Runes
First Aett
The first aett is Freya's, the aett of the nurturer: the mother, the farmer, and the merchant. It is also the aettir of the first degree and shows this in its structure. The runes set three pairs of opposites which are fairly typical of the kind of test/choice early students face in initiatory training.

Fehu : cattle
Phonetic equivalent: f
Color: Green (Brown)
“Every beginning has within it the seeds of its own end.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
Prosperity, money, wealth, concern with physical and financial needs, goals, promotion, self-esteem, centeredness, karma.

MAGICAL USES:
For money, business, promotion, finding a job, achieving a goal, starting new enterprises.

ENERGY:
Mobility, luck, charisma, dynamic power, liquid and mobile transferable energies, abundance, and circulation.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Freyr, Brisingamen, Gullveig, Dwarfs, Sigurd & the Otter's Gold.

ANALYSIS:
Fehu is both the day-to-day reality of our lives and the catalyst that awakens us to what lies beyond. It is whatever we think we are seeking, which frequently bears no resemblance to what we will eventually find. It is also our home, for after all our wanderings we will still need to attend to our physical needs and ground ourselves in the simple pleasures of home, family, and good work. Oz might be a fun place to visit, but after a while all you really want to do is go back to Kansas.

Fehu reminds us that we must be secure in our physical situation before embarking upon any spiritual journey. We all must begin with the mundane reality of our lives, although many people never get beyond this. In many ways, we have become as domesticated as the cattle, living our day to day existence without wanting or even being aware of anything more being possible. The first step in breaking away from this situation is to catch a glimpse of what is possible, without dwelling on what security we may lose to attain it.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
Wealth and success will soon arrive. Long hours of hard work which took place in the past which will soon be rewarded. Wealth is always fluid and changing, but Fehu's appearance usually signifies an upswing in business affairs and earnings. Carried with the rune Fehu is the warning to apply these new earnings to things that have solidity and permanence once they arrive. The fluidity of the earnings which are referenced here also reminds us that wealth slip easily through one's fingers. Caution and restraint must be exercised.

Fehu also represents the attachment and sense of self-worth that one can obtain from wealth. It represents the dreams and goals that the individual has mapped out. When Fehu turns up, these dreams may be coming close to realization.

Fehu also refers to the economics of relationships; not just debts in the financial sense of the term. The appearance of this rune is an indication that there may be personal debts outstanding. Was there a promise made that needs to be kept and has been long-standing? If so, one should start down the road of making amends, as Fehu signifies that repayment must occur imminently.

Wealth is also power -- the rune frequently refers to power (and the exercise of power) that comes with success on the material plane.

Inverted Meaning :: The dark side of wealth is referenced here. Inverted, Fehu's wealth is not lost, but the individual will likely experience the down-side of this wealth. Money may corrupt, or friends may ask one for money and then deny their friendship when their requests are refused. The appearance of the inverted Fehu serves as a reminder to manage one's own wealth and possessions effectively, rather than letting them assume control on their own.
Money, like power, can be used for both good and bad. It carries with it both positivity and negativity. Fehu reversed is a reference to money's more negative aspects.

Uruz : aurochs (like a wild ox)
Phonetic equivalent: u
Color: Orange (Dark Green)
“Mind over matter – matter over mind”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
energy, passion, vitality, instinct, wildness, fertility, the unconscious, primitive mind, irrationality, shamanic experience, rite of passage.

MAGICAL USES:
to strengthen the will, increase energy; for hunting.

ENERGY:
Vital formative force, archetypal patterning, raw primal power, survival, healing, endurance, manifestation, and organic structuring.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Ullr, Loki, Odin (as shaman)

ANALYSIS:
The aurochs was a species of wild ox, similar to a longhorn bull, that was once found all over Europe, but which became extinct sometime in the 17th. century. They were said to be slightly smaller than elephants, and had horns as long as six feet, which were highly prized by the Germanic as drinking horns. This may or may not have been an exaggeration. Paintings of aurochs have been found in Neolithic caves, and it is believed that the aurochs hunt had some significance as a rite of passage for a boy entering manhood. The aurochs is the epitome of the wild animal, as opposed to the domesticated cattle represented by fehu.

Uruz is the rune of the God of the sacred hunt and his shaman/priest. Following the kind of mundane, day to day survival represented by fehu, it is the first recognition by mankind of the divine in nature, and his first attempt to control it through the use of sympathetic magic. It also represents an awareness of death and our own mortality, which may well be the only thing which truly distinguishes us from other animals. The energy of this rune is raw, powerful, and distinctly masculine, in the sense that it is pure, elemental fire. The boy who has killed the aurochs has just entered manhood, and has therefore been initiated into the first level of the mysteries - the awareness that the source of life is death.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
This rune represents raw physical power. It would not be uncommon for it to turn up in readings for an athlete, hunter, or a member of the military. Uruz also represents virility -- most commonly (but not exclusively) the male side of this attribute. It may also represent a show of force which is unusually great for a specific individual.

Its appearance often signals a significant internal life change if the individual involved in a rune reading is a man; or a shift in his masculine powers, depending on his age. If the individual in a rune reading is female, it represents a man that is about to affect her life somehow, most likely in reference to a romantic or physical relationship. It also refers to all of those aspects considered masculine that are still present in the female, such as athleticism and competitiveness.

It may also refer to the abuse or overuse of those powers -- if the individual is an athlete, they may need to change their routine in order to avoid a sports injury. Competitiveness may be getting in the way of advancement. Restraint may be suggested here.

Overall, Uruz refers to great strength, athleticism, virility, and the employment of all of these things. It may also indicate that subtlety and inaction are both poor choices at this juncture.

Inverted Meaning :: A weakening of one's physical or emotional self. Someone may be trying to use the individual's own power against them. Watch out for energy-sapping situations and people; they are present when this rune is inverted.

þurisaz : giant
Phonetic equivalent: th (as in 'thing')
Color: White
“If we must fight for peace then let us find our peace in battle.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
hardship, painful event, discipline, knowledge, introspection, focus.

MAGICAL USES:
Aid in study and meditation, self-discipline, clearing out a bad situation.

ENERGY:
Enthusiasm, self-empowerment, chaos, active defensive force, breaker of resistance, and destructive storms.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Thor, The Frost Giants, Loki.

ANALYSIS:
Þurisaz is the first of the 'obstacle' runes. These obstacles are not necessarily destructive things, but are placed in our path to strengthen and teach us. After all, you can't have a mythic hero without dragons to slay or giants to fight!

The lesson of this rune is 'to learn you must suffer', meaning not only literal suffering, but also in the biblical sense of 'allowing' - allowing one's destiny to unfold as it should, and allowing one's self to experience all that life offers us. What may at first appear to be a negative, destructive event, may well turn out to contain an important lesson. The Giants may seem to be evil and destructive to the Aesir, but they bring about change, and eventually clear the way for a new age.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
Thurisaz is the sacrifice that one must make in order to make progress in life. It is the very essence of discipline. This rune references the pain that must be endured for the reward that lies at its end. It may be likened to a long period of study that lies before the start of a satisfying career. A painful lesson learned. Monetary hardship, a temporary separation, or anything that requires a personal sacrifice to "get through" to the other side of the situation.

Thursiaz represents harsh outside forces which stand in opposition -- particularly natural forces or forces on a larger scale.

On the positive side, Thurisaz also signifies discipline and the necessity of change: Things that are happening are meant to happen. They are part of the grand cycle of life and nature. Those things that we are forced to endure will pave the way for good things in the future.

Inverted Meaning :: Being too resistant to change and not dealing with adversity. Seeing only the short term of a situation, not the long term. One should take care to understand the hardships that one is dealing with -- don't ignore them as they may become larger problems later.

Ansuz : Odin
Phonetic equivalent: a (as in 'fall')
Color: Purple
“Find your ears before you search for words.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
Authority figure, leader, mind & body balance, justice, shaman, clairvoyant.

MAGICAL USES:
For wise decisions, success, leadership; to help in divination and magic.

ENERGY:
sovereign ancestral god, animating spirit, breath, communication, exploration, order, answers.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Odin.

ANALYSIS:
This rune represents the instinctive, primal energy of uruz tempered with the discipline and experience of þurisaz. These elements are combined in the personage of Odin, who exhibits the characteristics of both chieftain and shaman - a god of wisdom as well as war. Odin is also a shaman, traveling between the worlds on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.

Ansuz is a balanced rune. As with fehu, many people choose to remain at this point in their journey. It represents power, both secular and magical, and this power can be quite seductive. Odin has learned the lessons of the first three runes, thus gaining the wisdom to rule wisely, but this is really only another beginning. He has only gained temporal power, and has only a few of the tools he will need to perfect himself spiritually. There is a certain lack of compassion and perspective in this rune. Odin sits high above his world, looking down and making decisions, but he doesn't yet have the capacity to really care about or understand his people or himself. He still needs that emotional connection to become a truly great leader.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
Usually Ansuz signifies an authority figure in the life of the individual, such as an employer, teacher, or parent. Whoever this figure may be, they are about to facilitate a positive life-changing event for the individual. One may look forward to a promotion or bonus due to excellent work. A book may be written, a great work composed, a long-standing problem may be solved creatively. Whatever this achievement is, assistance will be received from someone well qualified to give it.

Ansuz may also reference a highly creative person, or a creative solution to a long-standing problem.

Ansuz can also represent a spiritual teacher or leader, such as a priest, that will act as a guide for the individual on their spiritual and emotional journey. To many, Ansuz is seen literally as the communication method of the word of the divine -- it is Odin's Stave, or wand. A message of guidance, creation and growth.

Inverted Meaning :: The authority figures seemingly impede progress -- although this is likely only a perception. The appearance of this rune inverted suggests a resistance to genuine assistance. Perhaps someone is not recognizing help when it is offered. Don't bite the hand that feeds and guides. There is wisdom in your immediate circle of contacts -- but first it must be invited and accepted.

Raidho journey / Wheel, Cartwheel (or Riding).
Phonetic equivalent: r
Color: Blue (Black)
“The journey is the destination.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
journey, pilgrimage, change, destiny, quest, progress, life lessons.

MAGICAL USES:
protection for travelers, to ease or bring about change, to reconnect.

ENERGY:
Cosmic cyclical law, rhythm, presence (active).

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
the Norns, Sigurd's journey

ANALYSIS:
Raiðo represents the path of a person's life and how it intersects and interacts with other paths. In Norse mythology, these paths are seen as threads of fate, and are regulated by the Norns. The Norns are three sisters who live near the first root of Yggdrasil, which they tend with the water from the well of Wyrd. They also spin the fates of Gods and men, which is important when understanding the mechanism of runic divination and magic.

The complex network of relationships formed by these threads of fate can be thought of as a web. Every chance encounter forms another connection in the web, and by tugging on one thread you affect everything else in the system. Most people do this completely unconsciously, but by becoming aware of the pattern of the threads surrounding you, it becomes possible to recognize and follow up on the kind of catalytic events that seemed to happen to us randomly back at fehu. In this way, we can find our way more easily along the path of our own journey, thus deriving the greatest benefit from its lessons. Otherwise we tend to get distracted and end up on detours and dead ends.

Raiðo reminds us that, although it may seem that we have accomplished our goals at ansuz, life and change continue and we must always go on. We will eventually end up where we began, but on a higher level and with a better perspective. The journey never really ends.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
In a reading, a physical journey is likely when Raidho appears. This journey will likely be successful and will lead to a important changes in one's life. A move or a career change is foretold. New experiences and insights await us over the horizon, and will shape the course of our lives.

As with the lesson of the three Norns, the appearance of Raidho also suggests that all efforts to influence the situation (one way of the other) will likely fail. The hands of fate are at work here -- fortunately the indication is largely positive.

Raidho may also represent a change in lifestyle -- usually for the better.

At a literal level, Raidho may represent women, sisters or a career path.

Inverted Meaning :: Journeys may often just be detours off of one's primary path, not part of our primary life journey. Moves and career changes can also mean disruptions in personal relationships, and these must be maintained in order to remain a whole person. Failure to move on will cause stunted growth.

Kenaz torch
Phonetic equivalent: c (as in 'candle')
Color: Yellow
“The student surpasses the teacher.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
Wisdom, insight, solution to a problem, creativity, inspiration, enlightenment.

MAGICAL USES:
For creative inspiration, aid in study, fertility, dispelling anxiety and fear.

ENERGY:
Controlled energy, transformation (phoenix fire), teaching/learning dynamic, illumination.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Mimir, the Dwarfs, Muspellheim

ANALYSIS:
In modern usage, the Scottish 'ken' means to know or understand, and this is the sense in which the rune should interpreted. Today, light, inspiration and knowledge are often associated, as in 'gaining enlightenment' and 'shedding light on the problem', and even in the image of a light bulb going on over someone's head when they get an idea. To bring light is to make the invisible visible.

Unlike the wisdom gained at þurisaz, kenaz only allows us to take bits and pieces of this knowledge away with us as we need it, usually at the discretion of the Gods. This knowledge will generally come in the form of a sudden inspiration, and we will be able to see clearly the answer that was once hidden from us. This form of wisdom is more closely associated with the right half of the brain than the left, since it does not come through conscious effort but rather through passively opening one's self to it. Thus, a more feminine element is added to our journeyer's experience.

The act of bringing light into the darkness is also a creative one. Again consider the image of the person carrying a torch , representing the masculine elements of fire and air, entering the cave and penetrating the feminine realm of earth and water. This joining of masculine and feminine elements results in the creation of new ideas. In physical terms, this can be correlated to the application of fire to mold and shape matter - the art of the smith.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
A solution to a long-standing issue. Clarification will come after a long struggle -- the solution will seem simple after the long struggle that has led up to it. Inspiration and the light of knowledge will pave the way for success in the current venture.

A sudden insight or enlightenment. A moment is coming when someone will realize their purpose, their entire reason for being. Something (or someone) will light the way to this path.

Enlightenment and clarity do not come without sacrifice. There is often a price to pay for solutions and knowledge. It will not be grievous but it will require that the individual give something up that is precious to them. Knowledge, like the apple of the book of Genesis, may carry a steep cost.

Inverted Meaning :: A flame is being darkened somewhere in the individual's life. A source of inspiration is petering out. The individual should take care that they are not giving up on their dreams -- which could lead to a cooling of their life spark and spiritual suffering. Do not be so quick to let go of a dream.

Gebo gift
Phonetic equivalent: g (as in 'girl')
Color: Gold & Silver (Red)
“For every gift a curse.”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
Gift, offering, relationship, love, marriage, partnership, generosity, unexpected good fortune.

MAGICAL USES:
To find or strengthen a relationship, for fertility, to mark a gift or offering, to bring luck.

ENERGY:
Exchanged powers, sacrifice, dissolution of barriers through gifting.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Sigurd & Brunhild; Aesir & Vanir treaty

ANALYSIS:
Gebo is a rune of connection, particularly the connections between people. Up until now, our journey has been a solitary one. This rune represents those places where our path intersects with others, and allows us to begin to form conscious relationships. Such relationships are strengthened and sanctified by the exchange of gifts.

The use of the gift as a symbol of an oath or a bond is an ancient one. When a lord wanted to ensure the loyalty of one of his subjects, he would give that person a gift. The gift would create a debt on the part of the person receiving it, and this debt would ensure his readiness to serve his lord. Similarly, a gift given between lovers, especially that of the ring, symbolizes the bond between them. Originally, only the man gave the ring in a marriage for much the same reason as the lord giving gifts to his vassals, but today the arrangement is usually more equitable. Gifts or offerings given to the Gods often carry the same meaning, representing the giver's love for or loyalty to their Gods. The giving of a gift implies the acceptance of a debt with the understanding that the debt will not be repaid.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
A gift will be given, or possibly a marriage proposal or an opportunity to put forward such a proposal is on its way. A generous, bountiful person who wishes to enrich one's life, romantically or materially.

A divine gift, the gift of life or of balance. It is important that all parties remain equitable when the gift is given, or that balance which is so important to relationships may be endangered.

Inverted Meaning :: Gebo cannot be inveted.

Wunjo glory
Phonetic equivalent: w
Color: Pink (Blue)
“Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ.”
“Be careful what you wish for…”

DIVINATORY MEANINGS:
Success, recognition of achievements, reward, joy, bliss, achievement of goals, contentment.

MAGICAL USES:
For success in any endeavor, to motivate, to complete a task.

ENERGY:
Harmony of like forces, effortless ease, fellowship, fulfillment, wishing, genuine friendship.

ASSOCIATED MYTHS & DEITIES:
Baldr, Asgard

ANALYSIS:
Wunjo is the last rune of the first aett, and thus represents both the end of one cycle and preparation for the next. It is a very positive, stable rune, and is another place where people tend to get stalled along their journey. Christian poets related it to heaven, but in fact it more closely resembles the Pagan Valhalla, since this particular paradise is not a permanent one.

Like the wealth of fehu, the glory of wunjo is only an illusion. We have achieved success on one level only, and there are many more lessons to be learned. It is, however, a welcome respite which allows us to rest, re-charge our batteries and prepare ourselves for the rest of the journey. It also gives us some perspective, allowing us to look back and reflect on the road thus far. Wunjo gives us a glimpse of what is possible, but if we try too soon to reach out and grab it, like the Grail it will disappear between our fingers.

DIVINATORY INTERPRETATION:
Success and achievement of a goal. The attainment of desire, possibly a person, a monetary desire, or otherwise. Fantasies are soon to be fulfilled when this rune appears. One must be careful that the desires in this rune do not give rise to an obsessive nature.

Too much focus can be placed on the end goal rather than the means of achieving it. The appearance of this rune may indicate a need to stop and reassess -- to take measure of the object of one's pursuits. Wunjo reminds us that some fantasies are best left to the realm of fantasy.

Cautionary notes aside, Wunjo is a rune of great happiness and deserved celebration. It is an indication to enjoy all that it has to offer. Success and the true rewards of a job well done.

Wunjo may also indicate a conflict that has not yet occurred -- but will prove beneficial -- and ultimately result in victory, joy and material gain.

Inverted Meaning :: A goal takes longer to reach than was expected. A journey towards a goal is painful. The need to try harder in order to realize one's dreams. There is a definite need to reassess the end goal and ensure that it is the right one when one sees Wunjo inverted.