World-Tree
According to myth, Odin discovered the runes while hanging upon the world-tree, Yggdrasil. You don’t have to be Asatru or Heathen to recognise that your understanding of the runes will be significantly enhanced by knowledge of their associated cosmology (creation myth). Some people will want to work with deities, elves, dwarves, and the myriad of other creatures inhabiting Yggdrasil to help their rune work, while others won’t. My personal experience was that my rune readings worked before I started to explore the Northern tradition, but more advanced practices did require me to develop an understanding, and a personal relationship, with the World Tree and its denizens (and my readings are more confident and detailed).
Traditionally, there are nine worlds on Yggdrasil, but there is no definitive map and the worlds are permeable and mutable. If you compare the chapters from the books listed below, you will notice that there are subtle differences in the structure of the world tree, depending on the preferences of the author. For those of you who have studied qabalah, it is worthwhile looking at the Tree of Life glyph and then going out and finding a really big, old, gnarled Yew tree – that will help explain some of the difference between the qabalistic world tree and Yggdrasil.
Many books on runes say very little about the world tree, which make the works below even more special:
Galdrbok, Nathan J Johnson and Robert J Wallis, 2005
Click here to buy Galdrbok: Practical Heathen Runecraft, Shamanism and Magic
Includes a detailed examination of the realms and beings of Yggdrasil. Johnson and Wallis make a case for there being seven worlds, with Nifelheim (ice/mist home) and Muspelheim (fire home) being realms rather than worlds (I think of them as places of force, but not form). Other authors concur that you cannot journey to Nifelheim and Muspelheim and so this argument has a lot to commend it. As well as a chapter devoted to the tree and its denizens, Galdrbok includes a guided trance journey through the tree.
You should repeatedly explore or ‘visit’ each world in turn in order to get to know the territory, establish allies, face enemies (such as shades), perform magic, and so on… (Chapter 6)
Taking up the Runes, Diana L. Paxson, 2005
Click here to buy Taking Up the Runes: A Complete Guide to Using Runes in Spells, Rituals, Divination, and Magic
Paxson provides factual information about the original source materials we use to inform our understanding of the nine worlds as well as modern day psychological interpretations.
I prefer to visualise the way to the Otherworld as leading off at right angles to all dimensions we know. We seek the road by going within, but once there, the direction in which we follow it is ‘away’ into nonordinary reality. (Part 1: Ehwaz and Perthro)
Odin’s Gateway, Katie Gerrard, 2009
Click here to order Odin’s Gateways: A Practical Guide to the Wisdom of the Runes, Through Galdr, Sigils and Casting
Odin’s Gateway provides an exploration of the nine-worlds focused on their inhabitents – their nature, literature and myths associated with them.
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Power and Principles of Runes, Freya Aswynn, 2007
Click here to order Power and Principles of the Runes
Power and Principles (which is a revised version of the 2000 Principles),contains a brief introduction to the nine-worlds of Northern Mythology set in the context of a nine-world divination. I find this to be a very helpful reference and Aswynn states that the nine world diagram in Principles is an improvement on those featured in her earlier works. She also provides a diagram for a nine-worlds casting cloth as well as a pathworking to Hella’s realm (for those not familiar with the nine-worlds, Hella’s realm (Hel) is an ‘underworld’ but it is a resting place for the dead, not to be confused with the similar sounding Christian Hell.)
Fehu
What does wealth mean to you? Money? Possessions? Perhaps it means having enough to eat or having your friends and family around you? In some ways Fehu represents that which we need to survive: warmth, nourishment, love - but it also represents that ...
Uruz
Uruz is the rune of the primal, powerful aurochs. Although the great aurochs are now extinct, nature has provided many other immensly powerful examples for us to work with when connecting with the energy of Uruz. Think of the blue whale, ...
Thurisaz
The mountain, forbidding, implacable. Thrust up from the belly of the Earth. Shrouded in cloud and snow, a land impenetrable to all but the bravest, strongest and most single-minded. Its reflection in the waters is still and alluring, the dangers of the ...
Ansuz
For a rune of communication Ansuz does not lend itself to straight forward explanation. Looking to the nature of its patron deity Odin, may help to explain why. God of the High Seat, Trickster, Shaman, Wanderer, Poet - he is ...
Raidho
The motion of the stars, the dance of the universe, the unseen forces that bind us together. Raidho is that force: the circle, the wheel, the pattern, the motion that drives us forward. To be in tune with Raidho is ...
Kenaz
A torch, a blacksmith, a fever, the warm body of a lover, the inspiration of the artist. Kenaz is just as much about heat as it is about light. With light comes clarity and insight, but with heat comes transformation. Fire ...
Gebo
The gift, the exchange. Gebo embodies the concept of reward for effort, but also of generousity and selflessness which expects no reward. Think about the xxx you put at the bottom of a card, or a letter to a loved ...
Wunjo
Kindred, clan, family, friendship. Wunjo embodies that sense of joy, belonging and well-being that comes from the people who you count as your kin. Wunjo is found in a welcome hug, in the shared memories you laugh over, in the affectionate names ...
Hagalaz
The hail stone, the mother rune, the cosmic seed, the destructive force of nature. There is nothing gentle about Hagalaz. For some it represents mindless destruction, the ruination of carefully laid plans; for others there is a perfect and crystalline ...
Nauthiz
Nauthiz, the need-fire. I see this rune as having a dual nature. It is black, it is the hollow of lack, it is the cold earth, the dark days, the emptiness of loss, of starvation, the dark night of the ...
Isa
Isa, ice. This is a very beautiful rune, exceedingly strong but undoubtedly with an element of danger. Ice has an important role to play in purifying the earth, eradicating disease and pests that have spread during the warm summer and wet ...
Jera
Jera is the twelth rune, its name literally means 'year'. In modern rune calendars Jera is placed at the Winter Solstice which seems appropriate to me as, amongst the runes of winter and darkness jostling on either side of it, it holds ...
Eihwaz
Eihwaz is sometimes likened to the Death card in tarot; it is a rune of transformation and testing, stripping away that which is worn out, diseased or weak so that strong new growth may occur. It is the rune of ...
Perthro
Perthro is one of the most enigmatic of runes, it's meaning is unknown and can only be inferred from the Old English Rune Poem which refers to it as 'ever play and laughter' where warriors sit in the beer-hall together. The ...
Algiz
A figure stands alone in the wilderness, arms upraised to the Heavens; overhead a rainbow appears - the Bifrost bridge leading to the heavens. The Algiz/ Elhaz rune is a rune of great blessing, it symbolises protection and defence. As Elhaz it symbolises the ...
Sowilo
Sowilo symbolises the energy of the sun, the great guiding orb that is carried by the Goddess Sunna in her bright carriage. The rune brings blessings to sailors as it helps them navigate across the unknown waters and, for those ...
Teiwaz
Nobility of character could not be better exemplified than through the great Sky-God Tyr, patron of the Teiwaz rune. He sacrificed sovereignty, wholeness, power and the strength of his sword-arm for the greater good. Although Odin was to take on ...
Berkano
The birch tree is one the fastest spreading trees and Berkano speaks of fast, eager growth. This is a rune of spring, the green shoots rising, flowers exploding in a riot of colour upon the woodland floor, the crying of baby ...
Ehwaz
A steed, a lover, a dream, a nightmare, a union the loss of Self and the embrace of the Other through whom you come to know yourself again. All these things are encapsulated by the Ehwaz rune which represents both the ...
Mannaz
The Mannaz rune is a double Wunjo rune, the rune that brings joy in family and kin becomes the rune of one who blesses clan and society through the strength of self. Mannaz means 'man' (in the sense of 'human' rather than a ...
Laguz
The Waters of Wyrd, the depths of the unconscious, the flow of magic, the dreamworld where creatures of magic and myth roam free. Don't underestimate the power of Laguz, the rune of water. The mysteries of water have long held ...
Inguz
Discussion of Inguz on its way - watch this space Traditional meaning: The divine hero Ing Pronunciation: ing-ooz Number: 22 Gods: Ing, Frey, Freyja Colour: Yellow, orange, green Hour: 09:30-10:30 Half month: May 14th - May 29th Plants: Apple, self heal Body: Third eye chakra, male genitalia Animal: Boar, cuckoo Mineral: Amber, ...
Dagaz
Discussion of Dagaz on its way - watch this space Traditional meaning: Day, daylight Pronunciation: dah-gahz Number: 23/24 Gods: Loki, Verdhandi, Heimdall, Surt Colour: Blue, red Hour: 11:30-12:30 Half month: June 19th - June 29th Plants: Rowan, spruce, hempe Body: Crown chakra Animal: Unknown Mineral: Peridot Aroma: Clary sage, Linden blossom Object of power: Gateway Journeys ...
Othala
Contents on its way - watch this space Traditional meaning: Inheritance, wealth, homeland, farm, family estate Pronunciation: oh-tha-la Number: 24/23 Gods: Odin, Vali Colour: Yellow, red Hour: 10:30-11:30 Half month: May 29th - June 14th Plants: Hawthorn, clover Body: Inherited traits, DNA Animal: Unknown Mineral: Spinel Aroma: Marjoram, Neroli Object of power: Seat Journeys with the ...