Futhark Runes

[Angaridatha]

Algiz: (protection). Protection, a shield. It can be used to channel energies appropriately. It may represent life, at both ends of existence (life as well as death), as a normal state of affairs.

The World Tree; upright it shows us the branches of Yggdrasil and reversed we see the roots. This Rune makes a powerful bind-rune. ALGIZ is a protective Rune, and in the case of possible harm, may indicate a disaster looming ahead. Look to the other Runes or this meaning.

Magickal Properties
Protection from enemies and evil, promotes friendships, luck

[Angaridatha]

Sowilo: (sun). In the Norse and Germanic traditions, the sun is female, which gives it a different indication than the lore of other cultures. The rune symbolizes the consciousness of the inner self, and may indicate growth (in various ways). The blessings of the sun would improve Northern crops. (The solar cross is formed by two Sowilo runes, written in either direction. While I believe in reclaiming many things taken from us as Pagans, the damage mid-century done in the name of the solar cross keeps me from any interest in reclaiming that particular symbol.)

SOWULO is the Sun and is therefor sacred to Baldur. It is a good indication of power and shows that now is a good time to take on a great undertaking.

Magickal Properties
Victory, success, healing, strength, self-confidence

[Angaridatha]

Tiwaz: (Tyr). Victory, justice. The rune is shaped like an arrow, so one can visualize it going straight to its target. Tyr is the god who consented to bind the Fenris wolf by tricking him. In so doing, he voluntarily lost one hand.

The Rune of Tyr, one-handed god of justice. This Rune also represents victory and success over the forces of competition or oppression.

Magickal Properties
Competition, health, love

[Angaridatha]

Berkana: (birch). Nurturing, fertility. There is a sense of protection for the abandoned, in a gentle caring way. Growth is implicit.

Sacred to Bertcha, Germanic goddess of family and birth. The Germanic tribes viewed the Birch as the World Tree (as opposed to the Ash of the Scandinavian people). At what is now called Bealtainne, young men would chase women with switches of birch. This was supposed to ensure the continued fertility of the village This Rune is a closed version of PERTHO..

Magickal Properties
Fertility, protection, family matters, bring ideas to fruition, represents the female aspect

[Angaridatha]

Ehwaz: (horse). The rune may indicate a pair of horses in the original etymology. The rune can relate to a vehicle, including in the sense of how one adapts to circumstances. Partnerships (marriage or business) may be alluded to with this rune. "Bonding" may be a factor. Cooperation and adjustment may be ideas to consider.

Indicator of physical movement or new living arrangements. This Rune represents Odin's horse, Sleipnir. When this Rune appears, the seeker may expect change and progress (though it might not seem like progress at the time).


Magickal Properties
Brings a swift change, safe travel

[Angaridatha]

Mannaz: (man). Cooperation for the benefit of the whole. The use of the mind to further such cooperation and success (however defined) may be considered here. There's a sense of the individual in relationship to the group, as well as the role of the intellect.

Represents humankind. Can show interdepence, assistance from another in matters. Seek out advice rather than taking on the burden. Otherwise show one that will give up on a solution.

Magickal Properties
To gain assistance from others, increase in memory or mental powers

[Angaridatha]

Laguz: (lake). This rune may relate to love (being half an Ehwaz). There's also the sense of that old saying, "still waters run deep". It has much tie to the emotional state of a person.

The Rune of Nerthus, the Earth Mother. It means "lake." Tacitus tells us that the priests of Nerthus washed Her wagon in the sacred lake upon which floated Her island. This Rune is one of intuition and of ancient wisdom.

Magickal Properties
Increase in vitality and the life force (women), gathers energy for will, increase intuition.

[Angaridatha]

Inguz: (Frey). A seed, gestating below the surface of the soil, in a period of apparent stagnation. But the seed is waiting. Processes we cannot see have been finely honed. This rune may mark a dark night within a person, through which they must travel. In a sense, it is sort of an initiatory rune. I see Jera as a positive outcome of a passage through Inguz.

The Rune of Freyr, god of fertility. His people, the Inglings, were people of agriculture and land. Can indicate relief and a positive outcome. It looks remarkably like the human DNA structure.

[Angaridatha]

Othila/Osa (Ogthala): (ancestral land). The sacred enclosure; sometimes Gaia herself. The old Norse and Germans were tribal, as are some Native American tribes today. The land held both itself and the family/tribe. There's an interdependence between the land and those who live upon it (sadly forgotten by many of our politicians...); it may be this which is explored here. There may also be a strong sense of safety implicit in this rune.

OTHILA, as a combination of the Runes Inguz and Gebo, means "inheiritance of land." It deals with the baggage of the past, our current life and past lives.

Magickal uses; any related to the home

[Angaridatha]

Dagaz: (day). This rune symbol swoops around like the infinity sign. Day and night -- it can touch the extremes, or what appear to be extremes. It is a rune of paradox, and I have found it a strengthening rune for me, in that it allows the contradictory parts of myself to explore and talk with one another. It breaks down, and builds up -- a truly syncretic rune that I'm not doing justice in my description of.

Many writers place Othila after Dagaz instead of the way it is listed here.

Means "Day" and is therefore associated with Baldur. A symbol of increase and of the realm of humans. .

[Angaridatha]

Amulets and Sigils

The old Norse used protective amulets with runic inscriptions. Inscriptions also empowered weaponry, got the crops stirring, and increased fertility. Repetition had power; symmetry in designing sigils also influenced power.

After this paragraph is an example of a runic sigil using the Elder Futhark. This one combines Berkana and Algiz for a nuturing form of protection. It could also be considered for safety during pregnancy. Let inspiration be your guide, and remember that aesthetics don't hurt. Consider the dynamics of what you are invoking.