Dear Rune Friends, today is Wednesday, the day of the week named after the God Odin and appropriately, here is the next post regarding Ansuz - Odins rune !! Hope you have a good day in the Web. xxx POST 16. ANSUZ GUIDANCE FROM THE RUNE YEAR WHEEL – HELPING YOU CONNECT WITH SELF, THE RUNES, THE LIFE JOURNEY AND THE ANNUAL CYCLE. https://facebook/groups/runewisdomupdate Each of the 24 runes has an approximate two-week time-slot allotted to it across the course of a Northern Hemisphere year. This concept can be represented as a “Medicine Wheel”, or a diagrammatic tool for increasing self-awareness, native to Northern Europe. I will be providing free guidance on each rune energy in line with its time-slot. RUNE SUMMARY FOR ANSUZ: Time Period – 13th August to 28th August; Meaning – God / Odin/ Mouth, Key Energies – Communication, Wisdom, Inspiration, Teaching, Sacred Sound & Breath, Mental Healing, Creative Expression. Tree Association from the Celtic Ogham and Additional Trees – Elm. With Ansuz we have fully entered the Autumnal quarter of the Rune Year Wheel. Elder and Rowan berries are plentiful and perhaps we can detect a slight shift in the season. Even so, the trees remain very green and relatively high levels of warmth and light are still keenly exploited to stage a myriad of outdoor music and art festivals, in a Northern European drive to express as much creative energy as possible before winter’s long nights return. Life is in full flow and bursting to find an outlet. We witness creative joy in others and we feel inspired ourselves. Ansuz embodies many of these qualities as a rune of divine inspiration finding form in creative expression. Ansuz is associated with the God Odin, a potent, mysterious and intriguing shamanic figure in the Northern Tradition. There is almost too much to say about Odin, but perhaps that is appropriate as his rune covers language, speech, writing, oratory and poetry! Odin is the “Allfather God” as he is the mythic source of divine inspiration that gave breath to matter, stirring live into being within the universe. In the Christian tradition, the universe came into being with the divine sound (“In the beginning was the Word” – the word is an expressed sound that has meaning/ intent) and here in the Northern pagan tradition we also have the Creator God principle associated with words and sound. Likewise Ansuz embodies these qualities. In Post 14. (Uruz) I described how the Northern Tradition envisaged the world created from the remains of the Giant called Ymir. Giants are seen as instinctual, unconscious beings, but apart from this, perhaps the elemental “frost giant” Ymir was the great mass of un-sensing, chaotic matter that had formed out of the initial alchemy which had taken place within the void (Ginnungagap). A trinity of God-forces – Odin and his brothers Vili and Ve pulled Ymir apart and re-organised the matter as follows: ”The blood was transformed into oceans and water. The flesh became the land. The bones became the mountains. The teeth made into rocks. The hair became the grass and trees. The eyelashes became Midgard. (Midgard is the human realm/home). They threw the brain up in the air and it became the clouds. The skull became the sky. It was the lid that covered the new world. The brothers grabbed some of the sparks shooting out from Muspelheim, the land of fire. They threw the sparks up toward the inside of the skull. These sparks gleamed at night and were what we call the stars.” The head of Ymir is given new life as sky, clouds and stars which is meaningful because Ansuz, the inspiration and creation rune, is associated with the level of mind and the element of air. The stars (sparks of fire) symbolise the inspiration that the Gods can project into our minds. As part of the Creation process the three Gods also made Male and Female, out of two logs: one log of Ash (called ”Ask”) became man and the other of Elm (called ”Embla”) became woman: ”Odin gave the logs spirit and life, Ve gave them movement, mind and intelligence and Vili gave them shape, speech, feelings and the five senses.” Odin and Ansuz breathe life into being. Your breath is the presence of life and the presence of the life-giving divine. Sounds are formed with breath and pressure on physical mouth-parts and are transformed expressions of divine energy. Words are particular sounds given particular meaning. We incorporate intelligence and emotions to select words in communication and to convey meaning. However at this point of human creative ability we need to align ourselves with the life-giving source of inspiration and high intent, or perhaps refrain from speaking at all – a challenging idea! The ability to speak is sacred and should be treated accordingly. As we know ”energy flows where thought goes”. We can use words and sound to heal and create or to harm and destroy. Like Odin we should breathe life, but with our words. The runes possess sound as one of their innate qualities. Rune means not only ”cosmic secret”, but also to ”whisper” and to ”roar” – two different sound powers. The Galdr is a lost form of transformational sound healing/magic. It can mean ”Song”, ”Incantation”, ”Chant” or ”Spell”. It is thought to have involved the singing of the runes, perhaps in a special format, but details are unknown. Ansuz is also associated with the outcomes of inspired thought, the products of it. One doesn’t just hold the thought and allow it to stagnate. So communication is Ansuz’s key quality because communication is the continuation of inspiration. The inspiration may find varying media for expression – from music to prose to poetry for example. Communication also implies teaching and the sewing of inspiring seeds in other minds, which grow to find their own forms of expression, spawning new ideas all over again. Some teachers are fired by their subjects and create genuine enthusiasm in students and we always remember the ones who did that for us. Ansuz’s nature is to keep on moving like air and breath, to spread unstoppably like mushrooms (the Fly Agaric mushroom is associated with Ansuz, its poison giving rise to sometimes euphoric visions of flight through the air). Too little or too much movement can create problems though. When thoughts stagnate into rigid beliefs, growth potential is limited. Stress can result when received thinking no longer brings relief, support, benefit or necessary change. When thoughts move too quickly or become too agitated or over excited, the loss of mental stability can also be very stressful. Ansuz can be both a carrier of ecstatic poetic states and an indicator of so-called ”madness” or mental disorder. Odin was a God who quested to understand the Cosmos and the realms of the self. He actively pushed the doors to consciousness. Some very creative musicians and poets have done the same with the aid of narcotic or psychoactive substances and didn’t always come back in one piece. Odin’s path can walk a fine line between enlightenment and insanity. It is also true to say that some episodes of mental illness when sufficiently re-balanced can become the gifts that eventually deepen consciousness in the subject, far beyond the ken of the average person. Odin’s quest for wisdom led to the revelation of the runes, but by using shamanic self-sacrificial means to do it. He initiated himself, on Yggdrasil (the World Tree), pierced by his own spear, hanging upside down for nine days and nights without food and water. This induced an altered state of consciousness that allowed the secrets of the cosmos (the runes) to enter his awareness. Odin gained the wisdom previously exclusive to the Norns, the keepers of Wyrd (see Perthro, post. 2). Perhaps we also need to prove ourselves worthy to receive the wisdom of the runes, for once incorporated into practice they may ask us to sacrifice aspects of self in order to grow (like Odin did). The runes were brought into awareness through challenge and to my way of thinking they retain this profound vibration, asking us to embrace challenge in order to change consciousness. Tough Love, but love nevertheless. Ansuz is the first of the ”wisdom runes” in the order of 24. It’s the God-source of wisdom. Divine inspiration can then be received and nurtured in humans via the soul energy of Sowilo (Post 4.) and magnified through the enlightenment of Dagaz (Post 12.), when humans may expand to achieve ”God-like” insight and vision. All three runes share the quality of wisdom. How might we recognize Ansuz energy within ourselves? When Ansuz is flowing we feel inspired and insightful at the level where spirit meets mind and spawns new ideas. There is excitement, enthusiasm and even ecstatic / euphoric / poetic states of awareness. Inspiration feeds creative out-put. Working with sound, speech, language, writing, art, breath and information technology produces positive results. Our attempts at effective communication hit the mark. The wisdom is present to transform the idea into a manifest reality. Intellectual endeavours like mathematics and science progress due to the creative and imaginative leaps that may overturn old paradigms or manipulate received wisdom to produce new previously un-envisaged possibilities. We can re-form our universe with our thoughts. We may be developing or succeeding with our teaching abilities. Mental healing has taken place and freedom of thought and the expanded experiences such freedom brings is life-affirming. We could have the touch of genius about us, which might inspire some and scare or challenge others. Listening and talking is therapeutic and promotes better self-awareness and understanding. The healing or transformative power of sound may also revolutionize awareness and enable beneficial change. When Ansuz is blocked within us we are prone to ignore the insights that result from the true sources of inspiration. Consequently our decisions and judgments may be dull, unconvincing or confused. Ego may lead us to claim more wisdom than we actually have, but we are likely to be caught out. The apparent clarity of others may attract instead, but we may be manipulated by clever oratory. Our minds are too clogged by negative beliefs to trust in our ability to learn new skills. Anxiety, depression or obsession may block our growth or we are simply too dependent on outworn but comforting beliefs to embrace personal development or new ideas. We may be stuck by prejudice. More lack of inspiration and purpose ensues and a viscous cycle of negative thinking could lead to a mental / emotional breakdown. Stop. The mind is too stressed. Consider talking therapies like counselling and get help unravelling the knot of tight, suffocating thoughts in your mind. Allow your mind to play with new possibilities and develop true freedom of choice. This way you can become a more discerning and less gullible individual. Allow space and time for healing activities that help to regulate and calm the mind – meditation, relaxation, yoga etc. It may be supportive to read about the healing journeys of others, a way to gain faith and inspiration You may reap benefits by contemplating this rune energy at its most powerful and resonant season, but also learn to recognise when it holds sway in your life at any time of the year. SUGGESTED PRACTICE: In quiet, meditative space, use the photo of the rune shape I have provided. Its shape is known as a “stave” in rune-talk. Meditate upon the stave, letting its form imprint itself within your mind. Then close your eyes and visualise it again in your mind’s eye. Ask it to speak to you and give you your own personal insight into its energy. If you do shamanic journeying you can make this rune the intention of your journey – to visit the realm of its energy to learn whatever it has to teach you. EACH RUNE HAS A PHOENTIC OR SOUND VALUE: The sacred value of Ansuz is the letter “A” and the sound “Ar” or “Ah” , as in “Jehovah”, “Allah” and “Buddha”. Perhaps as these examples suggest, the sound of Ansuz is the “God-sound”. Vocally sound “Ar” and imbue yourself with its energy. As a vowel sound Ar is naturally expansive, and is also a heart-healer and opener. You can also sing or chant the whole rune name to yourself. Then it might speak to you or trigger awareness. The way to pronounce Ansuz is “Arns-ooz”. UTILISE THE ANSUZ TIME-SLOT: to focus on your sound work with the runes. Become a channel that vibrates to their energy and observe the effect upon you. Always work in a guided way, so ask spirit to show you the rune you need to work with. Do not direct these energies to anyone else without similar guidance from spirit combined with explicit agreement from the recipient. Do you have a lot of creative urges but don’t know how to apply them? Contemplate Ansuz and trust that it will open a bridge to divine inspiration, helping you to find your “Muse” and direct your creative potential. Ever wanted to write? There is seasonal support in the presence of Ansuz to help you explore your gift. Perhaps it is also the time to identify what you need to say and finally say it – share your thoughts, concerns and needs. You also need to listen well and deeply to the reply before you react. Consider your words wisely. You can try practising “The Impeccability of the Word”. Take a day, or a week in which you never use “The Word” (language) against yourself, or against anyone else and notice how self-aware it makes you. Notice how challenging it is and how you change your communications accordingly. There is no judgement attached. This is an experiment in awareness. Be particularly aware around gossip and notice how it makes you feel. What wisdom do you have to share that may inspire others? You may never train formally to be a teacher, but that does not prevent you from exploring your teaching gifts informally. Blessed be! Rosemary Taylor. Let me know if you like this regular guidance and please make comment on its relevance to you. If this information inspires an interest in the runes, readings are available via Skype, phone and in person by arrangement. You can join my rune Facebook group at https://facebook/groups/runewisdomupdate. Shamanic guidance, healing and mentoring services are also available after consultation. I can explore the healing nature of shamanic sounds with you, including the runes. A Runic Body Reading combines rune divination with rune sound healing for a total mind, body, spirit experience. Email me for details at [email protected]
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 06:32:39 +0000
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