Laguz- Within the lake

Laguz

Laguz means lake. This Rune actually represents water in all its forms, so it can signify a sea, ocean, lake, river or marsh. All these water surfaces are under the rule of Njord and his wife Ran, which meant mysterious and dangerous regions to the old Germanic peoples. They imagined that the waters were inhabited by terrifying creatures like the serpent Jormundgand, but also beautiful creatures, but no less deadly, like Lorelai. What is, then, the point of Laguz? In the occult, water has always been the symbol of emotions, intuition, but also of the unconscious, the depths of which are like the depths of the ocean. Dreams, fantasies and hallucinations fall under Laguz's domain, but also illusions which we consider to be real, but are nothing more than projections of our subconscious. Laguz thus has the meaning of something mysterious and unknown, something which needs to be explored, something we should face and so prove our courage. For when we know our flaws, frustrations and fears, the mysterious waters of Laguz we dreaded can become a healing spring. Water is also a symbol of fertility and female qualities in general.

The cry of mankind

Mannaz

The Rune Mannaz signifies a man and the human species in general. The impulse that manifests itself as herd instinct in animals, in humans it's the tendency to live in a group and this is one of the basic qualities of Mannaz. Belonging to a people, community, group or sports club, all of these are different shapes Mannaz appears in. In Mannaz man realizes that he's a part of humanity, his role in society and his place in the system of social relationships. Seeing how this Rune is connected to human relations it can be used to strengthen relationships that are based on communication, cooperation, mutual helping and support. Mannaz actually represents Gebo in a higher level, so the harmonic relation includes not only lovers or co-workers but the whole community. In his works, Tacitus mentions a Germanic God called Tuist who had a son called Mannus, so some authors connect the Rune to this deity because of the similarity of the name.

Totem beast

Ehwaz

Ehwaz means horse. In the Nordic tradition, the horse was a sacred animal, the same as in the old Slavic tradition. This animal was connected to Frey, which we find out in the saga of Hrafnkel, Frey's priest. A modern person can hardly realize what kind of a relationship his ancestors had with the horse, or the specific connexion there was between a man and his faithful companion. This relationship was based on mutual trust and absolute devotion. Therefore, unlike the tamed force we have in Thurisaz, in Ehwaz the relationship between the ruling and the ruled is somewhat different, because the horse is not only a man's servant but also his faithful friend and helper. Because of that the sense of this Rune isn't in the control and subduing but in the mutual exchange of energy, an exchange that goes on between two beings that mutually respect and complement each other. It's the Rune's symmetrical shape that points out to harmony and energetic balance. Communication, as a sort of energetic exchange is also connected to this Rune. Beside that, Ehwaz is connected to journeys as well, seeing that then the horse was also the main means of transportation.

Berkana

The original meaning of Berkana is birch. The birch still has a similar name in Scandinavian languages: in Norwegian it's bjørk, in Swedish björk, birk in Danish, birki in Icelandic. Seeing how the birch is a female plant, this Rune is connected to the female energy and female deities like Frigga and Idun. Berkana is the Rune of regeneration, fertility, birth and health, as attested by the Runic poem describing Berkana as a young and healthy tree. The quality of Berkana is connected to everything that's new, young or just growing, whether it's a new tree or a newborn. Fertility is also connected to the process of birth and creating something new, so Berkana can symbolize a new addition to the family or an emerging thought being born in the mind of a scientist or artist. As the Rune of health, Berkana is most often used as a talisman that brings health back to the sick. Beside that, it can also be used for protection, because in the olden days it was planted in front of a house to provide protection to the residents (in Slavic folklore it's the service tree that's planted in front of a house for protection).