Post by seekingdivinity on May 29, 2005 23:04:33 GMT -5
www.indigosun.com/nov97/perkins.htm
Ramblings of A Roving Rune Caster
by Allan T. Perkins
The rune Sowelu is the sixteenth rune in the Elder Futhark. It is the rune of wholeness and life forces. It is also the rune of the sun's energy. At first blush, this may sound like a unlikely combination, but it isn't really. Let's take a look and you will see what I mean.
In the mythological symbolism of the ancient Norse, the sun is shown as a wheel or a shield. Let's look at the idea of Sowelu as a wheel first. In our sixth column, we discussed Raido, the rune of the cosmic journey - our journey to knowledge of the Self. One of the things we said about Raido was that it can be represented by the cosmic wagon. Well, Sowelu is represented by the cosmic wheel. It is the wheels which bear the weight and provide the momentum for the journey to the Self. Just as a wagon cannot easily be moved without wheels, we cannot travel the path to the Self without the will to take the trip.
So, Sowelu represents the divine will to strive toward full knowledge of the Self. We have also previously discussed Tiwaz, the rune of the spiritual warrior. Sowelu and Tiwaz are related because Sowelu represents the will, or drive, the spiritual warrior needs to achieve the quest. Remember, the quest of the spiritual warrior is the full knowledge and attainment of the Self. You may also remember, we said that the Nordic idea of honor spoke of the concept of right action. The spiritual warrior gains knowledge of the Self through adherence to natural law and right action. Sowelu represents the will, or if you choose, the inspiration for the warrior's quest.
But, there is more to the sun. So it is with Sowelu. In ancient time, the sun was used by seafarers to navigate the open seas. In the same way, Sowelu can serve as a "spiritual navigational aid" to direct us on our individual, personal trip to full knowledge of the Self. Just as the sailor can navigate seas and travel from country to country following the sun, the spiritual sailor can travel the spiritual realm with the guidance of Sowelu, touching on the spiritual, emotional, and mundane realms with assurance validated by faith and experience.
The sun can warm us and give us a comfortable, peaceful feeling of contentment. On the spiritual level, Sowelu does the same. When I was in grade school, one of my favorite things to do in the early summer was to lie out on the grass of a meadow - usually on the top of a hill - and take in the sun with my friends. We would feel its warmth. It gave us a feeling of contentment. It was like being injected with nature's tonic. It burned off the last of the cold and forbidding winter, and left us a comforting warmth which promised the joyous summer of life to come.
Finally, the sun provides light. Things which were hidden in the cold darkness of the night become readily apparent in the bright sun of daylight. So it is with Sowelu. If you are going through troubled times and draw Sowelu in a position of decision - such as the center rune in a three rune spread - you may find it is spotlighting a trait or action which you should look at in the bright light of the spiritual day.
At the beginning of this column we said the sun was represented by a wheel and a shield. That's the final aspect of Sowelu we want to look at in this issue - the shield. Just as the warrior used his shield to protect himself from harm, the spiritual warrior uses the protection provided by Sowelu to ward off spiritual threats.
So, we've seen that the rune of wholeness doesn't so much say we've obtained the Self, as it shows us the way, gives us the will and well-being to persevere in our quest, and help us with the knowledge of the right action and the Self to more safely make the trip. That's a lot. When Sowelu appears in a spread, we should sit up and take notice because something important is happening.
Ramblings of A Roving Rune Caster
by Allan T. Perkins
The rune Sowelu is the sixteenth rune in the Elder Futhark. It is the rune of wholeness and life forces. It is also the rune of the sun's energy. At first blush, this may sound like a unlikely combination, but it isn't really. Let's take a look and you will see what I mean.
In the mythological symbolism of the ancient Norse, the sun is shown as a wheel or a shield. Let's look at the idea of Sowelu as a wheel first. In our sixth column, we discussed Raido, the rune of the cosmic journey - our journey to knowledge of the Self. One of the things we said about Raido was that it can be represented by the cosmic wagon. Well, Sowelu is represented by the cosmic wheel. It is the wheels which bear the weight and provide the momentum for the journey to the Self. Just as a wagon cannot easily be moved without wheels, we cannot travel the path to the Self without the will to take the trip.
So, Sowelu represents the divine will to strive toward full knowledge of the Self. We have also previously discussed Tiwaz, the rune of the spiritual warrior. Sowelu and Tiwaz are related because Sowelu represents the will, or drive, the spiritual warrior needs to achieve the quest. Remember, the quest of the spiritual warrior is the full knowledge and attainment of the Self. You may also remember, we said that the Nordic idea of honor spoke of the concept of right action. The spiritual warrior gains knowledge of the Self through adherence to natural law and right action. Sowelu represents the will, or if you choose, the inspiration for the warrior's quest.
But, there is more to the sun. So it is with Sowelu. In ancient time, the sun was used by seafarers to navigate the open seas. In the same way, Sowelu can serve as a "spiritual navigational aid" to direct us on our individual, personal trip to full knowledge of the Self. Just as the sailor can navigate seas and travel from country to country following the sun, the spiritual sailor can travel the spiritual realm with the guidance of Sowelu, touching on the spiritual, emotional, and mundane realms with assurance validated by faith and experience.
The sun can warm us and give us a comfortable, peaceful feeling of contentment. On the spiritual level, Sowelu does the same. When I was in grade school, one of my favorite things to do in the early summer was to lie out on the grass of a meadow - usually on the top of a hill - and take in the sun with my friends. We would feel its warmth. It gave us a feeling of contentment. It was like being injected with nature's tonic. It burned off the last of the cold and forbidding winter, and left us a comforting warmth which promised the joyous summer of life to come.
Finally, the sun provides light. Things which were hidden in the cold darkness of the night become readily apparent in the bright sun of daylight. So it is with Sowelu. If you are going through troubled times and draw Sowelu in a position of decision - such as the center rune in a three rune spread - you may find it is spotlighting a trait or action which you should look at in the bright light of the spiritual day.
At the beginning of this column we said the sun was represented by a wheel and a shield. That's the final aspect of Sowelu we want to look at in this issue - the shield. Just as the warrior used his shield to protect himself from harm, the spiritual warrior uses the protection provided by Sowelu to ward off spiritual threats.
So, we've seen that the rune of wholeness doesn't so much say we've obtained the Self, as it shows us the way, gives us the will and well-being to persevere in our quest, and help us with the knowledge of the right action and the Self to more safely make the trip. That's a lot. When Sowelu appears in a spread, we should sit up and take notice because something important is happening.
