The Elder Futhark is a reconstruction of what is thought to be the oldest version of the Runic alphabet linguistics call “proto-Germanic”, which stems from “proto-Indo-European. The Runes were used in the parts of Europe which were home to Germanic peoples. Other versions developed from it. They are thought to be from around the 2nd to 8th centuries.
Each rune has a meaning a name and a phonetic value assigned to it. There are many things you can do with runes. Divination is the main idea with the runes. We truly don’t know if the ancestors used them in that form. That doesn’t mean they didn’t. We know they used them on staffs and ornaments there are Icelandic tales that talk about runes in a magical sense.
You will start to see the runes in nature and in images they will be all around and that the magic of the runes they are in all things.
There are 24 Elder Futhark Runes they are separated into groups of Eight called Aett.
The First Aett – The Aett Of Creation
FEHU (Cattle, Livestock, Gold) Phonetic Value – F
Divinatory Meaning – Since its, the First rune it can mean New Beginnings and the passion of setting out on your new journey. Fulfillment, Possessions, Nourishment, Money, Rewards, Strife and Quarrels.
Esoteric Interpretation – Besides its connection with Prosperity it also can be used to provide one with the Dynamic Energies one would need to set things in motion.
URUZ (Primordial Aurochs) Phonetic Value – U
Divinatory Meaning – This Rune represents endurance, Vitality, Wilderness, Health. Also, Impurity or Illness meaning to rid the self of harmful influences.
Esoteric Interpretation – Primal, Formative and Fertilizing Essence. Used to lend strength, health, and Vitality to the purifying process also to aid in the recovery of an illness.
THURISAZ (THE GIANT AND THE THORN) PHONETIC VALUE -TH
Divinatory Meaning – A Breakthrough and making something become manifest. Or General Misfortune the kind that creates a state of stasis.
Esoteric Interpretation – The breaker of Resistance. Sleep, Curses, To bring potential to Manifestation, to put into a state of stasis.
ANSUZ (THE MOUTH AND THE GOD) PHONETIC VALUE – A
Divinatory Meaning – Sovereign action, Speach, Inspiration, Leadership, Communication. The gift of consciousness.
Esoteric Interpretation – Sovereign ancestral forces. Encourage communication, speech sovereign action, and consciousness. Help protect the traveler to promote leadership. It can be used to strengthen magical work because of its connection to conscious action.
RAIDO (RIDING) PHONETIC VALUE R
Divinatory Meaning – Travel, Swiftness, coordinated effort, sacrifice for partners. Setting out on a new path or journey. Signify an action that changes the outcome of important events.
Esoteric Interpretation – Vehicle on the path of cosmic power. Safe or Swift journeys.Efforts to ward in a common goal. Provoke a change of paths.
KENAZ AND KAUNAZ (TORCH AND CANKER) PHONETIC VALUE K, C
Divinatory Meaning – Travel, Swiftness, coordinated effort, sacrifice for partners. Setting out on a new path or journey. Signify an action that changes the outcome of important events.
Esoteric Interpretation – Vehicle on the path of cosmic power. Safe or Swift journeys.Efforts to ward in a common goal. Provoke a change of paths.
GEBO (TO GIVE) PHONETIC VALUE G
Divinatory Meaning – A gift, whether divine or societal. Indicates new obligations or social ties. A gift is being given to another.
Esoteric Interpretation – Exchanged Force, in all sorts of religious works an offering is given to the gods. Used in sexual magic. Useful to attract people in friendships and bonds.
WUNJO (JOY, PLEASURE) PHONETIC VALUE W
Divinatory Meaning – Happiness, Joy, Harmony, Home. Positive mental outlook and a healthy emotional state.
Esoteric Interpretation – Harmony of life forces. Promote happiness in the things you do. Secure a dwelling.
The Second Aett – The Aett of Struggle
HAGALAZ (HAIL) PHONETIC VALUE H
Divinatory Meaning – A breakthrough of divine forces into the present reality, a sudden formation of divine order and prosperity. Signifies drastic and often unpleasant change, similar to the Tower Card.
Esoteric Interpretation – Seeds form a primal union. Creating necessary changes for success. Drastic Change, destruction or other change in events for oneself and others.
NAUDIZ/NAUTHIZ ( NEED, NECESSITY) PHONETIC VALUE N
Divinatory Meaning – The nature of the outcome will be determined by what is largely Necessary, not the efforts and will put into the situation. General difficulty and friction, things will not go the way one thinks. Necessary directions that need to be taken and we might not know it.
Esoteric Interpretation – Resistance/Deliverance. Impose restriction on a situation. Cause difficulty or build strength. The rune can be used to take all the friction and need and ignite a flame like a needfire and thus provide a breakthrough.
ISA (ICE) PHONETIC VALUE I AS IN TEACH
Divinatory Meaning – Form may begin to the plan and this will allow it to be successful. My carry a warning that tempting action may have hidden dangers. Perseverance and conscious action will be needed to see fruition. Current plans will lose their drive and start to stagnate. Standstill.
Esoteric Interpretation – Contraction, matter/antimatter. To give form to an action or plan or to bring things to a state of stillness. To bring a plan to death, and to crystallize and formulate the will.
JERA (YEAR, HARVEST) PHONETIC VALUE Y
Divinatory Meaning – A time of harvest or reward. Ones need to be fulfilled. An end to a cycle and one’s goal will likely be realized. The situation is likely to improve even if it seems like it is not.
Esoteric Interpretation – Orbit life cycle. To bring harvest and reward. To improve the situation, to attract wealth or substance. To bring plans to fruition.
EIHWAZ (THE YEW) PHONETIC VALUE EI NOT FOUND IN ENGLISH
Divinatory Meaning – Death, Initiation, and Transformation. It also Signifies eternity and a finding of the cosmic fire (Vital Energy). The Change the Rune Signifies is painful but one u are better off because of it. The immortal aspects are brought to us.
Esoteric Interpretation – Axis tree of life/death. Bring resilience and protection also harm. Death, Transformation, Initiation.
PERTHRO ( THE LOT CUP) PHONETIC VALUE P
Divinatory Meaning – A surprising change of luck, an unexpected event. A manifestation of ephemeral principles. Indicates that the web of Urd has become inescapable. Initiation, Secret matter.
Esoteric Interpretation – Evolutionary force. To make the unknown know. To make an unmanifest goal manifest. To open the loot box.
ELHAZ/ALGIZ (THE ELK/PROTECTION) PHONETIC VALUE FINAL Z NOT FOUND IN ENGLISH
Divinatory Meaning – Divine aid, Protection. Contact with ones Higher Self. A noble or Sacred Person.
Esoteric Interpretation – Protective Protection, to call upon the gods. Enter into contact with the higher self.
SOWILO ( THE SUN) PHONETIC VALUE S
Divinatory Meaning – The sight of this rune is always positive. Success in any endeavor. Even when this seems not so good this run indicates safety and endurance.
Esoteric Interpretation – Sun Wheel (Crystalized Light). Invoke for victory and success in your endeavors.
The Third Aett – The Aett of Rulership
TIWAZ (THE SHINING GOD) PHONETIC VALUE T
Divinatory Meaning – Victory in all things, Good Guidance, One is headed into the right direction, Justice is at Hand.
Esoteric Interpretation – Sovereign Order. To Promote justice or victory. move things in all the right direction. Correct circumstances promote sovereignty, Assist with initiation.
BERKANO (THE BIRCH) PHONETIC VALUE B
Divinatory Meaning – Growth, Rebirth, New life. A period of hidden development after which the goals can be met as the project can emerge vital and full of life.
Esoteric Interpretation – Retainer/Releaser. Allow things to grow in secret for fertility, Prosperity, beauty or majesty.
EHWAZ (THE HORSE) PHONETIC VALUE E
Divinatory Meaning – Indicates love and companionship, motion and the means of achieving one’s goal. Movement
Esoteric Interpretation – Produce a general harmonious motion to move towards a goal.
MANNAZ (THE MAN/HUMAN BEING) PHONETIC VALUE M
Divinatory Meaning – Social Change or interaction which will be influential in the development of the situation at hand. An inner or mystical experience that will impact a situation. Union, Separation, The Self.
Esoteric Interpretation – Human order from divine ancestry. Socially binding people together, enforce contracts and the like.
LAGUZ (THE WATER) PHONETIC VALUE L
Divinatory Meaning – A formative stage much like ISA. Past influences helpful or otherwise, and danger as well. Flow, That which conducts, Lunar side of nature.
Esoteric Interpretation – Life energy and organic growth. Vitality to aid in memory and in the exploration of the past.
INGWAZ (A FERTILITY GOD) PHONETIC VALUE HG AS IN SONG
Divinatory Meaning – Indicates union, productivity, sentences, marriage, and love, possibly wealth. A sacrifice, however, of sovereignty and truth.
Esoteric Interpretation – Prosperity magic for love, marriage, and success.
DAGAZ (THE DAY) PHONETIC VALUE D AS IN DAY AND THIS
Divinatory Meaning – Awakening at a level. Truth coming out into the open, though it may not be a comfortable experience. Breakthrough, Fruitfulness, Prosperity.
Esoteric Interpretation – Twilight/Dawn (paradox). Awakening and breaking into reality. To bring truth and a higher level of consciousness to a working.
OTHILA (THE ESTATE/ANCESTRY) PHONETIC VALUE O
Divinatory Meaning – A Solidity in a success which will not fade.The final right place to turn or be a lasting success. Ancestral Influence.
Esoteric Interpretation – Self-contained hereditary power. Used to create solidity in the desired effects or final rightness in a situation.
REFERENCES
The Serpent and the Eagle – Chris Travers
Taking up the runes – Diana L. Paxson
Edred Thorsson
The Carnutian Nemeton 