Rune Reading

The Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet, used in Germanic lands from about the 2nd century CE. Each of its 24 runes stands for a sound and is named for a word, such as cattle, sun or ice, and readers have long drawn meaning from those names.

The runes are grouped in three families of eight called aettir. Choose a rune for its upright and reversed meaning, its history, and how it reads in a spread. For a personal reading, draw runes from the bag and let the app interpret them; to learn how the runes began, see about runes.

Freyr's aett

Life, resources and human nature.

1. Fehu ᚠ · “f” · Cattle, wealth Wealth in motion: income, energy and opportunity are flowing toward you.
2. Uruz ᚢ · “u” · Aurochs, the wild ox Raw strength and good health.
3. Thurisaz ᚦ · “th” · Giant, thorn A thorn at the gate: a necessary conflict, a test, or a defensive boundary.
4. Ansuz ᚨ · “a” · A god, the mouth A message arrives: advice, a teacher, a sudden insight or the right words at the right time.
5. Raidho ᚱ · “r” · Ride, journey A journey, literal or inner, moving at the right pace.
6. Kaunan ᚲ · “k” · Torch, also ulcer A torch in the dark: knowledge, skill and creative fire.
7. Gebo ᚷ · “g” · Gift A gift given and received in balance: partnership, generosity, a fair exchange.
8. Wunjo ᚹ · “w” · Joy Joy and harmony.

Heimdall's aett

Forces of fate, change and the natural world.

1. Hagalaz ᚺ · “h” · Hail A sudden storm: an upheaval outside your control that clears the ground.
2. Nauthiz ᚾ · “n” · Need Need and constraint.
3. Isa ᛁ · “i” · Ice Ice: a freeze, a pause or a standstill.
4. Jera ᛃ · “j” · Year, harvest The turning of the year.
5. Eihwaz ᛇ · “ei” · Yew tree The yew: endurance, protection, and the link between endings and rebirth.
6. Perthro ᛈ · “p” · Dice cup, the lot The cast of the lot: hidden matters, chance and fate come into play.
7. Algiz ᛉ · “z” · Elk, protection Protection and connection: a guardian, a safe boundary, an alert instinct.
8. Sowilo ᛊ · “s” · Sun The sun: success, clarity and good energy.

Tyr's aett

Society, spirit and the wider cycle.

1. Tiwaz ᛏ · “t” · Tyr, the warrior Courage and justice.
2. Berkano ᛒ · “b” · Birch The birch: new growth, fertility and nurture.
3. Ehwaz ᛖ · “e” · Horse The horse: steady progress made through trust and teamwork.
4. Mannaz ᛗ · “m” · Human being The human being and your place among others.
5. Laguz ᛚ · “l” · Water, lake Water: intuition, dreams and emotion.
6. Ingwaz ᛜ · “ng” · Ing, the seed A seed at rest: gestation, inner growth and a phase coming to completion.
7. Dagaz ᛞ · “d” · Day Daybreak: a breakthrough, a change of perspective and a sense of hope.
8. Othala ᛟ · “o” · Heritage, estate Heritage: home, family, property and what has come down to you.

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