| The twelfth rune and fourth of the Second Aett of the Elder Futhark is called "Jera" or "Jara". It's sound is "J" as in "jam". Meaning "year" or "season", Jera refers to the cycles of existence. It is the rune of completion at the proper time, for a plentiful harvest can only happen if the right things have been done at the right time. Jera cannot act against the natural order of things, but, when it is used properly, results will be beneficial, bringing - as the Anglo-Saxon rune poem states - "a bright abundance for rich and poor". The Jera rune is written in two different ways. One is on an upright stem, bearing a diamond shape. This form represents a stable state once it has been achieved. It symbolizes the cosmic axis surrounded by the four seasons in their correct order. One form of Jera is based on the shape of the harvest garland with its supporting pole. The other form is composed of two angled staves or characters, like two Kenaz runes that interpenetrate one another without touching. This is Jera's dynamic form, representing change toward completion. |