New Year, New Knowledge

For many, last year, as with a couple of previous years, was rough. It certainly was for our household. The world is constantly changing, but it seems that in recent years it is changing in really big ways. As I write this, the country in which I live is supporting two very destructive wars. We are theoretically past a plague, though I see near-daily updates from friends and acquaintances around the world who are testing positive. A lot of us are working longer hours and yet having trouble in the grocery lines and making decisions to put things back so we can maintain the staples of our pantries. Many are using food pantries - and bless the people who run them.

I'll state plainly: My last year sucked an old egg. This has happened before, of course. It just does sometimes.

What to do about it? That's the question, of course. I have a list of things I have been doing about it, and which I will continue to do about it so that this year will not be as trying even as Stuff comes my way. Rebalancing. Along with black-eyed peas (or field peas this year), greens, and bread (supposedly corn bread, but I made scones), I have a tradition of pulling runes at the start of years, asking for insight.

I've been talking more with Thor lately, so started with him. Four from Thor! Perthro, Berkano, Gebo, Laguz. My initial thoughts on it, a simple sentence: Open the way to nurturing equality and flow. Added later, Gebo is key. And, indeed, a lot of what went wrong last year involved being in situations with no reciprocity. I was drained of energy, money, time, health. I need to (and am) work(ing) on recognizing the lack of two-way flow, correct by extracting myself from those situations and learn to avoid getting into them as much as possible. Nurture and flow have to be mutual.

One from Odin. Fehu. Fortune. Mobile wealth. Most often recognized as a cattle-based wealth, so, material. I tend to think of it as a general wealth symbol. Material, yes, but also intellectual and spiritual. Concentrate on gathering wealth. BUT, as with cattle, you can't just pen money or knowledge in, you have to share appropriately, let to wander and feed, and keep track of it. (Gebo is implied here, I think.)

Frigga offers Fehu and Ansuz. I think of this as a mother standing behind the father and emphasizing what's been said. Ansuz being seen often as Odin's rune, but also as meaning to improve or accept wisdom and connection "from above". It's a "No, really. Odin says Fehu."

Freyja offers Laguz and Othala. Ooh, boy, yes. The need to water the home, heritage, and what I will be leaving when I go. I see this as a literal and figurative message. Take care of what you need at home, maintain flow, don't get carried away on the currents, or dragged under. Keep your house afloat.

Hela brings Othala and Naudthiz. "No, really, you NEED to tend to the House and the house." Yes, ma'am.

I love that there is echoing between Frigga and Odin, and Freyja and Hela.

As I mentioned, a lot of my troubles last year stemmed from putting the needs - or wants - of others before my actual needs and sometimes safety. I know I'm not the only one - Melodie Beatty wrote CoDependent No More for reasons! These runes all point in the same basic direction: Take care of yourself and your home. Enter into situations of mutual respect and benefit only.

I find it interesting that the majority of the runes are what I consider nurturing and gentle (Berkano, Laguz, Gebo) or are often seen as "good" (Fehu, Othala, Ansuz). I have talked before about Naudthiz and how it gets a bad rap, but is often a reminder that it's time to pick up our tools and make a spark to light the fire we need.

Absent are any of the "protection" runes, no Thurisaz, no Algiz, no Tiwaz. The layout suggests a deeper, less weaponized, way of protecting myself. Not fighting, but observing and acting.

It all starts with Perthro, one of the most disputed and ambivalent runes. I see it here as an opening, a way forward - that its opening came up facing the others, I see it as a gate to walk through into a possible better future.

I also pulled a rune, Northumbrian, from my Ancestor Bowl. As these would have been the runes about half of my more immediate ancestors would have used, I have taken up studying them. The best way to study - for me - is to do. So.

May I present: Stan. Literal meaning, "stone, or altar," according to Simon H. Lilly.

It is also very similar to Perthro, but closed with another upright line. It's the last rune of the last aett. Coming as it does as part of this particular reading, I love that it closes out the reading, and it steadies the opening Perthro. It shows up to say, "This is your possibility if you take the actions recommended."

Indeed, steadiness is what I wish for this new year!

Ah, but it is important to note that included in its meaning is "blockage". A door, which it is seen as by some, can be open, or shut. A matter of view, a matter of actions taken. So the caution against overcorrecting is inherent in this case.

Another tradition of my ancestors includes the proverb - in part - "If I am not for me, who will be? If I am only for me, what am I?"

Balance. It's all about balance.