The Bare Necessities of Life 2
Norse Runes for Daily Living - Part 2
If you have never had the chance to look up old Norse runes - I will tell you what you need to know. Without diving into the religion of the runes, or the divination process, I will only show you how I think that the runes spell out 24 basic needs of life for each young person growing up in this world.
Today - we will look at the second chapter of life involving change, transformation and trial.
Life can be just simply living on auto-pilot, we call this “bio” life - it’s just breathing. But “zoe” life is purposeful, intentional, meaningful and delicious. We should aspire for both. The runes are organized into three parts of your life. First, is the creation, second the transformation and third, the ascension. This means that in life, you begin, you change and then you rise above to a new level - possibly to do the same cycle all over again.
Transformation Runes
HAGALAZ - Storms - It happens. Tragedy strikes, storms come, trials must be faced. Whatever the reason, hardship happens to us. No one desires it, but the purpose of hagalaz is to try you. Our desires are tested and our wills are refined. Whatever trial you go through - there is a purpose and the way out is through. Keep going because without storms, we have no resilience.
NAUTHIZ - Needs - Before you groan, for this does seem like another trial, know that needs have their own purpose for our good. No one likes to need anything, hunger, thirst and unmet desires all make for a dismal day. However, it is in necessity that our hearts pray and reach for something more than the life we have. Needs drive us. Needs also help us craft empathy for our fellow sojourners. Without needs, we have no compassion.
Isa - Stillness - taken from the word “ice”, stillness, or isa, means waiting patiently, sitting still, quieting the chatter, silencing the notifications. I wonder how many of us would prefer the chaos of change or the hardship of hunger over the absolute silence of stillness. It’s been said that all a man’s problems stem from his inability to sit quietly with himself. Stillness is a vital part of life and we learn much from it. Without stillness, we have no wisdom.
JERA - Harvest - And suddenly, off in the horizon, we see harvest! After all the trials, tests and pain, we must remember that we earned a reward for our hard work. Many folks go through life acquainted with hardship, but never check for their reward. Maybe the reward doens’t directly stem from the work, but it may be collateral beauty you find along the way. Without harvest, we have no hope. So, please, look for the reward.
EIHWAZ - Cycle - literally meaning “yew tree”, this rune reminds us that indeed, everything is a cycle. “What has been will be and yet again, be - there is nothing new under the sun.” Because of the nature of cycles, we can predict, rest and know that we will have upcoming seasons to anticipate and former seasons to reflect upon. Cycles teach us how to prepare. Without cycles, we have no awareness of the world beyond our moment.
PERTHRO - Mystery - by now, you can see why this season is called transformation. So many of these vital life lessons are hard to grasp. Mystery is not simply wealthy or self defense - it’s hard to find, and even harder to hold. Sometimes life has no answers, so we develop myths and stories to put our minds to ease. We develop pithy sayings to get us through hard times or explain wild strings of luck. We get superstitious. We hope and fear the hands of fate. And this all works for our good, reminding us of our fragile mortal nature, for without mystery, we have no humility.
ALGIZ - Protection - Unlike self defense, algiz can only be found through prayer. Something is watching over you - a guardian angel, perhaps, because you cannot explain why you are safe. But you are grateful, because there are forces greater than your ability to keep watch. Sometimes you must plead sanctuary against the world and call out for divine help. This is a lesson in life, for without protection, we have no faith.
SOWILO - Peace - Named after the sun, sowilo reminds us of the sunrise that breaks the night. It reminds us of sunset that carries us into the night. The peace that stems from understanding of life’s cycle warms our hearts with courage. Somewhere, by now, you have made a major achievement. You have married, brought forth a family, built a legacy, a home or survived a loss. You have won in life and you should bask in that glow. Because, without sowilo, without peace - we have no peace and wandering our later years in sadness.
This concludes the 2nd aett - transformation. Look for the other 8 runes in the next post. Remember that these runes are ancient words telling us what is important in life, so as not to live simply the “bio” of life, but also the “zoe” - the vibrant, animated life of the spirit. May your story continue.