🫔 Elder Futhark Rune Divination Guide

🔹 Introduction to the Elder Futhark

The Elder Futhark is the oldest form of the runic alphabets, comprising 24 runes, used from the 2nd to 8th centuries CE. In modern times, these symbols are used for divination, meditation, and spiritual guidance. This guide explores each rune's symbolism, associations, reversed meanings, and how to interpret them in spreads.

Rune-by-Rune Meanings (Click to Expand)

ᚠ Fehu (F)

ᚠ Fehu — Prosperity, New Beginnings
Date Range: June 29 – July 14
Fehu represents movable wealth, life force, and fresh potential. It’s about what you have and how you use it — energy, money, creativity, or opportunity.
Upright: Success, abundance, initiative
Reversed: Loss, frustration, stagnation

ᚢ Uruz (U)

ᚢ Uruz — Strength, Vitality
Date Range: July 14 – July 29
Uruz is the wild force of physical power and inner resilience. It brings bold opportunities for action or recovery and signals readiness to step forward.
Upright: Strength, endurance, opportunity
Reversed: Weakness, burnout, missed chance

ᚦ Thurisaz (Th)

ᚦ Thurisaz — Protection, Breakthrough
Date Range: July 29 – August 13
Thurisaz is the rune of defense and dynamic transformation. It reminds us to slow down, choose wisely, and act with intention.
Upright: Protection, decisive force, gateway
Reversed: Impulsiveness, blocked path, warning

ᚨ Ansuz (A)

ᚨ Ansuz — Insight, Communication
Date Range: August 13 – August 29
Ansuz carries divine inspiration, clarity in speech, and wisdom passed from source to seeker. It often appears before moments of truth or revelation.
Upright: Wisdom, clarity, truth
Reversed: Confusion, deception, miscommunication

ᚱ Raido (R)

ᚱ Raidho — Journey, Right Action
Date Range: August 29 – September 13
Raidho marks a journey — literal or metaphorical. It’s about alignment, rhythm, and choosing the road that reflects your values.
Upright: Movement, travel, natural timing
Reversed: Disruption, wrong direction, imbalance

ᚲ Kenaz (K)

ᚲ Kenaz — Illumination, Creativity
Date Range: September 13 – September 28
Kenaz is the spark of knowing, the light of the lamp in darkness. It’s clarity, healing, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing your path.
Upright: Clarity, creativity, self-illumination
Reversed: Burnout, hidden pain, lack of focus

ᚷ Gebo (G)

ᚷ Gebo — Generosity, Exchange
Date Range: September 28 – October 13
Gebo is the rune of balanced giving. It symbolizes gifts, relationships, and the sacred reciprocity that builds trust and mutual value. It reminds us that generosity should flow both ways.
Upright: Generosity, fair exchange, partnership
Reversed: Not traditionally reversed

ᚹ Wunjo (W)

ᚹ Wunjo — Joy, Harmony
Date Range: October 13 – October 28
Wunjo brings emotional alignment, satisfaction, and inner harmony. It represents joy that arises not from success alone, but from feeling right in your skin and path.
Upright: Joy, harmony, alignment
Reversed: Discord, blocked joy, emotional confusion

ᚺ Hagalaz (H)

ᚺ Hagalaz — Disruption, Transformation
Date Range: October 28 – November 13
Hagalaz brings the storm — not to punish, but to clear the way. It represents necessary disruption, emotional intensity, and the force that breaks stagnation.
Upright: Disruption, awakening, breakthrough
Reversed: Hagalaz is not traditionally reversed

ᚾ Nauthiz (N)

ᚾ Nauthiz — Need, Friction
Date Range: November 13 – November 28
Nauthiz is the fire that tests us — the need that sharpens us. It points to resistance, learning through struggle, and the tension that fuels growth.
Upright: Need, resistance, constraint
Reversed: Avoidance, overwhelm, learned helplessness

ᛁ Isa (I)

ᛁ Isa — Stillness, Focus
Date Range: November 28 – December 13
Isa is the rune of ice and stasis. It teaches us to pause, reflect, and find clarity by not moving — and to trust the wisdom of still moments.
Upright: Stillness, clarity, preservation
Reversed: Isa is not traditionally reversed

ᛃ Jera (J/Y)

ᛃ Jera — Cycles, Harvest
Date Range: December 13 – December 28
Jera represents the natural cycle of effort and reward. It is the rune of time, patience, and the unfolding of events in their proper season.
Upright: Harvest, results, natural timing
Reversed: Jera is not traditionally reversed

ᛇ Eihwaz (EI)

ᛇ Eihwaz — Endurance, Inner Strength
Date Range: December 28 – January 13
Eihwaz is the spine of the world tree — a symbol of deep resilience, spiritual integrity, and protection through perseverance. It speaks to the strength found not in force, but in quiet endurance.
Upright: Endurance, boundaries, transformation
Reversed: Confusion, blocked energy, fear of change

ᛈ Perthro (P)

ᛈ Perthro — Mystery, Hidden Knowledge
Date Range: January 13 – January 28
Perthro is the rune of fate and the unknown. Often associated with feminine magic, chance, and the mysteries of life, it signals that something important is concealed — and emerging.
Upright: Destiny, intuition, hidden influences
Reversed: Secrets, manipulation, denial

ᛉ Algiz (Z)

ᛉ Algiz — Protection, Higher Awareness
Date Range: January 28 – February 13
Algiz is the rune of defense and connection to divine guidance. It brings spiritual awareness, guardianship, and the instinct to protect what matters most.
Upright: Protection, guidance, sacred boundaries
Reversed: Vulnerability, defensiveness, broken trust

ᛋ Sowilo (S)

ᛋ Sowilo — Success, Illumination
Date Range: February 13 – February 27
Sowilo is the sun — radiant, clear, and life-giving. It represents successful outcomes, radiant energy, and clarity. The path is illuminated.
Upright: Victory, confidence, divine will
Reversed: Sowilo is not traditionally reversed

ᛏ Tiwaz (T)

ᛏ Tiwaz — Honor, Justice
Date Range: February 27 – March 14
Tiwaz is the rune of sacred sacrifice, justice, and leadership. It asks what you stand for — and what you're willing to offer in pursuit of truth and right action.
Upright: Justice, courage, self-sacrifice
Reversed: Misjudgment, imbalance, ego-driven decisions

ᛒ Berkano (B)

ᛒ Berkano — Birth, Renewal
Date Range: March 14 – March 30
Berkano is the rune of emergence and nurturing growth. It embodies healing, gentle strength, and the cyclical nature of beginnings.
Upright: Nurturing, growth, healing
Reversed: Delayed progress, emotional blockage, neglect

ᛖ Ehwaz (E)

ᛖ Ehwaz — Movement, Partnership
Date Range: March 30 – April 14
Ehwaz symbolizes cooperation and forward motion. It reflects trust between people, shared goals, and the mutual rhythm that drives real progress.
Upright: Teamwork, change, loyalty
Reversed: Mistrust, discord, stalled plans

ᛗ Mannaz (M)

ᛗ Mannaz — Humanity, Self-Awareness
Date Range: April 14 – April 29
Mannaz is the rune of humanity and reflection. It shows how you grow in relation to others — through empathy, collaboration, and shared wisdom.
Upright: Interdependence, identity, awareness
Reversed: Isolation, self-doubt, resistance to growth

ᛚ Laguz (L)

ᛚ Laguz — Intuition, Flow
Date Range: April 29 – May 14
Laguz is water: intuitive, emotional, deep. It reflects receptivity, the subconscious, and the power of surrender and trust.
Upright: Flow, emotion, intuition
Reversed: Resistance, emotional blockage, overwhelm

ᛝ  Ingwaz (NG)

ᛝ Ingwaz — Fertility, Inner Growth
Date Range: May 14 – May 29
Ingwaz is the seed — rich with potential. It holds new life, inner transformation, and quiet power waiting to emerge.
Upright: Gestation, inner growth, grounded energy
Reversed: Delays, repression, lost momentum

ᛞ Dagaz (D)

ᛞ Dagaz — Breakthrough, Illumination
Date Range: May 29 – June 14
Dagaz is the dawn. It marks irreversible transformation and sudden clarity — the kind of light that changes everything.
Upright: Awakening, clarity, bold transition
Reversed: Dagaz is not traditionally reversed

ᛟ Othala (O)

ᛟ Othala — Heritage, Belonging
Date Range: June 14 – June 29
Othala speaks to home, inheritance, and cultural legacy. It asks where you come from — and what you want to pass forward.
Upright: Legacy, roots, ancestral support
Reversed: Disconnection, generational tension, displacement

🧙 Rune Casting Methods

1. Single Rune Draw

• Quick insight or guidance.

• Best for daily draws or direct questions.

2. Three-Rune Spread

• Past – Present – Future

• Situation – Challenge – Outcome

• You – Situation – Advice

3. Five-Rune Cross

• Center: Present situation

• Top: Goals/aspirations

• Bottom: Foundation

• Left: Past influences

• Right: Future influences

4. Nine-Rune Grid (Nine Worlds)

• A complex spread to explore deeper themes in life.

🔄 Rune Interactions & Context

• Surrounding Runes Matter: A single rune changes meaning in context. For example:

  • Tiwaz + Mannaz: Justice through social cooperation.

  • Hagalaz + Berkano: A disruptive event leading to healing or growth.

• Patterns:

  • Multiple elemental runes (e.g., Isa, Laguz, Hagalaz) suggest external forces or emotional transitions.

  • Repeats of directional or movement runes (Raido, Ehwaz) may highlight journeys or progress.

🌟 Intuition in Rune Reading

• Sit quietly with the runes. Meditate on the shape and feeling.

• Keep a rune journal to track personal impressions and evolving meanings.

• Use traditional meanings as a foundation, but allow room for symbolic resonance and synchronicity.

• Ask: “What story are these runes trying to tell together?”

💼 Comparative Interpretations from Reputable Sources

Rune	Edred Thorsson (Runelore)	Diana L. Paxson (Taking Up the Runes)	Ralph Blum (Book of Runes)
Fehu	Cattle = mobile wealth, luck	Wealth from effort, energy flowing	Fulfillment, ambition
Thurisaz	Catalyst, Thor's hammer	Defense and danger	Gateway, decision
Perthro	Mystery, hidden fate	Birth, gambling, feminine magic	Initiation, the unknown
Isa	Standstill, clarity through stasis	Pause to reflect	Ice, blockage, frozen moment

🔍 Key Observations:

• Thorsson leans into esoteric & magical interpretations with Norse cosmology.

• Paxson blends myth, modern divination, and personal development.

• Blum, while widely read, often diverges with new-age framing (e.g., runes as affirmations) and is not strictly traditional.

🧽 Final Thoughts

Reading the Elder Futhark for divination is both an intellectual art and a spiritual practice. With each casting, you're not just interpreting ancient symbols—you're entering a dialogue with fate, intuition, and the mythic consciousness of the Norse world.

“The runes do not lie—they speak truths we may not yet understand.”