9 - ISA

Isa is an "elemental" rune and a direct reference to the element of water in it's frozen state, or ice. It's form (the single vertical stave) can be seen in nearly all of the other runes and is meant to symbolically represent an icicle. link

d-thinker

It is also a way to save without paying taxes in England. Basically money is frozen when it is saved, or perhaps like an icicle it can mean hidden assets. Or a hidden talent, or a necessity to keep on learning. A line is also the most basic of shapes, so it could also mean living life in a way that is back to basics! I made 3 patterns inspired by a straight line from a water colour painting of a straight line:

8 - HAGAL

I originally painted a tree, so the faint sign of Hagal can be displayed as being a shape of the branches. Though Hagal, is hail, but water is also important to trees. Perhaps I see Hagal as a bridge, but not a level bridge but as a rising bridge, as the middle line in H rises from left to right. d-thinker

Ice and hail
destroy my enemies
yet my shelter does not fail

The second aett (set), which is ruled over by Heimdall, the Watcher of the Gods, begins with Hagal or Hagalaz, the ninth rune. The three runes at the beginning of this aett are icy and binding runes, expressing their place at the first part of winter in the year-circle. Hagal represents the most powerful sacred number of the Northern Tradition, 'by the power of three times three'. Because of this, it is sometimes called the Mother Rune. Literally, the name Hagal means hailstone. Hailstones are water transformed for a short while from its liquid into it solid phase, during which time it falls from the sky, sometimes so violently that it destroys crops or property. But when the damage is done, it melts, changing back into harmless, even beneficial, liquid water. More generally, Hagal represents all aspects of frozen water that falls from the sky -- sleet and snow as well as hail. Everyone who has experienced a bad winter will know the sudden transformation that a snowstorm brings. Green fields and black roads are transformed rapidly into a sea of whiteness. Equally transormative is the thaw, when the colors of the landscape are restored.

The Hagal rune has a number of forms. The Elder Futhark forms is like the letter H, whilst the Younger Futhark and more modern Germanic rune rows use a form like a six-branched 'star'. Symbolically, the Hagal rune is thecrystalline primal seed, the basic geometry which determines the structure of the material universe. This is the basis of Guido von List's Armanen runic system of eighteen runes. Basically, Hagal represents the processes which have to take place for a project to be successful. Because of its icy nature, Hagal can be used in Vardlokkur - warding and binding magic, But Hagal is not the primary rune of magical binding - thta is the role of the next rune Nyd. Magically, thought, Hagal can bring disruption, confusion and chaos, but it is more than that; it is one of the major runes of Wyrd. It expresses those patterns of events in our past life which make the present what it is today. The Hagal rune gives us access to those patterns of energy originating in the past which are active in and affect the present time. It represents the power of evolution within the framework of present existence, whose direction can be altered by the magical action of Hagal.

Some seem to thing that Hagal is the rune of the unconscious mind. Some even call it the Hag Rune. It is the rune at the root of things, both on the physical, between the upper world and Middle Earth. Hagal is ruled by the deities who guard the passages linking the world of the human consciousness with other planes. They include Heimdall, the watcher god who protects Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge which links Middle Earth with the upperworld. The goddess Mordgud, who guards the icy bridge to the underworld, is also a ruler of Hagal. So are the Celtic guardians of the underworld entrance in Britain, Gwynn ap Nudd and Midir. This rune is also associated with Urd, the elder Norn, 'that which was'.

In folk magic, this run is the protective sigil called the lucky star. This is drawn as a six-petalled flower formed of arcs within a circle. It can be seen on many old buildings, still protecting them magically against bad weather. Hagal's element if ice, the fifth element in the Northern Tradition, ruled by Rinda, goddess of the frozen earth. Its magic tree is the Yew, the oldest lived European species and it herb is the Bryony. Both have been used magically for access to the underworld and upperworld throught the arts of shamanry and, more permanently, death. Its sexual polarity is female. Its sound is 'H'. http://members.fortunecity.com/cosmicqueen/runes/runes3.html

6 - GEBO

Gebo represents the law of harmony, or our need for adjustmnents. I have made 5 images from a watercolour painting. The 5th one is an abstract made from the painting:

























Also called Geofu
Letter: G
Old Norse name: none
Flower: lad's love
Gem: opal
Number: 6

Traditionally speaking, Gebo means "gift." According to Freya Aswynn, ancient Northern traditions implied that a gift was given on the understanding that a gift would be received in return. And "gift" does not necessarily mean a present all wrapped up with a bow on top, although it can certainly mean this. The idea of a gift given and gift received is another way of looking at the well-known Rule of Three-everything that you send out is returned to you threefold. So when you give something to someone, you must do so by fully recognizing that you will receive something back. It is the universal idea of balance.

Given all that, Gebo is a rune of balance-depending on where it falls in a reading, it can either mean that the situation is in balance or out of whack. This will be determined by the runes surrounding it, as Gebo itself is nonreversible.

Gebo also refers to agreements, settlements, legal matters, and contracts. Gebo also has a relationship aspect to it-it can often indicate engagements or weddings (remember those Xs and Os -- hugs and kisses -- you used to sign your love notes with? Bet you didn't know you were using an ancient Teutonic rune-that X, or Gebo, was your kiss!). But here again, the balance aspect of this rune comes to the fore. Every relationship needs balance in order to work. One partner cannot be constantly giving or constantly receiving. The classic concept of give-and-take is all over Gebo, and in relationship readings, Gebo can indicate balance or lack thereof within the relationship. Again, the runes that fall with Gebo will determine which it is.
Gebo can also indicate union or partnership, whether it be romantic or business.

Often, Gebo will appear in a reading merely to tell you, the reader, what the reading is all about.

Because it is nonreversible, it is important to examine the runes that fall with Gebo -- -they will help you figure out what Gebo is trying to tell you, or the querent.

The Rune Poem: Verse VII Gebo
Generosity in men is to honour and praise
And dignity a prop;
And for every wrack,
Riches and substance, who has naught else.

5 - FEHU

Fehu (pronounced FAY-who) equates to the English letter F.

It is the first rune of the Futhark and first of Freyja's Aett. The name means cattle and derives from the Germanic root-word vieh. The modern English words fee, fine and fief (as in fiefdom) are derivatives. Fehu is called Fe in Old Norse, Feoh in Anglo-Saxon, and Faihu in Gothic.

Why is Fehu the first rune? Well it is not uncommon for cattle as symbols of wealth to come first. Phoenician, Hebrew and Greek alphabets all start with letters meaning cattle. There is also the Norse myth of Creation where Auðhumla the primal cow licks a block of salt to give life to the first man of the human race. So Fehu in the guise of Auðhumla could be seen as the origin of man, and so Fehu is a logical choice for the first rune.

To the farming peoples of ancient Europe, wealth was measured in cattle. Cattle were - and still are - so versatile. They supply us with food, leather for shoes and clothes, and until quite recently they worked at ploughing and carrying burdens. Cattle are also moveable assets both physically and financially. You could drive a herd to another place and sell for a profit, or you could trade them for almost any commodity. A herd of cattle was not only a measure of wealth to the ancients, but a status symbol, like a Mercedes or Rolls-Royce in the drive would be today.

In literal terms then, Fehu means cattle, wealth, reward, generosity, ownership, livestock, nourishment, a beginning, or an opening gambit. In modern interpretation Fehu symbolizes money, a fee, a payment the ability to achieve and sustain success, or greater wealth. In other words, realized ambition. In a broader sense it can be interpreted to mean good health, love fulfilled and good fortune, but you are reminded of the need to be generous, to be charitable and to show compassion.

Fehu is associated with both Frey and Freyja and in the context of personal relationships may be taken to represent sexual love and even fertility - although this is usually the role of Berkanan. In my opinion the Frey/Freyja connection is a little suspect because there are more appropriate runes for those concepts as we will discover as we continue with this series.

The Fehu/Freyja tie-up may very well have sprung from the naming of the first Aett after Freyja, who otherwise has little connection with this rune. It is true that the Ox is sacred to Freyja, and also that Fehu is the initial rune of Freyja's name, but I feel these are rather tenuous connections. The ancients were usually a bit more brash and obvious with their associations. My personal theory is that mediæval runologists misinterpreted the name of the first Aett as Freyja's Aett instead of Fehu's Aett, and this misidentification has persisted down the centuries to modern times.

Another misconception I have seen is that Fehu means fire. It is associated with the element fire, but that is primarily because of the color-orientation of light red. The rune of fire is Kauno and I am not aware of any traditional sources for Fehu adopting this role.

The rune poems are pretty definite about the meaning of Fehu. The Anglo-Saxon Rune poem runs:
Wealth is a consolation to all men
Yet much of it must each man give away
If glory he desire To gain before his god.

The Icelandic Poem says:
Wealth source of discord among kinsmen
and fire of the sea and path of the serpent.

I think the last line is referring to the color of gold reflected by the rising or setting sun on the sea.

And the Norse version is very similar:
Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen;
the wolf lives in the forest.

D Thinker

The rune was painted first using water colours, I prefer watercolours. I believe that it has a sense of going beyond material wealth. Perhaps the crystal ball in the above image, has a sense of seeing paths ahead in terms of spiritual growth. Though the purpose of the life lesson rune is about expansion, but also dilution, so wealth could represent a deeper path, hence a yellow brick road.

4 - EHWAZ

D Thinker.- The painting I did for this was scanned and cleaned through a dust filter, though this is something I had not done for previous images, but it has resulted in an image which has greater clarity, but no shadow. EHWAZ is M shaped, but you may consider the image to be U shaped, but if u consider the picture in a more 3 dimensional way, it is a M.

Aśva (a Sanskrit word for a horse) is one of the significant animals finding references in several Hindu scriptures. The corresponding Avestan term is aspa. The word is cognate to Latin equus, Germanic ehwaz.

3 - DAGAZ

Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. Daylight clarity as opposed to nighttime uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope/happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet. Dagaz Merkstave (Dagaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): A completion, ending, limit, coming full circle. Blindness, hopelessness.

D Thinker - The blind force of the cosmos. It is also the energy of construction and destruction.

2 - KENAZ

Also called Ken
Letter: K or hard C
Old Norse name: Kaun
Flower: gorse, wild rose
Gem: bloodstone
Number: 3rd

The traditional meaning of Kenaz is a torch, and in that aspect, Kennaz in a reading indicates knowledge revealed. As a torch lights a pathway, so does Kennaz shed light on hidden reasons, underlying causes, unknown or unacknowledged aspects of the self, and hidden motives belonging either to the querent or another person who may be involved in the reading.

Kennaz's element is fire, the fire of creation, the fire of inspiration, the spark of enthusiasm that gets a project going. Kennaz often indicates that creative aspect in a reading; if it shows up with Berkana, it can presage a birth of some creative project, for example, a novel or a piece of art.
In health readings, Kennaz can indicate good health or strong recuperative powers. If querent is already ill, Kennaz can indicate recovery that will be more likely with a positive attitude.

In relationship readings, Kennaz often indicates the active or dominant person in the relationship. It is here that Kennaz, along with the other runes, may reveal those hidden motives we talked about earlier. If the querent is the passive person in the relationship, he or she might be able to learn a lot about his or her situation from Kennaz.