The Rune Dad

Ansuz ᚨ represents Odin’s (God’s) breath. It is the rune of communication, intuition, and signs.

Have you ever paid attention to the wind as you sit quietly in nature? It may be a gentle push towards a certain direction while the trees dance and sing with the rustling of leaves. Sometimes it feels as if it’s communicating to you. That’s how I liken this rune to divine communication.

Ansuz is that voice in your head that whispers you should venture left instead of right; the pop of clarity while solving a problem; the tug on your heart to help someone in need. In Norse mythology, Odin the All-Father is credited with teaching humans the wisdom of the runes. To even obtain the runes himself, he hung upside down by the ankles and pierced in his side for 9 days over the Well of Fate. As he suffered, he peered into the well to get glimmers of wisdom. On the ninth day, the runes presented themselves on the surface of the water, and he snatched them up to both learn for himself and share.

Unlike Judeo-Christian traditions, the principle god in the Norse pantheon, Odin, relentlessly seeks knowledge. As such, he is not all-knowing: he is always seeking. The Norse gods are often figuring things out as they go. So when they speak to us, they speak from experience and often sacrifice. They offer advice, and not commands.

We would all benefit from getting closer to our Higher Power and mastering the recognition of their voice. What do you hear? What is your Higher Power urging you to accomplish? Are you listening or turning the other cheek?

Whispers and voice is only possible through vibration. And as you may know, everything in our universe is vibrating. When you become aware and in tune to your surroundings, you begin to understand that every single thing you sense (see, touch, hear, etc.) has a vibration, including your thoughts. Pause for a moment to connect with the frequency of everything around you. When you become aware, what are your surrounds whispering to you?

Verbal communications come from vibrations in our throat. For those of you familiar with the chakras, Ansuz represents our throat chakra, responsible for speaking into existence your will and desires. How do you express your thoughts? Do you freely speak your mind, or do you get choked up? It’s time to come to terms with your own communication style (effective or not) and make a resolution to speak kindly, honestly, and freely.

Abracadabra is thought to have originated from ancient Hebrew, meaning “I create as I speak.” What are you speaking into your existence? Do you speak with positivity, or are your thoughts and words consumed by what goes wrong? Mind what words your lips form and speak what you’d like your reality to look like. Speak less of the things you DON’T want. What you speak more of, you attract.

The Universe is full of signs—11:11, ladybugs, a phone call from a friend you were just thinking about, finding dimes, etc. Each sign will mean something different to each person, but the important thing is to follow what they mean to you. Acknowledge that they have been sent from the divine to guide you and encourage you on your journey.

If issues of communication are present in your life, and Ansuz comes to mind, reflect on what your goal is for communication. What is the message you’re trying to convey? Try to listen to your words from another’s point of view. Are you effectively getting your point across? Is this truly the right moment for your counterpart to receive openly, or is there a better time? Remember that communication is always 2-ways. While it’s important for you to speak, it’s equally worthwhile to find the route for the other to receive your desired intention and meaning. To communicate, you must always listen.

We talked about Algiz ᛉ, divine protection, yesterday and asking the divine for aid. As essential as it is for us to listen for our Higher Power, we must also communicate back. Ask God for protection. Ask the Universe for your deepest desires. Ask Odin for a spark of inspiration. Whoever you perceive your Higher Power(s) to be, communicate and strengthen your bond. They’re always whispering to you.