| The twenty-second rune and sixth of the Third Aett of the Elder Futhark is called "Inguz" or "Ingwaz". It's sound is "NG" as in "long". It is a symbol of light, representing a beacon of firebrand. This rune can be written in two ways. One is a closed, contained form, shaped like the "diamond" in playing cards. This symbolizes the inner fire and appears frequently on the walls of traditional buildings in Northern Europe. The second form is outgoing, with spreading lines denoting limitless expansion, carrying one's energy outward into the surroundings, showing its light far and wide. Like Teiwaz, the Inguz rune represents a god with the same name. He is the male consort of the Earth Mother, the goddess of fertility and nurture. Inguz is god of male fertility and the house hearth, the inglenook, so this rune is protective of households. More generally, Inguz signifies energy. Symbolically, the Inguz rune channels potential energy, bringing together and integrating previously seperate things. However, although it is powerful, Inguz's energy is not immediate. It builds up gradually until it is so strong that it must be released in a single burst, like a male orgasm. |