“Only the mind knows
what lives near the heart;
a man is alone with his own spirit.
There is no sickness worse
for any wise man
than to have nothing to love.”
- Hávamál
what lives near the heart;
a man is alone with his own spirit.
There is no sickness worse
for any wise man
than to have nothing to love.”
- Hávamál
Literal Meaning & History
The literal translation is water, a pool of water, a river, a waterfall, or an ocean.
Not still water in a jug on the table.
Not the falling rain, but water in nature in it’s collected form.
Not still water in a jug on the table.
Not the falling rain, but water in nature in it’s collected form.
This water was very important to the nordic folk.
It was where they traveled, across oceans and up rivers, primarily for trade and exploration for the sake of trade and curiosity.
It was a source of food, of life.
It was a source of food, of life.
And nordic folk were considered incredibly vain because they bathed quite often, multiple times a year, even more than once a month!
Heathen men were even said to be trying to seduce away the women of central europe with their cleanliness.
Heathen men were even said to be trying to seduce away the women of central europe with their cleanliness.
Figurative Meaning & Symbolism
The core word to keep in mind when working with this rune is “Feeling”.
The figurative meaning of this rune revolves around the most fluid aspects of human existence. Of the intangible part of what makes us us.
It refers to the spark of life, vitality, the energy of living, and in the related way it can refer to lifeblood.
It refers to the subconsciousness.
It refers to emotions.
It refers to fear and insecurities.
It refers to innate ability, to talent.
It refers to revelation, awareness, enlightenment.
It refers to the subconsciousness.
It refers to emotions.
It refers to fear and insecurities.
It refers to innate ability, to talent.
It refers to revelation, awareness, enlightenment.
This is what your dreams in the dead of night are made up of.
This is the deep waters of your subconsciousness is, under the surface of consciousness.
This is the meditative state.
This is being in love, from the flutter of excitement that fills your lungs when you are close to someone you live, to the crippling fear of losing their love.
This is feeling, not with your fingers, not with your body, not even with your conscious mind, but with every breath.
This is the raw nerve of emotion.
Suggested Homework
Your homework, this time around, is not going to be easy and it may actually take a while, but if you want to be able to do any form of rune based magic, this is pretty much essential.
You need to learn to control your mind and your emotional state.
For this, meditation is the best tool.
If you have experience with meditation, then this might be easier for you than for others.
If you have experience with meditation, then this might be easier for you than for others.
Do not seek out a guided meditation, or some special meditation music, as these are more likely to become distractions than aids in the long term.
Do not expect to be able to reach a sustained meditative state on your first, second, fifth or even tenth try. It will take a while.
Do not attempt to meditate for a long period at a time to begin with. Pace yourself, accept your limits.
Meditation is a skill, one that you have to learn and then hone. It may come somewhat easier to some than others, but everyone has to practice to be able to do it at will.
Start by sitting comfortably enough to relax, but not so comfortably that you risk falling asleep.
Without counting or attempting to control your breathing, listen to your own breath.
Listen to the sound that the rushing air makes, on the inhale and on the exhale.
Feel your breath.
Feel the rush of air past your skin, around the nostrils or on your lips, feel how it moves the tiny hairs in your nose, how it cools and warms the inside of your nose or mouth.
Feel the air.
Feel your body.
Feel the weight of your body, pulled down by gravity.
Feel your chest expand and then shrink back down with every breath.
Feel the fabric of your clothes against your skin, and how the movement of breath creates the slightest of caresses between your shirt or top and the skin of your upper body.
Feel your body.
Listen to the sound that the rushing air makes, on the inhale and on the exhale.
Feel your breath.
Feel the rush of air past your skin, around the nostrils or on your lips, feel how it moves the tiny hairs in your nose, how it cools and warms the inside of your nose or mouth.
Feel the air.
Feel your body.
Feel the weight of your body, pulled down by gravity.
Feel your chest expand and then shrink back down with every breath.
Feel the fabric of your clothes against your skin, and how the movement of breath creates the slightest of caresses between your shirt or top and the skin of your upper body.
Feel your body.
You may become aware of every tiny ache or pain. Don’t shy away from it. Feel it.
Try to take up your whole mind, your whole consciousness, with the sensation of your body breathing.
Your mind will rebel.
It will wander.
It will want to think.
It will wander.
It will want to think.
This is to be expected.
Acknowledge the thoughts, you can complete them later, but for now you are meditating. Release the thoughts and fill your mind with your breath.
Feel your heartbeat.
Feel your pulse throughout your body.
Feel your pulse throughout your body.
Experience your whole physical self, to the best of your ability, and try to hold onto that experience alone.
Do this every day.
A few minutes at first is enough.
2, then 3, then 5, then 10.
Set a timer with a gentle reminder for when time’s up, and gently pull your consciousness back to the surface of the world. Stretch, shake the relaxation from your body, move hands and feet and make sure you’re all the way back before you stand up.
A few minutes at first is enough.
2, then 3, then 5, then 10.
Set a timer with a gentle reminder for when time’s up, and gently pull your consciousness back to the surface of the world. Stretch, shake the relaxation from your body, move hands and feet and make sure you’re all the way back before you stand up.
Once you have reached the state that you no longer need to chase your mind, tell it to let go, and bring it back to your body, quite as often as before and are able to go 10 minutes without great difficulty, you can start doing things in a very focused and calm state which is pretty much essential for later rune magic work but you will also find you become calmer in general and more aware of how you feel, physically and emotionally.
This may be very difficult a thing to do if you have anxiety or attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity.
I have both of these, so I’m aware of just how difficult this is.
Start small.
Set reminders.
It may take longer for you to get the hang of meditation than for others, but it’s not impossible, it can be done.
I find that it helps me to just do a few breaths, now and then, throughout the day, where I make an effort to experiencing the whole breath. Like little micro-meditations, here and there, when I have to wait while the coffee-maker warms up, when I’m waiting for something to load on the computer, when I’m waiting on the bathroom, while sitting on the bus, etc, etc. We all spend a few moments waiting, here and there, throughout the day. This makes that wait feel a little shorter and it makes it easier to sit down to meditate as it’s something that’s already familiar.
I have both of these, so I’m aware of just how difficult this is.
Start small.
Set reminders.
It may take longer for you to get the hang of meditation than for others, but it’s not impossible, it can be done.
I find that it helps me to just do a few breaths, now and then, throughout the day, where I make an effort to experiencing the whole breath. Like little micro-meditations, here and there, when I have to wait while the coffee-maker warms up, when I’m waiting for something to load on the computer, when I’m waiting on the bathroom, while sitting on the bus, etc, etc. We all spend a few moments waiting, here and there, throughout the day. This makes that wait feel a little shorter and it makes it easier to sit down to meditate as it’s something that’s already familiar.
