Rune Post #24: Dagaz

Happy Wednesday! Today's focus will be on Dagaz, the twenty-third rune of the Elder Futhark, and seventh rune in the third aett.

Dagaz translates to "day," and connects to themes of daylight, breaking dawn, awareness, enlightenment, sudden and powerful realizations, cognition, enjoyment, breakthroughs, clarity, and hope.

Power of the Runes by Voenix; Ostara Tarot

This morning I happened to pull Dagaz (along with a Tarot card - the Page of Swords). Later I realized that Dagaz was today's rune post as well, and so I thought I would share what I wrote about that pairing:

This Page frequently comes up in connection to my relationship with Odin, so I wondered which rune would then appear...sure enough it is Dagaz, the Odinic Paradox, the great awareness, the meeting of right and left brains, the light bearer. There he sits, nursing a vibrant fire as the sun just starts to make its way over the edge of the horizon.

The Page is a seeker, asks questions, pursues knowledge and information and truth. The Page is a student of the universe, curiosity not constrained by age or social norms. We all see the world through different eyes, and yet as different as our experiences may be, there is something true in them all. I value the pursuit of understanding as a precious resource, cradling the reality that two opposites may indeed be part of the same whole.

An Old English rune poem reads:

Day, the glorious light of the Creator, 

is sent by the Lord;

it is beloved of men, 

a source of hope and 

happiness to rich and poor,

and of service to all.

Questions:

1) What other meanings do you attribute to Dagaz?

2) How do you utilize this rune in your practice?

3) If Dagaz has presented itself in your rune work or castings, how have you seen its energy manifested, or experienced its impact?

A New Moon Reading

Alaina, from Exploringly Yours, has once again crafted a lovely spread for use at the New Moon, which just so happened to have occurred yesterday. I enjoy these readings and find that they provide interesting insights into my current state of being - this one was no exception.

My reading layout was as follows:

1) What is my wild side saying to me this New Moon? 4 of Swords
2) What must I release to honor my highest self? 2 of Wands
3) What must I embrace to honor my highest self? Hanged Man
4) What can I contribute to the collective at this time? Page of Swords

Pagan Otherworlds Tarot

The first three cards mirror a message I've been hearing lately in some other small self-readings (in fact the 4 of Swords was yesterday's card of the day): pause, peace, and reflection are the requirements of this moment. It is not a time for action just yet, and even if I'm raring to leave the starting gates, it's better to have a course in mind first. I have only vague shadows of thought around what this is referring to, which means that I will certainly benefit from some mindful quiet time.

I love this Page of Swords. How can I contribute to the collective? The Page asks questions, seeks truth, and doesn't let uncomfortable lines of inquiry prevent the exploration of ideas that need to be considered. I've been asking a lot of questions lately, especially in my January blog posts. Most connect to how we can progress as a nation in light of the current political climate. Here is a recap:

• How are we supposed to move forward as a nation if we can't find a way to overcome the divisiveness?
• If facts don't seem to matter, then what does?
• How can we establish meaningful dialogue? 
• What happens if we never manage to see eye-to-eye, or learn to hold rich, fruitful, meaningful, and considerate discussions about our points of disagreement?
• How can we combat ignorance? 
• How can we protect the environment, and human rights, and healthcare, in the face of this new administration?
• What can I do? 
• How can I help?

Answers aren't always clear, simple, or readily apparent; the important thing is to keep the conversation going.

Reason in the Face of a Storm

For my "week ahead" cards, I decided to use two brand new decks that have me entirely enamored: the Stone Tarot and the Prisma Visions Tarot. I didn't pick any particular positions in favor of simply sitting back and seeing how the two cards speak to me. They are:

Stone Tarot: Page of Swords
Prisma Visions Tarot: 5 of Wands

Stone Tarot / Prisma Visions Tarot

Sigh. Look how beautiful! This pair has a couple of significant meanings for me that already come to mind....

First of all, the Page looks a lot like me wondering what I'm going to write about for the next blog hop. It's been on my mind lately, as the next hop is scheduled for August 8th and I've just signed up to participate. I have a few ideas for topics, but nothing that's won the competition just yet.

The birds in the Page remind me of Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens (and it might actually be them, since Huginn means "thought" and Muninn means "mind" - very appropriate for this card!). That might be worth pondering to see what inspiration it offers. I may even do some studying to prepare for this one.....

Secondly, this card combination feels like a voice of reason in the face of a storm. Or just getting to the core of a complex situation, aka "What does this all mean?" I have a team meeting coming up within the next week which should be interesting as one member is leaving and another is experiencing a position shift that will have some impact on organizational structure. I expect there to be lots of discussion and many voices in the mix as we navigate our way forward.

The strong presence of air (Swords) and fire (Wands) tells me that I'm in for an active week, but I'm good with that. I'm feeling ready to see what action comes my way, and what action flows from within!

Even Mosquitos Have a Place in the Cards

I dedicate this post to my children, but in particular to my younger daughter, Lourdes.

I was sitting on the couch this evening as my older daughter, Isabella, was settling into a rhythm of chopping, seasoning, boiling, and sautéing what would later become our dinner. (She's only fourteen, but she's got skillz!) I was sifting through my Deviant Moon when I started absent-mindedly rubbing my ankle. After a few moments I realized that it was itching a bit more than what's normal, and upon closer inspection discovered a fat welt on my leg, courtesy of a Floridian mosquito. We have a couple of months to go until they cease to frustrate all and any attempts to sit outside and enjoy the weather (though I admit I've received exponentially fewer bites this year as compared to the last two put together, so perhaps I shouldn't complain too much).

As Lourdes sat next to me creating a house for her new rubber lizard out of an empty box of Always, it came to me: how would Tarot describe a mosquito?

Before you roll your eyes and start thinking that I have way too much time on my hands (which I really don't, I swear) I will say that it seemed perfectly reasonable at the moment. After all, we use Tarot to describe people and events all the time, and there's nothing more pervasive and universal than the experience of the mosquito, so why not see what the cards have to say? I went right ahead and shuffled and pulled, and when I flipped the single card over, I started to laugh. I showed it to Lourdes, and said, "Hey, look, this is what a mosquito looks like in the Tarot deck!" She started giggling. If you think there could possibly be a better card than this to describe a mosquito, I challenge you to post it in the comments below:

Deviant Moon - P. Valenza

Yes! The Page of Swords reversed! (I love how the cards have personified the bug by using a court card ;-) This Page is irritating and pesky and carries a sharp poker. Need I say more?

Well, I will, because the Deviant Moon version of this Page offers a lot toward a particularly accurate description! He's dressed mostly in red, reminiscent of the liter of blood that was slurped out of my leg earlier today as I was trying to figure out the best way to harvest the Saw Palmetto from the backyard. He wears an eye lamp which clearly symbolizes the fact that mosquitoes can always find you, no matter where you hide, and no matter how many layers of clothing you wear; just close your eyes and imagine the gentle humming whine in your ear when you're trying to go to sleep at night. They have a one-track mind when it comes to the hunt (look at those hypnotic eyes!). And as a final note, it's an air card, and flying is the mode of transportation that most mosquitoes tend to favor.

So, there it is! Tarot has spoken, as clearly and efficiently as ever ;-)

The Page of Swords

The Page of Swords was my daily draw today.  I've had a Sword-theme this week so far with my daily draws, and all have been great advice.

When I saw the Page this morning I was in a rush to leave the house so I kept it in my mind to ponder later.  I didn't automatically "know" what I was being told - I'm still getting more deeply acquainted with the court cards, and some are easier for me than others.

But later as I was considering this card, I realized that it's just another lovely progression in my weekly card draws, indicating that things are flowing along.  The Page of Swords is telling me to be strong and face this current issue with my student with my chin up, and in a fair manner.  It's fitting because the issue with my student involved academic ethics - plagiarism.  Figuring out how to deal with him in a way that is fair, yet not feeling simultaneously sad about it, has been a challenge for me.  So the central issue has been solved, but today (and probably even early next week) I'll be finishing working out the details and settling everything once and for all.  Yesterday I pulled the 6 of Swords which encouraged me to move on, gain a new perspective.  Today the Page is encouraging me to meet the challenge of learning to be just and fair and honest, and to place my focus on doing what's right, rather than getting caught up in irrational emotions regarding the student's situation. This has always been an issue for me!

Druidcraft Tarot - Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm

So I will look at this situation as a positive challenge to understand that sometimes paying attention to what's fair is more important than worrying about how the perpetrator feels about the situation.  (That's me, always worrying about peoples' emotions, even when it doesn't seem to make any sense!!!!!!!)

Thank you, Page!

(P.S. I push-pull shuffled twice, cut three times from right to left, and restacked from right to left - then drew the top card!)