Continuing my meditations on the Runes, here are my thoughts and notes on the first of the second Aett, Hagalr.
Hagalr, ᚺ, Pronounced "Hah-Gah-L". Other variations are 'Hogal', and 'Hagalaz'.
The phonetic value of this Rune is 'H', and its symbolic meaning is 'Hail' or 'Hailstone'. The tree that is associated with this Rune is the Yew tree.
The elemental associations of this Rune are Air and Earth, and its gender is typically regarded as Male.
ᚺ relates to disruption, wild power, untamed nature, strength, force, protection, shelter, crisis, radical change, catastrophe, the uncontrollable, unavoidable unpleasantness, shadow self, regression, self analysis, acceptance of the unchangeable.
My free-association went as follows:
Hailstone, cold, winter, hardship, poverty, danger, protection, shelter, safety, defense, strength, survival, movement, upheaval, uncertainty, worry, anxiety, anger, force, power, destruction, loss, adaptability, acceptance, moving on, new beginnings, destruction for the sake of creation, cleaning house, purging, cleansing, rain, spring, hope, regrowth, order from chaos, divine order, will of the Gods, fate, Wyrd, the unseen, connections, synchronicity, everything for a reason.
Hagalr, in contrast to Fehu, , represents disruption of order, and so the ending of established patterns of living and thinking. Its mundane meaning of 'Hail' is indicative of this chaotic and potentially destructive principle, for hail, in the far northern regions, can damage houses and potentially kill upon impact. When hail falls, people and animals are forced to take shelter, and all outdoor activity ceases. Hail is most common at the beginning or end of winter and is hence very unpredictable, often beginning as rain, and so ᚺ teaches us to expect the unexpected and always prepare for the worst. While rain, even at its heaviest, nourishes the earth, whereas hail beats the earth and destroys the weakest plant life, clearing space for the stronger plants to thrive and spread. In this sense, ᚺ demonstrates the unbridled power of nature which destroys for the sake of creation, sacrifice for the greater good; this can be interpreted in a human context to mean letting go of what no longer serves us, which despite being painful, is necessary for continued growth, and it takes strength of character to undertake. Furthermore, since ᚺ is a force of nature beyond humanity's ability to harness it, ᚺ expresses that in the case where an individual is stubbornly reluctant to change, fate will force that person into a situation where change is not only necessary but unavoidable.
Although hail is frozen water, it's alchemical correspondences are to Air and Earth, for Air embodies the principle of change and formlessness, whilst Earth represents stability and growth, the combination of which conveys the idea of chaos as a part of nature and divine order. Hail, as frozen water, also acts as a metaphor for suspending emotional attachments and sentimentality, for when times are difficult, it is sometimes necessary to adopt a coldness which allows us to detach from a situation and look at it objectively to find the best possible solution. In this sense, ᚺ teaches us to look at ourselves objectively and, just like the hailstones, crush the weeds of the ego that take root in our minds so that the strongest and most positive parts of ourselves can flourish. This takes no shortage of shadow work to achieve, to understand and purge the self of all unhealthy beliefs, thoughts and behaviours which arise out of illusions. This links to ᚺ's attribution to the Yew tree, which though poisonous, uses that poison to defend itself against parasites and illnesses which cause dieback. ᚺ encourages us to make the most of seemingly bad situations and to use our darkness, or inner poison, to our advantage. Our negative past experiences which lend themselves to the development of neuroses, can also be powerful lessons and tools for overcoming new hardships and adversity. It also allows us to toughen ourselves to defend against attack from others whilst also teaching us that sometimes, severity is the best policy, to adopt a 'kill or be killed' mentality to propel us forward and overcome our obstacles. ᚺ as the Yew tree also encourages us to be flexible as well as strong, for Yew was, and still is, the most widely used wood for making longbows, due to its strength and flexibility which made it worth working despite the risk of poisoning. While strength is important, it is easy to confuse conviction with stubbornness. ᚺ advises us to be ready for anything at all times, and to be flexible enough to adapt to massive change very quickly.
Visually, ᚺ resembles a slope between two positions or states, similar to a mountain path or set of stairs, indicating a transition between the highs and lows of life. It indicates that it is very easy to find oneself in reduced circumstances, and that it can be extremely difficult to get back "up the slippery slope". This teaches us to not be complacent or to take life for granted, as well as to be grateful for what we have, because we can be brought low and left with nothing in the blink of an eye. ᚺ can also resemble a figure extending a hand down to another, representing the necessity to help others through times of hardship, for one can never know when such help may need to be repaid. ᚺ's position as the first of the second Aett, between Fehu and its other immediate neighbour, Tyr, lends itself to the meaning of it being a catalyst for change, moving from the state of childhood naivete to the state of ascension, spiritual growth and taking one's place amongst the Gods. Just as the Yew tree grows in near barren soil, only to drop its leaves and replenish the nutrients of the earth, ᚺ helps us to make the most of what little we have to produce something better, putting us in the position of being a catalyst for positive change and growth from hardship to greatness. It guides us to weather the storm and emerge renewed, shed no tears for what is lost along the way, and to accept the things we cannot change so that we may focus our energy on changing what we can.
I hope that this has provided further insight into this Rune. My next article will focus on the first Rune of the third Aett, Tyr. Until then, much love, many blessings and may your Gods be with you!
Enki Endymion. O(
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