The Rune Dad

Have you ever named your car? Or speak of it as if it’s a living thing? Do you wince at the sight of a new dent or care for it when something’s not right? Most of us don’t own horses, which is what Ehwaz ᛖ actually represents, but we can understand our love and dependence on cars.

Ehwaz, in our modern times, is like our vehicles personified. It stands for dependability, loyalty, usefulness, and oneness. Imagine your hot rod clinging to the curves on California’s Pacific Highway 1 or the cliffside curves in Monte Carlo; there’s a oneness that develops. Your car responds as you change gears, handle the turns, and accelerate out. Now let’s get into the ancient form of transportation, horseback.

Imagine you’re the horse itself. Feel the relationship you have with your human. You intimately understand their signals and subtleties to the point that you are of one mind. You have purpose and have completely surrendered to their will, following their minute signals.

Ehwaz asks you: Do you have purpose? Are you dependable? Are you feeling how the universe is directing you, and are you following it? A horse (or car) that lies idle is of little use. Their energies fade. Their muscles atrophy. Depression settles upon them. Domesticated horses need their riders. They’re bonded with them.

Take a moment to consider who or what you’re bonded with. Does this bond serve you? And does it provide you with purpose? When you have purpose, you align yourself with your higher power, your higher self, the divine, etc. Hang on to those relationships that bring you closer to that fulfillment.

The Japanese have a word for the pursuit of purpose called Ikigai, and they believe that ikigai is one of the fundamental aspects of well-being and longevity. This article from sloww.co describes one of the meanings as “happiness of being busy.”

Once we are on the path towards discovering our ikigai, we must continue to exercise. A body in motion stays in motion. But I’m not just referring to physical exercise—also our mind, spirit and heart. When we continue to exert efforts in these four areas, we are ready to move forward and listen to what the universe has in store for us. We become the channel for accomplishing the most amazing feats by simply being in sync with the Universe and our higher selves.

Now, I’m still discovering what mine is. I won’t pretend to already have it altogether. But what I do know is that I have to prepare my whole being to be ready when I do and to sway in the direction the Universe leads.