I

An icicle or primal ice stream straight
vertical and unmoving

Second aett Third rune

Primal matter and antimatter moving up and down 
through the vertical axis holding everything together 
in its present structure

Stasis constraint slow expansion massive force
gradual integration delay

Alder

Henbane

Milky quartz clear quartz 
opal and moonstone

White

November twenty eighth thru December thirteenth

Ten thirty pm until Eleven thirty pm

The Germanic name Icz Isa
 The Norse name Iss
 The Anglo Saxon name Is
 The Icelandic name Iss
 The Norwegian name Is

Some runes such as Uruz and Hagalaz represent aspects of ice
but Isa is an elemental rune whose basic form that of a straight
line running from north to south is found in nearly all of the
other runes Isa means ice and symbolizes static energy It is the 
rune that stops all activity Ice forms because of the loss of 
energy that turns a liquid into a solid Although ice is static
it can move en masse When Isa does move it is with tremendous 
force like glacial ice that moves with a strength that knows 
no bounds tearing valleys into the Earth In this respect the 
element of water as ice in this I rune is stronger than steel
 Static energy in the form of ice is slow moving in relation
to a fast moving environment Depending on circumstances Isa
energy can provide a strong structure in a hostile world or
it can be a millstone around your neck when you need to make 
a quick change

Rime Thurses the original race of giants who ruled 
until Odin and his two brothers slew the rime giant 
Ymir and created all the worlds of existence
 Verdandi The Norn who wove the thread of life into 
the present pattern of existence creating the Web of 
Wyrd
 Skadi Goddess of snow she demanded two things from 
the Aesir after they caused the death of her father 
first they had to make her laugh and second that she 
be free to choose a mate from among them Loki made her 
laugh and she mistakenly chose Njord for her mate later 
taking a new mate Uller the sky god

Polar bear whale walrus elephant or mammoth manatee 
bald eagle sea gull turtle anaconda water buffalo 
reindeer clam moose penguin

Water

Eleven

The waning crescent moon

The Hermit

Isa embodies primal ice the icy stream or glacier that 
flows from Nifelheim the misty ice world World ice was 
antimatter that combined with matter the energy flowing 
from Muspelheim the fire world in order to create Midgard 
the middle world where humans exist
 Isa is akin to the force represented by the rimegiants 
It is a stillness and lack of vibration a concept as 
primal as the concept of spirit Ice and fire were the 
forces that created the world and in turn they were the 
energies that would ultimately destroy it As the poet 
Robert Frost wrote in his poem Fire And Ice Some 
say the world will end in fire and some say ice Isa ruled 
Jotunheim the world of the giants the frost giants in 
particular The giant Norn Verdandi who presided over the 
present ruled the I rune

Works with concentration and intention 
 Looks at the form of patterns
 Slows down energy without stopping it
 Balances and integrates your ego
 Understands the polarities of energy and what they can do
 Increases your awareness of synchronicity
 Helps you understand potential dangers

Isa isa isa
 I i i i i i i i i i
 I i i i i i s s s s s s 
 S s s s s s i i i i i i
 I i i i i i i i i i

Isa is the polar opposite of the first rune Fehu 
the primal fire that began creation The positive 
side of Isa is that there are times when stasis 
can be helpful in assimilating information 
particularly when a lot of input is directed your 
way and you need time to evaluate it The negative 
qualities of Isa are stagnation and procrastination 
When they take over the energy around you feels 
frozen in place and it needs to start moving again
 Isa symbolizes the force of attraction gravity 
inertia and entropy in Oneness Because of this 
centralizing and concentrating effect it represents 
the individual ego  the energy that holds the ego and 
self together during stressful times It is the place 
where the past and the future come together molding 
the present into form
 The Rune of Inertia or Standstill represents 
cooling trends freezing or the temporary halting 
of progress In an especially negative reading it 
may suggest that events have deteriorated too much 
to be salvaged
 Ice had always been a constant factor of everyday 
Nordic life Ice threatened wheat yields and ships 
thus also survival of the people during the course 
of each and every year but it also was the symbol 
of coming into existence as according to mythology 
deriving from ice there originated the whole life on 
Earth In Nordic mythology conflicts of the elements is 
the necessary precondition of life warmth offering and 
comfortable Fire creates life only when in touch with 
the cold and stiffness of Ice the way birth is connected 
with death
 Isa contains all these ideas however foremostly standing 
for a period of rest preceding activity and the basic material 
out of which life is possible to emerge It is the material 
inherently inert possible to be reshaped even into stars if 
sufficient quantity of energy is granted It is the immovable 
shape hiding in itself the strength impossible to bridle In 
this manner the Nordic Creation myth myth of origination of 
the Universe and life announces Einsteins theory with the 
belief that everything in this world contains both fire and 
ice energy and matter and that their mutual relation defines 
and determines all other processes in the known Universe
 When used in divination it signifies inactivity 
blockage stagnation potentials patience shades 
revoke and rest

For use in magik to halt processes and for 
presentation of original forms 

Isa features no separate upright or reversed positions
 Ice is the symbol of movement held up halted This is 
why Isa suggests and announces that advisable and 
preferable is stoppage of all activities connected 
with the question as at the moment no action is capable 
of bringing improvement One has to wait for the things 
to start changing by themselves
 Isa stands for break or disappearance of emotional ties 
This is the rune of unpleasant occurences in family circles 
of disputes discords and divorce It can also possibly 
relate to relations with ones surroundings in general 
more precise determinations are offered by neighboring 
runes 

Fehu Uruz Thurisaz Ansuz Raidho Kenaz
Gebo Wunjo Hagalaz Naudhiz Isa Jera

Eihwaz Perdhro Algiz Sowilo Tiwaz Berkana

Ehwaz Mannaz Laguz Ingwaz Othala Dagaz



Rune Interpretations

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