The Ar-Kan Runes - The Fourth AEtt

AC - 'Oak'. 

The oak-tree is the tree of Wotan, Thunor and the Wolsunga Royal Line; it is also the tree of Herne the Hunter and Robin Hood. Now, the name 'Herne' seems to be used here in these islands and is not used in Germania and Scandinavia. That does not suggest that its derived from a Celtic 'Cerne', since the two names could have been used here in these islands, side by side, since Germanic Folk and Gall-Celtic Folk made up the ancient tribes of these islands. Both 'Herne' and 'Cerne' mean 'horned' - the 'Horned One'. 

Bracteates such as the above, from Sweden, show a 'horned' figure ('Solar Horns'), as do figures shown on the Horns of Gallehus -

Here we see figures with what seem to be 'Goat's Horns' of some species of goat; the runes above this show it clearly to be Germanic, and this uses the Elder Futhark. 

The oak-tree was specifically sacred to the Germanic Folk because of its strength, and thus symbolic of 'inner strength' too. On a physical level, a sea-faring people would venerate such a tree since it was used widely in ship-building. Thunor is the God of Strength, and thus his association with the Oak-Tree. 

On an esoteric level 'Ac' refers to the A-corn or Ac-orn; this has always been seen as a 'phallic symbol', symbol of male virility and fertility. 'Corn' refers to a 'seed', and thus to the blueprint of life, held, awaiting new growth through a new burst of strength and energy. 

In the traditions of Sumeria, Babylonia, Mesapotamia and Iran we find depictions of a god-figure standing in the Ac-Rune Stance, as above. The figure above shows one of the Divine God-Men who came after the Great Flood (note the 'bucket' he carries) being the bearer of new civilisation and rebirth after catastrophe. Here, he holds a 'Pine-Cone' symbolic of the Mind's Eye or Third Eye, associated with the Pineal Gland. This rune has associations with certain god-forms like this and although this proves nothing it does show that it could relate to the time of the sinking of At-al-land. 

AESC - 'Ash'.

The above drawing is of the Iranian God - Ahura Mazda - shown here as the 'Winged Globe' and using the Os-Rune Stance. He holds the 'Ring of Power'; in some depictions of this figure he holds a 'Rod of Authority' and the 'Ring of Power'. Clearly, the stance is that of the Os-Rune, the rune that has been substituted for the Ansuz-Rune of the Elder Futhark. 

The names Os, Oss, As all mean 'god' but seem specifically to refer to the 'God of the Pillare', since they also mean 'column' or 'pillar'. This refers to the fact that the Gods uphold World Order and Cosmic Order. The Os-Rune and the Ansuz-Rune seem to be the same, although 'Ansuz' has been seen to be associated with Ahnen - Ancestors. This can be explained since, as the Prince of Asgard, Woden is the Ancestral God, and this is his rune; indeed the Old English Os gives names such as Oswald, Osmund, Oswin, Osgar, all of which could relate to Woden and this rune. 

The AEsc-Rune is the same as 'Ansuz' but the name suggests that this rune is there to symbolise the 'First Man' (Aesc). The 'First Man' was created by Woden, Willa and Weoh from the AEsc-Tree or Ash-Tree, as the rune-name suggests. It does not refer to the god-force but to man, descended from the god-head. 

Since we find that it is the Os-Rune shape that shows the 'god-figure' as Ahura Mazda - 'God of Light' - then this suggests to me that this could be in its original place in the Futhark, and that the Common Germanic Futhark fused the two runes together to mean both 'god' and 'ancestor' - a logical conclusion that then omits the need to see why the Os-Rune 'replaced' the Ansuz-Rune in the First AEtt, and the AEsc Rune had to be 'added' later. The two distinct and separate meanings were held in the two runes, which were later fused into one rune within the shortened 24-Rune Futhark. 

YR - 'Yew-Bow'.

This is linked to the Eoh-Rune which has the meaning 'Yew'. But this one is also Ymir - 'The Sounding One' - and thus the basis of the Rune-Mantra 'YM' which is pronounced 'UUUMMM' and thus related to OM or AUM. The glyph is that of the Ur-Rune beneath which is the Irminsul - the Ur-Glyphic Irminsul. It is also the 'Holy Mountain' or 'Sacred Mountain' - Me-Ru.

The term 'yew-bow' suggests power, energy and force, since this is the force that 'sends' the arrow on its path. The Eoh-Rune gives the IE Root *aiw which means 'life-energy', 'eternal force' and 'eternity'. These are thus connected through this 'Life-Force' and the Yr-Rune is the energy that releases something, a 'sending' force. 

The glyph in its ur-glyphic form shows the Ur-Rune (Holy Mountain) beneath which is the Y-shape which is symbolises the Three Tribes of Woden - the Wolsungas, Wulfingas and Heardingas. These are the 'Three Tribes of Anglia' or 'Three Crowns of Anglia' being the Royal Lines of the Angles. When the 'trunk' of the rune is lost (in this ur-glyphic form) this rune becomes the Ang-Rune which represents the 'Royal Lines of the Angles' too. 

There are variants of this rune with an Is-Rune or a Gyfu-Rune underneath the Ur-Rune. 

IOR - 'Serpent'.

This is the Midgard Serpent - Ior-mun-gand. Attempts have been made to link this to other animals due to the Old English Rune-Poem which mentions this as a 'river-creature' but we have to understand that these things contain hidden and esoteric meanings, and the Midgard Serpent lives under the waters. Indeed, some serpents move through water too.

The 'Midgard Serpent' - at one level - can refer to the tectonic plates which move beneath the waters, causing floods, tidal waves and tsunamis. This is just one level but is an important one because, at Ragnarok all of the Forces of Chaos are let loose upon the world in a final War against the Gods. The Midgard Serpent moves out of the water onto land, which can be taken to mean some form of tidal wave or tsunami that floods the lands. 

The form of the glyph is a Gyfu-Rune upon the Isa-Rune, very much like the 'Snowflake' Hagall-Rune, but the Gyfu-Rune (X) is higher up the stave, which may have some significance. The glyph reminds me of a 'windmill' but there is nothing to suggest a connection within the rune-poem, although we cannot rule that out. 

'Before the serpent curled itself round the trunk of the Tree of Paradise it lived in the liquid depths beneath the roots of the tree. Then, like the spine of a man which rises up from the dark and sensitive regions of his waist towards the freely moving upper torso, the Serpent stretched itself up to the upper branches, where its pale, cold skin could be warmed by the Sun. In the secret depths from which it emerged it enjoyed a type of elemental power and pleasure, but when it encountered the force of the Sun it seemed to recoil and expand at the same time. The result was a conflict of light and darkness, for the force of the Serpent is both liquid and frozen; it poisons and it deifies. Some call the poison of the Serpent, God; others call it Immortality.'

'The Serpent of Paradise' - Miguel Serrano.

Don Miguel Serrano is an Armanen Master and here we can gain a glimpse, through his wisdom, the Mystery of Ior. The Serpent originates in the waters, just as the rune-poem states, it arise upwards towards the Sun, and there it glimpses the Conflict of Opposites - Light and Darkness. It is both water (Lagu) and Ice (Is), and it can be the 'Serpent of Evil' or the 'Serpent of Wisdom'. 

'Many centuries ago, according to the legend, the Serpent came out of the sea and grew wings. Just as man's dorsal spine developed from its embryonic form, this Plumed Serpent grew in innocence and joy. It had started its journey towards the stars, and particularly the Morning Star, when suddenly it was overcome by the waters of the great Flood, which waters inundated the earth. On this occasion the Plumed Serpent did not drown, but it lost its wings.'

'The Serpent of Paradise' - Miguel Serrano.

The Gyfu-Rune is perhaps two-thirds of the way up the upright stave, and may represent the Serpent coiled around the Tree. Legend states that it reached up to the 'Heart-Centre', which is about where this point would be. The Serpent here is of the Sea and of the Land, but as the 'Plumed Serpent' or 'Winged Serpent' it is of the Air. 

It is also interesting to note the connection here between the Serpent and the Flood, between the Serpent and the sinking of At-al-land. This rune may well hark back to this time, giving a clue as the the Legend of the Serpent, which starts in the Garden of Eden (Odin-Edel) which would be Thule-Hyperborea in the Far North. There the Serpent gives mankind the chance to eat of the Tree of Knowledge and then partake of the Tree of Immortality and 'become as gods'. Until 'God' (the Old Testament 'God')  puts the blocks upon this and the Flood takes place, a time when mankind's upward evolution was halted and the Plumed Serpent 'lost its wings', becoming earth-bound once more. 

We have all this symbolism inherent in both the rune-stave and the rune-poem, even though the poem suggests a simple, mundane meaning. Serrano cleverly hints at the link between the 'Tree of Paradise', the Serpent, and the human spine and movement of the 'Fire-Serpent'. Interestingly, the Wyn-Rune has the meaning of 'joy' and 'bliss' and is a glyph of the consciousness at its highest level. It is also part of the Egyptian Glyph for the Morning Star, together with a Five-Rayed Star. ('Wynnum' is found in the text of the OE Rune-Poem.)

EAR - 'Earth-Grave'.

This rune has a rather negative meaning in that it has death as an ending, a finality, which is not a Heathen concept. The usual translation is that 'Ear is horrid to all men' but this is not the exact translation for 'men' should be rendered 'Earl' (eorla) which changes the meaning somewhat. This could refer to the Earlinga or AEthlinga as being linked to the next rune - Cweorth- which is the Fire-Twirl or 'Ritual Cremation'. Fire is a spiritual transformation and the 'Way of the Gods', it would seem, whilst the 'Earth-Grave' is associated with rebirth into the Tribe. 

The Root *ear is also linked to both 'water' and to an 'ear of corn', and the rune-shape could show the latter. As 'water' it is linked to the rune before this, Ior, and the rune-sounds are similar too. (Ior can also be spelled Iar.) In the Ar-Kan system this rune is the Cweorth-Rune but with two 'hands' on the ends of the 'arms' - this is symbolic of 'The Hanged God' or 'The Bound Giant'. This represents the ending of the last world-age, the Age of the Hanged God. 

The sense of an 'ending' can be felt from the rune-poem; since this is part of a 33-rune manuscript the last four runes do not have rune-poems, so this is the 'last', the 'end'. Which sets apart the last four runes as being different in some way, transcendent and metaphysical. 

CWEORTH - 'Ritual Fire'.

This is the 'Fire-Twirl', 'Ritual Fire' or the 'Cremation Fire', and thus the Fire of Transformation. When a person is cremated this destroys the body quickly and allows the spirit to escape into a different realm or level of vibration. In regard to funeral concepts there may be some distinction between a 'ship-burial' where the body is burned on a ship on water, a 'ship-burial' where the body is buried in a ship upon the land, and an earth-burial in a barrow or chamber. The 'ship-burial' like the cremation, may well be the means of 'transporting' the spirit to a higher realm, as we find in the legends surrounding Avalon. The 'earth-burial' would thus not be for the AEthlinga/Eorlinga since it does not achieve a higher level at that time, but is reborn back into the tribe. 

A comment on this blog mentioned that Cweorth may also be Sweorth meaning 'sword' and this being the case this is the first of the Four Hallows as the 'Sword of Nuada' (Sword of Tiw). There is a case for this, just as there is a case for Peorth being Weorth since there is no letter 'p' in the Germanic Languages, and that this rune is associated with the Taefl Board and thus Wyrd. (It is a glyph of a man sitting at the Taefl-Board.)

The Cweorth-Rune and the Peorth-Rune are associated not just in sound but also in shape. 

PEORTH-RUNE (WEORTH)

CWEORTH-RUNE (SWEORTH)

CWEORTH-RUNE (ALTERNATIVE)

Both rune-staves have the same upright stave and two Germanic Kenaz-Runes making up the single stave. We can see the 'Fire-Twirl' in the last of the above runes, and there is another alternative to this, shown below -

This shows the 'Fire-Twirl' even better, and when one of these is crossed by another it makes the 'Fire-Swastika' or 'Swastika of Fire'. The Curved Swastika is the 'Swastika of Water' and the normal version the 'Swastika of Earth' - or so I am led to believe. 

The rune-shape of Cweorth can be found in this Symbol of Shiva, around which is the 'Fire-Twirl' in the shape of flames around the outer circle. Shiva is here drumming and doing the 'Dance of Destruction'. This can actually be found within the rune-names of this particular rune, since an alternative name is TRIS which is SIRT spelled backwards - these are the 'Fires of Surt' or the 'Fire-Dance of Destruction. Rudra-Shiva is 'The Destroyer' of the Trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva. The rune-shape can also be found in the following -

• The Long Man of Wilmington.
• The Cerne Abbas Giant.
• The Atacama Giant (Peru).
• Viracocha (Peru). 
• The Horns of Gallehus (as a rune-stance).

CALC - 'Cup'.

This is the Cauldron of Dagda of the Four Hallows; it is the Cauldron of Regeneration. It is also the Graal Cup or Graal Chalice. The name 'calc' is 'calix' meaning 'chalk' and refers to the White Stone. Commonly, it is called 'The Death Rune' as Eolhs is called 'The Life Rune'. In the Younger Futhark this is named Yr and associated with the Yew-Tree (death, but also eternity). But the rune-meaning of the Icelandic Rune Poem, 'yew-bow', is the same as the Old English Yr which could be rendered 'yew-bow', clear in the Icelandic, but assumed in the Old English because it refers to 'battle equipment' used on a horse - on which the bow is used.

I have shown how this can link to Kalki and Hamasson has also suggested Kali; these are two interlinking forms in Hinduism. Kali is certainly associated with the Death Mysteries which this rune holds within its meanings. Kalki comes as the Last Avatar to destroy the Old Order, and this glyph can be a 'bow and arrow' or a 'nuclear warhead' (which shows how symbols are not bound by time). Kali is associated with 'Time' and also known as 'Black One' ('coal'). We should not see here as purely negative because she is a catalyst for change and transformation; the old has to be destroyed before anything can change. Kali may be the equivalent of Kari in Norse Mythology, though they work at different levels. Kari also links to 'time' in the sense of 'movement', which is how we understand time; Kari is associated with the Element Air and the Wind, which moves, and creates movement. I have linked H-E-L-G-I or H-A-L-G-A to Kalki, and thus there may be some significance in that KARA is the last Valkyrie-Wife of Helgi the Haddinga. Kari (male) has become Kara (female). 

STAN - 'Stone'.

I have covered this more fully in another recent blog-post so there is no need to go through the same meanings again. 

GAR - 'Spear'.

This is Gungnir, the Spear of Woden, as the glyph itself shows - the Gyfu-Rune and Ing-Rune - 'Gift of Ing'. 

Again, I have covered this quite fully recently, so there is no need to go further into this one either.