The Runes: The Third Aett



The third aett of the elder (or Germanic) futhark is known as Tiwaz's (also known as Tyr or Tir) Aettir. The eight runes which make up Tiwaz's Aettir, like the first two, have a collective meaning. Where the first was initiation and the second success through trials, this aett is about right life in a community dedicated to their god/desses. The story appears at the end of the lesson.

Tyr
sound: "T" number: 1 color: Red

Tyr is a rune of protection, but differs from Eohl in that Tyr is primarily a rune of physical protection with a little of magickal protection, while Eohl is the balancing opposite. Tyr is symbolic of either the spear (which was sacred to Tyr as well as Odin) or the world pillar - the "world tree" Ygdrassil. The central pillar of the thing (the German assembly, where laws were made and disputes settled) was often shaped as the rune Tyr, with a post supporting two rafters. This was seen as symbolic of the world tree Ygdrassil and oaths could be sworn upon it. Before Odin, Tiwaz was the supreme deity of the Teutonic peoples, and was seen as a god of justice, war, agriculture, and possibly the Allfather (though there seems to be some debate among scholars of Teutonic mythology as to whether that title even existed before the cult of Odin.) As such, this rune represents victory, justice, protection from harm and general success and fruitfulness.

Face up upright:
justice, arbitration, the setting of rules, a reminder to pull your own weight (without pulling everyone else's as well) and of the need for fairness in all dealings

Face up reversed:
duel, struggle, the need to fight for your honor and good name, the need to prove yourself before you can get respect, the need to stand on your own two feet

Face down upright:
temptation, the danger of a moral lapse, a reminder that what seems too good to be true is probably false, stick with your plans rather than trying to make a fast buck

Face down reversed:
idealism and struggle, a chance to offer yourself to a good cause, to live a full life you need more than "daily bread" - you also need an honorable cause to stand up for


Boerc
sound: "B" number: 2 color: Blue

Boerc is a rune of healing, regeneration and atonement for past wrongs. It is useful in the treatment of minor illnesses, and is used to aid in childbirth. In today's society we seem to have forgotten that when someone commits a crime or wrongs another, they must pay for it in some manner. Jail time or fines are not really ways of repaying the community for harm. The Teutonic people would require a task or service of the offender, usually quite severe by today's standards. The difference between this and jail time is that not only is it not costing the community anything to "rehabilitate" the offender, but the community is actually benefitting from the work performed. This also had the effect of erasing the "debt to society" that comes with crime, as well as binding the community to the idea that once the task or service had been completed, the offender was no longer guilty of any wrongdoing. At that time the karma of their actions had been fully paid. This is the atonement of Boerc. The Germanic people saw health as being related to right living, whether the health of an individual or a society. When either was sick, there was some pollution, some wrong which had to be removed or balanced in some way. In this aspect, Boerc carries the vibrations of healing as well as atonement.

Face up upright:
abundance, possible marriage or romance, a time of emotional stability, a chance to get away from troubles for a while rather than fight them out

Face up reversed:
a change in emotional ties, letting go of outlived links, a major life change, the old must be ruthlessly banished so the new can flourish

Face down upright:
a series of choices which can cause rough times until the right choices are made, usually between the "norm" and what you want out of your life

Face down reversed:
self delusion, your goals or actions are unrealistic, a possibility of promises made which cannot or will not be kept


Ehwis
sound: short "E" number: 3 color: White

Ehwis is a symbol of a call for divine aid in times of need. It is calling on the bonds of friendship and other sources of outside aid. In the small communities of the Teutonic clans, one could be an individual, but in times of crisis they all came together as one. Where Nyd is calling on one's own superhuman strengths, Ehwis is calling on aid from outside one's self. It is a rune of defense, and useful when aid is needed, for it will always be there. As a rune of defense, the power of Ehwis cannot be called upon when it is not directly needed. There are certain ethical limitations as to what one can and should involve their neighbors, friends and god/desses in.

Face up upright:
strength, courage, will, the ability to take on and complete a task no matter what

Face up reversed:
a warning against carrying a grudge, a reminder to forgive and forget

Face down upright:
aid from elsewhere is coming, seek outside assistance for large tasks, no matter how bleak it seems a dawn is coming

Face down reversed:
ambition, adventure, enterprise, a willingness to try, however - if badly aspected shows a headstrong nature - an inability to see the forest for the trees


Manu
sound: "M" number: 4 color: Purple

This rune and the word "manu" both represent man, either an individual or the species as a whole. (Of course this includes women as well.) To fully understand this rune one must understand the role of Man in Paganism. In modern scientific materialism Man is central but irrelevant. In other words, in the greater scheme of things in does not matter if we pollute ourselves into extinction because it will have no effect at all on the universe. At the same time, all our scientific research is based on how a thing can benefit Man. In Teutonic Paganism, however, Man is not central (all research does not have to be for the benefit of Man, all is not measured by the standards of Man) but is important. In the Teutonic belief, the great armies which come forth to fight against the forces of destruction at Ragnarok are made up of men and women who stand by the side of the god/desses. This is a very general look at the meaning of this rune, but as one becomes more familiar with the Teutonic paths and the runes themselves, the meaning of this rune will become more clear. Suffice it to say, for now, that everything the runes have to say about human nature and societ and interactions are a part of what this rune is about.

Face up upright:
usually refers to the querent and takes its character from the surrounding runes, can also indicate a
need for balance of the elements - the right mixture in the right proportion yields the right results

Face up reversed:
a warning not to be inflexible, do not change your goals or aims - just your tactics, find another path to your goal

Face down upright:
the chance for bettering yourself, things will go from worse to better if you seize the opportunity which will present itself

Face down reversed:
a warning that your actions are based on greed or lust for power and you will pay this later on, when the world seems bad you would better to change yourself than to try changing the world

Lagu
sound: "L" number: 5 color: Green

Lagu is representative of water and the sea. We cannot survive without water, yet the sea is said to be greedy for ships, which of course means death to the sailors aboard. The sea is a giver and taker of life. Lagu reflects this as well as other connotations with which water is associated. This rune represents the water of life, the beer or mead of oath, and the watery graveyard of the sea. Thus it is a rune of transitions, or flow. Flowing from life to death, from individual to member of a group, from child to parent. It is a rune of protection and danger, which all transitions possess. It is placed next to the rune for Man as it shows Man's role in life: be born, live, join with others and die.

Face up upright:
nourishment and sustenance - at either the primal level or more generally, ability, happiness, positive rewards

Face up reversed:
a change of consciousness, altering ideas through growth, emotional and spiritual changes, evolution

Face down upright:
dissipation, a chance of being sucked down by your own problems, a need to control urges, a need for wise counsel

Face down reversed:
turning to the past, whether that be for lessons, comfort or living in the past will be shown by the surrounding runes, the action necessary will be clear when the reason for looking to past is known


Ing
sound: "NG" number: 6 color: Black

Simply put, this rune means "the people." Its name comes from an earth god who preceded Tiwaz, let alone Odin. Ing is a symbol of the importance of community. It can be used to draw a community together and to help build the "we" aspect of a group. It is a rune of mutual dedication and loyalty.

Face up upright:
wisdom and advice from others, the gathering of friends, the laying of a strong foundation, approval from others

Face up reversed:
teaching others, giving good advice, possibly writing or publishing, you have knowledge or skills which need to be shared

Face down upright:
worldly ambition for wealth or conquest, an iron will behind a goal which may be good or evil, a willingness to sacrifice out of proportion to the value of the goal, strong stubbornness and shortsightedness

Face down reversed:
criminal intent, righteous disapproval of the community, the ends do not justify the means, don't wrong your enemy just because they would do the same, there are higher forces which can and will exact a revenge on wrongdoers


Odel
sound: "O" number: 7 color: Brown

This rune represents inherited goods, name or traits. The Teutonic people were very aware of their ancestors and learned a sort of family mythology in which they were extolled. A family name was considered a possession, and so it was important to keep that name good. Odel is used to call on ancestral powers, or to enlist the aid of ones ancestors themselves. It can be used to discover and develop latent abilities and strengths. It is used to guard family fortunes and honor and is a sign of the merchant class and royalty.

Face up upright:
family ties, traditions, family duties, usually indicates that family obligations are not being fulfilled

Face up reversed:
help is available from others now - shows there has been a period of isolation but it has ended, turn to others who may have the answers you seek

Face down upright:
overcentralization of power, imbalance and lack of trust in a relationship, assert your rights and give others their rights, everyone needs their own space

Face down reversed:
wealth, money coming in, you will soon be in control of things, monetary power will soon be within your grasp


Doerg
sound: "D" number: 8 color: Yellow

Doerg is the light of day and the powers of light. It is similar to Ken and Sighel, but promises a final banishment of the darkness within each of us. By itself, Doerg is a powerful good luck charm, and can be used to advance one's station in life. In the spiritual it can be used to aid in growth and understanding. In its place as the final rune of the futhark, Doerg is similar to the final card of the tarot, The World. It is a rune of fulfillment.

Face up:
a successful conclusion to matters, attainment of a higher consciousness, successful initiation with the spirit taking control of daily affairs, renewal, success in all its forms

Face down:
the same power but latent, new developments are on the way, this is not the end of things, may indicate a need for further thought, preparation and training or perhaps a period of abstinence or meditation.

This Page Updated 2005
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