ALGIZ (also called Elhaz) is a powerful rune, because it represents the divine might of the universe. The white elk was a symbol to the Norse of divine blessing and protection to those it graced with sight of itself.
Algiz is the rune of higher vibrations, the divine plan and higher spiritual awareness. The energy of Algiz is what makes something feel sacred as opposed to mundane. It represents the worlds of Asgard (gods of the Aesir), Ljusalfheim (The Light Elves) and Vanaheim (gods of the Vanir), all connecting and sharing energies with our world, Midgard.
Image by H. Koppdelaney
The Symbolism of Algiz
The symbol itself could represent the upper branches of Yggdrasil, a flower opening to receive the sun (SOWILO is the next rune in the futhark after all,) the antlers of the elk, the Valkyrie and her wings, or the invoker stance common to many of the world’s priests and shamans. In a very contemporary context, the symbol could be powerfully equated to a satellite dish reaching toward the heavens and communicating with the gods and other entities throughout this and other worlds. I find this metaphor particularly useful, due to my embrace of technology, but if it doesn’t work for you, use the older interpretations.
Aligning with the Divine Plan
As a part of the second Aett, whose inimical nature is primary to the interpretations of the symbols, Algiz represents the divine plan as set apart from individual affairs, even in spite of human concerns entirely. Understanding the divine plan is ultimately beyond us while we live as human beings, save that it is for the greater good.
Algiz requires faith to work with. Like DAGAZ, it can be seen as the continual unfoldment of universal intelligence, particularly consciousness in all its forms. This puts the denizens of Midgard in a central role.
Activating the Higher Self
When Odin sacrifices himself to Himself to receive the runes, it can be interpreted that Odin was setting an example for us: to sacrifice the things that make us small or petty, to give up our fetters, addictions and vice to seek something much greater within ourselves. Algiz lifts us away from the limiting egocentricity which comes part and parcel with ISA‘s rune vibrations.
Alignment with the divine plan activates our Higher Self, pushes us from within toward the self-actualization of MANNAZ. In doing so, Odin invites us to seek godhood, just as he once did, and give ourselves over the the pursuit of wisdom, higher awareness and service to the heavens.
In exchange for such a sacrifice (which you may eventually see as no ‘real’ sacrifice at all as you explore TIWAZ and GEBO), a number of specific magical and psychological benefits are bestowed upon us.
Protection
The first of these is protection, as is to be expected because of the rune’s esoteric meaning. Alignment with the divine makes a person sacred — set apart from the mundane and therefor blessed by divine protection. The courageous garner favor with the gods. This can be in the form of increased luck, stronger Hamingja, and this protection is renewed by passing certain ‘tests’ of one’s courage and honor, often administered by Odin in one of his various forms.
Communication with Divine Entities
The second is the ability to communicate with gods and entities of the Higher Realms, particularly Heimdall and the Valkyries, who are the guardians of Valhalla and watch over their favored warriors. The symbol, reversed, might be used to access the realm of the dead, giants, and the unconscious. Tread carefully!
The Protective Teaching Force
Thirdly, Algiz is a channel for the protective teaching force, that power which great teachers and mentors transfer to students or seekers, a relationship also touching on KENAZ. Its intensity ranges from divine guidance to sitting in a classroom during a lecture from a favorite teacher, but it is the same energy, and can manifest in countless ways.
Teachers and mentors come in many forms and often test our humility and our readiness, requiring our attention, our service and our unique ability to think for ourselves and integrate knowledge into the mix of our own associations and life experience.
Beware the so-called ‘guru’ who acts in order to convert you to his views, opinions and thoughts. How to think, and why to think for yourself, should always be more important than what to think. Avoid accepting as mentors those who do not truly wish to assist in awakening you to your own, unique powers — they’d rather an ornament to their own ego.
Facing Fear with Courage
Finally, Algiz is the rune of Fear, and the proper use of fear.
Where PERTHRO represents the unknown, ALGIZ represents the courage we must exercise in order to face our fear of the unknown. Algiz gives us the counter-phobic urge to move toward our fears and conquer them rather than be ruled by them.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the will to right action in spite of it. It is important to move toward fear rather than avoid it, because it is in the dark areas obscured by your fears that you can truly grow and learn to live fully.
Wisdom and courage are the two things you can take to the very doors of death, and up into Valhalla, accumulating Hamingja which will carry on into your next life. Therefor, they are both divine pursuits and invaluable qualities.
Important Psychiatric Warning on the Dangers of Algiz
The divine power of Algiz is intoxicating and dangerous to the untrained.
Communication with other worlds can be intense and hazardous to the unprepared, resulting in psychiatric conditions like mania or schizophrenia — in other times such patience may have been shamen, sorcerers or oracles, but our culture has largely lost the knowledge and methods by which a person is prepared for these roles.
If you are experiencing an overload of Algiz, you may be hearing voices, feeling paranoid and ‘receiving’ new ideas and awareness that is not normal for you. You may feel invulnerable or filled with energy. Some of these experiences are quite authentic. However, it is extremely important that you are able to cope with the necessities of your life and care for yourself in the mundane world!
If you cannot eat or sleep, and are experiencing symptoms of psychosis, or uncontrollable emotional outbursts, seek help from a psychiatric expert. They are here to help you. I speak from experience, and I promise that coping with your powers and attaining self-mastery are much more essential to the right path.
It is much more powerful and courageous to find a stable center within yourself, be in control of your emotions and mind, and be able to eat, sleep and speak clearly in a way others can understand, even relate to. If you need the help of medication while you learn to cope, it may sting your pride at first, but in the long run, it will help!
If you cannot cope with the day to day mundane aspects of your life, you cannot cope with the divine — their seeming duality is an illusion! At the level of the Higher Self, they are one and the same. You will find this paradox at the root of the DAGAZ rune meaning.
Good luck, and be wary.
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First of all, I apologise for my name; I’ve used it as an Internet persona for some time and I’m just used to it. I might not recognise myself as the poster otherwise, heh.
Second, I wish to ask about that last bit. You said that
‘If you are experiencing an overload of Algiz, you may be hearing voices, feeling paranoid and ‘receiving’ new ideas and awareness that is not normal for you.’
I have never used Algiz (unless you count the time I was a child and, having read a book, drew the rune repeatedly on a piece of paper) and yet consistantly ‘receive’ new ideas and have- I’m not trying to boast- higher than normal perception of reality. This doesn’t usually come out until I converse with someone about something with ‘magical’ origin, and then something just ‘clicks’ into place and I know- or at least think I know- what’s going on., or how it works. Is this normal? Or well, perhaps I should be asking, what’s happening? Is this something should be worried about?
While I’m at it, I may as well ask: How would you say runes affect things? As in, how would a symbol, a representation of an image, have an effect on reality? I have my own opinions, but I’d like to hear yours as well. (I apologise if you’ve already covered this somewhere else; I may have missed it.)
And yes, I am a beginner to magic. Somewhat.
Thanks in advance.
Welcome to Rune Secrets! No need to apologize about the name you use, of course. Do you spell it Thursaz usually, or is it Thurisaz for you, with an ‘i’?
I’ll try to answer what I can, and you can judge whether it makes sense or not…
The energies, vibrations and forces that the runes represent are real whether or not we give them symbols. The runes are just one system to label and explore universal forces. Some of us have greater experiences with certain of those forces.
For instance, a person growing up in abject poverty will experience great need (NAUTHIZ) and if they are to overcome that aspect of their lot in life, they will have to master Nauthiz, that is, master their need. Then, a factor in their lives they were at the mercy of may indeed become a strength or power.
It’s the same with Algiz, in your case. When you are in the proper situation, certain energies within you become active. They are part of your Wyrd, your ability to shape fate, but also the factors that shape you. To have such blatant magical potential is not ‘normal’ per se, but it is not as uncommon as one might think. A lot of us are simply conditioned to ignore it or not believe that it’s possible.
I wouldn’t be worried about it unless it is causing you trouble in your life. My warning was geared toward very serious psychological cases that require professional help.
In answer to your second set of questions, I think I’d say that it’s not the runes themselves that effect things, but our mind: in the form of intentions and beliefs… which in turn shape our behavior and actions to create something material. Our minds are very powerful, and far more of what is going on is unconscious than conscious.
The symbols act to focus our minds, develop our awareness, explore intellectually and refine the questions we ask ourselves during introspection. So it’s not the symbol directly — but symbols are an inextricable part of such a process.
Thanks for commenting, and don’t hesitate to do so again, even if the answer is somewhere else on the site. I need as much excuse to write as I can get ;)
Thursaz:
I have been wanting to post comments on Algiz but not had time – briefly to you – I think the key is in what is ‘normal’ to you. Tyriel was speaking of the risk of the receivng of ideas and insights getting out of control. I think of it as forgetting to pull the antenna back in to prevent overload! Upright Algiz is like a receiver reaching into the multiverse. Tyriel provided only a comment on a negative aspect of Algiz reversed. However, I find it more often is an indication of a need to ensure strong healthy roots – grounding – before we invite too many magical experiences. So, Algiz also represents both the roots and branches of the Yggsdrasil. When I get a chance I’ll write a bit more and expand on some of my thoughts about Algiz.
I love to see people commenting. It’s so important to share thoughts for reflection. Like for example – What is ‘reality’ anyway? What magic does is bend strands of Wyrd – gotta respond to Tyirel on Pertho too ;-) …
I spell it as Thursaz- It’s the first rune I read about, and that was how it was spelt in the book (which was fiction, but’s what got me interested in runes, so yeah.)
Thank you for answering my questions. So, runes are essentially the ‘language’ of the universe? (So to speak.) Or, otherwise, a tool to focus your thoughts into something that the universe can conceive (That’s the best way I can think of putting it, I’m never good at putting thoughts to words.)
Mahryan-
Thanks for answering. Grounding is important- Even as a beginner I realise that it’s all too easy to get carried away, even in normal things.
Reality, I think, is whatever you perceive it to be. There’s no fixed, solid ‘reality’- everyone sees and treats it in a different way, so even if there were, no one would be able to put an accurate name to it. How you treat reality will really affect your life…
Anyway, thanks guys- It’s good to know I’m not insane. =P (Or at least not totally insane. Heh.)
Tyriel,
Thank you for visiting my site, and your kind comments. I’m enjoying your site as well, and your insights. I agree with you about the concept of “reality”, too…unfixed, unsolid…the Whole is everychanging. Peace to you!
Here’s a link to my Rune Chart that you commented on:
http://www.cafepress.com/eclecticdawn/6323962
Algiz has always been a way for me to acess or speed up my vibration which seems to be the key to align one self to a particular version of reality. Let me explain, as beings of energy we at all times vibrate at certain frequencies. There are frequencies That you maintain that allows you to interact with others of the same frequency. Therefore you attract beings just likeyou so you have to be keenly aware of your thoughts and emotions because if your activity is selfish you will atract beings and energy that want to exploit and use you for their own selfish aims. In contrast if your activity both inner and outer are of an inclusive nature and aimed at the evolution of awareness for all creatures you will attract people, beings and situations into your life that will help teach you the vital lessons needed to evolve on this path.
Quieting the mind is vital to understanding energy vibration. At the end of a physical day when the body and mind are at rest you can fell and even hear Your vibrations (usually I hear them on the left ear or side of my body) which sound like a soft hissing or slight static like sound that changes in pitch ever so often. It is a very rythmic and also seems to be rather rather random and sporatic. Sometimes the change in pich is very suddle, and other times it feels like someone rang a large bell over your head. By meditation on the algiz energy you can become more conscious of vibes the you emit and recieve which is vital in the process of self mastery/awareness. When you become able to feel and hear your vibes at will it is then possible to increase this energic vibration by visualizing this rune extending out from the top of your head and spinning like a giant funnel extending into the cosmos, the faster it spins the more energy you can feel pulsing through you. And the more energy you are capable of handeling the more effective you will be at shaping the version of reality that you wish to acquire. The possibilites are endless!!!
Meditating or visualizing the symbols can be a powerful method for exploring. I’ve had interesting experiences myself! Thanks for sharing, Blu’ … I hope you enjoy the site and visit frequently :)
Can somebody help me with this worry? Over a year ago I damaged my while working at home, I carried the injury for six months until I had to get treatment(operation) anyway three months after the treatment it was not getting any better, then I was cutting a piece of wood in my workshop (Table saw) and in a split second cut off the tops of two of my fingers,as you can imagine I suffered some trauma! I have always been drawn to Phsyic side, when I was young I got hooked on the Ouija board using it on my own until I got a fright and dropped it, then in my later teens we held a seyonce in a graveyard in which on of my friends seemed to have been posessed momentarily in which he became obsessed with the bible, I stopped this practice also as it scared me. I have experienced other things since then, not by my own doing, it just seems to always close to me. So after my last year of finiancial and Painful isolation I found a book (The Great Book of Spells) which I found helpful I found a flow of energy inside me like I could cure things with a touch. I wanted to find out more about this energy so when surfing the net iI read a letter a chap wrote about feeling this energy and when he was in the shower he seen a portal open through his eyelids and felt such a wonderful feeling surge everything was black except when he looked down at his feet he could see his aura. Later he went to his room and laydown on his bed closed his eyelids and saw an angel with wings of aura, he asked his name and he said Ariol, any way I tried this in bed the other night and a large angel with an angry face through 2 stones at me one hit me on the chest and it hurt, then I noticed it had a symbol on it Algiz I had never seen it before so I researched and found this site I dont know which way up it was but it was this rune. I now find my energy is gone and I cant sleep it’s always on my mind. Can anyone help! to me this is serious!
Eric, why not take the symbol the angel threw at you and meditate on it? Do you know how to meditate? I bet you could look up a good method of meditation online if you need to. Otherwise, when I have a worry or question I find it useful to “go inside myself” and listen or look for an answer via meditation.
Thanks for your recent comments Hel. I’m really glad to have you around. What do you think of this makeshift comment-orienteded community? We’ve had more comments in the last month (and more emails) than ever before. Site statistics are booming. I really mean to write more… but even now, I’m working on the first Act of a script due for tomorrow, so it’s been difficult to keep up.
With helpful visitors though, it keeps the site living and fresh, so thank you Hel, and thank you everyone who has recently shown up with questions and prompted some of us to write answers :)
I promise to do another Rune Meaning Analysis soon. ;)
Hello Tyriel. I love this “makeshift comment-oriented community.” I mentioned it to a local friend today.
I enjoy an internet community with a reasonable membership. Some groups gain too many members and it becomes impossible for me to keep up with all the communication.
However, even if this community skyrocked in commenting members it would detract little from the very powerful articles above, in which I find of great value.
Speaking of which, I have recently been tasked with carving runes (sets and the individual runes) for the local crystal shop. Along with the runes I am to write a short description for each of their meanings. I wonder if I could have permission to put at the bottom of the short rune descriptions something like “visit runesecrets.com for more detailed runic meaning”. If you are the site creator do you give me permission?
@Hel:
If you check at the very bottom of the page you’ll see that I use a Creative Commons (CC) License. You may not use my work to make money from it, so I’m glad you asked. But, you’re not making money from my work, you’re actually offering to promote it.
Anything on this site is in the Creative Commons domain, so long as you attribute it. I think simply dropping the URL as you suggested will be fine, and I’ll be happy to have the new traffic.
If you feel up to writing for the site, ie. a full article, especially centered around helping beginners, I know that this site is lacking in that a little. The audience I tend to write for is already fairly familiar with the runes, though I like to believe even my in-depth analysis like the article above are still accessible enough for beginners.
How many sets do you carve? If you’d like to eventually sell them online, perhaps we can work something out.
Tyriel.
Interesting ideas. I have had knowledge of runes for about 8 years, but only in the last month have I committed myself to knowing them as fully as I possibly can. Still I feel I could write a helpful article for those curious about runes and their possible uses. I shall submit one to you.
i actually choose not to recieve money in exchange for the runes I’m carving. I have a unique relationship with the crystal shop owner and she offered to trade with me if I perfer. And since a home full of crystals sounds delightful to me, I’m going with that option.
She wants me to carve two full sets and three copies of each individual rune.
I see this as an introduction to runes for most people of this area.
To carve a set takes very little time. Some crystals are very hard and difficult to cut through, but fortunately the symbols are very simple, straight lines. If you like I’ll mail you a set as my thanks for the work you do on this site. You can email me an address if you like.
Sincerely.
Algiz planted into the ground with “roots” being nourished by Mother Earth and it’s “stem” of potential shooting upwards as a “Prayer –is not seen as reverse position for me,but rather it is an answer to Eihwaz in it’s meaning of Birth-Death-and Rebirth!! I see Algiz hanging itself upside down like Odin for this Great Universal Sacrifice for “New Life”.Could so-called reversals of runes have larger,more Universal messages when shaping one’s Wyrd? Sincerely, Munsey
I have a similar view of Algiz reversed (as does Freyer Aswynn). And absolutely I think the runes in any positon carry universal messages and meanings! Thanks for raising that – I should have made that clear in my article. It is a universal law that positive and negative must exist together.
I think each rune carries many layers of meaning. Which are applicable will depend on the context. I find that more than just one level of meaning can be appicable to a situaton.
I do think that Algiz reversed could be, in some circumstances, signalling a warning of an unprotected state. But, most often to me I see the branch-root aspects of a tree – of life. We must have our roots well down before we reach for the stars! So in most everyday readings, Algiz reversed will tend to signal a need for more preperation – a need for a stronger foundation for whatever our goal is.
Yes! thanks Mahryan for the light—a stronger foundation or as you mention feeding the roots,helping them to attach securely in any new Vision! I drew a symbol for myself, that reflects this. I will draw it out and wear as Totem. Othala with Tyr inside,from Tyr’s arrowhead drew an Evergreen tree using Tyr’s shaft as the trunk. Used Othala’s 2 “legs as 2 roots just extended Tyr”s Trunk to be a middle root,too–and there was Algiz!!!!!!His/Hers prayer arms as roots into Mother Earth—-Her Trunk reaching to Father Sky,which in my Spirituality reflects the Harmony/Peace of Mother/FatherNature. this drawing of symbols helps in my meditations and in envisioning or “Shape shifting” my Wyrd.The Autumn months on The Medicine Wheel for exactly what your instructing—Introspection-going into the “Twilight” space between the seen and the unseen worlds.Good time for prep work before the winter months of Renewal and of course for all New Beginnings in the Spring.So as the Bear to the Cave i go. Thanks, Munsey
I really enjoy exploring the links between the roots of of spiritual ( not religious) traditions as you do here Munsey. I beleive it is importnat for us to do this. Thank you for sharing!
Thank You,too-Mahryan.Sincerely,Munsey
Hi,
I have a question that is quite difficult to describe in words, but here it is… I recently had a dream where a woman showed me a card, like a Tatot card, but not in a deck I have ever seen before; it was quite bigger than normal Tarot cards, more like Osho Zen deck. Well, this card had a cristal ball inside in its canter and this ball contained all colors of a rainbow, but the canter was completely cristal blue. The colors were like glowing to the outside of the ball, creating light and shinning in a very brilliant way. On the right top corner of the card there was a hexagon, like a hexagonal gold rune, it seemed, in fact, made of gold, spreading six rays from the corners of the hexagon. The image inside this hexagon was exactly like algiz, but it was like algiz up and down. Say, the three lines in the upright position of the image were repeated down… Could any of you cn analyze this? Plus, the woman said tome “you shall beleive in your inner wisdom for it is always right and guides you though your life and evolution”
Ps. I work with Tarot since I was seven. I started using I chin at 21 and around three years ago I became interested in runes, but I’m still way ahead from knowning how to look at this dream I had.
Many thanks and all blessings be with you <3
Hi Maureen, thanks for visiting Rune Secrets.
I don’t know that much about tarot, but the symbol you described, Algiz upright connected to Algiz downturned is often used to symbolically represent the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The rainbow may represent the rainbow bridge that connects our world to Asgaard, which is the Norse ‘heaven’.
What the woman said in your dream is a typical attitude of runesters, and hearing that inner voice and that wisdom more clearly is our main ambition here.
Hi Maureen.
Let me ask you something. Which shape of the below describes best what you saw?
\|/
|
/|\
\|/
/|\
Didn’t appear quite well.
Please on the first one imagine the “connective” middle part a little to the right.
Hi Tyrel and Vanr,
Well, what you say turns to have a lot of sense; I didn’t think about it that way since I don’t know much about the history of nordic myths. Yet, the image is just like a tree with its roots!!! Thank you for this answer…. Would it mean I should study more of the runes and their meanings and history? It surely means I have a strong inner voice… sometimes I doubt it…
Vanr, it would be the first image, as you say, with the center line in the center… like I said here, the tree with its roots.
You’re most welcome to study more of the runes and their meanings and history. I hope Rune Secrets can be of use to you… there’ll be a lot of activity here over the summer, as I contribute more about each rune and associated ideas, guests comment and post, and I work on completing a book about the runes and a rune-themed music album. It does seem like those images correspond with some of the most potent symbols of norse mythology.
Maureen:
About trusting your inner voice and sometimes having doubts – I saw a Chinese Proverb the other day that said:
“To be uncertain is uncomfortable;
To be completely certain is to be a fool”
I really liked it because I think that while we do have to trust our inner voice – and especially messages in dreams such as yours – We also need to reflect on and question our understandings and beliefs as well.
This page had a great link to a site with Yaggdrasil (The World Tree) but sadly the link is gone. I have looked but cannot find anything as good. But later on I will take another look and post a link here to something that is reasonably decent on the world tree.
I also believe that the core values incorporated into varius ancient traditions and tools ( like the Runes, I Ching, Tarot and Astrology) have much in common. Today, most of us have mixed heritage, meaning we are likely to be drawn to more than one tradition and may evolve blends of understanding and spiritual pathways.
Tyrel, thank you so much for giving me another way to look at this. I have been comming to this site for about a year now and I certainly like it very much. I have some literature on Runes, but haven’t gone over it completely… Recently, I have been trying to get my own memories on the Runes, remembering their names and inner meanings, so that way I can begin to read more and putting all the pieces into place, stories and further myths.
In fact, last Thursday I made a little list and drawing of them, as a practice, and I noticed I forgot Nauthiz, Perth and Laguz… maybe that’s another message… and Ken comes to be repeating over and over in my mind… as long as Algiz in this dream. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Mahryan, that’s a nice and wise proverb for it is certainly uncomfortable to doubt, yet so fooloish to believe as from a snobbish point of view. The thing is sometimes things hit you over the head like saying “hey, you stupid girl! You must beleive!” LOL… experiences you know. I will look in my books and see what I find while I wait to see if there’s something good on the net.
Now, I can say, my name has so much more meaning to me today, my roots and all the wisdom in Nordse ancient oracles have come to unfold…
May all blessing be with you and thank you once more.
In case it was the second image, one could consider it as the alternative-posterior form of Hagalaz.
I have dealt somehow with Tarot and Zen and I found a lot of common thoughts. Maureen, sharing your previous experience with us would be great.
Well Vanr, as Tyrel said in a Facebook message, thanks to Odin there was a problem posting my last comment; I will try to get it posted again…… See More
I think this is not the right place to start a chat on Astrology and Tarot, so you can send me a private message through my blogs. I have one in Spanish and one poems page in English where you can find a link to my e-mail address.
http://lacocteleradeandy.blogspot.com
http://maureenaddisonsmith.blogspot.com
Hugs
Hello,
I have a question that’s perhaps a bit off-topic, but hopefully someone will be able to point me in the right direction.
I found your site by doing a search for ["white elk" symbol], because I recently had a dream which totally blew me away. Short version: A herd of what looked like white horses with deer horns appeared in my backyard. The “king stag” (as I identified him in my dream) had two sets of antlers, two horns wide-set and branching, with a second pair, more closely-set, in between the first pair.
There was nothing overtly mystical or impressive about the dream itself – no angels or spirit voices, as some other commentors mention – yet when I awoke I was still astonished and nearly speechless with wonder at it. I couldn’t quite find the right words to describe it to my son (who’d awakened me), and as I tried to describe the horns one what, in the dream, I knew to be the “king stag,” my son (whose father is a sometime hunter) said, “Well, if you’re calling it a stag, it must be an elk. Deer are bucks.”
Still fascinated by the dream, I came to google and searched for “white elk.” I found to my surprise that, although I could not previously have described elk in any more detail than “like deer, but bigger maybe,” I had in fact dreamed up a perfect representation of elk, down to the shapes of the ears. (I also found out that male elk are more commonly called bulls, but had my son not thought that “stag” indicated “elk,” I’d probably still be googling for “deer that looks sort of like horse” and similar!)
When I added “symbol” to the search, hoping to find a dream dictionary type site, I found your site – and imagine my surprise when I saw the Algiz rune – a near-exact rendering of how I’d tried to describe the double sets of horns to my son! (I’d held up my first two fingers in a wide V shape, but then realized that I couldn’t fit two more fingers in the space between, so held up a single finger in the middle to represent the second set of horns.)
Now, I dream a lot, but while most of my dreams are just random every-day dreams, some of them have a particular… “flavor” to them. These are the ones that are most likely to be precognitive or to provide me with a much-needed insight when I figure them out. (For instance, I once dreamed that a man I was dating gave me a curiously shaped bracelet. It had the “flavor” of importance to it, so I tried to describe the bracelet to a friend, and finally tried to draw it. She showed the drawing to another friend, who said it looked remarkably like an ideogram for “poison.” I shrugged the dream off, and a few weeks later learned, to my sorrow, exactly how “poisonous” the man in question really was.)
This dream, though very uneventful and simplistic in and of itself, still feels really, REALLY important to me. But I’m not having much luck in finding any information on “white elk.” I’ve found several sites that mention, in passing, that white elk have (or had) spiritual or symbolic significance, but can find no sources or detailed information on that. Do you, or any of your readers, happen to know of any resources where I can learn more about the symbolism of white elk (in any tradition)?
Thanking you in advance,
–e
What a wonderful dream! When I read it, I immediately thought of the North American Indian Medicine Cards I have a set of. I knew the Elk was one of these. I tried searching on the Internet for a link, but couldn’t find anything for you. I did discover that Elk’s of various colours seem to have mythological and spiritual importance among these peoples.
Anyway, there are some similarities between the basic meanings of Algiz and the Elk Medicine card ) did you also read the basic description for Algiz?). Both are concerned with strength – the kind that comes from preparedness – ‘stamina is the key word for Elk medicine. The rhyme for this spirit card is, “Elk … your antlers reach for the sun. Show that strength and stamina are one.”
The discussion of the Elk symbol suggests several questions you might want to consider in relation to your dream:
– Are you over-extending your energies in someway and need to better pace yourself?
– Do you need to more generally build your physical or mental stamina?
– Are you overlooking a potential mate who is there waiting for you? Or if in a relationship, do you need to change the pace?
- Conversely, are you neglecting members of your own sisterhood – family or kin for a false friend (friendship wit your own sex is especially indicated as the Elk keeps to its own sex except in mating season)?
I hope this maybe helps a bit. I thought your dream was very powerful.
I have a Question about Algiz. I bear the mark on my forehead not by choice but by birth. The veins in my forehead which carry my blood (blood being associated with the soul) are shaped in the form of Algiz. My name “Andre” means Man or Courage, My middle Name “Alexander” Means protector, My last name “Ward” means Gaurdian, and my second last name means Young… maybe a co-relation to Kon the Young (Konr Ungr). Another interesting point is my birthdate October. 15 1988, From what I have read Algiz is an Air sign, and the month of october is also associated with Air… and the runic number of Algiz is 15. none of this was thought of by my parents who named me.. I grew up fostered like Heimdal if that also rings a few bells. I would love to hear any interpretations of this oddity…
Andre, I linked to your comment, looking for others who may have the same mark. I also have the Algiz symbol on my forehead. Faintly, Halagaz on the back of my hands. I have yet to do more research, but am eagerly finding info, like this page which clearly resonates with my path. I am Christian in faith, but yet now I am wondering if this has any connection with the “mark of God” and what this could mean if there is a connection between runes and this. References are Ezekiel 9:4-6, Revelation 7:3, Revelation 9:4, Revelation 14:1, Revelation 22:4, to name a few. Others in the prophetic books. Who knows, my other interest is whether there is any connection with these and the Nordic type of extraterrestrials, who have tall human structure, not often mentioned.
On a side note, Hugo Weaving is another which questionably has the same mark (can wildly see it in the matrix series), and possibly David Wilcock (can see in the tangent at last part of 2012 Enigma movie, mildly again). Then again these guys have strong large foreheads like me. So I’m trying to link together the people which do have Algiz on their forehead, and how common it is, what it could mean.
Thank you for your thoughts Wesley, what you said makes a lot of sense to me. I have done a lot of research on extraterrestrials and theology, so nothing you said was a foreign idea. Remembering the “mark of god” puts me at ease in a way because there is also the “mark of the beast.” Speaking of which I wonder that if there was a connection between algiz and revelations maybe the “mark of the beast” is algiz upside down indicating disconnection from the gods and a connection to the lower realms… Now im more of a Pagan then monotheist the but I am also open to the Idea of god and Christianity. Add me on facebook or myspace so we can continue this conversation and exchange ideas on the subject. http://www.myspace.com/timechild88
“…maybe the “mark of the beast” is algiz upside down indicating disconnection from the gods …”
Some notes to consider.
“Upside down” Algiz is Yr in Younger Futhark which is connected by some people to Elder Futhark’s Eihwaz.
If I remember right, on graves, Algiz was for the birthdate and Yr for the deathdate.
hi, i have Algiz shaped in the main vain on my hand. since i was a child if i got upset or scared i would rub the rune without thinking . it was’t until i was a teen that i read about runes after dreaming about them . in the dream they were all over my body lol glad thats not the case !!! but i find grate comfort in my own little Algiz rune even though i sometimes have to push the vain so i can slow my mind down . i really like this web site and look forward to reading more post on my fave rune x
After just coming into contact with the rune Algiz at the beggining of the year, I felt a strange presence. It felt negative (Though it really felt like that because it was too much and I was not ready), from the small amount of information I read about Algiz, I thought it meant protection, so I tried protecting myself with it, only to have the forein entity increase in precence. It was too much fear for me to handle, due to lack of courage at that early stage of development. I ended up envoloped in fear and paranoia, (That feeling you get when you feel like somethings following you, and you feel helpless. You just want to run from the unkowen. I know now that it was my own fear of the foreign energy that caused such a negative effect. Algiz teaches in a moving way that courage is essential in ‘seeing’ what is really there, instead of instinctively fearing it which craetes negativity and misconception. By no means should this deter the novice from Algiz, I just want to express that you should fill your heart with courage when invoking Algiz, and know that the energies both Protect you, and push you forward, granting the wonderful gift of enlightened communication with entities.
Heath! Thank you for making this observation.
I quickly found that when coming into contact with the supernatural that fear skewed the perception. Some aspects of fear are useful: it heightens awareness. But at a certain point one must reign it in and bring courage to the fore so that what is can be seen clearly and confronted. The _instinct_ of fear has to be overcome. When we begin to talk about murk staves, I would very readily say that reversed Algiz = fear. I’d like to congratulate you on working through this and bringing your finding to my website :)
-Tyriel
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
And I’d like to congratulate you on creating a website for me to post it on :) Information on the runes should be shared, as they once where. This website grants us a place to share and learn from each others experiences. An Invaluable resource, many thanks and blessings to you Tyriel.
I feel as if the runes chose me and especially the symbol of algiz I dropped my phone something I have done before but the odd thing about it was the last time I did the screen of my phone cracked slightly at first I was upset but then I noticed that the way that it cracked made the shape of algiz perfectly I found it interesting. I had seen the symbol before once or twice but when I saw it now etched on my phone I have decided that it seems as though I was bieng told something. As of lately I have been going back to spirituality that is more open. I tried a more conventional way of spirituality but I still felt things in a different way and I was told within the church that I used to attend that I was cursed and that basically what I felt or was sensitive to was evil I know this was not true so I left. but anyway this rune chose me and I am begining to understand why now
That is interesting ! share your experience with us of runes :) Antony Thorsons weather system : exsample August 7 start of autumn was from 26th august 2011 ? in fact ?
The Eolh-sedge is mostly to be found in a marsh;
it grows in the water and makes a ghastly wound,
covering with blood every warrior who touches it.
12 Sep 09:27 20 Sep 13:39
150° August 23 dwell in heat.
Peorth is a source of recreation and amusement to the great,
where warriors sit blithely together in the banqueting-hall.
11herb harvest fog =
1098 27 Sep 11:09 4 Oct 03:15
165° September 8 white dew condensed moisture makes dew white; a sign of autumn = actualy 27th sep 2011
The yew is a tree with rough bark,
hard and fast in the earth, supported by its roots,
a guardian of flame and a joy upon an estate.
12 Oct 02:06 20 Oct 03:30
180° September 23 autumnal equinox
Summer is a joy to men, when God, the holy King of Heaven,
suffers the earth to bring forth shining fruits
for rich and poor alike.
26 Oct 19:56 2 Nov 16:38
12 befor yule frost /wolf holy
195° October 8 cold dew dew starts turning into frost
Ice is very cold and immeasurably slippery;
it glistens as clear as glass and most like to gems;
it is a floor wrought by the frost, fair to look upon.
10 Nov 20:16 18 Nov 15:09
210° October 23 descent of frost appearance of frost and descent of temperature
(Constraint gives scant choice;
a naked man is chilled by the frost.)
November 7 start of winter stillness of church vatsu wind
Hail is the whitest of grain;
it is whirled from the vault of heaven
and is tossed about by gusts of wind
and then it melts into water
10 Dec 14:36 18 Dec 00:48 not november 22
240° November 22 snow starts falling ? will be interested to see if it is true !
Today I had a dream one that i was reading a magazine on the paranormal. And i was flipping through the pages and their was an article on fate rings and the ring had this symbol of Algiz. When I woke up I researched it online and I came here. oh and the ring was made of silver and it was upright. but the dream had a blue haze to it as i was seeing the symbol.