Magin Rose

I can’t believe we are already at the mid-point of the half-month of Kenaz, the rune of the flaming torch which also symbolises a sore or ulcer.  Now, some people find these two meanings very difficult to square, what does a torch have to do with disfigurment or ulceration?  The obvious conclusion would be burns on the skin, and perhaps our ancestors noted the blisters produced from burns and so saw a connection between Kenaz and fevers, sores and ulcers which heat up the body and disfigure the skin. 

At this time of year we can see the results of our harvest, we know whether we have had a good year or a bad year – perhaps we are beating ourselves up a bit for not having achieved all that we meant to, or perhaps we are harvesting some unexpected rewards from our endeavours.  This month I have been inspired by Lena Steven’s September forecast; in it she talks of old patterns, old illnesses and unexpressed emotions emerging at this time.  For me this is very much the process of Kenaz.  Kenaz is linked with the energies of the dwarves, not the jolly dwarves from Snow White, but the dwarves of earth, rock and stone who forge objects of power and beauty by combining the energies of fire and earth.  In their less benevolent aspect, dwarves were also believed  to cause illness, in many ways their lore merges with that of  the ‘wicked’ elves and faery folk in this respect.  Dwarves are alchemists, they work with heat and flame to remove impurities and bring out the power and essence of the materials they work with.  Kenaz reflects their nature, it forces difficulty, illness, anger, resentment and all those bits we would rather repress upwards to the surface.  At this time of year, people feel the twinges of old woundings and illnesses upwards, making themselves known when we thought we were free of them; but we can also work with this time of year to remove these negative energies from ourselves – to learn the lessons they are tryig to teach us.  Kenaz holds the secret of the alchemical process, the slow refining of soul through the intense heat of our purest intentions and most cherished dreams.

Kenaz is a rune of manifestation, it will expose your weakness, but also glory in your strengths and achievements.  The light of Kenaz will reveal the perfection of the soul, the pain and discomfort this rune brings are symptoms of its work to draw flaws and imperfections to the surface: tackle them now before they sink down once again.  So much out there is resonating with these themes at the moment, check out my lovely business partner’s blog entry on times of suffering, she has linked to some really interesting videos focusing on working with times of pain to help us achieve enlightenment – very pertinent for Kenaz.

Another old autumn tradition pertinent to Kenaz is that of releasing prisoners.  The callous amongst us might chalk this up to a desire to be rid of a lot of hungry mouths before winter sets in, but we might also see this release as a clearing away of the old.  Sins have been paid for and restitution made.  On a psychological level Kenaz can help us to locate our emotional and mental ‘prisoners’: beliefs that limit us, habits that hold us back, convictions that we have inherited without understanding their origins.  The light of Kenaz allows you to look into the dark corners of your soul and find the places where the dark things lurk, where we keep our secrets and the most secret desires that we are afraid to acknowledge.  Work with Kenaz to bring these out into the light.

This month’s meditation focuses on working with Kenaz to remove sources of negativity and pain from the body, releasing them into the fire of Kenaz so they may be transformed.  You can also work using the Kenaz mudra and chant (given in the meditation) to seek within and illuminate your hidden desires and motivations.

To learn more about the mysteries of Kenaz try my rune journey at the bottom of my page on Kenaz.