bloodteethandflame

One of the first things I ever did to honor Loki was to embroider an altar cloth featuring the four runes of His name, in Elder Futhark:

(Laguz Othala Kenaz Isa)

Aside from the strange (but perhaps not so surprising) difficulty that I experienced in the process of embroidering this cloth, I do remember that as a time when the meaning of the runes themselves confused me…as I had only begun to learn their mysteries.

However, in the intervening years since then,  I have come to study runes, and the most important thing I have learned is that runes aren’t just an alphabet system; each rune has an energy and spirit of its own.  And as any rune-worker can tell you: working with the runes is to work with the layers of spiritual presence and power held by each rune. One of the meanings of the word ‘rune’ is ‘secret’ – so one might begin to see why it is sometimes said that the runes themselves reveal their secrets as one works with them.

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that words are important because words are powerful. Their power comes from the ability of words to make our thoughts manifest.

Now imagine if you would how this concept operates regarding runes: if each rune has its own layers of spiritual connection and meaning, therefore the power of several runes can be created in the formation of words.

Now, consider the power of names.

Names are powerful in the sense that a name is a personal word-thing.

With this in mind, let’s consider the runes of Loki’s name.

First…

LAGUZ

Laguz is the flow of Water. Laguz is the flow of Wyrd – the pools and the depths. Laguz is forward progress that seeks the cracks in the obstacles and blockages.  Laguz is a paradox just as water is: like water, Laguz represents a balm that can soothe and strengthen and Laguz is the force that can threaten and overwhelm all that is within its path.

As a part of Loki’s name, Laguz is the representation of energetic flow, as the energetic forces within, the essence of the subconscious mind; intuitive thought and emotion.

 Like Loki Himself, Laguz represents a shapeshifting nature, as water is shapeless, formless, taking the shape of its container, and yet it seeks its own path; it can be blocked by an obstacle or it can simply flow around it, much like Loki’s ever-changing energy.

Laguz is a rune that embodies a dual-nature, much like Loki’s: Laguz is an energetic force much like the ocean; a force that can be calm and full of provision and promise, or a force can overwhelm and destroy.

And finally, Laguz is a rune of awareness of what lies beneath the surface, a rune of knowledge and psychic ability.