Anglo-Saxon
Celtic Runes:
Symbols & Meanings
FEHU
- Cattle
URUZ
- Brute Strength
THURISAZ
- The Seeing of Things to Pass
ANSUZ
- Messages and Signals
RAIDO
- Journeys
KENO
aka Kenaz - An Opening
GEBO
- The Gift of Harmonic Relationships
WUNJO
- Bliss and Glory
HAGALAZ
- Destructive Forces
NAUTHIZ
aka Naudiz - The Negatives...
ISA
- Ice and Freezing
JERA
- The Cycle of One Year
EIWAZ
aka Eiwhaz - Yew Tree
PERTHO
aka Perthro- Things Unexplainable
ALGIZ
- Protective Sanctuary
SOWULO
aka Sowilo - The Sun, Giver of All
TEIWAZ
aka Tiwaz- Spiritual Warrior
BERKANA
aka Berknao- Growth
EHWAZ
- The Sacred Horse
MANNAZ
- The Nature of Humankind
LAGUZ
- Water
INGUZ
aka Ingwaz - Fertility
OTHILA
aka Othala- Inheritance, Usually...
DAGAZ
- Daylight and God's Light
FEHU
- Cattle
The individual's potential creative energies which can
be used to create wealth.
Relationship Interpretation: The financial prospect in
this relationship
and the attitudes of the partners.
This is what the community considers wealth. The commodity
of the PectiWiccans & Nordic peoples before a currency
was established, and you better believe that they sacrificed
one of the herd now and then to keep the goddesses happy.
The important reminder is to always be thankful and humble
when things are well in the economy. Meditation focuses
on a type of thanksgiving for what has been acquired and
not to squander when things are plentiful. Appreciate
that there will be a rainy day by the rules of cycles
and to prepare for it.
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URUZ
- Brute Strength
The individual's physical strength, endurance and assertiveness.
Relationship Interpretation: Endurability of the relationship.
The strength of the wild animal is desired by the best
warriors. The notion of living to survive and to know
the possibility of death and to accept it as the simple
answer to what life is. Meditation is knowing that life
is to be lived at full speed and to live life for life.
When your life is over, a new life will begin in your
place on earth and you will go on. A person who lives
like this has no regrets of a premature death, for each
day was fully lived.
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THURISAZ
- The Seeing of Things to Pass
The strength of the individual's will and the opposing
will power from the environment.
Relationship Interpretation:
General conflict area; battle of wills.
There is a controversy of the meaning of this rune. Some
note the negative forces of the dark side ourselves. Some
say that it represents the ugly things like demons, trolls
and giants. Overall these may be in the same area of meaning.
There is a dark side that we must take control of in ourselves
to break free of them and not become them. Be careful
on the meditation. Focus mainly on the identification
and overcoming of the darker sides of things inside and
outside ourselves.
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ANSUZ - Messages and Signals
Higher sources of communications from either within or
outside the self. Relationship
Interpretation: Interpersonal
communication.
Noting marks tell us where we are and what action we should
take from this point. The Ash tree is represented here
and this is a strong tree, usually weathering storms and
leaving clues of its battles. We grow as we weather our
own storms and the perceptive person can read the marks
of our environment. The meditation here is to focus on
the marks on our past to direct us in our future plans.
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RAIDO - Journeys
You ability to relate and connect; the amount of control
you feel you can exert on your life.
Relationship Interpretation:
The fights of the individual within the relationship.
There was always a time when a far traveled journey must
be taken. Sometimes it is a spiritual journey and sometimes
it is physical. Anxiety is always a factor, some positive
and some negative. Journeys are a type of calling for
a learning. Meditate on what is the right time and method
of your particular journey. Identify if the higher forces
are telling you that it is time to learn away from your
home base. Most journeys are favorable in retrospect.
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KENO aka Kenaz - An Opening
One's knowledge and capabilities, vision and guidance.
Relationship Interpretation: Learning from each other.
When you are in the darkness, an opening with light is
the best and most gracious thing to have bestowed upon
you. This is a great time for putting energies into new
opportunities. Meditation revolves around seeing out of
seemingly dark situations for there is a way out of every
situation. Focus on what the action is and invest energies
into breaking through.
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GEBO - The Gift of Harmonic
Relationships
Your attitude towards giving and receiving.
Relationship
Interpretation: Give and take.
When we acknowledge our higher power and in turn the higher
power gives back to us, then we have harmony. This is
a great representation of the working of karma. Good things
come in return for good deeds. We need to meditate on
the magic of working with knowing our spiritual forces
and treating them as we want a pleasing and easy environment
to allow us to set us up for good things to come. There
is a strong showing for respect of nature.
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WUNJO - Bliss and Glory
Your potential for enjoyment and her/his chances of being
successful.
Relationship Interpretation: Enjoyment.
This can mean a lot of aspects of joy, but mainly it is
the lack of need and lack of pain. It is the realization
of what you have worked for and the temporary enjoyment
of all your goods.
Being in this mind frame sometimes
induces a separate state of mind. It is a good meditation
to realize where you are now and what you have and being
satisfied to the point of bliss. Preparation for meditation
is not needed when a tough task is completed.
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HAGALAZ - Destructive
Forces
Disruptive forces creating change in one's consciousness.
Relationship Interpretation: Unconscious influences operating
within the relationship. Past experiences in other relationships
including projections from parents.
This is an acknowledgement of the force of nature at its
worst. The Vikings had many a harsh winter and year-round
poor weather. Months of work could be ruined by an act
of nature. This also represents those things that are
out of our control. We should meditate on the acceptance
of the tough times brought on by the seasons. We cannot
control everything that goes on around, so we should to
learn to "let go and let G-d" as the saying
goes.
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NAUTHIZ aka Naudiz -
The Negatives of Human Needs
Restrictive forces and unacknowledged needs; that which
tends to hold you back.
Relationship Interpretation: Areas
of restriction; possessiveness and mutual needs.
It was at the hardest times that the true meaning of what
is needed for survival is missed the most. It was at these
times that misery sometimes was the only companion. The
proof of how delicate we really are in this sometimes
harsh world comes clear in the mind. One should meditate
how bad things can really get and what things are not
needed to maintain true survival at the deepest times
of need.
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ISA - Ice and Freezing
Blockages, frustrations and any hindrances.
Relationship
Interpretation: Privacy. The areas in the relationship
which are not shared.
There are dangers of the cold. Slippery ice and freezing
weather were well regarded in these northern regions.
This is a powerful rune for the rune spell caster, for
the one who understands this force can have great power
of influence. Meditate on the physics of nature and notice
the slowing of all things when the cold is omnipresent.
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JERA - The Cycle of One Year
The time factor in your development.
Relationship Interpretation:
Long-term influences upon each other.
As many of the farmers know, crops are not impulsive or
an overnight success. Usually a period of time must pass
before on can count the blessings and success of the harvest.
The meditation here is very simple. Persistence and foresight
must be used to see what is to come from a venture. Most
good things do not come from a short period of time like
a season.
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EIWAZ aka Eiwhaz - Yew Tree
The ability to achieve one's desires.
Relationship Interpretation:
Idealism; expectations.
Weapons decided if you would keep your land and resources.
To defend themselves, the Vikings found the use of the
Yew tree and made bows. This tree gave them the ability
to defend themselves. The characteristic crackle of the
wood soothed them during the cold winter nights. Meditate
on the actions necessary to defend our position in our
lives and to enjoy the things we have worked for in our
"down" time. Keep learning the best ways to
defend against the malicious actions of others and strive
to never be caught off-guard.
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PERTHO aka Perthro - Things
Unexplainable
The ability of introspection and self awareness.
Relationship
Interpretation: Hidden aspects within the relationship.
We often wonder why things are still so random when science
explains so much. The female end of the miracle of life
is also noted. The so called "Murphy's Law"
is also a big part of this rune. Vikings often wondered
why some survived in battle that should have died. Mysteries
bothered them and seemed to not have anything to do with
the Goddesses. We can meditate on this rune that there
will always be things unexplainable and to hope for these
mysteries to work in our favor.
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ALGIZ - Protective Sanctuary
The ability to defend yourself and protect that which
is nearest and dearest to you.
Relationship Interpretation:
Caring and protecting.
This is the place to stay when you are in need of a safety
zone. As a mirror to teiwaz, the warrior goes to the sanctuary
to reflect and heal the wounds of the battle. This is
a place to feel the full pain and not to shy away, for
there is a lesson here. Meditation on this rune should
involve the painful things in life and what is to be learned
from the anguish. Facing the pain will make you stronger
and wiser for the next battle.
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SOWULO aka Sowilo - The
Sun, Giver of All Life
The source within that guides you on your path.
Relationship
Interpretation: Development of individuality within the
relationship.
The spiritual warrior knows where the true power of all
things reigns. The life force which is felt from the warm
sun on a cold day makes itself obvious. Be aware of your
essence and where life began. We are dependent on the
sun which is the ultimate ruler of all the forces. Meditate
on the fact that realization of this truth can bring you
to wholeness.
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TEIWAZ aka Tiwaz- Spiritual
Warrior
The ability of objective judgment and fairness; the potential
for handling a conflict correctly.
Relationship Interpretation:
Combined strength; authority; who is the boss.
This is the rune of Tyr, the god of war, and was often
seen painted on the shields of many warriors in battle.
This is the protector of the warrior and the giver of
victory. For meditation, this rune is best known for gaining
strength in overcoming an adversarial situation. It is
also a great rune to k e ep serio us physical harm as
far away as possible.
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BERKANA aka Berknao -
Growth
Creative abilities, nurturing and birth processes in the
self.
Relationship Interpretation:Fertility; children,
parental projection of the self onto the children.
A spring-like perpetual growing is the meaning of this
rune. The Birch tree is highly associated with berkana
and the "b" is with smooth lips, not like saying
"bird". The meditations associated would concentrate
on the rapid growth of a new situation or fertility, although
inguz is also used. Problems that are treated with berkana
usually come to pass with fruitful outcomes.
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EHWAZ - The Sacred Horse
Emotional responses; adaptability; subjectivity.
Relationship
Interpretation: Sexuality; any joint efforts; adaptability.
Where would the viking be without their horses to take
them on the long journeys. The goddess Frey had special
appreciation for these animals. The message here is to
not forget the useful beast given to us for us to train
to take us to a higher level of civilization. In meditation,
we focus on the tools that take us to higher levels in
our lives. We thank those responsible for making these
things accessible and then we learn the use of these items
to their full potential, as if it were not for our tools,
we would make little progress.
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MANNAZ - The Nature of
Humankind
The mind and intellectual objectivity.
Relationship Interpretation:
Intellectual compatibility and mutual understanding.
The self and its place in the collective conscience of
humanity is the recognition here. We are all part of each
other, made of the same things, subject to similar experiences.
This is a time of personal reflection, of what it is all
about and what one person can really do for the community.
Also, acknowledgment of the importance of every one self
to the greater many.
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LAGUZ - Water
Your intuitive faculties and the potential for sympathetic
feelings.
Relationship Interpretation: Affection; emotionality;
flexibility.
All aspects of water are implied here. Flow, sea, river,
lake, etc. are all one thing in the greater picture. The
mystery of the tides also imply as it was not known that
the moon had such a profound influence. The flow of the
water is incorporated and respected in the human body.
This is for deep meditation of higher forces and the materials
that make up the body. Cleansing is important now.
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INGUZ aka Ingwaz - Fertility
The potential for individualization and integration.
Relationship
Interpretation: Parenthood; integration; cooperation;
unity.
Another linking to Frey, this represented the fertility
of the joining of human beings. This has a direct meditative
purpose of the wanting of pregnancy. It has an associative
rune of the other gender, perth. Becau se of the ultimate
creative power of this sort of unity, a lot can be learned
from deep meditation on this rune.
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OTHILA aka Othala- Inheritance,
Usually from Separation
Your sense of being connected to your heritage and kin.
Your awareness of your ethnic origins.
Relationship Interpretation:
Domesticity; property; "in- laws", social life.
We inherit by our birthright. When a life's cycle ends,
the next of the lineage inherits the wealth and responsibility.
Sometimes a retreat is necessary from the severity of
the loss. Meditation is to take the retreat to find the
true meanings of what actions are to be taken since the
influences of the past are now gone. New ideas may be
introduced and tried with the acquiring of the new items.
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DAGAZ - Daylight and God's
Light
The ultimate aim of transformation of one's consciousness
into whatever she or he envisions the greater whole.
Relationship
Interpretation: Contributions by one partner to the other's
spiritual or psychological welfare.
This is the time of the light, the time to work and the
period of the normal day. Christian faith had some influence
on the meaning. G-d's light is given to save man from
the chaos of darkness. The meditation here is to concentrate
on performing well in the days' working hours. This is
the time for labor to bring about "fruit". Use
this time to do your part to make the things around you
better for the people in the community.
