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Questioning the Runes: Confronting Our Hidden Stories!
Kaedrich Olson is the author of a popular new book entitled ‘Runes for Transformation: Using Ancient Symbols to Change Your Life
Below is his first guest post with us, a Rune Secrets exclusive!
Ansuz is the rune representing wisdom, knowledge, and communication. All in all, it is the rune of the transmission and reception of information. Information that is understandable and usable.
In the Eddic poem, Rigsthula, Heimdall, one of the wisest of all the gods, came to Earth (Midgard) disguised as a man named Rig. He then traveled to three homes and stayed nine nights in each home. During the course of those nights, he taught each family new things in ways they best understood. After his visit, each home begot children that advanced upon what the parents were able to provide.
The final house Rig visited produced a child of exceptional nature named Konunger. This child, when grown became was ready to learn runic information and the mysteries. That is when Rig returned to Midgard to teach Konunger about runes and other mystical wisdom.
In addition to being the progenitor of educated mankind, Heimdall is also called the guardian of Asgard. He watches the great gate standing at the portal of Asgard, known as the Valgrind. To do his job, Heimdall has incredible perception: great hearing and sight. From this position he is able to determine who is worthy to venture into Asgard. Since he brought mankind great teachings, it is this wisdom that is the key to gaining passage.
Also relevant in this discussion is the rune, Othala. It is a rune of ancestry, inheritance and legacies. We see its effects upon the new generations that benefited from the teachings of Rig. That which he taught to the families he stayed with, they passed on to their children who exceeded in talents, skills, and greatness beyond their parents’ statuses. In our world, we all can benefit from our own Heimdalls in human form.
Many of those who came before us studied great things. They toiled and pondered great mysteries that have been passed on to us in their writings, teachings, and great works. Their great works are the things that we contemplate to try to gain a deeper understanding of all the things in the world around us.
This passage of information through the ages is like a bind rune of Ansuz and Othala – an inheritance of knowledge and understanding.
Because of these great things they left behind we do not have to redo the work they already did. To access their gifts we simply engage our own Ansuz in the real world. That is we study, learn, and understand the result of their efforts in order to gain the benefits they have already wrought.
In the Norse tradition, we honor the notion that a gift demands a gift. As gratitude to the ancients for the gifts they have bestowed upon us we offer them sacrifice. Sometimes this sacrifice takes the form of stories or songs remembering great deeds. Sometimes these sacrifices take the form of mead, food and blot (a Norse ceremony) offering energy and memories to the ancients.
Remember, sacrifice means “to make sacred” not “to dispose of”. The greatest sacrifice we can offer is the sacrifice of the self to the self. This means that you are to make your life sacred. To honor the ancestors, give to yourself only the best of the things they have to offer. Take that which brings you pleasure and find joy in its use. Share your joys with all that are around you and let them see your joy; let them know of your growth. More so, let them share in your joy. Then work to add to that joy and pass it on to those that will come after you.
All of the things the ancestors gave to us are ours to use. If we do not use these things or we choose to make them for ourselves, then we may be dishonoring the ancients.
Life is meant to be a joy. Our lives are meant to be at peace and filled with wonderment. The toil and work of the ancestors, little by little granted us greater ability to gain our joys. Just as the work we do today adds to the joys and wonderment of those that are to come after us. As we engage in greatness, we build upon the lives of all those around us, and for future generations. The best way, to honor our ancestry is to become as great as possible, to shun shyness, to live life liberally, and to grant liberty to all others to do as they please with their gifts. As we grow in our greatness, we give permission to others to do the same.
For us to desire and gain pleasure and happiness is the greatest sacrifice we can make to honor the ancestors, the gods, and all of mankind to come. Be free, enjoy all that is around you, and add to it so that it may grow even more wonderful. This is the desire of the ancients, for us, now. This is what they yearn for you to do, in your life, today! Meekness and mildness are the roads of dishonor. They breed only contempt and desolation. There is honor in greatness, joy, sharing of wonderment, and giving all of these things to yourself, so that all may share in your exuberance.
This is the lesson of the bind rune of ANSUZ and OTHALA. Give to yourself the greatness that has been won by those that came before us. It honors them, it honors you and it honors the future generations. If we toil in the work of the past and refuse to grow from what the elders have gained for us, we dishonor all and we make no gains. That which can be gained exists with the specific intention for us to gain it. Grasp it and hold on to it tightly. Only let it go only to those, in the future, who are willing to take the best from it. Learn, grow, and share.
Kaedrich Olsen has studied the runes and Northern mysteries for over 20 years. He also studied spiritually based hypnotherapy and Shamanism in order to become a transpersonal hypnotherapist. Within this practice, he applies runic wisdom to develop powerful techniques his clients use to transform their lives. Kaedrich lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and two daughters, where he is an accomplished leader in the Nordic spiritual community.
He is the author of a practical and contemporary workbook entitled ‘Runes for Transformation: Using Ancient Symbols to Change Your Life
Kaedrich has an online presence and can been reached at his WordPress blog ‘Among the Runes’ or on MySpace!