"B"
The breasts of the Mother Goddess
3rd aett, 2nd rune
The divine energy of the birch as
Earth Mother
Nurturing, rebirth, growth, transition, spirit,
concealment, protection, ancestry
Birch
Lady's mantle
All gemstones
March 14 - March 30
5:30 a.m. - 6:30 a.m.
The Germanic name: Bercna (Berkano)
The Norse name: Bjarkan
The Anglo-Saxon name: Beroc
The Icelandic name: Bjarkan
The Norwegian name: Bjarkan
Berkana relates to the great Earth Goddess, the
mother of all things, embodying the energies of
manifestation in the form of birth and rebirth.
Traditionally, planting a birch tree in the front
yard of your house was said to protect it from harm.
Also, birch wood was frequently used in making magic
wands, so that when the wand strikes something, it
releases and brings to life energies contained within.
Berkana also represents a rebirth of spirit, analogous
to the renewal of life in the spring after the winter
thaw. In contrast to the male energies of Tiwaz,
Berkana represents the down-to-earth, nurturing,
sensitive, feminine energies.
Berkana's numerological value, eighteen, is a
double nine. Nine is considered the perfect number
magically, because it is the three threes, or a
"triad of triads." Symbolically, nine is the number
of completion and new beginnings, on a higher organic
level. Doubling nine into eighteen provides the B-rune
with even more of this initiating power. Accordingly,
in many cultures, at the age of eighteen a person is
legally considered an adult.
Frigga-She was the second wife of odin, and mother
to Baldur, Hodur, Hermod, and usually Tyr. Ancient
poems cite that Odin and Frigga had seven sons who
founded the seven Saxon kingdoms in England. Tall
and stately, the earth and sky goddess Frigga dressed
in long white robes that could turn dark just as the
sky does in bad weather. The patroness of housewives,
she was permitted to share Odin's throne, and she
personified the Earth. Through her eleven handmaidens,
she ensured the well-being of humankind, helping lovers,
presiding over marital love and fidelity, and administering
justice. Like Odin, she had an innate vision of the future,
a key to the runes.
Holde-She was a complex goddess who served as a
counterpart to Frigga. As the sky goddess, Holde
was seen riding on the wind-the snow was the
feathers from her bed. Wise women were said to
"ride with Holde." As the water goddess, at noon
she took the form of a beautiful White Lady, and
bathed in a lake from which children were born.
It was necessary to dive down a well to reach her
home. As an earth goddess, Holde presided over the
spinning and cultivation of flax. In this guise,
she was a maternal deity, goddess of the hearth
and home, and also a female leader of the Wild Hunt.
Wherever Holde's procession passed, the harvest
would double that year.
All animals
Earth
18
Virgo
The Empress
Traditionally, birch trees are consecrated to the
god Thor, and symbolizes the return of spring. Also,
the brush part of the "besom broom," a particular
kind of broom for witches that is used for sweeping
away unwanted energies, is often made of birch. In
May Day celebrations, the maypole, symbolic of Yggdrasil,
is made from the trunk of the birch tree.
While Freyja symbolized the energy of the maiden,
Frigga represented the energy of the mother, the
second phase of the female polarity. Mythologically,
this energy came in the form of the sacred cow, Audhumla,
from whose udder (the breast) sprang forth the sustenance
of life.
Holde, the triple goddess of birth, life, and death,
embodied all the elements. One of the most complex feminine
figures of the Northern Tradition, her image unfortunately
has degenerated into that of an ugly hag. It is now being
revitalized.
Works with the feminine energies
Understands the forces of transition
Conceals and protects energy
Revitalizes the spirit
Revitalizes personal empowerment
Gathers and directs the powers of earth, air, and water
Increases intuitive ability
Perfects magical skills
Berkana, berkana, berkana,
Bu ba bi be bo
B e e e e e r r r r r
Burk bark birk berk bork
Ob eb ib ab ub
B e e e e e r r r r r
Berkana's intrinsic quality revolved around the
life, death, and rebirth triad, which brought with
it transition. As Mother Goddess, Berkana brought
life and was the mother of all manifestation,
representing the energies of birth and rebirth on a
cosmic, as well as a human, level. At the same time,
Berkana embodied the opposite polarity-death-the dark
aspect of the Mother Goddess. In a shamanic sense,
death symbolizes the death of the old self, and the
rebirth symbolizes the transition into the new. So,
Berkana ruled over the four transitory stages: birth,
adolescence, marriage, and death. As a result, the
B-rune is also the rune of becoming, of fulfilling your
potential, and thus evolving on a spiritual level. It
may signify new beginnings or the end of a cycle. The
B-rune is for laying a foundations, and then cultivating
them with nurturing care of the earth, sky, and water
goddess. It can be used to really take "holde" of things
in your life.
Berkana also conceals and protects, embodying secret
or concealing places, such as caves and lodges. In
readings, this means that you can use the energy of
the rune to protect or conceal yourself from another,
but on the flip side, someone may be protecting or
concealing something from you.
The Rune of Fertility and Birth suggests that your
ventures will prosper, or that your old self can be
reborn.When reversed, it is only mildy negative and
points to domestic problems and anxiety.
Same as in all other folklores in Europe, birch here
symbolizes fertility. It brings prosperity and
advancement, progress. On occasions of different
holidays in the spring birch twigs are used to decorate
houses and home interiors hoping that all residents of
such be healthy and well throughout the next year; little
children are "whipped" i.e. touched with twigs symbolically,
in order that they grow quickly the way birch trees do.
Sympathetic magik connecting birch with growth, health,
and fertility is widely known through the length and breadth
of Europe, and thus we come across almost identical rituals
in the broad area from England throughout the Continent,
all the way to the Balkan Peninsula, and Russia.
If Teiwaz is accepted as the rune designating firstly and
foremostly men's mysteries, Berkana fully and entirely
belongs to women: mother, one that brings cure and healing,
midwife, women who donate new life after death - in the
manner birch treetops are the first to turn green after the
long and cold winter. And the way Teiwaz's power derives
from its being connected with death, Goddesses designated
by Berkana draw their powers out of the secret female
potentials and forces, menstruation in the first place,
and giving birth to children as the supreme temptation
and probation.
Birch is plentitude and health deriving from food,
purgation, and empathy.
When used in divination it signifies: fertility, health,
new beginning, growth, understanding/realization, removal
of obstacles and barriers.
For use in magik: curing (especially of infections),
achievement of understanding/realization, enabling
new starts.
Birch symbolizes fertility and growth, and thus
Berkana, too, is a symbol of prosperity and fertility,
no matter where it happens to be.
When Berkana is drawn in an upright position
it signifies a ritual in family or broader
community, most often a wedding or engagement.
When the question is asked by a young woman,
answer relates to her pregnancy and is positive,
but it can also denote relations between mother
and child in general.
If the person asking the question is a man,
then again it means pregnancy - if that man
is married. In case of elderly persons it
means enlargement of the family by birth
of a grandchild.
Be as it may, Berkana always announces
a good reason for celebration.
When drawn in the reversed position Berkana
it signifies that the person asking the
question is occupied by problems in the
family, especially difficulties with children.
It can also relate to problems a married couple
has concerning conception of a child, or
problems arising when embryo baby is carried.
Fehu
Uruz
Thurisaz
Ansuz
Raidho
Kenaz
Gebo
Wunjo
Hagalaz
Naudhiz
Isa
Jera
Eihwaz
Perthro
Algiz
Sowilo
Tiwaz
Berkana
Ehwaz
Mannaz
Laguz
Ingwaz
Othala
Dagaz
Rune Interpretations
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