For the week of 4 November 2018
Deep change together
Hagalaz is the half-month stave through 13 November. Ehwaz is the intuitive stave, and Gebo indicates the Rune’s message to us. Read right to left is Hagalaz, Ehwaz, then Gebo.
I truly believe that #theweeklyrune includes the keys to making better choices based on keen insight into the present, to help each of us be more active in creating a better reality for us all. In the Old Norse tradition, this process is wyrdweaving at it deepest potential. You’re currently reading the public version of The Weekly Rune. If you want to get the full benefit of the ad-free, detailed version every Sunday, you can show your support by joining my private runes community at Patreon. The paid runecast includes:
- more detail
- ad-free
- the current runes’ impact on human life force
- insights on how to best manage the curves and twists therein
- introspective prompts to nuance your self-work
- galdr of the runecast, with sound files and instruction on how to use each sound
- live video sessions
- runic insights, book excerpts, release news, free classes
- optional services with me
- discounts on shamanic services
What’s a half-month rune?
“Half-month” is an astronomical concept in which each month is divided into two parts: days 1-15, then 16-month’s end. In terms of the runic calendar, the half-month rune is based on the Elder Futhark, and governs for a tad over two weeks (14 and 1/4 days, or a fortnight).
Learn More
The Weekly Rune is based on a three-rune cast. Those runes are the half-month, the intuitive rune, and the overview. The half-month is a set rune, which for the most part follows the traditional ordering of the Elder Futhark. The intuitive stave (meaning, I draw it blind) indicates the life force most available to us, to the focus of the half-month rune into sharper focus. It suggests how we can best handle the half-month energies. The final rune (also drawn blind) provides a high overview of the current time, and speaks from different voices. These voices are usually Nature, Earth, Creation, though are sometimes others. I note who’s speaking each week.
New to The Weekly Rune?
- Catch a couple of my IGTV videos, which explain the intention and process behind the runecast, and what makes it different from other ways of casting.
- Listen to my What in the Wyrd podcast, which is available across all popular podcast platforms, including Google Play and iTunes. The latest episode discusses the nuances of Raidho.
- A few people have asked the reason that I switch between different rune sets for TWR. The short answer is: because. The more nuanced answer is I ask which sets wants to speak each week. I don’t assume the same elements are in play according to the timing of the runes; I also don’t assume the same elements of my runes are appropriate to speak each week. I did a podcast on this subject, so there’s more info there. (See above)
- Also, for deep work on coming into relationship with the runes in season, check out my book, Runic Book of Days.
- Register for my 5-week mini-course on coming into relationship with the runes – Reawakening with the Runes.
The Runecast
We talked last week about Hagalaz being a radical turning point in the Elder Futhark, and in the seasonal progression. In talking with a wonderful human this week, she pointed out her experience with the transition from first to second aett, that is from Wunjo to Hagalaz, as being more difficult than the one from the second to third aett, or from third back to first. That hit me like a ton of bricks, because I share that observation, and I find the transition from summer to fall the most difficult seasonal progression.
Learn more about this seasonal progression, and how to draw its insights into the personal spiritual path in Runic Book of Days.
What does it mean?
Hagalaz is difficult. It just is, and there’s no way to soften its influence or the aftermath of the change it brings. One good aspect of greeting it seasonally is having a regular opening to deal with our dead. That may be literal, personal, or metaphoric. We have this routine opportunity to give “done” stuff up to its next experience of itself. Yes, we always have that opportunity, though in its seasonal place, we also gain some external (and internal) support in how to do that well.
Get the Samhain Sabbat Runecast
So, if the seasonal presentation of Hagalaz gives us a little support in letting go, what makes that transition from the end of the first aett to the start of the second so hard? Humans. Emotions. Needs. In a nutshell. Death is hard, whether it is the true grief of a loved one that has passed, of an aspect of self that must grow, of a relationship that no longer supports, of dreams, of patterns.
This week Ehwaz brings more info on how to deal with that rub, and how to facilitate the growth needed from it. Meaning ‘horse,’ it’s associated with ecstatic trance, the vehicle that gets at the heart of things. The suggestion by Ehwaz, regarding how to deal with shedding what we don’t need right now/anymore is to tap into the life forces of what’s not needed. In this animistic way of connecting directly with the goal, dream, or whatever is being let go, we can make deeper and more amends, release, healing, and closure. Anytime you can take things directly to the source, the work is more effective, and Ehwaz is as direct as it gets.
The flavor rune this week is the voice of Creation, and its perspective is one of partnership. Familiar Gebo assures that the work of the last harvest, this shedding season, has at least one beneficial outcome. We don’t often get those assurances. We don’t always need them–sometimes just knowing the work has to be done is enough. However, this year we get to go out on our time with Hagalaz with company, and good company, at that. How Hagalaz moves through each of our lives will be unique. That we either get to have that experience with a valued other(s), or that experiences leads us to a valued other is a win.
This week we begin the breaking down work of the winter trio runes. It asks us to examine what we need to let go of, the threads connecting us to it, and to stay open to the help available.
It’s also worth saying that Hagalaz is a good time to gather resources to help cope with the holidays. It’s a good time to regroup and prepare.
For suggestions on how to do that gracefully, subscribe to my private runes community on Patreon.
Originally published on Soul Intent Arts.
