4 Pillars Runecasting

 

 

I started this runecasting as an elemental spread with a significator in the middle. Then it grew a bit. Four runes from the Water Element, three from Air, and one each from Fire and Earth are represented, with Hagalaz in the center as significator.

A pattern began to emerge, thus the additional four runes. Hagalaz is the Mother or Witch rune, so anytime I draw it as significator, I expand the casting for further influences. Rather than look at each rune’s influence on the witch, how the runes flow through the witch felt more interesting, so I essentially cast four landscape spreads within the larger spread..sort of a 4 Pillars spread, as in the Witch’s Pyramid of Four Pillars, or Four Pillars of the Witches’ Temple. To know, to will, to dare, to keep silence. A + within an X.

The Four Pillars defines a witch’s approach to not only the craft, but also to his or her life. It’s how we conduct ourselves, our focus, our attitude. A witch is expected to remain balanced, aligned with the Goddess or Source within. It allows our power to flow freely into spellwork as well as our interaction with others. It’s a standard of excellence expressed by the witch in all things.

Like the witch, Hagalaz transforms, transmutes. A Water Element rune, Hagalaz represents the disruption and chaos brought by hail, the precursor to transforming change. It also blesses and balances marriage or partnerships, and assists hedge riding and shamanic journeying.

Along the horizontal axis, Algiz and Dagaz provide the influence of To Know, or thought made manifest, reflecting the element of Air, the expression of the witch’s intellect, knowledge and understanding. Algiz is the rune of spiritual growth and alignment with the Higher Self. Dagaz indicates enlightenment and awakening. Thought is made manifest, alignment results in awakening, as one flows into the other with Hagalaz as Blessed Conduit, the midpoint between the two.

Uruz and Thurisaz comprise the vertical axis of To Will, representative of Fire, reflecting our passion, enthusiasm, discipline, and focus. Both catalytic runes, Uruz shapes life energy and Thurisaz is the catalyst for change. Hagalaz sits in the middle of this chaotic energy providing both point of origin and impetus for transmutation. Again, from Uruz, the more mutable genesis of life, through Hagalaz, to the catalytic expression of Thurisaz, the same progressive flow of influence is evident.

On the projective (right) side of the X axis, To Dare is expressed by Gebo and Eihwaz. To dare is interesting in that it’s similar to will, as it represents another way of “getting there” for the witch. Whereas To Will reflects passion and enthusiasm, To Dare reflects our drive to face whatever comes our way, whether the challenge is internal or external in nature. Representing the element of Water, To Dare teaches us to practice nonresistance, to go with the flow. Gebo represents balanced energy exchange, and Eihwaz teaches us to see all sides of an issue, allowing for balance between viewpoints. To Dare ultimately means allowing, in my opinion, and the balance both of these runes brings to Hagalaz blends well with the catalytic energy the runes on the axis of To Will.

Lastly, on the X axis’s receptive left side, Wunjo and Ansuz embody To Keep Silence. With its Earth element influence, peace and divinity within are expressed as our inner stillpoint, our alignment with Source. Wunjo represents joy and harmony; Ansuz invokes the force of creation and our divinity within. It’s our inner alignment, our center, which allows the power of Hagalaz to flow, transforming, transmuting our thoughts, our passion, our readiness into whatever we choose.

The fifth element of Spirit is also acknowledged, not a pillar as much as the point of origin for the other four. From Spirit all else flows. Hagalaz stands for Spirit in this runecast, with all her chaos and transforming energy. From there, we center, align, know, and all else is possible. We’re witches, after all.

So that was cool!

~Blessed be the runes!