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The Runes Defined

The following is a list of runes with their pronunciations, short definitions, and upright/reversed options. For more in depth descriptions, select upright or reversed.

Wyrd – (wErd) The Unknowable, Divinity of all human endeavors (upright)
Mannaz – (mahn’-nahz) The Self, man, woman, the entire race (upright) (reversed)
Gebo – (ge’-bO) Partnership, A sharing between partners. A gift of oneself to Oneself. (upright)
Ansuz – (ahn’-sooz) Signals, Odin, messages, signals, gifts (upright) (reversed)
Othila – (O-thee’-lah) Heritage, Inheritance, severance, shedding, sloughing off (upright) (reversed)
Uruz – (oo’-rooz) Strength, growth, rebirth (upright) (reversed)
Perth – (perth) Initiation, Hearth, hidden or secret matters (upright) (reversed)
Nauthiz – (now’-theez) Constraint, Need, necessity and obstacles (upright) (reversed)
Inguz – (in’-gooz) Fertility, New beginnings. Sharing. Ing – earth (upright)
Eihwaz – (eIh’-waz) Defense, Yew tree, Strength through endurance (upright)
Algiz – (ahl’-geez) Protection, acceptance and understanding, yield strength, Elk (upright) (reversed)
Fehu – (fA’-hoo) Possessions, wealth, nourishment, fulfillment (upright) (reversed)
Wunjo – (woon’-jO) Joy, benefits gained, blessings (upright) (reversed)
Jera – (jE’-ra) Harvest, One Year. Long term beneficial outcomes (upright)
Kano – (kA’-nO) Opening, Beacon, fire, renewed clarity (upright) (reversed)
Teiwaz – (tI’-waz) Warrior, Tyr (sky), Spiritual Warrior, battle of the Self (upright) (reversed)
Berkana – (ber’-kah-nah) Growth, growth and rebirth in all matters, birch (upright) (reversed)
Ehwaz – (eh’-wahz) Movement, Horse, progress, new attitudes (upright) (reversed)
Laguz – (la’-gooz) Flow, water, fluidity, ebb and flow (upright) (reversed)
Hagalz – (ha’-gulz) Disruption, Hail, Breaking free of ones mental constraints (upright)
Raido – (rA’-dO) Wagon, Journey, communication, union and reunion (upright) (reversed)
Thurisaz – (thoo’-rih-saz) Gateway, Giant, thought before action, contemplation (upright) (reversed)
Dagaz – (de’-gaz) Breakthrough, Dawn, Transformation – often quite radical (upright)
Isa – (I’-sa) Standstill, Ice, Personal or spiritual withdrawal (upright)
Sowelu – (sO’-wA-loo) Wholeness, Life force and self realization, the sun (upright)

Three Lifetimes Spread Description

This particular rune spread as set up at this site, is capable of giving you nearly 90,000,000 different layouts. This rune spread consists of five runes, placed in a cross formation. The underlying belief of this layout lies in reincarnation, though it may have also been used in a metaphorical or pseudo-reincarnation sense.

From right to left the supposed relevance of each is described below:
1. Birth and Childhood
2. Your Present
3. Future in this Life
Followed by the bottom stone
4. Past Life
And finally the top stone
5. Next Life
Continue on to Three Lifetimes Spread.

Runic Cross Description

Six runes need to be drawn for this spread, to be set up in a Celtic Cross formation. This particular rune spread as set up at this site, is capable of giving you over 3,200,000,000 different layouts.

The supposed relevance of each is described below:
1. The past you are coming from most recently
2. You now, your current role
3. The future as it is coming in to being for you
4. The foundation of the matter under consideration
5. The nature of the challenge for this situation
6. The new situation that will arise as you achieve your goals

Continue on to Runic Cross.

Five Rune Spread Description

This particular rune spread as set up at this site, is capable of giving you nearly 90,000,000 different layouts. This rune spread consists of five runes, each one placed below the stone drawn previously.

From top to bottom the supposed relevance of each is described below:
1. Overview of the current situation
2. Challenge to overcome with this situation
3. The course of action called for to manage this situation
4. Sacrifice – what you will have to set aside or consider to handle the current situation
5. New situation evolving and usually the outcome of the current situation

Continue on to Five Rune Spread.

Three Rune Spread Description

The three rune spread is also known as the Norns. The Norns are the three Norse Fates. According to myth, the three Norns can be found by their spring that flows from beneath one root of the ash tree Yggdrasill. (the world tree) Urdur rules over the past, Verdandi the present, and Skuld the future. This particular rune spread as set up at this site, is capable of giving you nearly 64,000 different layouts. This rune spread consists of three runes, each one placed to the left of the stone drawn previously.

From right to left the supposed relevance of each is described below:
1. Represents the past or an overview of the situation
2. The present state or the challenge to overcome with this situation
3. The course of action called for to manage this situation or if reading from a passive view the likely outcome from the present state

Continue on to Three Rune Spread.