There is way to much misinformation or rather uneducated information on the runes out there. I am aware of this first hand as I have been part of several rune groups and even received readings from people who are only able to regurgitate a three word definition of the rune and put together a five year old’s reading. The secret to any form of divination is to obviously first understand the brief definition but to then go beyond that and develop your own interpretation of what each rune means. After you begin to get a good feel on the rune you need to understand how it relates to those around it and where it falls in the reading. Anyways I don’t want to come across as bitter I just wanted to put my personal take on the runes.
The runes are split into three rows of 8 commonly called aetts. The first aett which extends from Fehu to Wunjo were commonly the first taught and are runes of creation and building. The second aett which is Hagalaz to Sowillo are the runes of struggle and battle. Finally the third aett which extend from Tiwaz to othalla are about rebirth or rather rising beyond the struggles, these are the runes of transcendence. So The full flow of runes tells the story of creation through struggle and into the success of rising above these problems and becoming an “uber-mensch”.
The first rune is FEHU which means cattle and represents the letter F. This rune is pretty straightforward, it means wealth and material gain (cattle was a sign of wealth to our ancestors). Drawing this rune generally can mean that you will be having some success that will manifest in a physical nature. It does not automatically mean that you are going to be getting money.
URUZ represents the letter U and meant Auroch. An Auroch was an ancient giant bull-like animal and represented raw power to our ancestors. Many times this can mean strength, health, and virility but it can also be a magnifier of other runes around it. Uruz can be a power boost or rather an emphasis on runes near it. Uruz also comes with caution however as raw, uncontrolled power can easily destroy things around you.
Thurisaz represents the TH sound and literally means Thor or giant. This rune is so often used wrongly that thinking of it makes me smile. This rune simply means breaking through or rather destroying barriers in your way. In a reading it can mean that either a blockage in your life will be removed or that something good in your life may be getting destroyed. The way I saw this rune used incorrectly was a local rune derp decided that since Thor is a protector obviously his rune means protection and they should draw it on their car. Five car accidents later and I’m still laughing.
Ansuz literally means voice of God and is represented by the letter A. This rune is commonly associated with Odin and means that you need to listen to some wise advise and also trust in your own intuition. To me it normally is indicative of that tiny voice within yourself.
Raidho is the letter R and means ride or travel. It does NOT always mean that you are going to take a trip somewhere dammit. It can mean the beginning of a new stage in life or embarking on something new. it can also represent a long task that you are currently undertaking, in this regard you need to pay close attention to the surrounding runes as they give details on your task.
Kenaz is next, it represents the letters C and K and means torch. Kenaz is a light of illumination in the darkness a new idea arising or some unexpected help coming to you. It is a soft and warm light not a burning and destructive conflagration. Kenaz is another good magnifier rune in that it may not have a meaning in itself so much as shining light on nearby runes, kind of a “look at this”
Gebo means gift and is used as the letter G.This rune does not mean that you will be getting a gift, it is more of a rune of human relationships and the joy of giving and receiving between loved ones. Another commonly used translation of gebo is literally relationship. When I draw gebo I find it represents some connection between people and use the nearby runes to smooth out the details.
Wunjo means joy and is representative of the letter w. This rune is honestly very straightforward and has little to explain. The only trickiness with wunjo is when you have to decide if your happiness is the most productive and important thing or rather best solution for your current dilemma.
Hagalz means hail and is the letter H. This is a horribly misunderstood rune as people only see it as chaos. Yes it can mean chaos but it can also mean a cessation of chaos. Is not the world calm and quiet after a hail storm? Plus chaos is not always bad, sometimes to create you must first destroy. I view hagalaz more as an agent of change and new ideas. When Hagalaz comes up you are basically being told to prepare yourself because new things are beginning and they may at first suck but if you are smart you will be fine.
Nauthiz means need and is the letter N. This is another one people often assume is bad for some reason. To me nauthiz is closely associated with Hagalaz, Hagalaz is the chaos and Nauthiz is the necessity behind it. Nauthiz typically means something that needs to happen will happen, it may not be fun but you need to do it.
Isa comes next, Isa is representative of the letter I and traditionally means ice. In a reading Isa typically means a stasis or a standstill of sorts. Drawing Isa can tell you to keep your thoughts to yourself for a bit and apply more thought or else that things may seemingly soon come to a grinding halt.
Jera is next, it literally means bounty or harvest and is the letter J. This is another one of those runes that is almost always positive it essentially means that you will soon reap a reward from all of your hard work. The only time it can be negative in a reading is as a reminder that everything is cyclical and that for every harvest there is an equal state of suffering to get there.
Eiwaz is the letter sound EI and is represented by the world tree. This rune I have found is usually the hardest for most people to understand, in fact a rune study group I used to attend would just pick another rune (disgraceful to defy the will of the gods due to your own ignorance). Eiwaz means that like the world tree which stands strong against all forces you will be called on to be patient and resilient against coming forces, it pretty much is telling you to batten the hatches and brace yourself. Also just as the world tree weaves through all of the realms so this rune deals with the travel of the mind through altered consciousness, it is normally a good time to pray or speak to the dead when you receive this.
Perthro is the letter P and means cup or cauldron. This rune can as some people will tell you mean that you may be asked to take a gamble or take a risk. This however is the type of explanation that has caused me to write this article, in other words a 3 word definition isn’t enough. Perthro as the sideways cauldron represents the well of knowledge being tipped over and spilled out. Perthro represents the hidden potential within being stirred up and released. In a reading this normally means a new idea or talent may come out of nowhere and it is wise to listen to it.
Algiz is the letter z and means stag. This is a simple rune, it means protection. Protection against what and whether you need to be given protection or giving it depends on the situation. I always like to take it as a warning to stay on my personal guard.
Sowillo means sun and in represented by the letter S. Sowillo almost always means success and bright times ahead. It can also be used as a more powerful magnifier then Kenaz but it works in a very similar fashion. When asking a question and receiving Sowillo you should be confident and put forth the effort of a burning sun to achieve your goals, nothing is ever given for free despite what rune you pull.
Tiwaz means Sky or Tyr and represents the letter T. Many people assume that because Tiwaz has to do with Tyr (Norse god of justice) that it automatically means justice, that isn’t always true. Tyr was also the general of the Gods and I have found in my experience that Tiwaz means it is time to take a stance and be a leader to achieve the goals that you want. Tiwaz is a rune of decisive action not sitting around and waiting.
Berkano means Birch and is shown as the letter B. Another in the list of runes that people don’t bother to understand beyond 3 words. First off while it is a rune of fertility Berkano does not simply mean that you are going to get pregnant. Fertility is a much more complicated concept then that. Berkano to me that it is a good time to begin a new task, berkano is a precursor to Jera. Today you apply the hard work because the soil is right so that tomorrow you may collect the fruits of your labor.
Ehwaz is the letter E it means horse. What I have found is that this rune represents a partnership between two people who are both dependent on one another. It represents the care and trust between a horse and rider necessary to survive a long and perilous journey. When pulled I tell people to take stock of people involved with them and be sure that they take the time and steps to be sure trust is maximized.
Manaz is next, Manaz means man and is the letter M. “Sigh” Manaz does not mean that you will meet a man, it is the human spirit and the ideals of humanity. Manaz means that you may be called on to be an exemplary person in character and deeds.It may also mean that you will have to overcome some of your own human flaws to achieve your goals.
Laguz is the letter L and means water. This can be a complicated rune as it deals with emotion and femininity. Just as water ebbs and flows, constantly changing shape and direction so to do your emotions and Laguz is a reminder of that. In women it can be a sign to remember your inner femininity and honor it at this time. Remember though just as a raging sea can destroy everything in it’s path so to can raging emotions, drawing this rune may mean it is time to calm the seas and regain control of your mind.
Ingwaz is represented by the letters ng and means seed. Ingwaz means that something new is growing and it will need to be nurtured to blossom into something wonderful. This rune can both be good and bad depending on what is being grown whether it be a new business or a growing sense of hatred between two friends. In simplest terms when you draw this take time to reflect on what you are harboring and if you want to continue feeding it.
Dagaz is the letter D and means dawn. To me this rune is a rune of balance reminding people that after every dark night comes a brilliant dawn and vice versa. In hard times this rune may mean that you are almost at a break through and that you need to keep pushing. In good times this rune is a reminder not to get swept up in success because everything changes with time.
Othalla this means Home and is the letter O. This can be a complicated rune as it not only represents your home but also your ancestory and your bloodline. This rune is a reminder that through your veins flow the blood of your people and that every action you do should represent your respect for your ancestors. Othalla is the rune of your dna, your wyrd or whatever you call it. This rune forces you to step back from what you are doing and to decide if this is the course of action to best honor myself and my family.
The Road to Hel 