The vital strength and primal force that resides in us. First know your inner goals and understand that wisdom. Only then can you manifest your desires. Untamed potential. This is energy straining to be free, this same energy when focused leads to strength. Sudden or unexpected changes usually for the better. Be ready to act. Make things happen. The shaping of power and force. Finding the strength within oneself to overcome adversity. Test of strength

Thurisaz - This traditionally means Thorn or Giant:

This rune is a symbol of lightening and thunder and is associated with the hammer of Thor. To learn you must go through hardship. Steel is forged through applied heat and pressure. A rune of testing and challenge. Conflict and instinctual will. Fire cleanses by destroying and burning away old patterns and habits. This indicates a tearing down of barriers A regenerative catalyst. Regeneration from destruction. Catharsis. Change.

 Ansuz - This traditionally mean Wise God: 

True vision, epiphany, revelations, messages or insights. Communication with spiritual connection. Gift of knowledge and wisdom through guides, guardian and angels. Divine communication and messages from the spiritual self. Your inner voice that gives you direction through signs and signals. Ancestral knowledge handed down from generation to generation. Incantation, ritual or ceremony honoring those that have gone before us

Raido - This traditionally means Wagon or Chariot:

This indicates a journey or quest in either the mental or physical realm. A mental journey could be seen as a learning experience or education of some kind. The physical journey could be an unplanned trip. Finding your own path. Finding the right path leading to the right result. Seeing the right move and deciding upon it. Change of viewpoint and direction. Channeling that force. Take the steps to see both sides. Communication and understanding.

 Kano - This traditionally means Torch:

Bringer of light. To know or understand. Illumination. Power of light, a beacon. An awakening and awareness. Using the power of light to see leads one to act and thereby change. Power to create your own reality. Inspiration combined with passion generates a fire of spirit. The ability and the will to create and manifest. This is the rune of the artist and craftsman. Fire of transformation. Renewed understanding and foresight.

Gebo - The traditional meaning is Gift:

Having spiritual gifts. All matters in relation to exchanges, contracts, relationships and partnerships. The special union between giver and receiver calls attention to the sacrifice and generosity required of the giver. The joining of people to produce a creative power greater than their sum total. Gebo is the unconscious magical force present in creation. Promotes balance and brings about union. Open yourself to receive divine instruction and gifts. Loyalty and alliances.

Wunjo - The traditional meaning is Joy:

Excellent omen of a positive outcome. Finding comfort and pleasure in fellowship, clan, tribe, community or circle. Glory, spiritual reward ideal harmonization of elements or entities in a single unifying force. Being joined, cycling and completion. Success, happiness, hope. Rewards, recognition. Known as the wish rune.

Hagal's Aett

Hagalaz - This rune traditionally means Hail:

Hail is a hard and dangerous substance that brings challenge, which becomes the seed of transformation. Forces outside your control. Changing plans or direction to benefit. Creation and transformation sometimes through crisis or chaos. Testing, trials, controlled crisis. Becoming something else, leaving something new in its wake. Wrath of nature, known as the weather rune.

Nauthiz - This rune traditionally means Need:

A realization of what you want and what you need. In the dark and cold the need for fire is realized, but the fire must be generated from what you have within yourself. Things you need you already have, they only have to be worked on. Face your fears. Self initiated change. Endurance, survival and determination. Distress, confusion, conflict, and the will to overcome them. Resistance leading to strength. Self-reliance. Lesson of hardship and/or sorrow. Passing through a difficult learning situation.

Isa - This rune traditionally means Ice:

It can indicate a standstill or an emotional cooling. Ice gathers all things around it into itself and tries to hold them in stillness, darkness and coldness. An opportunity that is to thaw, a time to turn inward and wait for what is to come. Psychological blocks to thought or activity. Holding onto the past causing stress and strife. Let it go. Ice can be a bridge over dangerous waters. Can also be looked upon as a protective barrier. This rune reinforces runes around it.

Jera - This rune traditionally means Year or Harvest:

The great wheel of the year moves. The cyclical nature of the universe. Everything changes in its own time. Hopes and expectations of peace and abundance are realized. This rune breaks through the standstill observed with Isa. A time of peace and happiness. The results of earlier efforts are recognized. Fruitful and plentiful harvest. End of something old and the start of something new.

Eihwaz - Traditionally this rune means Yew (tree):

As above, so below. Ancient wisdom, gateway to the otherworld. Shaman rune. Yin & Yang the positive and negative forces. Light and dark. Inner and outer. Cause and effect. Motivation, transformation. Reliability, dependability, trustworthiness. The driving force to acquire, providing motivation and a sense of purpose. Indicates that you have set your sights on a reasonable target and can achieve your goals. Mental toughness and flexibility are needed.

Perth - This rune traditionally means dice cup:

Often used for divination. Seen as fate, chance or luck. Urges you to make choices and take charge of your own destiny. Forces we cannot see or understand. Hidden or secret. Uncertain meaning, a mystery, hidden things and occult abilities. Initiation, knowledge of ones destiny. Knowledge of future matters, determining the future or your path. Pertaining to things feminine, feminine mystique. The mystery of divination is central to this rune. Completing a spiritual lesson.

Algiz - This rune traditionally means Elk or Protection:

This means humans reaching up to the Gods. A shield. The urge to shelter oneself or others. A guardian to help defend, warding off of evil,. Connection with the Gods, awakening oneself to higher self. It can be used to channel energies appropriately. Follow your instincts, Keep hold of success or maintain a position won or earned. Algiz is the power of human life and spirit striving towards the world of the Gods. Controlling your emotions and actions even in the face of stress and strife.

Sowelu - This rune traditionally means The Sun:

Victory, good over evil, coming into the light from the darkness. Hope, clear vision, clarity. Good fortune, health and happiness. Success, goals achieved, honor. A time when power will be made available to you for positive changes in your life. Contact between the higher self and the unconscious. Wholeness, power, elemental force, sword of flame, cleansing fire. Learning the balance of self and life.

Tyr's Aett

Teiwaz or Tyr - This rune traditionally means The Sky God:

Justice. The war god who sacrificed a part of himself for the greater good – to gain more than was lost. Rules over just causes. Sacrifice for a long term goal or for the good of others. Battle rune. Victory, heroism. Act wisely, using good judgment. Honor, loyalty, leadership and authority. Analysis, rationality, Knowing where one’s true strengths lie. Victory and success in any competition or in legal matters. Tyr rules over the administration of right and honorable justice.

Berkano - This rune traditionally means The Birch Goddess:

Birth, regeneration, fertility. New ideas, enterprise, creation. Purification, rite of passage. Coming to the end of a cycle and rebirth. Both mental, physical and personal growth. Liberation. Regenerative power and light of spring. A love affair. The prospering of a new venture. This rune contains the complex mystery of the great mother. It is a collects and maintains energy. New beginnings based on old patterns are in the future. Overcoming lessons and Karmic Issues.

 Ehwaz - This rune traditionally means Horse:

Transportation, speed, strength, beauty, a journey. Faithfulness between that of horse and rider.Teamwork. An ideal marriage or partnership. Symbol of marriage. Two different, yet harmonious entities working together towards one goal. Co-operation and progress. May represent a horse, a car, a plane, a boat or other vehicle. Movement and change for the better. Gradual development and progress are indicated. Confirmation beyond a doubt of the runes around it. The rune of trust and loyalty.

Mannaz - This rune traditionally means Mankind:

The starting point of all things. Man or individual relating to personal destiny/status. Your place in the world and yourself in relation to mankind. The self, an individual of the human race. Your attitude towards others and their attitudes towards you. Mystery of divine structure. Born of a realization of the truths of the human existence. Awareness. Friends and enemies, social order. Intelligence, forethought, creative skill and ability. Expect to receive some sort of aid or cooperation now.

Laguz - This rune traditionally means Water:

Rune of initiation. Element that is fluid, mutable, changeable, liquid force. Emotions & balance. Water is linked to intuition & psychic matters. Ultimate female rune. A fertility source, the healing power of renewal life energy and growth. It is the basic life energy in the universe and the secret source of all organic life. Imagination, dreams, fantasies. Mysteries and the unknown. The hidden, the deep, the underworld. Transition from one state to another. The ebb and flow of Energy within and without.

Inguz - This rune traditionally means Fertility:

Spiritual aspiration, crafting your soul. Fertile ideas, creativity, metamorphosis. Male fertility, internal growth. Common virtues, common sense, simple strengths, family love, caring, human warmth, the home. A stage of rest. A time of relief with no anxiety. A time when loose strings are tied and you are free to move in a new direction. Listen to yourself. Potential energy that must undergo a gestation period in order to gain strength. New beginnings that bring emotional, spiritual or material gain.

Dagaz - This rune traditionally means Day:

True vision, enlightenment and illumination. A good time for planning or embarking on new projects. Manifesting change. Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope and happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. A balancing point. This is the ultimate principle of bipolar creativity. Dagaz is the light of day, perceived at the moments of sunrise and sunset. It is the rune of total awakening.

Othila - This rune traditionally means Ancestral Property :

Homeland. Land of birth, spiritual heritage. Inherited aspects of character. A families strength. That which is inherited through the generations by the whole clan in both material and spiritual realms. Attention must be paid to customs and orders within the group. Soul journey. Spiritual home. Possessions, domestic issues. Fundamental values. A new dwelling or allegiance may be in the future. Re-evaluation of self and

Reading Runes and More

The runic alphabet seems to have developed from two distinct sources - one magical, one literate. The exact meanings of these sigils are now lost to us, as is their original purpose, but they are believed to have been used for divination or lot-casting. Runes were found on everything from coins to coffins, and in some places their use was actually sanctioned by the church. Even the common people knew simple runic spells, and the philosophies in such cases.

The Aetts

Runes come in a set of 24. The mysterious 25th rune is a modern addition. Perhaps a marketing idea designed to sell a set of 25 runes instead of one of 24. 25 would be better right? The mystery rune is just that, a mystery as to why it is there. All the runes are mysterious! The runes are divided into 3 sets of 8. Another reason why the 25th rune throws this off.

This first set of 8 runes belong to the fertility god Frey and are associated with the creation of the world. Runes in this Aett have the effect of starting things moving.

In the second set of this Aett, are associated with forces beyond our control, beyond our influence and understanding. Runes in this Aett deal with our developing consciousness and awareness, magic, growth and evolution.

The final Aett is associated with those experiences which mold or transform human lives. The third Aett is concerned more with the human condition, social aspects and spiritual transformation.

How to Use Rune Casting

One Rune Pull

Suitable for questions regarding a focused direction example: "What do I need to know now"? Reaching into the rune bag, gently roll or toss the runes allowing the runes to fall through your fingers while you repeat your question over and over. You’ll find that a rune will eventually present itself in your hand, possibly becoming wedged between your fingers or thumb. Draw this rune out of the bag and apply the meaning to your question. For example: if asking a question regarding a new enterprise or business and you were to draw Berkano. This rune means birth, creation, fulfillment. This Rune tells you that your enterprise will grow. Whereas if you’d have drawn Isa, the rune of standstill, it would indicate a delay.

Three Rune Pull

This seems to be the most often used Rune pulling method. Again, reaching into the rune bag, gently roll or toss the runes allowing the runes to fall through your fingers while you repeat your question over and over. You’ll find that a rune will eventually present itself in your hand, possibly becoming wedged between your fingers or thumb. Draw this rune out of the bag and continue pulling runes until you have three runes total.

Many apply a Past Present Future meaning to the question being asked. For instance, The first Rune drawn applies to the past actions that may have lead to the question being presented now. The second Rune would apply to the current situation and the third Rune may present a foretelling of the future situation you will find yourself in. For example: if asking " What do I need to do to draw love to me"?

 For our purposes let’s say the Runes we are working with are Thurisaz, Naudhiz and Sowillo.

The first rune drawn is Thurisaz, as a past situation it reminds us that former relationships may have been destructive and harmful. This awakens you to seeing harmful patterns in your history so as not to repeat them.

The second Rune is Naudhiz, as a current situation this calls attention to your wants and needs. What do you WANT and what do you NEED? Perhaps you need to re-evaluate what your desired qualities are in a mate. How do you rate important traits? Are you more concerned about romance or security?

The third Rune is Sowillo, as a future situation it calls to mind victory, but not without planned steps. Make a plan and follow it, only after each step is achieved will you see the progress and the outcome.

Five Rune Pull

With this reading, you’ll need to pull five Runes. Each one will represent a different area of your life: The first rune is for the current situation. The second is for the underlying situations. The third is for the past. The fourth is for the higher self The fifth is for the Future or outcome. Again, reaching into the rune bag, gently roll or toss the runes allowing the runes to fall through your fingers while you repeat your question over and over. You’ll find that a rune will eventually present itself in your hand, possibly becoming wedged between your fingers or thumb. Draw this rune out of the bag and continue pulling runes until you have five runes.

Rune Casting

This is a more in depth reading involving all the Runes being used in the initial reading. In preparation clear an area of a table or even the floor. The surface being used should have a cloth or be on a carpeted area. The runes tend to bounce around when thrown on a hard surface and it could damage your runes. When prepared, gather all the Runes in your hands. Ask your question over and over in your mind or aloud if you prefer. When you feel ready gently cast the Runes away from you, perhaps 6 – 12 inches away from you. You are not trying to throw these across the room, so be mindful not be too aggressive with them. As the Runes fall they will lay face up or face down. When they have come to rest, look to see which Runes are face down.

As we are only concerned with the Runes that have landed face up, please remove the Runes that are face down on the surface. There are a few schools of thought on how to determine which Runes are seen as the core of the reading.

Some feel that you should start in the North, some feel, you should read the runes that are the closest to you as being the most important in the reading, with the Runes the furthest from you being the least important.

The method recommended here is to cast the from you with the center representing the querent. The Runes in the center are the most immediate concern, as the Runes move away from the center so does theimmediacy of their importance. These Runes that are scattered further from the center are determined to be events, emotions or situations that will present themselves at a later date. It is the intuition of the reader that will determine the time frame in which they feel the situation will occur.

Any of the Rune casting methods work well and it is left to the reader to determine which method is best for them. Above all, remember that the Runes are subject to your interpretation. You and only you are the best judge of how they will speak to you and how they mirror your life. After time you will find that you will develop your own meanings.

The meanings listed here are a guideline for you to become acquainted with this ancient system of divination – let the powers of your ancestors and kindred spirits speak to you through the runes.