After a VERY long time and much frustrated searching, I finally found the notebook that contained my contemplation of the Runes! As such, I now endeavor to pick up where I left off, and will continue in the same vein of writing about the Runes, not in "Alphabetical order" but rather focusing on a rune from each of the three Aetts in turn as demonstrated in my previous three entries.
ᚢ, Pronounced "Oo-Roo-r". Other variations are Auru, Uraur and Uruz.
Meaning: Aurochs (Wild Bison/Cow, now extinct)
Element: Earth, Water. Gender: Male
Tree Association: Birch
Relates to strength, transformation and shapeshifting, tenacity, health, endurance, formation, patterns, manifestation, life force, courage, organic structure, vigor, determination, persistence, will, territoriality, independence, archetypal patterns/forms, raw primal power, survival.
Free- flow word association:
Aurochs, cattle, wild, untamed, free, powerful, strong, steadfast, confident, assertive, controlled, ordered, discipline, patterns, habits, behaviour, instinct, violence, survival, safety in numbers, herd, herding/farming, trade, movement, migration, adaptability, controlled change, ordered chaos, seasons, cycles, life and death, rebirth, reincarnation, same but different, transformation, shape-shifting, Shaman, healer, seer, wanderer, one who knows, wisdom, Odinn, inner knowledge, reflection, water, well, Urd, Earth Mother, nurture, nature, abundance, creation, creativity, manifestation, majik, mind over matter, mage, priest, god, self.
Aurochs once roamed free in large numbers across the plains of Europe and Scandinavia many millennia ago, before their capture, domestication selective breeding and eventual extinction from hunting at the hands of man, and therefore are the wild, primal ancestors of the modern cow. If Fehu ᚠ represents domestic cattle, then it so stands that Urur ᚢ the wild and untamed spirit of the wild cow/ox/bison. The wild nature of Bison makes them extremely tough, and occasionally quite dangerous. Bison typically move in large herds, sticking together in a close-knit family unit for protection; this denotes the importance of family and friends to support us in hard times. Paradoxically, Bison are also extremely territorial, fighting one another for mating rights; this demonstrates the raw masculine sexual energy of ᚢ. Their brute strength means that there are very few animals that can harm them, and even a lone bison can be a formidable enemy. This unbridled Earthly strength is a trait shared by the God, Thor, and demonstrates the power of the individual whilst highlighting the necessity to stand one's ground and defend the things we hold dear in the face of overwhelming odds, even if we stand alone.
The Aurochs' need to migrate is embodied in ᚢ, and relates to the ability to change and adapt when necessary, though not in one's personality or habits, but rather changing one's circumstances or environment when it is no longer conducive to personal growth or the benefit of the 'herd' as a whole. This teaches us that we may be living in a place or situation that is damaging to us or restricting us in some way, be it a toxic relationship, dead-end job, or just poor company, and that in order to grow, evolve and flourish as an individual we need to shed those people or situations from our lives and recognise those things that do not serve our greatest good before letting them go. But for all of the Aurochs' freedom and constant change, there remains an ordering pattern in the times at which they migrate, as well as where they roam, governed by the shifting of the seasons and the subsequent die back of plant species in certain areas and flourishing of new feeding and breeding grounds. This acts as a reminder to not make rash decisions which might leave us worse off; if a situation or relationship is becoming uncomfortable, then weigh up alternatives before making a change, so as to not leave a job you dislike without first having a backup, or leaving a toxic relationship and jumping straight into an even worse one. Look before you leap and time your decisions appropriately, for if the Aurochs begin to migrate too early or too late, or if they head in the wrong direction rather than following their food sources, it could spell catastrophe for the entire herd. These nuances in willful intuition and critical thinking lend themselves to another association with ᚢ; that of the fine art of Manifestation Majik. The Aurochs are driven by a raw primal instinct, which in humans presents itself as an intuitive creative urge or sexual desire that fuels the individual will, and at the same time they remain under the influence of an ordering pattern imposed upon them by external factors. This shows that the art of Manifestation is born and perfected via a complex combination of primal drive and desire for what we want, and a sharp mental acuity and strong psychological makeup to focus that energy into conscious action in conformity with a plan; this helps to create the ideal conditions for our desire to manifest in the material world. Furthermore, it demonstrates that no matter how adept we may be, we must always remember that we are driven by desires and powers that are beyond our understanding, and that we must always be conscious of that primal power and direct it in an orderly fashion in accordance with nature's laws. The Auroch, then, embodies the principle of Self Discipline which is ultimately necessary to direct one's creative powers in accordance with their individuated will.
The behaviour of the Auroch has a massive impact on its surrounding environment, the life cycles of plant life, the PH balance and nutritional density of the soil, the topography of the land which directs the flow of rainwater across the plains and so much more; they were an integral part of the ecosystem in their time, and were instrumental in maintaining a healthy balance within the environment; as such, this translates onto the human level also, for the Auroch was a primary source of food, clothing, crafting material and medicinal ingredients for many tribes, and so the Auroch becomes a symbol of good health and healing practices, as well as the maintenance of balance in the world as well as in the body. Furthermore, through this, ᚢ teaches us that we, too, are in integral part of the world in which we live, whether we notice it or not, and therefore guides us to be ever mindful of our thoughts, words and actions and the consequences thereof; in this sense, ᚢ positions us as co-creators of form and order within our waking reality. With this position of power, of course, comes equal responsibility, and so ᚢ urges us to keep account of our habits which affect the lives of others in unprecedented and often irrevocable ways, both positively and negatively. The act of migrating backwards and forwards, year after year, bears a significant symbolic tie to the ebb and flow of the tides, the ebb and flow of life life and death, the waxing and waning of the moon, and thus the interplay between the conscious and the unconscious, the cognitive and the intuitive. This indicates that we are also to be aware of the changes that occur within us as well as in the outside world as a result of our actions and inactions. With each new migration, the herd finds itself changed, with older generations dying off as new generations are born, and so the herd, whilst generally the same in nature, is subtly different. The teaching of this analogy is two-fold; first, it demonstrates that as individuals, we too are changed in subtle ways over the course of years until those subtle changes accumulate into our becoming a new version of ourselves. We may not be the same people we were ten years ago and therefore we must expect that occasionally we find that we have lost interest or passion for things we once enjoyed, and may also begin to appreciate that which we previously disregarded, which may force us to reevaluate our position in life as previously mentioned regarding the letting go of toxic people or situations. Secondly, it demonstrates that nothing in nature can remain the same, and that all things must undergo the transition of death which, far from being an ending of things, is passage from one state into another and essential for the continuation of creation. In the same sense, ᚢ can denote the continuous passage back and forth between the realms of the living and the dead whilst remaining unchanged, the path of the Shaman, and is thus a representation of the deathly aspect of Odinn, the "Necromancer" or "Mound Lord". This Shamanic, visionary connotation, when combined with the wave-like behaviour of the sea, reveals a self-reflective aspect relative to the alchemical element of water. This aids us by encouraging us to practice continual self-analysis to keep our emotions in check, observe the movements of the unconscious realms, and to remain ever thankful of the health and abundance of life that we are gifted by the Gods. Through these practices, we may seek to improve ourselves from within to become the best versions of ourselves and take our place in the world as divine beings.
ᚢ's association with the birch tree (particularly the silver birch) acts as a further link to the idea of death and rebirth, as the birch is the first of the deciduous trees to sprout leaves in spring and is a herald of renewal. The birch often grows in tight-knit clusters or "Stands", which again relates to the close herd behaviour of the Aurochs, reinforcing the importance of family. At the same time, however, the birch is perhaps one of the hardiest of the deciduous trees, growing in all types of soil and in a wide variety of climates around the world, representing strength, endurance, adaptability and resourcfulness. While the birch is very flexible to withstand strone winds, it also has very deep roots meaning that even a single birch can remain standing when exposed to adverse weather, which epitomises ᚢ's symbolic meaning of individual strength and resilience; therefore the birch is the perfect representation of the equal importance of both strong connections and individual integrity and confidence. the notion of endurance and survival is further eluded to by the birch's common use as a reliable winter food source for indigenous peoples across Siberia, as well as possessing strong anti-bacterial qualities which again lend themselves to this rune's symbolic association with health and healing. ᚢ's significance to the Shamanic Journey is also supported by the birch as a correspondence, as it is said birch groves shelter the psychoactive 'Fly Agaric' mushroom, or 'Amanita Muscaria, which has been used by indigenous European and Scandinavian elders for millennia for inducing visionary states for the purposes of healing and spirit communication. Germanic folklore teaches that "where the birch is the guardian, the wanderer [Shaman] is protected from madness and faery tricks." Birch's white bark supports a lunar correspondence which is also embodied in the back-and-forth migratory habits of the Aurochs and, in this way, ᚢ links to the moon and thus the wandering waters of the sea and of consciousness. In consideration of all of the above-listed attributes, it can be deduced that ᚢ holds a dual elemental correspondence with Earth and Water.
Visually, ᚢ resembles the animal to which it is attributed, as the Auroch, much like modern day buffalo and wilderbeast, was characterised by a large hump atop the fore-shoulders, making the front end appear taller than the rump. This shape is a visual reminder for us to stand as strong and proud as the Auroch and never back down to adversity, moving inexorably forward towards our goals. The sloping line between the longer and shorter stems can also represent the sloping path into the lower world in Shamanic thought, or the Underworlds of Helheim, Nifleheim and Svartalfheim in old Norse Mythology; to the Shaman, the lower world is where the spirits of plants and animals reside, as well as the spirits of the ancestors, and in Norse Mythology, the ancestors reside in Helheim, whilst the other two realms of the underworld are inhabited by the ancient frost giants and the dark elves or dwarves respectively. Inverted, ᚢ resembles the horns of the male Auroch and can indicate that conflict may arise if we remain stubbornly entrenched in behaviours or beliefs that are not constructive, or refuse to compromise in order to work with other members of the herd; it is the symbol of the primordial horned god and the male ego, and therefore embodies the cosmic energy of the divine masculine in both its creative and destructive aspects.
My next article will continue following the same pattern as outlined in my previous entries, and focus on the second rune of the second Aett, Nauðir. Until then, may the Gods bless you!
Enki Endymion. O(
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