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Rune Symbol meanings

FREYA AETT:
 

Fehu ᚠ - “Cattle/Wealth”
The first of the Elder Futhark, Fehu indicates prosperity and material wealth, either won or
earned income. It can represent good luck, abundance and financial success in the near future.
It can also relate to social success. Not everyone chooses to read a rune as reversed
(“merkstave”) if it comes up that way, but if doing so resonates with you- its reversed meaning
may indicate the loss of personal possessions or income, a dip in self-esteem or some other
kind of material struggles.
KEYWORDS: Abundance, luck, hope, prosperity, wealth, fortune
 

Uruz ᚢ - “Ox”
The second, Uruz, is representative of the wild bull. This is a stone of strength, endurance, hard
work, perseverance, motivation, and determination. It can indicate a time of great energy, speed
and health. It also shows increasing power and masculinity. Reversed, it may indicate a loss of
health, endurance, a blockage, dominance of others over you or misdirected force.
KEYWORDS: Strength, endurance, health, courage, vigour, vitality, force, perseverance
 

Thurisaz ᚦ - “Mallet/Giant”
This represents Thor’s hammer or a giant. As such, it indicates a powerful direction of energy
and force, for either destruction or defence, so may also indicate conflict. This could be
cathartic, cleansing and purgative. Reversed, it could mean defencelessness, compulsion, spite
or betrayal.
KEYWORDS: Defence, challenge, danger, protection, attack, strength
 

Ansuz ᚫ - “Message”
Ansuz is the rune of communication. It’s representative of the ancestral God Odin’s wisdom and
so indicates a divine message or insight arriving. It can also mean good advice, wisdom, truth,
inspiration and enthusiasm. Reversed it could point to a miscommunication, deceit,
misunderstandings and manipulation.
KEYWORDS: Revelation, signs, visions, insight, message, knowledge, communication
 

Raidho ᚱ - “Journey”
Raidho is indicative of a journey and represents a wheel. This could be both physical travel, as
in a holiday or house move, or a spiritual voyage in the expansion of your horizons. It can also

indicate things being put into perspective, evolution and the cycle of life. Reversed it means
rigidity, injustice, irrationality and disruption.
KEYWORDS: Progress, movement, evolution, perspective, journey, travel
 

Kenaz ᚲ - “Torch”
Kenaz is the flame or torch. As such, it represents the beacon of truth and finding your true
north guided by your own shining light. It can indicate that that which was previously unknown
may come to light, secrets may be spilled, and you are on the right path of finding your true
calling in life. It also means knowledge, creativity, inspiration, vitality, regeneration and energy.
Reversed it can indicate that you lack vision, are stuck in a creative rut, false hope, and
instability.
KEYWORDS: Enlightenment, knowledge, comprehension, insight, illumination, calling, purpose,
idea
 

Gebo ᚷ - “Gift”
Gebo is the rune of gifts. It’s a positive symbol that indicates you are in the possession of many
gifts and talents or that someone will bestow upon you bountiful blessings. It also relates to
generosity, balance, and positive relationships. It has no inverted meaning.
KEYWORDS: Generosity, partnership, gifts, talents, charity, service, assistance, luck, fortune
 

Wunjo ᚹ - “Joy”
Wunjo is representative of the clan’s flag and victory. It represents triumph and joy, security,
safety, celebration and belonging. It can also indicate harmony, prosperity and spiritual rewards.
Reversed it can point to sorrow, alienation and loss.
KEYWORDS: Pleasure, joy, feast, celebration, comfort, belonging, community, success,
festivities
 

HEIMDALL’S AETT:
In Norse mythology, Heimdall was the watchman of the Gods.

 

9. Hagalaz ᚺ - “Hail”
Hagalaz represents hail. This natural form of disaster which strikes out of the blue and has the
power to destroy much needed crops, is similarly indicative of sudden and cataclysmic change.
Similar to The Tower card in the tarot, Hagalaz represents an unavoidable change that is out of

our hands, but how destructive it ends up being is dependant on whether we are capable of
weathering its storm with grace. As they say, some storms come to clear our path. The lesson of
Hagalaz is to learn from our hardships and grow through our mistakes. It has no inverted
meaning.
KEYWORDS: Destruction, natural wrath, uncontrolled forces, testing, change, external input

 

10. Nauthiz ᚾ - “Needs”
Nauthiz is indicative of our needs. What do you need to feel emotionally stable and fulfilled? Are
you taking enough time for yourself to balance work, play and rest? Assessing what are our
needs and where we may currently be lacking can help us take better care of our future selves,
we can’t pour form an empty cup after all. It can also indicate delays, restriction, and endurance.
This is a time to practice patience. Nauthiz reversed can point to depression, exhaustion, and
distress.
KEYWORDS: Need, restriction, disagreements, resistance, survival, necessity, lacking

 

11. Isa ᛁ - “Ice”
Isa represents ice. It’s symbolic of the Hangman card in the Tarot. It highlights the need to
pause, wait, although there may be a feeling of being stuck in ice, sometimes a break is what’s
needed to put things into perspective. Waiting until we have gathered all the information, all
sides of the story, properly done our research, or simply allowed the Universe to unfold. It can
also indicate frustration or psychological blocks. Isa has no inverted meaning.
KEYWORDS: Suspension, delay, stillness, frustration, blocks, pause, waiting

 

12. Jera ᛃ - “Harvest”
Jera is representative of the harvest. It indicates that we can now reap what we’ve sown and
enjoy our plentiful abundance. If you don’t feel like you have many blessings, it can show that
either a breakthrough is on the way, or it’s time to take stock and express gratitude for what you
do have (you’ll be surprised by how much you can always list in a gratitude journal)! It also
represents the life cycle and cyclic nature of Mother Earth. It cannot be reversed.
KEYWORDS: Year, conclusion, harvest, life cycle, endings and beginnings, abundance,
learnings, growth
 

13. Eihwaz ᛇ - “Yew”

In Norse mythology, the ash tree (sometimes said to be translated from the old word for yew-
needle ash), Yggradisil, is representative of The Tree Of Life. As such, it relates to the cycle of

life, similar to the Death Tarot card (signifying the dying of an old way of being or period of life).
It can also represent reliability, dependability, trustworthiness, enlightenment, and a sense of
purpose, symbolising the connection between all the worlds. Reversed, it can mean confusion
and isolation.
KEYWORDS: Connection, inspiration, endurance, sacred knowledge, protection, life cycle’s,
divinity

 

14. Perthro ᛈ - “Destiny”
This is the gambler’s rune and as such represents the cup of dice, or fortune. It indicates that
influences in life may be down to chance, and so can go either well or not. The lesson here is to
learn to take the hand you’ve been dealt and make lemonade out of lemons. In Tarot, this would
be similar to the Wheel of Fortune card. It can also represent hidden meanings, secrets, and
change. Reversed it can indicate stagnation and loss of faith.
KEYWORDS: Fate, mysteries, occult, feminine fertility, chance, fortune, mysticism, unknown

 

15. Algiz ᛉ - “Elk”
Algiz is the elk, and so represents defence and protection. If you get this one, it means that you
have the internal power to manifest your dreams and that your spirit guides are protecting you
along your path. It is said to act as a shield to guard you against evil. It can also represent an
awakening and strong intuition. Reversed it means there could be a hidden danger.
KEYWORDS: Protection, guardian, awakening, courage, defence, instincts

 

16. Sowilo ᛋ - “Sun”
Sowilo is the happy symbol of the sun. It represents a time of joy, abundance, luck, and good
fortune. It’s a cause for celebration and can indicate a success of your goals, optimal health and
an elemental power. It has no inverted meaning. In Tarot, its card is, likewise, The Sun.
KEYWORDS: Success, vitality, inspiration, justice, success, joy, happiness, abundance
 

TYR’S AETT:
Tyr, the Norse Sky God, was representative of war and justice.

 

17. Tiwaz ᛏ - “Victory”
Tiwaz is representative of the warrior’s arrowhead of the God Tyr. It shows that you are capable
of spearheading your way through all your troubles and possess great leadership skills,
authority and rationality. It can indicate victory and knowing of your true strengths with a
willingness to self-sacrifice. Reversed it can indicate blocked creative energies, over-analysis,
imbalance, and lack of passion.
KEYWORDS: Leadership, rationality, victory, honour, bravery, courage, strength, perseverance,
endurance
 

18. Berkana ᛒ - “Birch'“
Berkana is the rune of birth. It represents the Birch Goddess and so indicates fertility and
creation, not just of an actual birth (its traditional meaning), but also of projects, partnerships
and rebirth. It indicates mental and physical growth, and a regenerative power and liberation of
spirit. Reversed it can point to family troubles, anxiety, or rigid control.
KEYWORDS: Fertility, growth, renewal, new beginnings, birth, creation, new projects, creativity
 

19. Ehwaz ᛖ - “Horse'“
Ehwaz is the horse. This represents man’s trusty aid, our only form of transport in times past. It
indicates a moving forward and change for the better with gradual but steady progress. It can
also show teamwork, trust and loyalty. Reversed it can show restlessness, craving of change,
mistrust or disharmony. It can be seen as The Lovers Tarot card.
KEYWORDS: Progress, movement, harmony, trust, loyalty, friendship, assistance, duality,
animal instincts
 

20. Mannaz ᛗ - “Man”
Mannaz is representative of humankind and humanity. It encompasses yourself and identity, and
relationship towards others. It is social order and cooperation, our sense of morals and values.
Reversed it can indicate self-delusion, manipulation and isolation.
KEYWORDS: Humanity, collective, mortality, community, relationships, morals, values
 

21. Laguz ᛚ - “Lake”
Laguz represents the element of water and so is tied to our emotions, dreams and intuition. It
indicates a healing power of renewal, heightened imagination and psychic abilities. It can also
relate to mysteries, secrets, the unknown and the underworld. Reversed it can point to fear,
misjudgement, lack of creativity and avoidance.

KEYWORDS: Water, intuition, imagination, healing, dreams, mysteries, insight, instinct, knowing
 

22. Ingwaz ᛝ - “Fertility”
Ingwaz is the rune of fertility, representing the Earth God Ing. It points to male fertility, common
virtues, common sense, wellbeing, strength, family, rest, and loose ends being tied up. It has no
reversed meaning.
KEYWORDS: Fertility, virility, inner growth, virtue, peace, harmony
 

23. Othala ᛟ - “Heritage”
Othala is the rune of inheritance. It tells of our lasting legacy, spiritual heritage, values becoming
aligned to what is truly important, communal prosperity and fundamental values. Reversed it
can indicate bad luck and prejudice.
KEYWORDS: Legacy, inheritance, spiritual growth, abundance, values, contribution
 

24. Dagaz ᛞ - “Dawn”
Dagaz represents dawn. It shows the coming of age and the ending of a cycle. New beginnings
are approaching and new breakthroughs, awareness and awakenings are possible. It
represents the transformative power of change and that it is a good time to embark upon a fresh
enterprise. A final, positive symbol of hope, certainty and security, it has no reversed meaning.
This would be the completion of the cycle with the World card in the Tarot.
KEYWORDS: Day, awakening, consciousness, clarity, hope, balance, growth, new cycles
 

25. Odin’s Rune (optional)
As mentioned, some sets come with an optional blank rune indicating the Norse God of
Creation’s secrets to be withheld. It reflects that we are not supposed to have all the answers
and that that’s OK. As such, its meanings are unknown, secrets, hidden, mystery, ambiguous,
unknowable, the answer will reveal itself in time.

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