Rune Reading

What is rune reading?

Runes are an alphabet used between roughly the 2nd and 8th centuries to write Germanic languages. Its oldest form, the Elder Futhark, has 24 letters, and each rune has a name with a meaning: fehu is cattle and wealth, isa is ice, sowilo is the sun. In rune reading the runes are drawn from a bag and the meaning of their names is used as a prompt for thinking about a topic. Many of today's methods were reinvented in the 20th century, so treat this as a modern reflective game rather than an ancient practice.

The 24 runes and their meanings

Fehu

Cattle, wealth. Fehu refers to cattle, the measure of wealth in early societies. In tradition it is associated with recognising the value of what you have and letting it flow through sharing.

Uruz

Aurochs (wild ox). Uruz refers to the powerful, now extinct wild ox. In tradition it is associated with physical and spiritual endurance, and with gathering your strength before taking on a task.

Thurisaz

Giant, thorn. Thurisaz refers to the giants of mythology and to the thorn. In tradition it is read both as an obstacle in your path and as a boundary that protects you; it is a reminder to pause and look before rushing.

Ansuz

Mouth, word. Ansuz refers to the spoken word and to Odin, the god of wisdom. In tradition it points to a message, a piece of advice, or the power of the right word.

Raidho

Journey. Raidho refers to travel and riding on horseback. In tradition it is associated both with an actual road and with things moving in the right order, at their own rhythm.

Kenaz

Torch. Kenaz refers to the torch that lights up the dark. In tradition it is associated with beginning to understand something, with knowledge and with a creative spark.

Gebo

Gift. Gebo refers to the gift; in early societies a gift created a bond that carried a return. In tradition it is associated with balance, partnership and a given word.

Wunjo

Joy. Wunjo refers to joy and the ease of belonging to a community. In tradition it is associated with a state where things run in harmony and you feel at home.

Hagalaz

Hail. Hagalaz refers to hail falling from the sky: sudden, uncontrollable, yet passing. In tradition it is associated with recovering after a jolting change.

Nauthiz

Need. Nauthiz refers to need and necessity. In tradition it is associated with scarcity making people inventive, and with moving forward patiently on little.

Isa

Ice. Isa refers to ice: a motionless moment in which everything slows down. In tradition it is read as a pause for waiting, observing and turning inward.

Jera

Year, harvest. Jera refers to the turning of the year and the harvest. In tradition it is associated with cycles in which what was sown is gathered in its season, through patient effort.

Eihwaz

Yew tree. Eihwaz refers to the long-lived yew tree. In tradition it is associated with a steadiness that endures hard times, rooted deep.

Perthro

Dice cup, or a secret. The original meaning of Perthro is unknown; it is most often interpreted as a dice cup or as something hidden. In tradition it is associated with matters not yet visible that stir curiosity.

Algiz

Protection. Algiz resembles upward-reaching arms or elk antlers and is associated with protection. In tradition it is associated with trusting your intuition and keeping the boundaries that make you feel well.

Sowilo

Sun. Sowilo refers to the sun. In tradition it is associated with energy, clarity and the feeling of seeing your path in the light.

Tiwaz

Tyr (god of justice). Tiwaz refers to Tyr, who in myth sacrificed his hand for the sake of justice. In tradition it is associated with standing behind what you believe is right and with principled courage.

Berkano

Birch tree. Berkano refers to the birch, the first tree to leaf in spring. In tradition it is associated with renewal, slow and healthy growth, and compassion.

Ehwaz

Horse. Ehwaz refers to the horse and the trust between rider and mount. In tradition it is associated with moving forward together, mutual trust and harmonious cooperation.

Mannaz

Human being. Mannaz refers to the human being: both the individual and people bound to one another. In tradition it is associated with knowing yourself and seeing yourself within your relationships with others.

Laguz

Water, lake. Laguz refers to water and the lake. In tradition it is associated with intuition, the flow of feelings and listening to the subconscious.

Ingwaz

Ing, seed. Ingwaz refers to Ing, the god of fertility, and to the seed waiting beneath the soil. In tradition it is associated with the completion of an inner preparation.

Dagaz

Day, dawn. Dagaz refers to day and dawn: the passage from darkness to light. In tradition it is associated with a shift in perspective and looking at a matter with fresh eyes.

Othala

Inheritance, ancestral home. Othala refers to land and inheritance passed down from ancestors. In tradition it is associated with family, roots and values handed down from generation to generation.