Uruz ᚢ — When The World Is Too Much (Or Too Little)

J. Hamburger — Mon, 17 May 2021 16:33:43 +0000

One day while camping in Iceland, I found myself chatting with the campground owner, a friendly, solid-looking man of about sixty. He had the serene bearing of one who has spent his whole life gazing out at the same wide-open country. South Iceland looks a lot like West Texas, only green and wet instead of brown and dry. Similarly, this man reminded me of some Texans I’ve met: people of few words, yet great presence. I jumped at the chance to ask him about Uruz (wild ox/drizzle). I was stumped as to why the Icelandic rune poem calls it herder’s hate. Why would a shepherd hate rain? Another line of the poem says that rain ruins hay, which would be a big problem for a herdsman, but I wondered if there wasn’t more to it. So I asked the campground owner. He looked out over the empty grassland. “Maybe it’s the cold. Here in Iceland, rain usually brings a cold wind, which stresses the sheep.” He looked away again, nodding. Then he smiled. “And who likes to work in the rain?” I thanked him. I think we were both pleased with his answer.

South Iceland—West Texas (© J. Hamburger)

In the desert rain is a rare blessing, while elsewhere it may be an oppressive force. Both can be a problem, and often that’s what Uruz is: a problem, an imbalance, something we must either work around or endure.

Keep keepin’ on, y’all.

Fehu ᚠ And The Quest For Better Money

J. Hamburger — Sat, 15 May 2021 14:24:16 +0000

Fehu (money) shares a root with old words for sheep and cattle because livestock was used as money in Germanic societies before they adopted gold and silver. Today the question of what to use as money may be arising once again. With central banks around the world printing more and more “money,” it makes you wonder what will happen to its value. I find it interesting to consider Fehu as livestock, gold/silver, fiat currency, and now, cryptocurrency. Which would the old Germanic tribes have chosen? We know that they dropped livestock in favor of gold and silver, but would they have traded their precious metals for U.S. dollars? Or maybe Bitcoin? Considering they were such rabid gamblers, my guess would be… Dogecoin!

Wishing the best for you and your money, in whatever form it may be. And remember, Fehu is really about how you relate to money—and in a deeper sense, how you relate to the material and spiritual worlds.