the origin of the runes: the myth of odin

The 9 Runes of Odin and the Yggdrasil

In the last article we uncovered the mystery of Runamo in Sweden, raising some final questions.

Our thesis is that the Runes have an otherworldly origin, and that they have a special place in the World that Plato called Hyperuranium.

Let’s see what Norse Mythology says about respect, I invite you to continue reading and I promise you will not be disappointed, indeed I await your comments.

We were saying, Norse mythology. It gives us authentic pearls, since the Runes are seen as an attribute of the Norns, three female figures comparable to the Greek Moira and the Latin Fates, or the Three Ladies of Fate.

According to the Norsemen, the Universe had the Yggdrasil, the Cosmic Tree, as its axis, and the New Worlds were supported on it. Asgard, the world of the Aesir, the Gods, was located on the top of the Tree, while at its roots there was the Source of the unfathomable depths considered as the Source of Life, which contained the primordial forces of the Universe, and the most powerful Beings of the Cosmos, more than the Gods. Among them were the Norns.

Odin, from his throne on Asgard, saw the Norns carve the Runes on the trunk of the Yggdrasil to give shape to Fate. The symbols made their strength flow through all the lifeblood of the Cosmic Tree, and this affected the life of all 9 Planets and their inhabitants.

Odin began to want to know those symbols so powerful, and he knew that in order to do so, he would have to undergo very hard tests because the Runes did not reveal themselves to Beings who were not worthy of them.

The Supreme God, therefore, forbade all the Gods to intervene during his Initiatory Test, otherwise, he knew it would be in vain.

Let’s read together the “Havamal”, in which Odin recalls and describes his Sacrifice:

“I know I was hung up
to the trunk shaken by the wind
for nine whole nights,
by a wounded spear
and sacrificed to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree that no one knows
from which roots does it arise.
With bread they did not satisfy me
nor with horns (they quenched my thirst).
I looked down,
I raised the Runes,
Calling them I did
And I fell from there.
Nine powerful spells
I received from the illustrious son
of Bǫlþorn, father of Bestla,
and a sip I got
of the precious mead
drawn from Óðrørir.
Here I was fertilized
and I became wise,
I truly grew and thrived.
From a word to a word
I was led to a word,
From a work to a work
I was led to a work ”.

I don’t think there is a more sublime definition of Runes. This alone deserves a worthy and lengthy study.

Returning to the Tradition, what were the Runes that appeared to Odin?
They were the following:
Gebo
Hagalaz
Naudiz
Isa
Jera
Eihwaz
Sowelo
Inguz
Dagaz.

The amazing thing is that if we interpret each of these nine Runes, we read the Story of Odin’s Sacrifice. We write them in order of appearance with respect to the legend narrated by the Havamal:

– Gebo, the Union with the Essence of the Universe, represents the supreme gift: the knowledge of the Runes, which Odin desired;

– Hagalaz: the Death of the seed represents its Life. Odin dies on a mystical level, and goes all the way to the root of Things;

– Naudiz: the Night, symbolizes Odin hanging from the Yggdrasil and pierced by the spear, and the Night as the Time of the test;

– Isa: The Will: it is Odin’s resource that leads him to overcome the 9 Nights;

– Jera: Maturation: Odin understands the sense of the Cycle and opens up to it;

– Eihwaz: Triumph in Faith: Odin on a mystical “dead” level hanging from the Yggdrasil, joins his roots and rises from there;

– Sowelo: The Power of the Sun vivifies him;

– Inguz: the Closing of the Cycle and the Protection of the Family: Odin becomes Part of the Whole, the Celestial Family;

– Dagaz: the Eruption of Light: Odin realizes his Full Consciousness. Odin is initiated into the Runes.

As you can see, it is a very powerful description.

And here we return to the Runamo Paradox: was it the Runes that appeared on the rock or did the human eye see them?
In parallel: was it Odin who evoked these 9 Runes or did they appear to Odin to explain the meaning of his sacrifice?

What do you think?

The wonderful thing is that these 9 Runes also define the Nine Planets of Norse Mythology, confirming what always happens in a reading of the Runes: all the Runes that have been “chosen” represent and describe every aspect of the life of the one who placed the question. They don’t just answer the concrete question he posed.

This is in perfect harmony with Jung’s Theory of Synchronicity.
But this is another story, and we’ll talk about it another time …