The day that Wunjo first appeared for me was the day I faced my first major problem at work, all alone, and had to face the death of a close family member. I also came across the above quote that day, too. It wasn't a happy day, but there was joy: the joy of triumphing over an unexpected challenge, and the joy of knowing that person was finally at peace.

"Bliss he enjoys who knows not suffering, sorrow nor anxiety,
and has prosperity and happiness and a good enough house."
-Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"Joy (or hope, probability) never ends for the one who knows little of woes, sores and sorrows. He gets success and bliss and enough (protection in a) fortress."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem, alternate translation

*~Rune Poems courtesy of Northvegr.Org~*

Wunjo is the eighth stave in the FUThARK, and has the sound of "w" or "v". It's generally translated as "joy." Freya Aswynn suggests the additional meanings of "wish" and "perfection." This stave was dropped during the development of the Younger FUThark, therefore there are no corresponding stanzas in the Old Norse or Old Icelandic Rune Poems. It remained in the development of the Anglo-Saxon FUThARK, and therefore in the Anglo-Saxon Rune poem.
The poem echos a sentiment found in the Hovamol:

"A measure of wisdom
each man shall have,
But never too much let him know;
For the wise man's heart
is seldom happy,
If wisdom too great he has won."

*~translation courtesy of Sacred-Texts.com~*

The idea here isn't **exactly** ignorance is bliss. In fact, in the Hovamol, ignorance is looked down upon. It's more... knowing *too much* about a given situation may weigh heavy upon the heart. There's more too it, though.

Many authors on the Runes have pointed out Wunjo's shape as being similar to that of a Clan banner raised high. The few Clan banners that I've seen while attending the local Renaissance fares have been rectangular, and not really reminiscent of Wunjo. It does, however, bring to my mind the image of a pennant flying. Pennants are triangle-shaped flags used to identify with sports teams or to simply identify a ship. I still have the pennant identifying me as a member of the flute section of my high school marching band. Perhaps the "shape" of joy is identifying the self as part of a team? Or mindfully unifying with a whole, to purloin some of the terminology of the above quote.

Putting an interesting spin on this idea, is that Edred Thorsson equates Wunjo with Strength of the tarot deck. I've read numerous articles harping on the idea of having a "support system," a group of people with whom one can talk and relate, is vital to mental health, especially when faced with stress. I could also carry this further with the idea that Crowley changed the name of the Strength card to Lust in his Thoth Tarot. There is the obvious idea that physical union does bring pleasure, but also the unity with one's anima/animus/higher-self brings great joy and strength.

Such a positive rune, thus far, but even the sun has a dark side. I'm quite in agreement with the opening quote: joy and happiness are not the same thing. It is *very* hard to find joy in the most painful of moments, but it can be found. There's also a bit of the tarot's Fool in Wunjo's dark side-- in being so joyful or happy, that you're blind to danger or getting fleeced. Hey, there IS a cliff there. Sunnyway.Com also suggests intoxication and the raging frenzy of a Berserker might also be parts of this.

Moderation was a virtue among Northern Europeans, and is pointed out several times in the Hovamol. So, maybe in the dark side of Wunjo, there is a warning against over-indulgence in whatever.

For further contemplation of Wunjo-- take some time to apply yourself whole-heartedly to something you really enjoy. Perhaps tell someone you love that you do so. Or maybe think about a time when you've over-indulged and things didn't really go so well...

Leaf 04: Leaky Lake

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:33:44 GMT

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy."
--from "The Wreck of the Endmund Fitzgereld"

It's not yet November, but in truth, fall is in full swing in my little corner of the universe. Though, my corner is on the shores of Lake Erie, rather than Gitche Gumee-- Lake Superior, the season is no less tempest-tossed and truly, no less dangerous.
Superior, Michigan, Erie, Huron and Ontario are the five "Great Lakes," and make up part of the boarder between the United States and Canada. Sometimes called "Inland Seas," they are important for fishing, shipping and wildlife. Most importantly, they're what I associate the L-rune with.

This fortnight, we're studying the L-rune, which is Laguz or Laukas in reconstructed, proto-Germanic and "Lagu" in Anglo-Saxon. It is the twenty-first letter in the FUThARK, and means "Lake" or "Leek."
Yes, I said "leek." As in the onion.
I'm not entirely sure **how** the rune ended up with "leek" and "lake" as meanings. Admittedly, the form of the rune, itself, does kind of look like a leek, with the top falling over. Leeks, especially it's relative garlic, have culinary and medicinal uses in most cultures around the world. However, the surviving rune poems all refer to water. Once upon a time, when I first started studying the runes, I actually thought Laguz's meaning was "Leak!" In less concrete terms, laguz can refer to the depths of the subconscious or the waters of emotion.

"The ocean seems
Interminable to men
If they venture on the
Rolling bark
and the waves of the
sea terrify them
and the courser of the
deep heed not it's bridle."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"Water is churning lake
And wide kettle
And land of fish
Lake. Praise-Worthy One."
--Old Icelandic Rune Poem

"Water when falling from
Mountains is a force
Gold is a costly ornament."
--Old Norse Rune Poem

*~translations courtesy of Northvegr.Org~*

All three rune poems speak of water, not of vegetables. It's funny, too. I find myself thinking about the stories my Great-Grandmother told about my Great-Grandfather and his work on the lake freighters. In some ways, Laguz also rules the depths of ancestral memories...
Going along with life on the lakes, the comment of gold being a costly ornament by the Old Norse poem, that though there are riches to be had, they can be very costly. Shipping was and still is as thriving business on the lakes. However, it's not without it's dangers-- the Edmond Fitzgerald and her cargo still lie beneath the waves of Lake Superior. There's also a legend of a "Bermuda Triangle"-sort of thing.
In Europe, there were also the legends of water goddesses and mermaids having great piles of gold in their underwater halls. The legend of the Lorelei and Leansidhe come to mind.
On the intangible level, great gems can be found in the subconscious and in examining the emotions, but there too, you must travel carefully.

For further contemplation, you could visit some body of water, maybe go fishing. Also, Northvegr.Org has a lovely recipe for a leek soup. Perhaps some dream-work is in order, or a visit to a licensed therapist?

Leaf 03: Here Comes the Sun

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:32:45 GMT

"Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely.
Sunshine almost always makes me high."
--John Denver, 'Sunshine on my Shoulders'

Welcome to the second installation of our rune essays. This time, the stave for study is the sixteenth rune in the row, Sowilo in reconstructed Germanic and Sigel in Anglo-Saxon. The name translates as "sun," and it stands for the "s" sound.

"Sun is feast-day and hope
For those who depart on the fish's bath
Until the wave-steed brings them to land."
--Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"The sun is the light of the land
I bow to holy doom."
--Old Norse Rune Poem

"Sun is the cloud's shield
And a shining halo
And ice's sorrow.
Wheel King."
--Old Icelandic Rune Poem

~Rune poems are curtesy of Northvegr.com~

Summer is fast coming to a close. Since my last essay, the weather has turned rather chilly, preparing us for autumn's inevitable arrival. It has been otherwise quite sunny, making the study of Sowilo quite appropreate.
Besides being representative of the sun, Sowilo is also the rune of victory. What victory there is for a gardener or farmer after a cold summer of hard work to harvest the fruits of his labour!

Graphically, Sowilo is pretty interesting. One source suggests that it resembles a lightning bolt, and has ties to the god Thorr. I can understand that. Thorr seems to have a rather sunny personality. He's also the god of the common people, which includes farmers, and being a warrior-sort as well, I'm sure He also likes to see his people gain victory in their battles. As a warrior, He probably had a shield, and a common representation of the sun is the Sun Wheel or shield.
A variation on the Sun Wheel graphic, is the fylfot, which appears to be two or more Sowilo turning on a single axis-- or even a representation of a single Sowilo in motion. The idea being the sun rolling across the sky. The Old Icelandic rune poem spells it out pretty nicely, calling Sowilo the "Wheel King." (This appears to even give it a connection to Raidho, but that's an essay for another day.)

In northern mythology, the sun is actually a goddess rather than a god. It is considered a gentle, nurturing force-- which makes sense. In the harsh, northern climate, a warm, sunny day is a great blessing. A lot of sources like to associate Freya with the sun (though, the actual sun goddess is Sunna). Freya is a goddess of love, beauty, magic and, oddly, death. She even shares half the battlefield dead with Odin.
This brings us to the next point: the negative or "dark" aspects of the Sun and Sowilo. The most obvious form of this is the fylfot in modern, popular thought. As I mentioned earlier, the fylfot is better known as the swastika, which has been utterly vilified as a symbol of intolerance and the Nazi regime. However, history does point out that Hitler's Third Kingdom that was supposed to last a thousand years didn't even last fifty and that victory can hold the seed of ultimate defeat. Another example of just that is how a day might start out bright and sunny, but a storm can quickly blow in, destroying any plans or even material goods.
Closer to the equator, we can find another negative aspect of the sun: the harsh, unforgiving sun of the deserts. There, the sun can kill. An example, I suppose, of too much of a good thing. Also shown in times of drought, when the sun shines without end, but the people and the crops need the rain. Or even in the depths of summer, when the temperature is high, and even short-term exposure is dangerous. (Sunburn, anyone?)

The meanings in divination should be pretty straight forward-- hope, victory, sunlight. Edred Thorsson connects Sowilo with the Sun in the Tarot deck. I tend to agree, however, I'd also connect it with the Six of Wands/Staves/Batons, which is the "victory" card, and the Tower to represent the ties to Thorr and it's negative aspects.

For further contemplation, maybe sunbathe or sit outside on a sunny day, think about victories both true ones and ones that held the seed of failure. The comment area is open for any further ideas, comments, or whatever.

Leaf 02: Ice, Ice, Baby

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:28:07 GMT

"Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice."
--Robert Frost

From what literature remains, we can deduce that two important primal forces of creation and destruction were fire and ice (some will argue fire and water-- ice being water under stress). Considering the world they lived in, it makes sense: fire brings warmth and light into the dark, but left unchecked it can destroy all one knows. Ice-- a constant friend in the harsh winters, can bring a period of rest after the mad rush of harvest season, or it can be a thing of utter peril.
The rune for study this fortnight is not representative of fire (which would be Uruz), but of ice, called "Isa" in the reconstructed Old Germanic, and "Iss" in Anglo-Saxon. The eleventh rune in the FUThARK, some sources suggest that it graphically represents an icecicle. It has the "i" sound as in the vowel sound in "reed."
With Sirius in t he sky, and the hottest days of summer upon my little corner of the universe, one would think it an inappropreate time to be studying ice of all things. However, winter is not far off and it has been a rather cold one. In fact, my mother's vegetable garden was bit by the frost long after the danger of it should have been past! Also, even in the depths of the worst summer heat, we do have the seed of Isa within our homes, in the form of our airconditioners, fridges, and freezers!

"Ice is very cold and
Immeasurably slippery
It glistens as clear as glass and most like gems
It is a floor wrought by frost, fair to look upon."
--The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

"Ice is river-rind
And wave's roof
And fated men's bale
Ice. Warrior-King."
--The Old Icelandic Rune Poem

"Ice is a broad bridge;
The blind need to be lead."
--Old Norwegen Rune Poem

~Rune Poem Translation from Northvegr.Com~

Speaking of our freezers, think of what happens to the chicken in there. The cold slows down the process of decay waaaaaaaaay down. On a molecular level, the colder it gets, the slower atoms and molecules move, until you get to zero degrees Kelvin, or Absolute Zero. At that point, all movement stops. Jordsvin says this most succinctly: "Ice stops action."
A fabulous example of this occured earlier this summer, when the temperature dipped below freezing overnight. Consequently, the ensuing frost "bit" some of my mother's plants, preventing growth on some and killing others.
Oddly enough, Isa-- ice, can also facilitate travel. Once water freezes and snow falls, you can have ice-road trucking or use a dog-sled. You also get sledding, skiing and ice-skating. All of which is a lot faster than just hoofing it.
However, looking at the Havamal saga within the poetic Edda, we are warned to not praise ice before crossing it. Think about that ice road trucker or the ice-skater-- how easy it would be to slip and go out of control, or to trust the weight to ice that appears solid but is actually throughly rotten...
The Havamal's warning not only applies to the physical, but also to the emotional. After emotions run high, a person might wish to cool off, but that cooling might not be through or the issue might be more difficult to deal with.
When Isa shows up in a reading, it might represent a needed "cooling off" or resting period, or just simply a lack of movement. Edred Thorsson connects Isa with the Hermit of the Tarot. So, there may be movement, but it might be in a sense of moving away to winter-like isolation (ice-o-lation?).
To experience Isa, the obvious suggestion is to experience winter in a location far from the equator (like my little corner of the universe). Other ideas might include getting to know your freezer, fridge, or aircon. Perhaps doing a little research on how glaciers and/or the last Ice Age might have effected your region, or even reflecting upon times in your life where you felt utterly stuck and going nowhere.

~The comment area is open for further thoughts on Isa/Iss/Ice.

Leaf 01: Introduction

hauffd@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 01:26:52 GMT

Carved Leaves
Essays On the Elder FUThARK

Hi. I'm Methos. About ten years ago, I started a relationship with the runes. We were introduced and spent some time together. However, we remained on friendly aquaintence terms, until about two or three years ago. That was when I was comfortable enough to take things to a deeper level. I got my hands on more information, and started a notebook to help me keep track of information, thoughts, and stuff. As I study, it occured to me that it might be helpful to write essays about the runes. Like the various topics on which I wrote in high school and college, it would help organize and internalize the information regarding each rune... and maybe, inspire whoever might stumble across my little corner of the interwebs. And so, we have CarvedLeaves@Inksome.com.

FUThARK. What's that?
It-- or rather, they are the first six letters of the 24-character alphabet used by many Germanic/Scandinavian/Icelandic groups, around 100 BCE and onward to... I think once source put it at 1300 CE. It went through a number of changes, which varied from region to region. For example, some Scandinavian countries later condensed the FUThARK row down to 16 characters. In Anglo-Saxon Briton, it was expanded into 32 to better accomodate new sounds.
The FUThARK-- generally called "runes" that most people run into are the "Elder" FUThARK. The "Elder" FUThARK is the set of twenty-four characters, and is believed to be the oldest version ("believed" because that's the conclusion drawn from the evidence we have. Things may change as new evidence is unearthed.). There is historical evidence that the FUThARK was used in divination, and is widely accepted that it was used in other "occult" manners, as well.

Where can I read more?
There are lots of reputable and disreputable sources on the FUThARK both on the web and in print. Some in my own collection are as follows:

Runes, Alphabet of Mystery
http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/index.html

RuneSchool
http://www.runeschool.org/

Real Magick Topic: Runes
http://www.realmagick.com/topics/11/11.html

Books:

By Freya Aswynn-
Northern Mysteries and Magic: Runes and Feminine Power
Principals of Runes

By Edred Thorrsson
Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic
Runecaster's Handbook: At the Well of Wyrd
Runelore: A Handbook of Esoteric Runeology

By Diana Paxson
Taking Up the Runes: A Complete Guide...