The Elder Futhark's Three Aettir
The runes came from the gods, since it was Odin, the God
of Wisdom, who first discovered their magic after a shamanic
initiation. In the Volsunga Saga, the Valkyrie Brunnhilde,
one of Odin's daughters, placed shaved and sheared runes into
the hero Sigurd's (Siegfried's) chalice of mead. When Sigurd
drank the contents of the sacred cup, he absorbed the wisdom
of the runes. According to Norse legend, runic energies are
dispersed throughout the cosmos, some in Asgard with the gods
of the Aesir, some in the underworld with the giants, dwarfs,
and Norns. These energies also stream through the upper world
of the elves and Midgard, where we humans live.
Each rune contains three aspects:
1) the symbol, what it depicts and means,
2) the name and what the word means, along with its
letter value, and
3) the energetic force that the rune embodies and why
it is considered a living symbol. Rather than being static,
runes represent dynamic universal forces that are constantly
changing and evolving.
Traditionally, the runes provided a way to pass information
from one generation to another. They told the story of the
origin of the cosmos and how the cosmic energies came into
being. By understanding these underlying energies, we can
better understand how they affect our lives. The first three
runes-Fehu, Uruz, and Thurisaz-represent creativity,
structure, and protection, which are three basic elements
required for universal life and general well-being.
Because the runes represent all the cosmic energies that
weave together the three aettir (families), they actually
form an ancient treasure map, leading to divinity. When we
come to know the runes and how to use them, we are following
Odin's quest, a quest motivated by his insatiable thirst for
knowledge, coupled with the wisdom of how to use that knowledge.
The runes are Odin's stepping stones for moving across the
"rainbow bridge," going up to Asgard, and becoming one of the
gods. In any case, the runic path leads to greater awareness and
a more divine state of being.
The 24 runes of the Elder Futhark are divided into three equal
groups of eight, called the aettir. The first runes of each of
the three aettir are Fehu, Hagalaz, and Tiwaz, also called the
Mother Runes. The lineage of the runes is passed down through
these three primary runes, since all other runes stem from them.
In Old Norse, the words aett (singular) and aettir (plural) mean
generations and families, denoting that the information was passed
down through the family structure-in particular, through the lineage
of the Mother Runes. The word aett also linguistically relates to the
number eight, which in German is acht.
As illustrated within each aett, the division of eight is one of the
most common universal patterns. The eight-fold nature of each aett
corresponds to the division of the sky and the plane of the Earth into
eight parts. The traditional year-cycle of Northern Europe is also
sectioned into eights, marked by festivals on the solstices, equinoxes,
and the four cross-quarter days. In a modern context, the working day
is divided up into three eight-hour sections, or aettir, the day shift,
the swing shift, and the graveyard shift. While the term "graveyard" is
associated with the dead, it also denotes eventual rebirth. In a meta-
physical context, the three aettir represent expectation, desire, and
merging, which are the three basic elements of any magical pattern.
Polarities exist between the different runes; for example, the
first two runes of the first aett, are Fehu (fire) and Uruz (ice).
Polarities also appear within each rune. For example, the first
rune, Fehu, basically means mobile wealth, which on the positive
side deals with riches, knowledge, and the means to do great things,
but on the negative side can encourage greed, jealousy, and keep you
from achieving your personal goals. Working with these energetic po-
larities is what the runes are all about. By understanding their in-
herent polarities, we begin to understand how we can employ these
energies to enrich our lives and the lives of others.
The first aett is about creation. The second aett is about the
so-called human elements, while the third aett is about reaching
the frequently talked-about state of goddesshood and godhood, where
all energies become integrated into One. Each of the three aettir
ends on a positive note: 1) Wunjo, the Golden Age; 2) Sowilo, the
sun itself; and 3) Othala, symbolic of the overall leap to the next
level, where the circular process of the runes begin all over again,
on a new higher plane of consciousness. When Odin took up the runes
from the abyss, he purposefully moved from one rune to another (from
one aett to the next), until he gained the sacred wisdom of all of them.
The sections on each aett basically outline what the runes are about
and the unlimited ways we can use them to create positive goals,
thereby enhancing every aspect of our existence. Energetic patterns
shape who we are, what we do, and what we will become, given our present
path. Each action set in motion creates waves of energy that move within
the whole of Oneness. A reaction or response then takes place in order to
balance the energy of the initial action. This balancing is important in
the scheme of things, and even more crucial is the integration of the po-
larities that exist at every turn.
As we move through the runes, it becomes possible to integrate their
aspects into the whole of our being. By working with the runic energies
and truly understanding their aspects into the whole of our being. By
working with the runic energies and truly understanding their innate
wisdom, as did Odin, we return to the divine-ness from which we originated,
thus completing the circle of the runes and, on an even grander scale, on
an even grander scale, the circle of Oneness.
The Runes
The History of the Runes
Rune Mythology
The First Aett
The Second Aett
The Third Aett
Rune Interpretations
Spiritual Runes
Rune Magic
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